Draft Positioning Week 16

[slanidrac16]

Personally I would go after Mendoza. He might not be the most exciting prospect, but all he does is win. Against great defenses like Iowa, Oregon, Penn State, and now also Ohio State. And no, he doesn’t blow those defenses out, but he makes the necessary plays, and he does it with subpar (at maximum) around him.

What to offer? Well, as I said in another answer, if the Jets or Browns want him, they have the ammunition to easily outbid the Cardinals, but as you and others have said, you have to try. I would offer up two first, next year's second and if they want some player, I would consider it (except McBride and Budda Baker).

I have been high on Ty Simpson all season. I am big on college starts, so in a way that should rule out Simpson, but there is just something about him that makes it a bit different in my eyes. It’s probably because he has been in a great, close-to-NFL program for several years, but he is simply just more game-smart than every other player - probably since Andrew Luck - with that few starts. I would seriously consider him in the top ten, if I were unable to trade up or down.

Sorry Ghandi. This is pure fantasy. That would mean in 2026/2027 we’d have to go big in free agency to fix any holes we might have.
There are teams that would do that but not us. It’s not cost effective for Bidwill’s liking.

 

[Harry]

I think Tennessee might have a tougher strength of schedule than us.

Yeah, but they’d have to win 2 games for the Cards to pass them.

 

[Stout]

Yeah, but they’d have to win 2 games for the Cards to pass them.

Wait, I thought the team with the worse SOS would win the tie breaker. As in, they lost even with a weak schedule. No?

 

[unseenaz]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Rest assured, Gannon is working his ass off to get a meaningless win and screw up draft positioning.

 

[Stout]

Listen, the draft gods owe us for Wadsworth's bad health after we accepted the logical trade down and avoided Leaf. We deserve to beat the Jets to a trade up and finally get the next Peyton Manning, damn it. We deserve it!

 

[daves]

What a poor article at ESPN/Dan Graziano

Why do you think it is poor?

what's poor about this? You highlight the section where they say Tennessee likely trades the pick because they say a QB has never been taken at 1 two years in a row by the same team, but I don't recall that ever happening before.

I know it was a long, long time ago, but look up who the Cardinals drafted in 2017 and 2018.

I mean, what other team could possibly screw the pooch that badly?!

I, too, have been trying to repress those memories.

 

[Zeno]

I know it was a long, long time ago, but look up who the Cardinals drafted in 2017 and 2018.

I mean, what other team could possibly screw the pooch that badly?!

I, too, have been trying to repress those memories.

it doesn’t say first round it says at 1, Cam Ward was #1 overall and the Titans are in contention for the #1 overall pick again. Or at least that is how I read it.

 

[Harry]

Wait, I thought the team with the worse SOS would win the tie breaker. As in, they lost even with a weak schedule. No?

You’re correct. However both teams have an SOS of .476 for their remaining schedule. The Cards could only pass them based on wins.

 

[NWMike]

They’ll make an offer, but lok at what the Jets can offer to facilitate a quick rebuild. Unless Jets don’t like Mendoza, I can’t see how anyone could beat them to the pick.

You have to try though. The jets could easily wait until 2027 to get their qb thinking that Manning will be available then. I’m sure they’d love to have another Manning in NY. Our roster has enough talent that another top 5 pick will not be likely so if we’re close we have to take the shot.

 

[daves]

it doesn’t say first round it says at 1, Cam Ward was #1 overall and the Titans are in contention for the #1 overall pick again. Or at least that is how I read it.

No doubt that's how it was intended, but I and I assume @TheCardFan read it as taking a QB as the first round pick for that team.

Annoying to Gemini, which seems to have done its research, the Cardinals are the first team to have taken a QB in the first round in consecutive years since the Cowboys in 1989, and it's only ever happened six times.

The Cowboys' picks of Aikman at #1 overall in the 1989 draft and Walsh at #1 overall in the 1989 supplemental draft, which counted as their first round pick in the 1990 draft where they would've also had the #1 overall pick, kinda meets the definition of taking a QB #1 in consecutive drafts... but not exactly, so Graziano was technically correct.

 

[Gandhi]

Sorry Ghandi. This is pure fantasy. That would mean in 2026/2027 we’d have to go big in free agency to fix any holes we might have.
There are teams that would do that but not us. It’s not cost effective for Bidwill’s liking.

No, it was not my intention to make it sound like what I think will happen. It is just what I would do. No way it is happening.

 

[NWMike]

Well, we didn’t get much help from the results today. We are still sitting at number six. Tennessee beating KC was beneficial, but their strength of schedule is now lower than ours.

Going into next week we need Tennessee to beat the Saints and the Raiders to beat the Giants to keep the Giants in the number one slot. That gets us to five.

In week 18, we want the Raiders to beat Kansas City and Cleveland to beat Cincinnati. If that happens, we end up at number 3.

 

[JosiahLee]

Well, we didn’t get much help from the results today. We are still sitting at number six. Tennessee beating KC was beneficial, but their strength of schedule is now lower than ours.

Going into next week we need Tennessee to beat the Saints and the Raiders to beat the Giants to keep the Giants in the number one slot. That gets us to five.

In week 18, we want the Raiders to beat Kansas City and Cleveland to beat Cincinnati. If that happens, we end up at number 3.

I thought we are sitting at 5 now bc they won the head to head match? Does that trump strength of schedule?

 

[GatorAZ]

Well, we didn’t get much help from the results today. We are still sitting at number six. Tennessee beating KC was beneficial, but their strength of schedule is now lower than ours.

Going into next week we need Tennessee to beat the Saints and the Raiders to beat the Giants to keep the Giants in the number one slot. That gets us to five.

In week 18, we want the Raiders to beat Kansas City and Cleveland to beat Cincinnati. If that happens, we end up at number 3.

That will flip by the end of the night depending on the Pats/Ravens game. Jets also finishing with Pats/Bills will affect their SOS. It’ll be interesting to see if Cleveland can win one of their last two vs PIT/CIN. Maybe Garrett goes crazy for the sack record…

 

[GatorAZ]

Just realized the Giants and Raiders play next week. That will be a tank fest for the ages.

 

[Harry]

SOS looks unfavorable. Cards best hope is if other 3 win teams win.

 

[HookemCards]

Either way we are screwed. So Either I need 4 root canals or 8. What I won't be doing is getting NFL Sunday ticket for the first time since it has been available.

I decided the same thing earlier in the year. Things may change when the season rolls around but as of now I'll be more productive on Sundays next year.

 

[PDXChris]

I thought we are sitting at 5 now bc they won the head to head match? Does that trump strength of schedule?

H2H is the 3rd criteria. SOS, common opponents and then H2H.

 

[PDXChris]

You must be registered for see images attach

Tankathon | 2026 NFL Draft Order https://share.google/ju57wKQ8VmDXY8WZ3

 

[JosiahLee]

H2H is the 3rd criteria. SOS, common opponents and then H2H.

That’s dumb

 

[Zalixar]

We ain't getting Mendoza. Pass on any other "1st" round QB.

5-6 seems like a lock.

 

[FB94]

As the weeks go by this team has more needs that surface. After the injuries today we are two years minimum to being somewhat relevant in our division.

 

[PDXChris]

Giants - 2-13
play the Raiders and Cowboys
2-15, 3-14 or 4-13
Not going QB, could be a trade candidate if they get #1

Raiders - 2-13
Play Giants and Chiefs with Chris Oladokun starting at QB
2-15 or 3-14
They need a QB!

Cleveland - 3-12
Player Steelers and Bangles and could steal a win.
3-14 or 4-13
With Watson finially healthy and Sanders playing decent, they probably don't go QB

Jets - 3-12
Play the Patriots and Bills
3-14
They need a QB

Titans - 3-12
Playing better and play the Bangles and the Jags. They could win another game.
3-14 or 4-13
Not going QB

If we lose out, we could grab the #4 pick with a little luck and then hope the Giants get #1 and minimize the damage to move number for Mendoza. Two teams in front of us who need a QB are going to stay on front of us.

 

[JosiahLee]

Giants - 2-13
play the Raiders and Cowboys
2-15, 3-14 or 4-13
Not going QB, could be a trade candidate if they get #1

Raiders - 2-13
Play Giants and Chiefs with Chris Oladokun starting at QB
2-15 or 3-14
They need a QB!

Cleveland - 3-12
Player Steelers and Bangles and could steal a win.
3-14 or 4-13
With Watson finially healthy and Sanders playing decent, they probably don't go QB

Jets - 3-12
Play the Patriots and Bills
3-14
They need a QB

Titans - 3-12
Playing better and play the Bangles and the Jags. They could win another game.
3-14 or 4-13
Not going QB

If we lose out, we could grab the #4 pick with a little luck and then how the Giants get #1 and minimize the damage to move number for Mendoza. Two teams in front of us who need a QB are going to stay on front of us.

Yeah it’s time for Monti to get aggressive. Sell the farm to get the #1 pick from the Giants and draft Mendoza. Then hire the hottest HC candidate you can. The fan base will be back in.

 

[iLLmatiC]

Yeah it’s time for Monti to get aggressive. Sell the farm to get the #1 pick from the Giants and draft Mendoza. Then fire the hottest HC candidate you can. The fan base will be back in.

Think you meant find.