Rumor from ProFootballTalk

[TopGun]

CARDS SHAKEUP COMING, TOO?

In discussing with league insiders the situation in Tampa, we learned that similar moves could be occurring in Arizona, as new coach Denny Green puts his thumbprint on the front office.

There's talk of a scouting department purge, and of the possible arrival of Green's son, Jeremy, as player personnel director.

Jeremy Green currently serves as pro personnel director with the Browns, and he's generally regarded as an up-and-coming talent in some NFL circles.

G.M. Rod Graves will survive, and by all appearances he is working well with Green. Graves likely is smart enough to know that the status quo in Arizona hasn't worked since the team moved from St. Louis 15 years ago. As we see it, Green needs to ruffle some feathers in order to get that impotent flock of birds off of the ground.

He turned a mediocre, underachieving Minnesota team into a division winner during his first year on the job in 1992, and we wouldn't be shocked to see him transform the Birds into contenders quickly, especially with NFC West rivals in St. Louis and San Fran seemingly in decline.

 

[Reddog]

All for it!

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Wow!

If true, this would indicate Green is gaining influence at the expense of Rod Graves.

There is no doubt that Graves has changed the Bidwills way of doing business, and thats good. However, Graves has not proved himself in the talent-evaluating department.

If Graves handles the contract negotiations and other financial aspects of the front office, and Green is in charge of evaluating talent, would that be ok?

 

[Krangodnzr]

I wouldn't be against, though it has the smell of nepotism ala Buddy Ryan...

 

[40yearfan]

If this means Boone will be heading down the highway, I'm all for it. How he ever got back into the organization after the horrible draft picks he had is beyond me.

 

[CardinalChris]

I wouldn't be against, though it has the smell of nepotism ala Buddy Ryan...

Isn't Buddy's son one of the next hot D Coordinaters???

 

[Ryanwb]

Isn't Buddy's son one of the next hot D Coordinaters???

Rex Ryan, I believe...but Buddy's other son who was here wasn't worth a pound of dog ****

 

[RLakin]

Rex Ryan, I believe...but Buddy's other son who was here wasn't worth a pound of dog ****

Rob Ryan is D-Coordinator for the Raiders. Rex Ryan is the D-Line coach for the Ravens. Although I shared that opinion when Ryan brought both in from small schools to the Cardinals, I must admit both are doing well and are now respected NFL coaches.

 

[Metal Militia]

Just keep Keim. I remember when one of the Sr writers from Sportsline or ESPN did a story on up and coming personnel guys and Keim was one of them.

 

[kerouac9]

Consider the source. This is a bunch of bunk. Look who this scouting department unearthed last season:

- A. Boldin - ProBowl WR
- K. King - 2004 Starting UT
- G. Hayes - 2004 Starting "Sam" LB (at this point)
- B. Johnson - Probable starting "Slot" WR

That's four of--what?--eight draft choices? One more, T. Gilbert, ended up playing in eight-odd games for J-ville.

ProFootballTalk.com is just stirring the pot to see what surfaces. Graves' staff will get another season to prove that they're the real deal. If this team doesn't go 8-8 or better, Graves might be gone, and Green will have the chance to bring in all his homies.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

and Green will have the chance to bring in all his homies.

LMAO

It would be great to purge the front office. How many times can you screw up in the 1st round, I don't get it.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

-
- A. Boldin - ProBowl WR
- K. King - 2004 Starting UT
- G. Hayes - 2004 Starting "Sam" LB (at this point)
- B. Johnson - Probable starting "Slot" WR

That's four of--what?--eight draft choices? One more, T. Gilbert, ended up playing in eight-odd games for J-ville.

And Gilmore? Wilson? Bryant? What about that tackle we let go that ended up starting for Philly... Walker?

I guess you can blame the coaching, but my point is that Green has a proven track record of evaluating talent, while Graves has shown financial savvy. I say let both men do what their best at.

(if thats practical)

 

[Skkorpion]

This is scurilous journalism at its worst.

 

[imaCafan]

I think that these guys get their "insider" info at their local tavern. I picture those guys from Cheers, Norm and Cliff, giving these guys all their "scoops"....

 

[kerouac9]

And Gilmore? Wilson? Bryant? What about that tackle we let go that ended up starting for Philly... Walker?

I guess you can blame the coaching, but my point is that Green has a proven track record of evaluating talent, while Graves has shown financial savvy. I say let both men do what their best at.

(if thats practical)

For what it's worth, those were Mac's guys. Mac, and all his bad, bad people, is gone. Skkorp's said that this is 100% Rod Graves's draft. I assume that 2003 was mostly Rod's draft.

Get over Denard Walker. That was the old regime. It's a new era. Rod's scouts have shown enough to get another year before dismantling, and that's all you can really give anyone in the NFL.

 

[Tangodnzr]

Get over Denard Walker. That was the old regime. It's a new era. Rod's scouts have shown enough to get another year before dismantling, and that's all you can really give anyone in the NFL.

...and furthermore, referring to Walker as if it was some scouting or GM screw up just indicates a lack of knowledge of what was going on there.

Walker, himself, has since admitted that he had a bad attitude, and getting cut by the Cards was the eye opener for him. That's not all that unusual, where a college kid comes into the NFL thinking his crap doesn't stink, and either wakes up or ends up out of football.

Walker deserved to be cut. He woke up. Like I said, its not a rare occurance.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Hopefully Green has some kids that are agents and we can sign whatever stiffs they represent. That would be great!

B-U-D-D-Y!!!

 

[nidan]

Wow!

If true, this would indicate Green is gaining influence at the expense of Rod Graves.

Have you considered tha possiblity that Graves is part of this plan as well rather than a victim of it. From what I see he gets on well with Green.

 

[SECTION 11]

Get over Denard Walker.

It's Darwin Walker.

Incidently, he owns a structural engineering firm...
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/6872030.htm?1c

... and he's always been around the industry and was a highlight of Tennessee's engineering program.
http://tnengineer.engr.utk.edu/spring_99/

I think his reluctance to put forth the maximum effort for the Cardinal probably had more to do with his other career than anything. Combine that with the fact that they were a bad team playing in one of the most apathetic markets in the history of sports, and I don't blame him one bit.

 

[kerouac9]

I think his reluctance to put forth the maximum effort for the Cardinal probably had more to do with his other career than anything. Combine that with the fact that they were a bad team playing in one of the most apathetic markets in the history of sports, and I don't blame him one bit.

This quote just about says it all:

"After high school, I knew I needed to be at a university contending for a national championship," Walker said. "UT is where I should have been from the start. Now my favorite part of the game is running through the 'T' on game day and hearing 100,000 fans cheering us on."

The guy likes to be competitive and play for a winner. When you're going to lose somewhere between nine and twelve games per season, the check didn't matter that much to him. I can kind of understand it.

 

[nidan]

I assume that 2003 was mostly Rod's draft.

Why ?

 

[kerouac9]

Why ?

Why wouldn't it have been? Rod was the guy in charge of mostly everything. He took responsiblity for The Trade, he was the VP of Football Operations. I believe that he was the first guy quoted in the paper on the draft. If I remember (and it's been awhile) he was listed by ESPN as the guy with his finger on the trigger.

Is this suddenly a question? Last year EVERYONE knew that this draft was Rod's. The board might have been set up with more input from Mac and his staff, as well as Mac's scouts, but the decision-making was all Rod.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I wouldn't be against, though it has the smell of nepotism ala Buddy Ryan...

Bah!

Green knows what he is doing and proved it in Minnesota. The guy can win. He has found plenty a great NFL talent, and I would be great to have him deciding on what types of players he wants on his team.
Plus it is not like the Cardinals can say they have been successful with grading the talent that they bring in here.

The only thing Ryan proved was he new how to run a defense. Ryan was never known for winning games.

Peaec

 

[CaliCards]

I think that these guys get their "insider" info at their local tavern. I picture those guys from Cheers, Norm and Cliff, giving these guys all their "scoops"....

Cliff with some lost Ross Perot (sp) pie chart illustrating the Cards internal workings.

 

[Russ Smith]

Rob Ryan is D-Coordinator for the Raiders. Rex Ryan is the D-Line coach for the Ravens. Although I shared that opinion when Ryan brought both in from small schools to the Cardinals, I must admit both are doing well and are now respected NFL coaches.

That's because they're on winning teams(or were with Rob). Face it in the NFL the good coaches are on good teams, the bad ones on bad teams, and it changes all the time. Ray Rhodes goes from good to bad as much as a professional wrestler depending on what team he's on.

In Buddy's case the problem was he hired completely unproven coaches just because they were related, that they became good later doesn't justify hiring them then in my book.