Offseason Update 12/27

[football karma]

Per Bick & Marotta. (Who are live from Cards HQ today)

They alluded to getting wind from Cardinal personnel of an offseason plan where both Chandler Jones and Calais Campbell are retained. Jones would be franchised with a focus on resigning CC. Bickley noted it was the first time he has heard that this was a priority. CCs deal would average $8mm per -- and they weren't sure if that would be enough

Take it FWIW

 

[cardncubfan]

That would be awesome.

 

[Chopper0080]

If you watched the Seattle game, you can see why the team will do everything that they can to keep Campbell and Jones for next season. Defensively, this team is just missing a few pieces to having a special level of talent. The question is if Bettcher is the man to scheme it to being great.

Offensively, it is kind of the same. Can we figure out the offensive line? Can we add one or two wide receivers? TE?

 

[blindseyed]

If you watched the Seattle game, you can see why the team will do everything that they can to keep Campbell and Jones for next season. Defensively, this team is just missing a few pieces to having a special level of talent. The question is if Bettcher is the man to scheme it to being great.

Offensively, it is kind of the same. Can we figure out the offensive line? Can we add one or two wide receivers? TE?

I'm in agreement with this, a few pieces here and there (good pieces!) , make sure our Def coach is the guy and, may I add, Special Teams...anything...something!

 

[PJ1]

If we retain both and I hope we do the draft becomes even more critical. We won't be very active in the FA market after getting these two signed.

 

[az jam]

Would be great to keep CC and Jones. We dan fill some holes with the draft. Our biggest problem was Special Team. Firing Amos Jones is a must and we may now have a decent punter. We can get a better kicker than Cantanzaro in free agency.

 

[Harry]

Even if a the first 3 picks (history argues against) start the Cards are losing 2 starting safeties, starting WR, starting ILB, main backup OLB, RG, have no kick returner, no backup RB, backup CB, no TE, (except hospital supporter Niklas) & no C. If you give all the money to those 2 guys (Jones/Campbell) how do you fill all those holes? If Fitz & Palmer stay they'd be crazy to restructure then retire. How many others could they adjust? I just can't see $25-6 mil to 2 guys!

 

[juza76]

Even if a the first 3 picks (history argues against) start the Cards are losing 2 starting safeties, starting WR, starting ILB, main backup OLB, RG, have no kick returner, no backup RB, backup CB, no TE, (except hospital supporter Niklas) & no C. If you give all the money to those 2 guys (Jones/Campbell) how do you fill all those holes? If Fitz & Palmer stay they'd be crazy to restructure then retire. How many others could they adjust? I just can't see $25-6 mil to 2 guys!

This
We must restructure palmer contract switching part of the salary in bonus
Chandler must get a multiyear contract 12 mil/year
I think.we wont sign any big names in free agency
Thats why I would sign sio moore ,jermaine gresham,tony jefferson immediately
Reading darren urban chat I am pretty sure (he knows more then he tend to show), they will draft a qb in the first 2 round, he said a qb should be drafted before palmer retire
From one of his responses I think they like deshaun Watson

 

[Harry]

Jefferson will get $6 mil. Chandler $15m+ Moore is likely affordable. Can't imagine why Palmer would restructure if he's only playing 1 year.

 

[football karma]

I think that if CC and Jones are kept: Expect no big name FAs from other teams to be added. It will be lots of low vet deals and young players to fill holes.

 

[Chopper0080]

This I don't get.

You can re-sign...

Chris Johnson
Stepfan Taylor
Darren Fells - RFA
Jermaine Gresham
John Wetzel - ERFA
Calais Campbell
Josh Mauro - RFA
Chandler Jones
Alex Okafor
Sio Moore
DJ Swearinger

...for 34 mil. Easy. After that if you look at potential cuts...Hell, cutting Daryl Washington, Tyvon Branch and Corey Peters saves us 10 mil. If you kept Peters you would save 7 mil.

I just don't see the "we have too many holes" to re-sign Campbell and Jones for a combined 25 mil. We may have to roll with less depth at RB...or at S. We may stick with Bethel as our 3rd CB. Harlan Miller may have to fill a more of a depth role. We may not be able to pay a vet OG 4 mil. May not spend 3.5 mil on a 4th S. Shipley makes 875k. I think we can bring him back if we want.

We are 18th in points allowed per game. If we allowed 4 less points per game we would be in 8th. We were 11th in points scored per game. If we would have scored 3 more points per game, we would rank 3rd. All of this in an injury riddled year where most would say our offense was very poor, and special teams atrocious.

 

[Hollywood]

I have never bought into the cries of we cant afford Campbell. For the simple fact that everyone KNEW that we couldnt afford to keep Fitz...and yet here he is.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[b8rtm8nn]

If it happens - great! But I want them both signed on a Wednesday

 

[iRobot]

http://overthecap.com/position/3-4-outside-linebacker/

Have to figure that Jones is looking for at least Ryan Kerrigan money. Arguably, he's likely seeking between Justin Houston and Clay Matthews money.

 

[iRobot]

http://overthecap.com/position/3-4-defensive-end/

Can make an argument for Campbell at 8-9M/year but tough if he values himself more than that.

 

[Vermont Maverick]

I have never bought into the cries of we cant afford Campbell. For the simple fact that everyone KNEW that we couldnt afford to keep Fitz...and yet here he is.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

I laughed when I read "and yet here he is". Just funny.

 

[Harry]

Just Guessing
Jones 15
Campbell 13
Gresham 5
Okafor 2.5
Swearinger 5 (maybe more; great season)
That's 40.5
Can't see how you cut Peters. He was solid. Agree on Branch, but what about all the other holes on the OL, CB, WR, ILB, S & RB. Can't draft that many starters!

 

[overseascardfan]

Just Guessing
Jones 15
Campbell 13
Gresham 5
Okafor 2.5
Swearinger 5 (maybe more; great season)
That's 40.5
Can't see how you cut Peters. He was solid. Agree on Branch, but what about all the other holes on the OL, CB, WR, ILB, S & RB. Can't draft that many starters!

If your scenario plays out, we wouldn't need starters at WR, RB or S (assuming Mattieu and Swearinger aren't the starters). So Keim would need to bring his A game in the draft but starters can be had in first 3 rounds (it's been done before), he'll you could even hit on late rounders at WR or S that end up starters. CB, ILB & OL should be the targets in first 3 rounds not exactly in that order. Decisions regarding Bethel and Palmer (should he not be willing to restructure or take a pay cut) that could free up more cap space. Keep in mind ARZ may desire to keep both Jones & Campbell but that may not end up happening if they can get one to sign a contract so the tag can be used on the other.

 

[Chopper0080]

Just Guessing
Jones 15
Campbell 13
Gresham 5
Okafor 2.5
Swearinger 5 (maybe more; great season)
That's 40.5
Can't see how you cut Peters. He was solid. Agree on Branch, but what about all the other holes on the OL, CB, WR, ILB, S & RB. Can't draft that many starters!

I don't believe they will cut Peters, but they have that option if they need to.

I believe you are high on Campbell at 13. He may average out to 11, but the Cards can make the 2017 number smaller in terms of the cap. It probably isn't an option for Jones, and 15 I believe is the franchise number. Greshem is somewhere between 4 and 5. I believe he will be closer to 4 if we are going to keep him. Okafor seems right around 2.5, but again, they can adjust the 2017 hit to lower if needed. If Swearinger wants 5 and can get 5 somewhere else, you let him go. He made 1.6 this year, and at best, we offer him 3 to stay.

Something to consider is that the Cardinals have a bunch of expiring contracts over the next two years which will allow them to backload some deals if they really want to get someone signed. It would be similar to what Denver did two years ago.

 

[football karma]

Just Guessing
Jones 15
Campbell 13
Gresham 5
Okafor 2.5
Swearinger 5 (maybe more; great season)
That's 40.5
Can't see how you cut Peters. He was solid. Agree on Branch, but what about all the other holes on the OL, CB, WR, ILB, S & RB. Can't draft that many starters!

Harry: any thoughts on this seeming contradiction:

1. Seems like both Tony Jefferson and DJ Swearinger are in line for significant raises
2. When combined with Pat P, who has had a really good season -- means 3 of 4 or 5 DBs in the game were good
3. And, you got good pass rush productivity in front of them
4. YET:

it sure feels like the pass defense wasnt all that good this year.

If you look game by game -- the defense tended to make bad QBs look bad ( Gabbert, Fitzpatrick) but let good QBs light them up ( Ryan, Brees, Russell Wilson).

Even some middle of the road guys had good games vs this defense ( Case Keenum with a 111 passer rating, Tannehill with a 124, Garrapolo with a 106).

The only good QBs this defense forced into a below average game was Kirk Cousins ( 77 passer rating, 20 points below his average) and Jameis Winston ( 39 rating, 48 points below his average-- although is overall rating is below the NFL avg, so im not sure if he is "good").

I guess i would expect a secondary that has players other teams really covet + a shutdown corner on one side + a pretty solid pass rush up front (2nd in the league in sacks) would be better against the pass. It all cant be the second corner.

 

[DeAnna]

Bleh. I would take the Seattle game with a grain of salt. Their o-line is a mess. How did CC do against a good o-oline?

 

[Harry]

Much of the pass defense failure was on the number 2 corner and the nickel back. Branch was poor in coverage and TM was never healthy. Cooper had a couple of decent games but left too much cushion even on 3rd down. Jefferson was decent in coverage, but Swearinger is too slow playing man. He had a decent year in zone, but the entire unit had communication problems without Rashad. Receiver stacks routinely fooled the defense. Swearinger played great against the run and was outstanding in support after short completions. Jefferson's run support was also solid as was his blitzing. His versatility ranks with the best in the league. Minter when asked to cover had issues. PP had the best season of his career and the best the Cards have seen since they lost Aeneas Williams. The up front pressure saved the Cards.

 

[Chopper0080]

Much of the pass defense failure was on the number 2 corner and the nickel back. Branch was poor in coverage and TM was never healthy. Cooper had a couple of decent games but left too much cushion even on 3rd down. Jefferson was decent in coverage, but Swearinger is too slow playing man. He had a decent year in zone, but the entire unit had communication problems without Rashad. Receiver stacks routinely fooled the defense. Swearinger played great against the run and was outstanding in support after short completions. Jefferson's run support was also solid as was his blitzing. His versatility ranks with the best in the league. Minter when asked to cover had issues. PP had the best season of his career and the best the Cards have seen since they lost Aeneas Williams. The up front pressure saved the Cards.

Agreed. This is why I think that Cards see the easiest way to improve is keep the front 4/5 intact, and then add pieces to the back 6/7.

 

[sinsay]

Campbell is worth 8 or 9 mill easy. Hope they bring him back

 

[Harry]

Campbell made $11 mil this year and though older arguably is coming off his best season. $15 mil is the tag number for Jones and will go up next year. I don't see him signing for less. Safeties are fast rising & Jefferson is hot. Swearinger is the toughest to predict, but he's a great fit for several teams.