Saturday Thoughts: June 1st Signings

[Walter Mitchell]

Last year, we were told by the Cardinal coaches and administrators that the third phase of adding talent and depth to the football team, the June 1st free agent signing period, would be fruitful. When all was said and done...all was said...and virtually nothing was done. As a result, we fans had to endure another entire season of watching subpar defensive linemen get stopped in their tracks on their way to the quarterback...and, on the other side of the ball, an incompetent quarterback squander countless opportunities to move the chains...with no second string quarterback insurance.

If the Cardinals are truly committed to winning, this year's June 1st free agent signing period will yield four to five key additions...additions that may elevate the Cardinals from pretenders to contenders in the NFC West. If the Cardinals throw up another goose egg in this important phase, it most likely will mean another year in the cellar, more sparse crowds and a swan song for the coaching staff.

With over $10M available in cap space, there are no excuses for another dormant signing period. In fact, the Cardinals will most likely be able to add the five players they need for roughly $5M.

The Cardinals are going to have to take some risks in this phase on players with question marks. But the risks are necessary. More than likely management will have to slightly outbid and overpay for this handful of veterans, but by offering one year contracts the Cardinals won't have to jeopardize next year's cap.

A #1 type WR and two pass rushers (ideally one DE and one DT) are desperately needed. A versatile veteran defensive back could be a significant addition as well.

The Cardinals should do the smart thing and add a veteran QB to challenge Josh McCown for the backup QB role. The Cardinals say they want to wait to see what McCown and Parsons look like in camp. That, IMO, is a mistake. Quarterbacks need to be in camp from day one to learn the system and get their timing down with the wide receivers. If McCown and Parsons clearly beat out the veteran in camp, then so be it. The team can waive the veteran.

 

[AzCards21]

Any ideas as to who they should target Walter? I know it's a waiting game to see what players are actually cut but how about a list of you think will be available.

 

[dbcard74]

I second that request. As some fan hollered at Annika Sorenstam on the first day of the Colonial, "You da man!"

 

[red desert]

I'm with you, Walter. We missed out on an opportunity by not signing Norman Hand. What are your thoughts on Grady Jackson? On Jeff George?

 

[Walter Mitchell]

It's hard to predict right now what players will be available. We all have our eyes on WR Mushin Muhammed from Carolina as a lead receiver. By missing out on Marcus Robinson, Muhammed's signing would seem imperative. Grady Jackson would be an excellent choice, but it seems unlikely that the Saints will dump him at this point, especially after they dumped Norman Hand. I agree, Red Desert, that the Cardinals may have missed the boat on Hand, seeing as not only has Hand dropped forty pounds and appears to be in much better shape, but he was willing to restructure his contract with the Seahawks.

One thing is for certain, though. In this phase the Cardinals cannot afford to be deliberate...the way they have been in other phases. Rod Graves is going to have to move fast, be decisive and offer contracts on the spot...with the notion that the players will have to pass their physicals to seal the deals. And, as I said, the Cardinals are going to have to take some risks because players released at this time of year almost always have some degree of baggage. But that's OK, because the Cardinals need to get lucky and one year contracts are not the biggest risks. And the Cardinals can attempt to sign players they like toward the end of the season to longer contracts.

 

[JeffGollin]

Last year, we were told by the Cardinal coaches and administrators that the third phase of adding talent and depth to the football team, the June 1st free agent signing period, would be fruitful. When all was said and done...all was said...and virtually nothing was done.
Walter - This is why many of us were frustrated over our (a) not being more aggressive toward signing pre-June 1 free agents or (b) keeping more of our own guys.

Year after year, we're told: "Wait til camp opens to evaluate our off-season moves" (i.e. wait til after the June 1 signings). Then we invariably come up short, and the team isn't as good as it should be. Then the fans forget about this during the excitement of the next 9 months. Then the Cards pull the same old b.s. the following off-season, but no one remembers it. And you can be sure a bunch of Cardinal loyalists will accuse some of us of being "negative" and urge us to "be patient."

I hope this June will be different. But the problem with waiting til June to spend our cap bucks is that time now becomes our enemy instead of our friend. By mid-June there will be the inevitable fan pressure to spend more than we should on dudes who aren't worth it, because they're the only available guys left.

 

[Walter Mitchell]

I think what happens, Jeff, is that the Cardinals get carried away thinking their draft choices will make an immediate splash. And then, of course, some draft choices hold out and are added way too late to be able to make immediate contributions.

At this point it seems unthinkable that the only move the Cardinals have made to improve their weak pass rush is drafting two rookies in Pace and King. We can give the Cardinals credit for trying to land Colvin and Holliday...but obviously they shouldn't have put all their eggs into those two baskets. It's unreasonable to think that this current group of defensive linemen will suddenly blossom into a formidible force. There's still not a prove pass rusher in the group...and while several of the younger players like Bryant, Johnson and Moore have potential, will any of them emerge as bona fide pass rushers this year?

The Cardinals should try to sign two defensive starters...a LDT and a RDE. Kyle Vanden Bosch should be switched to LDE and Wendell Bryant (if he's 100% improved from last year) should start at RDT. Then Calvin Pace, Dennis Johnson, Marcus Bell and possibly Alton Moore and/or Kenny King could provide depth. The triple signings of Fred Wakefield, Barron Tanner and Russell Davis don't make sense. Signing ONE of these three does, but not all three. It's entirely possible that only one of these players will make the 53 man roster if the Cardinals add two free agents this spring.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Originally posted by red desert
I'm with you, Walter. We missed out on an opportunity by not signing Norman Hand. What are your thoughts on Grady Jackson? On Jeff George?

Why the heck would we want Jeff George? I'd sign Steve Grogan out of retirement before I got Jeff George.

 

[ajcardfan]

I wish I could get excited by June 1 cuts, but it's hard to see that there is anyone that will really make a difference. Four or five quality players? A starting RDE and LDT? That's a pipe dream Walter. I hope we sign a couple and that they do make a difference somehow. But, I'm not getting my hopes up. The June 1 cuts are becoming more irrelevant every year.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
I wish I could get excited by June 1 cuts, but it's hard to see that there is anyone that will really make a difference. Four or five quality players? A starting RDE and LDT? That's a pipe dream Walter. I hope we sign a couple and that they do make a difference somehow. But, I'm not getting my hopes up. The June 1 cuts are becoming more irrelevant every year.

Tony McCoy anyone?

 

[CardinalChris]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
I think what happens, Jeff, is that the Cardinals get carried away thinking their draft choices will make an immediate splash. And then, of course, some draft choices hold out and are added way too late to be able to make immediate contributions.

At this point it seems unthinkable that the only move the Cardinals have made to improve their weak pass rush is drafting two rookies in Pace and King. We can give the Cardinals credit for trying to land Colvin and Holliday...but obviously they shouldn't have put all their eggs into those two baskets. It's unreasonable to think that this current group of defensive linemen will suddenly blossom into a formidible force. There's still not a prove pass rusher in the group...and while several of the younger players like Bryant, Johnson and Moore have potential, will any of them emerge as bona fide pass rushers this year?

The Cardinals should try to sign two defensive starters...a LDT and a RDE. Kyle Vanden Bosch should be switched to LDE and Wendell Bryant (if he's 100% improved from last year) should start at RDT. Then Calvin Pace, Dennis Johnson, Marcus Bell and possibly Alton Moore and/or Kenny King could provide depth. The triple signings of Fred Wakefield, Barron Tanner and Russell Davis don't make sense. Signing ONE of these three does, but not all three. It's entirely possible that only one of these players will make the 53 man roster if the Cardinals add two free agents this spring.

Anybody know what sort of cap hit we take by cutting any of these three? We have the space and I am not all for keeping a player because he got a 400K bonus last year.

 

[kerouac9]

Walter,

I really enjoy your Saturday thoughts, but to think that anyone of interest is going to come out after June 1, or depending on it to give the Cards a successful season or keep Mac's tenure from ending, then you're in for disappointment. The three biggest names that have come up in free agency are, as has been discussed before, Brian Greise, J.J. Stokes, and Ray Crockett. I'd take Crockett for a season or two, but everyone else is pretty much out there already. Look down the salary cap figures, and you'll see that there aren't a lot of teams on the edge, so no one's going to cut any quality players.

New Orleans has $10.8 million in salary cap room (Tip Sheet (5/16/03), third most in the league. Why would they release Grady Jackson? And why would we want him if they did? He didn't do anything last year in New Orleans, and they were a contender until the last month of the season.

I don't know why people are still talking about Muhammed being released. Carolina should be well under the cap. I haven't heard rumors about Musin being released in quite some time.

To hope that someone is going to release an established pass rusher after June 1 seems like insanity to me. Pass rushers might be the second-most-coveted player in the league right now, after shut-down corner. We might be able to get a tackle like Keith Traylor or Ted Washington, but after last year's injuries in Chicago and the age of these players, do you want to invest and depend on them?

I have the sinking feeling that the team we're looking at now is more or less going to be the team that comes to camp. And that's scary.

 

[CardinalChris]

June 1st cuts are HIGHLY overrated. Name a great pickup for anybody and I can name 15 overhyped june first pickups in the past years that changed a team or dominated.

I do disagree on one point. Traylor or Wahsington are UPGRADES. People, Wndall Bryant (potentially good) and three DTs who should be thrid or fourth in a rotation system does not make a good line. We need a guy,m even if for only two down a series that can be better than these guys. When you talk June first, forget finding a superstar. But maybe these guys could be role players on a bad part of our team.

There won't be drastic changes, but there could be mild improvements.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell


At this point it seems unthinkable that the only move the Cardinals have made to improve their weak pass rush is drafting two rookies in Pace and King. We can give the Cardinals credit for trying to land Colvin and Holliday...but obviously they shouldn't have put all their eggs into those two baskets. It's unreasonable to think that this current group of defensive linemen will suddenly blossom into a formidible force. There's still not a prove pass rusher in the group...and while several of the younger players like Bryant, Johnson and Moore have potential, will any of them emerge as bona fide pass rushers this year?

thanks for posting walter. I've always enjoyed your thoughtful, well written posts.

I don't wish to be seen as peering though rose colored glasses, but I think that IF the cardinals had to go with KVB, pace, bryant, wakefield, tanner, davis, bell and johnson we would be ok.

please note that basically this same group hung tough through the first six games last season. if we get everybody back on the same page and stay healthy, I believe that, with a little luck and some good coaching, this unit could get us a wild card berth.

but we need good play out of our LBs too!

 

[Goldfield]

Originally posted by kerouac9
Walter,

I really enjoy your Saturday thoughts, but to think that anyone of interest is going to come out after June 1, or depending on it to give the Cards a successful season or keep Mac's tenure from ending, then you're in for disappointment. The three biggest names that have come up in free agency are, as has been discussed before, Brian Greise, J.J. Stokes, and Ray Crockett. I'd take Crockett for a season or two, but everyone else is pretty much out there already. Look down the salary cap figures, and you'll see that there aren't a lot of teams on the edge, so no one's going to cut any quality players.

New Orleans has $10.8 million in salary cap room (Tip Sheet (5/16/03), third most in the league. Why would they release Grady Jackson? And why would we want him if they did? He didn't do anything last year in New Orleans, and they were a contender until the last month of the season.

I don't know why people are still talking about Muhammed being released. Carolina should be well under the cap. I haven't heard rumors about Musin being released in quite some time.

To hope that someone is going to release an established pass rusher after June 1 seems like insanity to me. Pass rushers might be the second-most-coveted player in the league right now, after shut-down corner. We might be able to get a tackle like Keith Traylor or Ted Washington, but after last year's injuries in Chicago and the age of these players, do you want to invest and depend on them?

I have the sinking feeling that the team we're looking at now is more or less going to be the team that comes to camp. And that's scary.

Yes I would take a shot at one or two of those DT's... Bryant did nothing last year and everyone assumes that he will fill the void at the other DT spot this year... But then alot of you think we cant count on Pace to be a solid player.

We need a LDT and a 1-3 CB real bad IMO... Then I would try to get a vet WR...

Every team pretty much starts their first round pick's, to say Pace isnt going to start is a joke...

The only way we are gunna start to get a pass rush is to get a solid DT in there next to Bryant. That way every guy on our DLine will have some talent, and they will make each other better...

 

[kerouac9]

That's easy to say, and I agree with you, but there don't seem to be any 2-gap tackles coming out after June 1. I doubt whether Mac and Marmie even want one that bad, considering the passed on the #1 or #2 2-gap DT in Jimmy Kennedy. Would I take Taylor or Washington? Hell, yeah. Would I take one of them for 3 years, $2.5 mil? No. Would I take Grady Jackson (even though he's not coming out) for more than 2 years, $1.2 mil? No. Will someone give them that kind of money? Probably.

If you guys say that, right now, we have three or four glaring weaknesses (DT, pass rushing DE, WR, CB), be prepared to take those weaknesses into camp and the regular season, becuase I'm not sure if anyone can come up with legitimate names that legitimately have a shot of being released after June 1.

I'd like to hear everyone that names a position of need that we should address after June 1 to name someone that might come out to fill that hole.