RUMOR - Cardinals one of several teams interested in Austin Hooper

[Chopper0080]

Here is the quote from profootballnetwork's Tony Pauline at the Senior Bowl.

"Austin Hooper is another soon-to-be free agent tight end who is expected to sign a big contract once the frenzy begins. Where could Hooper land?

Speculation here in Mobile says the Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks are teams expected to court Hooper. Don’t leave out the Washington Redskins, who may be ready to move on from Jordan Reed who has struggled with injuries."

Tony has been around for a while and tends to give pretty credible info. What excites me most is that the Cardinals are potentially looking to upgrade the TE position with a top end option.

 

[Chopper0080]

I had thought he would be a lock to be franchised, however Falcons GM has said they are prepared to make some tough roster decisions this offseason.

 

[Chopper0080]

This is for @DVontel

3:25 pm ET: Texas A&M WR Quartney Davis met with the Arizona Cardinals following today’s practice. – Cole Thompson

 

[DVontel]

This is for @DVontel

3:25 pm ET: Texas A&M WR Quartney Davis met with the Arizona Cardinals following today’s practice. – Cole Thompson

LETS GOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Its a great idea. Let me start with that.

If the Air Raid uses tight ends, then they are going to play a similar offense that many use today.

If Kingsbury is just figuring tjis out then it is good and bad. Bad because it yook him a year to catch up, but good that he is willing to change.

I know I get a lot of flack for my favoritism to larger, taller athletes, but there is something to be said for it.

Sooner or later, a team is going to pay big dollars for two good tight ends.

Gronk and Hernandez were great.

Imagine putting Kittle and Kelce on the same field.

Sent from my mystical communication warp drive device thingy

 

[DVontel]

Its a great idea. Let me start with that.

If the Air Raid uses tight ends, then they are going to play a similar offense that many use today.

If Kingsbury is just figuring tjis out then it is good and bad. Bad because it yook him a year to catch up, but good that he is willing to change.

I know I get a lot of flack for my favoritism to larger, taller athletes, but there is something to be said for it.

Sooner or later, a team is going to pay big dollars for two good tight ends.

Gronk and Hernandez were great.

Imagine putting Kittle and Kelce on the same field.

Sent from my mystical communication warp drive device thingy

Took him a year?

He was incorporating TEs in his offense since the Cincinnati game.

 

[Chopper0080]

Its a great idea. Let me start with that.

If the Air Raid uses tight ends, then they are going to play a similar offense that many use today.

If Kingsbury is just figuring tjis out then it is good and bad. Bad because it yook him a year to catch up, but good that he is willing to change.

I know I get a lot of flack for my favoritism to larger, taller athletes, but there is something to be said for it.

Sooner or later, a team is going to pay big dollars for two good tight ends.

Gronk and Hernandez were great.

Imagine putting Kittle and Kelce on the same field.

Sent from my mystical communication warp drive device thingy

Again, all speculation, but the reason the Air Raid doesn't use TEs in college is because they are tough to find. If Kingsbury has seen what the use of barely average TEs gets you in the NFL, that is a good thing.

I have beaten this drum for awhile, but a good TE creates so many mismatches and forces DCs to make specific personnel decisions. Add this to an Air Raid scheme and you have a significant recipe for success.

 

[Chopper0080]

This would get me full-hyped for next season. (and it is such a reach that I should really calm down)

 

[football karma]

I had thought he would be a lock to be franchised, however Falcons GM has said they are prepared to make some tough roster decisions this offseason.

Falcons are in a terrible way cap wise --

 

[Syracusecards]

Its a great idea. Let me start with that.

If the Air Raid uses tight ends, then they are going to play a similar offense that many use today.

If Kingsbury is just figuring tjis out then it is good and bad. Bad because it yook him a year to catch up, but good that he is willing to change.

I know I get a lot of flack for my favoritism to larger, taller athletes, but there is something to be said for it.

Sooner or later, a team is going to pay big dollars for two good tight ends.

Gronk and Hernandez were great

Its a great idea. Let me start with that.

If the Air Raid uses tight ends, then they are going to play a similar offense that many use today.

If Kingsbury is just figuring tjis out then it is good and bad. Bad because it yook him a year to catch up, but good that he is willing to change.

I know I get a lot of flack for my favoritism to larger, taller athletes, but there is something to be said for it.

Sooner or later, a team is going to pay big dollars for two good tight ends.

Gronk and Hernandez were great.

Imagine putting Kittle and Kelce on the same field.

Sent from my mystical communication warp drive device thingy

I really think a team could start five tight ends instead of wide receivers and dominate. with targeting rules, pass interference rules, and how teams don’t/can’t practice tackling anymore, TE’s are becoming unstoppable.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Took him a year?

He was incorporating TEs in his offense since the Cincinnati game.

That's exactly what I thought when I read his post lol. You are correct. I was at that game in Cincinnati, sat behind the Cardinals bench in the 6th row.

 

[Chopper0080]

I really think a team could start five tight ends instead of wide receivers and dominate. with targeting rules, pass interference rules, and how teams don’t/can’t practice tackling anymore, TE’s are becoming unstoppable.

This isn't a ridiculous concept either especially if you have TEs with a legit speed element. The decision to matchup on a TE with a LB or S is really tough. If defenses go small, the combo of Hooper, Arnold/Maxx, Fitz and Kirk gives you an advantage in the run game. If defenses go big, there is a clear mismatch in the passing game.

Again, how TEs influence defensive personnel and make it easier to attack their schemes is still underrated.

 

[Shaggy]

I'm all in for Hooper.

 

[Solar7]

Sorry guys, another thing I'd hate. I don't want to trash every conceptual move.

Here's a guy who has never started a full season, plays on an offense with insane talent around him, and has been alright as long as you're playing fantasy football. Let's drop a ton of coin on him when we have wild empty spots across the roster.

I would love to upgrade at TE, I always have, but how in the hell are we filling these other spaces with no starters? Is Keim just gonna crash and burn the ship with wild contracts?

He may as well, since the alternative is losing his job, but **** me.

 

[DVontel]

Sorry guys, another thing I'd hate. I don't want to trash every conceptual move.

Here's a guy who has never started a full season, plays on an offense with insane talent around him, and has been alright as long as you're playing fantasy football. Let's drop a ton of coin on him when we have wild empty spots across the roster.

I would love to upgrade at TE, I always have, but how in the hell are we filling these other spaces with no starters? Is Keim just gonna crash and burn the ship with wild contracts?

He may as well, since the alternative is losing his job, but **** me.

He has played two full seasons.

Played 14 & 13 in the other two.

Insane amount? It’s just Julio & Ridley at best.

Lets pass up good players so we can sign worse BPAs at maybe more areas of need.



Ugh.

 

[HGC]

Sorry guys, another thing I'd hate. I don't want to trash every conceptual move.

Here's a guy who has never started a full season, plays on an offense with insane talent around him, and has been alright as long as you're playing fantasy football. Let's drop a ton of coin on him when we have wild empty spots across the roster.

I would love to upgrade at TE, I always have, but how in the hell are we filling these other spaces with no starters? Is Keim just gonna crash and burn the ship with wild contracts?

He may as well, since the alternative is losing his job, but **** me.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Solar7]

He has played two full seasons.

Played 14 & 13 in the other two.

Insane amount? It’s just Julio & Ridley at best.

Lets pass up good players so we can sign worse BPAs at maybe more areas of need.



Ugh.

The stats show me he's started 3, 8, 7, and 10 games by season in his career.

He has played alongside a probable HOF player in Julio Jones his entire career, Pro Bowl RB in Freeman (yes, overlapping seasons), and a former MVP QB. That's not to mention that Sanu and Ridley aren't schlubs by any means.

In what world is that not insane talent around him?

 

[slanidrac16]

Again, all speculation, but the reason the Air Raid doesn't use TEs in college is because they are tough to find. If Kingsbury has seen what the use of barely average TEs gets you in the NFL, that is a good thing.

I have beaten this drum for awhile, but a good TE creates so many mismatches and forces DCs to make specific personnel decisions. Add this to an Air Raid scheme and you have a significant recipe for success.

I couldn’t agree more. I’m loving two tight end sets. The defense personnel is set for the pass you run it down their throats. If they come up to stop the run you have a mismatch to throw. It also reduces your 3 Wr sets to perhaps reduce the need for a wr.

 

[slanidrac16]

This isn't a ridiculous concept either especially if you have TEs with a legit speed element. The decision to matchup on a TE with a LB or S is really tough. If defenses go small, the combo of Hooper, Arnold/Maxx, Fitz and Kirk gives you an advantage in the run game. If defenses go big, there is a clear mismatch in the passing game.

Again, how TEs influence defensive personnel and make it easier to attack their schemes is still underrated.

Love it!

 

[Solar7]

Mathematically (per Spotrac, which I know isn't perfect) in this situation we're looking at paying Hooper $9.9M a year, Maxx Williams $3.4M a year, maybe Kenyan Drake $5.5M a year, and David Johnson ~$13M a year.

All while we don't have starters (and mostly no backups) signed for: LT, C, RT, DE x2, OLB, ILB. We have like $65 million. Besides Keim playing the game of "I might not be here next year anyways," can someone explain to me how signing Hooper makes sense?

 

[WildBB]

Again, how TEs influence defensive personnel and make it easier to attack their schemes is still underrated.

Not by Cardinals fans, I don't think. We've been on the other side wayyy too much.

 

[juza76]

Sorry guys, another thing I'd hate. I don't want to trash every conceptual move.

Here's a guy who has never started a full season, plays on an offense with insane talent around him, and has been alright as long as you're playing fantasy football. Let's drop a ton of coin on him when we have wild empty spots across the roster.

I would love to upgrade at TE, I always have, but how in the hell are we filling these other spaces with no starters? Is Keim just gonna crash and burn the ship with wild contracts?

He may as well, since the alternative is losing his job, but **** me.

Do u think the solution is not spending big money on top free agents cause the roster has too many positions to fill and signings more average players with lower salary expectations make us a better team?
It's not more valuable the quality instead of quantity?

 

[Solar7]

Do u think the solution is not spending big money on top free agents cause the roster has too many positions to fill and signings more average players with lower salary expectations make us a better team?
It's not more valuable the quality instead of quantity?

I don't think Hooper is quality. I don't think Drake is quality. Both of those guys stand out to me as guys who will be overpaid to underperform.

When you have a roster that has about 39 guys signed, and we need 53 to even field a team, sorry, I'm not spending money on the Austin Hoopers of the world.

This team is going to have to sign some average, or even below average players to fill the roster. We have two DEs under contract (not counting a futures guy), both guys who weren't starters for most of the year. We have no OLB, unless you think Reddick, a guy who has done nothing, is the answer. Our backups are free agents. Our ILBs? Same thing. No one.

We still have to pay LT, OC, and RT.

We just don't have big money to spend, man. This is what happens when Keim drafts 3 guys we can guarantee will be starters as of today in his 53 picks over 7 years.

Kyler, Kirk, and Baker. Literally the only three guys guaranteed to be a starter next year. It's sickening.

 

[Veer]

Buyer beware! Hooper has just one year of worthy production. He is a smooth athlete, a glider with decent hands. Not the fastest, biggest or strongest by any means. Idk about his blocking prowess. What I do know is that Matt Ryan is a great QB when it comes to airing it out. Yet Hooper just recently had his breakout season in a contract year.

Hooper is probably the best FA TE you can snag that isn't over the hill. Guys like Kelce or Kittle never hit the market. Hooper is not worth a hefty contract for us. At least not with our holes in the OL and on defense. Hooper is perfect for a team that's one chess piece away, hence the Seahawks or Packers. Both fell short in the playoffs. Paying a non-elite TE elite TE money is pure luxury.

 

[BritCard]

Did people watch our defense last year?

I mean, I get liking Hooper in a vacuum, but with what money? We have the worst defense in the league and you want to spend $11m on Fitz, $6m on Drake, $14m on Hump, $3m+ on AQ and $8m on Hooper? And people want to use the #8 pick on a WR or a OT.

How exactly are we improving the defense?

I can't think of a dumber move. Seems right up Keims street.