Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Steve Keim is very likely going to turn some heads this off-season---for one, of the 13-14 FAs the Cardinals have this year, Keim probably won't sign more than 3-4 of them with LS Mike Leach being one of them. And those signings may not occur until the players have tested the market and have realized that Keim's market value offer is fair.
Early indications are that Jerraud Powers is asking for too much money---so he's likely gone.
Rashad Johnson is the brainiac of the secondary, but he has broken down physically dow the stretch the past two years. Word is the coaches want to start the Honey Badger at FS. If so, that means Johnson is out, unless he signs for something in the $1.8-$2M a year range.
Lyle Sendlein and Ted Larsen hung in there this season and played hard---but one would think that Keim will try to upgrade those positions. MJ mentioned G Alex Boone of SF as a possible FA target. If Boone's contract demands are reasonable, Keim will make a move like that, and then he will draft a center in round 3 or 4. Another G that might be of interest is Michael Harris, 6-5, 338, of the Vikings who started all 16 games this year and graded well. Harris can also play RT.
The plan all along is to start D.J. Humphries as RT. Earl Watford should be in the mix, as may Rob Crisp and John Wetzel, 2015 PS players just signed to Future's contracts. No one expects Bobby Massie to be re-signed. He may earn a decent contract somewhere else, as he is just heading into his prime.
Keim knows he needs to make this team tougher, more athletic and more physical. He knows he needs to bring in a couple of pass rushers, a CB with size (Jermaine Johnson, 6-2, 210, Rams?) and a big S (draft?).
Keim locked up the one FA he was nervous of losing---CB Justin Bethel. The expectation is for Bethel to learn from this year's experience and to grow into a solid CB or possibly be switched over to safety.
Now SK would like to get a deal done with Tyrann Mathieu.
When Keim assesses the roster---and determines which players are being overpaid, don't be surprised if Keim plays hard ball with these guys and gets them to redo their deals or trades them (if possible) or releases them.
DE Calais Campbell----$15.2M 2016 cap hit ($5.5M dead money)
LB Daryl Washington---$7.5 ($5.5M dead money)
WR Michael Floyd---$7.3M ($0 dead money)
G Jonathan Cooper---$4.6M ($2.9M dead money)
DE Cory Redding----$4M ($1M dead money)
DT Corey Peters---$2.6M ($1.3M dead money)
One would think that Keim will try to negotiate fair market deals with Campbell and Floyd, especially to try to create more cap space.
As for the others on that list, it would not be surprising if Keim tries to trade Cooper---let's be real---if he couldn't beat out Larsen, he's not in their future plans.
Finally the team will cut ties with Daryl Washington.
And it looks very likely that Redding will be asked to take a pay cut or to move on. He may even opt to retire.
Peters' contract is still fairly reasonable---but SK might just want to go in a different direction, such as putting stock in Xavier Williams.
MJ says the team wants QB Drew Stanton back. Stanton has indicated that he wants to stay in AZ. Not sure if Keim will want to pay him a deal in the $4M a year range which MJ said today is the going rate for #2 QBs these days.
The two most interesting FAs (imo) are RB Chris Johnson and DE Dwight Freeney---they both were outstanding late pickups by Steve Keim. Johnson was surprisingly tough---which served as a good example for David Johnson---and Freeney was productive as a situational rusher and can help mentor the youth at the position (Golden, Okafor, Martin, Fua, Riddick, Wagenmann, Reilly).
Early indications are that Jerraud Powers is asking for too much money---so he's likely gone.
Rashad Johnson is the brainiac of the secondary, but he has broken down physically dow the stretch the past two years. Word is the coaches want to start the Honey Badger at FS. If so, that means Johnson is out, unless he signs for something in the $1.8-$2M a year range.
Lyle Sendlein and Ted Larsen hung in there this season and played hard---but one would think that Keim will try to upgrade those positions. MJ mentioned G Alex Boone of SF as a possible FA target. If Boone's contract demands are reasonable, Keim will make a move like that, and then he will draft a center in round 3 or 4. Another G that might be of interest is Michael Harris, 6-5, 338, of the Vikings who started all 16 games this year and graded well. Harris can also play RT.
The plan all along is to start D.J. Humphries as RT. Earl Watford should be in the mix, as may Rob Crisp and John Wetzel, 2015 PS players just signed to Future's contracts. No one expects Bobby Massie to be re-signed. He may earn a decent contract somewhere else, as he is just heading into his prime.
Keim knows he needs to make this team tougher, more athletic and more physical. He knows he needs to bring in a couple of pass rushers, a CB with size (Jermaine Johnson, 6-2, 210, Rams?) and a big S (draft?).
Keim locked up the one FA he was nervous of losing---CB Justin Bethel. The expectation is for Bethel to learn from this year's experience and to grow into a solid CB or possibly be switched over to safety.
Now SK would like to get a deal done with Tyrann Mathieu.
When Keim assesses the roster---and determines which players are being overpaid, don't be surprised if Keim plays hard ball with these guys and gets them to redo their deals or trades them (if possible) or releases them.
DE Calais Campbell----$15.2M 2016 cap hit ($5.5M dead money)
LB Daryl Washington---$7.5 ($5.5M dead money)
WR Michael Floyd---$7.3M ($0 dead money)
G Jonathan Cooper---$4.6M ($2.9M dead money)
DE Cory Redding----$4M ($1M dead money)
DT Corey Peters---$2.6M ($1.3M dead money)
One would think that Keim will try to negotiate fair market deals with Campbell and Floyd, especially to try to create more cap space.
As for the others on that list, it would not be surprising if Keim tries to trade Cooper---let's be real---if he couldn't beat out Larsen, he's not in their future plans.
Finally the team will cut ties with Daryl Washington.
And it looks very likely that Redding will be asked to take a pay cut or to move on. He may even opt to retire.
Peters' contract is still fairly reasonable---but SK might just want to go in a different direction, such as putting stock in Xavier Williams.
MJ says the team wants QB Drew Stanton back. Stanton has indicated that he wants to stay in AZ. Not sure if Keim will want to pay him a deal in the $4M a year range which MJ said today is the going rate for #2 QBs these days.
The two most interesting FAs (imo) are RB Chris Johnson and DE Dwight Freeney---they both were outstanding late pickups by Steve Keim. Johnson was surprisingly tough---which served as a good example for David Johnson---and Freeney was productive as a situational rusher and can help mentor the youth at the position (Golden, Okafor, Martin, Fua, Riddick, Wagenmann, Reilly).
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