Cards Draft Analysis: Swinging for the Fences

[Buckybird]

Bucky, you gotta figure it's why they picked Housler and Williams. Can't do anything but help whoever is under center....assuming they can do what they were drafted for.

Didn't Wiz tell us thats why Wells was drafted for a more balanced attack? That's been 2 years ago We had terrible QB play last year & still threw 70% of the time...I'll believe it when I see it!!!

 

[MrYeahBut]

Didn't Wiz tell us thats why Wells was drafted for a more balanced attack? That's been 2 years ago We had terrible QB play last year & still threw 70% of the time...I'll believe it when I see it!!!

Who said anything about running the ball? Both were drafted for their pass catching abilities...lol

 

[Shane]

Didn't Wiz tell us thats why Wells was drafted for a more balanced attack? That's been 2 years ago We had terrible QB play last year & still threw 70% of the time...I'll believe it when I see it!!!

I don't recall him saying that. Do you hav a quote?

 

[Buckybird]

I don't recall him saying that. Do you hav a quote?

Really...really Shane...do you really think that Wiz drafted a between the tackle, pound the rock RB in the 1st Rd with thoughts of not having a more balanced attack?

I'm not researching something that is so comical & so technical when you know exactly why Beanie was brought to the desert!!! If you really believe Wells was brought to AZ to pass block & catch passes out of the backfield, this team is in more trouble than you will ever believe.

 

[CtCardinals78]

Great job K9. I was thinking along the same lines after the draft yesterday. This draft for the Cards is going to be hit or miss. They took some gambles that could pay off. It reminds me of the Titans draft a couple years ago when they swung for the fences, but struck out. Here's to hoping the Cards connect, in all I liked the draft but was frustrated with the Housler pick. I think he'll be a good player but fear the Cards may have reached.

My other gripe is that if they did play it safe and hit doubles, eventually you'll score but if you are hitting for homeruns and strike out the inning is over.

 

[kerouac9]

My other gripe is that if they did play it safe and hit doubles, eventually you'll score but if you are hitting for homeruns and strike out the inning is over.

That's the difference between the Cards and the Pats, Ct. The Pats are like the New York Yankees: They have all the pieces in place to win 90 games a year, so they can draft complementary pieces and still finish with 11 or 12 wins.

The Cards aren't in that boat. We went 5-11 last season against the easiest schedule in the NFL. That's the long and the short of it. We don't have any home run hitters right now. We have a lot of guys who can win 12-15 games, or can hit .275 and drive in 60 RBIs. But we don't have the galvanizing force (especially on defense) to bring all of that together.

You can't go from 60 wins to 90 wins with guys who play good defense and hit doubles. You need some big time players. I've said it before: a team needs to get its cornerstone players through the draft and then keep them around for a second contract.

To torture the baseball analogy, 2008 and 2009 were the Arizona Diamondbacks of 2001 and 2002. Now we've lost most of our top talent, and the "baby backs" didn't pull through. We have to re-build our roster around some new ideas. My fear is that our head coach is still Bob Brenly and not able to develop a young roster into competitive play.

 

[lobo]

Us fans want to see the Cards hit home runs while only swinging for doubles. That's what drafting Brooks Reed in the second or John Moffitt would have meant. By selecting these three players, the Arizona Cardinals took three huge cuts, but if they make contact, they'll have three young, dynamic playmakers who, along with Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, Calais Campbell, and hopefully O'Brien Schofield and Daryl Washington, will the nucleus for the Arizona Cardinals as they transition to the post-Kurt Warner Era (seriously, he's not coming back edition).[/quote]

Well thought out smart post. I personally like the position they took. If they use their free agent money wisely, this might be a team to really be a double digit win team.

 

[Buckybird]

That's the difference between the Cards and the Pats, Ct. The Pats are like the New York Yankees: They have all the pieces in place to win 90 games a year, so they can draft complementary pieces and still finish with 11 or 12 wins.

The Cards aren't in that boat. We went 5-11 last season against the easiest schedule in the NFL. That's the long and the short of it. We don't have any home run hitters right now. We have a lot of guys who can win 12-15 games, or can hit .275 and drive in 60 RBIs. But we don't have the galvanizing force (especially on defense) to bring all of that together.

You can't go from 60 wins to 90 wins with guys who play good defense and hit doubles. You need some big time players. I've said it before: a team needs to get its cornerstone players through the draft and then keep them around for a second contract.

I totally agree K9...and your last line says why we may never achieve our ultimate goal...until that philosophy is changed.

 

[Dayman]

I'm not going that far, in part because I don't think Whis really knows what he wants in an offense. Why would it take him five years to figure how what kind of players he wants for "his" offense?

What does Whis's "preferred" offense look like?

I think Whis has finally accepted the fact that he's a spread the field, pass first kind of guy. Obviously, that's always been his style, but before it seemed like he was trying to convince himself that he would eventually run the old Steelers' grind it out offense everyone expected him to adopt.

As for why he didn't figure this out earlier, I wish I knew. Then I could explain some of the baffling personnel decisions he's made through the years.

 

[Buckybird]

I think Whis has finally accepted the fact that he's a spread the field, pass first kind of guy. Obviously, that's always been his style, but before it seemed like he was trying to convince himself that he would eventually run the old Steelers' grind it out offense everyone expected him to adopt.

Really? IMO this team doesn't evaluate its talent good enough to fitting their schemes well. Beanie? DWash? Oline? OLB's?

Why draft a FB? Why not draft some Olineman that actually fit that spread offense instead of trying to fit square pegs into a round hole. This Oline is clearly run blockers & maulers not pass blockers.

 

[Chopper0080]

Really? IMO this team doesn't evaluate its talent good enough to fitting their schemes well. Beanie? DWash? Oline? OLB's?

Why draft a FB? Why not draft some Olineman that actually fit that spread offense instead of trying to fit square pegs into a round hole. This Oline is clearly run blockers & maulers not pass blockers.

That FB can stone rushers out of a two back gun formation, while still being able to release and make plays in the passing game. Sherman brings size and versatility that we don't have on our roster.

Long story short, you put him in the two back gun with Ryan Williams or LSH. Our OT's will be on islands. What Sherman provides you is someone with both size to step up and help in protection, but also a threat to release through a rushing player and be a threat to make considerable yards after catch.