Cards 2004 Roster Prediction

[kerouac9]

Pete Kendall suggests that the Arizona roster may turn over by 1/3 with the coaching change and free agency. I looked over the present group, and this is what I saw. I posted this on another thread, but I think that all the work I did deserves a thread of it's own...

The top of the roster is for the most part going to look the same, at least until free agency. I think that the big place that Green is going to make his mark this season is in the "belly" of this team. There are a lot of undrafted free agents and low-round picks from the McGinnis regime that may be weeded out for Green and his coaches' "pet" players.

One thing of concern is our secondary. The Cards have a grip of players approaching free agency, and we probably won't be able to keep all of them.

In recommending players that will/should stay behind, I'm hoping that Green puts an emphasis on in-game experience, rather than just cleaning house for the sake of it.

Offense

QB: Jeff Blake is almost definately going to be the starter, at least through the minicamps and training camp. I think that he realized pretty quickly that he was in the bush leagues with Mac and Sullivan, and played accordingly. Green is going to give him the chance to be successful. Josh McCown should feel pretty secure in his second-string role no matter what else transpires this off-season. No high-profile rookie is going to come in and take his job in his first season. Don't be surprised if he becomes beloved among the fan base as soon as Blake throws two picks in one game. Preston Parsons is going to find out how Chris Greisen felt. The fact that he won't be sent to NFL Europe should send a strong signal that his tenure with the team, and probably in the NFL, is going to be coming to an end. Dennis Green will probably bring in either a low-profile backup (Shawn King might be an interesting choice, but someone in the Tim Hasselback vein) or an anointed rookie will take this roster spot in 2004.

RB: Marcel Shipp is almost definately entrenched in the starting role. I'm not sold on him, and I'd be surprised if Green is going to be after watching tape this season, but he's our back for now. It's going to be up to Emmitt Smith whether or not he's going to soldier on for the remainder of his contract as a Cardinal. He'll probably be playing the same role here next year as he would have this one in Tampa, but he might feel better about that if he has a chance to win and pick up some goal-line TDs. I'm afraid that either Damian Anderson or Josh Scobey are going to be on their way out. I expect Green to draft a back on the second day that he can develop. This will probably be a slasher and burner, but with some drawback (injury history?) that will keep him out of the upper stanzas.

FB: James Hodgins will definately be back as the most overrated player on the Cardinals offense not named Marcel Shipp. He played well in 2003, but was hardly dominant. His goal should be to become at least the second-best fullback in the NFC West. Right now he's clearly behind San Francisco's Fred Beasley and Seattle's Mack Strong. Joshua Rue is probably looking at another season on the practice squad, or limited special teams action in 2004, at most. Should be pretty solid here.

WR: Anquan Boldin, Bryant Johnson, and Bryan Gilmore should all feel pretty comfortable with at least roster spots for next season. I expect for at least a second-tier free agent to be recruited by Green to help take some pressure off of Johnson's development for another year, at least the beginning. The Cards carried 6 WRs this season, but one was on injured reserve. I expect two of the trio of Nate Poole, Jason McAddley, and Reggie Newhouse will not be returning, or at least making it out of training camp. Kevin Kasper is apparently eligible for Restricted Free Agency, but I don't foresee him being tendered by Arizona.

TE: Freddie Jones is a dead-set lock to return to Arizona for, I believe, the final year of his deal. Steve Bush's contract was extended mid-year, so he'll be back. I expect that one of Mike Banks and Lorenzo Diamond will return, but the odd man out may find refuge for another season on the practice squad.

OT: Like it or not L.J. Shelton and Anthony Clement will return as your starters. Reggie Wells, the human turnstile, will be back for another year of development, I expect. He must have shown something to the coaches last season in Flagstaff, and there's no reason he won't show some glimmers again. Kendrick Rogers is probably on the outside looking in.

OG: Leonard Davis will be back on the right side. Hopefully showing up in shape and angry. Cameron Spikes, Raleigh Roundtree, and Tony Wragge should probably start figuring out how to produce, because at least one, and maybe two of that group will not make it to the final roster cuts. Spikes probably has the edge, but don't be surprised if a free agent is brought in to help shore up this unit. Maybe a second-day pick (compensatory?), as well.

C: Despite everyone's wailing to the contrary, I think that Pete Kendall sticks it out here for the remainder of his career. He's a sharp player, and I think that Green, like most coaches, likes the center to be the field general for the offensive line. Behind him, I think that Frank Garcia is safe, but Jason Starkey is likely out of football now that he's a free agent, and Steven Grace is likely a camp body. It might not be a surprise to see a second-day pick used on a center, if not the guard mentioned above.

Bottom line: I'm predicting 10 players from 2003 to be gone from the offense.

 

[Ryanwb]

Little premature for this......

 

[CaptTurbo]

Sheesh I never disagreed more with a person on almost every single point. Almost like we know two different teams from 2 different universes with totally different players lol

 

[kerouac9]

More Predictions: Defense and Special Teams

I'm a little concerened about the secondary going into 2004. I was surprised by the sheer number of free agents to be that may be coming out of our defensive backfield...

But anyway, here's what I see when I look over the roster:

Defense

DE: Calvin Pace, Dennis Johnson, and Kenny King should all feel pretty good about their place on the team right now. Pace is a former first-rounder, Johnson began showing flashes of the rationale behind drafting him in the third round in 2002, and Kenny King clearly outperformed his fifth-round draft status his rookie season. King's value as a "tweener" at end and tackle will also help his value. Kyle Vanden Bosch and Fred Wakefield are clearly on the bubble under a new regime. Both have limited effectiveness, and the cap savings on cutting either player should be about the same(Vanden Bosch is in the last year of his rookie contract). Based only on past performance, Wakefield may have the edge, simply due to the fact that he's been on the field playing. Vanden Bosch will have to convince Green's staff that he still has value after three incredibly disappointing seasons. Expect one to be gone, and maybe both, after the team breaks camp in Flagstaff. This is clearly a position where a very good to elite free agent needs to be brought in, because I don't foresee Arizona drafting another defensive end prospect early. Should they decide to, it would be the Cardinals' third first-day selection at the position in three years.

DT: Wendell Bryant is the only current player that should't be worried about the placard on his locker being removed. Marcus Bell and mid-season aquisition Derrick Ransom are eligible for free agency in March, and I wouldn't be surprised to see both of them depart. Bell is the more likely to return, and would make a solid backup one-gap defensive tackle. The fact that he was not exended in the last round of contract negotiations is telling, and Marcus may end up following Dave McGinnis to his next post. Barron Tanner and Russell Davis are the 2-gap defensive tackles, and each has shown flashes of ability, but have for the most part not been impact players. Both are under contract through at least 2004, but I expect only one of them to have their picture in the inaugural edition of the Cardinals' pre-game pamphlet. The Cards will need get two or three defensive tackles onto the squad for 2004. A mid-level free agent and one second-day prospect should help fill out the roster. At least one of these should be a 2-gap widebody to plug holes in the middle. Because of the versitility of Kenny King, another 1-gap DT prospect is not a priority. Fred Wakefield, if retained, could also be cross-trained to play tackle on passing downs. The Cardinals carried five defensive tackles on the roster in 2003, and I do not expect a greater number in 2004.

OLB: This should be the position with the least amount of turnover this season, and for good reason. Levar Fisher and Raynoch Thompson performed pretty well as the starters on the outside, and I expect Fisher to have a breakout season in 2004 after a full year starting on the weak side. Thompson has never really lived up to his billing as a pass-rush specialist on the strongside, and it's unclear how he will fit in to the plans of Green's staff. That being said, he recieved an extension shortly before his suspension, and should have a solid roster spot in 2004. LeVar Woods and Gerald Hayes have performed well on special teams and in spot duty in the base defense, and should be secure in their roster spots, as well. It might be well-considered for the Cards to invest a late-round pick in a more "traditional" OLB prospect to groom for the outside in the event that Thompson fails to acclimate to the new defensive system.

ILB: In a bit of an upset, I foresee James Darling as the starer in the middle in 2004. For all of Ronald McKinnon's virtues, he's never been mistaken for a versitile "Mike" 'backer. The NFC West is a pass-happy division, and "Ronnie Mac" is a liability in pass coverage. McKinnon's leadership value should still be recognized by the new regime, and so I think that he has very little possiblity of being a camp casualty, but there's still a possiblity. McKinnon should still be effective as a linebacker in running situations and in goal-line sets, as well as on special teams. Michael Young was a late-season edition to the team, and I don't foresee him remaining on the roster far into training camp. This is another position where the Cards would be savvy to look for any bargains in free agency or late in the draft to pick up one of the "new breed" MLBs that can play both the run and the pass effectively. It's not a priority, but teams get better by building on strengths when they have the opportunities, and the Cards have an opportunity to have one of the better linebacking corps in the NFL. In the next two years, a young prospect in the middle should be a priority aquisition. This prospect may already be on the roster in Gerald Hayes, and I hope this avenue will be explored by the Green and his staff.

CB: All right, this is where it starts to get a little scary. David Barrett and Emmanuel McDaniel will soon be unrestricted free agents. Renaldo Hill will be a restricted free agent and will need to get a decent tender (as a 7th round pick, he'll be quickly snatched up for a low tender). Duane Starks and Coby Rhinehart will probably still be with the team through 2004. It will be an important camp for Nijrell Eason, whose time on the pracice squad has come to an end. Rookie Jason Goss may need another year on the practice squad, as well, but will get his chance to impress his new coaches in Flagstaff. Cornerbacks don't grow on trees, even mediocre ones like the Cardinals have. Barrett's probably as good as gone. The Cards would be wise to break the bank on a cornerback with tremendous upside like Antowine Winfield (BUF) or Fernando Bryant (JAC). Shawn Springs (SEA) would be a decent consolation prize, but I don't think much of 49er Amhed Plummer, so I wouldn't reccommend throwing the kind of dollars at him that you might with Winfield or Bryant. Another name to look at would be Dale Carter. PFW reported that the Saints won't retain him for more than the league minimum. Give Barrett's money to Dale Carter, and let him play for his old coach from Minneapolis. He could be a very good nickle back. Cross your fingers that the Cards draft a cornerback in the second round and maybe another on the second day.

S: This is another area of concern. Justin Lucas and Michael Stone are unrestricted free agents. Lucas probably deserves another couple years at the league minimum, but one might begin to wonder whether it's going to come together for this guy. Stone is as good as gone. Adrian Wilson is a restricted free agent, and may get the tender which will entitle the team to equal draft pick (3rd round) compensation if he's signed by another team. The guy has great talent, but needs to put it together on a constant basis. His hit on the San Francisco tight end may have been the defensive highlight of the season. Even if Sean Taylor is drafted by the Cardinals in the #3 overall slot, I expect Wilson to stay with the team for at least another season. Dexter Jackson was the MVP of the Cards defense in my opinion, as well as a leader on the field and off. His starting position is secure, but he should focus on getting healthy and a little more consistent over the off-season.

A QUICK NOTE ON THE SECONDARY: The degree to which the Ferguson/McGinnis/Graves regimes has ignored the secondary is stunning. Only two home-grown players in the Big Red secondary were first-day picks, and neither of them (Adrian Wilson and Michael Stone) may not be with the team after 2004. Arizona's starting cornerbacks were sixth (Barret) and seventh (Hill) round picks. Wow.

P: Scott Player had a down year in 2003, and should expect at least token competition in Flagstaff. Nonetheless, he's firmly entrenched as the starter.

K: Expect Restricted Free Agent Bill Grammatica to get a tender offer soon after the Super Bowl. Neil Rackers was given an extention at the tail end of the Cardinals' season, but I'm not totally sold on him. It's nice to get the ball deep on kickoffs, but I'd rather have a pretty automatic field goal machine, especially in the clutch. This should be an exciting competition in training camp. Well, as exciting as a kicker battle can be.

LS: Nathan Hodel was nothing to write home about in 2003, but he wasn't really anything to complain about, either. He should be golden for 2004..

Bottom Line: There will be about 10 new faces on this side of the ball, too. There are 66 players being paid by the Cards right now, but 52 are allowed on the "Active" roster, and 45 dress for game day. Expect Green's imprint on the franchise to start quickly, because after Flag, his guys are going to be the "belly of the team" that Graves was always talking about.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Ryanwb
Little premature for this......

Por que? As soon as Green has his staff assembled, this is what they're going to be doing. Tender offers must be made to RFAs shortly after the Super Bowl.

The Cards season is over. If Graves and Green aren't making these same estimations about players, or aren't going to be as soon as the staff is assembled, what are they doing?

This team isn't settled enough to slack off on detirmining the fates of their players and their strategies for free agency and the draft. The Combine isn't that far away.

 

[Ryanwb]

you posted this crap on another thread

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Ryanwb
you posted this crap on another thread

I noted that in my first post. If you don't want to read it, you don't have to.

 

[Russ Smith]

Agree with a lot of it although I think Gilmore is a lot more on the bubble than you do. I know he doesn't make much money but it's hard to argue with production and for a guy to play as much as he did and catch as few as he did, I just don't see Dennis Green having much patience with him.

Some disagreements, I actually like Marcus Bell, I think he'd go somewhere else and turn out somewhere better than Fatafehi and not as good as Darwin Walker, I think he's a decent player who should be kept.

I like you expect a change at MLB this year, not sure it will be Darling though, I seem to recall someone (Walt?) saying Hayes had experience there?

I like Shipp a lot more than you do. Totally agree on Hodgins, I said it this offseason I don't understand why everyone is so excited about a FB that probably won't play that much if Sully plays the system he says he wants to, that is the Rams offense. Green does not use FB's, if you look at his tenure with the Vikings he likes RB's who can run and catch(Marcel is a much better receiver than we showed last year) and he uses FB's largely on short yardage. The one exception to that was of course Leroy Hoard, who was basically a young Larry Centers who on a winning team was on the field a lot less than LC.

Green's not a big believer in power running with a FB he prefers to play 3 WR's or 2 TE sets.

 

[kerouac9]

Marcus Bell is all right, but I wonder if, with the ascent of Kenny King, if he's really necessary. I don't know what kind of money M. Bell is going to be looking for/at, but I can't imagine that the Cards are going to invest a bunch more money on the defensive line when what they really need is a good 2-gap DT and they already have an as good or better 1-Gap DT in Kenny King.

I don't expect Bell to become a star with another team, but I expect him to become more than the just solid player that we have now.

Gilbert Hayes played the "mike" linebacker position in college. Allegedly he doesn't have the size to make the transition to the NFL at the same position. I wouldn't mind working him in there on passing downs to spell Darling early in the season and keep McKinnon off the field on 3rd and long. Maybe Hayes can take over the MLB position by the end of the season, but unless we pick up someone in the off-season, I don't see him starting out in the middle.

 

[Walter Mitchell]

Good effort, Kerouac. Don't let the naysayers get you down. It's fun to consider what the roster will be...and it will be very interesting to see what players step up their games this season, now that Dennis Green and a new staff will be coaching this team.

My biggest hopes start with (1) drafting Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger...(2) moving Pete Kendall back to LG...and (3) either (a) going after Damien Woody in free agency or (b) drafting Alex Stepanovich of Ohio State. (4) Adding a quality WR to create a bona fide triple threat with Q and BJ...with Nathan Poole as 4th option.

On defense, I, like Russ, still see a good deal of potential in Marcus Bell...and sense that he might be one of several young players who start to thrive in the new system. Other players that I sense will show significant improvement are: Calvin Pace, Wendall Bryant, Kenny King, Dennis Johnson, Levar Fisher, Gerald Hayes (who can play OLB and/or MLB),Adrian Wilson (in a modified role) and...I sense we will see further improvement from Renaldo Hill and Dexter Jackson. IMO, Barron Tanner will remain a good, solid run stuffer.

Prediction of new players on the roster:

QB: (1)

C: (1)

WR: (2)

DE: (2)

DT: (1)

LB: (1)

CB: (2)

S: (1)

Free Agents: WR, DE, DT, CB

Draft Picks: QB, CB, C, DE, S, WR, LB

 

[Skkorpion]

Interesting take kerouac. We'll see over time.

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
My biggest hopes start with (1) drafting Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger...(2) moving Pete Kendall back to LG...and (3) either (a) going after Damien Woody in free agency or (b) drafting Alex Stepanovich of Ohio State. (4) Adding a quality WR to create a bona fide triple threat with Q and BJ...with Nathan Poole as 4th option.

Ehhhxcellent.

I love the idea of drafting Stepanovich. If he's there for us in the third I'd hope the cards would grab him.

 

[kerouac9]

Walter, I agree with most of what you're saying. I'm just wondering if the Cards are going to be willing to spend the money to hold three one-gap DTs (Bryant, Bell, and King), especially if they're going to have to shell out good money for an above-average 2-gap DT.

If the Cardinals do bring in two new defensive ends, including drafting one (Why? All our DE talent is home-grown and improving?), it will send the NFL careers of both Kyle Vanden Bosh and Fred Wakefield into the sunset. If two have to leave, they're the weak links.

I wouldn't be against drafting a center prospect to be trained under Pete Kendall, but I think that it's better for him and the Cards to stay in the middle of the line. I think that something has to be done to upgrade Cameron Spikes, but we already have so much money invested on the offensive line that I hate to invest Top 5 money in another player like Damian Woody. Maybe someone like Gernnardo DiNapoli could be brought in to play guard. I don't know.

I agree that we have good talent on defense, but I really think that we need a catalyst on that side of the ball to make it all happen. I'm not sure if there's a player in the draft who can play that role better than Sean Taylor.

As for the quarterbacks or other players in the draft, I'm not sold. The only player that I truly covet is Eli Manning, and I don't think that he'll be there at #3. Ben doesn't get me any more excited than Josh McCown does right now, and I like some of what Josh brings to the table better because of his athleticism. I think that the offense has a catalyst in Anquan Boldin, but I'd rather focus that #3 pick on defense, where they need someone to bring it all together and "make it happen."

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by Pariah
Ehhhxcellent.

I love the idea of drafting Stepanovich. If he's there for us in the third I'd hope the cards would grab him.

Yeah but drafting Roethlisberger and Stepanovich made a lot more sense if we were hiring Heimerdinger and going with the really long name philosophy. Green is short and easy to spell, I imagine our draft picks will have similar names now!

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
...going after Damien Woody in free agency...

By the way, ESPN Insider is reporting that Woody Tore his MCL and is out for the rest of the postseason. Bad luck in a contract year. He moved to guard to help out the team.

 

[Walter Mitchell]

Russ...rumor has it that Roethlisberger and Stepanovich are changing their names to Roth and Stepp. And with Len Pasquerelli reporting that both Dennis Green and Emmitt Smith are heavily recruiting WR Jerry Rice to join them in the desert..could be sweet!...Ben and Jerry!

 

[Rats]

I want to know why so many are down on KVB. Injuries happen in this league. He would be a much better DT than ones we have had. I bet he gets a solid look if he is healthy this year. He is very young. Hell he reminds me of a young Klecko and he had at least 7 surgeries. So did Hampton of DA Bears and KVB is cut from the same cloth. And K9 how can some from the same draft be restricted and others be unrestricted. I think David Barrett was much higher than a 6th but not sure where he went. CB will be the area most upgraded and with Starks healthy and on the field that is instant. Money should still be thrown at a DE. After that draft Manning. If he is gone go with a WR and Mcowan at QB. Keep Blake and lets see if DG can get more out of the OLINE. I hope that Smith retires and we FA a decent backup RB. This team is still aways off in personel but we have the right man for the job in DG. We will grow this year and with any luck make the playoffs by the skin of our teeth. But most likely not till next year. To much flux to see great production the first year out of the gate even for a good staff.

 

[green machine]

Originally posted by Rats
I want to know why so many are down on KVB. Injuries happen in this league. He would be a much better DT than ones we have had. I bet he gets a solid look if he is healthy this year. He is very young. Hell he reminds me of a young Klecko and he had at least 7 surgeries. So did Hampton of DA Bears and KVB is cut from the same cloth. And K9 how can some from the same draft be restricted and others be unrestricted. I think David Barrett was much higher than a 6th but not sure where he went. CB will be the area most upgraded and with Starks healthy and on the field that is instant. Money should still be thrown at a DE. After that draft Manning. If he is gone go with a WR and Mcowan at QB. Keep Blake and lets see if DG can get more out of the OLINE. I hope that Smith retires and we FA a decent backup RB. This team is still aways off in personel but we have the right man for the job in DG. We will grow this year and with any luck make the playoffs by the skin of our teeth. But most likely not till next year. To much flux to see great production the first year out of the gate even for a good staff.

Injuries happen, but when it's the same injury over and over again it's not just dumb luck.

 

[Rats]

Originally posted by green machine
Injuries happen, but when it's the same injury over and over again it's not just dumb luck.

It was a differant knee...and yes it was dumb luck that they were using him on the outside. Im saying if he is moved inside and bulks up 10 pounds you might have Hovan all over again in the middle. Interesting to consider if he is healthy.

 

[HeavyB3]

I still don't understand everyones negative opinion of Ronny Mac. He's probably the best all around player on our defense. He may not be fast like Fisher or THompson but he's a force against the run while the other two are better against the pass. I think Darling is more of a liability against the run than Mac... anyone remember the game against St Louis where it looked like he was confused when bulger took off scrambling on the final drive of the game? Dazed and confused. Ronny Mac stays as the starter.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by HeavyB3
I still don't understand everyones negative opinion of Ronny Mac. He's probably the best all around player on our defense. He may not be fast like Fisher or THompson but he's a force against the run while the other two are better against the pass. I think Darling is more of a liability against the run than Mac... anyone remember the game against St Louis where it looked like he was confused when bulger took off scrambling on the final drive of the game? Dazed and confused. Ronny Mac stays as the starter.

I know I'm down on Ronnie Mac because dude can't drop into coverage, and can't get around the edge in run support. That wasn't as big a liability in the NFC East, but it's huge in the NFC West, where teams pass upwards of 45% of the time, and run lots of crossing routes over the middle. Because Mac can't cover, it's possible that A. Wilson (or someone else) had to "Slant" thier zones to cover up for the massive liability in the middle.

Ronnie Mac is best used as a run-stopping specialist, special teamer, and goal-line linebacker. If you think that this team can win the Super Bowl with Ronnie Mac starting at middle linebacker, more power to you, but that hasn't been the case thus far.

 

[Snakester]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
Good effort, Kerouac. Don't let the naysayers get you down. It's fun to consider what the roster will be...and it will be very interesting to see what players step up their games this season, now that Dennis Green and a new staff will be coaching this team.

My biggest hopes start with (1) drafting Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger...(2) moving Pete Kendall back to LG...and (3) either (a) going after Damien Woody in free agency or (b) drafting Alex Stepanovich of Ohio State. (4) Adding a quality WR to create a bona fide triple threat with Q and BJ...with Nathan Poole as 4th option.

On defense, I, like Russ, still see a good deal of potential in Marcus Bell...and sense that he might be one of several young players who start to thrive in the new system. Other players that I sense will show significant improvement are: Calvin Pace, Wendall Bryant, Kenny King, Dennis Johnson, Levar Fisher, Gerald Hayes (who can play OLB and/or MLB),Adrian Wilson (in a modified role) and...I sense we will see further improvement from Renaldo Hill and Dexter Jackson. IMO, Barron Tanner will remain a good, solid run stuffer.

Prediction of new players on the roster:

QB: (1)

C: (1)

WR: (2)

DE: (2)

DT: (1)

LB: (1)

CB: (2)

S: (1)

Free Agents: WR, DE, DT, CB

Draft Picks: QB, CB, C, DE, S, WR, LB

Walt, if the Cards were going to put Kendall back at guard and draft a center, I would like to see us draft Jake Grove from Va Tech. I watched him stop Vince Wilfork in his tracks when they played. He is very strong with a mean streak and to me is the best center prospect coming out this year. I expect Grove to be taken either late in round one or early in round two. I would consider him with our second round pick if we were to do what you suggest. That being said, I still thought Kendall was a great center for us this year and should stay at the position.

 

[kerouac9]

Taking out Rats's trash...

I want to know why so many are down on KVB. Injuries happen in this league. He would be a much better DT than ones we have had. I bet he gets a solid look if he is healthy this year. He is very young. Hell he reminds me of a young Klecko and he had at least 7 surgeries. So did Hampton of DA Bears and KVB is cut from the same cloth.

KVB would be a horrible defensive tackle. He's never played the posisition in his life. We already have 3 good 1-gap DTs in Bryant, Bell, and King (when he moves inside). The fact of the matter that Kyle Vanden Bosch hasn't been effective as a defensive player at any point of his three-year tenure with the team. Some of that isn't his fault, because he was injured, but he's never lived up to his draft status.

I was surprised when someone posted his post-draft comments and he'd only notched thirteen sacks at Nebraska. Thirteen sacks in his career. KVB's selection at the top of the second round is easily a draft SNAFU on par with Michael Stone and Johnnie Rutledge. Both Tommy Knight and Thomas Jones had more quantifiable positive impact on the team than KVB during their tenures here.

Sometimes you just have to cut bait, and I think that now's the time to let KVB explore other career options.

And K9 how can some from the same draft be restricted and others be unrestricted.

That's an easy one. In general, first- and second-round draft picks (like KVB or David Boston) are given four-year contracts when they enter the league. The third round and below, though, are generally only given three-year contracts, since the odds of success in the NFL for the average 3-6 round pick is pretty low. NFL rules designate that teams have the "rights" to a player for 4 years following their drafting. So, while Adrian Wilson and KVB were taken in the same draft, Wilson's contract is expired, making him a restricted free agent. KVB, on the other hand, is in the last year of his deal.

I think David Barrett was much higher than a 6th but not sure where he went. CB will be the area most upgraded and with Starks healthy and on the field that is instant.

Barrett was a 6th round pick in the 2000 draft. That's a fact, look it up. I don't think that he'll be back here next season, and even with the secondary getting improved with the return of Starks, it could get EVEN BETTER with the aquisition of another good cornerback like Winfield or Bryant.

 

[CaptTurbo]

k9, I think the absolute opposite on EVERY position you do. LOL

 

[Rats]

Re: Taking out Rats's trash...

Originally posted by kerouac9
KVB would be a horrible defensive tackle. He's never played the posisition in his life. We already have 3 good 1-gap DTs in Bryant, Bell, and King (when he moves inside). The fact of the matter that Kyle Vanden Bosch hasn't been effective as a defensive player at any point of his three-year tenure with the team. Some of that isn't his fault, because he was injured, but he's never lived up to his draft status.

I was surprised when someone posted his post-draft comments and he'd only notched thirteen sacks at Nebraska. Thirteen sacks in his career. KVB's selection at the top of the second round is easily a draft SNAFU on par with Michael Stone and Johnnie Rutledge. Both Tommy Knight and Thomas Jones had more quantifiable positive impact on the team than KVB during their tenures here.

Sometimes you just have to cut bait, and I think that now's the time to let KVB explore other career options.



That's an easy one. In general, first- and second-round draft picks (like KVB or David Boston) are given four-year contracts when they enter the league. The third round and below, though, are generally only given three-year contracts, since the odds of success in the NFL for the average 3-6 round pick is pretty low. NFL rules designate that teams have the "rights" to a player for 4 years following their drafting. So, while Adrian Wilson and KVB were taken in the same draft, Wilson's contract is expired, making him a restricted free agent. KVB, on the other hand, is in the last year of his deal.



Barrett was a 6th round pick in the 2000 draft. That's a fact, look it up. I don't think that he'll be back here next season, and even with the secondary getting improved with the return of Starks, it could get EVEN BETTER with the aquisition of another good cornerback like Winfield or Bryant.

I was more talking about Bell, Wilson and Stone being in the same draft but having differant status...KVB was drafted higher....and Barrett was taken in the 4th round....so much for your facts....but then we all talk out of our ass sometimes...... Some of what you say has merit....though