Are Cards tanking?

[forever red]

Problem with tanking is the impact on the fan base.I am an original STH and have suffered through decades of horrible Cardinals football when they made it appear as if they were taking even when they weren't. With the exception of a few years with Warner and Palmer the Cardinals have always been in the tank. To embrace a tanking strategy is just another confirmation that this organization is not committed to putting a competitive product on the field which will result in an even further erosion of what is already a very tenuous fan base.
IMO the first thing they should do is let Kyler Murray walk. As long as we cow tow to him because his agent out maneuvered us in negotiations the more years of losing football we will have. Get rid of him now whether via trade or out right release. I recognize we have a quarter of a billion tied up with this self centered , non leader but the longer we keep him around and continue to lose the more apathetic this fan base will become and the more money the Cardinals will lose in ticket and merchandise sales let alone dwindling TV ratings . This will result in a significant devaluation of the franchise which will shortly dwarf the economic hit of offloading their underperforming,unprepared, fingerpointing QB ASAP.

 

[Cheesebeef]

They recognize the lack of talent on the roster and I believe are on a 2 year plan to put together a young roster that fits JG's model. The signing of several young players to 2 year contracts that are really one year contracts with a team option for the second year is one indication. Most of these guys will be depth in year 2 or cut. Most of the talent will be added via the draft this year and next.

Keeping Ertz and Conner at their expensive contracts is a nod to having a couple of good locker room players to set an example for and help adjust the rookies to the NFL. Cutting them or negotiating a cheaper contract may in the cards NEXT year but not this year.

You don’t need Ertz and Conner for that when you have Budda, Thompson, Humphries and others there as solid vets who can not only lead the youngins, but are also still part of the future, while Ertz and Conner clear are not. Pushing Ertz/Conner cuts to next year just pushes their cap issues forward. Doesn’t make sense to me when we have other vets here for leadership and when we can limit their damage to our cap to this lost year.

Makes even less sense when we don’t even know if Ertz is going to be back this season or what kind of shell of a player he will be if he does come back off that mid-season ACL tear.

If the team is really in tank mode, you tank all the way and set yourself up beat you possible can by planning for this season and the future.

 

[BritCard]

At the very least they are bargain shopping.

Again even that's conflicting.

If you are bargain shopping why not re-sign Murphy?

 

[BirdGangThing]

Having a horrid horrible season just makes good business sense. I often imagine Monti sharing this very vision with Mikey during their first interview. And I can see why Mikey would financially agree. Before a resurrection can take place one has to die, I think both Mikey and Monti sincerely believe this to be the way, and that Monti will not be judged or harshed in any manner for the continuous and historic amount of losses this franchise is set to intentionally undergo

Yes we are tanking, and tank goodness we are. If you really tank about, and tank it all in you realize you have to tank chances in this league or you will remain pains-tank-ingly irrelevant

 

[BritCard]

You don’t need Ertz and Conner for that when you have Budda, Thompson, Humphries and others there as solid vets who can not only lead the youngins, but are also still part of the future, while Ertz and Conner clear are not. Pushing Ertz/Conner cuts to next year just pushes their cap issues forward. Doesn’t make sense to me when we have other vets here for leadership and when we can limit their damage to our cap to this lost year.

Makes even less sense when we don’t even know if Ertz is going to be back this season or what kind of shell of a player he will be if he does come back off that mid-season ACL tear.

If the team is really in tank mode, you tank all the way and set yourself up beat you possible can by planning for this season and the future.

Ertz has said he's fine and will be back for camp.

 

[Jakester]

Teams should only ever tank for a QB. So if the Cards are in fact tanking that tells me that this regime wants to move off of Kyler after this year and go with Caleb Williams or whoever else might be the most talented QB they can get in next years draft. If they arm that new qb with a ton of draft picks after trading Hop and trading down from 3 and have a bunch of salary cap space to make moves in FA this team could be improved in 2024 and legitimately good in 2025.

People will say I'm crazy but if they think Kylers gonna come back at a high level and play a good chunk of the season (he should play at least half the games if not more) why wouldn't they gear the roster to be more competitive this year and build Kyler's confidence and skills back up instead of making 2024 the big focus.

 

[QuebecCard]

The Cardinals' are thoroughly evaluating and reassessing their player personnel to ensure the medium and longer-term balance that will provide durable success. This arduous, thoughtful process requires layoffs and prudent investments in new personnel.

It is sometimes referred to by those not familiar with the intricacies of these exercises as 'TANKING.'

 

[Billy Bob]

Wow, I fell asleep on march 16th and woke up mid season to find the Cardinals tanking, I'm glad I slept through the draft and preseason, I hear they sucked! SMH!

 

[Proximo]

Probably.

And if Kyler is going to be out half the season, I think I am in favor of it.

 

[kerouac9]

Most of these guys will be depth in year 2 or cut. Most of the talent will be added via the draft this year and next.

I don't understand what people are thinking here. MAX you're gonna get eight or nine players in the top three rounds of the draft over the next two years. If you have a historically hot drafting run over those two years you're gonna get three stars and two solid starters from those eight picks.

With Kyler and Budda -- that's just not enough to compete. And this is the edge case scenario. Especially when you don't expect those players to really blossom until their second or (really) third season. Then you're roster is getting good in 2026.

It's a good recipe for job security for the front office, a great way to have empathy for Houston Texans fans for your local fan base.

Key free agents for 2024 are Isaiah Simmons (if we don't pick up his 5th year option), Marquise Brown, and Josh Jones. Fold in Greg Dortch and either Rashard Lawrence or Leki Fotu in there if you like. Blecch.

 

[Dayman]

I think it's more of a combination of Michael wanting to spend less cash and the last year of chaos further hurting the team's reputation around the league. The whole offseason has a real SOC feel to it.

 

[kerouac9]

@Ouchie-Z-Clown I'm pretty sure this is the correct definition for how the front office has conducted itself with regard to the fan base so far this offseason:

Depraved Indifference Law and Legal Definition | USLegal, Inc.

To constitute depraved indifference, the defendant's conduct must be 'so wanton, so deficient in a moral sense of concern, so lacking in regard for the life or lives of others, and so

definitions.uslegal.com

Probably outside your practice area.

 

[Cardinal88]

NO! They are not “tanking”! Tanking implies they aren’t trying or don’t give a rats a(tail).

There will be 53 players on the final roster with I believe 48 or 49 dressed on game days and 15 or so on PS. There will be a lot of staff (coaches, trainers, managers, etc) that will show up every day to try to improve and more importantly compete. That is the opposite of tanking.

Now, the final players may not be good enough but I cannot imagine they will do it on purpose.

I’m pissed where we are. I got an email today reminding about my season ticket deposit. As disappointed as I am in this organization, there is not a bone in my body that believes the athletic process will suffer. We just won’t be any good! Not because of effort but because Keim left us in a dark hole.

 

[PJ1]

NO! They are not “tanking”! Tanking implies they aren’t trying or don’t give a rats a(tail).

There will be 53 players on the final roster with I believe 48 or 49 dressed on game days and 15 or so on PS. There will be a lot of staff (coaches, trainers, managers, etc) that will show up every day to try to improve and more importantly compete. That is the opposite of tanking.

Now, the final players may not be good enough but I cannot imagine they will do it on purpose.

I’m pissed where we are. I got an email today reminding about my season ticket deposit. As disappointed as I am in this organization, there is not a bone in my body that believes the athletic process will suffer. We just won’t be any good! Not because of effort but because Keim left us in a dark hole.

Actually the guy ultimately responsible is MB. And he is still there. Hopefully the new hires are better than the ones he thought enough of a year ago to extend five years.

 

[Cardinal88]

Actually the guy ultimately responsible is MB. And he is still there. Hopefully the new hires are better than the ones he thought enough of a year ago to extend five years.

Agreed! But, is he purposely tanking? No! He’s just not a good owner/leader. 100+ years of family ineptness.

 

[QuebecCard]

@Ouchie-Z-Clown I'm pretty sure this is the correct definition for how the front office has conducted itself with regard to the fan base so far this offseason:

Depraved Indifference Law and Legal Definition | USLegal, Inc.

To constitute depraved indifference, the defendant's conduct must be 'so wanton, so deficient in a moral sense of concern, so lacking in regard for the life or lives of others, and so

definitions.uslegal.com

Probably outside your practice area.

A good example of a 'weak sauce' attempt to draw an analogy.

 

[kerouac9]

We just won’t be any good! Not because of effort but because Keim left us in a dark hole.

When do you think we'll finally hear someone not blame the Cards failures on Keim? I'm guessing 2028.

 

[PJ1]

Agreed! But, is he purposely tanking? No! He’s just not a good owner/leader. 100+ years of family ineptness.

Agreed. I really don’t know what the current plan is. I really don’t.

 

[QuebecCard]

Agreed. I really don’t know what the current plan is. I really don’t.

When Monti holds a newser to explain you'll then know.

 

[PJ1]

When Monti holds a newser to explain you'll then know.

Don’t hold your breath.

 

[Card'em]

The plan will be very apparent when we finish the season at 4 and 13.

 

[QuebecCard]

Don’t hold your breath.

The newser is for your benefit, not mine. I'm not confused about the plan.

 

[MadCardDisease]

When do you think we'll finally hear someone not blame the Cards failures on Keim? I'm guessing 2028.

2026

Kyler can be cut in 2025 if he doesn't show progress in 2024. They can cut him and spread his remaining guaranteed money over 2025 and 2026. After that Keim will be purged.

 

[Redsz]

See the Detriot Lions and Miami Dolphins for the blueprint. We are going to significantly turn over the roster and draft alot of young players.

 

[Card'em]

Yep...change is coming and I for one am all for it. Started with the new coach and GM and now we get a new roster.