Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Defections:
DE Calais Campbell---amazing that Campbell got the same money per year ($15M) as his 2016 cap number for the Cardinals. He and his agent played the market perfectly. However, did Campbell's play warrant a $15.4M cap figure in 2016? In my mind, it did not. In the key 4 game stretch that determined whether the Cardinals could make a push for the playoffs, Campbell registered 12 tackles and 1 sack (losses to MIN, ATL and MIA and a win versus WAS). Now comes another question---where will he play in the Jaguars' 43 defense? Campbell is made to order as a 34 DE, but is he a 43 DT? A 43 DE? I would guess DT, seeing as Campbell has not shown he can be a productive edge rusher on passing downs.
Should the Cardinals have offered Campbell 4/$60M? No.
SS Tony Jefferson---$9M a year from the Ravens, who certainly pay a premium on signing and drafting tough guys. Seems he was heavily recruited from the get-go by FS Eric Weddle and he and Weddle have the potential to be one of the top safety tandems in the league.
Should the Cardinals have offered Jefferson $9M a year? No.
FS D.J. Swearinger---this defection is hard to understand. Swearinger was the first FS in quite some time to intimidate opposing WRs, RBs and TEs. When Jefferson was out, DJ stepped in at SS and played just as well as TJ did. For some reason, the Cardinals weren't sold on DJ. Yet, they raved about his work ethic, his diligent film study and his brash, aggressive style of play. They say they want guys who have a passion for the game and who are the first guy in and the last guy to leave, and yet when DJ gave them all of that and more, they let him walk at a modest $4.5M a year.
Should the Cardinals have offered Swearinger $4.5M a year. Yes.
Additions:
SS Antoine Bethea---going to be 33 this year, but still plays at a high level and is thirsty to win. Adds veteran leadership, toughness in the box...but the question is how effective he is in pass coverage, an area where TJ showed very good growth. Bethea will put every ounce of effort he has into it---but is he fast enough and agile enough to stick to TEs and RBs?
C A.Q. Shipley---this was a signing for continuity and depth. Shipley is a high effort guy who played a tad above average in 2016. Chances are he will remain the starting C and he has a good rapport with Carson Palmer. However, it would appear that Evan Boehm has more upside and long-term potential, so does this signing slow Boehm's growth another year or two? Not buying Boehm as a full-time starter at RG. At C. yes.
K Phil Dawson---might be the best signing of the day. Dawson is steady and consistently accurate. With Matt Wile on board, Dawson won't have to worry about kicking off.
LB Karlos Dansby---what is surprising about this move is that it happened on the first day of free agency when there were so many other options to consider. Clearly, the Cardinals want to move on from Kevin Minter who was a solid box tackler and improved inside blitzer, but not fast or athletic enough to be a consistently productive cover man. What the move suggests is that the Cardinals will use one of their first three draft picks on an ILB and Dansby will be the stop-gap on a team that is loath to play rookies. Dansby is a step or two slower than he used to be---he's a cagy, angular chase and cover ILB, but has never been a downhill stopper in run support. While he lacks the burst he once had as a blitzer he is able to threaten passing lanes with his size and wingspan.
Day 1 Grade: D
In my opinion, this was a tough first day for the Cardinals. It was understandable why Campbell and Jefferson were destined to move on. Losing Swearinger, to boot, was a mistake, especially at $4.5M a year (3/$13.5M). Swearinger is a far better option at age 25 than Bethea is at age 33. Plus, he can play both safety spots, whereas Bethea is not effective as a FS, nor is Mathieu or last year's regrettable signing, Tyvon Branch.
While the Shipley signing was understandable from a depth and continuity standpoint, Boehm should be the starting center today, not tomorrow.
The best signing was Dawson. Without him this grade would be an F.
The Dansby signing is just pure laziness on the Cardinals' part. The defense needs to get faster and more athletic and much better across the board at tackling and covering--these day 1 signings indicate that the Cardinals are content with the status quo (or even worse than the status quo), which is one of the main reasons why the rest of league is passing them by.
DE Calais Campbell---amazing that Campbell got the same money per year ($15M) as his 2016 cap number for the Cardinals. He and his agent played the market perfectly. However, did Campbell's play warrant a $15.4M cap figure in 2016? In my mind, it did not. In the key 4 game stretch that determined whether the Cardinals could make a push for the playoffs, Campbell registered 12 tackles and 1 sack (losses to MIN, ATL and MIA and a win versus WAS). Now comes another question---where will he play in the Jaguars' 43 defense? Campbell is made to order as a 34 DE, but is he a 43 DT? A 43 DE? I would guess DT, seeing as Campbell has not shown he can be a productive edge rusher on passing downs.
Should the Cardinals have offered Campbell 4/$60M? No.
SS Tony Jefferson---$9M a year from the Ravens, who certainly pay a premium on signing and drafting tough guys. Seems he was heavily recruited from the get-go by FS Eric Weddle and he and Weddle have the potential to be one of the top safety tandems in the league.
Should the Cardinals have offered Jefferson $9M a year? No.
FS D.J. Swearinger---this defection is hard to understand. Swearinger was the first FS in quite some time to intimidate opposing WRs, RBs and TEs. When Jefferson was out, DJ stepped in at SS and played just as well as TJ did. For some reason, the Cardinals weren't sold on DJ. Yet, they raved about his work ethic, his diligent film study and his brash, aggressive style of play. They say they want guys who have a passion for the game and who are the first guy in and the last guy to leave, and yet when DJ gave them all of that and more, they let him walk at a modest $4.5M a year.
Should the Cardinals have offered Swearinger $4.5M a year. Yes.
Additions:
SS Antoine Bethea---going to be 33 this year, but still plays at a high level and is thirsty to win. Adds veteran leadership, toughness in the box...but the question is how effective he is in pass coverage, an area where TJ showed very good growth. Bethea will put every ounce of effort he has into it---but is he fast enough and agile enough to stick to TEs and RBs?
C A.Q. Shipley---this was a signing for continuity and depth. Shipley is a high effort guy who played a tad above average in 2016. Chances are he will remain the starting C and he has a good rapport with Carson Palmer. However, it would appear that Evan Boehm has more upside and long-term potential, so does this signing slow Boehm's growth another year or two? Not buying Boehm as a full-time starter at RG. At C. yes.
K Phil Dawson---might be the best signing of the day. Dawson is steady and consistently accurate. With Matt Wile on board, Dawson won't have to worry about kicking off.
LB Karlos Dansby---what is surprising about this move is that it happened on the first day of free agency when there were so many other options to consider. Clearly, the Cardinals want to move on from Kevin Minter who was a solid box tackler and improved inside blitzer, but not fast or athletic enough to be a consistently productive cover man. What the move suggests is that the Cardinals will use one of their first three draft picks on an ILB and Dansby will be the stop-gap on a team that is loath to play rookies. Dansby is a step or two slower than he used to be---he's a cagy, angular chase and cover ILB, but has never been a downhill stopper in run support. While he lacks the burst he once had as a blitzer he is able to threaten passing lanes with his size and wingspan.
Day 1 Grade: D
In my opinion, this was a tough first day for the Cardinals. It was understandable why Campbell and Jefferson were destined to move on. Losing Swearinger, to boot, was a mistake, especially at $4.5M a year (3/$13.5M). Swearinger is a far better option at age 25 than Bethea is at age 33. Plus, he can play both safety spots, whereas Bethea is not effective as a FS, nor is Mathieu or last year's regrettable signing, Tyvon Branch.
While the Shipley signing was understandable from a depth and continuity standpoint, Boehm should be the starting center today, not tomorrow.
The best signing was Dawson. Without him this grade would be an F.
The Dansby signing is just pure laziness on the Cardinals' part. The defense needs to get faster and more athletic and much better across the board at tackling and covering--these day 1 signings indicate that the Cardinals are content with the status quo (or even worse than the status quo), which is one of the main reasons why the rest of league is passing them by.
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