Have we changed or upgraded our team at all yet?

[pinetopred]

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?

Your right the sky is falling, these same experts said we had the best offseason last year, by far. We didn't have the money to play in FA this year, that doesn't mean anything or change anything. And I for 1 think we will be better just because we will have a full offseason to work with, and some very young guys that will improve with more time in the system.

 

[40yearfan]

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?

What grade did he give Pittsburg?

 

[Duckjake]

Your right the sky is falling, these same experts said we had the best offseason last year, by far. We didn't have the money to play in FA this year, that doesn't mean anything or change anything. And I for 1 think we will be better just because we will have a full offseason to work with, and some very young guys that will improve with more time in the system.

I think they were right both times. These guys are looking for teams to make a splash or sign a lot of players which we did last season. What they don't take into consideration is that if you have a couple of strong drafts and a strong free agency the year before you aren't going to make much noise in free agency. There just isn't any reason to.

However, the Cards leaving themselves with Batiste, Bridges, Snyder and D.J. Young as their RT options warrants by itself a low grade for this year.

 

[pinetopred]

I think they were right both times. These guys are looking for teams to make a splash or sign a lot of players which we did last season. What they don't take into consideration is that if you have a couple of strong drafts and a strong free agency the year before you aren't going to make much noise in free agency. There just isn't any reason to.

However, the Cards leaving themselves with Batiste, Bridges, Snyder and D.J. Young as their RT options warrants by itself a low grade for this year.

I agree, but I'm not ready to say this offseason is a finished product by any means so I'll wait and see instead of claiming we are a bunch of loser because we didn't spend another 10 mil we don't have.

 

[Duckjake]

I agree, but I'm not ready to say this offseason is a finished product by any means so I'll wait and see instead of claiming we are a bunch of loser because we didn't spend another 10 mil we don't have.

I don't see anyone with any sense saying that. The concern of most of us is the Right Tackle position. That is an enormous hole left unfilled so far.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

To answer the question at the top of the thread ?

No.

We actually got worse. How so?

Just keep reinforcing the reputation that this team doesn't, and cannot pay the talent they have and keep it. See Calais Campbell.

Have nothing to bring in big name free agents and make them want to play in the desert. See Peyton Manning.

And refuse to do what it takes to improve the team from year to year. See our horrific Oline from the last 20 years, and the lack of desparation in signing D.Bell or some other LT this offseason. A desparation that the organization brought upon themselves, BTW.


Same ol' Cardinals

This season is going to be a horror show.

 

[Bodha]

Same ol' Cardinals

This season is going to be a horror show.

This team is largely unchanged in any way, and last season it went 7-2 in its last 9.

This composition of players has proven that it can win. Theres no reason to expect a terrible season with what they showed they are capable of. They just need to perform day 1. We are bound to get a difference maker in the draft also, whether that be Michael Floyd, Melvin Ingram or David DeCastro. So this team has the workings to be very good.

 

[Chopper0080]

What I hate is boxing ourselves into a corner regarding the draft. I have always hated the Cardinals tendency towards doing this, and it is a yearly source of frustration.

That being said, I will reserve judgement for when training camp starts. I liked re-signing Levi Brown. I liked signing William Gay. I liked re-signing Mike Leach and Jay Feely. I think we missed the boat on Eric Winston. I am only a fan of Adam Snyder as a backup, and it doesn't look like this will be the case. Zastudil was terrible last year, and hopefully we will spend a draft pick to challenge him.

Overall, to this point the offseason is a wash. We have the same defensive personnel with the exception of swapping Marshall for Gay, and the still available Clark Haggens and Vonnie Holliday. Offensively, also a wash. Snyder can't be worse than Brandon Keith or Rex Hadnot depending where he plays, and if we fill the RT or RG hole with a rookie, at least we can believe that the rookie will improve.

 

[Vermont Maverick]

To answer the question at the top of the thread ?

No.

We actually got worse. How so?

Just keep reinforcing the reputation that this team doesn't, and cannot pay the talent they have and keep it. See Calais Campbell.

Have nothing to bring in big name free agents and make them want to play in the desert. See Peyton Manning.

And refuse to do what it takes to improve the team from year to year. See our horrific Oline from the last 20 years, and the lack of desparation in signing D.Bell or some other LT this offseason. A desparation that the organization brought upon themselves, BTW.


Same ol' Cardinals

This season is going to be a horror show.

While Bell seems like he would be good to have, I don't think he's any slam dunk with his injuries.

And I see no problem not being desperate, and throwing a 5 year, $35M contract at him. Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make.

 

[Duckjake]

What I hate is boxing ourselves into a corner regarding the draft. I have always hated the Cardinals tendency towards doing this, and it is a yearly source of frustration.

That being said, I will reserve judgement for when training camp starts. I liked re-signing Levi Brown. I liked signing William Gay. I liked re-signing Mike Leach and Jay Feely. I think we missed the boat on Eric Winston. I am only a fan of Adam Snyder as a backup, and it doesn't look like this will be the case. Zastudil was terrible last year, and hopefully we will spend a draft pick to challenge him.

Overall, to this point the offseason is a wash. We have the same defensive personnel with the exception of swapping Marshall for Gay, and the still available Clark Haggens and Vonnie Holliday. Offensively, also a wash. Snyder can't be worse than Brandon Keith or Rex Hadnot depending where he plays, and if we fill the RT or RG hole with a rookie, at least we can believe that the rookie will improve.

It sure looks like that is going to happen. I find it hard to believe the Cards see a potential starter at RT in Bridges, Batiste, and D.J. Young and if they move Snyder to RT who plays RG? Batiste?

Speaking of smaller Guards I noticed that Eric Steinbach is still unsigned. Not advocating the Cards picking him up just curious as to why yet another guy who has started 124 games in the NFL is still available.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

To answer the question at the top of the thread ?

No.

We actually got worse. How so?

Just keep reinforcing the reputation that this team doesn't, and cannot pay the talent they have and keep it. See Calais Campbell.

Have nothing to bring in big name free agents and make them want to play in the desert. See Peyton Manning.

And refuse to do what it takes to improve the team from year to year. See our horrific Oline from the last 20 years, and the lack of desparation in signing D.Bell or some other LT this offseason. A desparation that the organization brought upon themselves, BTW.


Same ol' Cardinals

This season is going to be a horror show.

Well, there at least one 'same Ol'. You repeating this same old tired line.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Well, there at least one 'same Ol'. You repeating this same old tired line.

If the shoe fits. The same old tired line, fits the same old tired offseason, and the same old Cardinal front office effort that we all have come to know too well.

Tell me how this isn't a blast from the past, and I may reconsider it.

But, I do not see the justification of how the Cardinals have succeed in much, or anything for that matter, this offseason.

It starts with Calais Campbell, and ends with "who is our RT?"

Same ol, same ol to me.

You re-sign Calais, you gain cap room, and you find an upgrade at one of the tackle positions. I mean my hopes were for Jeff Backus, King Dunlap, and Trai Essex. Not really shooting for the sky on those, and we couldn't even achieve bringing in talent equivalent to any of those players.

Seriously, this is a very weak effort, and poor offseason. Not crazy to be calling them the Same Ol Cardinals. There is plenty of justification, and debatable points for it.

Just like I respect your same old Kool-Aid optimism.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

While Bell seems like he would be good to have, I don't think he's any slam dunk with his injuries.

And I see no problem not being desperate, and throwing a 5 year, $35M contract at him. Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make.

Fine.

Then sign one of the other LT's that were available at some point in the offseason.

When there is a glaring problem at your OT position, and you do nothing about it, how can people be fine with that ?

How can you not be frustrated as a fan that the organization doesn't feel the need to try and improve the team ?

I think that is a very fair question to ask, whether you kool-aiders think it is or not.

For me to say this smells like how the Same Ol' Cardinals conducted there Same ol' Offseason, how can you not even see that as a debatable point ?

Seriously. If it is so cut and dry, then sorry, people are being niave about the situation.

Can't wait for the draft. This organization screws it up, this place will go postal.

I am frustrated, but not angry right now. This IS the Cardinals, and this IS something I am used to.

Thus same ol, same ol.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

If the shoe fits.

Tell me how this isn't a blast from the past, and I may reconsider it.

But, I do not see the justification of how the Cardinals have succeed in much, or anything for that matter, this offseason.

It starts with Calais Campbell, and ends with "who is our RT?"

Same ol, same ol to me.

On this issue any dissection of the why's and wherefore's is wasted on you, as you'll never concede that positive changes have been and continue to be made with an eye on the future.

 

[BigRedRage]

If the shoe fits. The same old tired line, fits the same old tired offseason, and the same old Cardinal front office effort that we all have come to know too well.

Tell me how this isn't a blast from the past, and I may reconsider it.

But, I do not see the justification of how the Cardinals have succeed in much, or anything for that matter, this offseason.

It starts with Calais Campbell, and ends with "who is our RT?"

Same ol, same ol to me.

You re-sign Calais, you gain cap room, and you find an upgrade at one of the tackle positions. I mean my hopes were for Jeff Backus, King Dunlap, and Trai Essex. Not really shooting for the sky on those, and we couldn't even achieve bringing in talent equivalent to any of those players.

Seriously, this is a very weak effort, and poor offseason. Not crazy to be calling them the Same Ol Cardinals. There is plenty of justification, and debatable points for it.

Just like I respect your same old Kool-Aid optimism.

Ive been a fan for a long time so maybe they need to stay same ol cardinals.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

On this issue any dissection of the why's and wherefore's is wasted on you, as you'll never concede that positive changes have been and continue to be made with an eye on the future.

If I am not worth your time why bother posting any response?

Am I no longer allowed to voice my opinion from yours?

Worth ur time for insults but not to justfy them.

I guess I will have to take it as

"The reason Cardinals have improved is cause you're a jerk"

Good one

Hopefully u wake up 2morrow in a better mood. Peace

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

Let's face it, we all keep giving the Cards a pass each year. We are so used to it I wonder if we even realize it. I won't even begin to go over all the times they have simply sat on their hands, waiting and waiting, until the last minute to make some drastic move or simply ignore everything all together. But again, we as fans give them a pass again this year as always.

And now we turn ourselves to the draft in hopes we work a miracle there, while praying they don't totally screw that up too. With no 2nd round pick, we have really only one roll of the dice. It seems very easy this year: IF either DeCastro or Upshaw are available for us then we have an opportunity to really improve our team with just one player. But if we should not grab one of those opportunities and gamble on a Martin, or settle for a wide receiver while ignoring our offensive line and our pass rush needs, then this whole year has set us back in relation to all the other teams in our division. That will be a shame. Yet like always, we will give our Cards another pass and envision a playoff birth while drinking more of that Kool-aide.

 

[BigRedRage]

blah blah meltdowns you guys just love to complain they are gonna do what they do and I will root for them when the games start and still think we will win once skelton is starting.

 

[Duckjake]

"The reason the Cardinals have improved is you're a jerk."

Classic.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

"The reason the Cardinals have improved is you're a jerk."


-Maybe one of my favorite lines on this board of all time.

 

[Cardiac]

If I am not worth your time why bother posting any response?

Am I no longer allowed to voice my opinion from yours?

Worth ur time for insults but not to justfy them.

I guess I will have to take it as

"The reason Cardinals have improved is cause you're a jerk"

Good one

Hopefully u wake up 2morrow in a better mood. Peace

Not really wanting to speak for CC since he is far better at it than I.

You are basing your entire rant on the fact that Levi Brown is the worst LT in the league and to some point ignoring that he had a very good 2nd half of the season.

Factor in that this was his 2nd season back at LT as a pro. Factor in that several of the early sacks and QB pressures he gave up early in the year were in FACT Kolbs fault.

Consider that several teams had contacted Levi so there was a certain level of interest for him in the NFL.

Maybe Levi isn't as bad as you think he is? Maybe the FO is right and they do have a legit LT in Levi? Maybe Levi was the best option for LT in FA. If you can start to entertain these thoughts then the only things left to have issue with is:

They over spent last year in FA which is absolutely not the SOC's.

They have missed on their assessment on Levi's future which every team does.

So maybe I need a better definition of what you mean by SOC's. When I read that phrase I think of penny pinching, archiac business principles, an inability to gauge and grade talent and a bigger concern for the bottom line than winning.

Since this team has recently been to a SB and had the highest payroll last year and has been spending most of the CAP (except for one year since UOP was completed) then I take exception to using SOC's.

Now if you want to say they still suck at evaluating talent then we could have a healthy debate in which I would think both of us would agree they have at least improved.

 

[desertdawg]

The jerk line killed (just funny as hell, CC is a good dude) and I consider my self a kool laider all day (just not at night when I've been drinking...or on Modays after a tough loss... or after another QB bites the dust). I guess I'm all mixed up.

 

[Longcolts]

The jerk line killed (just funny as hell, CC is a good dude) and I consider my self a kool laider all day (just not at night when I've been drinking...or on Modays after a tough loss... or after another QB bites the dust). I guess I'm all mixed up.

And this is a big surprise to us?

 

[Duckjake]

You are basing your entire rant on the fact that Levi Brown is the worst LT in the league and to some point ignoring that he had a very good 2nd half of the season.

Factor in that this was his 2nd season back at LT as a pro. Factor in that several of the early sacks and QB pressures he gave up early in the year were in FACT Kolbs fault.

I've been hearing that a lot lately. I think someone posted the stats to back that up buy I can't find that post. If someone would link that or link to something that shows that Levi had a very good second half of the season I'd appreciate it.

 

[Duckjake]

Not really wanting to speak for CC since he is far better at it than I.

You are basing your entire rant on the fact that Levi Brown is the worst LT in the league and to some point ignoring that he had a very good 2nd half of the season.

Factor in that this was his 2nd season back at LT as a pro. Factor in that several of the early sacks and QB pressures he gave up early in the year were in FACT Kolbs fault.

Consider that several teams had contacted Levi so there was a certain level of interest for him in the NFL.

Maybe Levi isn't as bad as you think he is? Maybe the FO is right and they do have a legit LT in Levi? Maybe Levi was the best option for LT in FA. If you can start to entertain these thoughts then the only things left to have issue with is:

They over spent last year in FA which is absolutely not the SOC's.

They have missed on their assessment on Levi's future which every team does.

So maybe I need a better definition of what you mean by SOC's. When I read that phrase I think of penny pinching, archiac business principles, an inability to gauge and grade talent and a bigger concern for the bottom line than winning.

Since this team has recently been to a SB and had the highest payroll last year and has been spending most of the CAP (except for one year since UOP was completed) then I take exception to using SOC's.

Now if you want to say they still suck at evaluating talent then we could have a healthy debate in which I would think both of us would agree they have at least improved.

A far more reasonable post than the one that generated Rugby's now classic line. At least you take the time illustrate the reasons why you disagree with someone instead of just typing things like "so you know more than the coaches" or "if you're so smart why aren't you a GM/Coach/Scout in the NFL".