Cardinals Ready to Spend on Good Players??

[jf-08]

Interesting - from Yahoo Sports

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...30918/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_cardinals_salary_cap

Cardinals Ready to Spend on Good Players
Thu Sep 18, 2:28 AM ET Add Sports - AP to My Yahoo!


By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona Cardinals are 0-2 and $12.5 million under the NFL salary cap.

The evidence suggests a franchise unwilling to spend what it takes to be a winner, a perception that is dead wrong, according to the man in charge of the team's football operations.

"We're making moves. We're trying to manage in a healthy way," Rod Graves said. "The plan is we're in a great cap situation right now. We can make some moves. We're poised to do that. We can't create situations if they aren't there."

Graves, promoted in January to vice president for football operations, said he expected more top-rated players to be released by other teams for salary cap reasons on June 1 and was ready to pursue them.

"The fact is that we were poised to do it, and to me that's the best you can do is be prepared to act if, in fact, those players become available," Graves said Wednesday.

The only big-name player cut loose was safety Lawyer Milloy by the New England Patriots, and the Cardinals felt they had no great need at that position.

Some of the salary cap room will be used to extend the contracts of players already on the roster. A prime candidate is offensive tackle L.J. Shelton, in the final year of the contract he signed as a rookie.

"I have been in discussions already with several agents about the possibility of extending those deals," Graves said.

Such extensions have been extremely rare under Bill Bidwill's conservative ownership. But that began to change last year with the re-signing of running back Marcel Shipp and defensive linemen Barron Tanner, Fred Wakefield and Russell Davis.

The cap room serves little purpose for the remainder of this season though, Graves said.

"The players that we have out there right now by in large are the players we're going to have to finish this season with," he said. "You talk about the $12.5 million. What would you have me do with it if it's not going to be reinvested in our own players?"

The Cardinals do respond to needs, Graves insisted, noting this week's signing of Derrick Ransom, a defensive lineman who was cut by Kansas City.

"We thought he was one of the better players available," Graves said.

Arizona courted Ransom as a free agent two years ago before he chose Kansas City.

"They got me cheaper this time, that's for sure," Ransom said.

Graves said the only free agents the Cardinals targeted this year but didn't sign were defensive linemen Vonnie Holliday and Roosevelt Colvin. Holliday's demand simply rose too high and he signed with Kansas City, while Coleman chose to go with New England even though Arizona's offer might have been better, Graves said.

Graves emphasized the franchise did spend money to bring in free agents Emmitt Smith, Jeff Blake, Dexter Jackson, among others.

"I feel to a large degree we have not received enough credit for making those moves," Graves said.

The Cardinals' executive, given broad authority by Bidwill, expects those free agents and the young Cardinals to have some success on the field while Graves works to identify what players should get new contracts.

"We wanted to present an entertaining brand of football and we were going to create a core of players that we believed in, that we would invest in for a long time," Graves said. "An entertaining brand of football has not been produced. Creating a core of players and investing in those guys in the long-term is a process."

That means the pressure is building on coach Dave McGinnis, who is entering his third full season and has lost 10 of his last 11 games, the most recent a 38-0 home loss to Seattle.

McGinnis knows better than to second-guess personnel decisions.

"My responsibility is to develop the football team that we have on the field, and that is where all my energies are directed," he said.

Meanwhile, fans, columnists and radio talk show hosts will continue to rail against Bidwill and the front office.

"We know that the only way to dispel any of that is to win football games," Graves said. "That's the only way we're going to attract our fans. That's the bottom line."

 

[jf-08]

"I feel to a large degree we have not received enough credit for making those moves," Graves said

I think someone on another thread said that it was like the organization went about half-way, then stopped (signing the FAs).

He did get credit for making those moves, however, more moves should have been made. It sickens me to see RG actually boasting that he should get credit - Wilkinson, Hand, Okeafor, no if those guys were here, then I would say that he did everything in his power to field a competitive team and get the credit he should deserve.

 

[jf-08]

"My responsibility is to develop the football team that we have on the field, and that is where all my energies are directed," he said.

Mac sounds like a sitting duck.

 

[pinnacle]

we also extended mckinnon...

also - I was not under the impression that holliday was given more $$$ by the chiefs...I thought we bid = or more than the chiefs - but he did not want to play here..I could be wrong..

I was a little concerned about holliday only because of injury problems - but in hindsight - we could really use him now. His injury issues of missing a few games a year seem mild now that KVB is missing his 2nd season.

but if we had signed holliday - we probably would not have signed pace..wonder who we would have taken instead...a corner or defensive tackle?

 

[RedStorm]

Originally posted by pinnacle
we also extended mckinnon...

also - I was not under the impression that holliday was given more $$$ by the chiefs...I thought we bid = or more than the chiefs - but he did not want to play here..I could be wrong..

I was a little concerned about holliday only because of injury problems - but in hindsight - we could really use him now. His injury issues of missing a few games a year seem mild now that KVB is missing his 2nd season.

but if we had signed holliday - we probably would not have signed pace..wonder who we would have taken instead...a corner or defensive tackle?

Pinnacle,

Colvin was supposedly offered more money by us but choose to sign with NE. Holiday was offered more by KC and it was more than we were willing to spend. That is how I remember it.

With KVB missing two seasons I wonder if he will come back at all. How much production have we gotten out of him?

As far as getting Pace. We took Pace because Graves miscalculated on his trade and then paniced when the last of the DE's worthy of a 1st Rd slot got picked. I think the heat would have been off and we may have drafted a different position. So, if we sign Holiday then we probably pass on Pace.

 

[Stout]

Originally posted by jkf296
Graves, promoted in January to vice president for football operations, said he expected more top-rated players to be released by other teams for salary cap reasons on June 1 and was ready to pursue them.

"The fact is that we were poised to do it, and to me that's the best you can do is be prepared to act if, in fact, those players become available," Graves said Wednesday.

Oh, poor poor Mr. Graves! How I feel for him! The poor, dear man relied on June 1st cuts and it didn't work out? Oh, woe to Rod! He was poised to do it and that was the BEST he could do!

Okay, the sarcasm ends now. Fact of the matter is, many on this board, most around the league, and all around the sporting news community predicted that the June 1st cuts weren't going to be earth shattering. Most everyone predicted that EXCEPT Rod Graves.

I'll give him kudos for the signings he did have. I liked most of them, except for Emmitt, the signing I didn't care for but don't particularly hate. The problem is, Graves is either A) Too dumb to look at trends and probabilities in this league, or B) Doesn't care about them and decided this was simply the team we were taking to camp, or C) Wasn't allowed to use more FA $$$ and was trying to put some spin on it.

Bottom line, Rod...You dropped the ball. You, for some stupid reason, either pinned your hopes on what was going to be a lackluster post-June 1st period, or just told us you were doing that. Either way, stupid. Simply stupid. Don't expect us the fans to pat you on the back and say, 'Atta boy, you did the best you could!', because, a-duh, you did NOT.

 

[Harry]

The more he says the less I like Mr. Graves.

1. Not getting credit for his signings - Let's see. Is Smith better than Shipp? Is Jackson better than Lassiter? I would say Blake is a better fit than Plummer. So we will give him credit for a fair improvement at the quarterback slot. However, he doesn't mention allowing his entire receiving group to leave with zero compensation. Get serious, Mr. Graves. You tag players like Boston to see what they are worth. The Cards signed a linebacker and drafted two others (one now cut) and how much impact are they making? Many raved about Darling. I haven't even heard his name since the season started. He's an impact player? As to the period since the end of exhibitions, they have done little. The last move was the best with Ransom, an adequate rotation player. Also, clearly for financil reasons, the Cards waited until after game one and lost most chance of enhancing the team.

2. Extending the young players was obviously a move I endorsed, since I suggested we do it about a month before it happened. However, we didn't go far enough in the number extended. Thompson should have been done before this season started. It is ludicrous to suggest we spend the kind of money now under the cap to extend many current players. Beyond Thompson, who is worth the dollars and he won't cost that much. I can't believe they want to extend Shelton. Has anyone seen any ranking valuing him among the better tackles? I haven't. He is mediocre at best. This is wasted money.

3. They signed Smith for leadership and to bring in fans. He is trying and playing as well as could be expected, but this also was wasted money and has not impacted attendance.

4. As to the young players getting experience. Losing 38-0, probably also indicates to them they have come to the wrong place. That's an experience they don't need.

You have to love the part about "entertaining football" though I guess it was for Seattle and Detroit fans. The funniest part is where he says the Cards are "poised to make moves." Will someone please tell him the cows have already left the barn. Feel free to also tell him what he can do with his poise.