Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Steve Keim has been getting his fair share of well-earned praise from Michael Bidwill, the Cardinals' players, coaches and fans, local sports reporters and national pundits. What he has accomplished in a little over three years of being the Cardinals' GM is remarkable and unprecedented. Much of what he has done over the past three years has been well-documented---such as pulling QB Carson Palmer out of a hat and adding free agents such as LT Jared Veldheer and LG Mike Iupati.
That said, Keim's current work this off-season could very well be his best and most skillful to date.
Keim made it his primary goal to improve the pass rush---and just when it appeared that he was unable to acquire one of the premier edge rushers in this free agent class, having missed out on signing his two major targets, Jason Pierre-Paul and Bruce Irvin---Keim delivers on an unprecedented blockbuster trade that registered shock waves across the NFL, when he acquired DE/OLB Chandler Jones from the Patriots for star-crossed G Jonathan Cooper and the Cardinals' 2nd round pick in this year's draft.
Allow me first to say that I and many of you had already conceded that another year had come and gone in free agency where the Cardinals agonizingly struck out once again on landing the missing piece of the championship formula trifecta---because teams know they need excellence in particular at QB, LT and RDE---which is why the top players at those position get gobbled up early and often each year in the draft---which is why teams typically overpay at this positions because of their importance.
Well, as it it turned out, not only did Keim pull another rabbit out of the hat---he managed to acquire an edge rusher in Chandler Jones who appears to be not only the ideal fit skill-wise because of his versatility---he also appears to be the ideal fit for the team culture that Keim has been steadily building.
When you think about it---the Cardinals are getting the combination of skills they would have gotten from Pierre-Paul and Irvin in Chandler Jones---plus, Jones' exuberance, his gregarious personality and his team-first mentality are the kind of intangibles that every GM who is building a culture wants to procure.
Moreover, in light of how desperate the Cardinals were to add a bona fide edge rusher, it is amazing that Keim managed to negotiate a deal that did not involve trading this year's first round pick at #29.
If anyone had asked me or you a week ago whether it would be worth it for Keim to trade the #29 pick for DE/OLB Chandler Jones, I would have emphatically said yes. No draft pick edge rusher at #29 can come even remotely close to doing what Chandler Jones does.
And even though this has not been reported---we just know that Keim's three days of negotiations with the Patriots must have started with discussions about the #29 pick---especially seeing as the Patriots were trying to recover the pick they lost in Deflategate.
Without question, Keim's three day diligence paid off big-time when he was able to get Bill Belichick to agree to a package of G Jonathan Cooper and the #61 pick.
The point is---Steve Keim simply does not and will not act in desperation.
For a young GM to be this savvy is phenomenal.
Let's face it---how much leverage did Keim have dangling Jonathan Cooper? Keim surely would have had to explain to Belichick why Cooper did not get his starting job back from Ted Larsen after Coop was briefly recovering from a knee sprain.
While I do not know if this as a fact---I will bet you that Keim asked Belichick to go and watch Coop's 2015 tape and to see for himself the promising aspects of his play. Coop showed some very good flashes this past year.
Keim must have assured Belichick that with their style of coaching, Cooper could develop into the player Keim thought he was drafting 3 years ago.
Here in New England all the pundits are feeling very confident that Belichick and newly re-signed offensive line guru Dante Scarnecchia are going to turn Cooper into a superb player.
If any of you managed to see and hear Keim articulate on the skills that Chandler Jones brings to the Cardinals' defense during his presser---wow---that kind of thorough, rapid-fire and masterful articulation is exactly what make Keim so beloved by the players in the organization. You could just see Chandler Jones preening beside Keim in the understanding that man this guy really gets who I am and what I bring as a player.
Clearly it was that same kind of articulation that allowed Keim to convince Belichick that a package of Cooper and the #61 pick for Jones was a win-win for both teams.
Furthermore, take a gander at what Keim achieved in his his other deal this past week---he managed to swoop in at the right time to sweeten the ante on TE Jermaine Gresham and RB Chris Johnson so that both players decided to turn down more money and longer-term deals in order to re-sign with the Cardinals. These signings were masterful---not only do they indicate Keim's fierce loyalty to the players, but his exemplary discipline in getting the players and the team to agree to terms that work both ways.
It is significant too that Keim is making good on his one year prove it deals when is able to re-sign and reward such players when they deserve it and when they have garnered the team's trust.
What team effort it was on top of all that for Keim to sign G Evan Mathis to fill the void left by Cooper's departure. It is symbolic that the former player Keim has professed the greatest affinity for and loyalty towards, Adrian Wilson, was the key broker of this deal. Mathis was very candid when he said he was riding the wave of winning the Super Bowl and figuring he would retire---when Wilson came along and easily convinced Mathis to make another run for the confetti with the team in his own back yard.
Speaking of Keim's loyalty to the players---it should not be forgotten that he even tried to swoop in and convince T Bobby Massie to return for another year. Even though Massie really couldn't turn down the Bears' good offer---it must have felt good for Massie to know that Keim and the Cardinals still wanted him.
It's this kind of loyalty that may allow Keim to sign DE Dwight Freeney and/or LB Karlos Dansby in the days ahead. Keim keeps building his bridges---if you've noticed---he doesn't burn them. When Dansby signed for top dollar with the Browns, Keim gave him his blessing, even though it was tough to see him go.
And the wonderful thing is---and Steve Keim would tell us this himself---he is still learning and growing on the job. This draft should be very telling because Steve Keim and his scouts have been garnering a clearer sense of the type of players who would be good culture and system fits in the organization---and let's face it---Keim knows that it takes a certain mental and physical toughness, passion and energy for draftees and free agents to endear BA and his coaches.
Prime Keim...stay tuned...season 4 is well on its way!
That said, Keim's current work this off-season could very well be his best and most skillful to date.
Keim made it his primary goal to improve the pass rush---and just when it appeared that he was unable to acquire one of the premier edge rushers in this free agent class, having missed out on signing his two major targets, Jason Pierre-Paul and Bruce Irvin---Keim delivers on an unprecedented blockbuster trade that registered shock waves across the NFL, when he acquired DE/OLB Chandler Jones from the Patriots for star-crossed G Jonathan Cooper and the Cardinals' 2nd round pick in this year's draft.
Allow me first to say that I and many of you had already conceded that another year had come and gone in free agency where the Cardinals agonizingly struck out once again on landing the missing piece of the championship formula trifecta---because teams know they need excellence in particular at QB, LT and RDE---which is why the top players at those position get gobbled up early and often each year in the draft---which is why teams typically overpay at this positions because of their importance.
Well, as it it turned out, not only did Keim pull another rabbit out of the hat---he managed to acquire an edge rusher in Chandler Jones who appears to be not only the ideal fit skill-wise because of his versatility---he also appears to be the ideal fit for the team culture that Keim has been steadily building.
When you think about it---the Cardinals are getting the combination of skills they would have gotten from Pierre-Paul and Irvin in Chandler Jones---plus, Jones' exuberance, his gregarious personality and his team-first mentality are the kind of intangibles that every GM who is building a culture wants to procure.
Moreover, in light of how desperate the Cardinals were to add a bona fide edge rusher, it is amazing that Keim managed to negotiate a deal that did not involve trading this year's first round pick at #29.
If anyone had asked me or you a week ago whether it would be worth it for Keim to trade the #29 pick for DE/OLB Chandler Jones, I would have emphatically said yes. No draft pick edge rusher at #29 can come even remotely close to doing what Chandler Jones does.
And even though this has not been reported---we just know that Keim's three days of negotiations with the Patriots must have started with discussions about the #29 pick---especially seeing as the Patriots were trying to recover the pick they lost in Deflategate.
Without question, Keim's three day diligence paid off big-time when he was able to get Bill Belichick to agree to a package of G Jonathan Cooper and the #61 pick.
The point is---Steve Keim simply does not and will not act in desperation.
For a young GM to be this savvy is phenomenal.
Let's face it---how much leverage did Keim have dangling Jonathan Cooper? Keim surely would have had to explain to Belichick why Cooper did not get his starting job back from Ted Larsen after Coop was briefly recovering from a knee sprain.
While I do not know if this as a fact---I will bet you that Keim asked Belichick to go and watch Coop's 2015 tape and to see for himself the promising aspects of his play. Coop showed some very good flashes this past year.
Keim must have assured Belichick that with their style of coaching, Cooper could develop into the player Keim thought he was drafting 3 years ago.
Here in New England all the pundits are feeling very confident that Belichick and newly re-signed offensive line guru Dante Scarnecchia are going to turn Cooper into a superb player.
If any of you managed to see and hear Keim articulate on the skills that Chandler Jones brings to the Cardinals' defense during his presser---wow---that kind of thorough, rapid-fire and masterful articulation is exactly what make Keim so beloved by the players in the organization. You could just see Chandler Jones preening beside Keim in the understanding that man this guy really gets who I am and what I bring as a player.
Clearly it was that same kind of articulation that allowed Keim to convince Belichick that a package of Cooper and the #61 pick for Jones was a win-win for both teams.
Furthermore, take a gander at what Keim achieved in his his other deal this past week---he managed to swoop in at the right time to sweeten the ante on TE Jermaine Gresham and RB Chris Johnson so that both players decided to turn down more money and longer-term deals in order to re-sign with the Cardinals. These signings were masterful---not only do they indicate Keim's fierce loyalty to the players, but his exemplary discipline in getting the players and the team to agree to terms that work both ways.
It is significant too that Keim is making good on his one year prove it deals when is able to re-sign and reward such players when they deserve it and when they have garnered the team's trust.
What team effort it was on top of all that for Keim to sign G Evan Mathis to fill the void left by Cooper's departure. It is symbolic that the former player Keim has professed the greatest affinity for and loyalty towards, Adrian Wilson, was the key broker of this deal. Mathis was very candid when he said he was riding the wave of winning the Super Bowl and figuring he would retire---when Wilson came along and easily convinced Mathis to make another run for the confetti with the team in his own back yard.
Speaking of Keim's loyalty to the players---it should not be forgotten that he even tried to swoop in and convince T Bobby Massie to return for another year. Even though Massie really couldn't turn down the Bears' good offer---it must have felt good for Massie to know that Keim and the Cardinals still wanted him.
It's this kind of loyalty that may allow Keim to sign DE Dwight Freeney and/or LB Karlos Dansby in the days ahead. Keim keeps building his bridges---if you've noticed---he doesn't burn them. When Dansby signed for top dollar with the Browns, Keim gave him his blessing, even though it was tough to see him go.
And the wonderful thing is---and Steve Keim would tell us this himself---he is still learning and growing on the job. This draft should be very telling because Steve Keim and his scouts have been garnering a clearer sense of the type of players who would be good culture and system fits in the organization---and let's face it---Keim knows that it takes a certain mental and physical toughness, passion and energy for draftees and free agents to endear BA and his coaches.
Prime Keim...stay tuned...season 4 is well on its way!
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