While nothing is official is yet, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians suggested today that center Lyle Sendlein will likely retire this offseason, per Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). “As far as I know,” Arians said. “I don’t think he’s announced it yet.”
Sendlein, who turned 32 last Wednesday, has been the Cardinals’ starting center for most of the last decade, appearing in 136 regular season games (124 starts) for the team since 2007. The Texas alum ranked 27th out of 39 qualified centers in 2015, according to Pro Football Focus, which graded him as a slightly better run blocker than pass blocker.
If Sendlein does decide to continue his career, it seems likely to happen in Arizona. Last year, the team was prepared to move on without him, but didn’t like its options at center in training camp, and ultimately re-signed the veteran in August.
This time around, center is one of the few spots on the Cardinals’ offensive line that doesn’t already have a clear-cut starter lined up. Whoever ends up landing the job will have good company on either side of him, with Mike Iupati and Evan Mathis penciled in as the club’s starting guards.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Cardinals have invested a lot of capital in their O-line the last couple of seasons, and center is the last position that hasn’t been addressed meaningfully in free agency or the draft. Sendlein’s retirement could change that, as I can’t imagine the team putting all of its eggs in the A.Q. Shipley basket. Cooper would have been an option to shift to center before they traded him, and I have to think they will look to use an early pick on a center or interior lineman who could be converted to a center.
I have them taking S-Keanu Neal from Florida in the 1st… possible that they trade back to the top of the 2nd and take Ryan Kelly, or just take him in the 1st? Trading with the Rams would make some sense, since they’ve got 2 2nd round draft picks – it is an overpay by the Rams from a pick value calc, but depends on who is there at 30 still.
They could call up the Vikings they have Sullivan healthy and Berger did a good job filling in last year.