Edgerrin James leaving Cards in 09?

[Dice-J]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1755

Edgerrin James expects the Arizona Cardinals' last game of the season will be his last with the team.





James told ESPN's Bob Holtzman that he won't return to the NFC West champions next season, even though he has a year remaining on his contract.



"I can't go through this again," James told ESPN. "I didn't come here to block. I'm not an offensive lineman."



James, who re-emerged as the Cardinals' feature back in the regular-season finale after weeks of pass-blocking and barely touching the football, told reporters Thursday that his last game of the season will probably be his last in Arizona -- and that's OK.



"I think the feeling is mutual," he said, laughing. "It's not something I'm going to contest."



However, James, who had 14 carries for 100 yards in the final regular-season game, has something many of his Cardinals teammates don't have -- playoff experience. James, who appeared in nine playoff games with the Indianapolis Colts, said he intends to provide veteran leadership during Arizona's playoff run.





"When you're in the huddle and you see somebody that's not really trippin' on everything else that's going on outside of the game, that calms everybody down," James said.

James had voiced frustration with his role in the offense earlier this season, as Tim Hightower emerged as the Cardinals' feature back and James was called upon to block in Arizona's pass-heavy offense. He lost his starting job to Hightower after seven games and carried the ball only 11 times in the next eight contests.

In mid-November, James asked to be released, a request the Cardinals turned down, with team general manager Rod Graves saying, "We still saw Edgerrin as a valuable member of our football team."



"It was the direction this team went in," James told reporters. "It was something I wasn't used to. It was something I wasn't buying into. It's hard for me to train as hard as hard as I train in the offseason and come and be prepared to pass-[protect] 50 times. I don't know that you could make me happy with it."

But the playoffs push those concerns to the back burner, James added.



"They did what they had to do but at the end of the day, that's all over with," he said. "Now it's time to get serious. We're through playing around and everything is serious."

"I'm here to try to make plays and try to get this team moving forward," he said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1755

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1755

 

[Giantmetfan07]

I've been waiting for him to crawl out and speak up. FInally, get him out of there because his talent is still there and lets face it, they benched him for RB's who played horendous all year long.

 

[Dice-J]

He should have never left Indy

 

[A.E]

Such a 'crafty' veteran...to bring this crap up only days before the Cardinals' first playoff game in a decade. We are into the post-season and this guy is still "me, me, me, I, I, I". Yea, we get it Edge. You still think your a pro-bowl back and your pissed & bitter about losing your starting role.

He can go elsewhere if he so chooses but he's going to make a lot less money and if Tim Hightower can beat him for the job...then he's going to be hard pressed for a starting gig elsewhere. Looking around the league, I really don't see any starting NFL RB Edge stands a chance at beating out.

Face it, this guy was a product of the genius play of Peyton Manning.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

I love his line about not being an offensive lineman.