Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Living three miles from Gilette Stadium for the past 16 years, I have spent a good deal of time trying to understand Bill Belichick and his football philosophies. It has come to the point where the moves he makes can be readily predicted.
Thus I thought it would be interesting to predict what Belichick would do if suddenly he was the HC/GM of the Arizona Cardinals.
Moves:
1. Trade for QB Jimmy Garoppolo---give up a 2017 2nd rounder and a 2018 3rd rounder. JG fits BB's QB profile because of his high FBI and his ability to make quick throws into the seams and up the middle on an array of "option" routes---the slot WR or TE will read where the leverage is in coverage and run opposite of where the leverage is. This requires the QB to make the same reads that the slot WR and TE does. In BB's offense they never throw to spots---they read, react and throw---and if the initial reads aren't clear, the QB then looks for the RB who slips open underneath the intermediate coverage.
2. Release or trade QBs Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton. BB does not believe in using millions of dollars in cap space to keep a veteran backup QB. He believes in drafting and grooming a young QB behind the starter.
3. Trade T Jared Veldheer for a 4th or 5th round pick. BB believes in getting some value for veterans whose skills and overall play are somewhat on the decline. BB would also see that D.J. Humphries looked good at LT and that John Wetzel looked promising at RT. BB would put him in competition with a draft pick T and Ulrich John.
4. Talk WR Larry Fitzgerald into staying---and in essence, he will mean to the Cardinals' offense what Gronk means to the NE offense.
5. Release or trade DB Tyvon Branch and DT Cory Peters to gain $5.8M on the cap.
6. BB would retain CB Justin Bethel who would be his STs captain a la All-Pro STs player Matthew Slater, but also BB would want to coach up Bethel big-time because of Bethel's physical abilities. Now---Bethel would immediately have a better chance in BB's defense because BB does the opposite of what the Cardinals do. BB puts the #2 CB on the opponents' best WR but bracket him with a safety so that he can be aggressive and know he has help. The #1 CB is isolated on the opponents' 2nd best receiver.
Note: BB is also very high on CB Brandon Williams---whom he brought in to Foxboro for a pre-draft workout. There is no better coach in the NFL at developing CBs and DBs than BB.
7. BB would sign the following UFA's:
* WR Pierre Garcon (WAS)---can play equally well wide or in the slot and BB wants great receivers in the slot.
* DE Lawrence Guy (BAL)---in the base 34, he slides in at DE opposite Josh Mauro (whom BB would love)
* CB Logan Ryan (NE)---thrives in BB's system.
* FB James Develin (NE)---has been BB's FB and STs stalwart in NE.
* S Duron Harmon (NE)---plays safety and nickel CB and STs
* TE Luke Willson (SEA)---has the speed and hands to become a breakout player in BB's offense
* OLB/DE John Simon (HOU)---classic BB type 34 edge banger
8. BB Re-signing Cardinals' UFA's???:
* Chandler Jones---will put f-tag on him but will trade him for a 2nd round pick plus a 2018 4th.
* Calais Campbell---no.
* D.J. Swearinger---yes.
* Tony Jefferson---no.
* Jermaine Gresham---no.
* Darren Fells---no.
* A.Q. Shipley---no.
* Earl Watford---no.
* Frostee Rucker---yes.
* Kevin Minter---no.
* Sio Moore---yes.
The common denominator here is that BB will not overpay for Jones, Campbell, Jefferson and Gresham. He would re-sign Swearinger if the figures are reasonable. If not BB would probably try to sign FS/ST/CB Michael Thomas (MIA). Rucker, Fells and Moore would all sign affordable contracts slightly above the minimum.
9. BB's 2017 Draft:
Trade #13 to Green Bay for picks #24 and #88.
1. RB/WR/PR Christian McCaffrey, Stanford. The quintessential BB playmaker. Made to order.
2. (Chandler Jones trade) QB Pat Mahomes, Texas Tech.
3. Ryan Anderson, OLB, Alabama
3. (Green Bay trade) WR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington
4. Forest Lamp, T/G, Western Kentucky
5. John Johnson, FS/CB, Boston College
5. (Veldheer trade) Ben Boulware, LB Clemson
5. (comp pick) Trayvon Hester, DT, Toldeo
6. Isaac Asiata, G/C, Utah
7. Jacob Hollister, TE, Wyoming
Interestingly, The Cardinals have a BB advocate as their VP of Player Personnel in Terry McDonough and there have been some hints of similar philosophies in SK and TMcD.
Thus I thought it would be interesting to predict what Belichick would do if suddenly he was the HC/GM of the Arizona Cardinals.
Moves:
1. Trade for QB Jimmy Garoppolo---give up a 2017 2nd rounder and a 2018 3rd rounder. JG fits BB's QB profile because of his high FBI and his ability to make quick throws into the seams and up the middle on an array of "option" routes---the slot WR or TE will read where the leverage is in coverage and run opposite of where the leverage is. This requires the QB to make the same reads that the slot WR and TE does. In BB's offense they never throw to spots---they read, react and throw---and if the initial reads aren't clear, the QB then looks for the RB who slips open underneath the intermediate coverage.
2. Release or trade QBs Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton. BB does not believe in using millions of dollars in cap space to keep a veteran backup QB. He believes in drafting and grooming a young QB behind the starter.
3. Trade T Jared Veldheer for a 4th or 5th round pick. BB believes in getting some value for veterans whose skills and overall play are somewhat on the decline. BB would also see that D.J. Humphries looked good at LT and that John Wetzel looked promising at RT. BB would put him in competition with a draft pick T and Ulrich John.
4. Talk WR Larry Fitzgerald into staying---and in essence, he will mean to the Cardinals' offense what Gronk means to the NE offense.
5. Release or trade DB Tyvon Branch and DT Cory Peters to gain $5.8M on the cap.
6. BB would retain CB Justin Bethel who would be his STs captain a la All-Pro STs player Matthew Slater, but also BB would want to coach up Bethel big-time because of Bethel's physical abilities. Now---Bethel would immediately have a better chance in BB's defense because BB does the opposite of what the Cardinals do. BB puts the #2 CB on the opponents' best WR but bracket him with a safety so that he can be aggressive and know he has help. The #1 CB is isolated on the opponents' 2nd best receiver.
Note: BB is also very high on CB Brandon Williams---whom he brought in to Foxboro for a pre-draft workout. There is no better coach in the NFL at developing CBs and DBs than BB.
7. BB would sign the following UFA's:
* WR Pierre Garcon (WAS)---can play equally well wide or in the slot and BB wants great receivers in the slot.
* DE Lawrence Guy (BAL)---in the base 34, he slides in at DE opposite Josh Mauro (whom BB would love)
* CB Logan Ryan (NE)---thrives in BB's system.
* FB James Develin (NE)---has been BB's FB and STs stalwart in NE.
* S Duron Harmon (NE)---plays safety and nickel CB and STs
* TE Luke Willson (SEA)---has the speed and hands to become a breakout player in BB's offense
* OLB/DE John Simon (HOU)---classic BB type 34 edge banger
8. BB Re-signing Cardinals' UFA's???:
* Chandler Jones---will put f-tag on him but will trade him for a 2nd round pick plus a 2018 4th.
* Calais Campbell---no.
* D.J. Swearinger---yes.
* Tony Jefferson---no.
* Jermaine Gresham---no.
* Darren Fells---no.
* A.Q. Shipley---no.
* Earl Watford---no.
* Frostee Rucker---yes.
* Kevin Minter---no.
* Sio Moore---yes.
The common denominator here is that BB will not overpay for Jones, Campbell, Jefferson and Gresham. He would re-sign Swearinger if the figures are reasonable. If not BB would probably try to sign FS/ST/CB Michael Thomas (MIA). Rucker, Fells and Moore would all sign affordable contracts slightly above the minimum.
9. BB's 2017 Draft:
Trade #13 to Green Bay for picks #24 and #88.
1. RB/WR/PR Christian McCaffrey, Stanford. The quintessential BB playmaker. Made to order.
2. (Chandler Jones trade) QB Pat Mahomes, Texas Tech.
3. Ryan Anderson, OLB, Alabama
3. (Green Bay trade) WR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington
4. Forest Lamp, T/G, Western Kentucky
5. John Johnson, FS/CB, Boston College
5. (Veldheer trade) Ben Boulware, LB Clemson
5. (comp pick) Trayvon Hester, DT, Toldeo
6. Isaac Asiata, G/C, Utah
7. Jacob Hollister, TE, Wyoming
Interestingly, The Cardinals have a BB advocate as their VP of Player Personnel in Terry McDonough and there have been some hints of similar philosophies in SK and TMcD.
