Now that Macklin's Happy to be Card, What's Next?
- Thread starter Scott MS
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We have an offer on the table to that restricted kick returner, names escapes me. He likes it but won't sign it because he's afraid his original team will match and he doesn't want to play for them.
Problem is, Cards don't do poison pills in contracts.
All Cards scouting personnel are on the road right now, living on planes with cell phone stuck to one ear. many of them don't even check e-mail right now, it takes too much time.
Renz
An Army of One
Re: Re: Now that Macklin's Happy to be Card, What's Next?
www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/12748
Reggie Swinton.
www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/12748
spanky1
Registered User
Swinton has been extended an offer, but likely will not sign it!
spanky1
Registered User
I agree. A cautious, but never the less, productive FA.
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I think the deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets from another team is towards the end of this month, early April. I'm 98% certain it is before the draft. A guy like Swinton, who didn't get a boffo offer from the Cards, might as well wait to sign.
JeffGollin
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Re: Now that Macklin's Happy to be Card, What's Next?
It's not likely to happen, but how about Bobby Taylor or Troy Vincent happy to become a Card?
It's not likely to happen, but how about Bobby Taylor or Troy Vincent happy to become a Card?
As the season approaches there will be some real bargains. Guys who want to play will take what they can at that point. Plus the final cuts might see some tempting guys come free. Say a Gildon. There is always a few. Or a late trade type thing which is in effect the same type move.
spanky1
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Vincent is now a Buffalo Bill
spanky1
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April16th
Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Ugh, I'm hearing a LOT of stuff that we heard last year on this thread. The good thing is (or disturbing thing, depending on perspective) is I'm hearing it from fans, not from the team. Stuff like we're probably done until after the draft, we can pick up a vet WR after the draft, there will be some great bargains before the season, etc...ugh!
Am I happy that we signed who we did? Absolutely. Having Berry is a thrilling addition. Macklin? At least solid depth, same for that FB. King? Probably the best out of a weak vet backup QB FA pool.
Problem is...we had plenty of opportunity to do so much more constructive...and yet we failed. We didn't add a shutdown corner, a NEED for us (Starks wasn't doing it when healthy). We didn't add anyone to the right side of the OL (another need for us, though some think that JUST an OL coach will make all the difference...boy, I hope they're right). We NEED a solid DT. We NEED a burner WR (not a burner grocery boy like Gilmore).
Were we going to fill all those needs in FA? No, but I damn sure bet, with all the cap money we had, we could have gotten more than ONE sure-fire starter. Oh well. We'll keep using uncreative contracts and la-de-da around.
Wow, I just read how negative this is. Well, I'm being positive about the upcoming season, but I guess I can't help but be negative about FA. We got one starter. Big deal. We should have at least ended up with three.
Am I happy that we signed who we did? Absolutely. Having Berry is a thrilling addition. Macklin? At least solid depth, same for that FB. King? Probably the best out of a weak vet backup QB FA pool.
Problem is...we had plenty of opportunity to do so much more constructive...and yet we failed. We didn't add a shutdown corner, a NEED for us (Starks wasn't doing it when healthy). We didn't add anyone to the right side of the OL (another need for us, though some think that JUST an OL coach will make all the difference...boy, I hope they're right). We NEED a solid DT. We NEED a burner WR (not a burner grocery boy like Gilmore).
Were we going to fill all those needs in FA? No, but I damn sure bet, with all the cap money we had, we could have gotten more than ONE sure-fire starter. Oh well. We'll keep using uncreative contracts and la-de-da around.
Wow, I just read how negative this is. Well, I'm being positive about the upcoming season, but I guess I can't help but be negative about FA. We got one starter. Big deal. We should have at least ended up with three.
I stand with Jeff Gollin and Stout being very, very, very concerned about our corners. It normally takes two years to recover from the surgery Starks had.
I am the toughest critic in the world but there is such a thing as fair criticism and unfair criticism. This completely unfair.
1. The Cards are the worst team in the NFL they are not a player or two away. To conduct FA like that is foolhardy and would set the team up for what. One or two good seasons maybe even a playoff season and then a collapse. If that.
2. The Cards are not WAS or SEA the Bidwills' have no income outside the Cards. They are not going to be offering 10 and 16 million dollar bonuses. This is never going to change. So whining about this is silly. Pick a new team with a billionaire owner (don't pick MIN though cause although the owner is a millionaire he spends less in FA then the Cards do).
3. Shut down CB? Who was the shut down CB the Cards missed out on? Winefield. He is good but he went to the team with the most cap money in the NFL. I don't think he is shut down CB. Springs? He is not a shut down CB. Who is the shut down CB they missed on? They signed a young CB who was coming on like gangbusters in the NFL at the end of last season.
4. You want every hole filled with FA. Come on get real. It doesn't work like that. Look how Holiday and Douglas turned out. There are other teams who can offer big money bonuses out there competing for FAs. Look at Berry, Parcells and Shanahan wanted him (2 playoff teams) and the Cards got him. What do you expect to do that well with every FA. No team gets every FA they want. The fact that they got the best young DE producer is a huge victory.
5. I am not an optimist or a pessimist I am realist. DG is trying to build a core here of young players. Once that is built he can take a flyer on an older FA. You really think you can just pick up 2 shut down CBs, a dominating NT, etc etc just like that. This is not even a playoff team let alone a SB contender.
6. This kind of complaining is really petty and unrealistic. I am sure you would have been celebrating signing Douglas last year. Look how that turned out for JAX. A mistake like that now makes no sense. Josh might flop what are you going to do freak out? The Cards are probably not going to make the playoffs next year. What are you going to do freak out.
This is about building a team that can make the playoffs for the next 4 or 5 years after next year.
7. You have to have realitic view of what the Cards can do. What they achieved. Macklin and Berry don't even come free if those teams weren't having cap problems. These are exactly the kind of players teams want to tie up for a few years. If you think Wistrom or Kearse or Winefield had any chance to come here then you are rooting for the wrong team those guys arent coming here unless the Bidwills get another business besides the Cards.
8. DG is great judge of talent. He knows what players are worth taking a shot at. There is plenty of time left. Let's see how the mini-camps go and how injuries break down and how the draft develops. This is not last year or any other year in Cards history. This is the year the foundation was started. Don't expect the fancy roof to be built when the foundation for the house has not even been laid.
1. The Cards are the worst team in the NFL they are not a player or two away. To conduct FA like that is foolhardy and would set the team up for what. One or two good seasons maybe even a playoff season and then a collapse. If that.
2. The Cards are not WAS or SEA the Bidwills' have no income outside the Cards. They are not going to be offering 10 and 16 million dollar bonuses. This is never going to change. So whining about this is silly. Pick a new team with a billionaire owner (don't pick MIN though cause although the owner is a millionaire he spends less in FA then the Cards do).
3. Shut down CB? Who was the shut down CB the Cards missed out on? Winefield. He is good but he went to the team with the most cap money in the NFL. I don't think he is shut down CB. Springs? He is not a shut down CB. Who is the shut down CB they missed on? They signed a young CB who was coming on like gangbusters in the NFL at the end of last season.
4. You want every hole filled with FA. Come on get real. It doesn't work like that. Look how Holiday and Douglas turned out. There are other teams who can offer big money bonuses out there competing for FAs. Look at Berry, Parcells and Shanahan wanted him (2 playoff teams) and the Cards got him. What do you expect to do that well with every FA. No team gets every FA they want. The fact that they got the best young DE producer is a huge victory.
5. I am not an optimist or a pessimist I am realist. DG is trying to build a core here of young players. Once that is built he can take a flyer on an older FA. You really think you can just pick up 2 shut down CBs, a dominating NT, etc etc just like that. This is not even a playoff team let alone a SB contender.
6. This kind of complaining is really petty and unrealistic. I am sure you would have been celebrating signing Douglas last year. Look how that turned out for JAX. A mistake like that now makes no sense. Josh might flop what are you going to do freak out? The Cards are probably not going to make the playoffs next year. What are you going to do freak out.
This is about building a team that can make the playoffs for the next 4 or 5 years after next year.
7. You have to have realitic view of what the Cards can do. What they achieved. Macklin and Berry don't even come free if those teams weren't having cap problems. These are exactly the kind of players teams want to tie up for a few years. If you think Wistrom or Kearse or Winefield had any chance to come here then you are rooting for the wrong team those guys arent coming here unless the Bidwills get another business besides the Cards.
8. DG is great judge of talent. He knows what players are worth taking a shot at. There is plenty of time left. Let's see how the mini-camps go and how injuries break down and how the draft develops. This is not last year or any other year in Cards history. This is the year the foundation was started. Don't expect the fancy roof to be built when the foundation for the house has not even been laid.
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arthurracoon
The Cardinal Smiles
Vikesfan is a voice of reason and tranquility amongst the turmoil and cacophony.
I agree with you Vikesfan. The way I look at this offseason is that the Cardinals took a step forward instead of backwards. They added some talent, and really didn't lose any player except Barrett, which was slightly upgraded with Macklin.
Theoretically, the player talent will be better in '04 (especially after the No. 3 pick and Berry). What the Cardinals ultimately need to be is competitive. We can sign all the FAs in the world, but we can't show up in Cleveland and get beat 44-3 or Chicago 28-6, or whatever the scores were.
I would like to see the Cardinals use the draft to acquire their future superstars (Fitzgerald, Manning, the next Boldin) and then sign some additional quality FAs like Swinton who can increase the general talent of the team. Carolina and New England weren't exactly stacked with superstars, but key role players stepped up, the coaching was superb, and the team played as a unit. As a Cardinals fan, that's what you have to hope for. That's what DG should bring to this team.
But I would still like to see the Cards get another CB in FA. I also liked the attempt to get another LB.
Theoretically, the player talent will be better in '04 (especially after the No. 3 pick and Berry). What the Cardinals ultimately need to be is competitive. We can sign all the FAs in the world, but we can't show up in Cleveland and get beat 44-3 or Chicago 28-6, or whatever the scores were.
I would like to see the Cardinals use the draft to acquire their future superstars (Fitzgerald, Manning, the next Boldin) and then sign some additional quality FAs like Swinton who can increase the general talent of the team. Carolina and New England weren't exactly stacked with superstars, but key role players stepped up, the coaching was superb, and the team played as a unit. As a Cardinals fan, that's what you have to hope for. That's what DG should bring to this team.
But I would still like to see the Cards get another CB in FA. I also liked the attempt to get another LB.
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Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Vikes:
1-You cannot build that long-term in the NFL any more. Free Agency has destroyed the dynasty system, and more than that, has given teams that are building for a SB run a smaller window of opportunity. We need to turn this around FAST. Can we turn it around this year and win a SB? Likely not, especially given our lax attitude in FA. I definetly see, with proper management, possibilites for a good playoff run the season after, with a good SB push maybe too. We won't be able to do this by wasting our resources.
We held off on spending last year, and though we did better this year, with the mom-and-pop structuring of the contracts and the lack of aggression, we didn't get enough this year either. Good additions...just would have rather had two or three STARTERS than ONE starter and three BACKUP/ROLE PLAYER TYPES.
2-I never said we could plug all our holes this season in FA-you flat out made that up, as what I DID say was we could have plugged MORE of our holes, though not all of them. Nice try.
1-You cannot build that long-term in the NFL any more. Free Agency has destroyed the dynasty system, and more than that, has given teams that are building for a SB run a smaller window of opportunity. We need to turn this around FAST. Can we turn it around this year and win a SB? Likely not, especially given our lax attitude in FA. I definetly see, with proper management, possibilites for a good playoff run the season after, with a good SB push maybe too. We won't be able to do this by wasting our resources.
We held off on spending last year, and though we did better this year, with the mom-and-pop structuring of the contracts and the lack of aggression, we didn't get enough this year either. Good additions...just would have rather had two or three STARTERS than ONE starter and three BACKUP/ROLE PLAYER TYPES.
2-I never said we could plug all our holes this season in FA-you flat out made that up, as what I DID say was we could have plugged MORE of our holes, though not all of them. Nice try.
Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Oh, and I'm sorry, but:
3-Who are our starting CBs going to be? We have one on this team, IMO, and he's coming back from major surgery. Starks? We HOPE he's back to form. Check that, BETTER than back to form, because his form wasn't good enough for a #1 CB when he was healthy. Macklin? He's a damn good nickle back, but I don't want him forced to start, especially counting on Starks opposite. Hill? Again, damn fine nickel back, but not a solid starter. Who else? A rookie? Good luck for next season if we're counting on rookies starting at CB!!!
The FA market for corners was very good this year, and we ended up not even going for one of the better ones, and settled for a middle-tier corner at that. Why not try and actually USE the cap space and sign a starter...there were plenty available!!!
3-Who are our starting CBs going to be? We have one on this team, IMO, and he's coming back from major surgery. Starks? We HOPE he's back to form. Check that, BETTER than back to form, because his form wasn't good enough for a #1 CB when he was healthy. Macklin? He's a damn good nickle back, but I don't want him forced to start, especially counting on Starks opposite. Hill? Again, damn fine nickel back, but not a solid starter. Who else? A rookie? Good luck for next season if we're counting on rookies starting at CB!!!
The FA market for corners was very good this year, and we ended up not even going for one of the better ones, and settled for a middle-tier corner at that. Why not try and actually USE the cap space and sign a starter...there were plenty available!!!
joeshmo
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This is what I dont get how do we know that we didnt try. Becuase they werent in for visits. We cant control an agent or Player from saying flat out "no, no matter wha,t we will not visit you, or you are last on our visit list so we will visit 10 other teams first and if we dont like the contracts they offer then we will give you a shot." And they would say this no matter what we sold them over the phone. If I were a betting man I would I would bet that we did call 10 of the top FA's and they all said this or saw the name on the caller ID and didnt even answer. But Graves or Green would never admit it becuase it shows a bad light on the team, so we will never know.
We got to start drafting well, keep on extending deals and signing draft picks on time and be respectable at 7-9 first to change the preception, then these so called top notch FA's will start taking our phone calls.
MaoTosiFanClub
The problem
I see your approach Stout, we use all of our cap space on a free agent CB just to see him get torched every week because it takes Calvin Pace 10 minutes to get to the quarterback. Then we can bitch and moan next year about how overpaid he is.
Then again I do agree we need one more starter-capable player in FA, although I disagree that it should be a over-30 CB coming off foot problems.
QUOTE : You cannot build that long-term in the NFL any more. Free Agency has destroyed the dynasty system,
RESPONSE : True the only coach who beat this system was... DG.
What FA and the CAP system does is destroy good teams. The Cards are not a good team. They are now trying to get into the position where the CAP and FA system can destroy them. In other words the Cards are not a few older FAs away from being a contender. They are the worst team in the NFL. They have tonnes of holes. You cannot fix that in 1 draft and 1 FA period. What sense does it make to add older FAs when you wil miss the playoffs and then when you are ready to be in the playoffs they ar too old to make a difference.
QUOTE: and more than that, has given teams that are building for a SB run a smaller window of opportunity. We need to turn this around FAST.
RESPONSE: The Vikes or Eagles have a window of opportunity. The Cards don't even have a house let alone windows! There is no rush.
QUOTE: Can we turn it around this year and win a SB? Likely not, especially given our lax attitude in FA.
RESPONSE: "Likely not" come on man! Lax attitude in FA - again BS! Smart attitude in FA. They got what they were after.
QUOTE: I definetly see, with proper management, possibilites for a good playoff run the season after, with a good SB push maybe too. We won't be able to do this by wasting our resources.
RESPONSE: DG plans on this. He has a 1 million dollar bonus this year for making the playoffs. He said in MIN they rebuilt and won at the same time. Proper management is keeping money for good young players. That is "not wasting resources."
QUOTE: We held off on spending last year, and though we did better this year, with the mom-and-pop structuring of the contracts and the lack of aggression, we didn't get enough this year either. Good additions...just would have rather had two or three STARTERS than ONE starter and three BACKUP/ROLE PLAYER TYPES.
RESPONSE: If I recall correctly you added 7 FAs last year. Several big names. And just lost out on Holiday (wasn't that a good thing?) and Colvin. Did that get you anything? No. This year you signed 2 young quality FAs. Both can start and both produced at an NFL level. Isn't that better then signing all those FAs like last year?
QUOTE: I never said we could plug all our holes this season in FA-you flat out made that up, as what I DID say was we could have plugged MORE of our holes, though not all of them. Nice try.
RESPONSE: Well it didn't work last year. Did it? Signing guys like Springs and Robbins and O Hara is not going to help.
DG knows what he is doing. He is not following the pattern from last year. This year the CARDS cause of DG are siging less FAs. What you want is a replay of last year. How is a Holiday going to help this team? DG is trying to win - who puts a playoff bonus in his contract. Berry came here in part because of the DG plan. He had a checklist and he has done well fulfilling it. You don't like Macklin fine but who was better at the same age and willing to take less then 10 million bonus? Kearse got 11 million dollars in bonus money then Berry and 41 million dollars in salary for less sacks then Berry had! And he is injury prone. DG is not going to panic.
DG went out one year and got a TE in FA and they guy became a pro-bowler. That is the kind of pick DG likes. Sure if this team is on the cusp of the playoffs he will bring in vet FAs. But you have to have lots of good young players on your team. If you have the holes the Cards have what good is Vincent of Springs going to do you when the team is ready to make the playoffs?
Plus there is plenty of time to cherry pick. I am saying this not DG not Graves. I don't know if DG will cherry pick he might not. But the dude knows what he is doing. And he wants to start winning now. Notice how he criticized the long term signings just like FA. Signing mediocre players in either way is not going to do it.
DG knows where the holes are, what did he address? RDE and CB. He could have used the Pace excuse give him another year etc. he cost us a #1. He could have overpaid for Barrett. Uh uh. He is building smartly.
Look at NYG they signed lots of FAs: Robbins, Barrett, O Hara, Stokely does that mean they did better in FA then us this year. Looks like they are following the Cards model from last year.
RESPONSE : True the only coach who beat this system was... DG.
What FA and the CAP system does is destroy good teams. The Cards are not a good team. They are now trying to get into the position where the CAP and FA system can destroy them. In other words the Cards are not a few older FAs away from being a contender. They are the worst team in the NFL. They have tonnes of holes. You cannot fix that in 1 draft and 1 FA period. What sense does it make to add older FAs when you wil miss the playoffs and then when you are ready to be in the playoffs they ar too old to make a difference.
QUOTE: and more than that, has given teams that are building for a SB run a smaller window of opportunity. We need to turn this around FAST.
RESPONSE: The Vikes or Eagles have a window of opportunity. The Cards don't even have a house let alone windows! There is no rush.
QUOTE: Can we turn it around this year and win a SB? Likely not, especially given our lax attitude in FA.
RESPONSE: "Likely not" come on man! Lax attitude in FA - again BS! Smart attitude in FA. They got what they were after.
QUOTE: I definetly see, with proper management, possibilites for a good playoff run the season after, with a good SB push maybe too. We won't be able to do this by wasting our resources.
RESPONSE: DG plans on this. He has a 1 million dollar bonus this year for making the playoffs. He said in MIN they rebuilt and won at the same time. Proper management is keeping money for good young players. That is "not wasting resources."
QUOTE: We held off on spending last year, and though we did better this year, with the mom-and-pop structuring of the contracts and the lack of aggression, we didn't get enough this year either. Good additions...just would have rather had two or three STARTERS than ONE starter and three BACKUP/ROLE PLAYER TYPES.
RESPONSE: If I recall correctly you added 7 FAs last year. Several big names. And just lost out on Holiday (wasn't that a good thing?) and Colvin. Did that get you anything? No. This year you signed 2 young quality FAs. Both can start and both produced at an NFL level. Isn't that better then signing all those FAs like last year?
QUOTE: I never said we could plug all our holes this season in FA-you flat out made that up, as what I DID say was we could have plugged MORE of our holes, though not all of them. Nice try.
RESPONSE: Well it didn't work last year. Did it? Signing guys like Springs and Robbins and O Hara is not going to help.
DG knows what he is doing. He is not following the pattern from last year. This year the CARDS cause of DG are siging less FAs. What you want is a replay of last year. How is a Holiday going to help this team? DG is trying to win - who puts a playoff bonus in his contract. Berry came here in part because of the DG plan. He had a checklist and he has done well fulfilling it. You don't like Macklin fine but who was better at the same age and willing to take less then 10 million bonus? Kearse got 11 million dollars in bonus money then Berry and 41 million dollars in salary for less sacks then Berry had! And he is injury prone. DG is not going to panic.
DG went out one year and got a TE in FA and they guy became a pro-bowler. That is the kind of pick DG likes. Sure if this team is on the cusp of the playoffs he will bring in vet FAs. But you have to have lots of good young players on your team. If you have the holes the Cards have what good is Vincent of Springs going to do you when the team is ready to make the playoffs?
Plus there is plenty of time to cherry pick. I am saying this not DG not Graves. I don't know if DG will cherry pick he might not. But the dude knows what he is doing. And he wants to start winning now. Notice how he criticized the long term signings just like FA. Signing mediocre players in either way is not going to do it.
DG knows where the holes are, what did he address? RDE and CB. He could have used the Pace excuse give him another year etc. he cost us a #1. He could have overpaid for Barrett. Uh uh. He is building smartly.
Look at NYG they signed lots of FAs: Robbins, Barrett, O Hara, Stokely does that mean they did better in FA then us this year. Looks like they are following the Cards model from last year.
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Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
El Wrongo, Bucko...
I was talking cornerbacks in that piece you referenced. We only had one for a visit. ONE. This is after the self-professed 'low-profile' approach to FA management fed us just before the signing period began. Why should I NOT think they focused on a middle-tier FA CB (Macklin) and didn't want to pay for a high-profile, legit corner? I think my argument is much more viable than, 'well, hmm, maybe they tried to call, but somehow every single other CB declined to even interview with the Cards.'
Is Maklin the second coming or something? I looked over his stats and he is average. Barrett performed better than Maklin over the past 3 seasons. Maybe I am not understanding correctly but it seems there is a lot of Maklin talk. I suppose because there is nothing else to talk about.
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