Dedicating a thread to looking at the draft via the roster

[Chopper0080]

@BritCard posted this in the 1st round pick thread, and I think it warrants it's own conversation area because of how the roster will/cpuld impact the Cardinals draft.

"So I had a look at the roster composition for the last 2 years to see where the holes are and then looked at the current roster to see where we had players locked in either due to contract or draft status.

QB - 2 - This room is set
RB - 4 - There are only really 2 sets guys in Conner and Benson. We can get $2.4m cap savings on Deejay if we draft an upside RB who can kick return.
WR - 6 - We only really have 4 guys for a 6 player room. Weaver and Palmer are easy PS moves. I'd expect a draft pick and a vet here.
TE - 4 - Another option. Vokolek as TE4 is easily replaceable with a lower round pick.
OL - 10 - Another room with much room, only 8 guys have a chance at the 53, and could be 7 if you discount Gaines. Would expect vet and draft additions.
DL - 6 - 5 guys are absolute locks. Collier can be cut/traded for just a $750k hit.
OLB - 5 - This room looks set depending on how you see XT. I don't see Monti moving on a 5th round pick after a year but it's an option if he loves someone.
ILB - 3 - Only kept 3 last year and already have 4. May see one of those OL spots drop and only keep 9, which they have done before. Pappoe is an option to go if the love someone.
CB - 6 - There are 5 locks here. Clarke is the odd man out if they love someone.
S - 4 - 4 locks here with Blount as a special teams ace.
ST - 3 - ST's are set

Looking at what we have now WR and OL are easily are two biggest needs."

If we break down the roster further, it highlights where the Cardinals would take a player at each position that actually has a chance to make the 53 man roster. This is important for rounds 1-5.

 

[Chopper0080]

QB

Kyler Murray
Jacoby Brissett
Clayton Tune

I think we can rule out a QB in the first 5 rounds of the draft. Maybe they take a flier on a QB late, but I don't see any of these guys beating out Brissett or Tune.

 

[Chopper0080]

RB

James Conner
Trey Benson
Emari Demarcado
Deejay Dallas

This has more to do with what the roles are for the AZ backs. Conner and Benson are the early down guys. Because these two are redundant, I don't see a RB bumping Benson completely off the roster which is what would have to happen if they didn't draft a back who can pass block.

If the Cardinals did draft a back in round 2 like Treyveon Henderson who can pass clock, he is the type of back who could bump Demercado off the roster. Same with Skateboo in round 3 or 4. That said, is it worth the investment to replace an inexpensive player like Demercado off the roster for a marginal production gain?

I think Dallas is safe. AZ seems to like it's ST vets.

 

[Chopper0080]

WR

Marvin Harrison Jr
Michael Wilson
Zay Jones
Simi Fehoko
Quez Watkins
Xavier Weaver
Tehaun Palmer
EDIT Greg Dortch

Lots of options to upgrade here throughout the draft IMO. Pretty much every round 1-5 would offer an option if AZ liked a guy. I would argue that we will likely see a WR drafted in rounds 1-5 this year.

 

[Chopper0080]

TE

Trey McBride
Tip Reiman
Elijah Higgins
Travis Vokolek

This is a pretty good draft class for TEs. I would be a little shocked if AZ pursued any though.

McBride and Reiman are safe IMO.

Higgins is a similar situation to Demercado IMO. You could upgrade with a guy like Fannin or Arroyo or Ferguson, but you don't get cost savings, and probably a minimal increase in production.

Vokolek is upgradable. I could see AZ grabbing a player if they felt a blocking TE dropped who had more receiving upside than Vok. Minimal production increase though because he is TE4. Seems like something to do if you hate the board late. Probably not likely.

 

[Chopper0080]

OT

Paris Jonson Jr.
Jonah Williams
Kelvin Beachum
Christian Jones

Probably the only player that could get bumped is Jones. In terms of rounds to grab a guy who could, maybe a round 3 guy like Charles Grant or Ozzy Trapillo. Anything later and you are rolling the dice IMO.

 

[Chopper0080]

OG

Evan Brown
Isaiah Adams
???
???

I fully expect the Cardinals to draft an interior OL player. Huge opportunities to get a player who can bump a current rostered player off the roster. The draft offers more IOL options than OT so they could find a guy in rounds 1-5 easy.

 

[Chopper0080]

C

Hjalte Froholdt
Jon Gaines

The coach has some history with Gaines and Fro got his extension so not very likely IMO unless the C can also play OG.

A guy like Grey Zabel is an option but he probably doesn't play C for the Cardinals other than injury.

 

[Chopper0080]

So, in terms of the offense, here is my summary.

QB - no
RB - probably not
WR - Likely rounds 1-5
TE - probably not
OT - only rounds 1 or 2
OG - Likely rounds 1-5
C - probably not

 

[Chopper0080]

I will do the defense later today.

 

[BirdGangThing]

So, in terms of the offense, here is my summary.

QB - no
RB - probably not
WR - Likely rounds 1-5
TE - probably not
OT - only rounds 1 or 2
OG - Likely rounds 1-5
C - probably not

you're good with a guard in the first round? or are you saying it's what the club might do?

 

[kerouac9]

WR

Marvin Harrison Jr
Michael Wilson
Zay Jones
Simi Fehoko
Quez Watkins
Xavier Weaver
Tehaun Palmer

Lots of options to upgrade here throughout the draft IMO. Pretty much every round 1-5 would offer an option if AZ liked a guy. I would argue that we will likely see a WR drafted in rounds 1-5 this year.

This group is so bad. I don't think we'll invest to push everyone down the roster a spot, but you'd actually feel good about that. Michael Wilson hasn't really needed to compete for anything to-date. Would love to add a second-round guy.

 

[kerouac9]

C

Hjalte Froholdt
Jon Gaines

The coach has some history with Gaines and Fro got his extension so not very likely IMO unless the C can also play OG.

A guy like Grey Zabel is an option but he probably doesn't play C for the Cardinals other than injury.

Froholdt won't turn 29 for another few weeks.

Jon Gaines low-key off the roster/practice squad potential if the Cards draft an IOL on the first or second day. Played 22 offensive snaps all year -- I don't remember any of them.

 

[PDXChris]

WR

Marvin Harrison Jr
Michael Wilson
Zay Jones
Simi Fehoko
Quez Watkins
Xavier Weaver
Tehaun Palmer

Lots of options to upgrade here throughout the draft IMO. Pretty much every round 1-5 would offer an option if AZ liked a guy. I would argue that we will likely see a WR drafted in rounds 1-5 this year.

Dortch signed his tender too.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

This group is so bad. I don't think we'll invest to push everyone down the roster a spot, but you'd actually feel good about that. Michael Wilson hasn't really needed to compete for anything to-date. Would love to add a second-round guy.

Yeah, this and guard are the runaway turds of the offensive side of the ball. It's crazy that there has been basically no effort to improve the room, and that their running it back with the Zay Jones experiment.

 

[HairZach]

I think this is a great exercise

 

[oaken1]

Froholdt won't turn 29 for another few weeks.

Jon Gaines low-key off the roster/practice squad potential if the Cards draft an IOL on the first or second day. Played 22 offensive snaps all year -- I don't remember any of them.

in the case of an offensive lineman this is a good thing though.....?

 

[oaken1]

you're good with a guard in the first round? or are you saying it's what the club might do?

with what we have at the moment we can probably get an OG as late as the third round that can come in and compete to start right away.
Bring back Hernandez and that may change...then we would have to get a guy sooner to compete at LG

 

[BirdGangThing]

with what we have at the moment we can probably get an OG as late as the third round that can come in and compete to start right away.
Bring back Hernandez and that may change...then we would have to get a guy sooner to compete at LG

me thinks hernandez is about to be humphried

me thinks we're drafting guard in rounds 1-2

 

[oaken1]

me thinks hernandez is about to be humphried

me thinks we're drafting guard in rounds 1-2

he aint under contract so its very possible we just walk away...costs nothing but a draft pick

 

[BullheadCardFan]

WR

Marvin Harrison Jr
Michael Wilson
Zay Jones
Simi Fehoko
Quez Watkins
Xavier Weaver
Tehaun Palmer

Lots of options to upgrade here throughout the draft IMO. Pretty much every round 1-5 would offer an option if AZ liked a guy. I would argue that we will likely see a WR drafted in rounds 1-5 this year.

That is a really weak list

Yikes!

We can't be going into the season with this crew

 

[Chopper0080]

you're good with a guard in the first round? or are you saying it's what the club might do?

It's less about what I am good with and more about where I think the Cardinals could use a pick and get a player that could stick on the roster.

 

[Chopper0080]

On the defense, let's start with DL

Dalvin Tomlinson
Calais Campbell
Darius Robinson
Justin Jones
Bilal Nichols
LJ Collier
Dante Stills
Ben Stille

I don't think they will keep all of these players on the active, but this is the outlook of the room right now.

Obviously the top end talent on this list is not extremely high. Similar to AZ adding Darius Robinson last year, they could add another DL player high this year. Also, the Cardinals tend to run a rotation so I would argue that a rookie would not push Tomlinson, Campbell, Robinson or Jones off the roster.

Jones and Nichols both disappointed in 2024 when they did play and are upgradable by a high pick IMO. Jones may be more likely to stick based upon his contract and I do expect him to revert to his 2023 production. Nichols seems to be the backup to Tomlinson, so I do think a player like Grant or Tyliek Williams are viable options.

Collier, Stills and Stille are nice depth players but also upgradable. Looking at this draft class however, I don't see many players outside of rounds 1 or 2 that would offer players that I would expect the team to cut Collier and Stills for. TJ Sanders, Farmer and Turner are probably the names at the bottom of that list.

 

[Chopper0080]

EDGE

Josh Sweat
Baron Browning
Zaven Collins
BJ Ojulari
Xavier Thomas

I think this room is more wide open than it seems at first glance. Sweat is obviously safe but the rest are worth a convo.

Browning and Collins are both very one dimensional players which makes them easier to upgrade with player who has skills to play the run and rush the passer. I don't think a drafted player will bump them off the roster in 2025, but I can see players in rounds 1-3 (maybe 4) who could bump them down the rotation.

Ojulari and Thomas are both players Monti has invested draft capital into but as we have seen at CB, that doesn't prevent him from invest more picks at the position. I could easily see both of these players getting bumped off the roster if the Cardinals decided to invest multiple top 100 picks at EDGE. I don't think they will, but surely a possibility. Rounds 1-5 with these two.

 

[Chopper0080]

ILB

Mack Wilson
Akeem Davis-Gaither
Mykal Walker
Owen Pappoe

Needless to say, all of these players are upgradable but it is more about how much does Monti want to invest to upgrade them. This is a rounds 1-5 option, but based on how Monti has valued the position so far, I would say it's more likely 2-5. Pappoe seems to be on the outside looking in, but they also could be happy with where he is at. I could see Monty being happy with throwing a 5th at Bassa from Oregon.