Meh. I and others questioned the strategy two offseasons ago and were scoffed at, told that NEXT year (this past offseason) we'd be going after top FAs and would spend all the cap money we kept our powder dry to save. Strangely enough, when that didn't happen, a lot of those same voices pulled an ostrich job on what they'd said the year before and claimed, no no, it was actually supposed to be the NEXT next year!
I'll take you at your word that yours wasn't one of those voices, but the hypocrisy was--and is--rife on this board.
We had to carry Humphries massive cap hold until June, which was one problem. Almost $14 million. That probably wasn't in the three-year plan.
The pending free agents of note for the Cards are Will Hernandez (Age 30, $4.5MM APY), Evan Brown (29, $2.35MM), Budda Baker (29, $14.1MM), James Conner (30, $7MM), and Gardeck (31, $3.33). Re-sign three or more of those players and you're moving more chips into the table, because you're buying the downside of their careers.
SIDE NOTE: Dortch STILL won't be a UDFA next year. LOLOLOLOLOL. We won't enter unrestricted free agency until he's age 28.