What's next for the Cardinals? Winning seasons or one-year buzz

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Sometime late Sunday night - or perhaps it was early Monday morning - Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt started thinking about next year.

By Scott Bordow, East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Ariz.)

That's what coaches do. The celebrations don't last long and the losses - even ones as incredibly painful as Super Bowl XLIII - just throw a log onto their competitive fires.

Players and fans, on the other hand, probably aren't ready to think about free agency and position battles and what players may be back and which ones won't.

They're still reeling from the 27-23 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They're still cursing Ben Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes and everything black and gold.

"It's going to be tough for a lot of guys to get over this because there was so much we did," Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson said. "It's going to take a long time for us."

But you can't go backward. Only forward. So you wonder: Was this the beginning of something special for Arizona, or a one-time thing?

Clearly, the Cardinals' culture has been inexorably changed by their success. The mindset of losing that pervaded the organization is gone, banished by Whisenhunt, Kurt Warner, Darnell Dockett and others.

But faith and self-confidence don't always translate into victories and playoff runs. It will be exceedingly difficult for the Cardinals to return to Florida next year for Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.

That's not a knock on what Whisenhunt has accomplished in two seasons. The job he's done has been nothing short of amazing.

But even the best of teams rarely play in back-to-back Super Bowls. Just ask the New England Patriots and New York Giants.

No, the more relevant question is whether the Cardinals will become one of those franchises that have a chance to play in the Super Bowl every season.

The foundation is in place. The organization is spending money, it has the right coach, a talented roster, and, finally, a true home-field advantage.

But there is work to be done. A lot of work. Let's not forget the Cardinals finished 9-7 in the regular season. They were anything but a powerhouse for most of the year.

Plus, it's hard to imagine the NFC West will be as bad as it was this past season. The San Francisco 49ers will be better under coach Mike Singletary, the Seattle Seahawks shouldn't be devastated by injuries and the St. Louis Rams ... actually, forget about the Rams. They stink.

The Cardinals went 6-0 against the West this year. Odds are that won't happen again.

Consider, too, how fortunate Arizona was in terms of injuries. Other than wide receiver Anquan Boldin and center Al Johnson, not a single key player missed an extended period of time. Credit must go to strength and conditioning coach John Lott, but there's luck involved as well.

So what does Arizona need to do to build on this year's success? Here's one man's list:

-Convince Warner to play another season.

If Warner retires, the offense will take a huge step back. Matt Leinart simply isn't as gifted as Warner in terms of accuracy and reading defenses. My guess: The Cardinals and Warner agree on a two-year contract worth about $20 million.

-Find a starting running back either in free agency or the draft.

It's apparent that Edgerrin James won't be back in 2009. Rookie Tim Hightower showed some promise, but he just doesn't look like a 1,500-yard rusher. The Cardinals have to be more balanced offensively - they have nothing to fall back on those Sundays when Warner isn't sharp - but to do so they need an elite back, and there isn't one on the current roster.

-Adroitly deal with all the contract issues bound to come up in the offseason.

The Cardinals can't simply give everyone what they want. For example, as good as defensive end Antonio Smith was, it would be foolish to give him a huge contract when rookie Calais Campbell is ready to step in and start.

But there are players the Cardinals have to hold onto. We've already mentioned Warner. They also can't afford to lose linebacker Karlos Dansby in free agency. Dansby has become a dominant player; Arizona should lock him into a long-term contract.

Three key players - Dockett, Boldin and Wilson - will want their contracts redone. My advice: Take care of Dockett and Wilson - along with Dansby, they're the best players on defense - and trade Boldin if he insists on a new deal. Yes, Boldin is immensely popular in the locker room. But the Cardinals were 4-1 without him this season, and it just doesn't make sense to have so much salary cap room taken up by two receivers.

No team - even a Super Bowl champion - can stand pat in the offseason. For the Cardinals, however, the next few weeks and months will determine whether this was a beginning or an ending.

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