2024 Draft Countdown/NFL Prospects thread

[daves]

He has money, money that most of us can't realize. He just isn't willing to spend it.

I don't understand this.

Over the long term, all owners spend the same amount of money on player payroll, unless the team is consistently spending below the salary cap - and the Cardinals have not done that.

And Bidwill is currently paying THREE coaching staffs... so he's obviously made mistakes in keeping Keim as long as he did, approving the Wilks hire, and extending Kingsbury right before firing him... but he hasn't been reluctant to spend on the front office. [I'm not sure how the Cardinals' spending on scouts, etc. stacks up vs. other teams.]

Whether an owner shells out huge signing bonuses for players or not is a different issue - and not related to owner wealth, since bonuses paid in one year reduce cash payout in following years, so any owner could easily get a low-interest loan secured against future TV revenue payouts. In any case, Bidwill HAS shelled out some big signing bonuses recently... just, often, not on the right players, hence all the dead cap the team has right now.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I don't understand this.

Over the long term, all owners spend the same amount of money on player payroll, unless the team is consistently spending below the salary cap - and the Cardinals have not done that.

And Bidwill is currently paying THREE coaching staffs... so he's obviously made mistakes in keeping Keim as long as he did, approving the Wilks hire, and extending Kingsbury right before firing him... but spending hasn't been an issue.

Whether an owner shells out huge signing bonuses for players or not is a different issue - and not related to owner wealth, since bonuses paid in one year reduce cash payout in following years, so any owner could easily get a low-interest loan secured against future TV revenue payouts.

Because of what I said before. You can use accounting tricks to pay players bonuses to lessen the cap space.

Signing bonuses count against the team’s cap. However, while the player gets the lump sum of the signing bonus upfront, the team, from a salary cap perspective, can spread out the signing bonus equally throughout the life of the player’s contract—up to five years. A $50 million signing bonus on a five-year player contract would account for $10 million in cap hits each year.

What does that mean? More cap space to sign other players, that you didn't have before. Which, in theory, provides a more competitive team. But only if you have an owner willing to part with all of that up front cash. We don't.

 

[Garthshort]

I think the better move would to draft Olu Fashanu & keep him at LT while Paris continues to get acquainted at RT honestly.

Jets have a big OT (Becton) who was a first round pick and hasn't been VG. So Fashanu might be the better pick.

 

[CardNots]

I'm talking about signing new free agents, not re-signing their own. That is a quite notable distinction.


We traded for him, AND got rid of an albatross of a contract in David Johnson.

See the beginning. We re-signed Budda/Kyler to extensions, before they hit free agency. This isn't the same thing.

I don't disagree with you.

I understand your FA reference. It infers we are cheap. My notations counter that argument if that is your point. I’m holding out for the upcoming FA market as the new management was clearing contracts this last year. Their plan was not to acquire new long term contracts.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I understand your FA reference. It infers we are cheap. My notations counter that argument if that is your point.

We are cheap.

I’m holding out for the upcoming FA market as the new management was clearing contracts this last year. Their plan was not to acquire new long term contracts.

ME TOO! I have probably been the one beating the drum the loudest that all of the small one year deals, cutting D-Hop etc was to set us up for a big free agency year next year. I really hope that we spend like gangbusters next year. I'm skeptical, because history is not on our side.

 

[oaken1]

We are cheap.


ME TOO! I have probably been the one beating the drum the loudest that all of the small one year deals, cutting D-Hop etc was to set us up for a big free agency year next year. I really hope that we spend like gangbusters next year. I'm skeptical, because history is not on our side.

Depends who is available. No point in signing names just to spend money. Get guys that fit what the staff is trying to do. Keep building through the draft. It will all come together.
Most NFL players ain't exactly stupid. If they see a team that lost a ton of games but fought hard for 60 minutes all season they will recognize the culture change and those guys willing to buy in to a team mentality will sign.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Depends who is available. No point in signing names just to spend money. Get guys that fit what the staff is trying to do. Keep building through the draft. It will all come together.
Most NFL players ain't exactly stupid. If they see a team that lost a ton of games but fought hard for 60 minutes all season they will recognize the culture change and those guys willing to buy in to a team mentality will sign.

I want them to do both. I want them to have 2 of the top picks in the draft, and Kyler to be right at the end of the year. Trade the higher of the two picks for a king's ransom, draft MHJ, and then move up again to grab another 1-2 stud players.

 

[cardncubfan]

I want them to do both. I want them to have 2 of the top picks in the draft, and Kyler to be right at the end of the year. Trade the higher of the two picks for a king's ransom, draft MHJ, and then move up again to grab another 1-2 stud players.

This is the way

 

[TheCardFan]

I want them to do both. I want them to have 2 of the top picks in the draft, and Kyler to be right at the end of the year. Trade the higher of the two picks for a king's ransom, draft MHJ, and then move up again to grab another 1-2 stud players.

Test...test. Is this the "positive Kyler Murray thread?" No? OK.

Unlikely Kyler plays up to this contract.

 

[SunsTzu]

We are cheap.

I don't even see how this is debatable. The team may not be as cheap as the pre-stadium days but it's still the same team that charges players for food.

 

[DVontel]

Trade the higher of the two picks for a king's ransom, draft MHJ,

This right here.

Praying an already talent-deficient team like the Raiders will bite. We’ll be set up for years.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Test...test. Is this the "positive Kyler Murray thread?" No? OK.

Unlikely Kyler plays up to this contract.

lol

 

[Krangodnzr]

I think the better move would to draft Olu Fashanu & keep him at LT while Paris continues to get acquainted at RT honestly.

Maybe so, I just think Alt is going to be one of those OL you can build a running game around.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Jets have a big OT (Becton) who was a first round pick and hasn't been VG. So Fashanu might be the better pick.

Alt isn't the same kind of big as Becton. Alt comes from NFL bloodlines, plays in a program the puts out really good NFL linemen pretty much every draft, and has a higher grade than Becton ever had. And I really liked Becton.

 

[SoonerLou]

MHJ seems like a dream fit. However, I cant let myself get too hyped for him with other teams being worse than expected.

Is there another WR going top 10? Is the guy from Washington worth it or no?

 

[Krangodnzr]

MHJ seems like a dream fit. However, I cant let myself get too hyped for him with other teams being worse than expected.

Is there another WR going top 10? Is the guy from Washington worth it or no?

I don't know. I don't think Odunze is a top five pick, but he looks like a top 12-15 pick right now.

Even if the Cardinals miss out on MHJ, you could still go OL and pass rush and its a win.

 

[Garthshort]

Alt isn't the same kind of big as Becton. Alt comes from NFL bloodlines, plays in a program the puts out really good NFL linemen pretty much every draft, and has a higher grade than Becton ever had. And I really liked Becton.

Good points. Thanks. B/T/W, who do you prefer Alt or Fashanu?

 

[Krangodnzr]

Good points. Thanks. B/T/W, who do you prefer Alt or Fashanu?

I think both are great players. It would depend on how you saw PJJs upside as a LT, since drafting Alt would be to put him at RT.

 

[CardNots]

I think both are great players. It would depend on how you saw PJJs upside as a LT, since drafting Alt would be to put him at RT.

Paris looks pretty good where he is now and he will only get better. Draft Alt, put him at LT. I would be happy with either and would let things sort themselves out. Do both and move Paris to Guard

 

[dreamcastrocks]

MHJ seems like a dream fit. However, I cant let myself get too hyped for him with other teams being worse than expected.

Is there another WR going top 10? Is the guy from Washington worth it or no?

I don't think so. There's probably 3 QBs taken, and then there's MHJ of course.

Then some of the rest in no particular order:
Kool-Aid, Alt, Bowers, Latham, Verse, TGrice, Fashanu, Latu etc.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Paris looks pretty good where he is now and he will only get better. Draft Alt, put him at LT. I would be happy with either and would let things sort themselves out. Do both and move Paris to Guard

Don't get carried away lol.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I don't think so. There's probably 3 QBs taken, and then there's MHJ of course.

Then some of the rest in no particular order:
Kool-Aid, Alt, Bowers, Latham, Verse, TGrice, Fashanu, Latu etc.

Add Jared Verse to that list.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Add Jared Verse to that list.

I did?

 

[DVontel]

Kind of meh on Verse as of now.

I like Kool-Aid, but I’m not drafting a CB in the top 10 with no top-flight pass-rush already ahead of him.

Olu is a fantastic pass-blocker while being a really good run-blocker & great athletically.

 

[TheCardFan]

I agree with 2/3.

Kool-Aid is not a franchise CB.