2016 Arizona Cardinals Roster Blueprint

[Mitch]

2016 Arizona Cardinals' Roster Blueprint

Trade #1: DE Calais Campbell to Buffalo for Buffalo's 3rd (2016) and CB Nickell Roby

Trade #2 (late in TC): OLB Alex Okafor to NY Jets for Jets' 6th (2017)

QB (3): PALMER, Barkley, Dak Prescott (R3 from BUF--Miss. St.)
RB (4): D. JOHNSON, C. Johnson (UFA-AZ), Ellington, Tyler Irvin (R5-comp-San Jose St.)
WR (5): FITZGERALD, FLOYD, Smokey Brown, Nelson, Jaron Brown
TE (4): FELLS, DWAYNE ALLEN (UFA-IND), Niklas, Christian
OL (9): VELDHEER, IUPATI, STEFAN WISNIEWSKI (UFA-JAX), COOPER, HUMPHRIES, Crisp, Watford, Shipley, Sebastian Tetola (R5-Arkansas)
NT (2): A'SHAWN ROBINSON (D1-Alabama), Peters or X. Williams
DE (5): GUNTER, MALIK JACKSON (UFA-DEN), Rucker, Mauro, Stinson
ILB (4): MINTER, BUCANNON, Fua, Steven Daniels (R6-Boston College)
OLB (5): GOLDEN, BRUCE IRVIN (UFA-SEA), D. Freeney (UFA-AZ), Victor Ochi (R2-Stony Brook), Wagenmann
CB (5): PETERSON, TRUMAINE JOHNSON (UFA-LAR), Bethel, Roby, Eric Murray (R4-Minnesota)
S (4): JEFFERSON, MATHIEU, Swearinger, Jeremy Cash (R3-Duke).
ST(3): CATANZARO, BUTLER (UFA-AZ), J.J. JENSEN (UFA-CAR)

Reasons:

Trade #1: Campbell's prohibitive cap figure, the ability to upgrade with UFA Malik Jackson, and when Rex Ryan can't get Malik Jackson or Muhammed Wilkerson he needs a difference maker at DE. Adding a 3rd rounder and a good nickel CB in Roby is a plus.

Trade #2: Okafor could fill a need on the Jets with Todd Bowles and he is unlikely to make the Cardinals' roster after adding Bruce Irvin, Victor Ochi and with Zach Wagenmann making a charge.

UFA Signings:

RB Chris Johnson---is a nice fit and can share the load with starter David Johnson.

TE Dwayne Allen---BA coached him as a rookie In Indy and sees the fit.

C Stefan Wisniewski---best option, too risky to start a rookie.

DE Malik Jackson---give Campbell's money to him---he's more disruptive and a better pass rusher.

OLB Bruce Irvin---34OLB is his natural position and he brings the speed off the edge the team needs, plus it is taking away from a rival.

Situational Rush DE Dwight Freeney---provides production and leadership.

CB Trumaine Johnson---has the length and playmaking ability at CB that Steve Keim is looking for.

P Drew Butler---made enough progress, especially in situational punting to warrant a new contract.

2016 NFL Draft:

1. A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama. Rodney Gunter is better suited to play 34DE and with Peters coming back from an Achilles, the Cardinals need a space eater like Robinson to stifle the likes of Gurley, Rawls and Hyde, just within the NFC West.

2. Victor Ochi, OLB, Stony Brook. Has the edge speed, power and athleticism to be productive in the system.

3A. Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi St. Has good athletic ability, mental toughness, accuracy and strong leadership skills.

3B. Jeremy Cash, S, Duke. Big-time tackler. Can be the starter at SS in 2017 if Jefferson leaves via FA.

4. Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota. Good size, smooth in transition.

5A. Sebastian Tetola, G, Arkansas. Athletic, light on his feet and tough.

5B (comp.): Tyler Irvin, RB, San Jose St. Can really scoot. Excellent feet and balance.

6. Steven Daniels, ILB, Boston College. Like Minter last year, he shed weight and became a stalwart for the leading defense in the NCAA.

 

[TJ]

By trading Calais, you still have to absorb a cap hit. Plus, how does removing Calais improve this team?

Best solution is to restructure his contact.

And expecting Wagenmann to make an impact beyond special teams is lunacy.

 

[Stout]

I can't get past the fantasy dream trade here.

 

[overseascardfan]

Mitch, love the bluprint, fixes a lot of problems. My only concern is the lack of adding talent to the ILB corp (ie: a 3 down ILB).

I would suggest taking Matakevic and/or Martinez in the draft, no need to sign a FA unless Jerell Freeman is an option. Move Buc to SS and you can use the Cash pick on Matakevic.

 

[GatorAZ]

I'm a huge CC fan but unless he's willing to take a 3-year deal around 6-7m per I'd let him walk after the season. The SB window is still cracked so I'd keep him for now but he'll be 31 for the 2017 season.

I'd like to see them draft his replacement like they did with Campbell/Smith in 08'.

Stick with the Irving signing plus a center. Re-sign RJ/TJ and draft DL/CB within the first 2 days. Matt Barkley will have a full TC under his belt so I'm good with him as the backup.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Dwayne Allen if I remember correctly is always hurt... meaning he is like a productive Weatherspoon lol

 

[DVontel]

I had to stop reading at trading Calais.

 

[TJ]

Also, Drew Butler should never be allowed to touch a football in his life, ever again.

 

[Harry]

Campbell is very hard to evaluate. He did not have consistent pressure being applied elsewhere on the D-line and the OLBs were little better, though Freeney helped late in the year. Denver had tons of pressure applied by other players which certainly made Jackson look better. I expect Denver to keep Jackson so they must agree with Mitch

I don't think anyone would give a draft pick for Okafor. They'll likely wait and see what the Cards do with him. He could well be cut.

 

[GiantCardFan]

Anything that starts with 2 specific trades is going nowhere. Victor Ochi in the 2nd? Stony Brook is a lousy football school. The Giants picked up UDFA Will Tye from there, but he had been recruited by Florida State. CBS Sports has Ochi listed as the 15th DE and a 5th round pick.

 

[Snakester]

Nice work Mitch! I like most of what you have here. Bolstering our D-line with Malik Jackson and A'Shawn Robinson is solid thinking. I would prefer we extended CC instead of trading him though.
I also like picking up Bruce Irvin for the pass rush. With his speed I think
he can be a 10 sack guy for us.We need another CB and Trumaine Johnson is a solid pickup and it hurts a rival.

Bringing in Stefan Wisniewski will make our line better inside. He has the power to stop DT's at the line.
I like bringing back Chris Johnson for another year to.

 

[Mitch]

Anything that starts with 2 specific trades is going nowhere. Victor Ochi in the 2nd? Stony Brook is a lousy football school. The Giants picked up UDFA Will Tye from there, but he had been recruited by Florida State. CBS Sports has Ochi listed as the 15th DE and a 5th round pick.

While I may have the players in the trades wrong I think Keim will make two trades this off-season. This is why I was calling this thread a blueprint. While the names will likely turn out to be different, the approach will look something similar, imo.

The Patriots have done a masterful job of trading or releasing veterans when the level of play falls below their salary figures.

Calais Campbell has a $15M cap figure---$9.5 in base salary. He was a non-factor in the playoffs and is coming off an inconsistent season---which got so concerning at one point that BA called him out to the media.

What to do with Campbell is a tough call for Steve Keim. Because Campbell is now making the Pro Bowl there is a perception that he is playing at that level---but, he clearly is not.

Campbell is a great guy---gotta love the personality and the gruff voice---but this is a production business and if Keim could find a way to swap Campbell for a player like Malik Jackson, he would do it---and with other needs to address, Keim won't be able to afford both Campbell and Jackson. It's one or the other.

As for Victor Ochi---he was one of the standouts and the best edge rusher at the East-West Shrine game. Did you happen to see Ochi's performance at that game, NYCF? His edge rushing talent was on full display there. Very impressive. I would have waited until the bottom of the 3rd round, but pass rushers like him don't slide that far.

 

[kerouac9]

It's so profoundly misguided to trade a Top 3 member of your defense for a guy who couldn't start for his old team and wasn't even a top 3 member of his position group.

Campbell is a team captain and Pro Bowler. He helps other guys make plays in the pass rush (not his fault that they couldn't close out), and he was one of the main reasons the run defense held together in the absence of Dan Williams.

 

[conraddobler]

My blueprint not the one they will do but mine goes like this:

Franchise QB

Stud Dline is as follows, Premier rush end, Premier DT, one space eater run stopper, other good rush end plus some depth, one premier ILB one stud corner and good depth in the secondary, helps to have at least one stud safety. I prefer the 4-3.

Oline, Two stud tackles, good guards, good center

The rest is mix and match you can and MUST get great RB's as they are easier to get if you're good at it than other positions.

It's great as you find other players and you can argue all day on what's most important but you have to have great defense to win any championships so that's why I believe in that.

Plus I think great offensive lines give great QB's enough time to make due with even passable WR's.

The problem with our team is that we're inverting the whole thing and we're very solid on offense and starting to lack a lot of pieces on defense.

What you'll get out of that?

Fan satisfying regular season records and playoff futility.

Sorry it's JMO.

 

[Chopper0080]

Ok, Campbell might be overpaid, and he may not be worth extending, but that doesn't mean you take a 3rd and a sub player for him. That would be dumb. More to that point, you are banking your future on Robinson being available at the end of round 1 which is an issue. Either you think he could be a dominant player, which probably means he won't be available. Or, you don't think he will be a dominant player which is why he is there. That is a problem because you are giving up an top level player for a guy who won't be one. There is too much risk to depend on guys from the draft.

Better to set up your team through free agency and use the draft to add talent wherever you can.

 

[Buckybird]

While I may have the players in the trades wrong I think Keim will make two trades this off-season. This is why I was calling this thread a blueprint. While the names will likely turn out to be different, the approach will look something similar, imo.

The Patriots have done a masterful job of trading or releasing veterans when the level of play falls below their salary figures.

Calais Campbell has a $15M cap figure---$9.5 in base salary. He was a non-factor in the playoffs and is coming off an inconsistent season---which got so concerning at one point that BA called him out to the media.

What to do with Campbell is a tough call for Steve Keim. Because Campbell is now making the Pro Bowl there is a perception that he is playing at that level---but, he clearly is not.

Campbell is a great guy---gotta love the personality and the gruff voice---but this is a production business and if Keim could find a way to swap Campbell for a player like Malik Jackson, he would do it---and with other needs to address, Keim won't be able to afford both Campbell and Jackson. It's one or the other.

As for Victor Ochi---he was one of the standouts and the best edge rusher at the East-West Shrine game. Did you happen to see Ochi's performance at that game, NYCF? His edge rushing talent was on full display there. Very impressive. I would have waited until the bottom of the 3rd round, but pass rushers like him don't slide that far.

Wouldn't Calais be a bigger threat in the passing game if he had more talent around him? Other than Freeney who on the Cards Dline scared anyone or commanded 2 blockers? I know Malik greatly benefited from Miller & Ware & vice versa. Just saying.

 

[Mitch]

Wouldn't Calais be a bigger threat in the passing game if he had more talent around him? Other than Freeney who on the Cards Dline scared anyone or commanded 2 blockers? I know Malik greatly benefited from Miller & Ware & vice versa. Just saying.

Freeney was on his side and yet after the GB win in Week 17, Calais was not much of a factor in the pass rush.

 

[WildBB]

Victor Ochi is way over drafted. There is no guarantee that he'll be any better than what we have drafted in Golden or even Riddick in the future. You just wrote him completely off.

I'm still a Campbell guy. He's been solid here and he's not going anywhere, imo. Restructure.

Fill the needs with competent FA signings. Then draft best available in the draft. It has been pretty good results up to now.

Still think that ILB is a major priority so they can move Bucannon around even more. Especially if you don't think that they will bring back Rashad Johnson.

 

[Jetstream Green]

It's so profoundly misguided to trade a Top 3 member of your defense for a guy who couldn't start for his old team and wasn't even a top 3 member of his position group.

Campbell is a team captain and Pro Bowler. He helps other guys make plays in the pass rush (not his fault that they couldn't close out), and he was one of the main reasons the run defense held together in the absence of Dan Williams.

This

 

[Mitch]

What do you think Calais Campbell's market value is on a new contract?

Steve Keim is a stickler for paying market value---and my instincts tell me that Keim thinks that Campbell is not playing at a $9.5M a year level. If Campbell's agent insists he is---there could be quite a battle to get CC re-signed---and there is no way Keim is going to let CC's 2016 cap figure remain at over $15M.

Campbell is not a player I would like to see go---but his situation is at a crossroads---he was inconsistent throughout the season---he faded down the stretch---and he's now 30.

 

[oaken1]

What do you think Calais Campbell's market value is on a new contract?

Steve Keim is a stickler for paying market value---and my instincts tell me that Keim thinks that Campbell is not playing at a $9.5M a year level. If Campbell's agent insists he is---there could be quite a battle to get CC re-signed---and there is no way Keim is going to let CC's 2016 cap figure remain at over $15M.

Campbell is not a player I would like to see go---but his situation is at a crossroads---he was inconsistent throughout the season---he faded down the stretch---and he's now 30.

folks can say they know this and that and what not when it comes to our D-line.... but we still have not replaced Big Dan Williams production...and without someone inside to draw attention CC will never produce consistently

we need a Vernon Butler type inside...then maybe a Carl Nassib type opposite of CC....two guys like that should eat up linemen,...not only allowing CC to make a few plays but also opening up the rushing lanes for the LB's

 

[Vermont Maverick]

Anything that starts with 2 specific trades is going nowhere. Victor Ochi in the 2nd? Stony Brook is a lousy football school. The Giants picked up UDFA Will Tye from there, but he had been recruited by Florida State. CBS Sports has Ochi listed as the 15th DE and a 5th round pick.

So is Buffalo. How is Khalil Mack working out? If you don't look under those rocks at small colleges, you are losing out.

Ochi was outstanding in Senior Game practices and in the game. He's not going in the 5th Round

 

[overseascardfan]

So is Buffalo. How is Khalil Mack working out? If you don't look under those rocks at small colleges, you are losing out.

Ochi was outstanding in Senior Game practices and in the game. He's not going in the 5th Round

I agree with your point regarding small school stars but Mack was on everyone's radar for over a year (the OSU game put him on the map). No one knew about Ochi until the Senior Bowl. I like Ochi's burst and his production but I can't see him going earlier than Round 4 unless he has a phenomenal Combine or Pro Day.

 

[WildBB]

folks can say they know this and that and what not when it comes to our D-line.... but we still have not replaced Big Dan Williams production...and without someone inside to draw attention CC will never produce consistently

we need a Vernon Butler type inside...then maybe a Carl Nassib type opposite of CC....two guys like that should eat up linemen,...not only allowing CC to make a few plays but also opening up the rushing lanes for the LB's

I like this.....but it's easier said than done. Nassib could be available at the end of the 1st Rd.

Getting pressure up the gut is the quickest way to the QB. That's what the plan was in putting Gunther in at NT. Mixed results. Don't know if he can apply more pressure from the outside. Peters might be able to provide something of a push inside, we'll have to wait and see.

No matter what - the Cardinals need to get some MORE pass rushers along that DL. That DOES open more opportunities for the LBing core.

Danny Trevathan could be the best LB FA signing out there. He strengthens us immediately up the gut. Very important in our division moving ahead.

 

[oaken1]

I like this.....but it's easier said than done. Nassib could be available at the end of the 1st Rd.

Getting pressure up the gut is the quickest way to the QB. That's what the plan was in putting Gunther in at NT. Mixed results. Don't know if he can apply more pressure from the outside. Peters might be able to provide something of a push inside, we'll have to wait and see.

No matter what - the Cardinals need to get some MORE pass rushers along that DL. That DOES open more opportunities for the LBing core.

Danny Trevathan could be the best LB FA signing out there. He strengthens us immediately up the gut. Very important in our division moving ahead.

both of those guys may be available when we pick.....a fancy trade to get us into the top ten of the second and we could bring them both on.
maybe make that trade with Denver,..they have several FA's to sign,...maybe not having a first rounder to sign this year would make it easier for them. Too many people think your pass rush is all about the actual rusher...it can be, but generally it is generated by a team effort and our interior guys are not very good..... when they can all be single blocked there is little chance a rusher can get to the QB quickly.