kerouac9
Klowned by Keim
So, there some people complaining that I’m only seeing problems and not offering solutions to what I view as a pretty disastrous offseason so far. If you’re just glad that the team is clearing salary cap space to bottom out with a 2-14 record in 2013 and put pressure on this coaching staff to do anything in 2014, this probably isn’t going to be your cup of tea.
What I’m looking to do here is not break the budget on players going forward, but put a product on the field in 2013 that isn’t going to be painful for fans to watch. Make no mistake: this team is not going to be good enough to even go .500 in 2013. However, they will be positioned to get better going forward, and be competitive in a way that the team as currently designed just isn’t.
I'm worried in free agency about not taking on dumb contracts for the long-term and staunching immediate wounds at CB, ILB, QB, and RB. I'm also secondarily concerned with a leadership deficit on a defense where we are preparing to part with two of our three captains. So there is some weight given to players with leadership abilities.
There's not much help here for the offensive line, I'm afraid. I wanted to get an impact player with the Top 10 pick, and there wasn't much available where we picked in the 2nd. Prepare yourselves for this possibility come draft time in 40 days. The good news is that we'll be able to get out of the contracts for Colledge and Snyder next year, and we are drafting a couple of late-round developmental prospects.
RBs:
1. Reggie Bush, MIA – Instant marketability and identity for the offense. Can catch the ball, but is a surprisingly efficient runner when he’s allowed to get out in space, and effective in the red zone.
2. Shonn Greene, NYJ – A fine all-purpose back at the right price.
3. Felix Jones, DAL – Has untapped potential if signed to the right deal and he can stay healthy.
4. Rashad Jennings, JAC – Fine depth player who doesn’t take much off the table for you.
5. Javon Ringer, TEN – Same as above.
CBs:
1. Greg Toler, ARI – He’s a known quantity. Tough in coverage and in the run game. Maybe a little underrated. GONE TO INDIANAPOLIS
2. Chris Houston, DET – Tough, physical player who might thrive in Bowles’ system
3. Antoine Cason, SD – A little too small to play on the outside, but if you’re looking for a 3rd corner who can be effective, Cason could be your guy.
4. DeAngelo Hall, WAS – Not as good as he’ll tell you he is, but could be a devastatingly effective 2nd cornerback if acquired at the right price. GONE TO DETROIT
5. Sean Smith, MIA – He’ll carry a hefty price tag, but he’s familiar with Bowles and may be able to help teach the new system. Is accustomed to being a #1 corner, and could be structured to come off the books when Patrick Peterson is due for his second contract in a few years.
ILB:
1. Rey Maualuga, CIN – Could be a steal if the Cards want to invest more money at a non-impact position and commit to a player beyond 2013. Young and would be a little closer to home.
2. Dannell Ellerbe, BAL – Will carry a Super Bowl ring with him from a strong teaching program, and is proven in a 3-4 defensive alignment. GONE TO MIAMI
3. DeAndre Levy, DET – Underperformed in Detroit, but a lot of players do. Could sign a short-term prove-it deal. His best football may be ahead of him.
4. Keith Rivers, NYG – Could take a lesser deal for a promise of playing time. Had great tools coming out of college, but never cashed in on the opportunities.
5. D.J. Williams, DEN – Older veteran player with great leadership abilities and has seen absolutely everything one can see on the football field.
OLB:
1. Paul Kruger, BAL – Part-time player may still be the prize rush linebacker of this free agent class. GONE TO CLEVELAND
2. Connor Barwin, HOU – Production fell off steeply from career 2012 season. Could benefit from playing alongside Daryl Washington.
3. Manny Lawson, CIN – Short-term veteran solution who can play special teams very well. Has been a reported target for the Cards in the past, but this staff may not like what he brings to the table.
4. Quentin Groves, ARI – A known quantity who contributes on the defense and special teams.
QBs:
1. Jason Campbell, CHI – Experienced player as a starter and a backup. He’s not going to impress anyone or lead your team, but could manage the game and keep the seat warm for a kid.
2. Rex Grossman, WAS – If you’re going to fail, you might as well fail spectacularly. Rex Grossman is probably better in the locker and meeting rooms than he is on the field. If you’re looking for someone who will recklessly make downfield passes and hope his teammates make plays, Grossman is your guy.
3. Byron Leftwich, PIT – He’s hilarious to watch play. He’s a statue with a big arm and a throwing motion that gives his receivers time to get 30-40 yards down the field.
4. Drew Stanton, IND – Hot garbage, but he has Bruce Arians’s phone number. So that’s nice.
5. Josh McCown, CHI – It’s so bad that Josh McCown is an option to be the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals in 2013.
Draft:
1(7) – Demontre Moore, OLB, Texas A&M. Had 19 reps on the 225-lbs bench press at his Pro Day. When watching his film against Alabama, he reminded me of Terrell Suggs. The most accomplished rush linebacker in this draft class. He’ll be considered a reach, and he’s not worthy of the comparisons to Von Miller. But this kid can get after the passer.
2(38) – Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas. Can get the ball down the field, and is used to operating in a chaotic environment. Has leadership abilities, but probably won’t foreclose the possibility of drafting a QB in 2014.
3(69) – Travis Frederick, OC, Wisconsin – Whisky offensive linemen are great technicians, and center is the position where the Cards can upgrade the most cheaply and immediately.
4(100) – Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford – Keim says that he wants all-purpose backs that don’t have a niche outside of being not as good as the guy ahead of him on the depth chart. Taylor can block very well and takes the yards that are available to him on every run. Not a dynamic runner, though.
5(133) – Chase Thomas, ILB, Stanford – Could be a long-term value proposition at the ILB position, and will be able to contribute immediately on special teams.
6A(164) – Rick Wagner, OT, Wisconsin – Depth OT to replace D’Anthony Batiste and may be able to cross-train at guard. Hard to go wrong with a Whisky lineman.
6B(166) – Reid Fragel, OT, Ohio State – Another depth OL addition. Has good size and a frame to put on more weight than his current 308 lbs.
What I’m looking to do here is not break the budget on players going forward, but put a product on the field in 2013 that isn’t going to be painful for fans to watch. Make no mistake: this team is not going to be good enough to even go .500 in 2013. However, they will be positioned to get better going forward, and be competitive in a way that the team as currently designed just isn’t.
I'm worried in free agency about not taking on dumb contracts for the long-term and staunching immediate wounds at CB, ILB, QB, and RB. I'm also secondarily concerned with a leadership deficit on a defense where we are preparing to part with two of our three captains. So there is some weight given to players with leadership abilities.
There's not much help here for the offensive line, I'm afraid. I wanted to get an impact player with the Top 10 pick, and there wasn't much available where we picked in the 2nd. Prepare yourselves for this possibility come draft time in 40 days. The good news is that we'll be able to get out of the contracts for Colledge and Snyder next year, and we are drafting a couple of late-round developmental prospects.
RBs:
1. Reggie Bush, MIA – Instant marketability and identity for the offense. Can catch the ball, but is a surprisingly efficient runner when he’s allowed to get out in space, and effective in the red zone.
2. Shonn Greene, NYJ – A fine all-purpose back at the right price.
3. Felix Jones, DAL – Has untapped potential if signed to the right deal and he can stay healthy.
4. Rashad Jennings, JAC – Fine depth player who doesn’t take much off the table for you.
5. Javon Ringer, TEN – Same as above.
CBs:
1. Greg Toler, ARI – He’s a known quantity. Tough in coverage and in the run game. Maybe a little underrated. GONE TO INDIANAPOLIS
2. Chris Houston, DET – Tough, physical player who might thrive in Bowles’ system
3. Antoine Cason, SD – A little too small to play on the outside, but if you’re looking for a 3rd corner who can be effective, Cason could be your guy.
4. DeAngelo Hall, WAS – Not as good as he’ll tell you he is, but could be a devastatingly effective 2nd cornerback if acquired at the right price. GONE TO DETROIT
5. Sean Smith, MIA – He’ll carry a hefty price tag, but he’s familiar with Bowles and may be able to help teach the new system. Is accustomed to being a #1 corner, and could be structured to come off the books when Patrick Peterson is due for his second contract in a few years.
ILB:
1. Rey Maualuga, CIN – Could be a steal if the Cards want to invest more money at a non-impact position and commit to a player beyond 2013. Young and would be a little closer to home.
2. Dannell Ellerbe, BAL – Will carry a Super Bowl ring with him from a strong teaching program, and is proven in a 3-4 defensive alignment. GONE TO MIAMI
3. DeAndre Levy, DET – Underperformed in Detroit, but a lot of players do. Could sign a short-term prove-it deal. His best football may be ahead of him.
4. Keith Rivers, NYG – Could take a lesser deal for a promise of playing time. Had great tools coming out of college, but never cashed in on the opportunities.
5. D.J. Williams, DEN – Older veteran player with great leadership abilities and has seen absolutely everything one can see on the football field.
OLB:
1. Paul Kruger, BAL – Part-time player may still be the prize rush linebacker of this free agent class. GONE TO CLEVELAND
2. Connor Barwin, HOU – Production fell off steeply from career 2012 season. Could benefit from playing alongside Daryl Washington.
3. Manny Lawson, CIN – Short-term veteran solution who can play special teams very well. Has been a reported target for the Cards in the past, but this staff may not like what he brings to the table.
4. Quentin Groves, ARI – A known quantity who contributes on the defense and special teams.
QBs:
1. Jason Campbell, CHI – Experienced player as a starter and a backup. He’s not going to impress anyone or lead your team, but could manage the game and keep the seat warm for a kid.
2. Rex Grossman, WAS – If you’re going to fail, you might as well fail spectacularly. Rex Grossman is probably better in the locker and meeting rooms than he is on the field. If you’re looking for someone who will recklessly make downfield passes and hope his teammates make plays, Grossman is your guy.
3. Byron Leftwich, PIT – He’s hilarious to watch play. He’s a statue with a big arm and a throwing motion that gives his receivers time to get 30-40 yards down the field.
4. Drew Stanton, IND – Hot garbage, but he has Bruce Arians’s phone number. So that’s nice.
5. Josh McCown, CHI – It’s so bad that Josh McCown is an option to be the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals in 2013.
Draft:
1(7) – Demontre Moore, OLB, Texas A&M. Had 19 reps on the 225-lbs bench press at his Pro Day. When watching his film against Alabama, he reminded me of Terrell Suggs. The most accomplished rush linebacker in this draft class. He’ll be considered a reach, and he’s not worthy of the comparisons to Von Miller. But this kid can get after the passer.
2(38) – Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas. Can get the ball down the field, and is used to operating in a chaotic environment. Has leadership abilities, but probably won’t foreclose the possibility of drafting a QB in 2014.
3(69) – Travis Frederick, OC, Wisconsin – Whisky offensive linemen are great technicians, and center is the position where the Cards can upgrade the most cheaply and immediately.
4(100) – Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford – Keim says that he wants all-purpose backs that don’t have a niche outside of being not as good as the guy ahead of him on the depth chart. Taylor can block very well and takes the yards that are available to him on every run. Not a dynamic runner, though.
5(133) – Chase Thomas, ILB, Stanford – Could be a long-term value proposition at the ILB position, and will be able to contribute immediately on special teams.
6A(164) – Rick Wagner, OT, Wisconsin – Depth OT to replace D’Anthony Batiste and may be able to cross-train at guard. Hard to go wrong with a Whisky lineman.
6B(166) – Reid Fragel, OT, Ohio State – Another depth OL addition. Has good size and a frame to put on more weight than his current 308 lbs.
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