Cardinals Free Agent Targets

[CardinalChris]

Why would they sign Fletcher for much more than the minimum when they just extended Hayes last year? At best Fletcher would come in as a backup.

 

[JeffGollin]

We're jumping the gun with regard to free agency.

First on the Whisenhunt agenda is building a staff.

Next is for that staff to review players on the current roster.

Then and only then do priorities begin to get sorted out.

And then we're ready for free agency.

Other than ranking available free agents, there's little if anything that can be done right now.

New position coaches may evaluate our guys from within a different context than we've been used to for the past 3 years and may come up with different conclusions than we'd otherwise expect.

And any subtle changes in base schemes, approaches and the offensive play book (like, for example, moving away from zone blocking and returning to man blocking) could change the job descriptions for various positions.

So for me, the next things to be sorted out are: Who'll be on staff? and What changes are contemplated strategically?

As for free agency - El Bridgo Crosso.

 

[Duckjake]

We're jumping the gun with regard to free agency.

Not if you are a Cardinal scout and I don't think the coaching change means a change in scouting department. Aren't they usually separate?

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Not if you are a Cardinal scout and I don't think the coaching change means a change in scouting department. Aren't they usually separate?

Those scouts better be on the next flight to Mobile Alabama.

 

[Duckjake]

Those scouts better be on the next flight to Mobile Alabama.

Don't they have scouts who focus on NFL free agents and others who scout the college players? I know they are normally assigned to a particular area of the country but It would seem to make sense to have a couple of guys checking out potential free agents.

Maybe the coaches do that.

 

[JeffGollin]

Not if you are a Cardinal scout and I don't think the coaching change means a change in scouting department. Aren't they usually separate?

To reiterate - rating the free agents is very definitely something that can be done now by the scouting dept.

But assessing current and prospective players within the context of (a) what the new staff feels are position-needs and (b) what the job description will be for some positions as strategies and schemes change - may be premature.

Example - If we go back to smashmouth man blocking, this places more emphasis on big, strong, aggressive offensive linemen who are best when they put a hat on a defender and less on quicker, smarter, more mobile linemen who can block in space. The relative importance of someone like Leonard Davis could be impacted tremendously by this and in turn have a direct affect on (a) whether we re-sign or franchise him, (b) how aggressively we go after a free agent LT and (c) what kind of LT that might be.

Same deal with MLB - Some schemes emphasize big downhill Mike guys (like Hayes). Others like smaller, more mobile, sideline to sideline bullet types.

Until we know who our position coaches are and what the schemes are expected to be, it's hard to effectively set up FA or draft boards.

 

[Duckjake]

Until we know who our position coaches are and what the schemes are expected to be, it's hard to effectively set up FA or draft boards.

I agree, however, KW said that he is going to fit the schemes to the players so wouldn't we want more of the same type guys we have now?

And wouldn't you want information on the free agents so that you could determine where they'd fit in whatever set up you ended up installing.

I would have my scouts catagorizing fa's like you pointed out. "Big downhill guys" "mobil sideline to sideline guys" "attitude problems" "team player" etc. so that once everyone was in place we could go right after the guys we wanted.

 

[vinnymac]

this year class has already been scouted and put in a drafting spot. the next couple of months are just interveiwing the draft class. they may move up or down, but for most of them they will stay right were they are. free agents have been scouted and put in order who they are targeting. if you think whisenhunt hasn't already been in draft and free agent meetings you are crazy. they only real thing he has to do is evaluate the players he already has. whisenhunt has an idea who he wants to be on his staff. i just think it would be cool if russ grimm becomes the offensive cordinator here, if he doesn't get a head coaching job. i would like to see the cardinals sign alex gibb as their offensive line coach.

in free agentcy i would like to see the cardinals target
ken hamlin
shawn o'hara
kawika mitchell lb from the chiefs

 

[Totally_Red]

this year class has already been scouted and put in a drafting spot. the next couple of months are just interveiwing the draft class. they may move up or down, but for most of them they will stay right were they are. free agents have been scouted and put in order who they are targeting. if you think whisenhunt hasn't already been in draft and free agent meetings you are crazy. they only real thing he has to do is evaluate the players he already has. whisenhunt has an idea who he wants to be on his staff. i just think it would be cool if russ grimm becomes the offensive cordinator here, if he doesn't get a head coaching job. i would like to see the cardinals sign alex gibb as their offensive line coach.

in free agentcy i would like to see the cardinals target
ken hamlin
shawn o'hara
kawika mitchell lb from the chiefs

Why Ken Hamlin? Don't we already have two of him in Adrian Wilson and Aaron Francisco? IMO, we need a free safety center fielder type who can tackle and has outstanding speed and can get some picks.

 

[Twist18]

Deon Grant is the ballhawk at FS we need. How about OT Tony Pashos? From what I have seen of him, he is a pretty good and young T that can be further developed.

 

[Cards Czar]

Then new CBA raised the min spending that teams were forced to spend, meaning the new deal forces teams to spend more.

Joesmoe, do you know the new min NFL spending percent? If you do could you post the percent and the min for this year?

I think the club has to spend at least 90% of the total cap for this year.
So as using Joe's list we have to at least spend 98.1 million. And that means also that if we have 39 mil left for the rookies and our free agents we have to spend spend about 28 million in the off season. Thats a lot of jack.!!

 

[Snakester]

If our new coach has any brains at all he will not let Leonard Davis go. Whether he re-signs him or tags him, he needs to make sure that he stays.

 

[vinnymac]

If our new coach has any brains at all he will not let Leonard Davis go. Whether he re-signs him or tags him, he needs to make sure that he stays.

i can't understand why anyone would want leonard davis back. especially after everyone was dogging him this season. seriously he is a drive killer with all those false starts. i could understand having a few on the road, but he was a false start machine at home. you shouldn't have a false start penality at home.

ken hamlin is a ball hawk and has good cover skills. plus he is a divisional foe player. if you look at all the sucessful teams in the nfl, you notice that they targert free agents from their division. seahawks signed grant wistrom and julian peterson for example. this is what the cardinals need to do.

 

[BigDavis75]

In response to the original poster: Gandy stinks, he was benched this season and would be a huge step down from LD. Also, I really like Fletcher (he got snubbed for the Pro Bowl) but where would he go? I think Hayes should stay in the middle, I think Fletcher's best bet would be at SSOLB where we can put his coverage skills to use.

 

[BigDavis75]

Deon Grant is the ballhawk at FS we need. How about OT Tony Pashos? From what I have seen of him, he is a pretty good and young T that can be further developed.

Grant is hardly a ballhawk, Hamlin is a much much better FS IMO.

 

[Matt L]

I think this board tends to exaggerate the merits of the prospective free agents. According to one poster, Asante Samuel can "shut-down" half of the field" and sounds like the second coming of Deion Sanders.

According to the original post Mike Gandy is a solid starter who is on the way out in Buffalo. According to another post he is one of the worst starting tackles in the NFL. He must be some place in between these two two. If anything he might be a good signing at the right price. Unfortunately, quality offensive linemen, especially tackles, are paid at a premium. He will probably be overpaid if he is to hit the open market.

The fact is that the team has alot of cap space and must spend a significant portion of the cap space. Not because it is best for the team, which it is, but because it is an NFL mandate. I guess the question remains, On who should the team spend this surplus?

I do like Asante Samuels. I think that franchising Leonard Davis is the smartest thing to do. If for no other reason than giving the line continuity. IF he is franchised, this will allow the cardinals to decide what they are going to do with the offensive tackle position for one more year and not force the team into starting a rookie at Left Tackle. I think the EJ Henderson would be a good addition. I remember he was very highly touted out of Maryland when he was drafted. I would think that he could take over for Huff and probably be alot better at shedding blockers. I really like the idea of signing a guy like Eric Steinbach. I know that Leckey had a pretty decent season when he played, but if you have the opportunity to really upgrade a very important position on the offense and you have the cap space to do it, I say you go for it.

 

[Skkorpion]

Agree and disagree matty. Other than Leonard Davis, none of the other FAs interest me.

 

[CardNots]

i can't understand why anyone would want leonard davis back. especially after everyone was dogging him this season. seriously he is a drive killer with all those false starts. i could understand having a few on the road, but he was a false start machine at home. you shouldn't have a false start penality at home.

I just don't want to lose another first rounder without compensation. We tag him then work out a deal with the Texans or Cowgirls. I am worried Thomas won't be there and what do we do then?

 

[kerouac9]

i can't understand why anyone would want leonard davis back. especially after everyone was dogging him this season. seriously he is a drive killer with all those false starts. i could understand having a few on the road, but he was a false start machine at home. you shouldn't have a false start penality at home.

Because we have nothing and no one to replace or step in for Leonard Davis should he leave without compensation. Remember when we let David Boston and Simeon Rice leave without compensation? We had to draft at that position multiple times in order to try and replace them.

When you're a team that's won 16 games in the last three seasons, you don't rip gaping wounds in your roster if you can help it. Letting Leonard Davis leave would probably be a worse mistake than the Trade Down and the Thomas Jones trade combined.

 

[Denny Green Fan]

I just don't want to lose another first rounder without compensation. We tag him then work out a deal with the Texans or Cowgirls. I am worried Thomas won't be there and what do we do then?

We reach for Levi Brown.

 

[kerouac9]

We reach for Levi Brown.

I would die if that happened, but you have to follow your board. The pundits went insane when the Bengals "reached" for Levi Jones when they drafted him, but he turned out to be maybe the best OT in his draft class, and in my opinion one of the top 5 or 8 OLTs in the NFL right now.

Personally, I don't think he'll make it into the second round, but if he did, the Cards would be stupid to pass on him.

 

[Goodyear Card]

i can't understand why anyone would want leonard davis back. especially after everyone was dogging him this season. seriously he is a drive killer with all those false starts. i could understand having a few on the road, but he was a false start machine at home. you shouldn't have a false start penality at home.

.

I'm with you. I don't understand why anyone would pay an OT who leads the NFL in false starts $11 million a year.

 

[Goodyear Card]

Because we have nothing and no one to replace or step in for Leonard Davis should he leave without compensation. Remember when we let David Boston and Simeon Rice leave without compensation? We had to draft at that position multiple times in order to try and replace them.

When you're a team that's won 16 games in the last three seasons, you don't rip gaping wounds in your roster if you can help it. Letting Leonard Davis leave would probably be a worse mistake than the Trade Down and the Thomas Jones trade combined.

Kerouac,

It is a little early to say we can't find a LT. We have the draft and free agency. I will admit there are not any great LT available but there are choices.

 

[joeshmo]

I'm with you. I don't understand why anyone would pay an OT who leads the NFL in false starts $11 million a year.

1. You wont be paying him 11 Mill a year. That is his franchise tag amount not what it will cost to sign him to a long term contract.

2. He does not lead the league in false starts, completely false and thats a fact.

3. Who are you going to replace him with. The horrible Mike Gandy, or the horrible Marc Columbo, the only 2 FA OT's even worth mentioning. Or are you going to replace him and take the chance that Joe Thomas will be there @ #5.

For the poeple that want to get rid of him, then give me a backup plan of something that is just as good as Davis or better, and hoping a rookie OT is still there when we pick isnt a backup plan, its wishful thinking.

 

[joeshmo]

Kerouac,

It is a little early to say we can't find a LT. We have the draft and free agency. I will admit there are not any great LT available but there are choices.

Name one thats better.

There is a big difference between choices and good choices.