Many reasons to not get excited about free agency.

[Cbus cardsfan]

If there is a free agency period here are the many reasons to not get too excited about the Cards signings. Thank you Rod Graves. Beware , not for the squeamish or faint of heart:
Arizona Cardinals Free Agents Signings 2004 -2010(significant players only)
2004-Shaun King, Obefemi Ayabadejo, Karl Williams, Bertrand Berry, David Macklin. GRADE C because of B-train

2005-Kurt Warner(he worked out Ok), Oliver Ross, Robert Griffith, Orlando Huff, Chike Okeafor. GRADE A for Warner, D- for the rest. Okeafor was servicable

2006- Edge, Milford Brown, Chris Liewinski(is this the guy DG made a coach), Kendrick Clancy, Chris Cooper GRADE: D, Edge was a shell of himself, the rest were horrible.

2007- Terrelle Smith, Sean Morey, Mike Gandy, Al Johnson, Brad Badger, Keydrick Vincent, Rodney Bailey, Joe Tafoya, Ralph Brown, Terence Holt, Oliver Celestin, Bahwu Jue. GRADE D, Gandy and Morey saved it from a F.

2008-Brian St. Pierre, Jerame Tuman, Dirk Johnson, Bryan Robinson. GRADE D-

2009-Dan Krieder, Jason Wright, Anthony Becht, Domonique Byrd, Oliver Ross again, Bryant McFadden, Monty Beisel, Pago. GRADE F

2010- Derek Anderson, Alan Faneca, Joey Porter, Paris Lenon, Rex Hadnot, Jay Feely. GRADE D-

 

[ARodg]

The problem isn't signing scrubs. You need a few scrubs to fill out a roster (even the Packers have a few) the problem is when you over pay the scrubs. I'm not going to mention any names, but his nickname is Da Wreck.

 

[TopGun]

Well after seeing that list, if I didn't feel bad before I do now. And I agree: Thank You Rod Graves for nothing.

 

[football karma]

I would give 07 a better score. Gandy was a serviceable left tackle for three years--
T Smith, Morey and Ralph Brown all contributed in the Super Bowl run (Brown had a key interception in the playoff game vs Atlanta)

The theme has been mid priced guys. This guys are mid priced for a reason -- so it's hit or miss-- mostly miss.

Where they really failed is when they did use big dollars, they used them for guys like Al Johnson and Edge.

 

[seesred]

It's a crap shoot. BY the way Feely gets an A and Lennon has played over his head for us I'l give him a B. Fenica played well at times. The only player in that bunch that stunk up the place was Anderson a true F and that was Whiz's fault.

This year will be better. There are many guys especially at QB that we wil go after via trade or free agency. At least that's what I see if the NFL plays any games??????

GBR
40

 

[Shane]

2007 is far from an F or close to it even with all those nobody signings. Gandy was solid at LT for a couple of seasons. Morey was in the PB as a STer. That was enough to make that a good year IMO.

 

[kerouac9]

And don't forget that we shouldn't expect our marquee free agent signing to be on the roster 10 months later. This year it'll be Joey Porter who was the one-year wonder.

Good Christ, you somehow forgot marquee free agent signing Travis LaBoy from your 2007 list. What a freaking disaster.

People harp on the amount of money that the Cards saved this season, but forget that a lot of teams saved their pennies for next year's free agency market (and still did a better job maintaining their own core players). Jurecki predicted this afternoon that after a new CBA is signed there'll be a two-week window for teams to re-sign their own pending free agents and then it'll be a free-for-all. Because of the required 5th year for FAs in 2010, 2011 FA is going to be like two years folded together.

It's going to be freaking anarchy.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Does anyone strike it rich in free agency?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Yikes.

Lets hope after being 2X division champs this season hurt more then most spurring Mike into action.

But like Mao said, winning FA doesn't usually translate to on field success. I would rather win the draft.

Saying that I think the one position we HAVE to address in FA (other then QB) is TE. We need someone to step in and take ownership of that role right away. A rookie won't do.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

2007 is far from an F or close to it even with all those nobody signings. Gandy was solid at LT for a couple of seasons. Morey was in the PB as a STer. That was enough to make that a good year IMO.

Gandy really only had 1 decent year. His last year he was injured. When your best signing is a ST'er that makes it an overall bad year,imo.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

It's a crap shoot. BY the way Feely gets an A and Lennon has played over his head for us I'l give him a B. Fenica played well at times. The only player in that bunch that stunk up the place was Anderson a true F and that was Whiz's fault.

This year will be better. There are many guys especially at QB that we wil go after via trade or free agency. At least that's what I see if the NFL plays any games??????

GBR
40

Derek Anderson's bad play overshadowed anything else. Feely was great, but he's still just a kicker. I think Lenon is terrible and wouldn't start on any other team in the league, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

And don't forget that we shouldn't expect our marquee free agent signing to be on the roster 10 months later. This year it'll be Joey Porter who was the one-year wonder.

Good Christ, you somehow forgot marquee free agent signing Travis LaBoy from your 2007 list. What a freaking disaster.

People harp on the amount of money that the Cards saved this season, but forget that a lot of teams saved their pennies for next year's free agency market (and still did a better job maintaining their own core players). Jurecki predicted this afternoon that after a new CBA is signed there'll be a two-week window for teams to re-sign their own pending free agents and then it'll be a free-for-all. Because of the required 5th year for FAs in 2010, 2011 FA is going to be like two years folded together.

It's going to be freaking anarchy.

Can't believe I left LaBoy out either. Him and Orlando Huff are the two guys I usually use as examples for the definition of bad FA signings.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Does anyone strike it rich in free agency?

Going from memory, Minnesota has done a nice job with Hutchinson, Pat Williams, and Antoine Winfield.
NO signed Vilma, Sharper and Brees.
NY Giants signed a pro-bowler in Antrel Rolle this past year .

The real key is keeping your own talent and the Cards have been pretty bad at that as well. That seems like it may be changing with Fitz, DD, and Wilson but we'll see.

 

[Shane]

Gandy really only had 1 decent year. His last year he was injured. When your best signing is a ST'er that makes it an overall bad year,imo.

He was solid in 07 and 08..didnt really recede till injury in 09. He was a good signing.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Why do some bag on Edge? The guy ran for 2400 yards n two seaons behnd a very bad o line with defenses loadng the box...

 

[187]

Going from memory, Minnesota has done a nice job with Hutchinson, Pat Williams, and Antoine Winfield.
NO signed Vilma, Sharper and Brees.
NY Giants signed a pro-bowler in Antrel Rolle this past year .

The real key is keeping your own talent and the Cards have been pretty bad at that as well. That seems like it may be changing with Fitz, DD, and Wilson but we'll see.

Don't forget the Jared Allen signing for MN.

Why do some bag on Edge? The guy ran for 2400 yards n two seaons behnd a very bad o line with defenses loadng the box...

3.4 and 3.8 YPC. Steve Jackson doesn't buy the 'teams stacking the box against your bad oline' excuse and he's had nobody at QB since 2006 until Bradford came to town (and oddly enough he rushed at 3.8 ypc a career low).

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Edge was not a power back like SJAX...

 

[Evil Ash]

Don't forget the Jared Allen signing for MN.

Nope he was traded by KC

 

[Captain Matt]

And Brees was not a FA.

 

[Garthshort]

Cbus, so what you're saying is that the Cards are due for a GREAT FA year? I'm with you.

 

[Cards Czar]

This year is different from all the rest. Last year there where a lot of players that would of been FA's but do to the CBA they had to stay as RFA. Now adding all of those players and this years FA players there are over 25 really good FA to pick and choose from. Normal years you average around 8-10 really good players to choose from.

 

[football karma]

People harp on the amount of money that the Cards saved this season, but forget that a lot of teams saved their pennies for next year's free agency market (and still did a better job maintaining their own core players). Jurecki predicted this afternoon that after a new CBA is signed there'll be a two-week window for teams to re-sign their own pending free agents and then it'll be a free-for-all. Because of the required 5th year for FAs in 2010, 2011 FA is going to be like two years folded together.

It's going to be freaking anarchy.

I am not giving them a complete pass -- but the Cardinals were an old team by the end of the 2009 season. Warner, Berry, Okeafor, Gandy are all guys who retired by choice or otherwise. Of the $35mm decline in payroll -- those four were $25 mm of it.

Dansby is the only player that left where they dropped the ball -- they had the dry powder to beat Miami but didn't.

As for adding players this past offseason -- its just not in this ownerships DNA. Very risk averse, and with CBA uncertainty, they just were not going to be aggressive.

As K9 points out - they arent the only ones. The Jets (as aggressive as anybody has been lately) just announced they aren't considering giving their own FAs long term deals until the new CBA is done.

 

[kerouac9]

Can't believe I left LaBoy out either. Him and Orlando Huff are the two guys I usually use as examples for the definition of bad FA signings.

I'd add Terrance Holt to that list. He was promoted as THE ANSWER to the FS position, having played across from Adrian Wilson in college. He was a complete disaster; the Derek Anderson of the defense.

I'd also say that Chicago did a great job signing Julius Peppers in free agency, and Washington did well when they signed Haynesworth and Andre Carter. It wasn't either player's fault that Shanahan decided to switch to a 3-4 for some reason. Haynesworth was dominant in 2009.

And Brees was not a FA.

He certainly was. He was the franchise player for San Diego the year before, and then he hit free agency, where he was pursued by Miami and New Orleans. Miami was worried about his recovery from a shoulder injury.

 

[Cardiac]

Does anyone strike it rich in free agency?

Dansby, Rolle, Pace, Antonio Smith to name just a few struck gold.

 

[john h]

The problem isn't signing scrubs. You need a few scrubs to fill out a roster (even the Packers have a few) the problem is when you over pay the scrubs. I'm not going to mention any names, but his nickname is Da Wreck.

Unfortunately over paying is the price we have to pay for having a long history of failure. Players get excited about playing for winners and will often go to winning teams for less money. Are we the only team in the NFL that has played in three cities as our home? That sure has not helped build a fan base. What we do have is a nice stadium and nice weather. You do not win rings for those things.

One of the things the Players Association wants in their negotiations with the NFL is to open the financial books of the owners. Can anyone see the Bidwills agreeing to that? I would like to see that happen. I am thinking but may be wrong that all MLB teams publicly disclose their profits and losses.