Hello Dark Side, My Old Friend...

[phillycard]

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see Monti give the position the Justin Jones treatment in 2025. Gardeck will be a free agent and entering his Age 31 season.

The 2025 Free Agent class looks pretty old right now, but maybe the Cards throw some money at someone like Darrell Taylor (SEA). Josh Uche (NE) was sitting out there this offseason and would have helped bolster this group.

Jeeeeez, Gardeck will be 31 next year??? Cue the Frank Sinatra! Had no idea!

 

[Dback Jon]

...yep, I've gone from cautious optimism back into the arms of the dark side, at least temporarily. We've gone from a "well, maybe, if everything goes right, we can sneak into the playoffs" to "Well, maybe, if everything goes right, we can still be in the hunt in the last five weeks."

Brutal, baby. Brutal. And the schmuck extending Collins on the same day is a direct middle finger to me, no doubt about it

Monti reads this board, and is a huge fan of remakes

 

[CardNots]

If we end up middle of the pack in the 2025 draft we probably are not getting a blue chip edge player.

Uh, I was pretty sure I read there was at least 10 pretty good prospects unlike this year.

EDGE RUSHER RANKINGS 2025 NFL DRAFT

2025 NFL Draft: Top 15 edge rushers with scouting reports

 

[kerouac9]

If we end up middle of the pack in the 2025 draft we probably are not getting a blue chip edge player.

Right now our edge players barely qualify as skee-ball tokens.

 

[Stout]

If we end up middle of the pack in the 2025 draft we probably are not getting a blue chip edge player.

Do you think Monti has the stones to trade up to get the guy the team so desperately needs, then?

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Do you think Monti has the stones to trade up to get the guy the team so desperately needs, then?

Good question

 

[slanidrac16]

Do you think Monti has the stones to trade up to get the guy the team so desperately needs, then?

I would think he would if after a decent season, free agency and there is an opportunity. I don’t think he give away the farm to move up like two first round and a second round pick.

 

[oaken1]

th

i think Monti has done a good overall -- but:

its kind of a shock to realize that with Ojulari down (an unproven player to start) -- you are down to Zaven, Gardeck and Xavier Thomas on the edge

I suppose most of the NFL has a roster where one ACL to a certain starter puts them in a similar situation, but stilll....

but an edge guy who was the talent equivalent of Sean Murphy-Bunting would have been nice. Maybe someone like that is still around

ese are the guys out there as of three days ago

• Yannick Ngakoue
• Carl Lawson
• Charles Harris
• Tyus Bowser
• Marquis Haynes
• Shaq Lawson

 

[oaken1]

Do you think Monti has the stones to trade up to get the guy the team so desperately needs, then?

he just needs to scout the players...AD and Watt were taken in the teens right? I mean, they aint edge but if anyone had an inkling of what they would become they would have gone much sooner.
But back OT...yeah, I think monti has the stones to make a trade...but I wont commit to thinking he feels we are ready to do it in the 25 draft...seems like the kinda guy who would only trade up if he feels his team is set except for player X

 

[Stout]

I would think he would if after a decent season, free agency and there is an opportunity. I don’t think he give away the farm to move up like two first round and a second round pick.

Your two sentences don't match up. If we are middle of the pack and we end up wanting the top pass rusher, it will cost the farm. That's the stones part. Giving up very little isn't showing stones. I'm not advocating a trade up, per se, especially in a huge and unknown hypothetical situation. I'm just wondering if he has anything but conservativism in him.

 

[Stout]

he just needs to scout the players...AD and Watt were taken in the teens right? I mean, they aint edge but if anyone had an inkling of what they would become they would have gone much sooner.
But back OT...yeah, I think monti has the stones to make a trade...but I wont commit to thinking he feels we are ready to do it in the 25 draft...seems like the kinda guy who would only trade up if he feels his team is set except for player X

Why do you think so? I'm not talking just making a trade; I'm talking "I want THAT guy and I'm going way up to get him" stones. Just wondering. For me, he's purely conservative until he proves he isn't.

 

[BACH]

Why do you think so? I'm not talking just making a trade; I'm talking "I want THAT guy and I'm going way up to get him" stones. Just wondering. For me, he's purely conservative until he proves he isn't.

Based on How he moves around the draft it’s would be straight up wrong to Call him conservative.

You Could argue he seems to value draft Value higher than specific players, but that is not the same as being conservative.

Monti has traded down twice and traded up once for High draft picks. Since PJJ was THAT guy and he traded up and didn’t “settle” Wright Or Jones,

Hard Knocks offseason showed that the Giants had a deal in place with Monti for #4 if Harrison was taken 3rd, so clearly MHJ was also that guy.

I would expect him to be willing to swing for the fences for that single player, but only time Will tell.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

I would expect him to be willing to swing for the fences for that single player, but only time Will tell.

My impression of MO is that he wouldn't do it if he had to pay more than a modest premium to get to the required pick!

I think at this point, every move is being made in the context of building a consistent winner.

Generally he's not going to significantly overspend on any one move because it will leave us short of capital in a future year! That's anathema to him!

 

[BigDavis75]

Why do you think so? I'm not talking just making a trade; I'm talking "I want THAT guy and I'm going way up to get him" stones. Just wondering. For me, he's purely conservative until he proves he isn't.

Did he not do this with Paris already? You might have a different view of “way up” but he’s shown a willingness to jump up in the first round to get his guy.

 

[slanidrac16]

Your two sentences don't match up. If we are middle of the pack and we end up wanting the top pass rusher, it will cost the farm. That's the stones part. Giving up very little isn't showing stones. I'm not advocating a trade up, per se, especially in a huge and unknown hypothetical situation. I'm just wondering if he has anything but conservativism in him.

So many things go into this possible scenario. Rarely do you see a team give up the farm unless it’s for a Qb.
If we are drafting 19th he is not going to trade up to the top 3 to get an edge rusher. If we’re drafting 10th( I hope not) yes I could see him moving up 3-6 slots to get a premier edge rusher.
MO shored up the d-line and o-line with what looks to be solid rotational players. He added to the CB, wr and rb rooms.
Our d-line was so depleted last year. Our opponents really had no problem running the ball with lessened our ability to pressure. If the d-line additions can slow down the run and put even a little push against the pass it should open up the outside a little.
That’s my hope.

 

[Stout]

My impression of MO is that he wouldn't do it if he had to pay more than a modest premium to get to the required pick!

I think at this point, every move is being made in the context of building a consistent winner.

Generally he's not going to significantly overspend on any one move because it will leave us short of capital in a future year! That's anathema to him!

We are bereft of superstars, though (except MHJ, fingers crossed!). I feel staying that conservative won't land us the top talent needed to build a consistent winner.

 

[Stout]

Did he not do this with Paris already? You might have a different view of “way up” but he’s shown a willingness to jump up in the first round to get his guy.

No, he first traded down and then moved up. We came out of the draft with more picks, in the long run, not less.

 

[Chopper0080]

Why do you think so? I'm not talking just making a trade; I'm talking "I want THAT guy and I'm going way up to get him" stones. Just wondering. For me, he's purely conservative until he proves he isn't.

It is easy to forget that Monti moved up to grab Paris Johnson after trading out of the three spot. 12 to 6 if I remember correctly. I think that is about as much proof as you can get in a two draft sample size.

 

[Chopper0080]

Did he not do this with Paris already? You might have a different view of “way up” but he’s shown a willingness to jump up in the first round to get his guy.

borg'd

 

[Chopper0080]

No, he first traded down and then moved up. We came out of the draft with more picks, in the long run, not less.

I feel those were individual decisions highlighting a desire to add picks but also a willingness to use picks to move up and draft a certain player.

 

[Stout]

It is easy to forget that Monti moved up to grab Paris Johnson after trading out of the three spot. 12 to 6 if I remember correctly. I think that is about as much proof as you can get in a two draft sample size.

I don't consider it as making any kind of bet or showing stones whatsoever, as far as paying the big price to trade up for a player. Not even close. He STOCKPILED picks out of those trades.

I'm talking "we need THAT guy and it'll cost a couple 1sts and change" types of situations. They don't compare. And I know--some posters will say you never should do those trades.

 

[Chopper0080]

I don't consider it as making any kind of bet or showing stones whatsoever, as far as paying the big price to trade up for a player. Not even close. He STOCKPILED picks out of those trades.

I'm talking "we need THAT guy and it'll cost a couple 1sts and change" types of situations. They don't compare. And I know--some posters will say you never should do those trades.

We can disagree.

 

[kerouac9]

Going up the draft to grab a pass rusher would seem to be a pretty foolhardy move in the best of circumstances, much less to prove you have the balls to make such a move (or whatever).

This team is going to be old at IDL and ILB; we'll want all the draft capital we have.

 

[Stout]

Going up the draft to grab a pass rusher would seem to be a pretty foolhardy move in the best of circumstances, much less to prove you have the balls to make such a move (or whatever).

This team is going to be old at IDL and ILB; we'll want all the draft capital we have.

Meh on "needing all the draft capital." Same record every year. Another refrain of "keeping powder dry." By that rationale we never would have gotten Chandler Jones.

As to moving up to get a pass rusher and whether he has the stones to do so, it's merely a hypothetical exercise.

 

[slanidrac16]

In the last 5 years Only 3 “ prolific “ pass rushers were drafted high.Nick Bosa, Myles Garrett and Von Miller drafted 2nd, 1st and 2nd respectively.
All the others were draft 11 or below. The leading sack leader over the last 5 years? T.J.Watt and he was drafted 30th. JJ was drafted 11th. Chandler Jones 21st. Chris Jones 37th.

Point is a good to great pass rusher can be found a little farther down in the draft. Nobody really knows until they actually do it. Arguably Chris Jones would have been a great 1st pick and had he been the first pick the Chiefs would have gotten blasted by the pundits… but not now.

How do we know Darius Robinson isn’t the next Chris Jones or Arron Donald? But isn’t that what we hope for? Trading up and giving up draft picks guarantees nothing.

Hitting on the draft is a wonderful thing . And when you do your team thrives. A couple of good drafts in a row gives you the financial leeway to fill the gaps needed with higher quality players. The downside a successful draft is usually hitting on 25-30% of your picks which means it takes time.

This defense was so bad last year ( a lot because of injuries) that we were easy to scheme against. So adding 1 quality edge rusher was not going to suddenly turn this defense around. Let’s hope the free agents added to the d-line, the returning injured players and the draft help improve the run defense which will help scheme a pass rush.