Harry
ASFN Consultant and Senior Writer
I used to preach that the concern with putting all your eggs in one basket was dropping the basket. Eventually I believe that plan of action doomed Steve Keim. Most observers believed Keim was weak as a decision maker with regard to draft selections. For a while he hit on signing free agents to make good contracts. However, the rest of the league caught on and outbid the frugal Cards. Through all this Keim was regarded as a great trader. It was literally his surviving grace.
He was the guy who secured Andre Hopkins, Carson Palmer, Chandler Jones, Marcus Cooper and Kenyan Drake at often astonishingly low cost. For example he secured Palmer and a 7th round pick for the Cards’ 6th & 7th round picks. Arians called that “the steal of the century.”
Then Keim dropped the basket. The Hopkins suspension triggered a series of descending quality trades that eventually smacked of desperation. The action began with the acquisition of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. The hope was Brown would be a big play WR who would spread the field. He was also a security blanket for Murray because of their history of success. The price was a number one pick. In retrospect that seems high, but the hope was he could keep the Cards competitive until Hopkins’ return. Injuries kept the two from ever developing as a tandem. Brown was adequate but not explosive as a receiver. He was okay but the price for 2 years of guaranteed service proved an overpay. In fairness it’s worth noting it was a lousy draft for WRs by the time the Cards selected.
The next move was to strengthen the O-Line. Unfortunately Cody Ford’s addition did little to help that deficiency. Keim had ignored the line until late in the previous draft and when injuries struck (as they often do), Keim acted, just not effectively. He squandered a 5th round choice for a player who had trouble staying on the field the previous year. Unsurprisingly Ford couldn’t stay healthy in 2022 either. When he was on the field he had one good game, but for the most part was a failure as a solution.
Barely a week later Keim moved to solve another personnel shortage he’d failed to address in the draft. Keim swapped a conditional 6th or 7th pick for CB Trayvon Mullen. I openly criticized that choice at the time. Even for a late round pick this addition was a waste. Mullen had been spectacularly unsuccessful and the Cards unit was far to weak to cover his deficiencies. Add in the fact he was injured when he arrived and you have a complete panic move.
Then came what on paper didn’t look like a horrible exchange until Robbie Anderson got on the field. He was an unhappy player before he was traded and displayed little enthusiasm for the game after landing in AZ. Essentially getting low on 2023 picks Keim decided to weaken 2 future drafts by giving up low round picks. In the first 10 times Anderson was targeted he caught 2 passes. He improved slightly but essentially was a non-factor. Once a thousand yard receiver, Anderson gave the Cards 76 yards in 10 games.
Keim gave away portions of the Cards’ future away in the grip of fear. He could see the season slipping away. He could hear the criticism intensifying. Apparently the stress got to him and he took leave before the season ended. It was surely in his best interest as it saved him the humiliation of being fired.
He was the guy who secured Andre Hopkins, Carson Palmer, Chandler Jones, Marcus Cooper and Kenyan Drake at often astonishingly low cost. For example he secured Palmer and a 7th round pick for the Cards’ 6th & 7th round picks. Arians called that “the steal of the century.”
Then Keim dropped the basket. The Hopkins suspension triggered a series of descending quality trades that eventually smacked of desperation. The action began with the acquisition of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. The hope was Brown would be a big play WR who would spread the field. He was also a security blanket for Murray because of their history of success. The price was a number one pick. In retrospect that seems high, but the hope was he could keep the Cards competitive until Hopkins’ return. Injuries kept the two from ever developing as a tandem. Brown was adequate but not explosive as a receiver. He was okay but the price for 2 years of guaranteed service proved an overpay. In fairness it’s worth noting it was a lousy draft for WRs by the time the Cards selected.
The next move was to strengthen the O-Line. Unfortunately Cody Ford’s addition did little to help that deficiency. Keim had ignored the line until late in the previous draft and when injuries struck (as they often do), Keim acted, just not effectively. He squandered a 5th round choice for a player who had trouble staying on the field the previous year. Unsurprisingly Ford couldn’t stay healthy in 2022 either. When he was on the field he had one good game, but for the most part was a failure as a solution.
Barely a week later Keim moved to solve another personnel shortage he’d failed to address in the draft. Keim swapped a conditional 6th or 7th pick for CB Trayvon Mullen. I openly criticized that choice at the time. Even for a late round pick this addition was a waste. Mullen had been spectacularly unsuccessful and the Cards unit was far to weak to cover his deficiencies. Add in the fact he was injured when he arrived and you have a complete panic move.
Then came what on paper didn’t look like a horrible exchange until Robbie Anderson got on the field. He was an unhappy player before he was traded and displayed little enthusiasm for the game after landing in AZ. Essentially getting low on 2023 picks Keim decided to weaken 2 future drafts by giving up low round picks. In the first 10 times Anderson was targeted he caught 2 passes. He improved slightly but essentially was a non-factor. Once a thousand yard receiver, Anderson gave the Cards 76 yards in 10 games.
Keim gave away portions of the Cards’ future away in the grip of fear. He could see the season slipping away. He could hear the criticism intensifying. Apparently the stress got to him and he took leave before the season ended. It was surely in his best interest as it saved him the humiliation of being fired.
