Byron Leftwich draft stock falling? Not according to Chris Mortenson.

[Lomax to Green 84]

I just love it when experts on this board give absolute statements. Lately these have been the absolute statements that we have heard:

We will not draft a defensive tackle with our 6th pick

We will not draft a reciever with our 6th pick

Josh McKown is the quarterback of the future

We will not draft a quarterback with the 6th pick

We will draft Terrell Suggs with either the 6th pick or trade the entire farm to move up and draft him.

I made the same mistake a few months ago when I was on the Willis McGahee bandwagon, coming up with every concievable reason why the Cards would and should draft McGahee. Now the "experts" are spewing out statements that ridicule any position or player except for defensive end and specifically Terrell Suggs. I agree that if Terrell Suggs is there at #6 you absolutely take him. However to make such absolute statements is not the way to go in making your point.

Finding holes in the absolute statements recently thrown out on this board:

1. We will not draft a defensive tackle with the 6th pick-Why not? Does Barron Tanner, Russell Davis, Wendell Bryant, and Marcus Bell scare anyone we might face. I would bet that Clinton Portis would disagree with the assessment that we don't need another good defensive tackle, especially after he gashed us for 220 yards.

2. We will not draft a wide reciever with the 6th pick-Again I ask, why not? Even if the Cards resign Martay Jenkins, this has to be one of the weakest recieving corps in the league. Jenkins as our #1 reciever is really going to scare most defensive coordinators.

3. Josh McKown is the quarterback of the future-So those two stellar mop up jobs and his wishy washy preseason leads us to believe that he is the future. Remember that Josh McKown was a McGinnis pick when Mac was still calling the shots. Many have raised an eyebrow over the James Darling giving Ron McKinnon a run for the starting job statement especially after McKinnon was given an extension, but remember that McKinnon was given an extension when Mac was calling the shots. Rod Graves is now the man and McKown may not be his guy. Lets not forget that Josh McKown was a bust at a Division I school and then had to transfer to a Division I-AA school to blossom.

4. We will not draft a quarterback with the 6th pick-So now that we have Jeff Blake (a 32 year old journeyman who hasn't been a fulltime starter since 1996), we are set at quarterback? We fans must be a heck of a lot smarter than the rest of the league because I can't seem to recall many other teams cutting their quarterbacks for a shot at Blake. Blake, McKown, Parsons-I challenge anyone to name me 3 other teams in the league who have a worse quarterback situation than the Cardinals.

5. We will draft Terrell Suggs-I agree that he needs to be priority #1, but not at the expense of blowing multiple draft choices, and we are living in a fantasy world if we expect the Texans to trade down just for our pick and Thomas Jones.



Is this a draft Byron Leftwich thread? You bet it is. Someone on this board has made comments about Leftwich falling possibly to the bottom half of the first round. Not according to Chris Mortenson. Mort asked 10 personnel guys around the league to give their opinion on who is the best quarterback in the draft and more than half gave Byron Leftwich as their guy. Most said that Leftwich had the best arm going away, the best field vision, and the best leadership skills. The Sporting News said that Leftwich would easily have one of the top 5 strongest arms in the league right up there with Favre, Bledsoe, Vick, and McNabb. Mort said that if Leftwich puts on a show as expected at his personal workout on April 7th and if the leg checks out fine, he could jump ahead of everyone and be the first overall selection.

This is just an opinion, not an absolute. This club needs help all over the place and if either Suggs, Newman, Kennedy, Leftwich, or even Johnson falls to us at #6, we will be better for it.

 

[JeffGollin]

Mort asked 10 personnel guys around the league to give their opinion on who is the best quarterback in the draft and more than half gave Byron Leftwich as their guy.
I wouldn't disagree. But there are still major concerns by some teams about his leg.

Whether or not Leftwich is drafted in the Top 5 or Top 10 figures to be a function of (a) whether some team feels the leg's going to be fine or (b) whether a team isn't certain but still feels he's worth the risk.

Among the weaker teams (which tend to draft high) - the last thing you want to do is to risk blowing a high pick - it can set your franchise back a year or two.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Originally posted by Holian
5. We will draft Terrell Suggs-I agree that he needs to be priority #1, but not at the expense of blowing multiple draft choices, and we are living in a fantasy world if we expect the Texans to trade down just for our pick and Thomas Jones.

To dream the impossible dream...

Dude, 95% of the stuff on this board is fantasy, conjecture, stipulation, and "what ifs"...as far as i know, no one that posts on this board works for the Cardinals in a decision making position...

You're right, whenever someone makes a statement as an absolute they are talking out of their a$$!

We all have opinions, mine is that drafting Leftwich would be folly. I liked what I saw of McCown last year in preseaon. That coupled with the fact that he develops quite nicely when I play Madden 2003 franchise mode makes me believe that he is the QB of the future (EA sports wouldn't lead me astray, would they?)...

If we were able to dump TJ and our number 1 to move up in the first round, I think I would literaly sheet-me-drawers!

 

[Pariah]

4. We will not draft a quarterback with the 6th pick-So now that we have Jeff Blake (a 32 year old journeyman who hasn't been a fulltime starter since 1996), we are set at quarterback? We fans must be a heck of a lot smarter than the rest of the league because I can't seem to recall many other teams cutting their quarterbacks for a shot at Blake. Blake, McKown, Parsons-I challenge anyone to name me 3 other teams in the league who have a worse quarterback situation than the Cardinals.

While I agree that absolute statements are foolish (especially for those of us not "in the know,"), I disagree with most of what you have to say about our QB situation.

Blake was brought into New Orleans as a full-time starter and was until he dislocated his ankle. Ouch. Then, his replacement (and Green Bay castoff) played so well that he retained the starting position even after Blake was healthy. Blake played well when he was the starter, just not as well as Brooks who was later named a pro-bowl alternate (not too shabby).

No other teams were cutting their starting QB to bring in Blake because no other team lived with Jake Plummer over the last couple of years. We upgraded this position.


Other teams who have a worse QB situation (in no particular order):
~Denver Broncos: Jake Plummer, Jurius Jackson, and ?? (Steve Beurline may retire)
~Cinncinatti Bengals: Jon Kitna, Gus "HeadButt" Ferrotte, Akili Smith
~Baltimore Ravens: Chris Redmond, Anthony Wright, ??
~Carolina Panthers: Jake Delhomme, Chris Weinke, Randy Fasini
~Seattle Seahawks: Matt Hasselbeck, Jeff George, Jeff Kelly

Also the Bears and the Steelers are probably in just about the same boat we are--their situation could end up being worse or better, we'll see.

 

[john h]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
Mort asked 10 personnel guys around the league to give their opinion on who is the best quarterback in the draft and more than half gave Byron Leftwich as their guy.
I wouldn't disagree. But there are still major concerns by some teams about his leg.

Whether or not Leftwich is drafted in the Top 5 or Top 10 figures to be a function of (a) whether some team feels the leg's going to be fine or (b) whether a team isn't certain but still feels he's worth the risk.

Among the weaker teams (which tend to draft high) - the last thing you want to do is to risk blowing a high pick - it can set your franchise back a year or two.

I would not begin to make a firm statement as to who the Cards would or would not draft. These guys doing the drafting have all the knowledge about these players, have talked to them, know what the perceived as our needs. I have all the knowledge you guys give me, what I see on TV and read. I like to guess but that is all it is.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

This just in...

Cardinals | Could Move Down? - posted at KFFL (http://nfl.kffl.com)
11:28 PT: Len Pasquarelli reports for ESPN.com the Arizona Cardinals, in their search for quantity over quality, are trying to deal back from their current No. 6 spot in the first round of the April NFL Draft. If Arizona State DE Terrell Suggs were available at that slot they may stay put.

Now THAT is something you can take to the bank!

 

[JeffGollin]

If Washinton State DT Ken Shockley were available at that slot they may stay put.
Cute - but not funny. If everyone here starts altering direct quotes from established sources, no one will know whom to believe and this bb will become useless as an info source.

(Note - for those of you who don't know what i'm referring to, Shockley's name was substituted for Sugg's name in the quote from KFFL).

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
If Washinton State DT Ken Shockley were available at that slot they may stay put.
Cute - but not funny. If everyone here starts altering direct quotes from established sources, no one will know whom to believe and this bb will become useless as an info source.

(Note - for those of you who don't know what i'm referring to, Shockley's name was substituted for Sugg's name in the quote from KFFL).

I have edited my previous post. Sorry for any confusion about the Cardinals drafting a 300lb fat man from Mesa!

 

[kerouac9]

Please allow me to retort...

Originally posted by Holian
1. We will not draft a defensive tackle with the 6th pick-Why not? Does Barron Tanner, Russell Davis, Wendell Bryant, and Marcus Bell scare anyone we might face. I would bet that Clinton Portis would disagree with the assessment that we don't need another good defensive tackle, especially after he gashed us for 220 yards.

Truly, I hope the do draft a DT at #6. No, none of those players scare any RBs, but I think that this season Wendell will give some QBs the willies, especially if they get a 2-gapper next to him.

2. We will not draft a wide reciever with the 6th pick-Again I ask, why not? Even if the Cards resign Martay Jenkins, this has to be one of the weakest recieving corps in the league. Jenkins as our #1 reciever is really going to scare most defensive coordinators.

There is a vaccuum at the WR spot right now, but you can't use a Top 10 pick on a developmental prospect like A. Johnson or K. Washington. You need it for an immediate starter. I think that if there's one thing that the end of last season showed, it's that you can still play football okay with a bunch of wideouts whose numbers are in the teens. We have a bunch of developmental players. I'm not sure the franchise can wait three years for Johnson to maybe become a playmaker. Look at the players who are there before you make a guarantee.

3. Josh McKown is the quarterback of the future-So those two stellar mop up jobs and his wishy washy preseason leads us to believe that he is the future. Remember that Josh McKown was a McGinnis pick when Mac was still calling the shots. Many have raised an eyebrow over the James Darling giving Ron McKinnon a run for the starting job statement especially after McKinnon was given an extension, but remember that McKinnon was given an extension when Mac was calling the shots. Rod Graves is now the man and McKown may not be his guy. Lets not forget that Josh McKown was a bust at a Division I school and then had to transfer to a Division I-AA school to blossom.

Didn't the McKinnon comment come from some columnist in the AZ Rep or something? I haven't heard anything from Cards camp saying that he was anything but a backup and a special teams player. The point is that you don't waste a high draft pick (Dennis Johnson came from the compensatory pick, if I remember) on a guy that isn't going to play. Giving up on McCown and drafting Leftwich is like the Lions giving up on McMahon (who didn't look good in spot work in his rookie season, either) and drafting Harrington, who was much more of a "sure thing" last year than Leftwich is this year. You have a recipe for a QB controversy, and no one wins, because you wasted a draft pick no matter which player ends up the starter. I'm telling you, Leftwich not wearing red in May.

4. We will not draft a quarterback with the 6th pick-So now that we have Jeff Blake (a 32 year old journeyman who hasn't been a fulltime starter since 1996), we are set at quarterback? We fans must be a heck of a lot smarter than the rest of the league because I can't seem to recall many other teams cutting their quarterbacks for a shot at Blake. Blake, McKown, Parsons-I challenge anyone to name me 3 other teams in the league who have a worse quarterback situation than the Cardinals.

Add the Minnesota Viking's to Pariah's list, as well as the New York Giants, the New Orleans Saints, and the Chicago Bears

5. We will draft Terrell Suggs-I agree that he needs to be priority #1, but not at the expense of blowing multiple draft choices, and we are living in a fantasy world if we expect the Texans to trade down just for our pick and Thomas Jones.

Do you expect the Texans to trade #1's even up? Do you think that a #1 and #7 is too much? What about this year's #1 and next year's #2? Too much? Be aware of making blanket statements.

Is this a draft Byron Leftwich thread? You bet it is. Someone on this board has made comments about Leftwich falling possibly to the bottom half of the first round. Not according to Chris Mortenson. Mort asked 10 personnel guys around the league to give their opinion on who is the best quarterback in the draft and more than half gave Byron Leftwich as their guy. Most said that Leftwich had the best arm going away, the best field vision, and the best leadership skills. The Sporting News said that Leftwich would easily have one of the top 5 strongest arms in the league right up there with Favre, Bledsoe, Vick, and McNabb. Mort said that if Leftwich puts on a show as expected at his personal workout on April 7th and if the leg checks out fine, he could jump ahead of everyone and be the first overall selection.

This is just an opinion, not an absolute. This club needs help all over the place and if either Suggs, Newman, Kennedy, Leftwich, or even Johnson falls to us at #6, we will be better for it.

For the rest of this, all I have to add is this...

Pay attention, people! We have our QB of the future, and, like it or not, his name is Josh McCown. They said it when we drafted him as the 3rd QB off the board last year, and they said it the day that we signed Blake.

I give you my Kerouac 9's LOCK OF THE DRAFT: We will not draft a QB in the first four rounds. You can take that to the bank. Maybe next year, if McCown looks like the next Gio Carmazzi, but not this year.

 

[SECTION 11]

Re: Please allow me to retort...

Originally posted by kerouac9
For the rest of this, all I have to add is this...

Pay attention, people! We have our QB of the future, and, like it or not, his name is Josh McCown. They said it when we drafted him as the 3rd QB off the board last year, and they said it the day that we signed Blake.

I give you my Kerouac 9's LOCK OF THE DRAFT: We will not draft a QB in the first four rounds. You can take that to the bank. Maybe next year, if McCown looks like the next Gio Carmazzi, but not this year.

That's getting a lot of air time.
Fine by me. I can never get enough Giovanni Carmazzi references.

 

[Pariah]

Re: Re: Please allow me to retort...

Originally posted by SECTION 11
That's getting a lot of air time.
Fine by me. I can never get enough Giovanni Carmazzi references.

Giovanni Carmazzi. Giovanni Carmazzi. Giovanni Carmazzi. Giovanni Carmazzi.

That's fun to say.

 

[SECTION 11]

Re: Re: Re: Please allow me to retort...

Originally posted by Pariah
Giovanni Carmazzi. Giovanni Carmazzi. Giovanni Carmazzi. Giovanni Carmazzi.

That's fun to say.

Sage Rosenfels is kinda entertaining as well.

 

[Ryanwb]

Re: Please allow me to retort...

Originally posted by kerouac9
For the rest of this, all I have to add is this...

Pay attention, people! We have our QB of the future, and, like it or not, his name is Josh McCown. They said it when we drafted him as the 3rd QB off the board last year, and they said it the day that we signed Blake.

I give you my Kerouac 9's LOCK OF THE DRAFT: We will not draft a QB in the first four rounds. You can take that to the bank. Maybe next year, if McCown looks like the next Gio Carmazzi, but not this year.

You are really getting a lot of mileage out of this post!

 

[SweetD]

Still going nothing outlast kerouac9 post.
It keeps going and going and going and going..............
Do you think we will draft a QB in round 1?

 

[Mr. Boldin]

We all have opinions, mine is that drafting Leftwich would be folly. I liked what I saw of McCown last year in preseaon. That coupled with the fact that he develops quite nicely when I play Madden 2003 franchise mode makes me believe that he is the QB of the future (EA sports wouldn't lead me astray, would they?)...

BUT! Have you ever drafted Leftwich in Madden? takes him 2 years to get to 90 overall.

 

[kerouac9]

Re: Re: Byron Leftwich draft stock falling? Not according to Chris Mortenson.

Originally posted by Cardinals.Ken
We all have opinions, mine is that drafting Leftwich would be folly. I liked what I saw of McCown last year in preseaon. That coupled with the fact that he develops quite nicely when I play Madden 2003 franchise mode makes me believe that he is the QB of the future (EA sports wouldn't lead me astray, would they?)...

Dude! In my game, McCown was hurt in the pre-season and missed his entire rookie campaign. I released the other QB in the offseason of season 1, and had to sign some undrafted rook, and he totally took McCown's job! I re-signed Jake and DB, and I'm something like 7-3, but still 3rd in my division behind the Rams (the Super Bowl winners of 2002) and the Neeners. I drafted DT-CB in rounds 1 & 2, and now have a wicked secondary. Next project: MLB for today and tomorrow.

On the other hand, the Falcons (with two rookie WRs) are 10-0 after charging to the NFC Championship game last season and both M. Vick and T.J. Duckett are MVP Candidates.

 

[SECTION 11]

I've never owned a video game.

 

[SweetD]

Originally posted by SECTION 11
I've never owned a video game.

Sorry to hear that. I all I play is sports games and they rock! Get way to realive stress. I may have to draft a new NFL team becouse the Cards have no realy good players this time around. Does NFL have a internet option to download new roasters????

 

[CardinalChris]

Originally posted by SECTION 11
I've never owned a video game.

They suck your soul into emptiness.... you play all day and can't really say what you just did for the last 14 hours...... Hours just disappeared. It is like drunk teleporting... in a bar, havin a drink, then BOOM all of a sudden you are in a different bar, unsure how you got there.

 

[SECTION 11]

Originally posted by CardinalChris
They suck your soul into emptiness.... you play all day and can't really say what you just did for the last 14 hours...... Hours just disappeared. It is like drunk teleporting... in a bar, havin a drink, then BOOM all of a sudden you are in a different bar, unsure how you got there.

lol