All purely hypothetical but could happen

[Shane]

Say we end up getting Travis Henry.

Lets then say by week 9 of the season we are in the thick of the playoff race and sitting somewhere around 6-3 could be 5-4 or 7-2.

Henry is having one helluva year on pace for 1400+ proving that he is the RB that had the 1400 and 1300 yards years respectively and also has roughly 7 TDs. The fumbling problems appear to have dissapeared.

Kurt Warner meanwhile is having a good year. He is showing that he can lead this Offense and make the offense a potent air attack to go along with Henry's running. Lets say he has 2000 yards and 13 TDs with about 5 INTs.

Both would be very respectable and not out of the realm of possability and would also have Cards fans as a whole in football heaven.

The question is though in the above scenario both players are gonna want to be paid big contracts to stay. I say rightfully so. So who then becomes the priority to resign before the end of the season? Will the team have the cash necessary to extend both guys in this scenario considering they are both at glamour positions(and still be able to get quality FAs)? Or in the long run do we end up losing one of them and take a step backward?

 

[Pariah]

Only Cardinals fans would try to find negatives in a scenario like that.

 

[Shane]

Only Cardinals fans would try to find negatives in a scenario like that.

None the less a plausible scenario considering they each have only 1 year contracts.

 

[kerouac9]

Meh. I'm not sure that either of them rate "franchise" money to begin with. I'd say Henry just because I don't think that Warner has tools that any quarterback wouldn't have that isn't named "McCown." As Johnson, Boldin, and Fitzgerald (and Henry) mature, it's going to be easier and easier to simply plug in a quarterback and watch him throw for 4000+ yards a season.

On the other hand, you could give Warner a two-year contract and draft a RB in the first round of the '06 draft and a QBOTF in the second.

 

[mdamien13]

I think you'd have to go w/ Henry based on age if nothing else. Both are important parts in the offensive machine but especially w/ Boldin and Fitzgerald's contracts, there's no way to afford both. Chances are Navarre may be ready to take over by then, but we don't have any young RBs waiting in the wings.

 

[Shane]

Meh. I'm not sure that either of them rate "franchise" money to begin with. I'd say Henry just because I don't think that Warner has tools that any quarterback wouldn't have that isn't named "McCown." As Johnson, Boldin, and Fitzgerald (and Henry) mature, it's going to be easier and easier to simply plug in a quarterback and watch him throw for 4000+ yards a season.

On the other hand, you could give Warner a two-year contract and draft a RB in the first round of the '06 draft and a QBOTF in the second.

What makes you think that Henry with another 1400 yards year with double digit TDs wouldnt warrant franchise $? He would only be 27 and a proven stud at RB.

I agree with Warner with his age and the way he has shown how quickly he can hit a downward spiral.

 

[JPlay]

I say we draft a RB anyways and have him get carries along w/ Henry. Then ship Henry out if the rookie shows promise. If the rookie is a complete bust then resign Henry to an incentive filled deal. Re-sign Kurt if he's having a great year. He should have another 2 yrs in him and draft a replacement w/ in the next 2 drafts. Once we get the stadium, we will have a lot of new revenue to work with, especially if this years team does good.

 

[Shane]

I say we draft a RB anyways and have him get carries along w/ Henry. Then ship Henry out if the rookie shows promise. If the rookie is a complete bust then resign Henry to an incentive filled deal. Re-sign Kurt if he's having a great year. He should have another 2 yrs in him and draft a replacement w/ in the next 2 drafts. Once we get the stadium, we will have a lot of new revenue to work with, especially if this years team does good.

I dont think you rscenario would please Henry to much and would make him less inclined to sign here. If that were the case we would end up with another rookie bust at RB and an upset Henry taking the first train out of town.

 

[kerouac9]

What makes you think that Henry with another 1400 yards year with double digit TDs wouldnt warrant franchise $? He would only be 27 and a proven stud at RB.

I agree with Warner with his age and the way he has shown how quickly he can hit a downward spiral.

I don't think that there are really any runningbacks that deserve long-term contracts at franchise-type numbers. There are too many good runningbacks in the NFL not to think that you can't get one whenever. Basically 3/4 of the league has very good runningbacks or better (I would say that only Arizona, Cleveland, Miami, Oakland, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Tampa don't--and Oakland and Pittsburgh are arguable). And almost all of them got them through the draft.

It's possible that we're entering an era where even the best runningbacks are either re-signed to contracts in the middle of their original contracts (like Tomlinson) or play through their first deal, play one season with the franchise tag, and then retire because they can't get top dollar on the FA market (like what happened with Ricky Watters three years ago).

 

[az jam]

Warner would not be looking to so call "rob the bank". He would love to settle down and finish his career here which may be three more seasons at the most as he will be 34 this summer. Based on your senario Henry would be looking for the bigger bucks.

 

[jw7]

The question is though in the above scenario both players are gonna want to be paid big contracts to stay. I say rightfully so.

I disagree. Even in the Boldin situation I'm not in favor of huge contract extensions after 1 stellar season.

Contract tear-ups should only be considered for 2-3 years in a row of consistent performance.

Plus you would have to do a long-term deal to spread out the signing bonus, not something I am comfortable with a 27 yr RB and a 30+ QB.

 

[Shane]

I disagree. Even in the Boldin situation I'm not in favor of huge contract extensions after 1 stellar season.

Contract tear-ups should only be considered for 2-3 years in a row of consistent performance.

Plus you would have to do a long-term deal to spread out the signing bonus, not something I am comfortable with a 27 yr RB and a 30+ QB.

27 is hardly old for a RB. What would you recommend?

 

[jw7]

27 is hardly old for a RB. What would you recommend?

You are right on that, but an extension that spreads a big bonus over 5 years covers him over age 28-33.

I know we have been burned horribly in the past drafting RBs, but I'd rather risk a bonus over age 22-27 on a high-round draft pick.

 

[sunsfan13]

If both Warner and Henry did well, Warner should be resigned to a 2-3year deal. He would still be productive and would also be a great mentor to the young QB's on roster. The Cards have the ability to draft a later round RB this year (ie. Ray Hudson) who could contribute or look to the '06 draft for another RB prospect.

 

[Shane]

If both Warner and Henry did well, Warner should be resigned to a 2-3year deal. He would still be productive and would also be a great mentor to the young QB's on roster. The Cards have the ability to draft a later round RB this year (ie. Ray Hudson) who could contribute or look to the '06 draft for another RB prospect.

When has Warner ever shown that he wants to mentor anyone?

Also couldnt your same scenario be said of a RB?

 

[ajcardfan]

There is absolutely nothing in Green's history that shows he would stick with the QB. Well, he did resign Randall Cunningham. I think it would be Henry if it was one or the other. But, I actually think, if they were doing that well, they would extend both. Especially going into the new stadium next year.

 

[JeffGollin]

The scenario is certainly within the realm of possibility - right up there with:

- McCown proves he's mastered the mental aspects of the game, wins the starting job and becomes the next Brett Favre.

- Marcel Shipp returns 100% healthy, beats out Henry for the starting RB job and gains 1500 yds.

- Everyone gets injured and we suck.

It's fun to fantasize, but I think we just have play the percentages and let events play themselves out.