Graves on the Offseason.

[joeshmo]

Good article on some thoughts from Graves about the offseason.

http://www.azcardinals.com/news/detail.php?PRKey=2872

Some of the main points I found interesting.

"and less than that to determine whether or not to use their franchise tag."

Could they be thinking about tagging Warner to get another year out of him? Hefty price tag. But in a Chicago paper today they interviewed Warners Agent and his agent stated he is telling Warner to not re-sign and is advicing him to test the market first. Also Mike Silver who is really good friends with Warner and his family, also wrote a book with Warner, stated in his recent editorial that Warner and his agent are still upset that the Cards didnt give Warner 500K last year even though he didnt meet that incentive.

“I realize that we have four to five core guys that are extremely important in trying to get re-signed. Those guys have expressed an interest in remaining here. We want those guys to remain with us. I think we have a good opportunity to sit down and get something done with those guys after the season.”

4 to 5 guys? I assume he is talking about just free agents. Which 4 or 5 is he talking about. Its got to include Warner and Dansby. So who is the other 2-3 guys he is talking about - A. Smith, T. Smith, ?????

" safety Antrel Rolle will likely need to re-do his deal because of escalators kicking in,"

I will have to do some more digging on the Rolle thing. All of my sources say it isnt until the last year of his deal. I only heard about from secondary sources but will now research further now that it comes straight from the horses mouth. I will update the cap spreadsheet accordingly. It just adds one more thing to do in an already very busy month Graves is going to have.

“It would be my belief that he would like to continue here in Arizona, but again, we’ll sit down with him after the season and evaluate where he is and where we are as well,” Graves said."

This part seems to have changed in tone and talk from the beginning of season and even mid season. Before Graves would talk as if they will get something done and will continue to get something done. Now he seems like he is not sure.

All I know is that it is going to a whirlwind and fast paced Febuary for Graves and lots of news to come out of Cards Camp. No games to be played after the Super Bowl but things wont be boring thats for sure.

 

[blindseyed]

Also Mike Silver who is really good friends with Warner and his family, also wrote a book with Warner, stated in his recent editorial that Warner and his agent are still upset that the Cards didnt give Warner 500K last year even though he didnt meet that incentive.


.

Also known as "A source close to...." I don't believe it unless I hear that come out of Kurts mouth.

 

[BACH]

4 to 5 guys? I assume he is talking about just free agents. Which 4 or 5 is he talking about. Its got to include Warner and Dansby. So who is the other 2-3 guys he is talking about - A. Smith, T. Smith, ?????

I'm guessing Berry and T. Smith.

I think Graves would like to signal that he wants to re-sign A. Smith, eventhough that seems highly unlikely given Smith's performance in the play-offs probably has moved him out of the team's price range (when we have Campbell sitting on the bench to take over)

 

[Capital Card]

I'm guessing Berry and T. Smith.

I think Graves would like to signal that he wants to re-sign A. Smith, eventhough that seems highly unlikely given Smith's performance in the play-offs probably has moved him out of the team's price range (when we have Campbell sitting on the bench to take over)

Isn't Gandy a free agent his offseason as well. I wasn't thrilled with him when we signed him, but I have to admit, he's been fairly productive for us in a key position.

Go Cards.

 

[jaguarpaw81]

Isn't Gandy a free agent his offseason as well. I wasn't thrilled with him when we signed him, but I have to admit, he's been fairly productive for us in a key position.

Go Cards.

He is signed through next season IIRC.

 

[football karma]

a couple things:

On Warner's $500k -- my understanding was that the Cardinals were okay with giving him the bonus, but the NFL said no -- and at that point, the Cards then tried to work it into a new deal ,but none was ever struck.

On Rolle --- it may be that the escalators dont kick in until the 2010 season. If that is the case -- NOW is when you want to redo that deal so that Antrell is considering the risk of a serious injury next year. If the Cards wait until the year before the contract, then Rolle is much more in the driver's seat.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I didn't like what i heard from Graves on NFLN this afternoon. They asked him about the off season and he came out and basically said he thinks guys should give the Cards a discount because they should want to continue to be part of the building/winning process. That's not going to fly with the players. That's what he means with Rolle by saying we'll see where he's at. I'm not going to worry about it until after the game but it definitely didn't sound encouraging.

 

[football karma]

I didn't like what i heard from Graves on NFLN this afternoon. They asked him about the off season and he came out and basically said he thinks guys should give the Cards a discount because they should want to continue to be part of the building/winning process. That's not going to fly with the players. That's what he means with Rolle by saying we'll see where he's at. I'm not going to worry about it until after the game but it definitely didn't sound encouraging.

I think the hometown discount works to a point

I like my job -- I'm not leaving if somebody simply offers me 5% or 10% more -- or better said -- I wont go to a crappy company for only 10% more.

but I agree that the hometown discount wont fly at all with certain players and will probably be smaller than Rod would like

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I think the hometown discount works to a point

I like my job -- I'm not leaving if somebody simply offers me 5% or 10% more -- or better said -- I wont go to a crappy company for only 10% more.

but I agree that the hometown discount wont fly at all with certain players and will probably be smaller than Rod would like

Terrel Suggs did come out and say that himself,Bart Scott,and Ray Lewis should all give the Ravens a hometown discount to stay together. We'll see how that flies.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Another thing that made me laugh was when asked why the Cards are drafting better,Graves responded that for the last few years they haven't drafted for need and just took the BPA.

 

[joeshmo]

Home Town discounts are talked about in theory but there is only a three reasons when it is actually applied. One being older players looking for one last go at championship, another being older players who just dont want to move again and have already made their money, and finally young players looking for a place to have a shot at starting to showcase themselves for another contract.

But when it comes to already established starting younger players it only happens about 1% of the time.

 

[jaguarpaw81]

Home Town discounts are talked about in theory but there is only a three reasons when it is actually applied. One being older players looking for one last go at championship, another being older players who just dont want to move again and have already made their money, and finally young players looking for a place to have a shot at starting to showcase themselves for another contract.

But when it comes to already established starting younger players it only happens about 1% of the time.

 

[az jam]

The bottom line is that football is a business and careers are short. Players go for the most money as they should.

 

[Cardiac]

The bottom line is that football is a business and careers are short. Players go for the most money as they should.

I understand that most players do go after the most money but don't agree that they should 100% of the time.

en fuego makes a great point. Compensation for a job has to include more then money. Why spend 40 + hrs a week being miserable. If you were to poll the Detriot Lions players and ask them how much money would you give up to be on the Cards or Steelers right now I wonder what the results would be.

It's a bit different in the NFL because careers are shorter but many can also make a lot more money then us in this time frame.

At the end of your career do you want:

10 million in the bank and no playoffs.

8 million in the bank and no SB.

6 million in the bank and have played in the SB.

4 million is a big difference but then again 6 million is not chump change.

I understand there is a lot more that goes into the equation than this but I would think more players would put some thought into the overall compensation piece then just $'s.

 

[az jam]

I'm saying that players should go after the money because the team owners keep them only if performing at a high level. If they are injured or start hitting the age wall then they are dropped as none of the so called big contracts have guaranteed money as baseball and basketball players have.

On this board most are saying to drop Edgerrin James and Chike Okeafor to save money for the cap. We want players to be loyal to the Cards but we are not loyal to them. We want the good young players but want to save money when they are no longer as valuable as they once were. I guess that's is just normal. Players know its a business and their careers are an injury away from ending.

 

[jaguarpaw81]

I'm saying that players should go after the money because the team owners keep them only if performing at a high level. If they are injured or start hitting the age wall then they are dropped as none of the so called big contracts have guaranteed money as baseball and basketball players have.

On this board most are saying to drop Edgerrin James and Chike Okeafor to save money for the cap. We want players to be loyal to the Cards but we are not loyal to them. We want the good young players but want to save money when they are no longer as valuable as they once were. I guess that's is just normal. Players know its a business and their careers are an injury away from ending.

Great post.

 

[DeAnna]

I have a bad, bad feeling about this off season.

We could lose, Boldin, Edge, ASmith, Kurt, Dansby ... just to name a few

 

[joeshmo]

I have a bad, bad feeling about this off season.

We could lose, Boldin, Edge, ASmith, Kurt, Dansby ... just to name a few

If we get good compensation for Boldin I dont have a bad feeling. But if we lose the captian of our Offense and the Captian of our Defense in one offseason, thats some bad, bad mojo.

For what its worth even Mike Jurecki thinks a deal will get done with Warner. He thinks it might look scary the first week of negotiations with all the posturing but in the end he will sign a new deal for 2 to 3 years. He basis this on conversations he has had directly with Warner and Graves. I know its just a gut feeling but one based on conversations with the main parties is a better gut feeling then most.

 

[CardinalChris]

Also known as "A source close to...." I don't believe it unless I hear that come out of Kurts mouth.

Didn't the NFL say that they would not have allowed such a bonus payment even if AZ wanted to?