Preseason Week 3 Roster Battles and Questions

[Chopper0080]

QB2 - Tune or Ridder
-I'd say Tune has played better to this point.

QB3? Will they keep a 3rd QB?

RB4 - Carter or Demercado?

WR5 - Moore/Pascal/Weaver/Palmer
-Pascal played 53% of special teams snaps in 2023. Not much else.

WR6 - Do they keep a WR6?

TE4 - Does Vokolek earn a roster spot?

OL10 - Do they keep 10 OL? (only kept 8 in 2023)
-Hayes/Colon/Wilkerson? (Colon probably favorite right now)

DL7 - Do they keep 7 like they did in 2023?

EDGE6 -Does Cam Thomas make the roster? (They kept 7 in 2023)

ILB5 - Bailey/TMW/Nowaske?

CB5 - Clark or Jones?

CB6? - Do they keep a 6th. Only 5 in 2023.

S4? - Do they keep 4? (only 3 in 2023) Hall/Chachere/Blount?

 

[Chopper0080]

My initial guess at the 50 right now (outside of 3 specials)
QB-2 (Ridder last out)
RB-4 (Demercado last out)
WR-6 (keeping Weaver)
TE-3 (Vokolek last out)
OL-9 (Colon last out)

Offense - 24

DL-6 (Stille last out)
EDGE-5 (Cam Thomas last out)
ILB-5 (keeping a 5th for teams)
CB-6 (keeping Jones since he was a 3rd)
S-4 (keeping a 4th for teams)

Defense - 26

 

[TruColor]

At this point, I'll bet they cut Ridder, and sign some journeyman to be on the PS.

 

[Shane]

@Chopper0080 i’m not understanding what you’re saying above. Are you stating that you think Ridder is gonna win the number two? And what does last out mean?

 

[Chopper0080]

A few more random thoughts

1 - Michael Carter could be traded for a player, could be a cap cut, or could be RB2. Tough to predict how Monti will decide to go.

2 - Oline becomes interesting because I think both Jones and Adams make it but the questionable play of both could force the Cardinals to keep extra guys at this position.

3 - Dline is shockingly not bad and almost a question about keeping a 7th guy.

4 - It is wild that the EDGE roster is only 7 guys deep through camp. Just not a lot of bodies.

5 - Jones continues to look like a weird pick at CB. They took a guy in the 3rd round who is battling with undrafted Starling Thomas and 6th round doghouse resident KeiTrel Clark for a roster spot and probably losing which will cause them to keep 6.

 

[Chopper0080]

@Chopper0080 i’m not understanding what you’re saying above. Are you stating that you think Ridder is gonna win the number two? And what does last out mean?

Last out = best player at that position to not make the roster.

Ridder does not make it.

 

[Shane]

Last out = best player at that position to not make the roster.

Ridder does not make it.

Gotcha thanks

 

[BirdGangThing]

Last out = best player at that position to not make the roster.

Ridder does not make it.

so no cam thomas?

 

[Chopper0080]

so no cam thomas?

I don't think so even though they kept 7 EDGE guys last year. My guess is they will supplement the EDGE group of Collins/Gardeck/Dimu/XThomas/Luketa with DRobinson and Mack Wilson.

Maybe they cut Clark at CB even with Jones meh camp but that doesn't seem like Gannon's style.

They have to keep 9 OL with Jones and Adams being OL8 and OL9. I don't feel like Jones is behind Wilkerson as OT4 and they should keep 4 as none of their OGs can kick out. Gaines should be OG3 and C2.

Maybe they roll 3 deep at S again. Tough to tell where Cachere stands.

 

[Chopper0080]

The other factor about OL is that Fro, Hernandez, Brown, and Beachum are all FAs at the end of the season. You just have to keep extra bodies especially the guys you drafted in rounds 3, 4 and 5.

 

[BigRedArk]

You're not expecting Marquis Hayes to make the active roster? If not back to the PS?

 

[MadCardDisease]

For me I've been watching a lot of the backup OL. This is who I think that they keep:

LT: Paris Johnson, Christian Jones
LG: Evan Brown, Isaiah Adams
C: Hjalte Froholdt, Jon Gaines II
RG: Will Hernandez
RT: Jonah Williams, Kelvin Beachum

 

[Chopper0080]

You're not expecting Marquis Hayes to make the active roster? If not back to the PS?

It's just a tough crunch but no, not expecting him to make it. They will prioritize Gaines, Adams, and Jones over him.

 

[Chopper0080]

For me I've been watching a lot of the backup OL. This is who I think that they keep:

LT: Paris Johnson, Christian Jones
LG: Evan Brown, Isaiah Adams
C: Hjalte Froholdt, Jon Gaines II
RG: Will Hernandez
RT: Jonah Williams, Kelvin Beachum

Those are the 9. They may flip Beach and Jones tho.

 

[Chopper0080]

I would not be shocked if Ben Stille found his way on the final 53.

 

[oaken1]

Those are the 9. They may flip Beach and Jones tho.

Mo is easier to sneak to the PS than any of the draft picks... with some positions in doubt for long term stability I would guess they try to keep control of as many young guys as possible

 

[BACH]

5 - Jones continues to look like a weird pick at CB. They took a guy in the 3rd round who is battling with undrafted Starling Thomas and 6th round doghouse resident KeiTrel Clark for a roster spot and probably losing which will cause them to keep 6.

How does Thomas making a HUGE step forward make Jones a weird pick?

Jones was all over the projected draft boards and scored very high athletically. You could argue that he was drafted a round too high based on general draft sites. PFF had him in as a 4th-5th rounder range with the asterix that he would get drafted higher than his ranking because a team that prioritize that would draft him higher than PFF's rating. But that doesn't make him a weird pick.

Jones will make the 53 and Clark to the PS IMO

 

[Garthshort]

While I have no idea of which players make the 53, I don't think that money/Cap will be a factor. At least, not the deciding factor.

 

[Stout]

While I have no idea of which players make the 53, I don't think that money/Cap will be a factor. At least, not the deciding factor.

Cap and money can't possibly be a deciding factor. The team has zero need to save cap space at this point.

 

[Harry]

I think 2 QBs and Tune stays. I think Demercado over Carter, though I like Carter. Demercado protects Murray better. Hard for me to keep Pascal or Vokolek. I want to see one more preseason week, but I’d be checking the wire for OL help. DB is tough. I don’t like Chachere, but Gannon seems to do so. Jones/Clark is difficult choice. Clark’s tackling has been excellent, but Jones has more upside in coverage. I think they go Jones based on projection. I can’t cut Stille, upside looks strong. He’d be claimed if cut. Thomas has been too slow to develop. I cut him but someone will give him a shot.

 

[Chopper0080]

How does Thomas making a HUGE step forward make Jones a weird pick?

Jones was all over the projected draft boards and scored very high athletically. You could argue that he was drafted a round too high based on general draft sites. PFF had him in as a 4th-5th rounder range with the asterix that he would get drafted higher than his ranking because a team that prioritize that would draft him higher than PFF's rating. But that doesn't make him a weird pick.

Jones will make the 53 and Clark to the PS IMO

Jones was weird because of the CB room. In 2023 they drafted Garret Williams (3rd), Kei'Trel Clark (5th), and then signed Starling Thomas as an UDFA. Clark ends up getting passed by Clark during the season and Williams looks like he can push for a 2nd/3rd CB role. At the beginning of the off-season you have three players with one year of experience which makes for an inexperienced room. They add SMB to be CB1.They then draft Max Melton in round 2 to be CB2 or CB3. This gives the Cardinals a depth chart of CB2-CB5 who are all 1 year or less, and a top 3 of SMB (high dollar, for Monti, FA), Garrett Williams (3rd round pick who the Cardinals liked what they saw from in 2023), and then Max Melton (2nd round pick). Those three are backed up by two 2nd year CBs who saw a lot of action. All of these guys are under contract for multiple years as well so there shouldn't be much roster churn with this group.

Why use a 3rd round pick on an older, rookie CB with limited upside to compete for the #4/5 CB spot with limited impact in terms of snaps? In our conference, only one teams ran 10 personnel sets in 2023 (4 WRs), and that was Seattle who only ran 15 plays from that set all year. It was just a very limited upside draft pick with a small window to get snaps and the guy they selected is older than all of Thomas, Clark, Williams, and Melton.

 

[Chopper0080]

Where Monti has the potential to have really missed on this draft class is a round 3 with three picks who combined might play 40%-45% of snaps in year 1 on a not-good roster. Maybe injuries result in more snaps but if McBride stays healthy, Tip is only playing 35-40% of offensive snaps. Jones, if he can move up from CB5/6 to CB4, will likely only play 10-15% of defensive snaps. Adams may not play at all unless multiple injuries due to his learning curve. Just really limited upside in the group.

(just to prevent the "yeah buts", I do acknowledge that MHJ, DRobinson, DMD, and Thomas look to be able to contribute year 1)

 

[Chopper0080]

Mo is easier to sneak to the PS than any of the draft picks... with some positions in doubt for long term stability I would guess they try to keep control of as many young guys as possible

I agree with this.

 

[phillycard]

I think Hall makes it.

 

[Chopper0080]

I think Hall makes it.

He is pushing for it.