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There is a lot of debate about the borderline with Mexico in the southwestern United States these days, but unfortunately for the state of Arizona that is not the only line that they seem to be having issues with. The Arizona Cardinals' offensive line has failed to stop oncoming defenses and it has hindered the Cardinals' arsenal from being truly productive. Worse yet, the defensive line has yet to show any signs of being able to defend their goal line, or any other part of the field for that matter. They need immediate help both in protecting their offensive weapons, and in keeping opposing offenses out of their end zone.
The good news is that out of the top five picks in the NFL draft this year, Arizona, at #5, is probably in the best overall position when it comes to their draft selection. I am not saying this because of the draft order, but rather because of the power that they already have in their offense. With players such as QB Matt Leinart, RB Edgerrin James, and WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, the offense is not hindered due to a lack of scoring capability, but rather due to the weakness of their offensive line. I think there are two players in this year's draft that would be extremely beneficial in strengthening these weaknesses.
The first player we must take a look at is OT Joe Thomas. While in high school, Thomas was listed among the top 20 OTs in the nation and received the WFCA 2002 Offensive Player of the Year during his senior year. In College he was named first-team All American and received the Outland Trophy as the nation's top offensive lineman after the 2006 season. He will provide a boulder of strength that will allow the Cardinals to put points up on the board. Though Thomas will probably not last through the first few picks, the Cardinals will certainly take him, without hesitation, if he is available when their pick arrives.
The second and more likely pick for Arizona is DE Gaines Adams. Adams is a 6ft 5inch gargantuan weighing 260 pounds, and was one of the top defensive players in 2006. His high school career consisted of 341 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 33 sacks. His senior year in college he started all 12 games, recording 10.5 sacks, caused 2 fumbles and recovered 3. Adams will offer an immediate upgrade to the Cardinals ailing and troubled defensive line.
Arizona's Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt may have inherited a team that had the worst record in the NFC West last season, but the Cardinals are perhaps the only team that has the pieces in place to make a major transition in division standings this season. The Arizona Cardinals could fly in under the radar and be one of the premier teams to be reckoned with in the upcoming season and beyond.
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