Edgerin James

[legend]

He is a horse. He played very well again today. How do we let him go without a viable replacement?

 

[jmt]

He did good. Let's go East and win!

 

[SuperSpck]

True story, let the offseason happen then.

This is the 2nd round of the playoffs. Wooo!

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Should have never screwed with him. He would have been a 1300 yard back this year if they kept up a balanced attack. Remember game 1 this year when we DOMINATED the ground game and literally churned out a win? If we had kept that formula, we'd be 11-5 and Edge would be at 1300 yards. Pisses me off in an otherwise relatively good season....

 

[SuperSpck]

I'd have been happy with a running back by committee approach. But however the team got here, they're here now and they won with Edge.

One week at a time.

 

[nashman]

Nice game again for EJ way to go Cards! It would have been so nice to have double digit wins this season think we would have got it had we stayed balanced with Edge running.

 

[WisconsinCard]

I liked at the end of the game when Edge gave Whiz a hug.

 

[conraddobler]

Anyone who's ever been in any position of authority can understand why Edge is such a pain in the butt.

Sure he's talented and mostly he does what you want him to do but then he just blows people off and shoots his mouth off and basically usurps the authority of the coach.

Any coach is going to have to make a stand with a guy like Edge, how Whis chose to do that well maybe it wasn't perfect but I think he made his point to the whole team who's the boss and it has to be that way IMO.

 

[DoTheDew]

Anyone who's ever been in any position of authority can understand why Edge is such a pain in the butt.

Sure he's talented and mostly he does what you want him to do but then he just blows people off and shoots his mouth off and basically usurps the authority of the coach.

Any coach is going to have to make a stand with a guy like Edge, how Whis chose to do that well maybe it wasn't perfect but I think he made his point to the whole team who's the boss and it has to be that way IMO.

Such personalities don't seem to cause problems for Belicheck (Randy Moss anyone?) A good coach should be able to handle players like that.

 

[imaCafan]

Nice game again for EJ way to go Cards! It would have been so nice to have double digit wins this season think we would have got it had we stayed balanced with Edge running.

We're 10-7 so far this year..........

 

[nashman]

We should have been 10-6 or better entering the playoffs but whatever I will take it! lets see if we can get to 13-7 that would be freakin unreal!!!

 

[conraddobler]

Such personalities don't seem to cause problems for Belicheck (Randy Moss anyone?) A good coach should be able to handle players like that.

Or Parcels with Owens?

Mostly it's about if the player X is happy or not, as long as they are anyone can handle them if they're not then no one can.

It's also a case of the team as a whole, a newer coach like Whis can't enforce his will just by bluffing like Belicheck can because he dosen't have the same credibility yet.

A guy like Whis is going to have to actually go there, Belicheck just has to smirk at you wrong and you figure you better shape up.

 

[nashman]

Whatever Whis screwed up big time you don't bench a guy for 8 weeks for missing a practice, especially your starting RB when you have no one that can actually replace the production. Thankfully he has corrected it and Edge has been huge for us the last 2 games and hopefully he will be huge for us in 3 MORE!!!!

 

[bratwurst]

He's doing well because A) he's rested and B) he's pissed and C) he's looking to establish his argument that he deserves a decent contract with the next team he goes to.

He's gone. He knows it, and he's making the case for his next paycheck.

 

[conraddobler]

If we were to get a guy like Sproles in FA and draft a power back then I'd be officially stoked even more than I am now and I'd be approching maximum stokedness

 

[Paso Fino]

Anyone who's ever been in any position of authority can understand why Edge is such a pain in the butt.

Sure he's talented and mostly he does what you want him to do but then he just blows people off and shoots his mouth off and basically usurps the authority of the coach.

Any coach is going to have to make a stand with a guy like Edge, how Whis chose to do that well maybe it wasn't perfect but I think he made his point to the whole team who's the boss and it has to be that way IMO.

I don't know what you are talking about. Edge was very supportive of Hightower and if he made such bad remarks, I did not see them. Did you see Fitz race up and hug Edge after he made a long run during the Seattle game? Whether you like him or not, the players do.

 

[Goldfield]

Edge is making it hard to replace him next year. I would be all over Sproles...

 

[DeAnna]

Excerpt from Don Banks article on SI:

• Edgerrin James has looked like the old Edge the past couple weeks, and I'm not surprised at all to hear that money might have something to do with new burst of motivation. James wants to play elsewhere in 2009, and he's back in new contract mode. That's always when he has done his best work, and no, that's not a compliment.

 

[bratwurst]

Excerpt from Don Banks article on SI:

Exactly my point above.

 

[Capital Card]

He's doing well because A) he's rested and B) he's pissed and C) he's looking to establish his argument that he deserves a decent contract with the next team he goes to.

He's gone. He knows it, and he's making the case for his next paycheck.

Exactly.

Bringing in Sproles as a FA would be a huge step forward this offseason, but finding a way to do that and manage to retain Warner for another year or two, extend Boldin & Wilson, sign or replace Dansby, and replace Berry as well as Okeafor make this an offseason where we are going to be banging our heads more than high-fiving one another.

Let's hope we are not seeing a repeat of the offseason following our last play-off win.

Until then, Go CARDS!!!

PS, I can't wait to get to work tomorrow.

 

[DoTheDew]

If keeping a player with such a personality happy is the way to prevent them from causing problems then Whis caused this problem by benching Edge. He should have known Edge would react that way, and I think he did and was ok with it the same way Singletary figured VD would take issue with their dispute a few months ago. In both cases the players in question came back and performed better down the road.

 

[moklerman]

I'm hesitant to condemn Whis for how he handled this situation. He's getting every last drop out of Edge when it matters the most and the results are hard to argue. Nash, you ponder whether the Cards would have had 10+ wins if James had remained in the lineup and I have a two part answer. First, I think it's worked out just dandy being the 4th seed. There's no way Whis could have planned that of course but Edge deserved the benching for lack of production, fumbles, team rules, etc. so I really don't question the decision on those terms. Second, no I don't think the team is significantly better if he had remained in the lineup. This team has maturity issues and Whis not holding James to some kind of standard would not have served him or the team well.

James' continued media campaigns for more touches and his unhappiness with being a part of a two-headed beast seals his fate in '09. It's very discouraging that he's so unhappy with being part of a successful offense if it's not centered around him leading the league in touches. I would be completely comfortable with he and Hightower if they truly worked as a tandem and James gave 100% every week.

But that leads me back to what was posted by Banks above. I think it's very likely that if James were not playing for a new contract elsewhere in '09, we would not be seeing the kind of effort he's giving. It's sad and if it wasn't the case I would actually hope that he might find a way to come back in '09 to keep it all rolling but I just don't trust that he's truly 100% on a regular basis. He runs hard, but there's more to be 100% and even before the fumbles and lack of production he was dropping passes and has always complained about not getting the ball enough.

As far as '09, I wonder if it's going to be more cap friendly to go after a free agent or try and find a good draft pick? There's a chance that JJ and Edge will both be gone so the Cardinals certainly have some work to do. The Cardinals aren't the only one's though. Ward and Jacobs are UFA in '09 for the Giants.

Brandon Jacobs, UFA, New York Giants
Maurice Morris, UFA, Seattle Seahawks
Ricky Williams, UFA, Miami Dolphins
Darren Sproles, UFA, San Diego Chargers
J.J. Arrington, UFA, Arizona Cardinals
Correll Buckhalter, UFA, Philadelphia Eagles
Jesse Chatman, UFA, New York Jets
Heath Evans, UFA, New England Patriots
Rudi Johnson, UFA, Detroit Lions
LaMont Jordan, UFA, New England Patriots
Ryan Moats, UFA, Philadelphia Eagles
Dominic Rhodes, UFA, Indianapolis Colts
Aaron Stecker, UFA, New Orleans Saints
Derrick Ward, UFA, New York Giants

There are some interesting names on that list. Buckhalter, Stecker, Ward...these guys might come at a cheaper price and pay pretty good dividends in the Cardinals offense. Overall, I think it will be best to let Whis & Co. choose "their" RB in the draft. None of the names on the list are one's that the Cardinals should spend big money for. IMO of course.

 

[nashman]

Mokler its only worked out fine because we won but I would have still preferred to be a 2 seed you know? We could have possibly done that. And to say that Edge didn't give 100% when he plays football is total crap, that guy puts it out there every time he steps on the field.

 

[MadCardDisease]

A healthy/hungry Edge is just what the doctor ordered for the playoffs.

I like our 3RB rotation. Edge is the featured back with Hightower used for short yardage and Arrington used as a change of pace 3rd down back.

That seems to be our best formula.

As for next year. We will worry about that after we are done playing.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I'm hesitant to condemn Whis for how he handled this situation. He's getting every last drop out of Edge when it matters the most and the results are hard to argue. Nash, you ponder whether the Cards would have had 10+ wins if James had remained in the lineup and I have a two part answer. First, I think it's worked out just dandy being the 4th seed. There's no way Whis could have planned that of course but Edge deserved the benching for lack of production, fumbles, team rules, etc. so I really don't question the decision on those terms. Second, no I don't think the team is significantly better if he had remained in the lineup. This team has maturity issues and Whis not holding James to some kind of standard would not have served him or the team well.

James' continued media campaigns for more touches and his unhappiness with being a part of a two-headed beast seals his fate in '09. It's very discouraging that he's so unhappy with being part of a successful offense if it's not centered around him leading the league in touches. I would be completely comfortable with he and Hightower if they truly worked as a tandem and James gave 100% every week.

But that leads me back to what was posted by Banks above. I think it's very likely that if James were not playing for a new contract elsewhere in '09, we would not be seeing the kind of effort he's giving. It's sad and if it wasn't the case I would actually hope that he might find a way to come back in '09 to keep it all rolling but I just don't trust that he's truly 100% on a regular basis. He runs hard, but there's more to be 100% and even before the fumbles and lack of production he was dropping passes and has always complained about not getting the ball enough.

As far as '09, I wonder if it's going to be more cap friendly to go after a free agent or try and find a good draft pick? There's a chance that JJ and Edge will both be gone so the Cardinals certainly have some work to do. The Cardinals aren't the only one's though. Ward and Jacobs are UFA in '09 for the Giants.

Brandon Jacobs, UFA, New York Giants
Maurice Morris, UFA, Seattle Seahawks
Ricky Williams, UFA, Miami Dolphins
Darren Sproles, UFA, San Diego Chargers
J.J. Arrington, UFA, Arizona Cardinals
Correll Buckhalter, UFA, Philadelphia Eagles
Jesse Chatman, UFA, New York Jets
Heath Evans, UFA, New England Patriots
Rudi Johnson, UFA, Detroit Lions
LaMont Jordan, UFA, New England Patriots
Ryan Moats, UFA, Philadelphia Eagles
Dominic Rhodes, UFA, Indianapolis Colts
Aaron Stecker, UFA, New Orleans Saints
Derrick Ward, UFA, New York Giants

There are some interesting names on that list. Buckhalter, Stecker, Ward...these guys might come at a cheaper price and pay pretty good dividends in the Cardinals offense. Overall, I think it will be best to let Whis & Co. choose "their" RB in the draft. None of the names on the list are one's that the Cardinals should spend big money for. IMO of course.

While there is not a name on that list that excites me, if we don't feel that there is a RB in this upcoming draft that warrants a 1st or 2nd pick (I really am not sold that there is...), then we should be looking at this list very carefully!