Nick Fairley

Reddog · January 11th, 2011, 06:28 AM

This guy is a beast who I don't see us drafting but someone will in the top five which pushes down someone to us unless we go to a 4/3. Imagine him Dockett, Williams and Calais as a front four?

Russ Smith · January 11th, 2011, 06:35 AM

I think he made himself some money last night. I watched him 2-3 times this year he was the best DL I saw all year, totally unblockable in most games.

We need to solve the QB issue but if he's there at 5, and Peterson is there at 5, I have a really hard time not taking one of those 2 because there is no LB or OL in the draft that I think is as good as those 2.

football karma · January 11th, 2011, 06:40 AM

Long gone by #5

Timm Rosenbach · January 11th, 2011, 06:41 AM

Doesn't fill a need for us (given that we have a pretty solid rotation on the D-Line in the 3-4 and have huge holes at LB) but he sure does for the Panthers and Broncos.

PJ1 · January 11th, 2011, 06:43 AM

Won't make it to 5. Top 3 pick for sure.

kerouac9 · January 11th, 2011, 06:49 AM

He won't be available at 5, but Calais Campbell is in a contract year in 2011. We could draft Fairley at #5, let him be a situational player for a year, and then pair him with Dockett for the one-gap DE tandem of all time. Then Campbell leaves via FA.

Between Bowers, Fairley, and the two corners, we could have the best offensive player on the board available to us or the sixth-best defensive prospect. Blech.

bg7brd · January 11th, 2011, 06:53 AM

Does anyone think Bowers can play OLB?

RugbyMuffin · January 11th, 2011, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerouac9

Between Bowers, Fairley, and the two corners, we could have the best offensive player on the board available to us or the sixth-best defensive prospect. Blech.

Great point.

But, who is the best offensive player in this draft ? AJ Green ?

kerouac9 · January 11th, 2011, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RugbyMuffin

Great point.

But, who is the best offensive player in this draft ? AJ Green ?

No idea. Ask me in two months. If it is a WR (and it probably is), then are we forced to take him? We'd invest some $70 million on two players at the WR position over the next five years? Blech.

I have a hard time imagining a scenario where someone trades up for a WR.

Stout · January 11th, 2011, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerouac9

He won't be available at 5, but Calais Campbell is in a contract year in 2011. We could draft Fairley at #5, let him be a situational player for a year, and then pair him with Dockett for the one-gap DE tandem of all time. Then Campbell leaves via FA.

Between Bowers, Fairley, and the two corners, we could have the best offensive player on the board available to us or the sixth-best defensive prospect. Blech.

We need to stop bleeding players in FA. Our roster is nowhere near good enough for us to let FAs go and just replace them in the draft.

kerouac9 · January 11th, 2011, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stout

We need to stop bleeding players in FA. Our roster is nowhere near good enough for us to let FAs go and just replace them in the draft.

I agree with you. If the Cards were smart, they'd extend Campbell now before he has the chance to have the season that we expect. That was what was so wise about their first round of early extensions in the early oughts. We extended Dockett, Boldin, and Hayes before their deals were up to contracts that were REAL bargains.

We don't have that kind of proactivity now because we were burned on terrible FA contracts (thanks again, Rod). You have to identify core members of your team and extend them when they still have two years left on their deal. You might overpay them a little, but in a year those deals seem like bargains (always do). In Graves's and the rest of the front office's defense, I don't think that players are always as willing to do early extensions now as they were before the Eagles made it a standard practice.

ASUCHRIS · January 11th, 2011, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerouac9

I agree with you. If the Cards were smart, they'd extend Campbell now before he has the chance to have the season that we expect.

Exactly...take advantage of the fact that he had a bit of a down year, and sign him to a bargain deal with low risk. Unfortunately, that requires foresight, something in short supply with the FO.

desertdawg · January 11th, 2011, 08:12 AM

I think he will go around 7-8 in the first round just because of his Haynesworth style play, dude is mean and sometimes uncontrollable out there. I would love him on the Cards as well.

offset · January 11th, 2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bg7brd

Does anyone think Bowers can play OLB?

I think the combine will determine that.

Stout · January 11th, 2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerouac9

I agree with you. If the Cards were smart, they'd extend Campbell now before he has the chance to have the season that we expect. That was what was so wise about their first round of early extensions in the early oughts. We extended Dockett, Boldin, and Hayes before their deals were up to contracts that were REAL bargains.

We don't have that kind of proactivity now because we were burned on terrible FA contracts (thanks again, Rod). You have to identify core members of your team and extend them when they still have two years left on their deal. You might overpay them a little, but in a year those deals seem like bargains (always do). In Graves's and the rest of the front office's defense, I don't think that players are always as willing to do early extensions now as they were before the Eagles made it a standard practice.

K9 for GM