Reevaluating the 2013 Free Agent Pool

[the_future23]

http://overthecap.com/reevaluating-free-agency-offense/

Pretty neat article rating the free agent pick ups. Lots of success signing LT's. Cardinals should take note.

Mendenhall -3

 

[bankybruce]

Mendy was a one year deal for a very low amount. Not a big deal. Now look at Mike Wallace and all that money they gave him and he has a -5. That is really bad.

 

[crisper57]

That is okay because Mendy is cheap, short-term, and we've already identified his replacement.

On the other side of the ball, we had to have gotten great value. Dansby and Abraham have to be among the steals in FA this off season.

 

[john h]

That is okay because Mendy is cheap, short-term, and we've already identified his replacement.

On the other side of the ball, we had to have gotten great value. Dansby and Abraham have to be among the steals in FA this off season.

Dansby is one the best pickups we have had in a long time. We are more than getting our money's worth out of Carlos. He comes to play every game. Going back Campbell was a great extension IMHO. I think overall we have a B or even a B+ defense. LOT and QB are our biggest weakness. Our QB does have the capability to come up with a big game but you never know when. Our kicker has taken a lot of flak for missing that one 50 yd field goal but that is the only one he has missed. I feel rather comfortable when the game is on the line with Feeley out there. No one ever talks about the holder and center on these kicks but our guys perform week after week in a flawless manner.

 

[sundevil04]

Overall I'm very happy with our off season. We can't expect to hit on 100% of the shots we take in FA. Considering the small contract and short contracts we delat out, I'm happy with what we did.



Win
Dansby
Abraham
Alameda Ta'amu <---- this one's a big one that we normally overlook
M. Shaughnessy

?
Palmer
Mendnehall
Winston
Fanaika
Arenas
Powers
Cason
Bell
Brinkley
Sowell
Moch

 

[kerouac9]

Overall I'm very happy with our off season. We can't expect to hit on 100% of the shots we take in FA. Considering the small contract and short contracts we delat out, I'm happy with what we did.



Win
Dansby
Abraham
Alameda Ta'amu <---- this one's a big one that we normally overlook
M. Shaughnessy

?
Palmer
Mendnehall
Winston
Fanaika
Arenas
Powers
Cason
Bell
Brinkley
Sowell
Moch

No Lorenzo Alexander on this list?

Also, of these "offseason" activities, a whole bunch of them (Sowell, Moch, Ta'amu) happened at the end of the preseason or in-season. A bunch more (Abraham, Dansby, Winston) happened during training camp.

The Keim "plan" for free agency included the five most underwhelming players of the offseason: Mendenhall, Alexander, Brinkley, Powers, and Bell.

Good work there. Can't wait for next year.

 

[Cardiac]

No Lorenzo Alexander on this list?

Also, of these "offseason" activities, a whole bunch of them (Sowell, Moch, Ta'amu) happened at the end of the preseason or in-season. A bunch more (Abraham, Dansby, Winston) happened during training camp.

The Keim "plan" for free agency included the five most underwhelming players of the offseason: Mendenhall, Alexander, Brinkley, Powers, and Bell.

Good work there. Can't wait for next year.

LOS signed on 5-10 so that wasn't during training camp. Wasn't Alexander and Abraham signed on the first day of TC? A bit nit picky on my part but a clearer picture than "during TC".

Actually the best offseason the Cards have EVER had with FA signings (sans getting Warner).

Need to add Rucker to the list as well. I didn't hate the signing but wasn't thrilled either but he has been more than solid.

As bankybruce and crisper posted the Mending (get it) signing was not a big miss.

How come the author doesn't list/grade the Winston signing? Not saying it was a good one but considering how much Massie was struggling in OTA's with mental errors and then continued those all through PS it was a necessary signing.

Powers ain't all that but he doesn't stink on ice and worth the price based on what Toler got.

I think Bell is playing better than ADub was last year and of course at a fraction of the price.

 

[kerouac9]

LOS signed on 5-10 so that wasn't during training camp. Wasn't Alexander and Abraham signed on the first day of TC? A bit nit picky on my part but a clearer picture than "during TC".

Actually the best offseason the Cards have EVER had with FA signings (sans getting Warner).

Need to add Rucker to the list as well. I didn't hate the signing but wasn't thrilled either but he has been more than solid.

As bankybruce and crisper posted the Mending (get it) signing was not a big miss.

How come the author doesn't list/grade the Winston signing? Not saying it was a good one but considering how much Massie was struggling in OTA's with mental errors and then continued those all through PS it was a necessary signing.

Powers ain't all that but he doesn't stink on ice and worth the price based on what Toler got.

I think Bell is playing better than ADub was last year and of course at a fraction of the price.

Regardless, Dansby, Winston, and Abraham can't be considered "free agent targets" by Keim, because they were available long after free agency activity had come to a close. If they'd been priority free agents, they would have been here in March, not May or July.

I'm going to disagree on Mendenhall being a good signing. He's not a disasterous signing based on the metric of having a long-term, big-money deal. But his advanced metrics place him far below replacement-level; he's ranked 23rd among running backs by FootballOutsiders; does anyone expect that ranking to rise by the end of the year?

Your opinion of Bell is only your opinion. He's been pretty awful, and there's no evidence to support that he's somehow an upgrade over Adrian Wilson.

If you only want to look at the priority free agent signings (the guys that Keim targeted on his vaunted "free agent board"), they've been pretty awful. Keim salvaged a dreadful offseason by signing a bunch of guys on one-year contracts to guys who really don't have much of an NFL future.

 

[BigRedRage]

Regardless, Dansby, Winston, and Abraham can't be considered "free agent targets" by Keim, because they were available long after free agency activity had come to a close. If they'd been priority free agents, they would have been here in March, not May or July.

I'm going to disagree on Mendenhall being a good signing. He's not a disasterous signing based on the metric of having a long-term, big-money deal. But his advanced metrics place him far below replacement-level; he's ranked 23rd among running backs by FootballOutsiders; does anyone expect that ranking to rise by the end of the year?

Your opinion of Bell is only your opinion. He's been pretty awful, and there's no evidence to support that he's somehow an upgrade over Adrian Wilson.

If you only want to look at the priority free agent signings (the guys that Keim targeted on his vaunted "free agent board"), they've been pretty awful. Keim salvaged a dreadful offseason by signing a bunch of guys on one-year contracts to guys who really don't have much of an NFL future.

I agree that I dont see Bell being any better than Wilson - at all really. I will say though that Mendenhall was servicable, his ranking among running backs has a lot to do with our horrid OL. It seems to be improving especially with our shifty RB back there but when you send a power back up the middle and there is no hole, he doesnt have a ton of options.

hes no world beater and I expect a RB core of ellington, Taylor Williams next year but I dont think he was a "bad" signing.

 

[Cardiac]

Regardless, Dansby, Winston, and Abraham can't be considered "free agent targets" by Keim, because they were available long after free agency activity had come to a close. If they'd been priority free agents, they would have been here in March, not May or July.

I'm going to disagree on Mendenhall being a good signing. He's not a disasterous signing based on the metric of having a long-term, big-money deal. But his advanced metrics place him far below replacement-level; he's ranked 23rd among running backs by FootballOutsiders; does anyone expect that ranking to rise by the end of the year?

Your opinion of Bell is only your opinion. He's been pretty awful, and there's no evidence to support that he's somehow an upgrade over Adrian Wilson.

If you only want to look at the priority free agent signings (the guys that Keim targeted on his vaunted "free agent board"), they've been pretty awful. Keim salvaged a dreadful offseason by signing a bunch of guys on one-year contracts to guys who really don't have much of an NFL future.

There you go again. I never said Mending was a good signing.

Maybe SK new the landscape of FA and that Abraham and Winston could be had for a good price.

Maybe we now have a GM who reacts to things like the DWash 4 game suspension and fixes the problem.

Maybe SK does have a plan and part of it includes cleaning up the CAP and making moves so we can keep Fitz and stay competitive. Glad we didn't go crazy in FA this year.

So we can disagree about Bell's play, does anyone have any ratings from a site on how he is doing this year?

 

[Mulli]

Meh

 

[MadCardDisease]

Also, of these "offseason" activities, a whole bunch of them (Sowell, Moch, Ta'amu) happened at the end of the preseason or in-season. A bunch more (Abraham, Dansby, Winston) happened during training camp.

The Keim "plan" for free agency included the five most underwhelming players of the offseason: Mendenhall, Alexander, Brinkley, Powers, and Bell.

I think you are confusing the "Keim plan" with the "Graves plan". Graves plan was you bring in 4-5 FAs during the 2nd week of Free Agency and then call it a day or should I say a season.

Keim's plan wasn't limited to the start of Free Agency. He is constantly looking to improve this team. Not sure why it matters if a player is picked up during the 1st week of free agency or during the 4th week of the pre-season or half way through the season. If it improves the depth on this team then it's a good move IMO.

 

[Cardiac]

I think you are confusing the "Keim plan" with the "Graves plan". Graves plan was you bring in 4-5 FAs during the 2nd week of Free Agency and then call it a day or should I say a season.

Keim's plan wasn't limited to the start of Free Agency. He is constantly looking to improve this team. Not sure why it matters if a player is picked up during the 1st week of free agency or during the 4th week of the pre-season or half way through the season. If it improves the depth on this team then it's a good move IMO.

This.

 

[kerouac9]

I think you are confusing the "Keim plan" with the "Graves plan". Graves plan was you bring in 4-5 FAs during the 2nd week of Free Agency and then call it a day or should I say a season.

Keim's plan wasn't limited to the start of Free Agency. He is constantly looking to improve this team. Not sure why it matters if a player is picked up during the 1st week of free agency or during the 4th week of the pre-season or half way through the season. If it improves the depth on this team then it's a good move IMO.

Nonsense. The Cards wouldn't have spent a combined $8.5M on Alexander, Mendenhall, Powers, Stanton, Cason, and Brinkley with the expectation that th Falcons were going to cut Abraham, the Fins were going to cut Dansby, and the Chiefs were going to cut Winston. That's preposterous.

How do you have such insight into what Keim's plan was at the start of free agency? Why would Keim have those nobodies at the top of his vaunted free agent board if he didn't value them?

Keim gets credit for recognizing that Alexander, Mendenhall, Cason, and Brinkley were losers and not doubling down on them, but he was still the guy who signed them.

 

[Cardiac]

Nonsense. The Cards wouldn't have spent a combined $8.5M on Alexander, Mendenhall, Powers, Stanton, Cason, and Brinkley with the expectation that th Falcons were going to cut Abraham, the Fins were going to cut Dansby, and the Chiefs were going to cut Winston. That's preposterous.

Maybe I'm confused but Dansby, Abraham and Winston were all cut and FA's by March 12 which was the start of FA.

How do you have such insight into what Keim's plan was at the start of free agency? Why would Keim have those nobodies at the top of his vaunted free agent board if he didn't value them?

SK had a shopping list that kept the CAP #'s in mind. The FA market was markedly different then years past and there were many more bargains available this year. SK played the market well and didn't get antsy and pay more than he had to for LOS, Abraham and Winston.

Keim gets credit for recognizing that Alexander, Mendenhall, Cason, and Brinkley were losers and not doubling down on them, but he was still the guy who signed them.

Kinda harsh with the "losers" label don't you think? I really don't have an issue with any of the signings because none hit the CAP hard and the players aren't as pitiful as you make them out to be.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Nonsense. The Cards wouldn't have spent a combined $8.5M on Alexander, Mendenhall, Powers, Stanton, Cason, and Brinkley with the expectation that th Falcons were going to cut Abraham, the Fins were going to cut Dansby, and the Chiefs were going to cut Winston. That's preposterous.

How do you have such insight into what Keim's plan was at the start of free agency? Why would Keim have those nobodies at the top of his vaunted free agent board if he didn't value them?

Keim gets credit for recognizing that Alexander, Mendenhall, Cason, and Brinkley were losers and not doubling down on them, but he was still the guy who signed them.

While your right on most of what you're saying, Brinkley hasn't been a "loser". He was playing pretty well for a thumper-only LB before Washington came back. Fanaika has been a serviceable, average starter. Alexander was a below average starting OLB, but a very good special teams player. Mendenhall is obviously done. Cason has been marginal, but he's being paid as a depth veteran guy so it's not like he's getting paid anymore than he's worth.

Bell is a disaster in coverage, but has been very good playing in the box. I would categorize him as a better box safety than Wilson right now, but a huge step down in coverage. Considering that Wilson wasn't good in coverage in the first place, and it's an indictment of that signing.

Powers is a very average CB starter, but he has had his moments this year.

Overall this free agent class was more about quantity than quality. Honestly if Carson Palmer even played to the level he did with the Raiders last year, this free agent class would look much better.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

N
The Keim "plan" for free agency included the five most underwhelming players of the offseason: Mendenhall, Alexander, Brinkley, Powers, and Bell.

Good work there. Can't wait for next year.

Mendenhall - 1/$3.5
Alexander - 3/$9.5
Brinkley - 2/$3.5
Powers - 3/$10.5
Bell - 1/$905k
Cason - 1/$2.0

Um, who really cares about any of these guys? We could cut any of them tomorrow for relative pennies and still be able to go out and sign whoever we want. We gave Duane Starks alone about the same as all these guys combined 10 years ago. I know it doesn't suit your narrative but these players and their contracts are trivial at best when it comes to the long term health of this team. They are all on short contracts and even in 2013 occupy only about 10% of our total salary.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I definitely want to see this team get out of the business of expecting Free Agency to fix this team. Across the league, the better teams use free agents to augment the roster, not fill major holes.

We have a nice core on defense AND offense and outside of QB, I think the future is bright throughout the roster.


This draft has brought us the likes of Mathieu, Ellington, and Taylor who have proven so far to be decent to very good values at where they were selected. Cooper and Minter have incomplete grades, but each showed flashes when they've played. I won't bet against Cooper becoming a very good offensive line, adding to the core of "keepers" on this team.

 

[crisper57]

While your right on most of what you're saying, Brinkley hasn't been a "loser". He was playing pretty well for a thumper-only LB before Washington came back. Fanaika has been a serviceable, average starter. Alexander was a below average starting OLB, but a very good special teams player. Mendenhall is obviously done. Cason has been marginal, but he's being paid as a depth veteran guy so it's not like he's getting paid anymore than he's worth.

Bell is a disaster in coverage, but has been very good playing in the box. I would categorize him as a better box safety than Wilson right now, but a huge step down in coverage. Considering that Wilson wasn't good in coverage in the first place, and it's an indictment of that signing.

Powers is a very average CB starter, but he has had his moments this year.

Overall this free agent class was more about quantity than quality. Honestly if Carson Palmer even played to the level he did with the Raiders last year, this free agent class would look much better.

Bell drives me nuts. He comes up with a great play on one down and then gets torched on the next one. No consistency from a veteran like that? Maddening. But for $950K what can you expect?

 

[Mulli]

Mendenhall - 1/$3.5
Alexander - 3/$9.5
Brinkley - 2/$3.5
Powers - 3/$10.5
Bell - 1/$905k
Cason - 1/$2.0

Um, who really cares about any of these guys? We could cut any of them tomorrow for relative pennies and still be able to go out and sign whoever we want. We gave Duane Starks alone about the same as all these guys combined 10 years ago. I know it doesn't suit your narrative but these players and their contracts are trivial at best when it comes to the long term health of this team. They are all on short contracts and even in 2013 occupy only about 10% of our total salary.

I agree, but doesn't that still mean the free agents haven't done much even if they are cheap?

Win a game in the NFC West, or the free agent class gets a D at best.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Nonsense. The Cards wouldn't have spent a combined $8.5M on Alexander, Mendenhall, Powers, Stanton, Cason, and Brinkley with the expectation that th Falcons were going to cut Abraham, the Fins were going to cut Dansby, and the Chiefs were going to cut Winston. That's preposterous.

How do you have such insight into what Keim's plan was at the start of free agency?Why would Keim have those nobodies at the top of his vaunted free agent board if he didn't value them?

Keim gets credit for recognizing that Alexander, Mendenhall, Cason, and Brinkley were losers and not doubling down on them, but he was still the guy who signed them.

Sure Cason looks like a bust and Mendenhall hasn't played great. The fact of the matter is that almost all of the Free Agents who were brought in have been contributors or have added to the depth of this team. This depth has enabled the Cardinals to remain competitive even though they have had several injuries to deal with.

To call players like Alexander and Brinkley losers is just plain wrong and sophomoric! Alexander was a core special teamer before his injury. He was also a team leader and is still there helping the team. Brinkley covered for DW during his suspension and adds depth to the ILB position. Here is a fun quote from Mike Shanahan last week regarding Alexander:

"Lorenzo Alexander is not gonna show up,” Shanahan said Monday afternoon at Redskins Park, “So somebody has got to take control of those special teams."

This Lorenzo Alexander guy sure sounds like a loser.

 

[kerouac9]

Sure Cason looks like a bust and Mendenhall hasn't played great. The fact of the matter is that almost all of the Free Agents who were brought in have been contributors or have added to the depth of this team. This depth has enabled the Cardinals to remain competitive even though they have had several injuries to deal with.

To call players like Alexander and Brinkley losers is just plain wrong and sophomoric! Alexander was a core special teamer before his injury. He was also a team leader and is still there helping the team. Brinkley covered for DW during his suspension and adds depth to the ILB position. Here is a fun quote from Mike Shanahan last week regarding Alexander:



This Lorenzo Alexander guy sure sounds like a loser.

So under this definition, is it possible for a free agent to be a failure? Jasper Brinkley "added to the depth of this team." Is the only measure of free agent success making the roster?

Alexander was signed to be a starting OLB. By the time of his injury, he wasn't playing 60% of the downs at that position.

 

[MadCardDisease]

So under this definition, is it possible for a free agent to be a failure? Jasper Brinkley "added to the depth of this team." Is the only measure of free agent success making the roster?

Alexander was signed to be a starting OLB. By the time of his injury, he wasn't playing 60% of the downs at that position.

Brinkley started 4 games. That's more than just making the roster.

Alexander was signed because he was a pro-bowl special teamer plain and simple. Sure he was told he would get a shot at being an OLB. Just like Stanton was told he would get a chance to be the starting QB when he signed.

 

[kerouac9]

Brinkley started 4 games. That's more than just making the roster.

Alexander was signed because he was a pro-bowl special teamer plain and simple. Sure he was told he would get a shot at being an OLB. Just like Stanton was told he would get a chance to be the starting QB when he signed.

So who was our starting OLB? Do your research, because you know that I will.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Brinkley started 4 games. That's more than just making the roster.

Alexander was signed because he was a pro-bowl special teamer plain and simple. Sure he was told he would get a shot at being an OLB. Just like Stanton was told he would get a chance to be the starting QB when he signed.

you don't pay a STer 3 million per year. and the guy was the starting OLB when the season began. They thought he could play the position...he really couldn't and at 3 million per year, he's too expensive to simply be a a STer, even if he is a Pro-Bowler.