Last week of the Preseason (news without the twitter links). 08/26/24-09/01/24

[bankybruce]

I realize MHJ hasn’t caught a pass in the NFL but 21 will be a bit shortsighted I think.

I'd say once you get to 16 on that list, there is an argument, but I'm ok with 21 for a player that hasn't played yet. It means they are rating 12 other #1 WRs behind him. The Rams have two in the top 20.

The TE ranking is interesting. Kittles and his injuries are #1, Mark Andrew's and his injuries are #3. Pitts at 7 because of potential. Not saying McBride should be higher, but he should be in from of Pitts at least.

Kyler behind Cousins is interesting because they talk about Kylers ACL and limited play last year, but Cousins is coming back from an major injury too.

 

[oaken1]

I'd say once you get to 16 on that list, there is an argument, but I'm ok with 21 for a player that hasn't played yet. It means they are rating 12 other #1 WRs behind him. The Rams have two in the top 20.

The TE ranking is interesting. Kittles and his injuries are #1, Mark Andrew's and his injuries are #3. Pitts at 7 because of potential. Not saying McBride should be higher, but he should be in from of Pitts at least.

Kyler behind Cousins is interesting because they talk about Kylers ACL and limited play last year, but Cousins is coming back from an major injury too.

I love the fact all these rankings still rate Aaron Rodgers like it was 2018.

Not only is he an elder statesman returning from a nasty injury. But he has never even led a complete drive in his current offensive system.
QB'S play longer. A-Rod has had a great career. But there are way too many reasons to bet against him being any kind of star player in NY.
In fact, if he is following historical trajectory he is past due for dick pics and a move to Minnesota

 

[Goldfield]

I love the fact all these rankings still rate Aaron Rodgers like it was 2018.

Not only is he an elder statesman returning from a nasty injury. But he has never even led a complete drive in his current offensive system.
QB'S play longer. A-Rod has had a great career. But there are way too many reasons to bet against him being any kind of star player in NY.
In fact, if he is following historical trajectory he is past due for dick pics and a move to Minnesota

Can’t stand him

 

[schutd]

With the pounding their bodies take, imo, they are never over paid.

Glad you're not my G.M.

 

[Garthshort]

Glad you're not my G.M.

You would be if you were a player. Just compare FB players to baseball and basketball, and their pay.

P.S. You would make a good owner.

 

[schutd]

You would be if you were a player. Just compare FB players to baseball and basketball, and their pay.

P.S. You would make a good owner.

I am an owner. Restaurant, so scale matters, but the decisions are the same. I give every penny I can possibly afford to my staff. Salary wise, I make about as much as my dishwasher. But there is always a time when you have to weigh the cost benefit and say sayanara. It's not money for ever. Even at the level of billions annually.

And I will ALWAYS take the side of labor.

 

[Garthshort]

I am an owner. Restaurant, so scale matters, but the decisions are the same. I give every penny I can possibly afford to my staff. Salary wise, I make about as much as my dishwasher. But there is always a time when you have to weigh the cost benefit and say sayanara. It's not money for ever. Even at the level of billions annually.

And I will ALWAYS take the side of labor.

Congratulations and continued success. Your employees are in the same boat as others in their line of work. But, I'm talking about employees in Sports and they are NOT treated the same. JMO.

 

[BirdGangThing]

i just want football to start - actually excited for this season so yeah - id say the rebuild is going okay

 

[Totally_Red]

i just want football to start - actually excited for this season so yeah - id say the rebuild is going okay

But will be singing the same Tune come October?

 

[BirdGangThing]

But will be singing the same Tune come October?

if we're over .500 i know i think so

 

[Chopper0080]

Sure. Probably fine he doesn’t play until after his 25th birthday. Good even.

The 3rd round of this past draft is starting to look like a real missed opportunity. It doesn’t mean Monti is bad, but what could have been a huge jolt to the talent pool is looking more like older, role/depth players.

 

[kerouac9]

The 3rd round of this past draft is starting to look like a real missed opportunity. It doesn’t mean Monti is bad, but what could have been a huge jolt to the talent pool is looking more like older, role/depth players.

I dunno. If Benson and Reiman are playing 50-60% of the offensive snaps next year and not actively hurting the team, you’re in pretty good shape from third-rounders.

 

[Ronin]

ESPN's Solak has Zaven Collins as X factor for 2024 Cardinals

ESPN's Ben Solak lists Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins as the X factor for the team in 2024.

arizonasports.com

 

[Card'em]

The 3rd round of this past draft is starting to look like a real missed opportunity. It doesn’t mean Monti is bad, but what could have been a huge jolt to the talent pool is looking more like older, role/depth players.

I'd say it's a little early to label this year's 3rd round of the draft a missed opportunity. It might be a whiff or it might be a gold mine. If I had to guess, I'd say we end up with at least one starter and possibly 2 from the 3rd round, as well as another rotational player.

 

[Chopper0080]

I dunno. If Benson and Reiman are playing 50-60% of the offensive snaps next year and not actively hurting the team, you’re in pretty good shape from third-rounders.

We will see. I am curious how much work Tip gets.

 

[Shane]

We will see. I am curious how much work Tip gets.

Prob not much this week since as of today he had just now returned to practice and limited to sideline work.

 

[Garthshort]

ESPN Gamecast has him listed as Questionable.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

So we had what 8 picks in the top 104 and we came out of that with what would have been. 2 total starters week one in a team devoid of talent on defense and holes on the oline

Melton CB #4
Benson RB #2
Adams LG #2
Ramien TE #3
Jones: IR but would have likely been waived
Rabbit SS #2

Melton and Raimen's spot on the depth chart is a joke considering how they were played in the preseason

 

[HairZach]

So we had what 8 picks in the top 104 and we came out of that with what would have been. 2 total starters week one in a team devoid of talent on defense and holes on the oline

Melton CB #4
Benson RB #2
Adams LG #2
Ramien TE #3
Jones: IR but would have likely been waived
Rabbit SS #2

Melton and Raimen's spot on the depth chart is a joke considering how they were played in the preseason

It looks like Starling has wrestled away a starting spot from Melton for now despite Melton having the spot for most of training camp and the preseason. I'm optimistic about this, considering Starling looked the part covering Olave in the preseason.

Outside of the Starling v. Melton battle nothing on this depth chart is surprising to me. Tip and Benson are both going to get a ton of snaps (if healthy of course).

 

[Chris_Sanders]

It looks like Starling has wrestled away a starting spot from Melton for now despite Melton having the spot for most of training camp and the preseason. I'm optimistic about this, considering Starling looked the part covering Olave in the preseason.

Outside of the Starling v. Melton battle nothing on this depth chart is surprising to me. Tip and Benson are both going to get a ton of snaps (if healthy of course).

Man I want to take a snap count bet here. I bet neither play 25% of their respective snaps. I might even go 20%. We passed on multiple high end interior defensive linemen to take Melton. Oh and Cooper DeJean. We did the same with IOL and WRs to take Tip.

 

[HairZach]

Man I want to take a snap count bet here. I bet neither play 25% of their respective snaps. I might even go 20%. We passed on multiple high end interior defensive linemen to take Melton. Oh and Cooper DeJean. We did the same with IOL and WRs to take Tip.

Hey! We didnt pass on Cooper Dejean to take Melton, we missed out on Dejean because the Falcons offered us a massive overpay to trade back. You might be interested to know Dejean hasn't been able to crack into the starters with the Eagles either, with Fangio actually saying "he's not where he needs to be".

Melton was a bit of a gamble as a prospect, I'd heard him described as one of those guys with all the physical tools but needs a bit of coaching, hopefully it works out. Its week 1 of year 1, I doubt the Eagles fans are upset about Dejean at this point.

Are your snap count predictions for Benson/Tipp week 1 or for the season? For season long I think 20% is way too low. Tipp is replacing Geoff Swaim, who saw 29% of offensive snaps last season despite being inactive for 4 games.

Benson is supplanting Demercado, who got 25% of snaps last year. Benson is a much better prospect than Emari was, so I would expect him to eat into Conner's snaps more. How our RB snaps turn out will be interesting. I like the committee approach a lot more than bell cow approach, I wonder if we will try and get all 3 involved considering the love Demercado got from Gannon.

 

[PACardsFan]

The 3rd round of this past draft is starting to look like a real missed opportunity. It doesn’t mean Monti is bad, but what could have been a huge jolt to the talent pool is looking more like older, role/depth players.

And you can make this comment before a single game has been played lol. FYI, players make their biggest leap from year 1 to year 2. I think we can wait a bit before we label these 3rd rounders as missed opportunities.

 

[CFLredzoned]

Man I want to take a snap count bet here. I bet neither play 25% of their respective snaps. I might even go 20%. We passed on multiple high end interior defensive linemen to take Melton. Oh and Cooper DeJean. We did the same with IOL and WRs to take Tip.

I was surprised they passed on Fiske over a CB, considering how Gannon had just said in an interview that any position that puts its hand in the dirt is a premium position.

 

[Chopper0080]

And you can make this comment before a single game has been played lol. FWI, players make their biggest leap from year 1 to year 2. I think we can wait a bit before we label these 3rd rounders as missed opportunities.

You are focusing on the wrong things IMO. Multiple players are capped by circumstance alone. I have shared in multiple threads. If you extend McBride, Tip becomes a 50% snap player (at very best). Jones couldn't beat out Clark at CB who was a 5th round pick and got put in the dog house last year. Now he is on the IR (potentially out for the year) with a minor injury because they don't want to just cut him. Also, he is already the second oldest CB on our roster and he hasn't played a down yet in the regular season. Melton is being (potentially) beat out by an UDFA CB. After being a second round pick. Adams looked awful and they passed on Zak Zinter who plays the same position and looks like he could start if needed.

I understand it is both early and draft picks are a crap shoot, but Monti infused a bad roster with 7 players in the first three rounds of this draft, and only one looks like he will be a starter week 1. That isn't great when your entire plan has been to build through the draft. And, AGAIN, this isn't to say Monti had a bad draft, it's just to say that it doesn't look the draft that accelerates the rebuild as hoped.

 

[Chopper0080]

Hey! We didnt pass on Cooper Dejean to take Melton, we missed out on Dejean because the Falcons offered us a massive overpay to trade back. You might be interested to know Dejean hasn't been able to crack into the starters with the Eagles either, with Fangio actually saying "he's not where he needs to be".

Melton was a bit of a gamble as a prospect, I'd heard him described as one of those guys with all the physical tools but needs a bit of coaching, hopefully it works out. Its week 1 of year 1, I doubt the Eagles fans are upset about Dejean at this point.

Are your snap count predictions for Benson/Tipp week 1 or for the season? For season long I think 20% is way too low. Tipp is replacing Geoff Swaim, who saw 29% of offensive snaps last season despite being inactive for 4 games.

Benson is supplanting Demercado, who got 25% of snaps last year. Benson is a much better prospect than Emari was, so I would expect him to eat into Conner's snaps more. How our RB snaps turn out will be interesting. I like the committee approach a lot more than bell cow approach, I wonder if we will try and get all 3 involved considering the love Demercado got from Gannon.

A realistic range for Tip is 30%-45%. It depends on McBride's health and Higgins involvement.

A realistic range for Benson is probably 25%-40%. The low end is if Conner is subbed for on pass downs, and Benson falls into an early down, every 3rd possession role. I could see a distribution of 60% Conner, 20% Demercado and 20% Benson.