Keim: Pass Rusher is Top Priority

[az jam]

Just heard Steve Keim on Doug and Wolf show this morning. Said the number one priority is to improve the pass rush. Said it has to be fixed.

Darren Urban ‏@Cardschatter
#AZCardinals GM Steve Keim, on what his top offseason priority will be: "Create a pass rush." (via @AZSports)

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I'm thinking/hoping we'll be more run-heavy next year offensively. Beef up the defense, ILB and pass rush.

F'ing DWash...

 

[Zeno]

I think everyone agrees that a pass rusher has to be priority one, whether that is a LB or DLineman. Also need another quality CB, I am not sure if Bethel will ever "get it" and develop like the staff had hoped.

Still need to fix the interior of the OLine, Larsen and Sendlein are good depth guys not quality starters.

 

[overseascardfan]

Just heard Steve Keim on Doug and Wolf show this morning. Said the number one priority is to improve the pass rush. Said it has to be fixed.

This was the big question mark going into the year, but both Woodley & Okafor were huge disappointments.

My first 2 picks in the draft would be pass rushers, there is no going overkill with that need....can never have enough of them.

Shalique Calhoun & Noah Spence are my picks. Draft a CB, DL, ILB & OC with the other picks. I would sign a veteran CB as well because we need at least 2 to replace Powers & keep Bethel soley on ST's.

 

[Chopper0080]

Well, there will be plenty of options available. Olivier Vernon out of Miami is a guy I would like to see the Cardinals get. I believe he has experience in the 3-4, and he has developed nicely. He will cost, but shouldn't be a huge contract. In the draft, Noah Spence is probably the only first round OLB who fits what we need, and has speed off the edge.Kenny Clark is a draftable DE in the first round who is a very polished player. I would really like him in round 1, and he has pass rush ability. Jaylon Smith would be tough to pass up, but I'm not sure of his impact or recovery time for next year.

In terms of free agency, here is a quick list of guys who would upgrade the pass rush.

Muhammed Wilkerson - DE
Malik Jackson - DE(he would be another good signing)
Jaye Howard - DE
Olivier Vernon - OLB
Nick Perry - OLB
Dwight Freeney - OLB
Zach Brown - ILB

 

[Chopper0080]

This was the big question mark going into the year, but both Woodley & Okafor were huge disappointments.

My first 2 picks in the draft would be pass rushers, there is no going overkill with that need....can never have enough of them.

Shalique Calhoun & Noah Spence are my picks. Draft a CB, DL, ILB & OC with the other picks. I would sign a veteran CB as well because we need at least 2 to replace Powers & keep Bethel soley on ST's.

Calhoun isn't what he has been billed as or what you want him to be. He isn't an NFL speed rusher, and isn't physical. He is an option round 2, but his upside is probably similar to Okafor's.

 

[Chopper0080]

I think everyone agrees that a pass rusher has to be priority one, whether that is a LB or DLineman. Also need another quality CB, I am not sure if Bethel will ever "get it" and develop like the staff had hoped.

Still need to fix the interior of the OLine, Larsen and Sendlein are good depth guys not quality starters.

Bethel is fine if you can pressure the QB.

 

[Zeno]

Bethel is fine if you can pressure the QB.

A pass rush does solve a lot but to me has zero awareness when the ball is in the air and seems to lack instincts. I am not sold on him at all.

 

[TRW]

Ya think?

Glad Keim recognizes that. Now, what offensive lineman is he taking #1 this year?

I respect Keim for what he's done but he can't keep whiffing on 1st rounders IMO.

 

[az jam]

Bethel is fine if you can pressure the QB.

Keim basically said the same in the interview: QBs Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton had too much time to throw the ball.

 

[Paso Fino]

I am annoyed to read in the AZ Republic this morning that Peterson was upbeat after the game and said of the defense, "I thought we played well collectively as a group."

 

[conraddobler]

Keim basically said the same in the interview: QBs Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton had too much time to throw the ball.

Yep.

Compare that to Carson who had that time after it was a blow out already but before that it looked like he had a meat suit on running through a pack of starving bears.

Cam did drop back into to some great pockets though our guys were pushing very uniformly in a nice circular fashion.

On some plays he could of held the ball longer he just didn't need to.

 

[Chopper0080]

A pass rush does solve a lot but to me has zero awareness when the ball is in the air and seems to lack instincts. I am not sold on him at all.

It isn't about being sold on him, it's being able to accept his issues rather than issues with the pass rush. Where Bethel struggles is when he has to cover for long periods of time. He gets a bit lost in open space. I am ok with that because most CBs are the same. Where I am not ok is QBs not feeling pressured to make quick decisions and being comfortable in the pocket.

 

[DVontel]

Really hope he's not lying like Arians did when he said OL was the last thing on his mind in the offseason.


Then we drafted one in the first round.

 

[Ed Burmila]

We have put this off for far, far too long. Last year we blew a #1 on an OL Arians clearly has no intention of playing rather than taking Randy Gregory or Shane Ray. How did that work out.

People complain a lot about the coverage by our LBs and some of the DBs but the overwhelming problem is that the opposing QBs almost inevitably have all day to throw. That has to change or we're not getting any better.

 

[juza76]

Really hope he's not lying like Arians did when he said OL was the last thing on his mind in the offseason.


Then we drafted one in the first round.

Lol
Pass rushers we are in need at least since 2006

 

[redheat]

Okafor Washington and HB would have been nice..

 

[Buckybird]

It's really not about adding an edge rusher is about the type they keep adding & that's the biggest problem IMO. The "Cards philosphy" of drafting bigger & tougher over speed needs to be re-evaluated.

Didn't we just draft 2 OLBs? Golden is solid but he's never going to be a difference maker or game changer. Same could be said on Acho, Okafor, Shaunessy, etc. The WVU has speed & athleticism & that's were the Big Red needs to draft until they get 2.

Btw Keim better quit ignoring athletic ILBs as well.

 

[Russ Smith]

Well, there will be plenty of options available. Olivier Vernon out of Miami is a guy I would like to see the Cardinals get. I believe he has experience in the 3-4, and he has developed nicely. He will cost, but shouldn't be a huge contract. In the draft, Noah Spence is probably the only first round OLB who fits what we need, and has speed off the edge.Kenny Clark is a draftable DE in the first round who is a very polished player. I would really like him in round 1, and he has pass rush ability. Jaylon Smith would be tough to pass up, but I'm not sure of his impact or recovery time for next year.

In terms of free agency, here is a quick list of guys who would upgrade the pass rush.

Muhammed Wilkerson - DE
Malik Jackson - DE(he would be another good signing)
Jaye Howard - DE
Olivier Vernon - OLB
Nick Perry - OLB
Dwight Freeney - OLB
Zach Brown - ILB

Clark is a run stopper not a pass rusher. he has some pass rushing skill but he played largely inside at UCLA as a DT.

 

[Russ Smith]

Bethel is fine if you can pressure the QB.

He's not, he can't play the ball in the air he's a safety not a CB IMO. He gets turned around so easily.

 

[Russ Smith]

It isn't about being sold on him, it's being able to accept his issues rather than issues with the pass rush. Where Bethel struggles is when he has to cover for long periods of time. He gets a bit lost in open space. I am ok with that because most CBs are the same. Where I am not ok is QBs not feeling pressured to make quick decisions and being comfortable in the pocket.

I don't that issue as the problem. the problem is 5 or 6 times a game he looks at the QB and gambles jumping a route and guesses wrong and gets beat over the top. Add in the balls where he's there but doesn't react correctly and he's been very bad at CB.

Even yesterday on the one good play he made where he batted away a sideline pass, that could have been a picksix if he'd reacted faster the throw was late and not well thrown at all. The WR didn't come back to the ball, you could see Newton knew he got away with one there. That really bugged me because he read the play and was still slow to react. Even then he could have caught the ball but he just batted it away.

 

[187]

I think most of us have wanted a pass rusher in the first round for almost a decade straight now. For the love of god please make it happen.

 

[Chopper0080]

Clark is a run stopper not a pass rusher. he has some pass rushing skill but he played largely inside at UCLA as a DT.

In terms of 3-4 DEs,. Clark is a quality pass rusher. He has good athleticism, active hands, and can bull rush or swim.

 

[Chopper0080]

He's not, he can't play the ball in the air he's a safety not a CB IMO. He gets turned around so easily.

He is our #3 CB...#4 if Mathieu is healthy. We aren't going to be able to field an all star team. I get that he has issues, but you can't re-sign Powers (or pay 4 mil for a comparable player) and then sign an upgrade over Bethel, and still expect to be able to upgrade the front 7. That isn't feasible. If we re-sign Powers (which I expect us to), then we will probably draft a CB in the 3-6 round range in the draft. If that player beats out Bethel, then fine. If not, oh well.

If you prefer to upgrade the secondary over the front 7, then that is your opinion and we can disagree. But if you believe we can fix all of these issues in one off season, you are crazy.

 

[Chopper0080]

I think most of us have wanted a pass rusher in the first round for almost a decade straight now. For the love of god please make it happen.

They are tough to find at the end of the first round if you aren't willing to take on a bunch of risk.