gandy & johnson update...Somers.

[pinnacle]

Two o-linemen
03/04/2007 03:06 PM

http://www.azcentral.com/blogs/index.php?blog=194&blogtype=Sports


Just talked to Mike Gandy of the Bills and Al Johnson of the Cowboys, who are visited today.
ia.
Gandy said this is the place he wants to be. He wants his agent to work out a contract, and he doesn't want to take any more visits.

Johnson sounded encouraged about becoming a Cardinal. He has an offer from Tampa, but it wasn't lucrative enough for him to cancel any trips.

Reggie Kelly, a tight end from Cincinnati, had an earlier flight to catch and couldn't meet with reporters. It's doesn't look like we'll get to speak with cornerback Roderick Hood, from Philadelphia. He was the other free agent to visit today.


also..in Somers blog...

Quiet Sunday
03/04/2007 03:02 PM
Four free agents are visiting the Cardinals today, and a few media members are waiting for them to return from a visit to the stadium.

Cincinnati tight end Reggie Kelly is going to Oakland from here. He reportedly already has an offer from Atlanta, but promised the Cardinals and Raiders he would visit.

 

[CardinalLaw]

Ill take Gandy.

 

[Duckjake]

Isn't he from Notre Dame? Can't be any good. If he was any good why did both the Bears and the Bills let him go?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Isn't he from Notre Dame? Can't be any good. If he was any good why did both the Bears and the Bills let him go?

In the Bills' case it may be the 12.5 sacks he gave up last season.

 

[joeshmo]

In the Bills' case it may be the 12.5 sacks he gave up last season.

If that wasnt bad, he allowed that many sacks playing at OG half the season.

Johnson, and Kelly are the only ones that I can get even remotely excited about, maybe even Hood since he does bring some return ability with him.

 

[corrado]

Joeshmo

Read your posts on a regular basis and consider you knowledable so tell me what is the Cards fascination with Mike Gandy?

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Cincinnati tight end Reggie Kelly is going to Oakland from here. He reportedly already has an offer from Atlanta, but promised the Cardinals and Raiders he would visit.

This doesn't sound too encouraging ... it sounds like hes either shopping the offer he has or we didn't even come close to matching or beating it ...

 

[vinnymac]

I wonder how many of those sacks came from Losman scrambling into the DL. How many false starts did he have againist him.

 

[joeshmo]

Read your posts on a regular basis and consider you knowledable so tell me what is the Cards fascination with Mike Gandy?

Although i dont like him as a starter, I will say that he would be good as a spot starter and excellent depth being able to fill in at both OT or both OG spots in a pinch. I just hope the Cards have a better long term plan in place then Ross or Gandy as LT starters.

 

[overseascardfan]

Hopefully Columbo is next now that DAL signed Davis.

 

[ThunderCard]

We might as well brought Anthony Cement back. I think Gandy is a downgrade compared to Ross and Ross was horrible last year. Did anyone watch any bills games last year? The guy gave up 12.5 sacks and got puncked the whole time !. Our whole O-Line last year gave up 35 so Gandy will be a huge downgrade.

 

[ThunderCard]

I wonder how many of those sacks came from Losman scrambling into the DL. How many false starts did he have againist him.

It would not matter if Losman was responsible for 1/3 of those sacks it is still to much. He might have possibly been ranked in the top 10 worst starting O_lineman in the league last year.

 

[Evil Ash]

We might as well brought Anthony Cement back. I think Gandy is a downgrade compared to Ross and Ross was horrible last year. Did anyone watch any bills games last year? The guy gave up 12.5 sacks and got puncked the whole time !. Our whole O-Line last year gave up 35 so Gandy will be a huge downgrade.

I've brought this up before...

It will not be a popular move but look for Grimm to want to bring in run blockers. During his time in Pittsburgh, the team went after players in FA and in the draft that had a strength in run blocking. Pass blocking isn't as important to him.

So look for us to do the same

 

[joeshmo]

It would not matter if Losman was responsible for 1/3 of those sacks it is still to much. He might have possibly been ranked in the top 10 worst starting O_lineman in the league last year.

There are 5 guys on the OL so this is a jab at their whole OL.

As a unit Bills OL in pass protection was ranked 30th, and in run blocking they were ranked 26th. For comparisons sake Cards were ranked 15th and 23rd.

It isnt like last year when we picked up Brown, at least that unit was ranked 8th in run blocking. At least that unit did something well. Bills unit didnt do anything well at all.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol2006.php

 

[ThunderCard]

There are 5 guys on the OL so this is a jab at their whole OL.

As a unit Bills OL in pass protection was ranked 30th, and in run blocking they were ranked 26th. For comparisons sake Cards were ranked 15th and 23rd.

It isnt like last year when we picked up Brown, at least that unit was ranked 8th in run blocking. At least that unit did something well. Bills unit didnt do anything well at all.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol2006.php

makes me want to throw up. This guy played in 14 games and was pulled for two of them due to minor injuries. he gives up 12.5 sacks so he was almost at one per game. Imagine Leinart getting hit real hard at least once a game next year.

Al Johnson I can live with a little more, because he would not be starting and would provide some nice depth.

 

[ajcardfan]

This doesn't sound too encouraging ... it sounds like hes either shopping the offer he has or we didn't even come close to matching or beating it ...

I read this story, and the one on the Cards website, and it has the feel of the way we used to do free agent visits before Green. We moved really fast on guys like Ross, Clancy, M. Brown, Edge, etc, when Green was here, giving them offers before they left town. When I read Whis' quote yesterday on Leach about waiting to see what the market is before making an offer that made me go ......."Hmmmmm". Now, this makes me go "Double Hmmmm." I hope we haven't taken a step backwards in how we do business with free agents.

 

[WildBB]

I read this story, and the one on the Cards website, and it has the feel of the way we used to do free agent visits before Green. We moved really fast on guys like Ross, Clancy, M. Brown, Edge, etc, when Green was here, giving them offers before they left town. When I read Whis' quote yesterday on Leach about waiting to see what the market is before making an offer that made me go ......."Hmmmmm". Now, this makes me go "Double Hmmmm." I hope we haven't taken a step backwards in how we do business with free agents.

Yeah, it shouldn't be rocket science; you can pretty much say that the market for FA's will go up at least 10% per year. More for the "in demand" positions and players. With the new TV contract it is probobly going up even more this year. The FO has "sticker shock" and they really shouldn't have.
But I'm not ready to say they're not playing it smart. But if they pony up 30+ Mil. for a guy like Gandy, I would be willing to change my sentiments.

 

[joeshmo]

I read this story, and the one on the Cards website, and it has the feel of the way we used to do free agent visits before Green. We moved really fast on guys like Ross, Clancy, M. Brown, Edge, etc, when Green was here, giving them offers before they left town. When I read Whis' quote yesterday on Leach about waiting to see what the market is before making an offer that made me go ......."Hmmmmm". Now, this makes me go "Double Hmmmm." I hope we haven't taken a step backwards in how we do business with free agents.

I agree with you.

But as for the Wiz comments about Leach I think he stated something more like, "We want to make him an offer but we want to make sure it is the right offer, becuase you only get one chance." Meaning since he is a RFA the Cards need to work out a deal that is good for them but at the same time they need a deal that the Texans will not match, and thats where the we only get one chance comment goes into effect, and why they need to make positive by taking their time with the correct deal the first time. I can see where he is coming from if you look at it that way.

 

[dmoney]

Newer info on the visits:

http://www.azcardinals.com/news/detail.php?PRKey=1579

 

[ajcardfan]

Yeah, it shouldn't be rocket science; you can pretty much say that the market for FA's will go up at least 10% per year. More for the "in demand" positions and players. With the new TV contract it is probobly going up even more this year. The FO has "sticker shock" and they really shouldn't have.
But I'm not ready to say they're not playing it smart. But if they pony up 30+ Mil. for a guy like Gandy, I would be willing to change my sentiments.

I'm not ready to say they aren't playing it smart either. No matter what happens this offseason, if we win this year it will all be good.

 

[40yearfan]

I'm not ready to say they aren't playing it smart either. No matter what happens this offseason, if we win this year it will all be good.

AMEN!!!

 

[Chainthroer]

Our priorities should be (1) Kelly and then (2) Johnson. Cards should not be letting Kelly get away. Then, Gandy for the right price. He's not a savior, but is a plug in the hole. And, that's what we have now a hole in the dike, with Davis going to Dallas. Might give up a sack or so, but we need to fill L.T., or, get on the phone and get Columbo here. Doesn't seem that we are being very agressive.

 

[Evil Ash]

On Ch 10 Sports Night, La Cava said that he expects the Cards to sign Gandy, Johnson, and Kelly in the next couple of days. I don't know if he had any inside info on this or not.

So take it for what its worth

 

[Redsz]

On Ch 10 Sports Night, La Cava said that he expects the Cards to sign Gandy, Johnson, and Kelly in the next couple of days. I don't know if he had any inside info on this or not.

So take it for what its worth

That would be a solid start.

 

[Doc Cardinal]

On Ch 10 Sports Night, La Cava said that he expects the Cards to sign Gandy, Johnson, and Kelly in the next couple of days. I don't know if he had any inside info on this or not.

So take it for what its worth

Yeah that would stifle my annual "peed off at FA time" feeling. Gandy and Johnson were high draft choices. Gandy slipped last year but had a decent year in 2005 at LT. Johnson needs some strength building but both have started during their careers.

Kelly might be the best of the lot...even though he's not flashy:

http://www.bengals.com/team/player.asp?player_id=20