Remember the Strike Replacement Teams

[Harry]

I think that’s about what you’ll see early this season. These guys will play hard as they will have a chance to stay on the roster. Guys you didn’t expect may have breakthrough seasons given a chance to play multiple minutes. This may at least provide some players for whom to root.

 

[az jam]

If this team is as bad as the strike replacement players we are really going to have a long season.

 

[kerouac9]

This remains the Houston Texans model. Instead of 8-10 bottom-of-the-roster players, why not 25-30?

 

[Stout]

Can we get Shane Falco at QB?

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[Krangodnzr]

I think that’s about what you’ll see early this season. These guys will play hard as they will have a chance to stay on the roster. Guys you didn’t expect may have breakthrough seasons given a chance to play multiple minutes. This may at least provide some players for whom to root.

I don't think it's going to be that bad. I think we all get stuck in the moment at times and we don't take a step back and try and look at each team through historical lenses.

Those Dave McGiness teams were significantly less talented than this team.

If I'm listing who I think are or can be good players on this team:
QB - Kyler Murray. I still think he has a better than average shot to be a good QB in the NFL.
RB - Eh... weak at this spot, but the Cardinals can get by with the crew they have and we have seen worse RB rooms than this one.
WR- The Cardinals still have DHop who is a very talented player. Hollywood Brown is still a decent player. There is depth with Moore, Pascal, Dortch, and Michael Wilson. Wilson could surprise if he can finally stay healthy.
TE - Once Ertz is back, this is actually one of the most talented TE rooms the Cardinals have ever had. McBride looks to be at least an average player at TE. Ertz is still a good receiver.
OL - While there are holes, there is some answers on the roster as well. Humphries is one of the best Arizona Cardinals linemen. Josh Jones is a capable backup. Hernandez looks like the answer at RG. Beachum is a league-average RT. Wilkinson has played several positions and is a capable swing backup. Gaines, Hayes, and Smith are solid young players. And the Cardinals have a very promising building block in Paris Johnson Jr.

DL - This group will be the team's overall weakness. Lots of rotation guys, but no clear-cut starters.
Edge- I actually like the Edge group overall, but the team probably needs a true #1 rusher. Cam Thomas and Myjai Sanders showed they will probably at least be good rotational rushers. Ojulari has the most promise, and I think he will ultimately have a long career as a #2 rusher. Next draft, get Jared Verse on this team and the Cardinals will have a young, deep group of edge rushers.
LB- Lots of decent, not great players here. Collins had a good year last year, and for all the mistakes Simmons made, he also made a good amount of splash plays. Kyzir White was a good signing. Lots of depth at this group too.
CB - Wilson isn't a #1 corner, but he probably ends up as a solid #2. Hamilton is better than his detractors think he is. Garrett Williams factors into the equation once he's healthy. Not a great group but not the disaster people are projecting either.
S- Baker and Jalen Thompson are solid. Some ok depth as well.

The Cardinals still have holes at: LG, C, #1 Edge, #1 CB., and Murray will be out for a while. This team will likely suck early, but I do expect them to play better down the stretch. I'm probably only projecting 5-7 wins at this point if they can stay relatively healthy. I think the team still needs some significant pieces but it isn't the trainwreck people are prognosticating.

 

[Stout]

Ojulari had damn well better be that true #1 rusher. We passed on one in the first and passed on other positions in the 2nd to end up with him, so he needs to develop into that. I disagree on CB and that we'll get by well enough at RB as well. Otherwise it's a fair analysis. I'm falling lower on the win spectrum than you, but if things break well, we'll show competitiveness down the stretch while losing some close 'uns.

 

[BritCard]

I don't think it's going to be that bad. I think we all get stuck in the moment at times and we don't take a step back and try and look at each team through historical lenses.

Those Dave McGiness teams were significantly less talented than this team.

If I'm listing who I think are or can be good players on this team:
QB - Kyler Murray. I still think he has a better than average shot to be a good QB in the NFL.
RB - Eh... weak at this spot, but the Cardinals can get by with the crew they have and we have seen worse RB rooms than this one.
WR- The Cardinals still have DHop who is a very talented player. Hollywood Brown is still a decent player. There is depth with Moore, Pascal, Dortch, and Michael Wilson. Wilson could surprise if he can finally stay healthy.
TE - Once Ertz is back, this is actually one of the most talented TE rooms the Cardinals have ever had. McBride looks to be at least an average player at TE. Ertz is still a good receiver.
OL - While there are holes, there is some answers on the roster as well. Humphries is one of the best Arizona Cardinals linemen. Josh Jones is a capable backup. Hernandez looks like the answer at RG. Beachum is a league-average RT. Wilkinson has played several positions and is a capable swing backup. Gaines, Hayes, and Smith are solid young players. And the Cardinals have a very promising building block in Paris Johnson Jr.

DL - This group will be the team's overall weakness. Lots of rotation guys, but no clear-cut starters.
Edge- I actually like the Edge group overall, but the team probably needs a true #1 rusher. Cam Thomas and Myjai Sanders showed they will probably at least be good rotational rushers. Ojulari has the most promise, and I think he will ultimately have a long career as a #2 rusher. Next draft, get Jared Verse on this team and the Cardinals will have a young, deep group of edge rushers.
LB- Lots of decent, not great players here. Collins had a good year last year, and for all the mistakes Simmons made, he also made a good amount of splash plays. Kyzir White was a good signing. Lots of depth at this group too.
CB - Wilson isn't a #1 corner, but he probably ends up as a solid #2. Hamilton is better than his detractors think he is. Garrett Williams factors into the equation once he's healthy. Not a great group but not the disaster people are projecting either.
S- Baker and Jalen Thompson are solid. Some ok depth as well.

The Cardinals still have holes at: LG, C, #1 Edge, #1 CB., and Murray will be out for a while. This team will likely suck early, but I do expect them to play better down the stretch. I'm probably only projecting 5-7 wins at this point if they can stay relatively healthy. I think the team still needs some significant pieces but it isn't the trainwreck people are prognosticating.

Yeah it's nowhere near that bad.

The O line with Paris and Hump at tackle and if Hayes can be what I think he can be at LG might be the best O line we put out in 10 years.

Hopkins, Brown, Ertz, Conner and Kyler are all quality. McBride, Rondale and Wilson have great potential.

The defense is the big question mark.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Can we get Shane Falco at QB?

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Bruh, give me a linebacker who will go get the ball and a kicker who smokes on the filed, while making 60 yarders!

 

[Zalixar]

Can we get Shane Falco at QB?

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Crazy to think the dude on the left is the front man of Marvel, Star Wars, etc.

Dude on the right is in the new House of the Dragon.

Very fun movie.

 

[kerouac9]

Yeah it's nowhere near that bad.

The O line with Paris and Hump at tackle and if Hayes can be what I think he can be at LG might be the best O line we put out in 10 years.

Hopkins, Brown, Ertz, Conner and Kyler are all quality. McBride, Rondale and Wilson have great potential.

The defense is the big question mark.

The whole NFL is way better today than it was then, also.

The NFL casts an offseason spell over fans convincing them that if all these things pieces fall into place they might not be that bad.

We spent all offseason talking about fixing the lines and we added a top 10 pick that would go 20 in an average draft and a 4th rounder. Both play offense.

On the other side of the ball we lost like 40 sacks and replaced it with a guy who had five in college last year. Our best defensive lineman in 2023 was our worst in 2022.

 

[BulldogCard]

Yeah we all know how everything goes as planned in the NFL. It will be the trenches that determine the record. It's not like this team doesn't have good players spread throughout. It's qb and line.

 

[ajcardfan]

Might as well spend the next two months and training camp trying to convince ourselves we aren't that bad. Because that will all be over once we start playing other teams.

The highlight of the 2023 will be the offseason.

 

[kerouac9]

Might as well spend the next two months and training camp trying to convince ourselves we aren't that bad. Because that will all be over once we start playing other teams.

The highlight of the 2023 will be the offseason.

3-0 preseason on the way

 

[Krangodnzr]

The whole NFL is way better today than it was then, also.

The NFL casts an offseason spell over fans convincing them that if all these things pieces fall into place they might not be that bad.

We spent all offseason talking about fixing the lines and we added a top 10 pick that would go 20 in an average draft and a 4th rounder. Both play offense.

On the other side of the ball we lost like 40 sacks and replaced it with a guy who had five in college last year. Our best defensive lineman in 2023 was our worst in 2022.

That's not true. The tackle draft was fairly good, but didn't have a Joe Thomas level prospect. Paris Johnson is about equivalent to Andrew Thomas.

 

[Timm Rosenbach]

That's not true. The tackle draft was fairly good, but didn't have a Joe Thomas level prospect. Paris Johnson is about equivalent to Andrew Thomas.

100%. Joe Thomas was at a far different level than Paris Johnson is.

 

[AZ Native]

Might as well spend the next two months and training camp trying to convince ourselves we aren't that bad. Because that will all be over once we start playing other teams.

The highlight of the 2023 will be the offseason.

Regrettably, I concur.

 

[Osbern61]

OT, I guess but I remember this game from '87. The Cards were dominated so bad but ended this strike season game with a win. 4 yards passing!
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198710110crd.htm

 

[oaken1]

I dunno... this offense aint much different than the one that was 7 and 0 a while back... if the coaches can scheme up a defense to slow opponents...we can produce better than we look. 13-10 or 38-35...same same I guess

 

[Stout]

Might as well spend the next two months and training camp trying to convince ourselves we aren't that bad. Because that will all be over once we start playing other teams.

The highlight of the 2023 will be the offseason.

You mean our FA period is part of the good times?

 

[slanidrac16]

Let’s not forget every other team had a draft and signed free agents to improve their team.

Don’t kid yourself. It’s going to be a hellish year. We will be here questioning Gannon, the staff and the players. We will stating how we could have won a game if this, this and this happened.

 

[Harry]

I’ve heard people say Cards might not win a game. I think 3-4, but that’s it.

 

[Stout]

I’ve heard people say Cards might not win a game. I think 3-4, but that’s it.

I'm in the same range.

 

[BleedRed]

Alot of doom and gloom here. Been a Cards fan for many years, and have seen rosters far worse than our current MANY times. Let's go Bird Gang! Rise up red sea!

 

[Proximo]

I’ve heard people say Cards might not win a game. I think 3-4, but that’s it.

I don't understand how anyone can be confident about anything pre season in the NFL. Every year several teams dramatically over perform or underperform.

They won 4 last year, and it is pretty well accepted that the coaching was bad.

I'm not saying the new coaching is good, but it could be, I don't think anyone knows.

I just don't see how this roster is much different than last seasons. Really the main difference is no Zach Allen and no JJ Watt, otherwise just about everybody else who matters is back. To not believe that any of the rookies we drafted will make a positive impact seems unlikely.

I expect a 4 or 5 win year, but it is also certainly possible the team could win 8 or 9. All it would take is getting Murray to play close to his potential, and I don't think that is out of the realm of possibility - because we have actually seen it before - with basically the same offensive players.

 

[Stout]

I don't understand how anyone can be confident about anything pre season in the NFL. Every year several teams dramatically over perform or underperform.

They won 4 last year, and it is pretty well accepted that the coaching was bad.

I'm not saying the new coaching is good, but it could be, I don't think anyone knows.

I just don't see how this roster is much different than last seasons. Really the main difference is no Zach Allen and no JJ Watt, otherwise just about everybody else who matters is back. To not believe that any of the rookies we drafted will make a positive impact seems unlikely.

I expect a 4 or 5 win year, but it is also certainly possible the team could win 8 or 9. All it would take is getting Murray to play close to his potential, and I don't think that is out of the realm of possibility - because we have actually seen it before - with basically the same offensive players.

Yeah, the roster is worse, especially on defense. You're reaaaaally papering over the losses we suffered there. Our CB1, star DT and budding young DE are all gone, replaced by a recovering-from-injury third rounder, nothing, and nothing, while adding an edge (ZA was not an edge). So our DL is trash, we've lost a bunch of sacks, and replaced them with a 5 sacks in college guy. Our defense will be putrid and significantly worse than last year.