Nate

Potter

Potter would appear to have ideal size for left tackle at 6-foot-6, 303 with nearly 35-inch arms, but NFL scouts never loved him and there were medical concerns stemming from a back injury. Potter started 42 games at Boise, 37 of them on the left side in front of southpaw Kellen Moore. Potter might have a chance if he gets stronger or moves to guard. He could also be a practice squad candidate.

Potter was popularly “mocked” to the draft’s mid-rounds, but NFL teams had questions about his lack of strength and arm length coming out of Boise State. With enough athleticism, though, he’s a long-term project for Arizona.

Potter has been active for just two games and is being used as a strict backup to D’Anthony Batiste. With the Cardinals’ offensive line struggles, it’s possible he could become a candidate for the starting job. Batiste has graded out as Pro Football Focus’ worst left tackle in the NFL this season.

Finally. Batiste has been the worst left tackle in the league this season and is a big reason why the Cardinals’ offensive line reached historically bad proportions. Potter is a seventh-round rookie, but he can’t do much worse. Expect him to start in Week 11 when the Cardinals come out of their bye.

“I think it was a good time to make that switch with him in there,” said Whiz, “and based on what I saw off the tape, it merits moving forward.” Potter acknowledged that he graded out “decent, not good” in the film room. Standards are awfully low on Arizona’s offensive line.

Potter supplanted D’Anthony Batiste on the blind side midway through Week 9 against the Packers and performed okay, which is better than they were getting from Batiste. Arizona used the Week 10 bye to make the change. Potter was the No. 221 pick in last April’s NFL Draft out of Boise State. He’s listed at a svelte 6-foot-6, 300 pounds. Potter will see a lot of Atlanta’s John Abraham on Sunday.

The Cardinals prefer current RT Bobby Massie at guard and appear to be creating a competition. A 2012 seventh-round pick, Potter is a long, lean (6'5/295) lineman capable of putting heat on Massie and/or kicking to guard in a pinch.

That implies Brown’s skills were there before he missed all of 2012 with a torn triceps, but we digress. Arians added that he was “extremely high” on second-year pro Nate Potter, so perhaps blindside duties won’t be gifted to Brown after all. Brown hasn’t been an effective player through his first 77 career games.

Potter will be replaced in the starting lineup by turnstile D’Anthony Batiste. It’s great news for 49ers OLB Aldon Smith who is chasing the single-season sack record. The rest of the Arizona inactives are WRs Early Doucet and LaRon Byrd, QB John Skelton, FB Anthony Sherman, OL Mike Gibson, and DE Ronald Talley.

It’s the same injury Potter played through last week when he allowed three sacks to Julius Peppers. If the Cardinals are forced to start D’Anthony Batiste at left tackle, it would give Aldon Smith the best possible matchup he could have to overtake J.J. Watt for the NFL sack lead and put him in position to break Michael Strahan’s all-time record. Potter hasn’t missed a game since being promoted to the starting lineup in Week 11 and is capable of playing on limited practice.