Cards Post Super Bowl Direction

[kerouac9]

You better go back to when Monti was hired. Michael was VERY clear that what he wanted was sustained success, not a playoff run and then hitting rock bottom again. That’s been the goal of Bidwill/MO/JG from day one & every move they’ve either made or didn’t make reflects the original goal. As someone who’s been a fan since the early 60’s, I understand everyone’s desire to win NOW. Hell, I’m running out of years personally, but Bidwill understands that sustainable success is something this franchise has NEVER had. And until stated otherwise, that’s his goal.

You have to have success in order to have sustained success. It's a prerequisite.

 

[PACardsFan]

Then the difference in our opinions lies in degrees. Monti could have easily--and objectively should have--spent more in FA previously to shore up the D without compromising the cap in any way. He is now faced with a FA where the roster is in just as bad a shape, with just as many holes, just as devoid of top-end talent, and with a lot of cap space. If he DOESN'T spend a lot in FA and in extending players, he will be seriously harming our roster and the idea that we are actually building. He shouldn't spend like "a drunken sailor," but by any measure, he must spend more than he has previously.

They were cursed with injuries to defensive FA’s that didn’t have any history of previous injuries, they lost their 2nd round Edge to injury, they lost Jonah Williams for pretty much the entire season, they lost a FA WR to suspension when that FA was found innocent of charges, they had one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, and yet they still doubled their wins from the previous year. The Cardinals are in a very good position to continue to ascend. You’re going to get your feelings hurt if you think the Cardinals are going to do anything bizarre in FA.

 

[PACardsFan]

You have to have success in order to have sustained success. It's a prerequisite.

We doubled our wins this past year. You don’t change course just yet.

 

[Stout]

We doubled our wins this past year. You don’t change course just yet.

Whoopty do! There is yet no evidence that we are going to have success, let alone sustained success. This is the problem. By year 3, in the NFL, it should be apparent, or your rebuild just isn't working.

Also, we could have done better with better players--the kind Monti eschewed in FA. Without breaking the bank or mortgaging the future.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Monti and JG should be safe until they haven't had sustained success with their own QB. They should get their own fair chance rather than be a second regime cleared out because of K1's shortcomings, IMHO.

 

[kerouac9]

Monti and JG should be safe until they haven't had sustained success with their own QB. They should get their own fair chance rather than be a second regime cleared out because of K1's shortcomings, IMHO.

JG could be into his second contract by then. He's already entering his third season of a five-year deal. He'd be entering a lame-duck year by the time the team could reasonably move on from Kyler.

FWIW, I don't think Gannon and Monti are joined at the hip. Gannon likely goes into 2026 on the hot seat if the team doesn't win nine or more games this year.

 

[BirdGangThing]

FWIW, I don't think Gannon and Monti are joined at the hip. Gannon likely goes into 2026 on the hot seat if the team doesn't win nine or more games this year.

if we don't make the playoffs kyler is gone - far as gannon goes idk - probably depends on our defense

 

[PACardsFan]

Whoopty do! There is yet no evidence that we are going to have success, let alone sustained success. This is the problem. By year 3, in the NFL, it should be apparent, or your rebuild just isn't working.

Also, we could have done better with better players--the kind Monti eschewed in FA. Without breaking the bank or mortgaging the future.

And there’s no evidence that we won’t have success either. We had a tough schedule, we had tons of injuries, and we lost some close games that we could have or should have won. The goal is to get better every year & that’s what they’ve done. 2025 is a critical year & I expect it to be a good one.

 

[Cheesebeef]

They were cursed with injuries to defensive FA’s that didn’t have any history of previous injuries, they lost their 2nd round Edge to injury, they lost Jonah Williams for pretty much the entire season, they lost a FA WR to suspension when that FA was found innocent of charges, they had one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, and yet they still doubled their wins from the previous year. The Cardinals are in a very good position to continue to ascend. You’re going to get your feelings hurt if you think the Cardinals are going to do anything bizarre in FA.

This whole “They doubled their win total!” Argument is excrement. They all but forfeited half of their entire 1st season by literally going into the year with no QB.

Once Kyler came back, they were a middling 3-5 team that equates to winning 6.3 games… versus the next year with a healthy QB, two drafts and two FA classes where all of that equaled winning a little less, but still, middling 8 win team.

So they really improved a whole 2 games with a war chest of draft picks and massive cap room for 2 seasons. Yay.

 

[Stout]

Monti and JG should be safe until they haven't had sustained success with their own QB. They should get their own fair chance rather than be a second regime cleared out because of K1's shortcomings, IMHO.

Yeah, no. Not even close. If they can't get over the hump because of Kyler, fine. But for Monti in particular, if the roster continues to lack talent year after year, that's on him regardless of who the QB is.

 

[slanidrac16]

No doubt, anyone hoping for a Sweat or Garrett should be preparing to be disappointed. Monti will surely uncover some more hidden gems!

I was talking up Sweat before the Super Bowl. Alas, he has priced himself out of our market.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I was talking up Sweat before the Super Bowl. Alas, he has priced himself out of our market.

What exactly do you think "our market" is?

 

[MadCardDisease]

I was talking up Sweat before the Super Bowl. Alas, he has priced himself out of our market.

He was already going to cost a ton of money seeing as he is the premier Edge in a very thin FA Edge market. If the Cardinals are not going to target him after his SB performance, they were never going to go after him.

 

[BirdGangThing]

what do you think monti will do? not what you want him to do - but who do you think he's most likely to sign in free agency?

a) josh sweat
b) zack baun
c) chase young
d) haasan reddick
e) khalil mack
f) none of the above

 

[MadCardDisease]

what do you think monti will do? not what you want him to do - but who do you think he's most likely to sign in free agency?

a) josh sweat
b) zack baun
c) chase young
d) haasan reddick
e) khalil mack
f) none of the above

I choose A. Josh Sweat.

I think going into year 3 Monti is ready to add a premier FA to the young core that he has assembled so far. The fact that JG is very familiar with Sweat makes it a no brainer.

 

[zbeaster]

Sweat and Williams are both free agents from PHI right? Why not both (Edge and DT)?

I'd go for both. Would be really nice to get either of them.

 

[Stout]

what do you think monti will do? not what you want him to do - but who do you think he's most likely to sign in free agency?

a) josh sweat
b) zack baun
c) chase young
d) haasan reddick
e) khalil mack
f) none of the above

F. That is what I think Monti will do out of all of these.

 

[BirdGangThing]

F. That is what I think Monti will do out of all of these.

then monti's grade will also be an F but you may be right - there's a bunch of left tackles available in free agency - idk if monti can resist signing one

 

[kerouac9]

what do you think monti will do? not what you want him to do - but who do you think he's most likely to sign in free agency?

a) josh sweat
b) zack baun
c) chase young
d) haasan reddick
e) khalil mack
f) none of the above

I think F but I could live with D also. You can pretty easily give Reddick a three-year deal with limited guarantees after two years and give a young player time to develop.

 

[Harry]

I was talking up Sweat before the Super Bowl. Alas, he has priced himself out of our market.

Cards have money to burn. It’s really up to Gannon. If he says that’s the guy he wants they can buy him.

 

[Totally_Red]

Cards have money to burn. It’s really up to Gannon. If he says that’s the guy he wants they can buy him.

Agreed. I would be reluctant to overpay for Sweat but it is such a need that if JG and Rallis really really want him, go for it.

 

[kerouac9]

Cards have money to burn. It’s really up to Gannon. If he says that’s the guy he wants they can buy him.

They don't, really. Yes, they have $70MM in cap space right now, but they need starting-caliber or productive rotational players at these positions:

1) LG
2) EDGE (probably 2)
3) OT (either starting RT or swing tackle probably)
4) IDL

Even if your answers to those questions are Hernandez/Brown, Luketa/Browning, Beachum, and Collier, those guys aren't going to play for free.

 

[Cheesebeef]

what do you think monti will do? not what you want him to do - but who do you think he's most likely to sign in free agency?

a) josh sweat
b) zack baun
c) chase young
d) haasan reddick
e) khalil mack
f) none of the above

F

 

[Chopper0080]

JG could be into his second contract by then. He's already entering his third season of a five-year deal. He'd be entering a lame-duck year by the time the team could reasonably move on from Kyler.

FWIW, I don't think Gannon and Monti are joined at the hip. Gannon likely goes into 2026 on the hot seat if the team doesn't win nine or more games this year.

Sad. I am starting to be done with Monti at this point so the idea of keeping him and getting rid of Gannon is Keim-esque. I will give Monti this off-season but I kinda feel the hill he has built will be to steep to climb.

 

[Chopper0080]

They don't, really. Yes, they have $70MM in cap space right now, but they need starting-caliber or productive rotational players at these positions:

1) LG
2) EDGE (probably 2)
3) OT (either starting RT or swing tackle probably)
4) IDL

Even if your answers to those questions are Hernandez/Brown, Luketa/Browning, Beachum, and Collier, those guys aren't going to play for free.

I kind of agree. It's irritating the Cardinals find themselves in year 3 without a starting LG, RG, RT, WR3, EDGE, EDGE, and ILB. And, they really don't have any sort of player on the roster to step in and fill those gaps outside of Adams at G. All of that before the convo shifts to IDL. I personally find it difficult to believe that Monti will be able to fill these holes with better talent than was present in 2024. Maybe at EDGE because it was so bad or DL because of the depth of the draft.