Cards re-sign OT D'Anthony Batiste

[Crazy Canuck]

What????? No Grimm????? That IS good news. Signing Batiste is a good move on our part. He has been learning, and has been high on the coaching staff's list of promising developmental players. With a prolonged off season and TC, he might be ready to make the transition to compete for a starting slot. If they can clear some cap space------Bell is still in the mix also. This may be riding on getting Campbell's contract re-worked at this point.

I am glad that they are looking at Martin in Palo Alto. He might not be the strong road grader type we normally sign, but he WAS successful in keeping Andrew Luck the best protected QB in college the past two years. Simply getting a decent pass blocker on the Left Side might be a big help to this O-line. They might also be getting a good feel about his signability, so that they know if he should even be considered in the draft.

Gimm is there....

 

[juza76]

Gimm is there....

grimm

 

[BigRedRage]

Lol...he knows how to spell grimm. Good job.

 

[Dayman]

20 reps for an OT is the least of my concerns.

According to Jurecki, the Cardinals' coaching staff is concerned about it. Various draft analysts agree. They could all be wrong, but I still doubt he goes in the top 15.

 

[Duckjake]

tell me about it, this is a backup for depth and you need these guys on your team...and frankly, I think he is better than Keith

Plus just because they signed him doesn't mean he'll be on the 53 on opening day.

The Cards added a ton of new guys the last two seasons so it's good to see them keeping players familiar with their system this year. Even if I don't think they're any great shakes as players. You can't afford 53 pro bowl talents.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

DeCastro was doing all of the snapping for Luck. Mayoch says he's the top guard in draft, could play either and would be evaluated as such. Versatility!

 

[WarnerHOF]

Who?

 

[Catfish]

I don't want to bust anybody's bubble, but Graves seems to be doing a decent job of lining up prospective players for this roster. He had a great start in free agency with the Snyder signing. He followed up that with re-signing Levi to a very reasonable contract. Those two moves give us a lot of flexibility, as Levi can play both R/L Tackle, and Snyder can play both Tackle and Guard. Bell is still in the mix if we can clear some cap space. They re-signed Batiste, (another good signing, as he was doing well as a developmental Tackle and may be ready to compete for at least a backup role.

Now they are at Stanford looking obviously at Martin and DeCastro. Draft DeCastro, and Snyder could move to RT with Levi at LT. Draft Martin, and he could conceivably start at LT, move Levi to RT and Snyder to guard. I believe Stanford's other OT is also in the draft this year if I'm not mistaken, and might be another consideration later in the draft.

With Bell not out of the question, Graves seems to be about to get us a solid offensive line with decent depth. With Bell, it could become REALLY good. Add in guys like Gay that we have coming in for visits, (along with the others), and we may be on the verge of something very good. Feeley would be a decent re-sign, as he is a solid place kicker even though he lacks depth on the kick-off. A punter could be taken in the draft, or even as an un-drafted free agent.

All in all, Graves, for all the grief many of us have given him, is on the verge of doing something really good, and has built in flexibility as well. The whole key now seems to be restructuring some contracts so that cap space is available.

 

[az jam]

I don't want to bust anybody's bubble, but Graves seems to be doing a decent job of lining up prospective players for this roster. He had a great start in free agency with the Snyder signing. He followed up that with re-signing Levi to a very reasonable contract. Those two moves give us a lot of flexibility, as Levi can play both R/L Tackle, and Snyder can play both Tackle and Guard. Bell is still in the mix if we can clear some cap space. They re-signed Batiste, (another good signing, as he was doing well as a developmental Tackle and may be ready to compete for at least a backup role.

ll in all, Graves, for all the grief many of us have given him, is on the verge of doing something really good, and has built in flexibility as well. The whole key now seems to be restructuring some contracts so that cap space is available.

You make some excellent points. We never were going to be big spenders in free agency this year. Additionally our OL is our biggest need and this is a horrible year for free agent OTs. Levi Brown was one of the best available. Like it or not that is reality. I like the Snyder pickup and Batiste for experienced depth. Before every body complains they need to realize that the official off-season just started on March 13. Let's sit back and analyze the roster after the draft.

 

[Ed Burmila]

Right. Let's bitch at the FO for signing back-ups. Every player on our squad has to be starter quality. Talk about being unreasonable.

No, but it helps if the starters are.

 

[40yearfan]

No, but it helps if the starters are.

Our starters are starter quality. Remember there are 31 other teams out there competing for NFL talent level players and there are only so many available. You can't have the top player at their position at every position on an NFL team. No one has that kind of money. Not even Dan Snyder.

Every NFL team has it's areas of strength and areas that need improvement. A good NFL team does like we are now finally doing. Identify your area of need and try to upgrade it given your CAP position and personality of the present squad. This is done through free agency and the draft. You increase your team strength incrementally. Just having a whole bunch of stars on a team doesn't always work (ask Philly or Washington).

 

[Duckjake]

Our starters are starter quality. Remember there are 31 other teams out there competing for NFL talent level players and there are only so many available. You can't have the top player at their position at every position on an NFL team. No one has that kind of money. Not even Dan Snyder.

Every NFL team has it's areas of strength and areas that need improvement. A good NFL team does like we are now finally doing. Identify your area of need and try to upgrade it given your CAP position and personality of the present squad. This is done through free agency and the draft. You increase your team strength incrementally. Just having a whole bunch of stars on a team doesn't always work (ask Philly or Washington).

Every player on our team is starter quality. The current backups would have been starters for Dave McGinnis.

 

[Stout]

Every player on our team is starter quality. The current backups would have been starters for Dave McGinnis.

Zing!

 

[Stout]

Our starters are starter quality. Remember there are 31 other teams out there competing for NFL talent level players and there are only so many available. You can't have the top player at their position at every position on an NFL team. No one has that kind of money. Not even Dan Snyder.

Every NFL team has it's areas of strength and areas that need improvement. A good NFL team does like we are now finally doing. Identify your area of need and try to upgrade it given your CAP position and personality of the present squad. This is done through free agency and the draft. You increase your team strength incrementally. Just having a whole bunch of stars on a team doesn't always work (ask Philly or Washington).

I like what you're saying here, 40, and it really is the truth. The problem is, the pass rush and the offensive line has been our two biggest, gaping holes for the past few years, and we haven't come close to real improvement yet. When a team knows what's broke and can't fix it?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I like what you're saying here, 40, and it really is the truth. The problem is, the pass rush and the offensive line has been our two biggest, gaping holes for the past few years, and we haven't come close to real improvement yet. When a team knows what's broke and can't fix it?

We were fifth in the League in sacks.

 

[john h]

A lot of unnecessary hand wringing in this thread. sheesh.

Sort of meaningless to me as I know little to nothing about this guy. I just assume our guys who make these decisions got it right.

 

[Duckjake]

Sort of meaningless to me as I know little to nothing about this guy. I just assume our guys who make these decisions got it right.

I'm the opposite. I just assume they got it wrong. Only 2 winning seasons this century. Only 2 in the 6 years since the new stadium opened. Their franchise, first round, QBOF is a total bust. Even the QB who got them their two measly winning seasons doesn't have much positive to say about them.

 

[Stout]

We were fifth in the League in sacks.

That doesn't mean we get the kind of pressure we need on a consistent basis. They came in chunks. We quite often gave the QB way too much time. We improved some, sure, but we need to improve more. My hope is that Schofield and Acho improve to that point. We still need to add at least more depth to the position, though.

 

[Ed Burmila]

Our offensive tackles last year were starter quality? The ones we're going into this season with are too? Wow. Must be why our QBs spend half the game on their ass or getting over concussions.

 

[JeffGollin]

Our offensive tackles last year were starter quality? The ones we're going into this season with are too? Wow. Must be why our QBs spend half the game on their ass or getting over concussions.

I keep hearing counter-arguments that "our OL wasn't really that bad" and that Levi looked fine during the latter half of the season.

I keep trying to buy in, but I'm sorry - my eyes tell me differently.

This is kind of like my parents trying to convince me that brussels sprouts taste like M & M's.

 

[wa52lz]

Well hopefully Bell is still in play, per Rotoworld he isnt going back to Buffalo

Demetrius Bell - T - Bills
Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 Buffalo expects free agent OT Demetrius Bell to play football elsewhere in 2012.

The Bills made Bell a contract offer, but it may have only been for the league minimum. Buscaglia, who has a good grasp on Bills matters, bases his opinion on "things I've been hearing." At this point, Bell obviously won't get a big contract. But he'd be a worthwhile addition on a short-term, prove-it deal.

 

[TJ]

Well hopefully Bell is still in play, per Rotoworld he isnt going back to Buffalo

Demetrius Bell - T - Bills
Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 Buffalo expects free agent OT Demetrius Bell to play football elsewhere in 2012.

The Bills made Bell a contract offer, but it may have only been for the league minimum. Buscaglia, who has a good grasp on Bills matters, bases his opinion on "things I've been hearing." At this point, Bell obviously won't get a big contract. But he'd be a worthwhile addition on a short-term, prove-it deal.

What I've heard is that the Bills have made several contract offers to Bell since January, but they have been at or close to league minimum. The Bills have a solid offensive line w/o Bell and, IMO, view him as either expendable or merely a solid back up.

If Bell signs with Arizona, he is the starter week 1 at LT.

 

[Ed Burmila]

I keep hearing counter-arguments that "our OL wasn't really that bad" and that Levi looked fine during the latter half of the season.

I keep trying to buy in, but I'm sorry - my eyes tell me differently.

This is kind of like my parents trying to convince me that brussels sprouts taste like M & M's.

Yeah, I'm not sure who this Levi Brown fellow is that everyone is talking about this offseason. The one who wore #75 last season was a turnstile. Ask Kolb and Skelton how good he is. As for Brandon Keith, he wouldn't make any other team in this league. Is Arena Football still around?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Yeah, I'm not sure who this Levi Brown fellow is that everyone is talking about this offseason. The one who wore #75 last season was a turnstile. Ask Kolb and Skelton how good he is. As for Brandon Keith, he wouldn't make any other team in this league. Is Arena Football still around?

Well, that turnstile gave up one sack in the last 8 games.

 

[Mitch]

Yeah, I'm not sure who this Levi Brown fellow is that everyone is talking about this offseason. The one who wore #75 last season was a turnstile. Ask Kolb and Skelton how good he is. As for Brandon Keith, he wouldn't make any other team in this league. Is Arena Football still around?

Lighten up, Francis!