Biggest Draft Bust In Arizona Cardinals History

[Jetstream Green]

Again, Butz was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. Honestly, do people read anymore?

Next time, instead of stating "I'm limiting this to the 30 draft seasons", say 'you' are limited, since it then comes across as a personal choice on your behalf answering the question and for a franchise which has moved twice, their current title would also not sway a long time fan to limit their choice... yes, I do read but will then choose Jonathan Cooper under those parameters lol

 

[BigRedRage]

Leinart was a "gift from god" and penned franchise QB that flat out sucked his way out of the league. Biggest bust for me.

 

[Cardsmasochist]

I voted for Dave Butz. While he had a pretty good career, it wasn't with the Cardinals. I was expecting BIG things from BIG Dave.

The same could be said about Garrison Hearst and to a lesser extent Thomas Jones.

 

[Patrick]

Easy for me: Levi Brown top bust not only for what he couldn't do, but also for what we could have drafted in his place.

Rosenbach should not be on this list IMO, now if you had another poll that said "Worst Thing To Ever Happen to The Cardinals in Pre-season". I would list Timm R.

All I recall about Timm's injury is the local news interviewing Larry Wilson who couldn't stop chain smoking cigarettes.

 

[cardncubfan]

Garrison Hearst had a pretty good career post injury with the 49'ers. How is he a bust? He had 1,570 yards in 1998. How in the hell is that a bust?


http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HearGa00.htm

 

[Dude]

Leinart was a "gift from god" and penned franchise QB that flat out sucked his way out of the league. Biggest bust for me.

That would have been my pick.

I can't get anything right today. I didn't see him on the list.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

I agree with some of the others - really, a bust has to be taken first round (maybe second) and just plain suck for reasons other than injury. Wendell Bryant and Bryant Johnson are my choices.

 

[Garthshort]

NJCardFan, I apologize. I just read the title of the Thread, and who the choices were. At 80 years of age, on occasion I'll take short cuts. Sorry about that.

 

[cardncubfan]

Leinart was not a bust. A bust doesn't throw for over 400 yards in an NFL game. On Monday Night Football no less. Whisenhunt mishandled him. He had a passion for the game when he was drafted DG. Whisenhunt took that passion away.

 

[NJCardFan]

Leinart was not a bust. A bust doesn't throw for over 400 yards in an NFL game. On Monday Night Football no less. Whisenhunt mishandled him. He had a passion for the game when he was drafted DG. Whisenhunt took that passion away.

Using bust criteria he is a bust and your assertion that someone who threw for over 400 yards in a game does not a bust make is simply not true. Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn. For example, Tim Smith of the Redskins ran for over 200 yards in the Super Bowl and was never heard from again. Not a bust per se because he wasn't a high draft pick but just goes to show that sometimes a player has a good day. As for Leenert, he had other chances in Houston and Oakland and flopped there as well. Also, he had just the one 400 yard game otherwise he never threw for more than 250 yards. Oh, and he didn't throw for 400 yards on Monday night. He only threw for 232 yards in that game. His lone 400 yard game was against Minnesota.

NJCardFan, I apologize. I just read the title of the Thread, and who the choices were. At 80 years of age, on occasion I'll take short cuts. Sorry about that.

Don't let it happen again young man!

 

[BigRedRage]

Leinart was not a bust. A bust doesn't throw for over 400 yards in an NFL game. On Monday Night Football no less. Whisenhunt mishandled him. He had a passion for the game when he was drafted DG. Whisenhunt took that passion away.

Bust = waste of a pick. Leinart was that. He barely even was a backup after leaving arizona. he sucks.

 

[kerouac9]

Using bust criteria he is a bust and your assertion that someone who threw for over 400 yards in a game does not a bust make is simply not true. Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn. For example, Tim Smith of the Redskins ran for over 200 yards in the Super Bowl and was never heard from again. Not a bust per se because he wasn't a high draft pick but just goes to show that sometimes a player has a good day. As for Leenert, he had other chances in Houston and Oakland and flopped there as well. Also, he had just the one 400 yard game otherwise he never threw for more than 250 yards. Oh, and he didn't throw for 400 yards on Monday night. He only threw for 232 yards in that game. His lone 400 yard game was against Minnesota.


Don't let it happen again young man!

I'm fine with considering Leinart a bust. But I don't know about considering him the "biggest bust." It was a unique situation, and I think that Whis being a terrible coach contributed at least somewhat to his failure.

I just don't think that Leinart's career here really compares to Cooper, who had 11 starts in three seasons and was completely unremarkable.

 

[BigRedRage]

I'm fine with considering Leinart a bust. But I don't know about considering him the "biggest bust." It was a unique situation, and I think that Whis being a terrible coach contributed at least somewhat to his failure.

I just don't think that Leinart's career here really compares to Cooper, who had 11 starts in three seasons and was completely unremarkable.

as a top ten pick, IMO, hes a bust. If he went somewhere else and played maybe I would agree but he sucked everywhere he went, not just here.

 

[kerouac9]

as a top ten pick, IMO, hes a bust. If he went somewhere else and played maybe I would agree but he sucked everywhere he went, not just here.

Is there somewhere where I say that he can't be considered a bust?

 

[Big D]

Cooper may be more fresh in our minds and was picked higher, but to me it's Wendell Bryant and it's not even close.

I don't think the guy ever made a single play or even showed a flash of potentially being even an average player. Then he got suspended and was never seen or heard from again.

At least Cooper aided in the acquisition of C. Jones.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I've got to go with Wadsworth.

#3 overall with huge expectations...

Result = Meh.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Leinart was not a bust. A bust doesn't throw for over 400 yards in an NFL game. On Monday Night Football no less. Whisenhunt mishandled him. He had a passion for the game when he was drafted DG. Whisenhunt took that passion away.

Good lord... if wiz could take his passion away... while naming him a starter MULTIPLE TIMES before HE choked it away, then he never had passion to begin with.

And considering the fact that he NEVER did ANYTHING anywhere else, is proof of that.

A guy like McCown has been yanked in and out of lineups for YEARS and keeps going. That's passion.

Leinart was a joke. And defending him as not a bust is an even bigger joke.

 

[TJ]

I've got to go with Wadsworth.

#3 overall with huge expectations...

Result = Meh.

More than Wendell Bryant?

You can legitimately pin Wads's shortcomings on significant knee injuries. Bryant was simply a lazy, out of shape slob who did nothing and didn't care.

 

[NJCardFan]

More than Wendell Bryant?

You can legitimately pin Wads's shortcomings on significant knee injuries. Bryant was simply a lazy, out of shape slob who did nothing and didn't care.

I often wonder how scary Wasdworth would have been if A) he had a full camp in 1998 and B) he didn't have injury problems. He and Rice could have gone down as one of the greatest defensive end combos in history. But after careful consideration I have to agree with Bryant.

 

[Harry]

Okay I'm cheating, but this was possibly the worst choice in NFL history. Back when they were the STL Cardinals Dollar Bill instructed the GM that he should find a draft choice who would sign for the amount DB wanted to pay. In fact they negotiated a contract before the draft. This led the NFL to make it illegal for any team to negotiate with a player except for the first pick. His name was Clyde Duncan, a WR from Tenn. His career lasted 11 games. He caught 4 passes for a total of 39 yards. That was what it was like to be a Cardinal fan in those days.

 

[Cardiac]

Okay I'm cheating, but this was possibly the worst choice in NFL history. Back when they were the STL Cardinals Dollar Bill instructed the GM that he should find a draft choice who would sign for the amount DB wanted to pay. In fact they negotiated a contract before the draft. This led the NFL to make it illegal for any team to negotiate with a player except for the first pick. His name was Clyde Duncan, a WR from Tenn. His career lasted 11 games. He caught 4 passes for a total of 39 yards. That was what it was like to be a Cardinal fan in those days.

Thanks for the inside scoop on that horrific pick. What tidbits do you have on the Steve Pisarkiewicz?

 

[Shane]

Andre Wadsworth.. Injury or not the hype surrounding that guy was unmatched... Easily the biggest bust in history of the team.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Andre Wadsworth.. Injury or not the hype surrounding that guy was unmatched... Easily the biggest bust in history of the team.

Yep. Only drafted third because QB's went 1 and 2. Many teams had him rated as their top pick regardless of position.

Wendell who? Not even a top 10 choice. Pshaw.

 

[Big D]

Wadsworth actually had an impact on the field when he played. He was a big contributor on a playoff team and had a couple sacks in the playoff victory against Dallas.

Wendell Bryant literally did NOTHING. Ever. He couldn't even stay sober. He got suspended by the league and basically disappeared off the face of the earth.

Go look up both guys' career numbers and compare them. It's not even remotely close. I don't see why hype should be factored more than actual production (or lack there of). When isn't there hype surrounding a 1st rounder? Robert Nkemdiche anyone?

 

[TJ]

Somewhat stunned by the results.

It's hard for me to label someone like Cooper or Wadsworth a "bust" knowing that they dealt with significant injuries right out of the gates. I can't compare them to guys like Leinart, Levi, and Bryant, who were healthy to start their careers and never produced because they didn't put in the time or energy to become better pros. Instead, they spent a ton of time rehabilitating, especially Wadsworth. If we're factoring in injuries in the equation, Beanie Wells should be an option in this poll because he struggled to solidify a career because he was always injured.

Here's how I rank our busts:

1. Wendell Bryant
2. Levi Brown
3. Matt Leinart
4. Tommy Knight
5. Thomas Jones