Harry
ASFN Consultant and Senior Writer
Heading in to 2021 the Cards should remain a marginal playoff contender. However, like many others in this salary cap era, they have a great deal of signing to do. In fact the amount of turnover could be astonishing
The Cards have only 33 players under contract for 2021. The cap has had the effect to leave teams to have to refill really half of their roster annually. In fact, several of those under contract may not be back. Also keep in mind that the cap has forced compromise with regard to knowingly leaving some roster positions weak. You simply can’t be strong everywhere.
So where do the Cards need to improve. Starting with the offense beyond Hopkins there’s little to recommend any of the receivers. Like all Cardinal fans I love Fitzgerald, but Belichick is right, you have to be hard sometimes to win. Frankly I think Fitzgerald could be more productive but clearly Murray does not know how to use him or simply doesn’t believe in him. If Murray was going to change he would have by now. It’s time to move on. Like the baseball Cardinals are trying to do with Molina I’d be fine bringing Fitz back for $5 million, but I don’t see Fitzgerald agreeing to that.
Then there’s the riddle of Kirk. Every so often he looks talented, but consistency not flashes make for a power offense. Besides cutting him adds 800K of cap space. I suppose you could argue that’s his salary is not a huge expense for a number 3 receiver but I don’t believe he’s productive enough for that slot. Cutting Isabella does not add cap space but it’s time to insist players justify their roster slots. The only other holdovers would be Sherfield, he’s been effective on special teams and adequate as an emergency receiver plus Johnson who has been hampered by injury.
Then there’s the RB group. I wouldn’t re-sign Drake. He’s overpaid compared to his production. He’s slow to the edge. There will be tons of available free agent RBs, I’d pick another. I’d dump Ward and take a shot with a late round pick. I like Benjamin but the Cards may not. Edmonds is the only winner in the group. He’s not much of a threat running between the tackles but he can get a corner and excels at turning short passes into useful gains. He runs tough every chance he gets.
Williams & Arnold are fine at TE. I’d pick up a couple of low cost backups, one of which should be a blocking TE. Williams isn’t cheap but he’s been very effective.
On the line, it’s time to weed out the older generation. Sweezy, Gilbert & Beachum show no sign of being exceptional. Jones should be ready to take over on the right. Garcia, Miles and Gaillard should stay. Gaillard can start at center and Cole can slide elsewhere on the line as a backup. Pugh looks to be in decline. This is a fine draft for offensive linemen. I’d take a player to start at left guard who could eventually grow into a tackle. A vet or 2 can be picked up on the cheap. Murray has failed to move forward. Unless he takes a major pay cut I’d take the $1 million cap savings.
As an aside, special teams are a mess. Place kickers often get psyched out but I’d be unwilling to chance Gonzalez. Nugent doesn’t have the leg the game now requires. Lee gave the Cards a few good years but his skills are eroding. I’m okay with Edmonds returning kickoffs, he seems to be improving. Kirk had one good game but lacks the suddenness and decisiveness to be effective as a punt returner. Cooper will be a free agent again and I’d consider him strongly. He can be signed for about $1 million and was effective as a deep threat when serving as the 4th or 5th receiver.
The Cards have only 33 players under contract for 2021. The cap has had the effect to leave teams to have to refill really half of their roster annually. In fact, several of those under contract may not be back. Also keep in mind that the cap has forced compromise with regard to knowingly leaving some roster positions weak. You simply can’t be strong everywhere.
So where do the Cards need to improve. Starting with the offense beyond Hopkins there’s little to recommend any of the receivers. Like all Cardinal fans I love Fitzgerald, but Belichick is right, you have to be hard sometimes to win. Frankly I think Fitzgerald could be more productive but clearly Murray does not know how to use him or simply doesn’t believe in him. If Murray was going to change he would have by now. It’s time to move on. Like the baseball Cardinals are trying to do with Molina I’d be fine bringing Fitz back for $5 million, but I don’t see Fitzgerald agreeing to that.
Then there’s the riddle of Kirk. Every so often he looks talented, but consistency not flashes make for a power offense. Besides cutting him adds 800K of cap space. I suppose you could argue that’s his salary is not a huge expense for a number 3 receiver but I don’t believe he’s productive enough for that slot. Cutting Isabella does not add cap space but it’s time to insist players justify their roster slots. The only other holdovers would be Sherfield, he’s been effective on special teams and adequate as an emergency receiver plus Johnson who has been hampered by injury.
Then there’s the RB group. I wouldn’t re-sign Drake. He’s overpaid compared to his production. He’s slow to the edge. There will be tons of available free agent RBs, I’d pick another. I’d dump Ward and take a shot with a late round pick. I like Benjamin but the Cards may not. Edmonds is the only winner in the group. He’s not much of a threat running between the tackles but he can get a corner and excels at turning short passes into useful gains. He runs tough every chance he gets.
Williams & Arnold are fine at TE. I’d pick up a couple of low cost backups, one of which should be a blocking TE. Williams isn’t cheap but he’s been very effective.
On the line, it’s time to weed out the older generation. Sweezy, Gilbert & Beachum show no sign of being exceptional. Jones should be ready to take over on the right. Garcia, Miles and Gaillard should stay. Gaillard can start at center and Cole can slide elsewhere on the line as a backup. Pugh looks to be in decline. This is a fine draft for offensive linemen. I’d take a player to start at left guard who could eventually grow into a tackle. A vet or 2 can be picked up on the cheap. Murray has failed to move forward. Unless he takes a major pay cut I’d take the $1 million cap savings.
As an aside, special teams are a mess. Place kickers often get psyched out but I’d be unwilling to chance Gonzalez. Nugent doesn’t have the leg the game now requires. Lee gave the Cards a few good years but his skills are eroding. I’m okay with Edmonds returning kickoffs, he seems to be improving. Kirk had one good game but lacks the suddenness and decisiveness to be effective as a punt returner. Cooper will be a free agent again and I’d consider him strongly. He can be signed for about $1 million and was effective as a deep threat when serving as the 4th or 5th receiver.
