Can a Rookie Revamp the Cards’ Safety Lineup

[BullheadCardFan]

Good position..except...

That one big dude we drafted, swapping him out was like upgrading two positions... one upgrade simply by keeping him off the field, the other by replacing him with an actual football player.

Fotu, yeah... Leki Fotu... it was addition by subtraction simply by letting him walk... replacing him with an average player is similar to replacing an average player with an all pro on the improvement scale.
Dude couldn't get past a sixth grader on skates...couldn't move a paraplegic in a wheel chair...and often seemed to actively help the offensive lineman put him in the best position for the RB to get through the hole.
Dude, I shyte you not... I'm nearly sixty...in the worst physical condition of my life, and have a bad ticker...but I would bet a years salary against a dime that for 15 to 20 snaps a game I could produce better than fotu... I might have a bad heart but at least I got one.
Dude is a coach killer. All the physical tools in the world, looks the part...but that Tarzan doesn't even play like jane.... I'm so stoked he is gone.

Imo, Stills, that sixth rounder from last year... is going to be a defensive cornerstone for us. He had a good rookie season, should improve this season...and by next season should be a guy that can start anywhere in the league.

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[kerouac9]

Imo, Stills, that sixth rounder from last year... is going to be a defensive cornerstone for us. He had a good rookie season, should improve this season...and by next season should be a guy that can start anywhere in the league.

All your other comments were about talent upgrades, and I’m not really gonna argue about that.

Dante Stills had a surprising rookie season. People forget that he was another old rookie. He’ll be 25 before the season ends. There’s probably some room for improvement there, but not much.

I don’t think the depth along the DL is much better because we replaced players at the top of the roster and the guys down the depth chart were all the same bad.

 

[Stout]

Right? If any of these guys were Caesars, every engineer in the empire would have been executed before the aqueduct were complete

"A coward dies a thousand deaths. The gallant never taste of death but once."--Julius Caesar

The next time I see Monti truly "cast the die" and "cross the Rubicon" will be the first time. He's not doing a bad job, but you don't play conservative all the way to the Super Bowl. It doesn't work these days. At some point, he has to go all in. Will he ever? It remains to be seen.

 

[Krangodnzr]

"A coward dies a thousand deaths. The gallant never taste of death but once."--Julius Caesar

The next time I see Monti truly "cast the die" and "cross the Rubicon" will be the first time. He's not doing a bad job, but you don't play conservative all the way to the Super Bowl. It doesn't work these days. At some point, he has to go all in. Will he ever? It remains to be seen.

I agree. Monti isn't going to win a Super Bowl without taking a few risks. Early on in a rebuild, I think building conservatively is the right way, but there will be a time where Monti needs to gamble on some top tier talent.

 

[Stout]

I agree. Monti isn't going to win a Super Bowl without taking a few risks. Early on in a rebuild, I think building conservatively is the right way, but there will be a time where Monti needs to gamble on some top tier talent.

I think this is a majority view. So far, so good, despite my qualms on spending.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I think this is a majority view. So far, so good, despite my qualms on spending.

The Cardinals can't skimp next year though because they will have a ridiculous amount of cap space.

I think my hope is that Monti makes a few splash signings and with three solid to good draft classes, the team is ready to compete for the Super Bowl.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Trey Benson
Darius Robinson
Zay Jones
Tip Reiman
Kevin Beachum (although he has been here for a while, he is considered depth after signing Jonah)
Dadrion Taylor - Demerson

Most are on the offensive side of the ball, but our offense is clearly more stacked with talent at the moment.

You just listed four players that have never played a down in the nfl. We have zero idea if they will be nfl players. That’s hope not eyesight.

 

[CardNots]

You just listed four players that have never played a down in the nfl. We have zero idea if they will be nfl players. That’s hope not eyesight.

So one ignores eyesight of their play in college. Kind of negates the whole draft process of scouting.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

I agree. Monti isn't going to win a Super Bowl without taking a few risks. Early on in a rebuild, I think building conservatively is the right way, but there will be a time where Monti needs to gamble on some top tier talent.

Exactly!

A rebuild is about accumulating capital and investing it effectively when the the opportunity to do so presents itself.

You can't build a Superbowl winner by spending money/draft picks just for the sake of spending money/draft picks!

 

[Crimson Warrior]

I think my hope is that Monti makes a few splash signings

Or lock up any of our existing talent long term!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

So one ignores eyesight of their play in college. Kind of negates the whole draft process of scouting.

Every single player drafted in too 3 rounds passed that eyesight test and yet less than half of them (probably even less than 35%) end up making an impact. But I’m guessing your eyesight is superior to the nfl talent evaluators who have undeniably watched more tape, and scrutinized every aspect, of our players than you have. Your eyesight has 100% accuracy. Cmon man. You can’t call an untested rookie “depth” before they’ve taken a snap. The football meaning of “depth” is a player who is proven that you can rely upon at least a minimum level of NFL acceptable play on the field.

 

[kerouac9]

Or lock up any of our existing talent long term!

Unfortunately we have a huge gap from Keim’s last few classes where there are few players to lock up on the roster.

If we want to provide a little more roster security, we’re locking up older players to their third or fourth contracts mostly. Very little young extension-eligible talent on this roster behind McBride.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Exactly!

A rebuild is about accumulating capital and investing it effectively when the the opportunity to do so presents itself.

You can't build a Superbowl winner by spending money/draft picks just for the sake of spending money/draft picks!

This is a great soundbyte, but what does that mean?!?

It kind of sounds like a passive approach to building. A good organization, a good GM, creates opportunity.

And your second paragraph indicates a false binary equation. Either you spend with great insight purely to win a super bowl or you spend stupidly. The reality is there’s an enormous spectrum in between and most super bowl contestants didn’t do all their spending in the year they became a Super Bowl contender. They built toward that with spending over time.

 

[Stout]

Or lock up any of our existing talent long term!

AND lock up any of our existing talent long term!

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Unfortunately we have a huge gap from Keim’s last few classes where there are few players to lock up on the roster.

If we want to provide a little more roster security, we’re locking up older players to their third or fourth contracts mostly. Very little young extension-eligible talent on this roster behind McBride.

I think you're probably right K9 and that's heartbreaking.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

This is a great soundbyte, but what does that mean?!?

It kind of sounds like a passive approach to building. A good organization, a good GM, creates opportunity.

And your second paragraph indicates a false binary equation. Either you spend with great insight purely to win a super bowl or you spend stupidly. The reality is there’s an enormous spectrum in between and most super bowl contestants didn’t do all their spending in the year they became a Super Bowl contender. They built toward that with spending over time.

Not passive but shrewd! A great GM can fill a roster spot for 90% of the draft/FA capital that an average GM would use.

I'm trying to say that at any given moment and because of a number of factors the opportunity to fill a roster spot using only 90% of the necessary capital might not be available, even to a creative/proactive GM!

And in that case the best long-term approach could be to pass on an average or below average opportunity to fill the roster spot (depends on the context). Even if that means losing a game or two more in the current season!

And apologies if I worded my last paragraph poorly! I agree with you and what I meant to say is that to build sustained success in the parity-rich NFL, a GM has to consistently spend their draft and FA capital wisely! Year in and year out!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

You just listed four players that have never played a down in the nfl. We have zero idea if they will be nfl players. That’s hope not eyesight.

So we shouldn't have any expectation of MHJ either? I mean he never played a down in the NFL.

 

[CardNots]

Every single player drafted in too 3 rounds passed that eyesight test and yet less than half of them (probably even less than 35%) end up making an impact. But I’m guessing your eyesight is superior to the nfl talent evaluators who have undeniably watched more tape, and scrutinized every aspect, of our players than you have. Your eyesight has 100% accuracy. Cmon man. You can’t call an untested rookie “depth” before they’ve taken a snap. The football meaning of “depth” is a player who is proven that you can rely upon at least a minimum level of NFL acceptable play on the field.

I certainly didn’t say anything about my eyesight on players in college.

Your comment borders on over the top

 

[kerouac9]

I think you're probably right K9 and that's heartbreaking.

Just a reminder of what our 2025 free agency class will look like, in case you're wondering how we'll strategically deploy the $35 million in open cap space we have right now:

Player, age, 2023 snap %
Hjalte Froholdt, 29, 99.4%
Will Hernandez, 30, 98.1%
Evan Brown, 29, 91.3%*
Budda Baker, 29, 69% (nice)
Kyzir White, 29, 64%
Zaven Collins, 26, 51.8%
James Conner, 30, 47%
Dennis Gardeck, 31, 46%
Zay Jones, 30, 40.7%

* This guy sure seems like a lock for the LG role.

How excited are you really to pay for Forholdt's age 32 season right now?

Greg Dortch STILL a restricted free agent in 2025. LOL.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Just a reminder of what our 2025 free agency class will look like, in case you're wondering how we'll strategically deploy the $35 million in open cap space we have right now:

Player, age, 2023 snap %
Hjalte Froholdt, 29, 99.4%
Will Hernandez, 30, 98.1%
Evan Brown, 29, 91.3%*
Budda Baker, 29, 69% (nice)
Kyzir White, 29, 64%
Zaven Collins, 26, 51.8%
James Conner, 30, 47%
Dennis Gardeck, 31, 46%
Zay Jones, 30, 40.7%

* This guy sure seems like a lock for the LG role.

How excited are you really to pay for Forholdt's age 32 season right now?

Greg Dortch STILL a restricted free agent in 2025. LOL.

Is your chart wrong? It says Froholdt is 29, unless I'm not understanding what you are saying.

If the list, I'd probably re-sign Kyzir and Hernandez, and consider Froholdt and Connor. I wouldn't sign Connor until the end of the year though. Gotta see how he plays, and how Benson plays.

 

[kerouac9]

Is your chart wrong? It says Froholdt is 29, unless I'm not understanding what you are saying.

If the list, I'd probably re-sign Kyzir and Hernandez, and consider Froholdt and Connor. I wouldn't sign Connor until the end of the year though. Gotta see how he plays, and how Benson plays.

Next year he’ll be 29.

 

[Chopper0080]

Just a reminder of what our 2025 free agency class will look like, in case you're wondering how we'll strategically deploy the $35 million in open cap space we have right now:

Player, age, 2023 snap %
Hjalte Froholdt, 29, 99.4%
Will Hernandez, 30, 98.1%
Evan Brown, 29, 91.3%*
Budda Baker, 29, 69% (nice)
Kyzir White, 29, 64%
Zaven Collins, 26, 51.8%
James Conner, 30, 47%
Dennis Gardeck, 31, 46%
Zay Jones, 30, 40.7%

* This guy sure seems like a lock for the LG role.

How excited are you really to pay for Forholdt's age 32 season right now?

Greg Dortch STILL a restricted free agent in 2025. LOL.

I would be happy with several two or three year deals in that group.

 

[Chopper0080]

Hard to blame fans for putting the cart before the horse. That's what irrational hope does. Yes, we are improving but that improvement is from being one of the four worst teams in the NFL, two years in a row. Being better than really bad does not make you good. Most GMs and HCs have to show they can take a roster from being bad to average and then from average to good and then keep the roster at the good level. Monti hasn't progressed from bad to average yet even if we are hoping that he will.

 

[kerouac9]

I would be happy with several two or three year deals in that group.

That’s not really building the roster, though. None of these guys are likely on the next Cards team that wins a playoff game.

 

[daves]

That’s not really building the roster, though. None of these guys are likely on the next Cards team that wins a playoff game.

REALLY??