Setting up the 2015 Draft:

[Catfish]

Now that Fitz has been restructured, and Ginn cut, it would appear that the Cards have freed up about 15 mil in Cap money with Dockett still to come. If, (as the pundits said), we were about 10 mil over, then we already have about five mil. clear under the cap with more cuts to come. As I see it, this leaves us in a position to make a splash early in the second week of free agency, and maybe even later in the first. This is where the Cards Front Office could bring in some talent to set up our draft.

Right now, I would be setting my priority on LB JUSTIN DURANT, Cowboys, 29 yrs, as possibly my first selection in Free Agency. He is not a sexy pick like Brian Orakpo, but he has not missed much of three seasons recently, (and two of the past three), like Orakpo has with peck tears. Further, Durant has shown the versatility to play WOLB, SOLB, and WILB, either as a starter, or as a very serious rotational player. He provides a rush threat from either side, and also provides coverage ability down the slot on bigger TE's that we have had problems covering. He can also set the edge, AND more importantly run and chase, which is needed with Kaepernic and Wilson being so mobile in the NFCW. Durant would give DC James Bettcher great flexibility in the LB position. He can rush the QB from either outside position. He can set the edge also. Best of all, he can also cover TE's across the slot from his WILB position, (a long standing problem for Cardinal's Coaches). This has been missing since D-Wash became a no show. At a cost of 3 to 3.5 mil per year, Durant would be a very solid addition to the roster, and could very easily outplay his contract. He would provide a very solid and knowledgeable veteran upon which to build our LB corps, and be a very good first step toward setting up our draft for 2015.

If the Cards could then manage to snare a solid inside OL free agent, then we would have already shored up the two greatest needs of our 2015 roster. Both Orlando Franklin and Mike Iuapati are free agents who could fill this bill for us, (though they most likely will be more costly than Durant). If, however, we could land a decent inside OL player, (especially one who could run block as well as pass protect), these two moves would just about set up our entire draft to where we could take BPA at every selection, and not be so likely to miss on our higher draft picks. I feel like this would be money VERY WELL SPENT.

 

[Bodha]

when was Ginn cut?


and all that sexy splash money is going to the 2 guys who deserve it most: Dan and Cro.

 

[Catfish]

I had been told that Ginn was cut today, but apparently he has not. He will be, however, as I simply cannot see the Cards paying him another 3.25 mil for fair catching most punts, (and even failing to do that quite often). His kick-offs were worse yet, often ending up with us starting around the 10 yard line. He will not be kept.

 

[Jim Otis]

As for the Cap , we should keep in mind that we are over the 2014 Cap . The 2015 Cap figure has not been set yet , an increase seems to be a given , its not known how large the increase will be .

 

[don7031]

The Cardinals incur half the dead space cap hit if they wait til after June 1st to release Ginn.

 

[Catfish]

Okay, I had allowed Fitz' new arrangement to give us 12 mil off the cap, but according to Darren Urban, that figure is actually 16 million dollars. That being so, then we have some money to pursue additional free agents, as Ginn, (when released), should give us and additional 3.25 million. That now comes to 19.25 million without accounting for Dockett's new arrangement, or for any other cuts. Say we spend 3.5 mil on Durant, and another 4 mil on Franklin at Guard. We would still have 11.75 mil with which to work.

We could then sign TE Virgil Green of Denver, at a cost of about 2 to 2.5 mil per year, and bring our TE corps into the realm of really good. Green was never needed at Denver, and was not on the field more than about three plays where he was thrown to last year. He is 6-5, 245 or so, runs a 4.64 forty, and has a great vertical leap.

One of the three plays where he was the receiver was a bubble screen, where Manning hit him just short of the line of scrimmage on the left, and he turned upfield, (stepping over the first tackler like an Olimpic hurdler), without any wasted motion or speed, then cut to the outside, and outrunning the safety for a 28 yard completion down the sideline. He got ALL 28 yards after the catch, very Gronk-like. He was a very athletic receiving TE coming out of college three years ago, and the best part is that he has made himself into the 4th best blocking TE in the league. He immediately becomes our best TE, and fits very well with Niklas, and Fells on our roster. All three can catch AND block. Green can run as well. At 2-5 mil he could also easily outperform his contract.

That would still leave 9.25 mil to work with, (not counting what we can gain from re-working Dockett) OR cutting anyone else, That leaves us room to go after a RB in free agency, or to try to resign Dan Williams after he tests the free agent market to see what his value is. In any event, you can see that by using free agency well, we can set up the draft so that we can take play makers on the offensive side, and take developmental depth on the defensive side of the ball. This would be a nearly ideal position in which to have the roster as we approach the draft, (most needs already filled with starting caliber players), and needing only to draft offensive play makers and defensive depth.

 

[don7031]

^ The Cardinals were $10+ million over prior to the Fitzgerald restructure. We don't know the details of Larry's new contract nor the final number on the salary cap. The Cardinals could still be over.

 

[Hypothesis]

^ The Cardinals were $10+ million over prior to the Fitzgerald restructure. We don't know the details of Larry's new contract nor the final number on the salary cap. The Cardinals could still be over.

Steve Keim was saying it freed up enough money to put them under the cap. If the GM is saying that, he either needs to be fired for being clueless if the Cards are still over the cap, or he might know what he's talking about.