2012 Free Agency Fun - Whether we need'em or not

[RugbyMuffin]

I looked through more than a couple free agency lists. I believe the list below is pretty accurate. I listed any player, regardless of the current situation, that could help the Cardinals. Again, this is without thought to what the Cardinals would really do, or who they would look at. Just a list for fun, to look at.

I underlined the players I like (again, with no regards to what the Cardinals can/should/will do).

QB:

Starters:
Drew Brees
Matt Flynn

Depth:
Dennis Dixon
Jason Campbell
Chad Henne
Byron Leftwich
Donovan McNabb
Kyle Orton
Alex Smith


RB:

Starters:
Ray Rice
Matt Forte
Adrian Foster
Marshawn Lynch
Cedric Benson
Peyton Hillis
Michael Bush
Tim Hightower

Depth:
Mike Tolbert
Ryan Grant
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Le'Ron McClain
Mewelde Moore
Jerious Norwood
Jason Snelling
Ronnie Brown


WR:

WR #1:
Wes Welker
Dwayne Bowe
Marques Colston
Reggie Wayne
DeSean Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Mike Wallace

WR #2:
Steve Johnson
Pierre Garcon
Brandon Lloyd
Robert Meachem
Mario Manningham
Andre Caldwell
Jerome Simpson
Michael Sims-Walker
Devin Aromashodu
Deion Branch
Roy Williams

WR #3:
Ted Ginn Jr.
Eddie Royal
Legedu Naanee
Greg Camarillo
Patrick Crayton
Early Doucet
Lavelle Hawkins

Depth:
Limas Sweed
Domenik Hixon
Michael Spurlock


TE:

Starter:
Jermichael Finley
Tony Gonzalez
Greg Olson
Fred Davis
Jake Ballard
Marcedes Lewis

Depth:
Bear Pascoe
David Johnson
Scott Chandler


OL:

OT - Starter:
Demetrius Bell, LT
Kareem McKenzie, RT
Khalif Barnes, RT
Jared Gaither, RT
King Dunlap, RT
Matt Starks, RT

OT - Depth:
Trai Essex
Guy Whimper
D'Anthony Batiste
Brandon Keith
Artis Hicks


OG - Starter:
Starters:
Carl Nicks
Ben Grubbs
Bobby Williams
Andre Gurode
Ryan Diem
Roberto Garza

OG - Depth:
Leonard Davis
Derrick Dockery


OC - Starter:
Matt Birk
Chris Myers
Scott Wells
Nick Hardwick
John Sullivan

OC - Depth:
Olin Kreutz


NT:

Starters:
Antonio Garay
Aubrayo Franklin
Sione Pouha
Paul Soliai
Jonathan Fanene

Depth:
Shaun Rogers
Chris Hoke


DE:

Starters:
Calias Campbell
Jason Jones
Red Bryant
Israel Idonije
Frostee Rucker

Depth:
Brodrick Bunkley
Vonnie Holliday
Aaron Smith
Brandon McKinney
Marcus Thomas
Amobi Okoye
Igor Olshansky
Cory Redding
Adam Carriker


OLB:

Starters:
Mario Williams
Jarrett Johnson
Anthony Spencer
Cliff Avril
Ahmad Brooks
Clark Haggans
Manny Lawson


Depth:
Matt Roth
Tyler Brayton


ILB:

Starters:
Lawrence Timmons
Jon Beason
DeAndre Levy
Erik Walden
Brian Urlacher
D'Qwell Jackson
E.J. Henderson
Chris Gocong
Stephen Tulloch

Depth:
Dan Connor
London Fletcher
Barret Ruud
Andra Davis
Geno Hayes
Kirk Morrison


CB:

Starters:
Carlos Rogers
Cortland Finnegan
Leon Hall
Brent Grimes
Terrel Thomas
Brandon Browner
Richard Marshall
Marcus Trufant
Lardarius Webb
Aaron Ross

Depth:
William Gay
Tracy Porter
Kelvin Hayden
Ronde Barber
Rashean Mathis
Jarret Bush
Brandon Flowers
Eric Wright
Al Harris
Kelly Jennings
Bryant McFadden
Fabian Washington
Brandon Carr


S:

Starters:
LaRon Landry
Michael Griffin
DaShon Goldson
Jim Leonhard
Brandon Mariweather
Tyvon Branch
Chris Hope
Gerald Sensabaugh

Depth:
Reggie Nelson
Tanard Jackson
Mike Adams (Cle)
Paul Oliver
Tom Zbikowski
Bob Sanders
Bryan Scott
Hamza Abdullah
Jason Allen
Jon McGraw
Sean Considine
Madieu Williams
Gibril Wilson

K:
Matt Prater
Jay Feely
Rian Lindell
Nick Folk
Graham Gano

P:
Donnie Jones
Daniel Sepulveda
Dave Zastudil
Mike Scifres


Please add any of your own!

 

[Mulli]

Is that Arian Foster, RB? You like Hillis and Michael Bush, but not Arian Foster??!?

 

[Mulli]

Eddie Royal would be an awesome get! Way better than Ginn.

You like Tony Gonzales and Greg Olsen over JErmichael Finley?

 

[blindseyed]

Sign every sing OT on that list lol

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Is that Arian Foster, RB? You like Hillis and Michael Bush, but not Arian Foster??!?

I never like Kubiak running backs.

Orlando Gary.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

You like Tony Gonzales and Greg Olsen over JErmichael Finley?

Tony Gonzales at 40 is better than Jermichael Finley, IMO.

 

[Mulli]

I never like Kubiak running backs.

Orlando Gary.

You mean Gary from Denver? That is the reason you don't want Arian Foster? Hillis and Bush?

 

[Mulli]

Tony Gonzales at 40 is better than Jermichael Finley, IMO.

Nuts!

What did Gonzales do yesterday to back that up?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Nuts!

What did Gonzales do yesterday to back that up?

Double nuts!

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Double nuts!

Gross.

 

[Chopper0080]

I would take Carl Nicks over Daryn Colledge every day of the week. All Pro free agent lineman whose team might not be able to afford him.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I would take Carl Nicks over Daryn Colledge every day of the week. All Pro free agent lineman whose team might not be able to afford him.

I'll hold on to the one we have and grab the other.

 

[juza76]

jared gaither +carl nicks+mario manningham or eddie royal and i am happy

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

using a Cards perspective, the guy I would realistically target would be:
QB- Manning
RB- If the current RB's check out healthwise there's not much of a need. However, I would still look at Mike Tolbert.
WR- Vincent Jackson, Jerome Simpson, Robert Meacham, and bring back Early
OT- Bell, for some reason I though Bushrod was a FA too.
OG- Grubbs, Nicks
C- None

DE- Campbell; Jason Jones was ome of my favorites entering the draft; any depth guy
OLB- Anthony Spencer, Jarret Jones
ILB- Timmons, if he hits the market, may be my #1 target; Jackson; Henderson
CB- Marshall; Thomas(if healthy); Porter; Ross
S- Landry; Nelson
P- Scifres
K- anybody

 

[Seandonic]

Most important in bold.

QB: None. Unless someone really crazy broke free and wanted to be in Arizona. You always should have an eye out for the most important position in football.

RB: I'd like to see a vet brought in who has a history of staying healthy. A little insurance behind the two talented, yet gimpy, young studs.

WR: A solid number two. Preferably with speed. It's been a long time since the Cardinals had a decent receiver who was really fast. D. Jackson, S. Johnson, or E. Royal would be wonderful. There's enough good guys available to find someone and not have to use a draft pick.

TE: Cards are pretty set here

OT: So many would be better than what the Cards currently have. Just about everybody is worth a look. Bell would be nice.

OG: Not as bad off as OT but an upgrade, especially at RG would be nice. Any of the starters you listed would be good.

C: Could be upgraded but with the rest of the line being so bad the Cards should just leave the situation as is.

NT: Cards are OK here.

DE: BRING BACK CAMPBELL! Should have already been done. Another guy for depth would be nice. Holliday is certainly a sentimental choice.

OLB: Way better off than early in the season. Bring in a vet for depth or pick someone in the draft. Either way, it's not that drastic of a situation anymore.

ILB: Bradley should be kept. I think he will slowly take over for Lenon next year a thus, make this a low priority free agent position.

CB: Cards are good here but they definitely need to bring back Marshall.

S: OK here. SS should be addressed via the draft.

K: Whatever.

P: Upgrade please.

P.S. Thanks for listing all these guys Rugby. That was fun.

 

[Chopper0080]

Something that I thought about, and thinks warranting consideration is signing Carl Nicks, drafting David DeCastro, and moving Colledge to LT for 2012. Colledge has played OT before (albeit not well) and it would allow AZ to really solidify the interior of our offensive line. If we then restructured LEvi Brown, it would give us Colledge, Bridges, and Brown until we can develop or sign a better OT.

Just a thought.

 

[kerouac9]

I would take Carl Nicks over Daryn Colledge every day of the week. All Pro free agent lineman whose team might not be able to afford him.

I know that you have a massive hard-on for Carl Nicks--have for two years--but take a look at who Whis/Grimm have drafted and signed to play OG for the Arizona Cardinals (Bridges, Faneca, Colledge, started Reggie Wells). Then take a look at your boy Carl Nicks. What do you notice are really, really different between them.

Here's a clue: What does Carl Nicks have in common with Deuce Lutui that he doesn't have in common with Alan Faneca?

For a guy who believes that the coaches have good systems in place on both sides of the ball, you don't really seem to understand what personnel profiles the team is looking for to fill roles.

 

[Chopper0080]

I know that you have a massive hard-on for Carl Nicks--have for two years--but take a look at who Whis/Grimm have drafted and signed to play OG for the Arizona Cardinals (Bridges, Faneca, Colledge, started Reggie Wells). Then take a look at your boy Carl Nicks. What do you notice are really, really different between them.

Here's a clue: What does Carl Nicks have in common with Deuce Lutui that he doesn't have in common with Alan Faneca?

For a guy who believes that the coaches have good systems in place on both sides of the ball, you don't really seem to understand what personnel profiles the team is looking for to fill roles.

True. It is also probably not that last time that I disagree with Whis and Russ Grimm's thoughts in regards to personnel as well. I also think that NIcks is more athletic than he is given credit for, at least as good as Rex Hadnot. Moreover, because the Cardinals need a pulling OG, it's the reason that I have them drafting DeCastro. So, instead of having a LG that pulls and a RG that drive blocks, we have a LG that drive blocks and a RG that pulls.

 

[kerouac9]

True. It is also probably not that last time that I disagree with Whis and Russ Grimm's thoughts in regards to personnel as well. I also think that NIcks is more athletic than he is given credit for, at least as good as Rex Hadnot. Moreover, because the Cardinals need a pulling OG, it's the reason that I have them drafting DeCastro. So, instead of having a LG that pulls and a RG that drive blocks, we have a LG that drive blocks and a RG that pulls.

Both our OGs pull. Neither of them really drive blocks. Nicks only drive blocks; there's very little pulling that Nicks is asked to do in the Saints' system.

 

[Stout]

I'll hold on to the one we have and grab the other.

 

[Duckjake]

WR: A solid number two. Preferably with speed. It's been a long time since the Cardinals had a decent receiver who was really fast. D. Jackson, S. Johnson, or E. Royal would be wonderful. There's enough good guys available to find someone and not have to use a draft pick.

I thought Andre Roberts was supposed to be really fast. Maybe he's like JJ Arrington who had good speed but started slow. Like the sprinter in the 100 meters who is last after the first 50 meters and then catches the field the last 50.

Every team is on the look out for the next Wes Welker or Devery Henderson. I believe that wide receiver Andre Roberts from the Citadel could be that next great slot receiver. If drafted by the Lions, they could have the best secondary receiver since the days of Mike Furrey.

Roberts, listed at 5-11 and 192 pounds, offers sure hands and explosive speed. His fastest recorded 40-yard time is 4.38 seconds. That puts him in close comparison with some of the fastest players in the NFL today which includes Chris Johnson (4.24), Desean Jackson (4.29), and Ted Ginn Jr. (4.31).

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I thought Andre Roberts was supposed to be really fast. Maybe he's like JJ Arrington who had good speed but started slow. Like the sprinter in the 100 meters who is last after the first 50 meters and then catches the field the last 50.

..... because he decelerates less than others in the field, not because he's increased his foot speed.

 

[Duckjake]

..... because he decelerates less than others in the field, not because he's increased his foot speed.

Irrelevant. He's still fast and the other guys are still quicker getting started.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Irrelevant. He's still fast but the other guys are still quicker getting started.

Relevant if we are talking about speed.

"Quickness" whether in hockey, basketball or football is about your first three strides, and I see no lack of it coming out of his stance, his body control and movement in tight spaces.

 

[Krangodnzr]

You like Ted Ginn Jr. but don't like Early Doucet?

Doucet is vastly more productive than Ginn Jr., and will likely still be cheaper since Ginn Jr. is a really good return man.

IMO keeping Doucet is win-win. Sure we need upgrades, but Doucet has shown to be a solid receiver option as a 3/4. Ginn offers next to nothing in that role.