Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
This is a very interesting draft for the Cardinals, V. 2.0 under the BASK regime. What I thought I would do is go through each position, identify the current players on the roster who may well be on the bubble, forecast what the BASK thinking may be as we approach the draft and make a few predictions as to what we might expect when the dust clears.
QB:
Starter: 9-Carson Palmer.
Bubble: 5-Drew Stanton, 14-Ryan Lindley.
Palmer appears to be primed and ready to pick up where he left off last season, especially now that he is well ensconced in BA's offense. Even he, however, says he understands why the Cardinals might draft a QB.
Rumor has it that the Cardinals appear to be very interested in drafting a QB this year. If they do, what might this mean to the futures of Drew Stanton and/or Ryan Lindley?
Stanton remains a relative unknown. He's athletic and strong armed, but remarkably inexperienced for a #2 QB heading into his 8th season. In the pre-season last year, Stanton looked strong in the pocket and threw the ball with good velocity---but seemed to throw every pass with high velo and thus lacked touch and led to numerous bobbles and ricochets.
Stanton's greatest asset to the team at this point is his knowledge of the offense...an offense that, as we saw last year, is not easy to pick up. His mobility is intriguing, to say the least, especially since he's by far the most mobile of the three QBs.
His biggest liabilities at this point are his inexperience and his salary (14th highest cap figure on the roster, at $2.67 M).
Ryan Lindley played reasonably well in the pre-season last year as the #3 and looks far more comfortable in his own skin under the new system. His arm is good and lively and he has decent, albeit not great, mobility.
If BASK are genuinely considering drafting a QB, possibly early in the draft---what this strongly suggests is that they do not view Stanton or Lindley as long-term possibilities.
If a QB is taken---then there becomes the issue of snaps and reps. BA is going to want to give the draftee plenty of them---which then relegates Stanton and Lindley to the sidelines, more than certainly either one of them would prefer.
The Cardinals appear to be committed to taking a QB in this year's draft.
According to Peter King, the Cardinals are particularly high on Derek Carr (6-2, 215, Fresno St.) and A.J. McCarron (6-3, 214, Alabama). Some recent mocks have Teddy Bridgewater (6-2, 205, Louisville) and Johnny Manziel (6-0, 210, Texas A&M) sliding into the late portions of the first round. Some pundits speculate that the Cardinals are targeting the likes of McCarron, Zach Mettenberger (6-5, 235, LSU) or Tom Savage (6-4, 230, Pittsburgh) in rounds 2 or 3 of the draft.
And---this is purely speculation on my part---but I could see why Steve Keim might like David Fales (6-2, 220, San Jose St.) for his uncanny accuracy/clutch performances and Tajh Boyd (6-1, 222, Clemson) for his arm and excellent mobility. Neither one of them has the size that BA typically covets, but the intangibles may sway to their side if the Cardinals still haven't drafted a QB by the start of the 4th round. I would also think that smaller sized, but highly productive QBs Aaron Murray (6-1, 201, Georgia) and Brett Smith (6-2, 206, Wyoming) might be of cosideration.
The wild card here is Logan Thomas (6-6, 250, Virginia Tech), who manifests superior physical traits, but mind-boggling inconsistencies. BA, a fellow Hokie, worked Thomas out himself and has every inside angle on the kid. With Carson Palmer expected to play for the next two years, BA would have two years to try to groom Thomas. That window could make sense, if they decide to go with a project rather than a more ready to plug in and play option, like Carr, McCarron, Bridgewater, Manziel or Mettenberger.
There's also a project QB in this draft who has recently attracted a fair degree of interest from teams: Seth Lobato (6-6, 223, Northern Colorado)---a former basketball player turned QB who is tall in the saddle, strong armed and athletic.
And---for all the tapes of eligible QBs I've scoured over the past few months, I have grown an affinity for Keith Wenning (6-3, 220, Ball St.), whom I liken to a young Kurt Warner. I have no idea whether he is even on BA&SK's radar.
If they pick a QB early (Rounds 1-3), BASK will have to make a tough decision on Drew Stanton. They could ask him to take a pay cut---which he would in all likelihood refuse. Or they could release him and save $1.3M on the cap, but lose $1.3M in dead money.
BASK could decide that Stanton is too important to keep and they would therefore eventually waive Ryan Lindley.
The $1.3M they could add by releasing Stanton could come in handy after the draft, if and when players like G Evan Mathis and RB LaMichael James become available. It also could be used to re-sign T Eric Winston.
The biggest question I have---and I think it is a fascinating one---would BA&SK draft Johnny Manziel, if he were available at #20?
While I think Manziel will be long gone by #20---I actually believe that BA&SK would draft Manziel and that they would envision in year one spelling Palmer a couple of times a game and give Johnny Football a package of plays, that quite possibly could raise the roof at U of P.
At Palmer's age that might not be such a bad thing and it could keep him healthy. which will be a challenge to do for a second straight year.
I do know this---if the Cardinals take a QB in round 1---BA doesn't believe in first round QBs sitting. While Palmer will enter camp as the starter, there will be an impetus to play the first round QB, whomever he is.
QB:
Starter: 9-Carson Palmer.
Bubble: 5-Drew Stanton, 14-Ryan Lindley.
Palmer appears to be primed and ready to pick up where he left off last season, especially now that he is well ensconced in BA's offense. Even he, however, says he understands why the Cardinals might draft a QB.
Rumor has it that the Cardinals appear to be very interested in drafting a QB this year. If they do, what might this mean to the futures of Drew Stanton and/or Ryan Lindley?
Stanton remains a relative unknown. He's athletic and strong armed, but remarkably inexperienced for a #2 QB heading into his 8th season. In the pre-season last year, Stanton looked strong in the pocket and threw the ball with good velocity---but seemed to throw every pass with high velo and thus lacked touch and led to numerous bobbles and ricochets.
Stanton's greatest asset to the team at this point is his knowledge of the offense...an offense that, as we saw last year, is not easy to pick up. His mobility is intriguing, to say the least, especially since he's by far the most mobile of the three QBs.
His biggest liabilities at this point are his inexperience and his salary (14th highest cap figure on the roster, at $2.67 M).
Ryan Lindley played reasonably well in the pre-season last year as the #3 and looks far more comfortable in his own skin under the new system. His arm is good and lively and he has decent, albeit not great, mobility.
If BASK are genuinely considering drafting a QB, possibly early in the draft---what this strongly suggests is that they do not view Stanton or Lindley as long-term possibilities.
If a QB is taken---then there becomes the issue of snaps and reps. BA is going to want to give the draftee plenty of them---which then relegates Stanton and Lindley to the sidelines, more than certainly either one of them would prefer.
The Cardinals appear to be committed to taking a QB in this year's draft.
According to Peter King, the Cardinals are particularly high on Derek Carr (6-2, 215, Fresno St.) and A.J. McCarron (6-3, 214, Alabama). Some recent mocks have Teddy Bridgewater (6-2, 205, Louisville) and Johnny Manziel (6-0, 210, Texas A&M) sliding into the late portions of the first round. Some pundits speculate that the Cardinals are targeting the likes of McCarron, Zach Mettenberger (6-5, 235, LSU) or Tom Savage (6-4, 230, Pittsburgh) in rounds 2 or 3 of the draft.
And---this is purely speculation on my part---but I could see why Steve Keim might like David Fales (6-2, 220, San Jose St.) for his uncanny accuracy/clutch performances and Tajh Boyd (6-1, 222, Clemson) for his arm and excellent mobility. Neither one of them has the size that BA typically covets, but the intangibles may sway to their side if the Cardinals still haven't drafted a QB by the start of the 4th round. I would also think that smaller sized, but highly productive QBs Aaron Murray (6-1, 201, Georgia) and Brett Smith (6-2, 206, Wyoming) might be of cosideration.
The wild card here is Logan Thomas (6-6, 250, Virginia Tech), who manifests superior physical traits, but mind-boggling inconsistencies. BA, a fellow Hokie, worked Thomas out himself and has every inside angle on the kid. With Carson Palmer expected to play for the next two years, BA would have two years to try to groom Thomas. That window could make sense, if they decide to go with a project rather than a more ready to plug in and play option, like Carr, McCarron, Bridgewater, Manziel or Mettenberger.
There's also a project QB in this draft who has recently attracted a fair degree of interest from teams: Seth Lobato (6-6, 223, Northern Colorado)---a former basketball player turned QB who is tall in the saddle, strong armed and athletic.
And---for all the tapes of eligible QBs I've scoured over the past few months, I have grown an affinity for Keith Wenning (6-3, 220, Ball St.), whom I liken to a young Kurt Warner. I have no idea whether he is even on BA&SK's radar.
If they pick a QB early (Rounds 1-3), BASK will have to make a tough decision on Drew Stanton. They could ask him to take a pay cut---which he would in all likelihood refuse. Or they could release him and save $1.3M on the cap, but lose $1.3M in dead money.
BASK could decide that Stanton is too important to keep and they would therefore eventually waive Ryan Lindley.
The $1.3M they could add by releasing Stanton could come in handy after the draft, if and when players like G Evan Mathis and RB LaMichael James become available. It also could be used to re-sign T Eric Winston.
The biggest question I have---and I think it is a fascinating one---would BA&SK draft Johnny Manziel, if he were available at #20?
While I think Manziel will be long gone by #20---I actually believe that BA&SK would draft Manziel and that they would envision in year one spelling Palmer a couple of times a game and give Johnny Football a package of plays, that quite possibly could raise the roof at U of P.
At Palmer's age that might not be such a bad thing and it could keep him healthy. which will be a challenge to do for a second straight year.
I do know this---if the Cardinals take a QB in round 1---BA doesn't believe in first round QBs sitting. While Palmer will enter camp as the starter, there will be an impetus to play the first round QB, whomever he is.
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