The Cardinals are certain to release Brown, unwilling to pay the large amount of money that is due to him this season, but are hoping to bring him back.

"I think Levi's been in a tough position ever since he was taken with the fifth pick of the draft," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Whisenhunt talked about the fact that a lineman will have some rough plays, but a team that throws the ball as often as the Cardinals do will leave a tackle like Brown more opportunities to slip up.

"With all that being said, I think over the last half of our season this past year, when we needed it the most, Levi played probably his best football," Whisenhunt added. "He was consistent, it was something that was important to our team and hopefully that was a point where he's starting to get it from that standpoint."

If Brown is starting to "get it," now would be a bad time for the Cardinals to let him go. Given the amount of money they've paid him and time they've spent coaching him, seeing him turn into the player they thought he'd be for another team would be as unsightly as watching him try to protect a QB earlier in the season.

Which is why the goal is to bring Brown back for next season and beyond.

"We would love to have Levi back, and those discussions with his agent are ongoing," Cardinals GM Rod Graves said, noting that the intensity of the discussions should pick up over the next few days. "Obviously our objective is to try to get a deal in place for him, to have him with us for an extended period."

And, though Graves said part of Brown's strength is his ability to play both right and left tackle, the plan is for Levi to keep protecting the QB's blind side.

"Right now he's our left tackle, and until we get a better one he'll remain there," he said.