Jonathon Stewart vs. Rashard Mendenhall

[CardLogic]

I would be very surprised and disappointed if any RB is picked in the first round. The team became competitive because the defense started playing. Ranked 9th before the injuries to Wilson in particular. Quickest way to make this team a real contender is to continue to upgrade the defense. The offense was only outscored by two teams in the NFC. They are scoring enough points. Only two NFC teams allowed more points.

Aside from the first sentence, I agree with this paragraph. However...

So if you draft a RB what do you do with James. His trade value is minimal due to his age. However his value to the Cardinals is 1200+ yards. So you would give up a first round pick for maybe a net increase of 200-300 rushing yards?

this is short term thinking. James will still be adequate for next year, what about beyond next year? The draft should not be looked at to fill the needs of the upcoming season; that is what free agency is for. Draft is for building your team for future years.

In a couple of years, at most, the Cardinals will need a replacement for Edge. It is not wise to wait until that time to find that replacement.

 

[JeffGollin]

Mendenhall if he falls to the second.

We're in the habit of assuming that we'll be picking near the top of Round 2.

Not this year - if they rotate the spot, we could be somewhere around the 18 - 20 hole. At least as of now, it's unlikely any of the top RB's would drop that far.

Then again (and here's the question of the moment) Will we get any compensation for Leonard Davis - since he was a top draft pick who's also going to the Pro Bowl this year. Could this be enough to give us a supplemental pick at the bottom of Round One?

 

[DaisyCutter]

Then again (and here's the question of the moment) Will we get any compensation for Leonard Davis - since he was a top draft pick who's also going to the Pro Bowl this year. Could this be enough to give us a supplemental pick at the bottom of Round One?

Supplemental picks don't begin until the end of Round 3. The Cards signed more free agents than they lost this season, so I don't think it's possible that we'll get any compensatory picks unless we get a throw-in 7th rounder or something.

 

[slanidrac16]

If we draft a back with our first pick, he MUST be the complete package. He must run between the tackles , be fast enough to turn the corner and catch the ball coming out of the backfield. Blocking would be a plus.

If that back isn't available then IMHO, he can't possibly be the best player available.

 

[spikecop02]

Stewart is the real deal, but many people in Eugene think that he may come back for his senior season, the Ad at Oregon siad they would advertise him for heisman like they did Joey in 2001.

 

[clif]

Judging from the first couple of clips it was apparent to me that Stewart got faster in 07 as compared to 05. In the first few clips he looked ok against poor competition. That 88 yard td run in 07 was a major improvement in speed in my mind. You can definetely see that is what we need to make this offense go. We need that homerun threat that Stewart appeared to be in that clip. I would need to see more clips and review some stats to say he is a first round pick though.

 

[WildBB]

This is how we ended up with the terrible drafts we have in the past. By thinking i terms of "must have X position" and "no need for Y position."

We need to take the best player available, regardless of need. The Cardinals need football players. Period.

JMHO.

Especially if it's close and it's a DE/OLB for 3-4 or CB. I'd settle for Stewart or Mendenhall though. Good value there. It's a fairly good bet that those three area's are addressed first in the draft depending on FA of course. That's why FA is so important especially nowadays on the depth level of the team. Then you can legitimatly target the BPA's or very close to it in the drafts.

 

[cardsfanmd]

This is how we ended up with the terrible drafts we have in the past. By thinking i terms of "must have X position" and "no need for Y position."

We need to take the best player available, regardless of need. The Cardinals need football players. Period.

JMHO.

Exactly. WR wasn't a huge need when we got Fitz.

 

[BigRedMO]

Aside from the first sentence, I agree with this paragraph. However... this is short term thinking. James will still be adequate for next year, what about beyond next year? The draft should not be looked at to fill the needs of the upcoming season; that is what free agency is for. Draft is for building your team for future years.

In a couple of years, at most, the Cardinals will need a replacement for Edge. It is not wise to wait until that time to find that replacement.

At 8-8 in a weak division with one of the weakest schedules I would say the Cardinals needs to focus on immediate needs. They did not finish 12-4 and in the playoffs. The Cardinals allowed the third most points in the NFC. James gave the Cards 1,200 yards. I know talking about drafting RBs, QBs, WRs in the first round is very exciting and similar to fantasy football. That is not what the Cards NEED NEXT YEAR to make the playoffs. Unless you are the Patriots or the Colts the first round pick, with exception of QB, should make immediate impact in a weak area.

 

[earthsci]

At 8-8 in a weak division with one of the weakest schedules I would say the Cardinals needs to focus on immediate needs.

Wow, as much as you don't like the Cardinals front office you sure want to draft like them.

 

[BigRedMO]

Wow, as much as you don't like the Cardinals front office you sure want to draft like them.

If you mean drafting players that are actually needed this year? I am all for that. Just like I would not be advocating NE or Indy to draft QBs if they were BPA. The Lions liked ignoring their needs and picking WRs. Look at what that got them. So if you dont want to draft to fill defense needs. How do you reduce the points allowed? If the Cards defense had just been middle of the pack in pts allowed they would have won the west. Every effort should be made to improve the defense through EVERY means. Draft and FA. When the defense was playing they were beating good teams. When it wasnt they were getting beat and having to fight teams they should have rolled over. Did that inability to stop Gore late in the year bother you? It told me the Cards were not a playoff team.

 

[earthsci]

If you mean drafting players that are actually needed this year? I am all for that. Just like I would not be advocating NE or Indy to draft QBs if they were BPA. The Lions liked ignoring their needs and picking WRs. Look at what that got them. So if you dont want to draft to fill defense needs. How do you reduce the points allowed? If the Cards defense had just been middle of the pack in pts allowed they would have won the west. Every effort should be made to improve the defense through EVERY means. Draft and FA. When the defense was playing they were beating good teams. When it wasnt they were getting beat and having to fight teams they should have rolled over. Did that inability to stop Gore late in the year bother you? It told me the Cards were not a playoff team.

If there is a player that fits your needs and there isn't, clearly, a better player at another position then absolutely you take him. If there is a great running back who is clearly better than the CB that you are left with (Tom Knight ring any bells?) it would be foolish not to pick him. At the 16th pick I don't think that will be the case, but we should be prepared for it. Our best first round pick in a long time was Larry Fitzgerald, not a "need". Need should be factored but talent will make you better. We have needs that this draft looks pretty deep in so this disagreement is doesn't really amount to a hill of beans this year.

 

[BigRedMO]

If there is a player that fits your needs and there isn't, clearly, a better player at another position then absolutely you take him. If there is a great running back who is clearly better than the CB that you are left with (Tom Knight ring any bells?) it would be foolish not to pick him. At the 16th pick I don't think that will be the case, but we should be prepared for it. Our best first round pick in a long time was Larry Fitzgerald, not a "need". Need should be factored but talent will make you better. We have needs that this draft looks pretty deep in so this disagreement is doesn't really amount to a hill of beans this year.

I here Knight mentioned frequently as an example of what is wrong with drafting for needs. There are examples that can be sited of drafting BPA that have been busts too. Back in the 70s the Cardinals drafted a QB from Mizzou named Pisarkwiecz. Cardinals did not need a QB. So by process of elimination someone with the Cardinals thought he was the BPA. He was a bust. Either approach comes down to doing it right. If a team has a certain need but the right player wont be there at that spot then the good teams trade up to meet that need or they trade down if they can fill a need with a later pick.

I just think pure BPA is virtually non-existent in the real world with very few exceptions just like pure capitalism is non-existent. They are great theories but dont exist in the real world or very rarely exist. The draft like free agency and trades is just another method to fill needs. If the team really needs a RB then the discussion shouldnt just be how to get one in the draft it should also be explored via trade or free agency. The fact it is not discussed anywhere except for the draft tells me it is not really a weakness that needs to be addressed.