The Pro Bowl squads have finished their walk-thru before tomorrow's game and I had the opportunity to catch up with a player who has his eyes set on playing for the Dolphins:
Free safety Antrel Rolle.
Rolle, a former University of Miami star in the Pro Bowl for the first time, is in a sort of limbo right now because the Cardinals are scheduled to pay him $12.1 million in salary and a bonus in 2010. The idea behind having such a whopping figure in the final year of Rolle's contract is to force both sides to renegotiate a new deal or simply cut ties.
And while Rolle insists he loves the Cardinals, he also loves the idea of playing for the Dolphins in South Florida, where he grew up, played at South Dade High and The U.
"That would be nice," Rolle told me. "You know what I mean. I would love to take some of the burden off of mom and dad seeing as they travel to every game. Miami is home for me. I haven't played here in five years, but hey, we can make it happen."
Rolle repeated that his parent fly across country to every game he plays. That's 16 weeks of travel and he'd like to lighten their burden by giving them eight home games in Miami.
"I'm still a Cardinal right now, you know," he said. "I don't know what's going to happen. But I love the Cardinals and their organization. I've been good to them and they've been great to me also. Let's just see what plays out.
"I don't know what's going to play out. They haven't given me any indication. I know they want to keep me there. We're trying to keep our franchise together, but I don't know what they're thinking right now."
What Rolle is thinking is that if the Cardinals decide not to pay him his $12 million and release him he will be on the open market. And the first place he will look is Miami. It is important enough a topic to him that he has studied Miami's personnel situation at free safety and is aware Gibril Wilson was something of a bust last year and could be cut when the league year begins anew in March.
"I'm more than aware," Rolle told me.
This season Rolle had 72 tackles, four interceptions, eight passes defensed, one forced fumble and 1.5 sacks. Wilson had 91 tackles, eight passes defensed and one sack. He had no interceptions and caused no other turnovers.
Rolle, who lives in Homestead in the offseason, is not completely disconnected from the Cardinals yet. He said Kurt Warner's retirement was "bittersweet."
"I'm happy for him," Rolle said, "But he's defintely going to be missed. He's one of the persons that has been my inspiration and one of the leaders I've looked to."
Matt Leinart is expected to take over for Warner.
"Leinert, I think his time is up right now," Rolle said. "It's time for him to produce and be the player that Matt knows he can be and the player we all know he can be. We're going to be behind him 100 percent of the way and I think he'll do a good job there."
Assuming Rolle is there with Leinert. Big assumption.
My boy brandon graham lost contain on that end around. d'oh!
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 04:31 PM
damn commercials
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:34 PM
Gilyard is dangerous. Good route runner and fast too. Size keeps him from being a #1 pick.
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 04:35 PM
y u crying,it not like you are bringing any thing to the table. you're reporting what you see and agreeing to everything ppl are saying about the game. y 2 funny
Posted by: stop the madness | January 30, 2010 at 04:37 PM
Not so much size, but I think more his inconsistent hands with Gilyard.
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:37 PM
Inconsistant hands too
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:37 PM
u 2 funny
Posted by: stop the madness | January 30, 2010 at 04:38 PM
Mt.Cody looked like he got man handled with ease by one guy.
Posted by: beerndrums | January 30, 2010 at 04:38 PM
On several plays too.
Posted by: beerndrums | January 30, 2010 at 04:38 PM
Bootang , we said it at the same time.
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:39 PM
Gilyard is one of those guys it depends where he goes. If he goes to a NE where he sees single coverage a lot, he could have an immediate impact. Or he could go somewhere with shaky QB play or a poor group of WR and struggle.
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:41 PM
Gilyards hands were a problem during the practice week but really wasn't much of a problem all year. He will have to work hard in the coming months to show that it was just a bad week for him. That last catch showed nice hands.
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 04:41 PM
Sounded like they were talking up Dan Williams earlier.
Posted by: Po White Trash | January 30, 2010 at 04:42 PM
carlito , where you at ?
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:42 PM
I like him as a 4th rounder for Miami, same with Jacoby Ford. Both home run hitters with blazing speed.
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 04:43 PM
Mando calls for a live blog and 500 people show up. NJPhinFan calls for a live blog and ...
crickets ...
chirp ... chirp.
Nuts!
Posted by: The Knight that Says Nuts! | January 30, 2010 at 04:43 PM
Nolan says he'll with this no blitzing stuff lmao
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:44 PM
Chris cordero aldo mentioned gylyards shaky hands
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:44 PM
Blount is going to be a steal for someone in the 3rd or later
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:44 PM
you have to have a blog first in order to ask ppl to come, he's pretending he has juice like mando!! he's crazy for real
Posted by: stop the madness | January 30, 2010 at 04:46 PM
also. Cory chavous loved blount and had him higher than spiller
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:46 PM
im out my last post unless ....
Posted by: stop the madness | January 30, 2010 at 04:46 PM
Wildcat
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:48 PM
I'm kind of suprised Mando hasn't shown up.
Posted by: Po White Trash | January 30, 2010 at 04:48 PM
I wanna see brown throw, it's a thing of beauty when he has time
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:49 PM
good arm
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:49 PM
Colin Peek has size.
Posted by: Po White Trash | January 30, 2010 at 04:50 PM
Cam THomas is in
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 04:50 PM
thomas almost had him
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:51 PM
DAN WILLIAMS !! batted pass
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:53 PM
I like D Williams a lot, good instincts.
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:53 PM
Thomas had very good consistent push against a top guard - Jerry from Miss
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 04:53 PM
they're running up the gut bootang25
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:54 PM
I understand, but I still think he is a good player.
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:54 PM
Speaking of push - nice work Dan Williams
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 04:55 PM
Again, instincts
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:56 PM
i didn't say he wasn't
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:56 PM
With good ILB and better coaching on technique, Williams becomes a better player. He has the skill set, coach him up
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:57 PM
They were running inside but not at Williams. It was at the other DT.
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 04:57 PM
Dan Williams, What round NJ?
Posted by: Po White Trash | January 30, 2010 at 04:57 PM
I'm not arguing NJ. I like watching these games getting opinions of u guys. We all want the same thing, to find great players who we think the Fins could use
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 04:59 PM
I wish they were allowed to play the 3-4 in this game so we can get a better look at the nt players and see how williams holds up
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 04:59 PM
That’s just NJs tone, don’t think he means anything by it.
Posted by: Po White Trash | January 30, 2010 at 05:00 PM
bootang i know. :)
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 05:00 PM
And cam Thomas as well. Even Cody too, tho I'm not a big fan of his. And we don't get to see guys like Sheffield rush the passer
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 05:01 PM
NJ, The Menace has arrived.....
Posted by: lil mikep | January 30, 2010 at 05:01 PM
Who's this Lane guy with the 1980's Brian Bosworth cut off jersey?
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 05:01 PM
Po . round 1 maybe between 20 -30.
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 05:02 PM
Oh well, some much for us taking him on our 2nd pick.
Posted by: Po White Trash | January 30, 2010 at 05:03 PM
Now Iam on the computer and off my Iphone...
Posted by: cuban menace | January 30, 2010 at 05:03 PM
Menace, lil mikep ?? that your new name ???
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 05:03 PM
So much
Posted by: Po White Trash | January 30, 2010 at 05:04 PM
I Phone NJ....
Posted by: cuban menace | January 30, 2010 at 05:04 PM
Witherspoon is a nut job, I love it!!!
Posted by: Mark in Toronto | January 30, 2010 at 05:05 PM
po thanks , you're right. that's just ny tone.
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 05:05 PM
Graham and weatherspoon wouldn't hurt my feelings. Brown is a tough guy to bring down, and Graham took care of that
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 05:05 PM
Graham = lamar woodley
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 05:06 PM
Like cuban menace better than lil mikep. IMO
Posted by: Po White Trash | January 30, 2010 at 05:06 PM
Ha , mayock just said the same thing.
Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | January 30, 2010 at 05:06 PM
I think weatherspoon can play inside as well
Posted by: Bootang25 | January 30, 2010 at 05:07 PM