Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Some people wonder if some of things BA&SK say in interviews are smokescreens. While some of the things they say are certainly subject to change, there is every reason for Cardinals' fans to trust in what they are telling us. I cannot recall a Cardinals' HC and GM tandem ever being so forthright and candid when it comes to explaining their philosophies and their ideas of what the organization needs to do to improve the team's personnel.
In the past 24 hours---as a fan, I have learned a great deal about what BA&SK are thinking heading into FA and the NFL Draft.
Here are some of the things I've gleaned:
1. They are 100% committed to QB Carson Palmer for next few years.
2. They don't believe in drafting a QB high only to have him hold a clipboard.
3. They won't be drafting a QB high in this draft.
4. If there is a QB later in the draft that they think can beat out #3 Ryan Lindley and eventually challenge Drew Stanton for the #2, then yes, they will draft a QB---for those purposes.
5. They've held on to Ryan Williams because they still believe in his talent. Williams is very much in the mix, but as BA pointed out very tersely, "unless we like the option behind Door Number 2 better."
6. BA keeps using that term: Door Number 2 because it speaks very specifically to the BA&SK philosophy of building a deep competitive roster. With them it doesn't just stop at Door Number 2---there's Door Number 3 and Door Number 4.
7. They want to get more physical, deeper and more competitive on both sides of the ball. And here is how they will go about it:
* They have a value board for free agents that is 3-4 deep at every need position. The value board is ranked by a talent grade and a salary figure that they believe fits the talent value (with tangibles such as age, experience and medical histories factored in).
For example---it might look something like this:
LT
1. Eugene Monroe. Talent Grade: 8.5 Figure Ceiling: $7M per.
2. Brandon Albert: Talent Grade: 8.3 Figure Ceiling: $6.5M per.
3. Jared Veldheer: Talent Grade: 8.1 Figure Ceiling: $5.5M per
4. Anthony Collins: Talent Grade: 7.9 Figure Ceiling: $4.0M per.
5. Rodger Saffold: Talent Grade: 7.9. Figure Ceiling: $3.8M per.
Beside those figures are the names and numbers of the players' agents and quite possibly a guaranteed money figure ceiling.
BA has indicated that tackle isn't necessarily the team's biggest priority. What this statement means is that we shouldn't automatically think that the Cardinals are going to take a tackle at #20.
If they are not able to sign (open) any of the 4 UFA options (doors) above, then that could impact their thinking at #20. Until then, the thinking is that they are going to be able to sign one of their top 4 targets and thus direct their attention to taking the BPA at #20. If that happens to be an offensive lineman, then so be it. But they won't know until they are on the clock, depending on what players are still on the board.
Sitting behind all these doors is Bradley Sowell. Notice that BA&SK have praised Sowell and have indicated that they believe he will keep improving. BA knows that the Cardinals won 7 of the last 9 games with Sowell at LT---so BA knows that if need be, he could move forward with Sowell again at LT.
The good news is that BA loves the two TE formations, which creates a LT comfort zone---BA also showed ways to chip and help on the RDEs when he had to in 3 and 4 WR sets.
While BA obviously would prefer to have a player at LT that he doesn't have to help as much---it's not the end of the world if he has to play Sowell, a high effort guy, if need be.
Steve Keim indicated that the first few days of free agency will dictate whether they will try to re-sign RT Eric Winston. It could be that there is another UFA RT whom BA&SK have rated higher than Winston---one who may well be in the same salary range, or close enough.
They like Winston, so they will turn to him if the situation presents itself.
8. At TE, BA stated today that he likes his TEs to be able to "block first and catch second." What that suggests very strongly is that hybrid TEs such as Eric Ebron and Jace Amaro are not in the picture at #20.
As for Austin Seferian-Jenkins that may be a different story. The 2013 Mackey Award winner's receptions were down this past year, but only because Washington committed more time and plays to the running game, of which ASJ was a major part of as a blocking TE.
BA played Bobby Massie at TE last year out of necessity. One would imagine that having a blocking/receiving TE in the 6-6/270 range would be a boon for BA and his offense. If not ASJ (6-6, 267), then keep an eye on Iowa's C.J. Fiedorwicz (6-6, 265) and Georgia's Arthur Lynch (6-5, 264) as 3rd or 4th round possibilities.
BA already has a hybrid pass receiving TE in Rob Housler, which BA started moving all over the formations like an H-Back, like the time in Week 17 when Palmer hit Housler on a corner route run from an off-set spot in the backfield.
9. Steve Keim has stated that one of the other top priorities is to add some DBs with "length" who can help to "solve our TE cover issues." How many GMs and HCs tell you straight out exactly what they are looking for?
As fans this helps us narrow our focus on what the DB pool is for cover guys with "length."
In FA---Chris Clemons (6-1, 214, 6, Clemson) would seem ideal because he is good in coverage, is also a solid tackler and he knows Todd Bowles' system.
In the draft---Calvin Pryor (6-2, 210, Louisville), Justin Gilbert (6-0, 195, Oklahoma St.) and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (6-1, 208, Alabama) are legit first round possibilities. In rounds 2-3, the other possibilities include Deone Bucannon (6-1, 192, Washington St.), Stanley Jean Baptiste (6-3, 220, Nebraska), Ed Reynolds (6-2, 205, Stanford) and Pierre Desire (6-2, 195, Lindenwood).
10. Keim focuses on "not finding characters, but finding character"...and finding players who can "sort through information"...and players who "love the game of football."
We saw those focus areas manifest themselves saliently in last year's picks---from Cooper, to Minter, to Honey Badger, and right on down the line---even in a few of the UCFAs or waiver wire acquisitions Keim picked up like Tony Jefferson, Bradley Sowell, Almeda Ta'amu, etc.
It's one of the main reasons why there is so much love for a guy like Alfonso Smith---who puts his heart and soul into everything he does.
Keim keeps saying how he has learned from his mistakes about falling in love with talent but overlooking the lack of sustained effort or passion in players.
It makes one wonder what player Keim would want if he had the #1 pick in this year's draft. A betting man would have to think twice about Keim taking Jadeveon Clowney, especially after his own coach at South Carolina was recently very ho-hum about Clowney's work ethic.
Keim wants team captains---guys whom coaches rave about---guys who play all-out all the time.
In Indy, he has tapes prepared for the prospects he will be meeting with---on the tape will be an array of good plays and an array of bad plays and he wants the prospects to comment on why the good plays were good and why the bad plays were bad. Those answers tell Keim pretty much everything he wants to know about the player's character and his understanding of the game.
Not sure how many GMs go to this extent---but it sure speaks well to Keim's dedication and his own passion. And it shows too how personally invested he gets in the players he recruits.
11. BA&SK have both said they need to add speed at WR. It will be interesting to see which players they single out.
12. BA&SK have also spoken quite a bit about "getting athletic, speedy guys to stop Wilson and Kaepernick." We can expect to see some interesting choices in this regard. Keim conceded that "the big fast guys all go off the board early"---which means that in order to keep upgrading the speed on defense they may have to take a good, long look at undersized edge players such as Dee Ford (6-2, 238, Auburn), Chris Smith (6-2, 250, Arkansas) or Ryan Shazier (6-2, 226, Ohio St.)...that is unless they deem that some of the other later first, second round edge prospects like Trent Murphy (6-4, 261, Stanford), Scott Crichton (6-3, 263, Oregon St.) or Trevor Reilly (6-5, 245, Utah) are speedy enough to track down the NFC West QBs on the move.
13. It does seem that based on the BA&SK need criteria that Kyle Van Noy (6-3, 235, BYU) is the one player in this draft who has the edge and cover speed that is made to order for the defense. The issue may be whether they would have him as BPA at #20---at which point they may trade down---which Keim loves to do (as he did so well last year) to add extra picks.
14. Lastly, I would be very curious to know how high Aaron Donald (6-1, 288, Pittsburgh) is on Steve Keim's draft board because of all the players I've been studying and watching film of, Donald seems to epitomize everything Keim wants in a player---the motor, the passion, the leadership, the production, the instincts, the big play ability---it's just that he's short, but then again so is Geno Atkins, and he is like what Notre Dame's HC Brian Kelly said about Aaron Donald: "he is a one man wrecking crew." In Todd Bowles' defense, Donald actually would be made to order because he's got the quickest first step and burst in the draft and his low center of gravity would be a great asset in tackling Wilson and Kaepernick at the knees (which, as we have seen is where you need to tackle them). I'd bet you Keim has Donald rated way up near the top.
In the past 24 hours---as a fan, I have learned a great deal about what BA&SK are thinking heading into FA and the NFL Draft.
Here are some of the things I've gleaned:
1. They are 100% committed to QB Carson Palmer for next few years.
2. They don't believe in drafting a QB high only to have him hold a clipboard.
3. They won't be drafting a QB high in this draft.
4. If there is a QB later in the draft that they think can beat out #3 Ryan Lindley and eventually challenge Drew Stanton for the #2, then yes, they will draft a QB---for those purposes.
5. They've held on to Ryan Williams because they still believe in his talent. Williams is very much in the mix, but as BA pointed out very tersely, "unless we like the option behind Door Number 2 better."
6. BA keeps using that term: Door Number 2 because it speaks very specifically to the BA&SK philosophy of building a deep competitive roster. With them it doesn't just stop at Door Number 2---there's Door Number 3 and Door Number 4.
7. They want to get more physical, deeper and more competitive on both sides of the ball. And here is how they will go about it:
* They have a value board for free agents that is 3-4 deep at every need position. The value board is ranked by a talent grade and a salary figure that they believe fits the talent value (with tangibles such as age, experience and medical histories factored in).
For example---it might look something like this:
LT
1. Eugene Monroe. Talent Grade: 8.5 Figure Ceiling: $7M per.
2. Brandon Albert: Talent Grade: 8.3 Figure Ceiling: $6.5M per.
3. Jared Veldheer: Talent Grade: 8.1 Figure Ceiling: $5.5M per
4. Anthony Collins: Talent Grade: 7.9 Figure Ceiling: $4.0M per.
5. Rodger Saffold: Talent Grade: 7.9. Figure Ceiling: $3.8M per.
Beside those figures are the names and numbers of the players' agents and quite possibly a guaranteed money figure ceiling.
BA has indicated that tackle isn't necessarily the team's biggest priority. What this statement means is that we shouldn't automatically think that the Cardinals are going to take a tackle at #20.
If they are not able to sign (open) any of the 4 UFA options (doors) above, then that could impact their thinking at #20. Until then, the thinking is that they are going to be able to sign one of their top 4 targets and thus direct their attention to taking the BPA at #20. If that happens to be an offensive lineman, then so be it. But they won't know until they are on the clock, depending on what players are still on the board.
Sitting behind all these doors is Bradley Sowell. Notice that BA&SK have praised Sowell and have indicated that they believe he will keep improving. BA knows that the Cardinals won 7 of the last 9 games with Sowell at LT---so BA knows that if need be, he could move forward with Sowell again at LT.
The good news is that BA loves the two TE formations, which creates a LT comfort zone---BA also showed ways to chip and help on the RDEs when he had to in 3 and 4 WR sets.
While BA obviously would prefer to have a player at LT that he doesn't have to help as much---it's not the end of the world if he has to play Sowell, a high effort guy, if need be.
Steve Keim indicated that the first few days of free agency will dictate whether they will try to re-sign RT Eric Winston. It could be that there is another UFA RT whom BA&SK have rated higher than Winston---one who may well be in the same salary range, or close enough.
They like Winston, so they will turn to him if the situation presents itself.
8. At TE, BA stated today that he likes his TEs to be able to "block first and catch second." What that suggests very strongly is that hybrid TEs such as Eric Ebron and Jace Amaro are not in the picture at #20.
As for Austin Seferian-Jenkins that may be a different story. The 2013 Mackey Award winner's receptions were down this past year, but only because Washington committed more time and plays to the running game, of which ASJ was a major part of as a blocking TE.
BA played Bobby Massie at TE last year out of necessity. One would imagine that having a blocking/receiving TE in the 6-6/270 range would be a boon for BA and his offense. If not ASJ (6-6, 267), then keep an eye on Iowa's C.J. Fiedorwicz (6-6, 265) and Georgia's Arthur Lynch (6-5, 264) as 3rd or 4th round possibilities.
BA already has a hybrid pass receiving TE in Rob Housler, which BA started moving all over the formations like an H-Back, like the time in Week 17 when Palmer hit Housler on a corner route run from an off-set spot in the backfield.
9. Steve Keim has stated that one of the other top priorities is to add some DBs with "length" who can help to "solve our TE cover issues." How many GMs and HCs tell you straight out exactly what they are looking for?
As fans this helps us narrow our focus on what the DB pool is for cover guys with "length."
In FA---Chris Clemons (6-1, 214, 6, Clemson) would seem ideal because he is good in coverage, is also a solid tackler and he knows Todd Bowles' system.
In the draft---Calvin Pryor (6-2, 210, Louisville), Justin Gilbert (6-0, 195, Oklahoma St.) and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (6-1, 208, Alabama) are legit first round possibilities. In rounds 2-3, the other possibilities include Deone Bucannon (6-1, 192, Washington St.), Stanley Jean Baptiste (6-3, 220, Nebraska), Ed Reynolds (6-2, 205, Stanford) and Pierre Desire (6-2, 195, Lindenwood).
10. Keim focuses on "not finding characters, but finding character"...and finding players who can "sort through information"...and players who "love the game of football."
We saw those focus areas manifest themselves saliently in last year's picks---from Cooper, to Minter, to Honey Badger, and right on down the line---even in a few of the UCFAs or waiver wire acquisitions Keim picked up like Tony Jefferson, Bradley Sowell, Almeda Ta'amu, etc.
It's one of the main reasons why there is so much love for a guy like Alfonso Smith---who puts his heart and soul into everything he does.
Keim keeps saying how he has learned from his mistakes about falling in love with talent but overlooking the lack of sustained effort or passion in players.
It makes one wonder what player Keim would want if he had the #1 pick in this year's draft. A betting man would have to think twice about Keim taking Jadeveon Clowney, especially after his own coach at South Carolina was recently very ho-hum about Clowney's work ethic.
Keim wants team captains---guys whom coaches rave about---guys who play all-out all the time.
In Indy, he has tapes prepared for the prospects he will be meeting with---on the tape will be an array of good plays and an array of bad plays and he wants the prospects to comment on why the good plays were good and why the bad plays were bad. Those answers tell Keim pretty much everything he wants to know about the player's character and his understanding of the game.
Not sure how many GMs go to this extent---but it sure speaks well to Keim's dedication and his own passion. And it shows too how personally invested he gets in the players he recruits.
11. BA&SK have both said they need to add speed at WR. It will be interesting to see which players they single out.
12. BA&SK have also spoken quite a bit about "getting athletic, speedy guys to stop Wilson and Kaepernick." We can expect to see some interesting choices in this regard. Keim conceded that "the big fast guys all go off the board early"---which means that in order to keep upgrading the speed on defense they may have to take a good, long look at undersized edge players such as Dee Ford (6-2, 238, Auburn), Chris Smith (6-2, 250, Arkansas) or Ryan Shazier (6-2, 226, Ohio St.)...that is unless they deem that some of the other later first, second round edge prospects like Trent Murphy (6-4, 261, Stanford), Scott Crichton (6-3, 263, Oregon St.) or Trevor Reilly (6-5, 245, Utah) are speedy enough to track down the NFC West QBs on the move.
13. It does seem that based on the BA&SK need criteria that Kyle Van Noy (6-3, 235, BYU) is the one player in this draft who has the edge and cover speed that is made to order for the defense. The issue may be whether they would have him as BPA at #20---at which point they may trade down---which Keim loves to do (as he did so well last year) to add extra picks.
14. Lastly, I would be very curious to know how high Aaron Donald (6-1, 288, Pittsburgh) is on Steve Keim's draft board because of all the players I've been studying and watching film of, Donald seems to epitomize everything Keim wants in a player---the motor, the passion, the leadership, the production, the instincts, the big play ability---it's just that he's short, but then again so is Geno Atkins, and he is like what Notre Dame's HC Brian Kelly said about Aaron Donald: "he is a one man wrecking crew." In Todd Bowles' defense, Donald actually would be made to order because he's got the quickest first step and burst in the draft and his low center of gravity would be a great asset in tackling Wilson and Kaepernick at the knees (which, as we have seen is where you need to tackle them). I'd bet you Keim has Donald rated way up near the top.
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