Judging solely by numbers, the Cardinals received more production out of the tight end position last season than they had in a long time.
Judging by expectations, however, the unit didn't earn a passing grade.
The Cardinals had more talent at tight end in 2011 than they have had at the position in in some time, but injuries and difficulty adapting to a new offense without the benefit of an offseason keep the unit from making the impact coaches had hoped.
The group caught 65 passes, more than twice as many as in any of coach Ken Whisenhunt's previous four seasons. But the tight ends never became the receiving threat expected.
Jeff King was the only one of four tight ends to play in all 16 games. The others -- Todd Heap, Rob Housler and Jim Dray -- missed significant time because of injuries.
Tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens isn't buying into the excuses.
"It's all about results," he said. "My little daughters tell me all the time, 'I tried,' and I'm like, 'That doesn't mean anything. It's what you do.'"
The Cardinals thought they could use tight ends as a consistent receiving threat, and that they could alleviate some of the defensive pressure placed on receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
But Heap battled a hamstring injury over the last three months of the season. Housler was continually dogged by a groin injury, and Dray missed the first six games after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in training camp.
Combine those injuries with the lack of an offseason and there were plenty of reasons to disappoint. King and Heap were signed in the summer, when free agency began, while Housler was a third-round pick. None of the tight ends were able to learn the offense until August because of the lockout.
"Coming into a new offense, new terminology, last year was an adjustment," Heap said. "Shoveling it down all at once, trying to get everything into your head, all in a matter of days.
"Having time to get into it, digest it now, it's going to be huge for a lot of us who weren't here until the beginning of last year," Heap said.
The problems, however, have continued into the offseason, as King suffered a partially torn quadriceps tendon while working out at the team facility. He is expected to return before training camp is over, so it's not a devastating blow. But the team needs Heap, Dray and especially Housler to get a full offseason of work.
"It was frustrating, because in the preseason I really felt like I had some stuff going for me," said Housler. "Then you lose that timing and in the NFL, that's such a big thing. I didn't have a lot of (snaps) with the guys. Defenses are so good and so athletic that if you're not clicking, it's hard to complete stuff."
When healthy, the Cardinals have a versatile group of tight ends. King's forte is blocking, but he's also a reliable receiver. Heap's specialty is receiving, but he blocked better than expected last year. Housler has speed in the 4.5-4.6 range and should be able to stretch the field.
But they have to be available, of course. And the quarterbacks have to throw good passes. And the tight ends have to catch them.
None of those three things happened consistently a year ago.
Kitchens looks back to games such as the one against the Giants, when the Cardinals continually had their tight ends open but didn't make use of them.
"We probably wouldn't have completed the five that were open," Kitchens said, "because after you complete two of them they say, 'Well, we might want to cover them.' But at the end of the day, Housler should have had four or five touchdowns last year (overall) where he was just screaming down the field.
"But it doesn't matter unless you do it. It's all about results."
NOTES, QUOTES
-- Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald travels the world every offseason and usually comes home needing to drop 10 pounds or so. This year is no exception. Fitz weighs 217 pounds now and would like to play at around 213.
"Ideally, if I could play at 213, 214, that's when I'm at my best. When I'm at (212), it's hard to deal with me because I can run all day, and I feel strong enough at the point of attack where I can break tackles and stuff like that," Fitzgerald said.
-- Quarterbacks Kevin Kolb and John Skelton are working with the starting unit on alternating days in summer practices.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt has said there is competition at the position and that Skelton will get a legitimate shot to win the job. The Cardinals, however, have already paid Kolb $19 million and traded cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round pick in 2012 to get him, so they have plenty invested in Kolb's future success.
-- Cornerback Greg Toler participated in more snaps the second week of practices than he did the first. Toler is coming off ACL surgery, and he looked so good the first week that his workload was increased slightly.
-- Running back Beanie Wells is not participating in practices as he rehabilitates from knee surgery, which was performed to clean out the joint. Whisenhunt said the plan all along was to have Wells skip these practices so he would be ready for training camp.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"You've seen my dad. I don't mean that in a derogatory way, but he's not a little man by any stretch of the imagination. I can't play receiver at that weight." -- WR Larry Fitzgerald on battling genetics to keep his weight in check.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
The signing of free-agent linebacker Quentin Groves gives the Cardinals another option on the outside. There isn't much depth behind starters Sam Acho and O'Brien Schofield, although the team is expected to re-sign veteran Clark Haggans sometime in the next few weeks.
MEDICAL WATCH
-- RB Ryan Williams is participating in individual drills as he returns from surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon. The Cardinals' medical staff raves about Williams' work ethic, and he is expected to be ready for training camp.
-- G Blake DeChristopher has not participated in voluntary practices after suffering a back injury in rookie camp.
