Calvin Pace has changed uniforms, going to the Jets from the Cardinals.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With both John McCain and Barack Obama just a few miles away from where the Cardinals were practicing Thursday, linebacker Karlos Dansby had a slightly different take on a Presidential candidate.
His former teammate, Calvin Pace, whom the Cardinals will see Sunday when they play Pace's new team, the New York Jets.
"Oh yeah, I really feel like 'Calvin Pace for President' right now," Dansby said, laughing. "Him or Obama, who'd be better? Know what I'm saying? That'd be a hard choice for me right now."
Dansby's fondness for Pace comes from the six-year, $42 million free-agent contract Pace signed with the Jets this past offseason, especially since Dansby is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of 2008.
It was more money than anyone expected Pace to receive on the open market, short-circuiting plans to bring Pace back to Arizona.
"I think the dollar amount is really predicated upon who the free agents are," Pace said Thursday. "If there had been a lot of outside linebackers in my free-agency group maybe (the contract) would have been a little different."
Pace, who has 17 tackles and 1½ sacks in three games, has continued to grow in his role as a 3-4 outside linebacker, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said.
"That's why we wanted to re-sign Calvin, because we felt he was a good fit defensively to what we were doing." Whisenhunt said.
Had the Cardinals been able to re-sign Pace, they likely wouldn't have gotten Travis LaBoy in free agency.
Pace had said last season he wanted to come back to Arizona. The money he received was much more than the Cards wanted to spend.
So Pace went to New York. His time in Arizona was marked with plenty of rough spots, the biggest being lodged in Dennis Green's doghouse much of Green's tenure. But Pace insisted he learned much as a Cardinal.
"More than anything else it taught me a lot about myself and how I had to make an adjustment to the NFL," Pace said.
"I really don't have anything but positive things to say. I have some negatives and I think that is the (the same with) anybody anyplace. I am thankful for the opportunity they gave me especially with the (off-field) injuries to my arm (in 2005). They could have just thrown me to the wayside but they stuck with me and I appreciate that."
BERRY OUT, WILSON GIMPY
Defensive end Bertrand Berry had sacks in each of the first three games, the first time in his career he had had such a streak. The streak will be suspended for now, after it was found Berry had torn his groin last week against Washington. Berry returned to Arizona Wednesday, and will miss at least the game in New York.
Safety Adrian Wilson was also limited in practice because of a sore right hamstring. Wilson's absence would be a bigger blow to the defense if he cannot go.
Berry actually hurt himself early in the Washington game yet returned, getting his sack in the fourth quarter.
"Because of the way he responded and going back in the game Sunday, we were hopeful it wasn't bad, but they did the MRI and found out he had a tear," Whisenhunt said.
The Cards are using both Clark Haggans and Chike Okeafor – who usually play the other side at defensive end/linebacker – as Travis LaBoy's backup, and all three will be rotated into the two end roles this weekend. Whisenhunt said the team should know more next week how soon Berry might return.
SIRENS THROUGH D.C.
Whisenhunt called the police escort past the D.C. monuments toward practice each day "pretty cool." Getting one is important on the always-packed streets near the White House, but not necessarily a given.
"We intended to get the escort but it's not always easy to get those guys because sometimes the president and heads of state take a little priority," Whisenhunt said. "Hopefully, barring any unforeseen movement by powerful people, we'll have them for the rest of the week."
EXTRA POINTS
The Cardinals dealt with a light rain late in practice Thursday, and temperatures were much colder than Wednesday with wind. Rain is expected to continue through Friday. Whisenhunt figured that could work to the Cards' advantage, because it could rain Sunday against the Jets.
If the wind or rain gets too intense Friday, Whisenhunt said the team would move inside to a gym at Catholic University. …
Tight end Jerame Tuman (hamstring) remained sidelined at practice. Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (hamstring) and wide receiver Sean Morey (Achilles) were limited.
Contact Darren Urban at askdarren@cardinals.nfl.net. Posted 9/25/08.
