Leinart seems to have solid grip on starting spot

The Arizona Cardinals are feeling more comfortable in their second offseason under coach Ken Whisenhunt. The camps were particularly valuable for third-year quarterback Matt Leinart, who needs all the work he can get to master the offense.

A long list of potential offseason distractions seemed largely to fade away during minicamps. Leinart made it through camp without any more unflattering party photos making their way online. Receiver Anquan Boldin and defensive tackle Darnell Dockett skipped voluntary practices in the absence of reworked contracts, but neither made the types of inflammatory comments that can detract from team activities.

What we learned from minicamp

Veteran quarterback Kurt Warner isn't content settling for the backup job behind Leinart, but he probably doesn't have a choice in the matter.

Whisenhunt remains committed to Leinart. The decision makes sense because young quarterbacks sometimes need three seasons to flourish in an NFL system. Leinart has started 16 games as a pro, and 11 of those came under previous coach Dennis Green. Leinart struggled out of the gate last season, posting a 61.9 QB rating through five games before missing the remainder of the season with a broken left collarbone.

As a 2006 first-round pick, Leinart needs more experience to grow into the role. He played the part more convincingly at minicamps.

Those embarrassing party photos of Leinart that surfaced online earlier in the offseason quickly became a nonstory once the Cardinals got on the field. Whisenhunt lauded Leinart for working on the finer points of his game, including the depth of his drops and his approach to film study. He also noticed how much more comfortable Leinart appeared running the offense.

Warner is a team player, but he also plans on making it hard for Whisenhunt to go with Leinart on merit. Warner has talked openly about how negotiations on a new deal will help define where he stands on the depth chart. Whisenhunt has shown he's not afraid to change quarterbacks to help the team, but for now Leinart appears to have strengthened his hold on the position.

Still unresolved

The Cardinals aren't sure which wideout will fill the void at No. 3 receiver left by Bryant Johnson, who bolted to the San Francisco 49ers in free agency.

Larry Fitzgerald and Boldin remain the starters. Steve Breaston, a fifth-round choice in 2007, made a strong push in minicamps for consideration as the new third receiver.

Rookie Early Doucet, a third-round choice from LSU, is another candidate for the job. Doucet looks a bit like Boldin in terms of body type and the way he moves. But rookie receivers tend to have a hard time producing right away.

Breaston might have an edge for now. He put in the work this offseason to get stronger, and it paid off in minicamps. More than any receiver, Breaston took advantage of the extra reps that came his way with Boldin skipping camp and Jerheme Urban resting a foot injury.

Injury analysis

Some teams are better equipped to suffer injuries at any position but quarterback. The Cardinals have it the other way around. Warner provides them with a tremendous insurance policy at the most important position, but this team lacks the depth to survive many casualties elsewhere on the roster.

The Cardinals lost too many players on defense to injury last year and stumbled to a 3-5 start, before scrambling to finish with an 8-8 record.

Gabe Watson's freak knee injury, reportedly suffered when he tumbled from a treadmill, left the Cardinals without their starting nose tackle for minicamps. He should be ready for the season, but the defense has injury concerns elsewhere as well. Veteran pass-rushers Chike Okeafor and Bert Berry have had trouble staying healthy lately. The team can hardly afford to lose them again, now that Calvin Pace is playing for the New York Jets.

Rolle call

Antrel Rolle never became the cornerback Arizona envisioned when the franchise made him the eighth player chosen in the 2005 draft. That doesn't necessarily mean Rolle is a bust.

Rolle flashed his talent last season when he picked off three passes in a game against Cincinnati. Coaches are optimistic Rolle can make a successful transition to free safety.

If that happens, the Cardinals could field a highly talented secondary featuring Rolle, Pro Bowl strong safety Adrian Wilson and rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the 16th player chosen in 2008.