Doug Franz of Arizona Sports 620’s Doug and Wolf show doesn’t think that Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett has played up to his potential since he signed a contract extension in 2010.

“I think that ever since Darnell Dockett signed his contract he’s become average,” said Franz.

Average is not a word you associate with a three-time pro bowler. Doug is not saying that Dockett has become a defensive liability, but the big plays Dockett has been known for have not happened as often as they used to.

“He still makes some nice plays,” said Franz. “But I don’t see the relentless pursuit that I remember seeing when he would complain that he was underpaid.”

Is Dockett taking it easy now that he has his big contract? Doug’s co-host, Ron Wolfley, says that the effort is there from Dockett, but the results are not.

“I watch Darnell Dockett play and I see effort,” said Wolfley. “He had two quarterback hits on Rex Grossman.

“He didn’t get the sack but he had two hits and he had two tackles. That’s not great but it certainly isn’t bad.”

It is still early in the season so we can hope that the effort Wolfley is seeing out of Dockett will eventually produce some results and the defense can build off of that.

But if Franz is right and the big-play days are not going to happen from Dockett as they once did, the Cardinals defense could continue to struggle the rest of the season.

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