Have we changed or upgraded our team at all yet?

[52brandon]

I don't know why you guys are down on Snyder I think hes sick!

lol, it's the cardinals. Our fans are almost as ruthless as philly fans. Last year half (probably more) of this board was calling for the head of our most winning coach ever, the only one to bring us to a SB. After it being only 1 year after our 2nd division title, and 2 years after going to the SB. Saying he just takes Steeler scraps and Horton was a huge bust, etc.

 

[Duckjake]

lol, it's the cardinals. Our fans are almost as ruthless as philly fans. Last year half (probably more) of this board was calling for the head of our most winning coach ever, the only one to bring us to a SB. After it being only 1 year after our 2nd division title, and 2 years after going to the SB. Saying he just takes Steeler scraps and Horton was a huge bust, etc.

Our fans aren't half as ruthless as fans in NY or Philly. Instead of a handful of people calling for the head of our HC mid way through last season there would have been tens of thousands doing it. I can't imagine the extent of the uproar in Philly if Andy Reid's team lost 15 of 18 games. Heck, they were ready to lynch him for losing in the first round of the playoffs in 2010.

Horton was a bust halfway through last year. He had to change what he was doing to turn things around.

And of course the MAIN reason the team got on a win streak is a result of starting Sackin' Sammy Acho and the indomitable Double Duece!

 

[52brandon]

Our fans aren't half as ruthless as fans in NY or Philly. Instead of a handful of people calling for the head of our HC mid way through last season there would have been tens of thousands doing it. I can't imagine the extent of the uproar in Philly if Andy Reid's team lost 15 of 18 games. Heck, they were ready to lynch him for losing in the first round of the playoffs in 2010.

Horton was a bust halfway through last year. He had to change what he was doing to turn things around.

And of course the MAIN reason the team got on a win streak is a result of starting Sackin' Sammy Acho and the indomitable Double Duece!

lmao

Yes, Horton had to change up the game plan by simplifying it because our guys weren't able to jump right into it, the players said themselves that it was very complicated. But he gradually brought it back up towards his full book

 

[JeffGollin]

Horton was a bust halfway through last year. He had to change what he was doing to turn things around.

It's hard to know whether you're being serious or sarcastic, but...

There are some who would say that, rather than Horton being a bust, it was our defensive players who took a half-year to buy into & be comfortable with Horton's system.

 

[Duckjake]

It's hard to know whether you're being serious or sarcastic, but...

There are some who would say that, rather than Horton being a bust, it was our defensive players who took a half-year to buy into & be comfortable with Horton's system.

No, Horton himself said he had to change what he was trying to do. And the results were immediate when he did. Well of course he also started playing Sam Acho.

 

[PJ1]

It's hard to know whether you're being serious or sarcastic, but...

There are some who would say that, rather than Horton being a bust, it was our defensive players who took a half-year to buy into & be comfortable with Horton's system.

No Joey Porter helped quite a bit.

 

[az1965]

Feely/Deuce resigned - great resign but not improved team

When did we re-sign Deuce??

 

[john h]

So far + Snyder -Marshall.

That would qualify as a net negative.

I think we are a net positive. Barely. We do need to resign J. Feeley if we have not already. People always seem to forget the kicker that can win more games for you than anyone outside a QB or WR. A position that is taken to much for granted.

 

[john h]

I do not see us as better than last year but who knows. It will basically come down to how our QB plays. Who the QB will be is unknown. Can we go 8/8 again or win all those games at the end like we did? Remember it was basically a rookie in Skelton who led us to those victories. We even beat a very tough Niners team on the last game of the year. It seems to me that is going to be hard to duplicate unless Skelton or Kolb turns into Kurt Warner.

Yes, I think the QB will decide just how far we go. We finished strong last year and also had some luck. Our QB may not be as good this year as he was last year if it is Skelton or he may be better. Kolb might be all world as many thought he would be when we signed him. I look for a solid defense and an offense that will rise and fall with the play of the QB. Staying healthy is a big priority and perhaps a couple of draft picks who could actually start would be a big help.

 

[john h]

Keep in mind that Whis said he wasn't looking to turnover much on our roster when the season ended.

Our offseason is an incomplete so far, but there are still a ton of players that the Cards might choose to sign.

What have we really lost so far?

Richard Marshall signed w/ Miami, so we lost our #2 CB/S

Levi Brown re-signed for an undisclosed amt, so we brought back a RT or LT

Adam Snyder signed for a minimal contract, hopefully he won't end up starting.

Vonnie Holliday - still unsigned
Clark Haggens - still unsigned
Early Doucet - still unsigned
Jay Feely - still unsigned
Mike Leach - still unsigned
Brandon Keith - still unsigned
Duece Lutui - still unsigned

My wish list going forward is

re-sign Haggens
re-sign Holliday
re-sign Feely
re-sign Leach

sign Jerricho Cotchery - WR
sign London Fletcher - ILB
sign William Gay - CB
sign Demetrius Bell / Marcus McNeill to play LT

You do not want to sign Lutui??

 

[DoTheDew]

You do not want to sign Lutui??

Every year Deuce has come closer and closer to eating himself out of the league in the off-season. This may be the year he finally does it.

 

[HoodieBets]

Every year Deuce has come closer and closer to eating himself out of the league in the off-season. This may be the year he finally does it.

Jurecki has already said he doesn't see deuce back on the team this year.

 

[moosehead]

I see Sando gave us a C- for our efforts so far. His lowest grade for the NFC West

 

[Duckjake]

I see Sando gave us a C- for our efforts so far. His lowest grade for the NFC West

Well at least he did mention that maybe the Cards really didn't have that many holes to fill in free agency and so didn't need to be that active.

Arizona probably deserves a C- just for the situation they have placed themselves in at Offensive Tackle.

 

[john h]

I have seen a lot of headlines of big name and medium names signing for most other teams. And as far as I know, the pickings that are left are pretty slim. So what do you think, have we done anything to improve our team, or are we going to just go with what we had plus hope our 1st round pick will be a boost for us?

If so that makes me think that Whiz will more likely use our 1st round pick to help Kolb and our offense. If so, I see it being the receiver from ND or the guard from USC. Those are the only 2 picks that would do that. DeCastro will instantly improve any team's run game, and that will really help in many ways, one being taking some pressure off of Kolb. The big receiver would obviously help also Kolb out also.

I wouldn't mind either pic because each should show instant results in improving our team. Another failed LT 1st round pick is more than I can stomach and would not add anything to us being more productive.

Personally I feel the best way to help our QB is to have a 'ram down your throat' running game, thus DeCastro would be my pick. We have never had an intimidating run game, and it is not in vogue these days. But I still believe in it and think it adds so many wins your total.

A good run game keeps the ball out of the hands of the other team, keeps pressure off the QB, frees up your WRs, burns time off the clock at the end of the game when you have a lead which we never have been able to do, and makes red zone possessions more successful.

That did it. I am convinced. DeCastro is the one player that would make the biggest change for our team, being evident in every game we play.

If you cannot pass the ball then you will not be able to run the ball. Teams who know you have a poor passing game just set up their defense to stop the run. You got to do both if you expect to go to any playoff games. When was the last team with a marginal QB in the playoffs or deep into the playoffs? One of our QB's has got to step up this year and that will decide if we have improved or stood still.

 

[john h]

I would agree. I really think the Cards should try to model themselves after the Baltimore Ravens. We don't have a star QB but do have several current and future stars on the Defense. We have the potential to have a solid run game and finally have some weapons at TE. The Ravens have never had a guy like Larry Fitzgerald so we might be able to do it even better than they have.

A lineman like DeCastro and a solid young SILB and maybe a little more physical CB and we're set for tough road games and hard fought post season games. And when teams come to the Valley they'll be bringing extra medical personnel to administer to all the bumps and bruises their players are going to get from lining up against Arizona.

Is any one lineman or LB going to change the fortunes of the Cards substantially? Not really. The one player on any team that can change the team into a winner is the QB. We need to go all out the next two years to get a QB if the ones we have do not pan out. I do not care if we draft three in a row or somehow get one in a trade or FA but until this problems is fixed we will continue to be the Cards. Not bad enough to get the #1 pick and not good enough to win a division. I would even consider Tannehill. Some are now saying he will go in the top 10. As one NFL head coach said you never pass on a good QB prospect no matter what your need is.

 

[john h]

Personnel-wise - not really. Snyder helps on the right side. That's about it. nothing new at WR, OL,i TE, DL, LB or DB (except that we lost Marshall).

2 guys coming off injury (Ryan Williams and Toler) will help.

Otherwise - we have to count on internal improvement in the form of development of Kolb abd Skelton, better play by our WR's and continued improvement by Schofield, Acho & Calais and our young corners (PP 21, Toler & Jefferson). But having to "hope" these guys get better is pretty scary.

Net-Net - We should at least be slightly better than last year, but I sure wish we'd get straight at LT.

Jeff you seem to be saying we will go 9-8? I think that is a stretch with our QB's.

 

[Duckjake]

Is any one lineman or LB going to change the fortunes of the Cards substantially? Not really. The one player on any team that can change the team into a winner is the QB. We need to go all out the next two years to get a QB if the ones we have do not pan out. I do not care if we draft three in a row or somehow get one in a trade or FA but until this problems is fixed we will continue to be the Cards. Not bad enough to get the #1 pick and not good enough to win a division. I would even consider Tannehill. Some are now saying he will go in the top 10. As one NFL head coach said you never pass on a good QB prospect no matter what your need is.

You have a perfect example with the Ravens. Ray Lewis.

 

[Shane]

You have a perfect example with the Ravens. Ray Lewis.

Patrick Willis too

 

[Stout]

Patrick Willis too

Man, I wanted to draft him so bad. I knew we couldn't take him, though. Can't remember why--who did we draft that year?

Edit: That was the year we had cut Leonard Davis, and the team was drafting a LT (Brown) come hell or high water. Even if we hadn't taken him, AP would probably have been the pick. I just remember thinking that Willis would be a stud.

 

[Duckjake]

Man, I wanted to draft him so bad. I knew we couldn't take him, though. Can't remember why--who did we draft that year?

Edit: That was the year we had cut Leonard Davis, and the team was drafting a LT (Brown) come hell or high water. Even if we hadn't taken him, AP would probably have been the pick. I just remember thinking that Willis would be a stud.

Just think of all the great debates we missed the last 5 years where we could have argued over whether we should have drafted Willis instead of Peterson. Instead of banging our heads over passing on All Day for Leonard Davis II.

 

[40yearfan]

Jeff you seem to be saying we will go 9-8? I think that is a stretch with our QB's.

We get to play 17 regular season games this year?

 

[Chopper0080]

You have a perfect example with the Ravens. Ray Lewis.

Too bad their aren't any Ray Lewis types in this draft...Patrick Willis either.

 

[Duckjake]

Too bad their aren't any Ray Lewis types in this draft...Patrick Willis either.

Probably true but you never know when you are going to find a diamond in the rough like Calais Campbell who completely alters teams FG attempts.

We don't really need to have a Defensive player in round one anyway. Sam Acho 4th round. Darnell Dockett 3rd round. Adrian Wilson 3rd round. Daryl Washington and Calais Campbell 2nd round. At the end of last season we only had 1 first round pick starting on our defense. Meanwhile our offense which floundered all season had three.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

Cards failing at free agency

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/features/rumors

We got the lowest grade by a long ways of anyone in our division, and the same is likely going to be true of the draft also without a 2nd round pick. Does anyone think we are just going to magically get better and have more success than the other 3 teams in our division? Come one, really?