Backtracking Cardinals

[Mitch]

Generally, teams that need to backtrack in order to make up for poor draft decisions and player development are going to wallow at best in mediocrity.

Take a close look at the Cardinals' First Round Picks 2006-2011:

1. QB Matt Leinart---OUT
2. T Levi Brown---questionable LT
3. CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie---TRADED
4. RB Beanie Wells---backup
5. DT Dan Williams---projected starter
6. CB Patrick Peterson---projected starter

2006 Leinart---because he was never developed properly, now the Cardinals find themselves in a position where they have to trade 2008 1st round pick CB DRC---in order to acquire a starting QB in Kevin Kolb.

2007 Brown---the Cardinals' failure to develop LT Leonard Davis (Rd. 1 pick in 2001), or should it be said, their failure to play Davis at his more natural position of RG---makes the Levi Brown situation seem like deja vu all over again. More than likely, unless the Cardinals suddenly get wise and acquire a LT in free agency this year, if they have solved the QB situation, they will have to draft a LT in the first round next year.

2008 Rodgers-Cromartie---rare talent who has not been developed properly and is now going to be an Eagle and another wasted first round pick.

2009 Wells---the most sustained action he got last year was in the 2nd half of pre-season games, causing the team to backtrack again in order to draft RB Ryan Williams in the 2nd round of this year's draft. In both cases---Wells' and Ryan Williams' the Cardinals ignored glaring defensive needs to bolster a defense that in the past two years has been embarrassingly poor.

2010 Dan Williams---despite playing behind a 14 year veteran who does not belong playing NT in the NFL, Williams was unable to win the starting job. He showed flashes of excellent talent---but seemed gassed after two snaps. if he doesn't work out, the Cardinals will have to backtrack again to find the anchor for its 34 defense.

2011 Peterson---in his case you can justify taking him regardless of need. However, as it turns out, adding Peterson was a backtracking move that enables the Cardinals to trade DRC and acquire a QB.

It goes round and round---

Meanwhile---the team continues to have glaring weaknesses on the offensive line (where they have not drafted a player in the last two drafts) and at linebacker, where the Cardinals have yet to manifest pass rushing ability in the 4 years that Coach Whisenhunt has been in Arizona.

The Cardinals' Plan

Whisenhunt has avowed that the Cardinals have a plan and that they will be aggressive in their attempt to regain the NFC West crown.

Obviously, Whisenhunt has determined that Kevin Kolb is the franchise QB the team needs to build around.

In essence, the Eagles are doing with Kolb what the Cardinals should have done with Matt Leinart when they re-signed Kurt Warner, who wrested the job away from Leinart the way Mike Vick wrested the job away from Kolb. I said this at the time---it was an off-season like this one where multiple teams had QB needs---and Leinart could still have attracted someone's attention---not to the tune of a potential All-Pro CB and a 2nd rounder, mind you---but at least there could have been decent value in return.

One of the main problems was that---unlike Kolb---Leinart made no noise about being moved---Leinart was heading into his 5th year---like Kolb---the time to be a starting QB was NOW, not later. At least Kolb has the moxie and desire to get his starting career started.

The question about Leinart that has becoming more and more clear? Has he ever really wanted to be a starting QB in the NFL? He stayed at USC when he would have been a top 3 pick in the 2007 draft. Now---with all the QB opportunities in the league---instead of signing with Seattle, where he had as much of a chance of winning the QB job as the ketchup man versus the mustard and relish men in the amusing ballpark races, he re-signs with the texans, where not only does he have zero chance to win the starter's job, he is going to have to try to beat out Dan Orlovsky for the #2 job. Leinart is now watching his best potential years dwindle away while he holds a clipboard.

Kolb is a different story---he comes here hungry---and he comes here believing that the Cardinals can "be great."

That's a great start---that and having already developed a rapport with Larry Fitzgerald.

Now--here's the tough part. Kolb is going to have to endear himself to the fastidious, exacting Coach Whisenhunt---Andy Reid is more of hands-on type coach, a real players' coach who tries very diligently to develop trust in his players. With Reid, who is also exacting in his own way, there's more wiggle room.

The promising news here is that Kolb's development and natural assimilation into the offense will be something Whisenhunt will have to take full responsibility for---Whisenhunt has tabbed Kolb as his man---Leinart was Denny Green's. OK, fine. But, if Kolb struggles and Whisenhunt loses confidence in Kolb---both he and Kolb could find themselves working in another state.

There's only one way Kolb could struggle and Whisenhunt could still survive as the head coach and that is if 2010 5th round pick John Skelton saves the team and Whiz's butt. Skelton is one of Whiz's charges as well---which cannot be overlooked. However, imo, Whisenhunt has not handled Skelton well thus far, first by overlooking him too long last season, second by embarrassing Skelton by questioning whether he should start a QB signed fresh off the street instead, and third by not doing enough this off-season to champion Skelton's potential.

Whisenhunt, by all accounts and purposes, is going to have to make the Kolb decision work. And let's remember that Kolb has yet to play a full season in the NFL. There will need to be a great deal of patience---and a great deal of confidence building. To expect Kolb to be the immediate panacea to the team's woes is a quixotic notion.

There has been no off-season---which will make Kolb's assimilation all the more challenging. He will need to learn the playbook---not just the terminology but the nuances of it---and he will have to start developing timing and trust with his WRs. Those things naturally take time.

There will be a great deal of pressure on Kolb to be an immediate success---again, there will need to be real patience on everyone's part...especially Whisenhunt's and Kolb's.

Free Agent Signings:

The Cardinals' plan seems to be centered on signing players heading into their primes (5-6 years of experience).

I think this is very wise.

The additions of TE Jeff King and G Daryn Colledge are very good moves. King is the blocking TE the team needs---and he's real good at it. Colledge is fresh off winning a ring---and he is athletic and sneaky strong. If you have ESPN Insider, go check out their analysis of him---it is a great read.

The defensive signings will need to be the major splashers. It seems that under Whisenhunt the offense always gets first attention---as it has thus far---even with the UCFA signings where the one major splash was signing C Kristopher O'Dowd---who may have the best chance of any of them to make the roster.

The Kolb move---highlights the backtracking the Cardinals have done the past 5-6 years---it is a gutsy move---and Whisenhunt has to make it work---or the cycle will keep repeating itself.

But---the best thing the Cardinals can do right now is build that defense---and strengthen the offensive line. And who knows? Good puzzle parts and team chemistry can go a long way.

 

[Goldfield]

Mitch, I like your stuff. But I think it gets longer & longer everyday.

I just cant do it.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

We drafted DRC, we started DRC, DRC helped us get to the Superbowl.

Since then, DRC has been exposed and as far as we can tell, there are maturity issues.

DRC has value to land a potential starting QB, one we likely wouldn't get without DRC.

That is not a wasted first round pick, that is good business sense.

 

[Mulli]

We drafted DRC, we started DRC, DRC helped us get to the Superbowl.

Since then, DRC has been exposed and as far as we can tell, there are maturity issues.

DRC has value to land a potential starting QB, one we likely wouldn't get without DRC.

That is not a wasted first round pick, that is good business sense.

 

[Renz]

We drafted DRC, we started DRC, DRC helped us get to the Super Bowl.

Since then, DRC has been exposed and as far as we can tell, there are maturity issues.

DRC has value to land a potential starting QB, one we likely wouldn't get without DRC.

That is not a wasted first round pick, that is good business sense.

 

[Reddog]

Mitch if you recall we were all thrilled to know we had a great plan in place when we all thought Matt Lienart was the real deal. HOF QB in Warner and then Matt ready to succeed him. Warner was about done and Vick is thought to have many years left. We would have lynched the front office if they traded Lienart back then. All indications were he was going to be a winner.

 

[Mitch]

Mitch if you recall we were all thrilled to know we had a great plan in place when we all thought Matt Lienart was the real deal. HOF QB in Warner and then Matt ready to succeed him. Warner was about done and Vick is thought to have many years left. We would have lynched the front office if they traded Lienart back then. All indications were he was going to be a winner.

Good points, Reddog.

Not sure that Vick has many years left---but you are right, Warner was on his way out---but it was supposed to be 2 years later, when Leinart was due a ridiculous $16M---which made his situation all the more tenuous.

Plus---did you ever honestly get the sense that Whiz was high on Leinart?

 

[Duckjake]

We drafted DRC, we started DRC, DRC helped us get to the Superbowl.

Since then, DRC has been exposed and as far as we can tell, there are maturity issues.

DRC has value to land a potential starting QB, one we likely wouldn't get without DRC.

That is not a wasted first round pick, that is good business sense.

But what does it say about the Cardinals and their first round draft picks? I know its the players who messed up not the organization. Every player but one going back to 1991. Right.

 

[Mitch]

Mitch, I like your stuff. But I think it gets longer & longer everyday.

I just cant do it.

That's OK, pal. I will try to shorten them.

I haven't written for days---it was all pent up.

 

[Mulli]

But what does it say about the Cardinals and their first round draft picks? I know its the players who messed up not the organization. Every player but one going back to 1991. Right.

To me, it depends on how good Kolb turns out to be.

 

[Mitch]

We drafted DRC, we started DRC, DRC helped us get to the Superbowl.

Since then, DRC has been exposed and as far as we can tell, there are maturity issues.

DRC has value to land a potential starting QB, one we likely wouldn't get without DRC.

That is not a wasted first round pick, that is good business sense.

I see the gist of your syllogism here, b8rt...but my point is that if we had drafted the franchise QB in the 1st round, we wouldn't have to resort to trading other 1st rounders and in this case a 2nd rounder as well.

Plus---I would have liked to know how improved DRC would have been under a much stronger defensive coordinator---who happens to be a DB specialist.

We won't have that chance now.

 

[Duckjake]

To me, it depends on how good Kolb turns out to be.

Not relevant at all if as some are implying that DRC is only expendable because he hasn't played well as the poster implied. So DRC would be yet another guy who underperformed in Arizona and was let go to play somewhere else.

The only difference is that at least this time the Cards received some potential value in return.

 

[Mulli]

Not relevant at all if as some are implying that DRC is only expendable because he hasn't played well as the poster implied. So DRC would be yet another guy who underperformed in Arizona and was let go to play somewhere else.

The only difference is that at least this time the Cards received some potential value in return.

Totally relevant if he played well enough to help get them to the Super Bowl and to land a starting QB. Absolutely relevant.

 

[Krangodnzr]

But what does it say about the Cardinals and their first round draft picks? I know its the players who messed up not the organization. Every player but one going back to 1991. Right.

That's looking at it without any context.

We've had some pretty good first rounders, but those are the exception no the rule.

Good players while playing with the team: Simeon Rice, Jamir Miller, Eric Swann, DRC, Fitzgerald, David Boston, and Antrelle Rolle.

Busts: Ernest Dye, Tom Knight, Andre Wadsworth, Wendell Bryant, Bryant Johnson, Matt Leinart, Levi Brown.

Unrealized Potential with Cardinals (guys who either never showed it with the team or were solid, but unspectacular players): Garrison Hearst, LJ Shelton, Thomas Jones, Leonard Davis, and Calvin Pace.

Jury still out: Beanie Wells and Dan Williams.

Each and every player that didn't work out had his own issue, or the team had some issue. What is the overarching theme, and IMO where the team is failed is on the guys under "Unrealized Potential...". Those are the guys you resign and try and make it work with, because in quite a few cases, those guys either became serviceable NFL players or stars.

The overarching theme, is that this team has failed to resign guys and failed to adequately replace them through the draft and free agency. We've gotten abit better at this (Calais Campbell replacing Antonio Smith, Kerry Rhodes replacing Antrelle Rolle) but we're still drafting too often to replace serviceable NFL players that the team let walk without a viable replacement.

If we don't sign a good NFL WR to replace Breaston, we'll likely be looking to draft one next year, even though we've used recent third rounders on Roberts and Doucet...

 

[Krangodnzr]

Mitch, where I disagree with your premise, is that Whisenhunt didn't do enough to develop Leinart.

IMO Leinart doesn't have the mental make up to be an elite NFL QB and Whisenhunt knew this. Dave Razzano was talking about this on Twitter last night; Leinart is comfortable just being on an NFL roster and doesn't have the "fighter's mentality" of a Warner, a Brady, or a Peyton Manning.

IMO Leinart will never be a great, or even good NFL QB until he changes his attitude. I don't see how you can expect the coach to fix that.

 

[john h]

Mitch if you recall we were all thrilled to know we had a great plan in place when we all thought Matt Lienart was the real deal. HOF QB in Warner and then Matt ready to succeed him. Warner was about done and Vick is thought to have many years left. We would have lynched the front office if they traded Lienart back then. All indications were he was going to be a winner.

I thought we were he luckiest team in the NFL when Leinart fell to us in the draft. I do not recall one negative comment about him being our #1. I did wonder how all those teams ahead of us would let this college superstar get passed them.

 

[john h]

Mitch if you recall we were all thrilled to know we had a great plan in place when we all thought Matt Lienart was the real deal. HOF QB in Warner and then Matt ready to succeed him. Warner was about done and Vick is thought to have many years left. We would have lynched the front office if they traded Lienart back then. All indications were he was going to be a winner.

Leinarts failure was on Leinart not the coaches or anyone else. You cannot coach a duck to be a swan. The duck may have looked like a swan but he was not.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Leinarts failure was on Leinart not the coaches or anyone else. You cannot coach a duck to be a swan. The duck may have looked like a swan but he was not.

 

[Mitch]

That's looking at it without any context.

We've had some pretty good first rounders, but those are the exception no the rule.

Good players while playing with the team: Simeon Rice, Jamir Miller, Eric Swann, DRC, Fitzgerald, David Boston, and Antrelle Rolle.

Busts: Ernest Dye, Tom Knight, Andre Wadsworth, Wendell Bryant, Bryant Johnson, Matt Leinart, Levi Brown.

Unrealized Potential with Cardinals (guys who either never showed it with the team or were solid, but unspectacular players): Garrison Hearst, LJ Shelton, Thomas Jones, Leonard Davis, and Calvin Pace.

Jury still out: Beanie Wells and Dan Williams.

Each and every player that didn't work out had his own issue, or the team had some issue. What is the overarching theme, and IMO where the team is failed is on the guys under "Unrealized Potential...". Those are the guys you resign and try and make it work with, because in quite a few cases, those guys either became serviceable NFL players or stars.

The overarching theme, is that this team has failed to resign guys and failed to adequately replace them through the draft and free agency. We've gotten abit better at this (Calais Campbell replacing Antonio Smith, Kerry Rhodes replacing Antrelle Rolle) but we're still drafting too often to replace serviceable NFL players that the team let walk without a viable replacement.

If we don't sign a good NFL WR to replace Breaston, we'll likely be looking to draft one next year, even though we've used recent third rounders on Roberts and Doucet...

Excellent post, Krang! Very comprehensive overview!

 

[chickenhead]

I still think getting Leinart at #10 was a good pick to make. And frankly, though at present he's done the least of the Cutler-Young-Leinart trio, Young sabotaged his own situation in TN, and Cutler now has a much higher premium on him in Chicago based on what they gave up.

 

[40yearfan]

Leinarts failure was on Leinart not the coaches or anyone else. You cannot coach a duck to be a swan. The duck may have looked like a swan but he was not.

 

[john h]

To me, it depends on how good Kolb turns out to be.

Our future as a team for the next 3-5 years is based on Kolb being a real NFL starting QB. If he fails, the hunt for a QB starts all over again and we will have perhaps given up an all-star DB and high draft pick. This is a real roll of the dice with very high stakes. I wonder how long a contract the Cards are going to give Kolb? I would guess 3 yrs with a Cards option for year 4? The Eagles have put him in a position to guarantee a big salary. He should give the Eagles a big bonus.

Those other decent QB's who were available when the CBA was concluded sure went off the board fast. Like 5 hours or so. Why would the teams who picked them up not go after Kolb? Maybe for the same reason 10 or more teams passed on a projected superstar in Leinart? The only thing that makes me feel somewhat positive about Kolb is that Fitz apparently likes him for whatever reason.

Was Kolb really our first choice? I doubt we will really ever know. Did our plan A & B fall through for what ever reason? We will never know that either. If kolb is great or fails who is going to get the credit? Graves, Whiz, the Bidwills, a joint effort? Ultimately only one man can say yes or know to a deal. You may have 4 or 5 with input but only one man can say "Do it". I like stand up guys who will say it was my decision and I made it. Whether Kolb is a winner or loser. Old Harry Truman always had that desk sign that read "The Buck Stops Here". No sign in the Cards organization like that. Jerry Jones, like him or not, makes the decisions and takes what ever credit goes with them.

 

[john h]

Not relevant at all if as some are implying that DRC is only expendable because he hasn't played well as the poster implied. So DRC would be yet another guy who underperformed in Arizona and was let go to play somewhere else.

The only difference is that at least this time the Cards received some potential value in return.

Got to look at the entire deal. Not only is DRC gone but so is a high draft pick or two and we will lock into a high dollar deal with Kolb. I would think a minimum of three years or more. This is a major and big deal for the Cards. We are all in on this deal. I would suspect the old Mr. B will have to sign off on the contract terms including the money involved. He is not senile when it comes to money.

 

[john h]

That's looking at it without any context.

We've had some pretty good first rounders, but those are the exception no the rule.

Good players while playing with the team: Simeon Rice, Jamir Miller, Eric Swann, DRC, Fitzgerald, David Boston, and Antrelle Rolle.

Busts: Ernest Dye, Tom Knight, Andre Wadsworth, Wendell Bryant, Bryant Johnson, Matt Leinart, Levi Brown.

Unrealized Potential with Cardinals (guys who either never showed it with the team or were solid, but unspectacular players): Garrison Hearst, LJ Shelton, Thomas Jones, Leonard Davis, and Calvin Pace.

Jury still out: Beanie Wells and Dan Williams.

Each and every player that didn't work out had his own issue, or the team had some issue. What is the overarching theme, and IMO where the team is failed is on the guys under "Unrealized Potential...". Those are the guys you resign and try and make it work with, because in quite a few cases, those guys either became serviceable NFL players or stars.

The overarching theme, is that this team has failed to resign guys and failed to adequately replace them through the draft and free agency. We've gotten abit better at this (Calais Campbell replacing Antonio Smith, Kerry Rhodes replacing Antrelle Rolle) but we're still drafting too often to replace serviceable NFL players that the team let walk without a viable replacement.

If we don't sign a good NFL WR to replace Breaston, we'll likely be looking to draft one next year, even though we've used recent third rounders on Roberts and Doucet...

Hearst and Jones sure standout in my memory. Jones is still haunting us. Both of those guys make last years runners look like pee wee league players. Perhaps our greatest deal ever was the signing of Kurt Warner. I think our best draft choice over the past 20 years was Larry Fitz. Dennis Green's finest hour. I sure did not see that coming. As Dennis would put it Fitz is what we thought he was.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Hearst and Jones sure standout in my memory. Jones is still haunting us. Both of those guys make last years runners look like pee wee league players. Perhaps our greatest deal ever was the signing of Kurt Warner. I think our best draft choice over the past 20 years was Larry Fitz. Dennis Green's finest hour. I sure did not see that coming. As Dennis would put it Fitz is what we thought he was.

I think Wells, THT, Williams, and LSH are credible NFL runningbacks.

We've seen the upside of Tim Hightower; he's a competent, unspectacular player who can stick on most NFL rosters as a backup runner, but lacks the creativity to be a frontline starter. But he can block, catch, and occasionally bust a big play if the running lanes are open. His fumbling is a problem, and if he doesn't correct it soon, he won't be in the NFL much longer. NFL coaches have little tolerance for backs that fumble, especially backup runners.

Beanie Wells has all the measureables of an elite NFL runner: size, speed, and cutting ability. What he lacks is the intangibles and learned skills that elite NFL runningbacks also have: toughness, catching ability, blocking ability, and ball control. It also doesn't help that he doesn't have elite balance; anyone who has objectively watched Beanie so far, will note his inability to avoid going down from lower body hits. IMO this isn't going to change, Beanie will always struggle with this. He also doesn't push the pile the way you would expect for a back his size. Fortunately, he has enough speed and cutting ability to be an effective back if he has the running lanes. I'm not giving up fully on Beanie, but I'm largely unconvinced that he'll ever become an effective NFL starter.

Ryan Williams was one of my favorite backs in college football over the past few years. He has that toughness, that swagger that great players have. He's an incredibly creative runner, and if you look at alot of his longer runs, he made something out of nothing. He has been accused of getting tackled from behind too often, but I see this happening mainly when he's trying to cut back too much because the running lanes aren't open. Williams is tough; he's often been accused of running too hard for a back his size. Well Emmitt Smith ran too hard too, and he is the NFL's all time leading rusher. Williams is a smart football player who should quickly excel at the nuances of the position. There is a reason that the Cardinals drafted him so high even though the fan base didn't perceive runningback as a need: the team views him as better than what we have, and a player capable of becoming the team's starting RB early in his career. I agree with their assessment, and I'm excited about his potential with the team.