BACH
Superbowl, Homeboy!
The Cardinals Free Agency signings after this first week hasn't exactly been a splash, but it has been exactly what I expected.
I think Monti's vision/approach is clear. The draft is the primary source of star quality. Be VERY selective in who you want to give big money in Free Agency and then otherwise use free agency to build depth of the team.
Based on this, the first week has been a success in my book. No big names for monster deals. With the money added in Salary Cap this season, almost all teams were in a position, where they could keep their star players and realisticly that left little chance for Monti to attract any of the top players (just look what Raiders had to pay for Wilkins and Giants for Burns). And realistically, I think this team is 1 year away to start investing in big names. Instead, the focus was on depth and I think it was a solid job done.
The two tackles are both 2nd/3rd quality in a DT room. The guys from Minnesota played 20% of snaps last year and is really slated in the 3rd rotation. Paired with Collier and Stills, that is a CLEAR upgrade of the position. And it doesn't corner the team into NOT taking a DT if one falls in the draft. This draft is (on paper) one of the best in recent history and incredible strong at WR, QB, OT, DT and CB.
Murthy-Bunting is a solid #2CB and again pairs well with Williams and Clark, who both showed potential as rookies. I not surprised that this was the level of starter, that was brought in. Again it give the team the possibility to take a CB in the draft. AND look at the Free Agents available. Plenty of solid and older starters available for the 2nd wave of free agency post draft.
The signings I like the most are OT Williams and LB Wilson. Williams on a 2 year deal was a stroke of genius. It fixes a need at OT and since the deal was only 2 years (and easy to get out of after one) again it gives the option to draft a OT with one of the first three picks. Let the rookie start a G and then slide out once Williams exits.
Wilson is a very underrated signing. He has started a lot of games in his career and is a very good passing down LB - both in coverage and as a blitzer. A perfect fit as the team was hurting badly for this skillset after White got injured.
Ritter was a steal. Look at the market for back-up QBs. Exchanging a talented player that you were never able to figure out how to use and/or pushed out by Dortch in exchange for a reasonably talented back-up on a cheap contract.
Overall, I think the low bar of the team was raised significantly with these signings. But now what? The team still need CB, WR and Edge rushers, but I do not foresee any major signings before the draft.
The draft is VERY deep this year and we have 3 picks in the top 35 and 6 picks in the first 90. Monti is not afraid to deal picks and trade up or down and I'm sure he will move around to get a top quality player(s). The skill level that can be had at #35 at WR, DT, OT and CB would normally go around pick 20 in a normal draft, but we do not know which position will fall yet. If Monti let the draft fall to him, mostly likely he will end up with the #1 player in the draft and two players that would be mid-1st rounders in a normal draft. That is the waiting game.
He has to let that play out.
The remaining holes post-draft will be filled the second wave of free agency.
There are plenty of older edge rushers and CBs to be had in the 2nd wave of free agency on high-price, short term deals. The market for WR has been very slow in free agency and we know that older WRs are the most typical cut post 1 June.
I'm sure players will be added in the 2nd wave, but the main thing here is that the signings in the 1st wave gives the team flexibility to use a high draft pick, sign an older veteran in the second wave or just accept that the low bar has been raised on several positions and that is good enough without signing more players.
I expect the first three picks to be used on one of four positions - WR, OT, CB or DT. Those positions are just so depth, so use that to "buy cheap". Whatever position is not drafted with the first 3 picks can be added later. And I definately expect Monti to use the 3x3rd rounders to move up to get the player he wants in the first.
WR - MHJ or Odenze with an older veteran added later
OT - Not a huge need with Williams on board, but there are so many quality players in the draft. Draft one because you cannot have enough depth.
CB - Draft if there is a top player avaialble, otherwise add in the 2nd wave.
DT - Draft if there is a top player available, otherwise accept that you have a better DT position, while lacking elite talent.
Edge - Draft in the unlikely event that one drops in the draft due to run on the positions above. Otherwise add a veteran on a short term contract.
I think Monti's vision/approach is clear. The draft is the primary source of star quality. Be VERY selective in who you want to give big money in Free Agency and then otherwise use free agency to build depth of the team.
Based on this, the first week has been a success in my book. No big names for monster deals. With the money added in Salary Cap this season, almost all teams were in a position, where they could keep their star players and realisticly that left little chance for Monti to attract any of the top players (just look what Raiders had to pay for Wilkins and Giants for Burns). And realistically, I think this team is 1 year away to start investing in big names. Instead, the focus was on depth and I think it was a solid job done.
The two tackles are both 2nd/3rd quality in a DT room. The guys from Minnesota played 20% of snaps last year and is really slated in the 3rd rotation. Paired with Collier and Stills, that is a CLEAR upgrade of the position. And it doesn't corner the team into NOT taking a DT if one falls in the draft. This draft is (on paper) one of the best in recent history and incredible strong at WR, QB, OT, DT and CB.
Murthy-Bunting is a solid #2CB and again pairs well with Williams and Clark, who both showed potential as rookies. I not surprised that this was the level of starter, that was brought in. Again it give the team the possibility to take a CB in the draft. AND look at the Free Agents available. Plenty of solid and older starters available for the 2nd wave of free agency post draft.
The signings I like the most are OT Williams and LB Wilson. Williams on a 2 year deal was a stroke of genius. It fixes a need at OT and since the deal was only 2 years (and easy to get out of after one) again it gives the option to draft a OT with one of the first three picks. Let the rookie start a G and then slide out once Williams exits.
Wilson is a very underrated signing. He has started a lot of games in his career and is a very good passing down LB - both in coverage and as a blitzer. A perfect fit as the team was hurting badly for this skillset after White got injured.
Ritter was a steal. Look at the market for back-up QBs. Exchanging a talented player that you were never able to figure out how to use and/or pushed out by Dortch in exchange for a reasonably talented back-up on a cheap contract.
Overall, I think the low bar of the team was raised significantly with these signings. But now what? The team still need CB, WR and Edge rushers, but I do not foresee any major signings before the draft.
The draft is VERY deep this year and we have 3 picks in the top 35 and 6 picks in the first 90. Monti is not afraid to deal picks and trade up or down and I'm sure he will move around to get a top quality player(s). The skill level that can be had at #35 at WR, DT, OT and CB would normally go around pick 20 in a normal draft, but we do not know which position will fall yet. If Monti let the draft fall to him, mostly likely he will end up with the #1 player in the draft and two players that would be mid-1st rounders in a normal draft. That is the waiting game.
He has to let that play out.
The remaining holes post-draft will be filled the second wave of free agency.
There are plenty of older edge rushers and CBs to be had in the 2nd wave of free agency on high-price, short term deals. The market for WR has been very slow in free agency and we know that older WRs are the most typical cut post 1 June.
I'm sure players will be added in the 2nd wave, but the main thing here is that the signings in the 1st wave gives the team flexibility to use a high draft pick, sign an older veteran in the second wave or just accept that the low bar has been raised on several positions and that is good enough without signing more players.
I expect the first three picks to be used on one of four positions - WR, OT, CB or DT. Those positions are just so depth, so use that to "buy cheap". Whatever position is not drafted with the first 3 picks can be added later. And I definately expect Monti to use the 3x3rd rounders to move up to get the player he wants in the first.
WR - MHJ or Odenze with an older veteran added later
OT - Not a huge need with Williams on board, but there are so many quality players in the draft. Draft one because you cannot have enough depth.
CB - Draft if there is a top player avaialble, otherwise add in the 2nd wave.
DT - Draft if there is a top player available, otherwise accept that you have a better DT position, while lacking elite talent.
Edge - Draft in the unlikely event that one drops in the draft due to run on the positions above. Otherwise add a veteran on a short term contract.
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I would say people are excited because it is fun to be relatively excited.
