I'm not ready to panic - yet

[Brak]

I'm looking around at what's happened with the Cards' roster over the last several days, as well as other developments/signings around the league, and like many of you here, I'm not happy with a lot of it. I didn't want Bradford, or old OL guys with injury histories, or to see the Honey Badger exit. Damn sure didn't have any interest in Glennon. Smokey Brown is gone, they're now thin at WR (hell they already were). Bradford has glass knees, and the Cards could never protect Carson Palmer, so why should we believe Bradford can stay upright for more than a few games? Last year Palmer was getting POUNDED early and often, probably the worst of his time here, and I sat at home games just waiting for the time he wouldn't get up and would be done for the season. Sure enough, that moment came sooner than later.

But here's why I'm staying optimistic. Regime change. I liked BA as much as the next guy, but let's admit it, his staff had some questionable assistants in key roles, and BA's own offense was well known to hang the QB out to dry with deep drops and complex passing patterns than took time to develop - and putting a statue of a guy behind a weak OL is a sure recipe for disaster. If the rumors are true, this is exactly why BA was run out of Pittsburgh - he was getting Big Ben pummeled and refused to dial it back to protect him. Also, we've seen some journeyman players leave here and excel elsewhere later. Were they not coached up to their potential here, blossoming later under better coaching and/or scheme? I don't know, but I think it's a valid question.

I look forward to seeing what Wilks & his staff do with what he inherits (and Keim drafts/signs). We know that special teams will see an immediate and drastic improvement, right? Shirley Jones would be an upgrade at ST coach over Amos Jones. Wilks has already made it clear that this will be an area of emphasis. And hopefully we'll see more emphasis on the run game, and using DJ as a receiver out of the backfield. Shorter drops and quicker throws for Bradford, thus protecting him more than those deep drops BA loved so much. Better TE play by utilizing them in more effective ways. Maybe even the return of a fullback (remember what those guys are for?). IF Wilks is the real deal, and IF he's put a crackerjack staff together - we could see improvements all over the field. Quickly. Maybe.

We've watched some truly crappy teams get turned around VERY quickly in recent years. Look at how much the Rams improved year-over-year after Fisher was finally run off. I'm not saying that BA was Fisher-level bad, that's not my point - just that a new regime was able to turn that franchise around in a big hurry. We may be seeing the same thing with the 49ers right now. That roster was WAY beyond bad, and now their future suddenly looks very bright.

So I remain optimistic, at least for now, and will give these guys a chance. A lot of people are down on Keim right now, but the guy is no Rod Graves, and for all we know, his plan may be right on track, with a big trade up in the draft coming up and a future franchise quarterback a few weeks away. However it all unfolds, this fall should be very interesting. Hopefully we'll all be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm ready to let the season play out before I go gloom and doom as well.

 

[Veer]

This season is almost certainly lost unless we luck into the next great franchise QB in the draft.

 

[AZ Native]

How will a drafted franchise quarterback help us this year? He’ll be 3rd string, very few reps and probably too late if he does ever start.

 

[BleedRed]

David Johnson's return is enough of a reason to be optimistic. I'm a huge HB fan but honestly he was average at best last year and completely uninterested in tackling when it involved decent contact. We all know Bradford's injury history but if by some chance he can stay healthy. . Who knows how the season might play out with our defense and DJ....i hope we can add some wr depth prior to the draft and resign Tramon....as well as signing Pugh..... i like Jackson at 15 with a season or two to develop I think he could be special. .. I can see the plan, Glennon is a solid back up, much better than Stanton at least. I'm trying to be patient and remain optimistic. Hopefully SK nails the draft this year and we can keep Bradford healthy.

 

[Garthshort]

If we sign Pugh, and a WR, I'll go into the Draft feeling pretty good about the team. And then, in the draft, we select one of the "Big Four" or Mason Rudolph, I'll feel very good. And on day two we get a CB, a WR and an OL, I'll be off the charts. One more thing that the Cards have going for them, is that since my BB team lost, yesterday, I can now give the Az Cards my complete attention.

 

[juza76]

We got the best accurate qb in the market and very likely the best guard, so I dont see any reason for panicking

 

[cardpa]

At this point here is where I am at and Brak touched upon some things I totally agree with. BA's offense was never friendly to the health of any QB. The other point of guys leaving and then getting better after the departure certainly holds some truths too. Bradford is certainly a NFL quality QB when healthy. There is some effort to improve the Oline. There is hope that what is left on the team can be improved by better coaching. Player improvement certainly didn't seem to happen on BA's watch. Baker slides into the HB slot, no real loss there. They do not draft a QB in round one. I think who they take at #15 will be determined by FA signings. I expect them to take a QB in round 2. If the round 2 QB fails then you can draft again next year. Glennon is a decent backup. He's just as good as you are going to find on most other teams. Backups are not starters and you cannot expect to have a starter as a backup because they would be on some other team starting.

 

[az jam]

IMO too early to panic. Let's see what the starting lineup looks like when we go into training camp.

 

[Buckeye Cardinal]

David Johnson's return is enough of a reason to be optimistic. I'm a huge HB fan but honestly he was average at best last year and completely uninterested in tackling when it involved decent contact. We all know Bradford's injury history but if by some chance he can stay healthy. . Who knows how the season might play out with our defense and DJ....i hope we can add some wr depth prior to the draft and resign Tramon....as well as signing Pugh..... i like Jackson at 15 with a season or two to develop I think he could be special. .. I can see the plan, Glennon is a solid back up, much better than Stanton at least. I'm trying to be patient and remain optimistic. Hopefully SK nails the draft this year and we can keep Bradford healthy.

Well said.

 

[cardncubfan]

How will a drafted franchise quarterback help us this year? He’ll be 3rd string, very few reps and probably too late if he does ever start.

Why ever draft one then? He'll get plenty of reps in camp & preseason. If he does well enough he could very well become 2.

 

[cardncubfan]

David Johnson's return is enough of a reason to be optimistic. I'm a huge HB fan but honestly he was average at best last year and completely uninterested in tackling when it involved decent contact. We all know Bradford's injury history but if by some chance he can stay healthy. . Who knows how the season might play out with our defense and DJ....i hope we can add some wr depth prior to the draft and resign Tramon....as well as signing Pugh..... i like Jackson at 15 with a season or two to develop I think he could be special. .. I can see the plan, Glennon is a solid back up, much better than Stanton at least. I'm trying to be patient and remain optimistic. Hopefully SK nails the draft this year and we can keep Bradford healthy.

He was 2nd on the team in solo tackles. 4 behind the leader KD.

 

[az jam]

Why ever draft one then? He'll get plenty of reps in camp & preseason. If he does well enough he could very well become 2.

IMO with the contracts given to Bradford and Glennon, Cards are positioning a drafted qb to compete for the starting job in 2019. This makes sense to me.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I’m just seeing mediocrity this season... that keeps us once again from being in a position to get a top tier QB next season... and the season after that... and after that.

Not super pessimistic... maybe Bradford breaks out for a year... maybe he actually stays healthy for an entire season and leads us to 10 wins. Great short-term gain... that prob just sets up for longer-term pain because his track record...

Ah, forget it. Who knows. All I know is that if we don’t draft a big time QB in the draft, either by pushing all chips in on the table and making a big trade up or going for high ceiling with a guy like Jackson, I’ll prob just be in a state of meh like I’ve been since last offseason (going into last year’s punt on the season, IMO) where it left me as nonplussed about the Cardinals as I can remember in decades.

 

[Dougmo]

I'm not doom and gloom either. IMO, the free agent market is slim pickings and we are doing what we usually do, 2nd & 3rd tier players (granted not at bargain basement prices). We've done pretty well with these types of players in the past.

Obviously QB is the big question and while I'm not giddy about our moves, I'm also not completely out on them either.
I don't think its absolutely essential we draft a qb in round 1. We need a QBOF at some point and i'd love for it to be this year but if the draft doesn't fall our way, I wouldn't force a pick the braintrust isn't sold on.
I'm not as down on Glennon as most appear to be. IMO, he's a good backup option that i think still has a possibility to develop into something more.

Regime change make a huge difference, especially on something as complex as OL performance. Different development techniques, coaching style and emphasis, scheme and play calling can transform an average lot (in other cirumstances) into a efficient unit.

I'm not confident that we are going to be a good team but I'm also certain that we are a bad team either.
I'm excited to see how this plays out.

 

[THESMEL]

I think some fans are on the injury report
Glass beaks, broken wings, flopping around trying to keep the predators from finding and eating Cardinal eggs.

I know their are only 2 types of animals in this world - predator and prey - predators never give warning!

New coach and staff, scheme, philosophy - QB is not a frog to be kissed and see if he turns into a prince - he is very talented with 80 games experience, #1 overall draft choice - Who wants to be a GREAT Cardinal, win a SB and be enshrined in our ring of honor. Of course he was drafted to the worse team in the NFL and got beat the hell up - dealt with it like a man - so I feel we must deal with it like a fan!

What is a fan bases skill set criteria, do we have the measurables? Talent? Toughness? Do we fold to adversity or do we embrace the Cardinal virtues, bow our backs lift our chins and burst forward like rabid berserkers- cardinal fans have been forged in the fires of adversity - nothing comes easy and never will - whether it is the Pottsville curse or no home stadium for the first 100 years of existence - We are Cardinal - have lived through problems that have rubbed out many now defunct pro football teams - not always gracefully - but stubbornly and decisively - current events are not tragedy - may well be our finest hours. Fans must lower their knuckles to the ground and come up swinging - bleeding, battered, spewing out unknown orfices - the hideous four horseman are familiar - look them square in the eyes and charge forward - we can enjoy these challenges - we are kind of built for it - ain’t ascared of despair - don’t think it is reality - truth is it’s unknown until it plays out -

Cardinal up and take it like a fan!

 

[BigRedRage]

Why ever draft one then? He'll get plenty of reps in camp & preseason. If he does well enough he could very well become 2.

Reporters have said that Glennon will be competing with our rookie.

 

[Stout]

Why ever draft one then? He'll get plenty of reps in camp & preseason. If he does well enough he could very well become 2.

You don't set a QBOF up to fail before even drafting on, which is what Keim has done, thus showing his hand and that he won't be going after one. What you do is sign a #3 style/level QB, so you have a #1 (bridge) and a #3 going into the draft--or at least a #2 that can easily be transferred to the #3 slot. You don't pay #3 QBs 4 mill a year guaranteed.

 

[overseascardfan]

Draft will be a telling tale as Keim REALLY needs a 2017 NO type of draft class otherwise his three year extension may get cut by a couple of years.

 

[BillsCarnage]

Honestly, I think 2018 will be a mediocre season at best. Anything better, great. 2019 is when they should start making that upward trend again with lots of cap space to rebuild the roster.

 

[THESMEL]

You don't set a QBOF up to fail before even drafting on, which is what Keim has done, thus showing his hand and that he won't be going after one. What you do is sign a #3 style/level QB, so you have a #1 (bridge) and a #3 going into the draft--or at least a #2 that can easily be transferred to the #3 slot. You don't pay #3 QBs 4 mill a year guaranteed.

We went 8-8 and have the #15 draft position - the price to move up is fun to fiddle with but Keim is not sure any are worth the price it would take- everybody projecting trades and crap like it is ever worth it - or sure it is worth it- I mean philly paid big, Houston paid big - both are hurt and back up foles won the SBMVP - every qb can go down as fast as Sam- but few can outplay him - while he is on

 

[cardncubfan]

Reporters have said that Glennon will be competing with our rookie.

Which is pretty much what I'm saying.

 

[Totally_Red]

I like the new coaching regime. I think they will take upgrading the O-line seriously. And I think we finally have a real O-line coach.

At this point the upside is limited by the how healthy Sam Bradford is and stays. With a healthy Bradford there is
potential to make the playoffs. If not, Cardinals are in position to draft QBOTF next season. One reason the Rams and Niners are resurgent is that they've
had years and years of top ten draft choices.

I like the Bradford signing as the best available after Cousins, but the health risk is off the charts.

 

[cardncubfan]

You don't set a QBOF up to fail before even drafting on, which is what Keim has done, thus showing his hand and that he won't be going after one. What you do is sign a #3 style/level QB, so you have a #1 (bridge) and a #3 going into the draft--or at least a #2 that can easily be transferred to the #3 slot. You don't pay #3 QBs 4 mill a year guaranteed.

This is what YOU would do.

 

[Cheesebeef]

This is what YOU would do.

yeah... I won't get mad about not drafting a QB high... until we actually fail to do so. Glennon shouldn't be a factor there and if he is, Keim is an idiot. Until then, jury's out on that decision, IMO.