2024 Free Agency thread

[Stout]

Worst trend of 2024.

Best trend evah and poster of the year. @ me, please.

 

[Chopper0080]

Clowney won't sign a multi year deal, he prefers one year deals, but I do see thats possible, I just don't think that's the approach that Monti is going to take.

Clowney was just an example. I also agree that Monti doesn't appear interested in adding these types of FAs (which I feel is a mistake), but your post was saying what you would so, not what Monti would do.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Clowney was just an example. I also agree that Monti doesn't appear interested in adding these types of FAs (which I feel is a mistake), but your post was saying what you would so, not what Monti would do.

I'm of the opinion that there are multiple ways to build a team. I see what Monti is doing, he's taking the build through the draft approach and supplements needs with lower cost free agents. The advantage is the Cardinals will have a cleaner cap once they become competitive.

One of the crazier things about the Keim years is that even after the Wilks-Rosen year, the Cardinals still had a screwed up cap because of all the dumb knee jerk, trying to be competitive when he should suck, contracts that Keim signed.

Next off-season the Cardinals will finally have a balanced cap and two (hopefully) solid draft classes that will be the core of the team.

 

[BritCard]

Being stuck in the middle of the NFL takes a bit of talent to get out of. With Murray, I think the Cardinals range last year was between 5-8 wins. Losing record but still better. I tend to agree with @kerouac9 statement that it isn't to hard to get to 7ish wins. It's either gross incompetence or you have to try to be bad. Look at the moribund Falcons, they had back-to-back 7 win seasons and they seemed worse than that.

I'm pretty cautious with records though. Don't want to get my hopes too high. Last year I thought they could pull off 5 wins because of Murray's absence, but they underperformed record wise.

Schedule matters too. I think the 2024 schedule looks harder than 2023.

The only immediate "We could win this game" standouts are Pats, Chargers at home and Panthers on the road. These are the only games right now on paper I think we can win.

I think we will win more because the roster isn't finished for any team and much depends on how Kyler plays (it really all depends on that).

 

[Krangodnzr]

Schedule matters too. I think the 2024 schedule looks harder than 2023.

The only immediate "We could win this game" standouts are Pats, Chargers at home and Panthers on the road. These are the only games right now on paper I think we can win.

I think we will win more because the roster isn't finished for any team and much depends on how Kyler plays (it really all depends on that).

Absolutely and health matters a ton. The Cardinals haven't had a "healthy" season in years. Most of that is just random variance.

If you follow the Phoenix Suns, you'll know that the year they went to Finals a few years back, their road to the Finals was against quite a few teams missing key players, while the Suns were mostly healthy until the Finals.

What I mean is that the Cardinals schedule looks tough, but what happens when McCaffrey, Bosa, AND Purdy get hurt and the Cardinals steal two wins from the Niners and steal a win from the Rams when Stafford gets hurt.

 

[BritCard]

Absolutely and health matters a ton. The Cardinals haven't had a "healthy" season in years. Most of that is just random variance.

If you follow the Phoenix Suns, you'll know that the year they went to Finals a few years back, their road to the Finals was against quite a few teams missing key players, while the Suns were mostly healthy until the Finals.

What I mean is that the Cardinals schedule looks tough, but what happens when McCaffrey, Bosa, AND Purdy get hurt and the Cardinals steal two wins from the Niners and steal a win from the Rams when Stafford gets hurt.

Indeed, but again, it really depends how Kyler plays.

Who had us 11 wins in 2021? If we get that Kyler anything is possible.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Indeed, but again, it really depends how Kyler plays.

Who had us 11 wins in 2021? If we get that Kyler anything is possible.

Maybe if we actually got our star of D, like we did when we had Watt! He was as much responsible for the turnaround in 2021 as Kyler.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Maybe if we actually got our star of D, like we did when we had Watt! He was as much responsible for the turnaround in 2021 as Kyler.

Watt got hurt early on in his first year with Arizona. He only played in 6 games and had 1 sack before getting hurt in week 7.

Watt was much more of a factor in 2022.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Watt got hurt early on in his first year with Arizona. He only played in 6 games and had 1 sack before getting hurt in week 7.

Hey - something really weird happened after week 7!

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 12	at Tennessee Titans	W 38–13	1–0	Nissan Stadium	Recap
2	September 19	Minnesota Vikings	W 34–33	2–0	State Farm Stadium	Recap
3	September 26	at Jacksonville Jaguars	W 31–19	3–0	TIAA Bank Field	Recap
4	October 3	at Los Angeles Rams	W 37–20	4–0	SoFi Stadium	Recap
5	October 10	San Francisco 49ers	W 17–10	5–0	State Farm Stadium	Recap
6	October 17	at Cleveland Browns	W 37–14	6–0	FirstEnergy Stadium	Recap
7	October 24	Houston Texans	W 31−5	7–0	State Farm Stadium	Recap
8	October 28	Green Bay Packers	L 21–24	7–1	State Farm Stadium	Recap
9	November 7	at San Francisco 49ers	W 31–17	8–1	Levi's Stadium	Recap
10	November 14	Carolina Panthers	L 10–34	8–2	State Farm Stadium	Recap
11	November 21	at Seattle Seahawks	W 23–13	9–2	Lumen Field	Recap
12	Bye
13	December 5	at Chicago Bears	W 33–22	10–2	Soldier Field	Recap
14	December 13	Los Angeles Rams	L 23–30	10–3	State Farm Stadium	Recap
15	December 19	at Detroit Lions	L 12–30	10–4	Ford Field	Recap
16	December 25	Indianapolis Colts	L 16–22	10–5	State Farm Stadium	Recap
17	January 2	at Dallas Cowboys	W 25–22	11–5	AT&T Stadium	Recap
18	January 9	Seattle Seahawks	L 30–38	11–6	State Farm Stadium	Recap

I wonder if there is a relationship!

Watt was much more of a factor in 2022.

Totally disagree. He was still an impact player, but the Cards D was dominant with Watt to start 2021, and then fell apart when he was injured.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/10/15/arizona-cardinals-defense/

 

[oaken1]

Best trend evah and poster of the year. @ me, please.

You still haven't explained how a guy having a big Johnson makes him a better player.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

You still haven't explained how a guy having a big Johnson makes him a better player.

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[DVontel]

Indeed, but again, it really depends how Kyler plays.

Who had us 11 wins in 2021? If we get that Kyler anything is possible.

I mean we need actual defensive players too…

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I dunno. None of those names really inspire me. The best free agents are likely the ones we’ve barely heard of.

Possibly. But I’m willing to bet a few of those guys have really good seasons left in them.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Worst trend of 2024.

It’s the 2024 equivalent of “Bird City”

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I'm of the opinion that there are multiple ways to build a team. I see what Monti is doing, he's taking the build through the draft approach and supplements needs with lower cost free agents. The advantage is the Cardinals will have a cleaner cap once they become competitive.

One of the crazier things about the Keim years is that even after the Wilks-Rosen year, the Cardinals still had a screwed up cap because of all the dumb knee jerk, trying to be competitive when he should suck, contracts that Keim signed.

Next off-season the Cardinals will finally have a balanced cap and two (hopefully) solid draft classes that will be the core of the team.

This only works if you’re a really good drafter. Otherwise you have no hedge.

 

[Stout]

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Reverend!

 

[BritCard]

I mean we need actual defensive players too…

Sure, last I checked we have some.

It's a QB driven league. If your QB doesn't play well you won't win many games.

You know this so I don't know why I have to explain it.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Sure, last I checked we have some.

It's a QB driven league. If your QB doesn't play well you won't win many games.

You know this so I don't know why I have to explain it.

In 2023, the two Superbowl teams, the Chiefs and 49ers, were #2 and #3 (respectively) in the league in scoring defense.

Excellent QB play is pretty. Excellent defense wins playoff games.

Give me a murderous front seven over a Josh Allen/Lamar Jackson/Glass Joe Burrow-level QB any day of the week BritCard! Any. Day. Of. The. Week.

 

[DVontel]

Sure, last I checked we have some.

Yes, the team that finished last in almost every statistical defensive category last season & added minimal talent equates to having “some” actual defensive players.

Your outdid yourself with this one.

 

[Krangodnzr]

This only works if you’re a really good drafter. Otherwise you have no hedge.

What championship team wasn't a really good drafter?

That Chiefs team is filled with home grown talent, short on high priced free agents.

 

[Chopper0080]

Yes, the team that finished last in almost every statistical defensive category last season & added minimal talent equates to having “some” actual defensive players.

Your outdid yourself with this one.

This is an area I struggle with as well. I don't understand what impact people believe 2 mid-to-bottom level starting DTs and a meh CB will have. We go from around the 30th worst defense to around the 22nd worst defense?

 

[BritCard]

In 2023, the two Superbowl teams, the Chiefs and 49ers, were #2 and #3 (respectively) in the league in scoring defense.

Excellent QB play is pretty. Excellent defense wins playoff games.

Give me a murderous front seven over a Josh Allen/Lamar Jackson/Glass Joe Burrow-level QB any day of the week BritCard! Any. Day. Of. The. Week.

Yes, the team that finished last in almost every statistical defensive category last season & added minimal talent equates to having “some” actual defensive players.

Your outdid yourself with this one.

I'm not talking about winning super bowls, or winning playoff games. Yes, we will need to improve on defense to win those things. Also scoring defense does not mean good defense, nor were Niners and Chiefs the top 2 scoring defenses. That was Cowboys and Raiders.

I'm talking about winning regular season games. If we get the Kyler of the past 2 seasons nothing else matters. You could have a top 10 defense and it would only carry us so far. Plus a good offense lifts a defense. It gives them less time on the field, it gives them something to defend.

We ranked 7th in DVOA in 2021 with Angelo Blackson, Trevon Coley, Dogbe, Simmons at linebacker, Marco Wilson at corner. Yeah we had Chandler but that was is 10 sack season with 5 in game 1. He was poor that year. And JJ Watt missed 10 games. That defense was awful on paper.

But the offense carried it, no Kyler carried it because that offensive roster was awful too. The offense was on the field a lot and it scored regularly. It gave the defense chance to rest, adjust and to defend a lead.

Kyler has to play much better. He's been solidly in the bottom 20% of most QB metrics the last 2 years. If he stays that way we might get 5-6 wins. If he plays like we know he can then anything is possible.

 

[BritCard]

This is an area I struggle with as well. I don't understand what impact people believe 2 mid-to-bottom level starting DTs and a meh CB will have. We go from around the 30th worst defense to around the 22nd worst defense?

Have you seen the starting D line from 2021? And that defense ranked 7th.

Apart from 6 games of JJ Watt the DT's were Dogbe, Lawrence, Fotu, Allen, Philips and Peters. And Allen played the most snaps at 62%. Nobody else played over 34%.

The Jets had the 3rd ranked defense. Raiders 8th, Pats 9th, Jags 10th, Vikings 11th. None made the playoffs because mostly bad QB play.

 

[Chopper0080]

Have you seen the starting D line from 2021? And that defense ranked 7th.

Apart from 6 games of JJ Watt the DT's were Dogbe, Lawrence, Fotu, Allen, Philips and Peters. And Allen played the most snaps at 62%. Nobody else played over 34%.

Yes. That defense also had three DL players better than anything we currently have. Watt, Allen, and Peters were all better than the players we have added this offseason. This defenses will also not have Markus Golden and Chandler Jones on the EDGE combining for 21.5 sacks.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

I'm not talking about winning super bowls, or winning playoff games. Yes, we will need to improve on defense to win those things. Also scoring defense does not mean good defense, nor were Niners and Chiefs the top 2 scoring defenses. That was Cowboys and Raiders.

I'm talking about winning regular season games. If we get the Kyler of the past 2 seasons nothing else matters. You could have a top 10 defense and it would only carry us so far. Plus a good offense lifts a defense. It gives them less time on the field, it gives them something to defend.

We ranked 7th in DVOA in 2021 with Angelo Blackson, Trevon Coley, Dogbe, Simmons at linebacker, Marco Wilson at corner. Yeah we had Chandler but that was is 10 sack season with 5 in game 1. He was poor that year. And JJ Watt missed 10 games. That defense was awful on paper.

But the offense carried it, no Kyler carried it because that offensive roster was awful too. The offense was on the field a lot and it scored regularly. It gave the defense chance to rest, adjust and to defend a lead.

Kyler has to play much better. He's been solidly in the bottom 20% of most QB metrics the last 2 years. If he stays that way we might get 5-6 wins. If he plays like we know he can then anything is possible.

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I guess I could be missing something BritCard but this is from Fox Sports website? KC and SF #2 and #3?

I'm definitely not saying QB is not important. It's very important!

But a team needs a very good defense too if it wants to win a championship, which is the point of this entire exercise, wouldn't you agree?