The OTHER trade the Cardinals should make...

[kerouac9]

It is not about getting older at WR, it is about getting more talented. We don't have the luxury of waiting on players like Andre Roberts, Early Doucet, and Stephen Williams to ascend to the number 2 WR position. Let them compete for roster spots and playing time and let the best players play. It is never a bad thing to be so talented at WR that you have to let players like Max Komar hit the market...

If we had an established but aging quarterback playing under center, I'd agree with you. What you're basically saying we should do is go for the 2010 Cincy Bengals' strategy of signing wideouts, only we don't have Carson Palmer.

Why don't we "have the luxury of waiting on players like Andre Roberts, Early Doucet, and Stephen Williams"? Is there something about the makeup of the team as it's currently put together that leads you to believe that the window of opportunity on a Super Bowl championship is closing? Because I see a team that will struggle to get to 8-8 this year.

That being the case, why blow $7 million on a guy who might help you get to 8-8 a little more easily when you can plow that money back into your roster with in-season extensions to Calais Campbell, DRC, maybe Hightower (but hopefully not), etc., etc.?

I believe you that Steve Smith is a good player, and I believe you that the WRs we have aren't worth betting the farm on. But I don't think that there are enough balls to go around to keep Fitz and Smith happy (regardless of what Smith says to the media about wanting to be a #2), and I don't want to be an offense where we're passing the ball 40 times a game.

I was the lone voice in the wilderness three or four years ago saying that Steve Smith is better than Anquan Boldin. But If we trade for Smith and Kolb we'd go into the 2012 draft with a first and no second- or third-round picks? Then we lose Levi Brown in free agency along with DRC and Hightower and Calais Campbell? If I had faith that the front office wasn't going to use draft picks to replace at least two of our established starters every offseason, I'd be more willing to part with picks for other teams' established players.

 

[DoTheDew]

What free agent dust are you referring to? Carl Nicks is the only player that we should put everything on hold to sign. As for the rest, we need to resign some of our players, and add a top OG, potentially take a flier on a tackle (Jammal Brown), Matt Roth, rotational DL, and sign some secondary depth. We really don't have a ton of moves to make.

Resign
Lyle Sendlein-C
Duece Lutui-RG
Alan Branch-DE

Sign
Carl Nicks-LG
Jammal Brown-RT
Matt Roth-OLB
Nick Eason-DE
S/CB

Trade for
QB
Steve Smith-WR

Extend
Larry Fitzgerald
Calais Campbell

That is our off season right there.

A 5-11 team can never say "we don't have a ton of moves to make."

Sure that's one scenario, but what happens if we can't re-sign Sendlein? Deuce? And how much will Deuce cost if we do re-sign him?

What about UFA WRs? Vincent Jackson, Sidney Rice, Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Malcolm Floyd, Steve Smith (NYG), Breaston?

Some of these guys might end up being better values then trading for Smith. WR is not a priority and Smith is on the back end of his career. 32 year old speed receivers usually start to diminish in value very quickly.

Point is, WR shouldn't be a priority for us. There's lots of quality FAs and we already have some talent at the position.

 

[Chopper0080]

I worry about Smith's anger issues, how will he effect the locker room? Dude can play and would add a dimension to the team we haven't had for quite some time. If we trade for a QB and Smith our draft will be pretty weak in 2012.

I would add LT, ILB, NT and TE (in that order) to your shopping list. If we get a LT then OG is less of a need as Levi or BK can slide inside.

Trading for a QB and Smith would leave us without a 2nd and 3rd round pick however we would still have our first rounder and if we are in the playoffs, we can always trade back to acquire more picks.

As far as the needs go...the market and our roster don't really match.

LT: No great talent in this FA class. Jammal Brown seems to be the best of the bunch.

ILB: We have 5 on our roster (Washington, Lenon, Hayes, Walker, Studivant) and even if Hayes gets cut, there aren't any great matches in the FA class. Maybe Takeo Spikes or Rocky McIntosh. Can't see carrying more than 4 ILB's, but 5 would definitely be the max.

NT: We resign Alan Branch who can swing inside at NT to spell Dan Williams. We won't be in the 3-4 that often that we need to carry 2 pure NT's on the roster.

TE: It sounds like we will resign Spach to bridge the gap to Dray and Housler. I don't see the Cardinals carrying 4 TE's.

The top positions in FA in terms of talent are OG, CB, & WR. The only problem with most of the wide receiver class is that they are very similar to Fitzgerald in how they play. We need a speed threat that can make big plays down the field and off quick routes to open up the field. Steve Smith does this which is why we would trade for him.

 

[Chopper0080]

If we had an established but aging quarterback playing under center, I'd agree with you. What you're basically saying we should do is go for the 2010 Cincy Bengals' strategy of signing wideouts, only we don't have Carson Palmer.

Why don't we "have the luxury of waiting on players like Andre Roberts, Early Doucet, and Stephen Williams"? Is there something about the makeup of the team as it's currently put together that leads you to believe that the window of opportunity on a Super Bowl championship is closing? Because I see a team that will struggle to get to 8-8 this year.

That being the case, why blow $7 million on a guy who might help you get to 8-8 a little more easily when you can plow that money back into your roster with in-season extensions to Calais Campbell, DRC, maybe Hightower (but hopefully not), etc., etc.?

I believe you that Steve Smith is a good player, and I believe you that the WRs we have aren't worth betting the farm on. But I don't think that there are enough balls to go around to keep Fitz and Smith happy (regardless of what Smith says to the media about wanting to be a #2), and I don't want to be an offense where we're passing the ball 40 times a game.

I was the lone voice in the wilderness three or four years ago saying that Steve Smith is better than Anquan Boldin. But If we trade for Smith and Kolb we'd go into the 2012 draft with a first and no second- or third-round picks? Then we lose Levi Brown in free agency along with DRC and Hightower and Calais Campbell? If I had faith that the front office wasn't going to use draft picks to replace at least two of our established starters every offseason, I'd be more willing to part with picks for other teams' established players.

It is not that the window is closing for a Super Bowl, it is that the window is closing for players like Fitzgerald. We need to make bold moves to show that we are still committed to winning to our top players like Fitzgerald. We need to win now, especially while our division is still pretty weak.

I am in now way advocating that we mortgage the future, but we need to win next year for Fitz, Whiz, Horton, and the QB that it seems we will be trading for. If not, we will have traded for a QB that might not fit our next coach. We will have lose our best player to FA. We will have players that won't fit the next coaches 4-3 scheme, and will have our 3rd defense in 3 years. This is a pivatol year for the Cardinals in terms of credibility and stability.

Our offense is a passing offense, you have to come to grips with that fact. I don't love passing as much as we do, but it seems evident that Whiz wants to throw the ball. With that being the case 100 catches for Fitz, 70 catches for Steve Smith, and 140 catches disbursed over the rest of the roster isn't outside of the league norm while also running the ball productively (1600 yards). Tampa pretty much matched those number last year and they were far from an unbalanced offense.

As far as next years draft, we can always trade back to acquire more picks. More than that, if DRC and Campbell hit free agency and we don't franchise one and sign one, we are idiots.

I admit that this is a move that doesn't fit how the Cardinals have bumbled through the past decade, but it is a move that could lock up the NFC West in 2012.

 

[Chopper0080]

A 5-11 team can never say "we don't have a ton of moves to make."

Sure that's one scenario, but what happens if we can't re-sign Sendlein? Deuce? And how much will Deuce cost if we do re-sign him?.

So I guess the answer is that we need to sign a C and two OG. Easiest way to do this is resign Sendlein and Lutui, and then sign Carl Nicks.

What about UFA WRs? Vincent Jackson, Sidney Rice, Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Malcolm Floyd, Steve Smith (NYG), Breaston?Some of these guys might end up being better values then trading for Smith. WR is not a priority and Smith is on the back end of his career. 32 year old speed receivers usually start to diminish in value very quickly.

Nice players, but all bring a similar game to what Fitzgerald brings. None of these players stretch the field with speed, or make impact plays off quick screens and slants. We had that problem when we had Boldin and Fitz.

Point is, WR shouldn't be a priority for us. There's lots of quality FAs and we already have some talent at the position.

This is a statement that I have been hearing, one that I just don't understand. Why isn't getting better talent at a scoring position like WR a priority? With Breaston being a FA we don't even have a proven number 3 wide receiver on our roster much less a number two to complement Fitz. If we aren't going to give him weapons, why even trade for a QB? There are only so many ways for us to upgrade our offense this year. Our offense needs a starting OT, 2 OGs, 1 C, WR#2 with speed, and a QB. Of those spots only the OG's, C and a swing OT can be had in free agency. (maybe S Moss at WR though I am not really sold on him) If we want to get better at these other spots we will have to make trades.

 

[kerouac9]

It is not that the window is closing for a Super Bowl, it is that the window is closing for players like Fitzgerald. We need to make bold moves to show that we are still committed to winning to our top players like Fitzgerald. We need to win now, especially while our division is still pretty weak.

I am in now way advocating that we mortgage the future, but we need to win next year for Fitz, Whiz, Horton, and the QB that it seems we will be trading for. If not, we will have traded for a QB that might not fit our next coach. We will have lose our best player to FA. We will have players that won't fit the next coaches 4-3 scheme, and will have our 3rd defense in 3 years. This is a pivatol year for the Cardinals in terms of credibility and stability.

Our offense is a passing offense, you have to come to grips with that fact. I don't love passing as much as we do, but it seems evident that Whiz wants to throw the ball. With that being the case 100 catches for Fitz, 70 catches for Steve Smith, and 140 catches disbursed over the rest of the roster isn't outside of the league norm while also running the ball productively (1600 yards). Tampa pretty much matched those number last year and they were far from an unbalanced offense.

As far as next years draft, we can always trade back to acquire more picks. More than that, if DRC and Campbell hit free agency and we don't franchise one and sign one, we are idiots.

I admit that this is a move that doesn't fit how the Cardinals have bumbled through the past decade, but it is a move that could lock up the NFC West in 2012.

Fitzgerald is just turning 28; he has lots of time to win a Super Bowl. He probably has two contracts ahead of him. I don't think you court Fitz by giving him a guy who's going to demand 80-90 receptions (especially if the team is losing) and having to ask your young QB (whoever he is) to force the ball to multiple guys. One of the reasons that Palmer wants out of Cincy is because he had two guys in his ear demanding the football.

I just don't think that Steve Smith and his 6 TDs makes much of a difference in the "credibility and stability" argument. How does mortgaging the next five years of the franchise for a guy who will likely only play for the next 2 ensure the "credibility and stability" of the franchise? Is that what signing T.O. did for the Bengals? How about the Cowboys before that? Steve Smith definitely isn't the personality problem that T.O. is, but he's not going to bring any more credibility or stability to the franchise than having Boldin and Fitz together for three years did.

You can't import leadership; I think that should be pretty clear after Faneca, Porter, Ross, Haggans, McFadden, etc., etc. It has to be something that's grown inside the program. Warner wasn't a leader until after the 8-8 season, and he was here two years before that.

I'm way more interested in making headlines in January, not in March (or in this offseason late July). This move is the kind that makes headlines in March but doesn't do anything for you once games start being played.

 

[kerouac9]

Santonio Holmes is nothing like Larry Fitzgerald. Give me a break, Chopper.

 

[Cardiac]

Trading for a QB and Smith would leave us without a 2nd and 3rd round pick however we would still have our first rounder and if we are in the playoffs, we can always trade back to acquire more picks.

Well it could cost us a 1st and 3rd but I still don't like dealing from such a weak hand in the draft.

As far as the needs go...the market and our roster don't really match.

A record # of FA's will be on the market this year so the pickings can't be as slim as you project, can they?

LT: No great talent in this FA class. Jammal Brown seems to be the best of the bunch.

There are a couple of options that would be an upgrade over Levi but I get your point.

ILB: We have 5 on our roster (Washington, Lenon, Hayes, Walker, Studivant) and even if Hayes gets cut, there aren't any great matches in the FA class. Maybe Takeo Spikes or Rocky McIntosh. Can't see carrying more than 4 ILB's, but 5 would definitely be the max.

Hayes won't be on the roster, almost a lock. Walker can easily be upgraded.

NT: We resign Alan Branch who can swing inside at NT to spell Dan Williams. We won't be in the 3-4 that often that we need to carry 2 pure NT's on the roster.

I did think of this but I want a better insurance plan in case Dumpster Dan gets injured.

TE: It sounds like we will resign Spach to bridge the gap to Dray and Housler. I don't see the Cardinals carrying 4 TE's.

I'd rather find another bridge to cross then Spach.

The top positions in FA in terms of talent are OG, CB, & WR. The only problem with most of the wide receiver class is that they are very similar to Fitzgerald in how they play. We need a speed threat that can make big plays down the field and off quick routes to open up the field. Steve Smith does this which is why we would trade for him.

I truly respect the thought you put into all your posts and the obvious football knowledge you possess. I agree with your premise that a speed WR would be a huge asset to the Cards. I'm just not enthralled with giving up a 3rd rd pick for an aging hothead of a WR.

I also agree with K9 in that the CAP money should go to other resources first, epecially re-signing/extending several of our own.

 

[DoTheDew]

This is a statement that I have been hearing, one that I just don't understand. Why isn't getting better talent at a scoring position like WR a priority? With Breaston being a FA we don't even have a proven number 3 wide receiver on our roster much less a number two to complement Fitz. If we aren't going to give him weapons, why even trade for a QB? There are only so many ways for us to upgrade our offense this year. Our offense needs a starting OT, 2 OGs, 1 C, WR#2 with speed, and a QB. Of those spots only the OG's, C and a swing OT can be had in free agency. (maybe S Moss at WR though I am not really sold on him) If we want to get better at these other spots we will have to make trades.

No way do we get Brown, Nicks, trade for a QB and trade for Smith. That would by far be the biggest off-season from a "make a splash" standpoint that Graves has ever had and maybe that the Cardinals have had in their history.

A more realistic plan is :

Resign Deuce and Sendline
Sign Willie Colon (RT)
Sign LG ???? (We are unlikely to get Nicks he might be the best LG out there some team will overpay and Graves won't.)
Trade for a QB.
Sign someone like Mike-Sims Walker or Hank Basket (WR)
Sign a bunch of depth guys
Sign some LBs we've never heard of to compete as starters.