MadCards 2020 Cardinals Free Agent plan

[MadCardDisease]

Finally the Cardinals have some cash to work with in free agency. However they also have some key free agents to sign of their own.

With Larry under contract now these are the big names that the Cardinals need to re-sign before Free Agency begins:

1. Kenyan Drake RB - 4 years $32M
2. DJ Humphries LT - 5 years $70M
3. Zane Gonzales K - 5 years $20M
4. Charles Clay TE - 2 years $4M
5. AQ Shipley C - 2 years $4M

With the big names out of the way the Cardinals can move their attention to other teams Free Agents. The Cardinals should go heavy defense in FA this year:

1. Shaq Lawson - DE Bills - 4 years $32M
2. Joe Schobert - ILB Browns - 3 years $24M
3. Markus Golden - OLB Giants - 4 years $56M
4. Daryl Williams - RT Panthers - 3 years $24M

 

[AZman5103]

Holy Cow! I really hope we don't have to overpay that much to resign our own guys. 5 years 70 million for Humphries makes me throw up in my mouth, and 8 million a year for drake? That would put him in the top what, 5-7 RB's in the league? I'm not saying that it won't take that kind of cash, but man that is a bad sign when we have to pay significantly more than any other team would to resign our own guys.

I like your FA signings, except 4 years 56 mil for Golden. Im just not sure he is worth 14 million a year when there are guys like Ngiuke, Dupree, and Fowler also on the market. If we are paying 14 million, I would much rather end up with one of those guys. If you can give me Golden at 4 years 32 million...I'm in.

I would be much more excited with:
Drake - 4 years/ 26 million
Humphries 4 years / 50 million
Zane - 4 years / 15 million
Shipley 2 years / 4 million
Hundley 3 years / 8 million

Let Clay walk and roll with Williams and Arnold as the top 2 TE's.

Schobert - 3 years/ 24 million
Daryl Williams 3 years / 24 million
Bud Dupree 4 years / 52 million
Calais Campbell 3 years / 30 million

 

[Krangodnzr]

Finally the Cardinals have some cash to work with in free agency. However they also have some key free agents to sign of their own.

With Larry under contract now these are the big names that the Cardinals need to re-sign before Free Agency begins:

1. Kenyan Drake RB - 4 years $32M
2. DJ Humphries LT - 5 years $70M
3. Zane Gonzales K - 5 years $20M
4. Charles Clay TE - 2 years $4M
5. AQ Shipley C - 2 years $4M

With the big names out of the way the Cardinals can move their attention to other teams Free Agents. The Cardinals should go heavy defense in FA this year:

1. Shaq Lawson - DE Bills - 4 years $32M
2. Joe Schobert - ILB Browns - 3 years $24M
3. Markus Golden - OLB Giants - 4 years $56M
4. Daryl Williams - RT Panthers - 3 years $24M

I'd sign all of the Cardinals you signed. Good call.

As far as the free agents go:

1. Is Shaq Lawson a good fit as a 3-4 DE? I think he's a bit too small. He played better this year, but he is much more of an edge guy than a trench guy. I'd switch Lawson for Vernon Butler who is listed at 330 lbs.

2. I like Schobert, but $16 at ILB? That's a bit rich for my taste, but certainly Keim has put this team in a big hole. I bet Schobert actually gets a better contract offer...maybe not more than $8 mill per season, but likely more years. At anything over 3 years, I'd probably pass.

3. I love Golden, but his year to year inconsistency scares me a bit. He's also has a major injury. I think you could get Jordan Jenkins for a bit cheaper too.

4. Daryl Williams likely gets more than $8 million per season, and I doubt Carolina lets him go without a fight.

 

[BritCard]

Finally the Cardinals have some cash to work with in free agency. However they also have some key free agents to sign of their own.

With Larry under contract now these are the big names that the Cardinals need to re-sign before Free Agency begins:

1. Kenyan Drake RB - 4 years $32M
2. DJ Humphries LT - 5 years $70M
3. Zane Gonzales K - 5 years $20M
4. Charles Clay TE - 2 years $4M
5. AQ Shipley C - 2 years $4M

With the big names out of the way the Cardinals can move their attention to other teams Free Agents. The Cardinals should go heavy defense in FA this year:

1. Shaq Lawson - DE Bills - 4 years $32M
2. Joe Schobert - ILB Browns - 3 years $24M
3. Markus Golden - OLB Giants - 4 years $56M
4. Daryl Williams - RT Panthers - 3 years $24M

We only have $60m cap space right now.

You just spent $68m on free agents.

We also need $9m for the rookie draft pool and min 6m to go into the season for injury replacements.

 

[Zeno]

We only have $60m cap space right now.

You just spent $68m on free agents.

We also need $9m for the rookie draft pool and min 6m to go into the season for injury replacements.

It is all about how the contracts are structured. There is no reason they couldn’t fit them all under the cap with creativity, especially when it comes to guarantees and signing bonuses.

 

[BritCard]

It is all about how the contracts are structured. There is no reason they couldn’t fit them all under the cap with creativity, especially when it comes to guarantees and signing bonuses.

Yeah to a degree, squeezing 23m extra out would be tough though right?

Its also bad practice. By backloading deals massively we restrict our future FA signings and make players expensive to cut. Mike would have to give out a butt load of upfront signing bonuses that would accelerate onto the cap if we cut them down the road.

 

[AZman5103]

We only have $60m cap space right now.

You just spent $68m on free agents.

We also need $9m for the rookie draft pool and min 6m to go into the season for injury replacements.

Its not exact yet. Ive seen us have up to 77 million in space, and as low as 60.

Keep in mind too that the cap hit in year 1 for a lot of those deals won't be as easy to figure out until we see contract details.

Is it too much to ask that in FA I just don't want to look back in 2 years and feel like we are "stuck" with a bad contract or a bunch of dead money. Come on Keim!!

 

[Zeno]

Yeah to a degree, squeezing 23m extra out would be tough though right?

Its also bad practice. By backloading deals massively we restrict our future FA signings and make players expensive to cut. Mike would have to give out a butt load of upfront signing bonuses that would accelerate onto the cap if we cut them down the road.

deals don’t have to be backloaded, guaranteed money is the name of the game and they can get stretched through the life of a contract so yes it is very possible to minimize the first year impact. The team has proven they have no problem carrying dead cap if that is what it takes.

 

[Ronin]

I like the idea of signing Golden, if we can’t sign Fowler.

 

[MadCardDisease]

We only have $60m cap space right now.

You just spent $68m on free agents.

We also need $9m for the rookie draft pool and min 6m to go into the season for injury replacements.

contracts are usually back loaded. So for example even though I have Humphries making $14M per year average, his first year cap hit will be much less

 

[Solar7]

It is all about how the contracts are structured. There is no reason they couldn’t fit them all under the cap with creativity, especially when it comes to guarantees and signing bonuses.

deals don’t have to be backloaded, guaranteed money is the name of the game and they can get stretched through the life of a contract so yes it is very possible to minimize the first year impact. The team has proven they have no problem carrying dead cap if that is what it takes.

Backloading a ton of contracts for mediocre players is exactly how we got into this position in the first place. These contracts would be insanely high and wouldn't represent a major upgrade. The last thing we can afford to do right now is backload a ton of contracts just as Kyler is going to be up for an extension, then have to deal with a ton of dead cap just to fit him in.

Its not exact yet. Ive seen us have up to 77 million in space, and as low as 60.

Keep in mind too that the cap hit in year 1 for a lot of those deals won't be as easy to figure out until we see contract details.

Is it too much to ask that in FA I just don't want to look back in 2 years and feel like we are "stuck" with a bad contract or a bunch of dead money. Come on Keim!!

We've already ripped through $11 million of that cash signing Fitz to a one year deal.

Come on guys, mortgaging the future to win today when this team is WAY behind our division opponents is not a smart move. Add some good players this season, build the belly of the team, look to strike with major additions in year 3 when Kyler has experience under his belt and we've built a decent roster.

 

[HoodieBets]

I’d much rather front load humphries than backload so we can’t get out of the deal after a couple years if he’s injured or plays like a bum after he gets his money. 4 or 5 years with DJ scares the hell out of me.


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[slanidrac16]

Finally the Cardinals have some cash to work with in free agency. However they also have some key free agents to sign of their own.

With Larry under contract now these are the big names that the Cardinals need to re-sign before Free Agency begins:

1. Kenyan Drake RB - 4 years $32M
2. DJ Humphries LT - 5 years $70M
3. Zane Gonzales K - 5 years $20M
4. Charles Clay TE - 2 years $4M
5. AQ Shipley C - 2 years $4M

With the big names out of the way the Cardinals can move their attention to other teams Free Agents. The Cardinals should go heavy defense in FA this year:

1. Shaq Lawson - DE Bills - 4 years $32M
2. Joe Schobert - ILB Browns - 3 years $24M
3. Markus Golden - OLB Giants - 4 years $56M
4. Daryl Williams - RT Panthers - 3 years $24M

I think you are overpricing our own free agents.

 

[Zeno]

Backloading a ton of contracts for mediocre players is exactly how we got into this position in the first place. These contracts would be insanely high and wouldn't represent a major upgrade. The last thing we can afford to do right now is backload a ton of contracts just as Kyler is going to be up for an extension, then have to deal with a ton of dead cap just to fit him in.


We've already ripped through $11 million of that cash signing Fitz to a one year deal.

Come on guys, mortgaging the future to win today when this team is WAY behind our division opponents is not a smart move. Add some good players this season, build the belly of the team, look to strike with major additions in year 3 when Kyler has experience under his belt and we've built a decent roster.

The Cardinals went from 5-11 to 10-6 in one season, the Rams went from 4-12 to 11-5 in one season, Colts from 4-12 to 10-6, the 49ers and Bills went from top 10 picks in the draft to the playoffs. I don’t want to hear this team can’t compete next season, they should be expected to, if they aren’t 9-7 at minimum and competing for a playoff spot it’s an absolute failure. You don’t worry about 2021 you worry about 2020 or you waste yet another year of having a QB on a rookie contract.

 

[HoodieBets]

The Cardinals went from 5-11 to 10-6 in one season, the Rams went from 4-12 to 11-5 in one season, Colts from 4-12 to 10-6, the 49ers and Bills went from top 10 picks in the draft to the playoffs. I don’t want to hear this team can’t compete next season, they should be expected to, if they aren’t 9-7 at minimum and competing for a playoff spot it’s an absolute failure. You don’t worry about 2021 you worry about 2020 or you waste yet another year of having a QB on a rookie contract.

I guarantee your expectations are higher than anyone in the organization. The toughest division in football and a team with many holes. The FO would be happy with 7-9 next year.


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[Zeno]

I guarantee your expectations are higher than anyone in the organization. The toughest division in football and a team with many holes. The FO would be happy with 7-9 next year.


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Then that explains this organizations lack of success. That is an absolute loser mentality.

I hope you are 100% wrong

 

[HoodieBets]

Then that explains this organizations lack of success. That is an absolute loser mentality.

I hope you are 100% wrong

I think being realistic is good for the FO, they obviously would never openly say this. How anyone thinks this team would only have a 1 year turnaround is not realistic. Now 2021 we can discuss playoffs if this FO makes the right decisions this offseason.


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[Chopper0080]

Give me

Calais Campbell
Jihad Ward

Stephen Weatherly
Jordan Jenkins

Danny Trevathan

Justin Simmons
Byron Jones

(mainly because I don't see Conklin and/or McGovern making it to FA)

 

[Proximo]

We can do better than Clay, I would let him go.

I would not break the bank for Zane, I still don't really trust him completely.

 

[slanidrac16]

Give me

Calais Campbell
Jihad Ward

Stephen Weatherly
Jordan Jenkins

Danny Trevathan

Justin Simmons
Byron Jones

(mainly because I don't see Conklin and/or McGovern making it to FA)

Damn Chopper. I’d be in hog heaven with that!

 

[HoodieBets]

We can do better than Clay, I would let him go.

I would not break the bank for Zane, I still don't really trust him completely.

Our better than clay is Arnold. We won’t be upgrading TE this year.


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[Ohcrap75]

Javon Hargrave would be very high on my list. His interior pass rush would be a great addition. Justin Simmons or Byron Jones are two very versatile pieces that could make a huge impact as well

 

[slanidrac16]

Our better than clay is Arnold. We won’t be upgrading TE this year.

What about Caleb Wilson?
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[Proximo]

Our better than clay is Arnold. We won’t be upgrading TE this year.


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I wouldn't bet on that. I think Kingsburry has decided TE's are much more important in the NFL than he was originally thinking.

Yes Arnold was a nice addition but we need a competent 3rd TE, and we can do better than Clay.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Give me

Calais Campbell
Jihad Ward

Stephen Weatherly
Jordan Jenkins

Danny Trevathan

Justin Simmons
Byron Jones

(mainly because I don't see Conklin and/or McGovern making it to FA)

I like Zach Banner as a RT candidate. Had fought his way on to NFL rosters after struggling earlier in his career.

Big strong guy who has played really well in limited snaps. Should be cheap.