Cards make moves | Hodel cut, Watson and Pope Receive Tender offers

[red desert]

I know this is going to be counter-intuitive to many of you but I going to give some advice and hopefully many of you take it.

We all got opinions.

But maybe we should wait until after the draft before we start jumping off cliffs and going crazy.

Was anyone real excited about our offseason even AFTER the draft last year? All we did was get to the Super Bowl.

Relax........If the loss of Holdel makes or breaks are season (and I can't imagine there wasn't some logic behind this move) we ain't as good as we thought we was anyway.

Or maybe if it bothers you that much and folks want to, as you put it, "Jump off cliffs and go crazy" you should stay off cardinal message boards until after the draft.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Or maybe if it bothers you that much and folks want to, as you put it, "Jump off cliffs and go crazy" you should stay off cardinal message boards until after the draft.

Doesn't really bother me. I just think for the mental sanity of some (because I know how much I live and die by this team) that an overall perspective needs to be taken into account from time to time.

If not with the way this team operates your going to die 1000 deaths over the course of the offseason.

And if I stayed away then how would I get to hear what Joe's gotta say. He's becoming a must read up there with Sando and Urban

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

NO reason to let Hodel go!

 

[Garthshort]

I've only heard good things about Hodel, both on and off the field. I hate to hear this. Want to hear the explanation.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Are people really flipping out about the long snapper. Salary cap forces teams to cut salary. be happy it isn't Adrian wilson

 

[Crazy Canuck]

1. Hodel being released was not cost related. We only save 500k.
2. He doesn’t make mistakes but how many other LS do you hear about in the NFL making mistakes? What I am getting at is besides him being a great guy is this really that big of a lose?
3. I forget who but one of the players on the squad from last years training camp is also a LS. I want to say maybe Alex Shor?
4. Maybe they are looking at a guy who can not only snap it with consistency but also make a contribution on actually going down field to make a contribution in containing the return man. Maybe a more athletic LS?

1) would you please tell us how you reach the 500k saving.

2) How much does an EFA make (Shor)?

(Can't imagine that this was a decision that was made without input from our special teams coach, and who ever else evaluates the LS's)

 

[Mulli]

I am coming to terms with letting Nate go.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

WTH Hodel? Dumb move...

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Or maybe if it bothers you that much and folks want to, as you put it, "Jump off cliffs and go crazy" you should stay off cardinal message boards until after the draft.

Agreed.

Gotta love the passion on this board. The hatred spewed over the release of a long snapper. That is a some hard core fan support right there. Hodel is a great guy, but if the Cardinals think Alex Shorr can be a LS/TE then so be it.

Good to the Cardinals are continually working on Warner, and they have Adrian Wilson and Anquan Boldin on deck.

I like all the signings and I am very excited to see Jason Banks & Stephen Spach coming back to camp.

The rest of the moves are very good as well.

 

[TJ]

I can hear it now after the first botched snap. "Man if we only had Hodel right about now"

 

[joeshmo]

1) would you please tell us how you reach the 500k saving.

2) How much does an EFA make (Shor)?

(Can't imagine that this was a decision that was made without input from our special teams coach, and who ever else evaluates the LS's)

I ment 600k actually.

Cap was 900k, and had 300k left in bonus still due to him.

Shor will be making 310k. As for other efa's it depends on how long they have been in the league. There is a different amount depdning on how long they have been in the league for either 0,1, or 2 years.

Also note that it might not be Shor its justs what I remember from the last camp, I could be wrong. I know it was one player other then Hodel and the name Shor just seems to jump out at me.

 

[clif]

Lol

 

[Unsterblich856]

I am thinking back to the time the Steelers lost their LS in the Giants game, the first snap flew over Mitch Berger's head for a safety sparking a 4th quarter comeback. His replacement has to be better than Hodel, since this move was unnecessary.

 

[anks106]

Are people really flipping out about the long snapper. Salary cap forces teams to cut salary. be happy it isn't Adrian wilson

Your joking right?

 

[Dback Jon]

BOOOOOOOOOOOO!


And to those that are questioning why we are flipping out about Nate Hodel being cut...

Exhibit A:
http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f4/a-great-man-48-nathan-hodel-105743.html

 

[AntSports Steve]

If the Long snapper was also a blocking TE, the Cards could fill 2 positions with 1 player, giving them more roster flexiblity. It makes sense if they have a guy targeted already or he happens to be on the roster now.

I'm sure we find out in a few days when they get a chance to explain things.

 

[Totally_Red]

Hope this works out better than the cutting of one-bar two years ago and replacing him with a Steeler reject.

 

[Carddan]

Must be something behind the decision on Hodel, but I can't figure it out.

Same here. Will we resign him for less, just save the money, or is there a reason which none of us know?

 

[Mitch]

I ment 600k actually.

Cap was 900k, and had 300k left in bonus still due to him.

Shor will be making 310k. As for other efa's it depends on how long they have been in the league. There is a different amount depdning on how long they have been in the league for either 0,1, or 2 years.

Also note that it might not be Shor its justs what I remember from the last camp, I could be wrong. I know it was one player other then Hodel and the name Shor just seems to jump out at me.

I think you are right about Shor, Joe. His forte in college was in STs.

Maybe the Cards asked Hodel to take a pay cut and he refused. But, it makes one wonder why they signed him to a 4 year deal, and after a season in which he was virtually flawless at a position that is absolutely critical to the success of a football team, why in the world he, of all people, is the first one to take the hit on a cost cutting move. In Hodel's case the savings are, as you suggested, Joe, rather minor.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Per Sando's Blog

Nathan Hodel's release from the Cardinals gives the Seahawks another candidate for the snapping job they've struggled to fill since they watched J.P. Darche sign with Kansas City following the 2006 season.

Hodel was scheduled to earn $800,000 in base salary, plus a $200,000 roster bonus, from the Cardinals this season. He played in 112 consecutive games for the Cardinals since 2001. I'll check to find out about any unknown health issues. Sometimes a player gets released after failing a physical.

Parting with a snapper isn't a big deal until snaps start flying errantly during real games. The Seahawks experienced that problem when one of Darche's less-expensive replacements, Boone Stutz, lost one during a 28-17 home defeat to the Saints in 2007.

Also from the Cardinals: They made qualifying offers for tight end Leonard Pope and nose tackle Gabe Watson at the projected levels. Both are restricted free agents.

 

[Skkorpion]

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/KentSomers/47168

In other moves, the teams extended qualifying offers to following exclusive rights free agents (guys with fewer than three years experience, who can't get offers from other teams): cornerback Michael Adams, fullback Tim Castille, tight end Ben Patrick, tight end Stephen Spach, linebacker Pago Togafau, center Lyle Sendlein and tackle Elliot Vallejo.

Reading that all the way through, I agree with most of them but surprised at the offer to Togafau.

 

[Savage58]

But we also extended offers to Patrick, Spach and signed Alex Shor, so that blows that theory out of the water. The staff must simply like Pope.

I was going on the assumption of Patrick being retained, obviously

Spach did well at the end of the season pre-injury, but he's nothing to write home about imo. I just see wasted talent in pope, I think he will be fighitng for a spot come camp. /shrug

 

[CaptTurbo]

Must be something behind the decision on Hodel, but I can't figure it out.

Whiz is trying to be the first head coach to completely over turn the entire roster and coaching staff after a superbowl.

 

[TJAM]

1. Hodel being released was not cost related. We only save 500k.
2. He doesn’t make mistakes but how many other LS do you hear about in the NFL making mistakes? What I am getting at is besides him being a great guy is this really that big of a lose?
3. I forget who but one of the players on the squad from last years training camp is also a LS. I want to say maybe Alex Shor?
4. Maybe they are looking at a guy who can not only snap it with consistency but also make a contribution on actually going down field to make a contribution in containing the return man. Maybe a more athletic LS?

WIZ...................finaly got his way , He wanted to cut Hodel last year after he got rid of player, especially since they wer both player's reps for the union..........each coach tries to make a statement to the rest of the roster

 

[J4Cards]

This is the same brain trust that messed with their ackknowledged headcase placekicker by cutting his long-time holder, and scrambled for more than a year to find a viable replacement. Now they've cut the reliable longsnapper who gets the ball to the holder? Is there a DENSA for football coaches and GMs? If so, these knuckleheads should be honored guests at their annual meeting. "Pennywise and pound foolish."

If the salary cap is so tight that they can't pay Hodel the modest salary he's earned, then the team is in big trouble. Rod Graves has never impressed me as an astute GM. Remember the 2003 draft fiasco? He's only still got the job because Mr. B rewards loyalty over competence.

I don't want the front office to be patsies and cave in to player's demands if they're unreasonable (Q, I mean you), but they have to be smarter than this.

Leonard Pope is a waste of a roster spot. Did anybody else see his play in the SB, when the bonehead almost kept Fitz out of the end zone? That guy has a football IQ of 0. He does not belong on an NFL team. He should get Kurt Warner's old job of stocking groceries -- he can reach the top shelf.

Speaking of KW, both sides need to compromise on an incentivized two-year deal. $12 mil guaranteed, and $20 mil overall. Progressive bonuses for playoffs and Pro Bowl. Bada boom, bada bing. Done.

I still don't get why they franchised Dansby ... again. No Pro Bowls, no double-digit sack totals ... what am I missing? I think this is their old fear of losing a decent player to free agency causing an overreaction. "The Core" be damned -- consistently good teams accept as a fact of life that they'll lose some good players each year. The solution is drafting well and making smart free agent signings of your own every year. Alas, that's never been a hallmark of "The Cardinal Way." Some things never change.

Edge? Let him go already. You can't bench a guy for half the season then expect him not to be ticked off about it. One game, maybe and you've made your point. Hey, Marcel Shipp is available. LOL

Alan Branch is a big, fat, lazy, unproductive, inactive SOB. Why is he still on the roster? Get him out.

J4Cards