Below is an excerpt from AZ Cards official site. It's a good and interesting read and to me explains what we are seeing with player moves and the CAP. In regards to Rhodes; his cost didn't add up to his talent/position for how the new FO wants to mange the CAP.
Keim called the Cardinals’ cap situation “a work in progress,” but then again, it will never not be the way the team’s strategy lays it out. The constant meetings of the front office between some combination of Keim, Licht, Disner, Head Coach Bruce Arians, President Michael Bidwill and others include decisions with a long view attached.
“Anytime you are looking at the salary cap in a one-year view,” Disner said, “you’re going to be in trouble.”
The Cardinals, who are $7.8 million under the salary cap as of Tuesday according to the NFL Players Association, aren’t just taking money into account. Disner isn’t counting only dollars but using his background to adjust those price tags against ability and production before the team makes a choice to sign – or release – a player.
“We kind of look at it on a two-year and a three-year basis – here’s what we can spend from a cap standpoint, how we can manage it for sustained success and not have another year like this year where there was a bloodletting,” Disner said.
“We may be under the cap right now, but it’s not because we want to spend less money. We are under the cap so we can make moves in the future to build in the future.”
http://www.azcardinals.com/news-and...nagement/10ef162c-17ac-4850-8478-2ffedac088ff
Excited to see this team under Michael upgrading their philosophies and business practices.
This is the way I see the Card's off-season cake being built this year.
1. First they reworked the entire Front Office, naming Keim as GM, and elevating Licht into the structure. Then they brought in Disner to work the cap. This created a very solid base.
2. The second layer consists of the rebuilt Coaching Staff, with the plethora of teachers and scheme makers available to work with a 90 man roster.
3. The third layer was the trip through free agency, which, (while creating a hole at safety), clearly improved multiple areas of the roster, especially the corner backs.
4. Then came the draft, which directly aimed at improving the O-line, and adding key pieces to ILB, S, OLB, WR, RB, and TE. This is layer 4 of the cake.
5. The top layer consists of the additions of Palmer and Dansby. This makes an exceptionally sweet final piece to the cake itself.
6. Now, Disner has spread the icing on this cake-----the 11 plus million in cap space available to continue future development in any way the management team chooses. We can have sprinkles, shaved chocolate, whipped cream, or even ice cream to top this cake.
Have we improved as a team? Absolutely! Have we improved greatly? It's too early to tell just yet. BUT this can be stated. The foundation is there. Never in the history of this franchise, have so many changes been effected during one off-season, and especially to so many different areas of the franchise. Never has this franchise been so poised to be able to accomplish such heretofore unthinkable feats. Clearly this ownership, front office, coaching staff, and roster are of one mind, and that mind is on improvement, IN EVERY PHASE OF THE GAME. No detail is being overlooked, yet the plan has been activated while being cautious financially. While the immediate improvement would look to be grade 'B' or so, the ceiling that possibly can be attained is enormous in 24-36 months. I have never seen a Cardinal's roster so intent on accomplishing the bidding of its Head Coach, nor have I seen a front office so capable, and ready, to provide what what will inevitably show up as still needed. This is going to be fun.
