Looking Ahead: Arizona Cardinals 2026 Roster

[Cheesebeef]

How many players from our great 2004 draft class stood out as special in year 1?

The top three picks. Dockett, Dansby and Fitz all flashed MAJOR potential, while having overall solid seasons for rookies. You could see Fitz had special skills from his first catch, a leaping bomb from McCown and Dansby and Dockett’s speed were apparent immediately.

PJJ was solid and I have high-ish hopes for him, but there ain’t anyone in the rest of the 2023 draft that I feel like are gonna break out the next year like I knew Dansby/Dockett would. Those positions were accounted for at the end of 2004. Don’t think that’s the case with any of our draftees from last year outside PJJ.

 

[Stout]

Well, I mean you kind of know that you've hit a home run shortly after making contact with the ball. That's how home runs worse.

After three seasons most guys are angling for free agency.

It's not too early to say that we didn't get much from the 2023 draft class's rookie season.

Exactly. Will Ojulari come good? Maybe, but not quickly, and how good is "coming good?" What about the other youngsters? Showed some promise but will need plenty of time to develop. PJJ was solid but not "top tackle in the draft" solid. He'd probably be around the 6th or so best in this class. It didn't move the needle much year one. A home run would, to me, show instant huge impact on the team. Maybe it develops into a home run, but that's a stretch and then you're down years of contract control.

 

[Stout]

The top three picks. Dockett, Dansby and Fitz all flashed MAJOR potential, while having overall solid seasons for rookies. You could see Fitz had special skills from his first catch, a leaping bomb from McCown and Dansby and Dockett’s speed were apparent immediately.

PJJ was solid and I have high-ish hopes for him, but there ain’t anyone in the rest of the 2023 draft that I feel like are gonna break out the next year like I knew Dansby/Dockett would. Those positions were accounted for at the end of 2004. Don’t think that’s the case with any of our draftees from last year outside PJJ.

And add in that we burned a 2nd on an edge player and now edge is still a major need.

 

[DVontel]

And add in that we burned a 2nd on an edge player and now edge is still a major need.

It still would’ve been a major need even if Ojulari had a great year.

 

[Stout]

It still would’ve been a major need even if Ojulari had a great year.

Disagree. It would have been a need, but not one of our bigger needs. Also, I was alluding to not taking the top edge.

 

[BritCard]

Two but don't let the facts get in the way.

No.

There is the 2024 window. The 2025 window. The 2026 window. And then the 2026 season.

 

[BritCard]

I guess. Are you saying that the 2023 draft class had an impactful rookie season? I graded them all from my perspective in one of Harry's threads; I'm not going to do it again here. PJJ was the best guy playing B+ football at the second-most important position on the offensive line.

Pretty average draft overall. Not going to get this franchise out of the deep hole they started in, which is my whole point.

If you can see what a draft class is going to be after 1 year on a bad team you should be working in the NFL.

You, and many others here, thought Trey McBride was less than a JAG after his rookie season and now he's a key future piece.

 

[schutd]

I had to google Brian O'Niell. Carry on.

I would like to take this moment to acknowledge and appreciate the overall lowering of tension on the board, as well as the increase of guffawing since Mulli's return a few weeks back. Im not sure the football IQ has increased much, but this board operates far more on my level now that your back @Mulli . Yes, I just @'ed you.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Personally, I think you should give draft classes more time than just a rookie season. How many have an impactful rookie season? I would say not too many, from my inferences of your posts. Just my opinion.

I understand we don’t have a full picture after a single season.

I also don’t understand posters criticizing other posters discussing the recent season performance of rookies. As today that’s all we have to hang our opinions upon.

Rookie year - rookie year level opinions
Second season - two years worth of analysis
Third season - three years worth of data

It doesn’t invalidate any of the discussions or discussions it just adds new data to the analysis. But the earlier analysis isn’t inaccurate, it’s just based upon as-of information.

 

[Stout]

I understand we don’t have a full picture after a single season.

I also don’t understand posters criticizing other posters discussing the recent season performance of rookies. As today that’s all we have to hang our opinions upon.

Rookie year - rookie year level opinions
Second season - two years worth of analysis
Third season - three years worth of data

It doesn’t invalidate any of the discussions or discussions it just adds new data to the analysis. But the earlier analysis isn’t inaccurate, it’s just based upon as-of information.

Yup. Guys like Ojulari have time to develop but by far didn't deliver in 2023. Still needing edge as a top priority is a sign of that. Hopefully he proves the doubters wrong moving forward. Then you have the injury picks that might end up being contributors, that might end up being nobodies or jags, or who might end up being solid starters or even stars. No one can tell. For rookies, they did...okay. Stills seems like a bit of a steal from where he was drafted.

Overall, the rookies in 2023 didn't show out as a "home run" draft. In 2023. Moving forward? We shall see.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Yup. Guys like Ojulari have time to develop but by far didn't deliver in 2023. Still needing edge as a top priority is a sign of that. Hopefully he proves the doubters wrong moving forward. Then you have the injury picks that might end up being contributors, that might end up being nobodies or jags, or who might end up being solid starters or even stars. No one can tell. For rookies, they did...okay. Stills seems like a bit of a steal from where he was drafted.

Overall, the rookies in 2023 didn't show out as a "home run" draft. In 2023. Moving forward? We shall see.

That makes sense! I guess most importantly MO seems to have scored a hit with our round one pick.

The rest of draft seems kind of middling at least at this point. There is hope for several players however.

Here are my current (current!) grades for our last draft, which are weighted based on draft position (i.e. there's a lower expected contribution for the later round picks)

1 Paris B+
2 Ojulari C
3 Williams B
3 Wilson C+
4 Gains Incomplete
5 Tune C-
6 Pappoe C+
6 Clark B
6 Stills A-

 

[QuebecCard]

That makes sense! I guess most importantly MO seems to have scored a hit with our round one pick.

The rest of draft seems kind of middling at least at this point. There is hope for several players however.

Here are my current (current!) grades for our last draft, which are weighted based on draft position (i.e. there's a lower expected contribution for the later round picks)

1 Paris B+
2 Ojulari C
3 Williams B
3 Wilson C+
4 Gains Incomplete
5 Tune C-
6 Pappoe C+
6 Clark B
6 Stills A-

It is puzzling, to say the least, how a guy (Clark) who was burned regularly and benched gets a 'B.'

My grades on 'actual' contribution.

1 Paris B+
2 Ojulari C
3 Williams B-
3 Wilson C+
4 Gains Incomplete
5 Tune C-
6 Pappoe C
6 Clark C-
6 Stills B

 

[Card'em]

Pretty fair evaluation by Crimson Warrior. I'd probably give Michael Wilson a "B" and lower Clark to a "C" and Stills to a "B".

 

[Mulli]

I would like to take this moment to acknowledge and appreciate the overall lowering of tension on the board, as well as the increase of guffawing since Mulli's return a few weeks back. Im not sure the football IQ has increased much, but this board operates far more on my level now that your back @Mulli . Yes, I just @'ed you.

Cheers!

 

[cardsfanmd]

It is puzzling, to say the least, how a guy (Clark) who was burned regularly and benched gets a 'B.'

1 Paris B+
2 Ojulari C
3 Williams B-
3 Wilson C+
4 Gains Incomplete
5 Tune C-
6 Pappoe C
6 Clark C-
6 Stills B

Clark was a 6th round pick. I think the B is fair for that reason. He displayed that he absolutely has the ability to outplay his draft position.

 

[QuebecCard]

Clark was a 6th round pick. I think the B is fair for that reason. He displayed that he absolutely has the ability to outplay his draft position.

I was judging his ACTUAL play, and it certainly wasn't a 'B.'

 

[cardncubfan]

That makes sense! I guess most importantly MO seems to have scored a hit with our round one pick.

The rest of draft seems kind of middling at least at this point. There is hope for several players however.

Here are my current (current!) grades for our last draft, which are weighted based on draft position (i.e. there's a lower expected contribution for the later round picks)

1 Paris B+
2 Ojulari C
3 Williams B
3 Wilson C+
4 Gains Incomplete
5 Tune C-
6 Pappoe C+
6 Clark B
6 Stills A-

We are judging his ACTUAL play, and it certainly wasn't a 'B.'

If it were, he'd have been part of the starting mix in the season's final third.

See the quote above yours.