RugbyMuffin
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The Cardinals are 4-6, they are not going to make the playoffs, and questions are abound.
Do not get me wrong. Its Cardinal football today, and a 4:30 game on the east coast, so I am happy to have a game to watch once the sun goes down. This is not a doom and gloom post. I would hope most are past that. This is more of a, have a cup of coffee and see where we are.
What is there to watch ? Plenty if you ask me. I am not one who is surprised by this team and its record, this looks as expected. Would things be different without the injuries ? Maybe, but even at full strength this was not a roster that was going to compete for the Super Bowl.
Maybe the Cardinals organization thought so but how much more of an example does a fan base need, or any football minded individual need than what has been produced over the last two season? There should be no doubting the issues, problems, and things that need to be corrected.
How to solve them ? Well, that is what we all do on this board, at least that is what I have seen through the years. We all sit here and throw ideas into the fire, and through some voodoo magic of social media, and internet interaction mold our individual opinions, out of a group discussion.
Personally, I think there is no other way to build a NFL roster than to see what you have, what you may have the opportunity to add or change, and what the customs/routines/habits of an organization are. From there, you can try to figure out a plan, and then polish that plan to what the organization does.
The Packers do things a certain way, the Steelers do things a certain way, the Browns, the Falcons, the Vikings are all different.
The board favorite, Patriots do things a certain way, but then the Texans do things different even though they are a branch off said coaching tree.
Yes, its a copy cat league, but the translation is always going to be different. Todd Pederson, who is coaching the Eagles is a branch of Andy Reid, but look at the Eagles, and look at the Chiefs right now.
I could go on.
So, here sit the Arizona Cardinals. Staring into the void as I see it. If there is any question of a rebuild, there is NONE.
Just go to Overthecap.com
Click on Arizona. Click on 2019.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there are 38 open spots on the 53 man roster........38, and some of the players listed are not going to be around after this season.
In two year, the Cardinals will have to fill those 38 spots. That is a rebuild.
It looks like there was a plan in place for the roster to play out like that, and unfortunately, it looks like the plan was off a year or two.
OR, maybe the plan was a good one, but you lose players like Tyrann Mathieu, John Brown, Michael Floyd, and Daryl Washington to injury and stupidity.
The drafting of small school players backfires, and players like the JJ Nelson, and Rodney Gunter types show there is a reason they played at small schools, and that there ceilings are average depth players.
Then you try fitting square pegs into round holes, like Deon Bucanon as a linebacker, Haason Reddick as a ?????, or Brandon Williams as a cornerback.
Finally, you have a pocket passing, vertical passing type offense and your organization cannot draft an offensive linemen to save its life past the oft-injured DJ Humphries, even though you spend draft picks on the position.
Because there are rebuilds in the NFL, but it has been a long time since I have seen a two year plan where you are staring at 38+ open spots.
Yet, the medicine has been taken. We are swallowing it all down as we speak. How long the cold will last? Who knows, but the steps to getting better start now.
Since Larry Fitzgerald got here, and was drafted. He has done things that no other player has ever done in this league when it comes to making money. He was drafted before they slotted salaries for players. He was picked #3 overall, and he hit EVERY SINGLE INCENTIVE, in his rookie deal.
It was like someone picking Jerry Rice #3 overall. You cannot complain since the player is playing at an extremely high level. Upper tier of not only the NFL, but the Hall of Fame players. Best of the best.
Yet, WOW, the salary implications were staggering.
Well, Fitzgerald is going to make 11mil next season if he plays. Same as the Allen Hurns (we will see him today, and remember he is making as much as Fitzgerald right now) of the NFL.
His salary is a moot point. You cannot just wipe the slate entirely clean. No team can fill all 53 spots. That is ridiculous. Keeping Larry Fitzgerald, if he stays, is a no brainer if you are asking me. He produces, he is a face of the franchise that you can brand still, and he can help the younger guys that will be coming in.
Point is, salary to certain players is going to be a thing of the past come 2019. The Cardinals for the first time since the league started to slot draft salaries, will be able to setup a "modern" NFL roster.
The question is, at least for me, as I sit here and type this out, where do you begin.
These is my first breakdown of what I would say I keep going into the offseason, and where my mind is for the top priority when looking at players. I would say to keep in mind, I am looking at this with absolutely no idea who the coach is going to be next season. I personally have no problem with Bruce Arians, but I would be pig-headedly stubborn, if I didn't acknowledge there are serious problems with this organization. Just because I like a coach, doesn't mean I do not understand when their time with the team is up. Arians may be there. Yet, I am not worrying about a coach right now. There are certain things EVERY NFL team needs.
My core, doesn't matter who the coach is next year, players:
- David Johnson
- TJ Logan
- Larry Fitzgerald
- Jermaine Gresham
- DJ Humphries
- John Wetzel
- Robert Nkimdiche
- Chandler Jones
- Marcus Golden
- Haason Reddick
- Patrick Peterson
- Budda Baker
- Andy Lee
I could give reasons why you keep all these players, but this post is long enough. Obviously, I believe you do not trade away hard to find talent. In my book that is Peterson, Humphries, Jones, and Golden.
Cornerback, Left Tackle, and Pass Rushers. I have read the multiple arguments against these players, and would just say, I would LOVE to hear how you would "improve" these positions, and not make a mess out of this roster, team, and set the organization back 10 years. Those four player are players any team in the NFL would take on (taking the salaries out of the discussion), why would you not want them on your team?
As for the rest, there are salary implications to take on, the possibility of a young player who may improve, and players who are NFL talents at positions hard to find (aka John Wetzel is a heck of a depth offensive lineman, and I am really going to be looking at how he plays RT the last 6 games).
After that ?
Quarterback, Quarterback, Quarterback.
The NFL is still a pass heavy league. Yes, the Saints are running the ball, but Drew Brees is pretty damn good. The Vikings are REALLY running the ball, but Keenum is having a Derek Anderson type outlier year.
- Lamar Jackson
- Josh Rosen
- Clayton Thorson
- Sam Darnold
- Josh Allen
- Jarrett Stidham
- Mason Rudolph
- Luke Falk
- Ryan Finley
That is the quarterback group that is coming down the line from college. The Cardinals have to hit on the right one. I have no idea who is the best for this organization, there is a lot of time between now and then.
But there you have it.
There is a lot of work to be done, a lot of opportunity to be had, and a lot of debating/arguing, and questioning of intelligence, LOL, to be hashed out.
It starts today.
And I won't complain if this team wins along the way. Who you draft is more important than where you draft if you ask me.
It doesn't matter if you are #1 when you pick Ryan Leaf over Eli Manning.
Do not get me wrong. Its Cardinal football today, and a 4:30 game on the east coast, so I am happy to have a game to watch once the sun goes down. This is not a doom and gloom post. I would hope most are past that. This is more of a, have a cup of coffee and see where we are.
What is there to watch ? Plenty if you ask me. I am not one who is surprised by this team and its record, this looks as expected. Would things be different without the injuries ? Maybe, but even at full strength this was not a roster that was going to compete for the Super Bowl.
Maybe the Cardinals organization thought so but how much more of an example does a fan base need, or any football minded individual need than what has been produced over the last two season? There should be no doubting the issues, problems, and things that need to be corrected.
How to solve them ? Well, that is what we all do on this board, at least that is what I have seen through the years. We all sit here and throw ideas into the fire, and through some voodoo magic of social media, and internet interaction mold our individual opinions, out of a group discussion.
Personally, I think there is no other way to build a NFL roster than to see what you have, what you may have the opportunity to add or change, and what the customs/routines/habits of an organization are. From there, you can try to figure out a plan, and then polish that plan to what the organization does.
The Packers do things a certain way, the Steelers do things a certain way, the Browns, the Falcons, the Vikings are all different.
The board favorite, Patriots do things a certain way, but then the Texans do things different even though they are a branch off said coaching tree.
Yes, its a copy cat league, but the translation is always going to be different. Todd Pederson, who is coaching the Eagles is a branch of Andy Reid, but look at the Eagles, and look at the Chiefs right now.
I could go on.
So, here sit the Arizona Cardinals. Staring into the void as I see it. If there is any question of a rebuild, there is NONE.
Just go to Overthecap.com
Click on Arizona. Click on 2019.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there are 38 open spots on the 53 man roster........38, and some of the players listed are not going to be around after this season.
In two year, the Cardinals will have to fill those 38 spots. That is a rebuild.
It looks like there was a plan in place for the roster to play out like that, and unfortunately, it looks like the plan was off a year or two.
OR, maybe the plan was a good one, but you lose players like Tyrann Mathieu, John Brown, Michael Floyd, and Daryl Washington to injury and stupidity.
The drafting of small school players backfires, and players like the JJ Nelson, and Rodney Gunter types show there is a reason they played at small schools, and that there ceilings are average depth players.
Then you try fitting square pegs into round holes, like Deon Bucanon as a linebacker, Haason Reddick as a ?????, or Brandon Williams as a cornerback.
Finally, you have a pocket passing, vertical passing type offense and your organization cannot draft an offensive linemen to save its life past the oft-injured DJ Humphries, even though you spend draft picks on the position.
Because there are rebuilds in the NFL, but it has been a long time since I have seen a two year plan where you are staring at 38+ open spots.
Yet, the medicine has been taken. We are swallowing it all down as we speak. How long the cold will last? Who knows, but the steps to getting better start now.
Since Larry Fitzgerald got here, and was drafted. He has done things that no other player has ever done in this league when it comes to making money. He was drafted before they slotted salaries for players. He was picked #3 overall, and he hit EVERY SINGLE INCENTIVE, in his rookie deal.
It was like someone picking Jerry Rice #3 overall. You cannot complain since the player is playing at an extremely high level. Upper tier of not only the NFL, but the Hall of Fame players. Best of the best.
Yet, WOW, the salary implications were staggering.
Well, Fitzgerald is going to make 11mil next season if he plays. Same as the Allen Hurns (we will see him today, and remember he is making as much as Fitzgerald right now) of the NFL.
His salary is a moot point. You cannot just wipe the slate entirely clean. No team can fill all 53 spots. That is ridiculous. Keeping Larry Fitzgerald, if he stays, is a no brainer if you are asking me. He produces, he is a face of the franchise that you can brand still, and he can help the younger guys that will be coming in.
Point is, salary to certain players is going to be a thing of the past come 2019. The Cardinals for the first time since the league started to slot draft salaries, will be able to setup a "modern" NFL roster.
The question is, at least for me, as I sit here and type this out, where do you begin.
These is my first breakdown of what I would say I keep going into the offseason, and where my mind is for the top priority when looking at players. I would say to keep in mind, I am looking at this with absolutely no idea who the coach is going to be next season. I personally have no problem with Bruce Arians, but I would be pig-headedly stubborn, if I didn't acknowledge there are serious problems with this organization. Just because I like a coach, doesn't mean I do not understand when their time with the team is up. Arians may be there. Yet, I am not worrying about a coach right now. There are certain things EVERY NFL team needs.
My core, doesn't matter who the coach is next year, players:
- David Johnson
- TJ Logan
- Larry Fitzgerald
- Jermaine Gresham
- DJ Humphries
- John Wetzel
- Robert Nkimdiche
- Chandler Jones
- Marcus Golden
- Haason Reddick
- Patrick Peterson
- Budda Baker
- Andy Lee
I could give reasons why you keep all these players, but this post is long enough. Obviously, I believe you do not trade away hard to find talent. In my book that is Peterson, Humphries, Jones, and Golden.
Cornerback, Left Tackle, and Pass Rushers. I have read the multiple arguments against these players, and would just say, I would LOVE to hear how you would "improve" these positions, and not make a mess out of this roster, team, and set the organization back 10 years. Those four player are players any team in the NFL would take on (taking the salaries out of the discussion), why would you not want them on your team?
As for the rest, there are salary implications to take on, the possibility of a young player who may improve, and players who are NFL talents at positions hard to find (aka John Wetzel is a heck of a depth offensive lineman, and I am really going to be looking at how he plays RT the last 6 games).
After that ?
Quarterback, Quarterback, Quarterback.
The NFL is still a pass heavy league. Yes, the Saints are running the ball, but Drew Brees is pretty damn good. The Vikings are REALLY running the ball, but Keenum is having a Derek Anderson type outlier year.
- Lamar Jackson
- Josh Rosen
- Clayton Thorson
- Sam Darnold
- Josh Allen
- Jarrett Stidham
- Mason Rudolph
- Luke Falk
- Ryan Finley
That is the quarterback group that is coming down the line from college. The Cardinals have to hit on the right one. I have no idea who is the best for this organization, there is a lot of time between now and then.
But there you have it.
There is a lot of work to be done, a lot of opportunity to be had, and a lot of debating/arguing, and questioning of intelligence, LOL, to be hashed out.
It starts today.
And I won't complain if this team wins along the way. Who you draft is more important than where you draft if you ask me.
It doesn't matter if you are #1 when you pick Ryan Leaf over Eli Manning.