Lorenzon Alexander and Jasper Brinkley's contract numbers per Jurecki

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I don't see how fans can't grasp this concept. Is the goal of an NFL franchise to put the best players they can on the field in an attempt to win a championship or is it to make sure they don't over pay any players?

As much as they hate to say the word they are rebuilding. Why would you keep a player on your roster that is being overpaid and isn't willing to restructure or extend to lower his cap number. If we had any real chance at competing in 2013 than I could understand being upset about the Rhodes cut, but we won't be so may as well get rid of players that are being overpaid. If he was willing to extend for a couple years at a better price I would be willing to overpay him for this season, but it doesn't seem as though he wanted to do that either.

 

[kerouac9]

As much as they hate to say the word they are rebuilding. Why would you keep a player on your roster that is being overpaid and isn't willing to restructure or extend to lower his cap number. If we had any real chance at competing in 2013 than I could understand being upset about the Rhodes cut, but we won't be so may as well get rid of players that are being overpaid. If he was willing to extend for a couple years at a better price I would be willing to overpay him for this season, but it doesn't seem as though he wanted to do that either.

You just said on another thread that we were closer to being "good" (your definition being 10-6) than being 5-11.

If we're close to being good with a ton of salary cap space left over, why quibble over a couple of million bucks and create a need on your roster?

 

[Mulli]

You just said on another thread that we were closer to being "good" (your definition being 10-6) than being 5-11.

If we're close to being good with a ton of salary cap space left over, why quibble over a couple of million bucks and create a need on your roster?

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

You just said on another thread that we were closer to being "good" (your definition being 10-6) than being 5-11.

If we're close to being good with a ton of salary cap space left over, why quibble over a couple of million bucks and create a need on your roster?

I'm expecting something around 7-9, but that is still pretty far from "competing for a championship" IMO. My point is that we aren't competing for a championship this year and this year is the last year we would have Rhodes anyways so why keep him and overpay?

Still a little tired so I'm sorry if my posts aren't perfectly lining up with one another, but to make my post more accurate to the way I feel I would say that I think the Cards are closer to being a decent team than being 5-11. Hard to see them having a winning season this year even though the homer in me wants me to try and believe it.

 

[kerouac9]

I'm expecting something around 7-9, but that is still pretty far from "competing for a championship" IMO. My point is that we aren't competing for a championship this year and this year is the last year we would have Rhodes anyways so why keep him and overpay?

Still a little tired so I'm sorry if my posts aren't perfectly lining up with one another, but to make my post more accurate to the way I feel I would say that I think the Cards are closer to being a decent team than being 5-11. Hard to see them having a winning season this year even though the homer in me wants me to try and believe it.

I don't want to shatter your world or anything, but 7-9 is closer to 5-11 than it is to 10-6. What's a decent team?

Why should the point be to contend for a championship in Week 1? The point should be to make the playoffs. Do you believe that the Cards are close to being a playoff-caliber team in 2013?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I run two businesses. One for 15 years. But neither is a monopoly with a guaranteed income like an NFL franchise. Winning has to be more important than saving a few bucks in payroll because with an NFL franchise your ROI is far greater at 11-5 than 5-11. Especially when you paid $35,000 for an asset worth a billion dollars.

Ok. How many wins does 5M of Adrian Wilson get us next year?

Probably the same as Yerimiah Bell at 950K, no?

You sacrificed "talent" in that scenario. But now you have 4 million to be distributed else where.

So ROI and winning arent mutually exclusive. I mean does anyone have ANY issue with all the guys we cut even if we arugably forsaked talent in some of those cuts and replacements? Beanie? Kolb? even Wilson whom I love. EVERY single one of those moves made sense both financially and from a cutting ties to 5-11 regime perspective.

This whole thing is moot IMO anyway. I believe we are more talented (from 1-53), deeper, and cheaper with money distributed instead fo centralized.I also am excited about the draft where I think the "talent" infusion really begins (not FA). We have the 7th pick in every round.

I know not everyone feels this way but I think we have drafted at B- level last 5 years and I believe Kiem is 1000X better then Wiz and Graves. I think thats inarguable.

I mean i gotta laugh. Oh Kiem is part of unsuccessful past, and unproven blah blah blah.

LMAO we got rid of Rod freaking Graves. A monkey with a balloon would be an upgrade. ANyone else heard the story that Keim wanted AP over Levi and Cutler over Leinart? Ill go to bat with that guy. Or at least unlike some ill be optiimistic until PROVEN otherwise.

As a fan of team I believe you can gnash your teeth and want certain picks at HC, GM or QB. but once the decision is made you get on board and hope for the best until you have valid proof otherwise.

Thats just me.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I don't want to shatter your world or anything, but 7-9 is closer to 5-11 than it is to 10-6. What's a decent team?

Why should the point be to contend for a championship in Week 1? The point should be to make the playoffs. Do you believe that the Cards are close to being a playoff-caliber team in 2013?

IMO any team that wins as many games as they lose is a decent team. Not a good team, but a decent/ok/mediocre team.

 

[gmabel830]

I know not everyone feels this way but I think we have drafted at B- level last 5 years and I believe Kiem is 1000X better then Wiz and Graves. I think thats inarguable.

I think we should wait for Keim to be the top dog on at least one successful draft before we anoint him the second coming.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I think we should wait for Keim to be the top dog on at least one successful draft before we anoint him the second coming.

You can do as you please bruh. Im just glad its not Rod Graves or Wiz running the show. And based on the ancedotal evidence (hand picked Adub, Wanted AP and Cutler, respected throughout league, wanting to pick a QB every draft) im optimistic its not only an upgrade but a HUGE upgrade.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think we should wait for Keim to be the top dog on at least one successful draft before we anoint him the second coming.

Careful there gmabel... The above is dangerously close to a character assassination of Keim!

 

[Duckjake]

AF let me list some names for you. Warner,Boldin, Fitzgerald, Rolle, DRC, Antonio Smith, Dansby, Berry, Okeafor, Dockett, you know the guys that took the Cards to the SB. Was that trip worth the money?

 

[Cheesebeef]

IMO any team that wins as many games as they lose is a decent team. Not a good team, but a decent/ok/mediocre team.

I have to believe that being fans of one of the most inept franchises in the history of sports is the only reason you'd say this. A non-winning season should never be looked at as ok and sure as hell doesn't qualify as decent IMO. 9-7 is decent/ok.

 

[Duckjake]

AF let me list some names for you. Warner,Boldin, Fitzgerald, Rolle, DRC, Antonio Smith, Dansby, Berry, Okeafor, Dockett, you know the guys that took the Cards to the SB. Was that trip worth the money?

Dang we had some good players. Sucks they got old.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

AF let me list some names for you. Warner,Boldin, Fitzgerald, Rolle, DRC, Antonio Smith, Dansby, Berry, Okeafor, Dockett, you know the guys that took the Cards to the SB. Was that trip worth the money?

Absolutely DJ. Now let me list what we let go from last years 5-11 team. Kolb, Bradley, Wilson, Rhodes, Toler, Wells, Doucet.

Doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?

I agree we made mistakes in 2009. But this is comparing apples and oranges. It's not that I'm all for cheaping out and never paying good players. like you say 5-11 with em and 5-11 without em. So why pay those guys?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Careful there gmabel... The above is dangerously close to a character assassination of Keim!

You must be inferring another poster as I have not made any comments about character assassination and Steve Keim.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You must be inferring another poster as I have not made any comments about character assassination and Steve Keim.

Yeah dude... That was a callback from the another thread. Was a joke with gmabel and had nothing to do with you

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Yeah dude... That was a callback from the another thread. Was a joke with gmabel and had nothing to do with you

No worries. Just askin

 

[Duckjake]

Absolutely DJ. Now let me list what we let go from last years 5-11 team. Kolb, Bradley, Wilson, Rhodes, Toler, Wells, Doucet.

Doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?

I agree we made mistakes in 2009. But this is comparing apples and oranges. It's not that I'm all for cheaping out and never paying good players. like you say 5-11 with em and 5-11 without em. So why pay those guys?

The thing is that I really believe you win with veteran players who have been on your team for several years. So a Toler is better than a Cason and a Wilson is better than a Bell.

I don't know, our QB play has been so bad the last 3 years who can tell what player or coach was lacking.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

The thing with cutting Rhodes is the same as releasing Kolb. Both were probably the best at their position on the Cards roster but neither were worth, nor did their play demand, that kind of salary and weren't in the long term plans. Why pay them? If they wouldn't re-structure/negotiate their contracts, then let them find work elsewhere.

In theory, keeping Kolb and cutting Rhodes would have created similar cap space and put the Cards in better position to win more games next year yet I don't see anyone complaining about Kolb's release. Supposedly both were given options to re-do their contracts and neither was all that interested. The Cards moved on.

 

[kerouac9]

The thing with cutting Rhodes is the same as releasing Kolb. Both were probably the best at their position on the Cards roster but neither were worth, nor did their play demand, that kind of salary and weren't in the long term plans. Why pay them? If they wouldn't re-structure/negotiate their contracts, then let them find work elsewhere.

In theory, keeping Kolb and cutting Rhodes would have created similar cap space and put the Cards in better position to win more games next year yet I don't see anyone complaining about Kolb's release. Supposedly both were given options to re-do their contracts and neither was all that interested. The Cards moved on.

C'mon. Rhodes objectively played well, and has his entire time as a Cardinal. Kolb would have one good game, two medicore games, a terrible game or two, and then disappear into the training room.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

C'mon. Rhodes objectively played well, and has his entire time as a Cardinal. Kolb would have one good game, two medicore games, a terrible game or two, and then disappear into the training room.

I didn't say Kolb was great, or even good. I only said Kolb was the best QB on the roster and he would have given the Cards the best chance to win games next year. I don't have any problems letting Kolb go, or Rhodes, because I don't think next year, barring a Trent Green/Kurt Warner-esque emergence out of Drew Stanton, the Cards are going to struggle to win 5-6 games.

My point is the argument is being made that the Cards would have been better keeping Rhodes. I agree with that. But they also would have been better with Kolb. In fact, if you had to choose between the two, keeping Kolb gives the Cards a better chance of winning than keeping Rhodes. Their cap hits were similar so why make a big deal out Rhodes being cut and not Kolb? Or why not keep Kolb instead of Rhodes? Personnally, I let them both go and try something new. We know what we had in those two and the Cards, most likely, weren't winning with either.

 

[Duckjake]

So what's new my Ohio State friend the Cards struggle to win 5 games every year.

 

[Cardiac]

Indianapolis Colts 12,343,449
23 New York Jets 12,631,617
24 New England Pats 13,662,782
25 Miami Dolphins 15,703,934
26 Buffalo Bills 17,736,989
27 Green Bay Packers 19,695,819
28 Philadelphia Eagles 23,305,731
29 Tampa Bay Bucs 25,391,360
30 Jacksonville Jaguars 25,455,602
31 Cleveland Browns 28,526,089
32 Cincinnati Bengals 30,887,790

So that took me five minutes and that's because cyber trolls ate my first post.

Some pretty good Organizations and teams that have more CAP room than the Cards.

I get the argument that the Cards have sucked for so long with only a brief respite from the ugly but I agree with those that aren't up in arms about the release of Rhodes and Adub.

Packers let Woodson go, Ravens let Reid go, Eagles let Scrabble go, Bengals haven't gone hard at re-signing Rey M and there are more examples.

If the Cards end the year with 6 or more mil left on the CAP then yes riot in the streets. I also understand to point out the concern at this point in the offseason. Bracing yourself for the Cards having a bad year and making bad moves is not only prudent but also proven to be the right path more than not.

 

[Chopper0080]

I don't see how fans can't grasp this concept. Is the goal of an NFL franchise to put the best players they can on the field in an attempt to win a championship or is it to make sure they don't over pay any players?

Agreed. I would rather overpay a potential Pro Bowl level S by 2 mil than pay a player who has no chance of getting to a Pro Bowl a market value of under a mil per year.

I want a roster full of talent rather than a roster full of value. In terms of salary, talent costs money. I want to pay that money. I want to be in the position where we have too many top players to pay rather than plenty on money to pay the few top players we have.

Like it or not, Baltimore is in a good position. San Fran is in a good position. Seattle will be in a good position in 2 years. Trying to figure out how to pay all of the talented players you have developed is a great problem to have.

 

[kerouac9]

Indianapolis Colts 12,343,449
23 New York Jets 12,631,617
24 New England Pats 13,662,782
25 Miami Dolphins 15,703,934
26 Buffalo Bills 17,736,989
27 Green Bay Packers 19,695,819
28 Philadelphia Eagles 23,305,731
29 Tampa Bay Bucs 25,391,360
30 Jacksonville Jaguars 25,455,602
31 Cleveland Browns 28,526,089
32 Cincinnati Bengals 30,887,790

So that took me five minutes and that's because cyber trolls ate my first post.

Some pretty good Organizations and teams that have more CAP room than the Cards.

I get the argument that the Cards have sucked for so long with only a brief respite from the ugly but I agree with those that aren't up in arms about the release of Rhodes and Adub.

Packers let Woodson go, Ravens let Reid go, Eagles let Scrabble go, Bengals haven't gone hard at re-signing Rey M and there are more examples.

If the Cards end the year with 6 or more mil left on the CAP then yes riot in the streets. I also understand to point out the concern at this point in the offseason. Bracing yourself for the Cards having a bad year and making bad moves is not only prudent but also proven to be the right path more than not.

2 good organizations, and a bunch of teams with either (1) their QB answer solved with a young guy under a crazy-low contract or (2) teams desperately looking for answers.

The Packers are saving up money to (reportedly) extend Aaron Rodgers' insanely underpriced contract. They're not going to be carrying that cap figure into November.

If you've established yourself as a good, professional, smart franchise, you're going to get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to cap management and remaining competitive. If you're the Arizona Cardinals or Cleveland Browns or Jacksonville Jaguars, you're going to come under some scrutiny for why you're not spending money to get better.

A lot of these teams came into 2013 and discovered that they'd showed up with $50K in cash to buy a car but the dealership was only selling Kias. That's the new face of free agency going forward.