Somers: Only 11 mil in cap space left!

[Sandan]

So what you Darksiders are saying is the Cardinals should have send gobs of cash on mediocre players ?

This was a bad year for FA, we all know that. In fact certain posters here were warning us of that and how we would never be able to spend our cap money.

This way we don't get stuck with those mediocre players in, what most would admit is a fairly unique year with the start of a new CBA.

It's not about worth or overpaying [love that term ... not], it the fact that there really wern't a lot of good FA this year and many teams had cash to sign the ones theat were there. Most articles I've read think the Cowboys were insane to pay LD what they did.

 

[BigRedArk]

First time they have ever done 100% roster bonuses, yes.

Which makes this new idea all the more odd.

In that case it seems like this might be for PR purposes perhaps? Maybe they want to silence all that criticism for not spending all of their cap and being agressive in bringing in players to help the team win now since they seem to be so close to finally putting a winning team on the field?

If so this could very well turn out to be a legitimate criticism of the FO. Not blind negative chatter. Especially when RG tells us that we will be agressive in FA and sign 4-7 guys for depth. He gives us fans so much ammo as you said. I can't wait to hear his explanation of this new way of doing business.

 

[Pariah]

Have you considered the possibility that the Cards are ahead of the pack here rather than behind it ?

This is the ultimate in "half-full" thinking.

 

[Sandan]

Yes Jason, you prove my point.

Should anybody disagree with a Darksider they are immediately ridiculed

 

[Big T]

So are you saying that they are basically going to consider this season a wash while they get a handle on what they've got on the roster?

I don't think the fans are amenable to yet another 3 year rebuilding program.

I didn't say any such thing. In fact what I DID say was:

I honestly believe that no matter what this team WILL be legitimate playoff contenders this year.
Next year, the coaches will have an even better idea of any specific "tinkerings" that may need to occur for even more improvement.

 

[Pariah]

Yes Jason, you prove my point.

Should anybody disagree with a Darksider they are immediately ridiculed

How am I ridiculing you, Nidan?

Your comment struck me as very funny. There is absolutely NO evidence pointing to the Cards being innovative in their quest to put a winning product on the field. Yet, you think that they're not only NOT making mistakes, but beating a new path to a championship?

 

[Russ Smith]

So what you Darksiders are saying is the Cardinals should have send gobs of cash on mediocre players ?

This was a bad year for FA, we all know that. In fact certain posters here were warning us of that and how we would never be able to spend our cap money.

This way we don't get stuck with those mediocre players in, what most would admit is a fairly unique year with the start of a new CBA.

It's not about worth or overpaying [love that term ... not], it the fact that there really wern't a lot of good FA this year and many teams had cash to sign the ones theat were there. Most articles I've read think the Cowboys were insane to pay LD what they did.

I think the point is much like housing prices, it's unlikely salaries will ever go DOWN in the forseeable future. So yes it seems silly to pay what is being paid, but the reality is that the marketplace jumped when the cap jumped.

I said it yesterday, just because we aren't joining the party doesn't mean our current players aren't watching this and saying damn it my contract stinks now I want a raise.

The fact is the market value for a player who's a FA went up this year, it just did and if you want to add any players to fill holes, you have to overpay. As Joe said, in a year or two, it won't seem like that much.

To me the bottom line is we have NOT improved the talent on the team. We hopefully improved the coaching, but basically all we did is replace Big with Johnson, he's not a LT so we have to shift around or draft one.

Hopefully we'll get some guys we're still after but right now we have less talent now than we did last year.

 

[Covert Rain]

Regardless of what side you are on, it's obvious the Cards can't go out and get 7 depth guys because of how the contracts are structured. They have been saying we are going to add depth. You can't do that without the cap space.

People are trying to make it sound so simple that "we will just change the wording on the contract to stretch cap dollars". Last time I checked it's not that simple. How the contract is structured impacts how and when the player gets his money right? If the players don't agree to the structure the Cards want to offer, then they simplay walk and sign with another team.

Once again, the team and the fans are a victim of this organizations stellar management of this franchise. If there was evidence of this teams innovation it's surely not in the record or product on the field.

 

[joeshmo]

So what you Darksiders are saying is the Cardinals should have send gobs of cash on mediocre players ?

But what you see as gobs of cash on a medicore player is going to look like chump change in a year or 2. The cap will go up a minumim of 12%(conservative estimate by the way) over the next 2 years.

For example. Take a look at the Wilson contract or Docket contract we just extended them to last year. They arleady are chump change. If Johnson starts at even an average level his contract will look like chump change next year.

We need to start looking at it in the right perspective. Russ bringing up the houseing market is a great comparison.

 

[Sandan]

To me the bottom line is we have NOT improved the talent on the team. We hopefully improved the coaching, but basically all we did is replace Big with Johnson, he's not a LT so we have to shift around or draft one.

And you think these new coaches are too dumb to see what is so obvious to you ?

 

[Duckjake]

Most articles I've read think the Cowboys were insane to pay LD what they did.

We used to hear the same thing about baseball contracts back in the early 90's. Now those contracts are given routinely to .240 hitting utility infielders and middle relievers with 4.98 ERA's.

 

[Sandan]

I agree Joe, but the issue is that next year will not be as anomalous as this year.

Do you also consider me too stupid to realize that player salaries are going to rise ? In fact I seem to remember mentioning that last year when told we would never spend to the cap.

Of course salaries are going to rise, but this year was a really bad year for FAs given the step change in the cap.

 

[Sandan]

As soon as anybody disagrees with, they get jumpoed on.

We are all obviously to stupid to see what you see, that being that Rod Graves is stupid and therefore MB must be stupid for hiring him. Really that is what it comes down to isn't it ?

 

[Russ Smith]

And you think these new coaches are too dumb to see what is so obvious to you ?

No the coaches have no say in it at all. I think the Cards front office incorrectly judged the market.

It's like my girlfriend complaining houses where we live cost too much, she's right, but that's the reality, nobody is going to sell you a house for 300K that they can get 550K on, and no UFA is going to take last years' market value this year.

Imagine how much we'd have to pay Edge if he was a UFA THIS year instead?

The market went up, we just didn't catch on quick enough to how much it was going up.

 

[Russ Smith]

I agree Joe, but the issue is that next year will not be as anomalous as this year.

Do you also consider me too stupid to realize that player salaries are going to rise ? In fact I seem to remember mentioning that last year when told we would never spend to the cap.

Of course salaries are going to rise, but this year was a really bad year for FAs given the step change in the cap.

The reason it's weak FA year is the cap went up so good players never hit the open market because their teams had caproom to keep them.

 

[joeshmo]

We are all obviously to stupid to see what you see, that being that Rod Graves is stupid and therefore MB must be stupid for hiring him. Really that is what it comes down to isn't it ?

You dont have to be stupid. Even the smartest of people fail at certian jobs.

I am sure Einstien couldnt run a football team.

 

[Big T]

It appears to me that much of this negative sabre rattling is much like last years criticism of the team "not spending the cap".

Heaven's to Betsy, the regular season is still like 6 months away. We are only something like a week into free agency. The draft has not occured yet. There are still the June cuts coming.

Crying rivers now about the cap spending is more than a little premature IMO.
Just like last year, by the end of the year the Cards had used up the cap space. And now, hindsight is showing that the money was well spent. Even the "darksiders" themselves have ackowledged that last years resignings of our own players was money well spent.

So I say, as usual, all this "sky is falling" stuff is much more than a little premature.
Save all the moaning, groaning and whatnot until the regular season starts, until then I predict that most of these protestations getting flung about now, will end up just like the majority of those in the past....vaporized into nothingness when all is finally said and done !!!

 

[Big T]

You dont have to be stupid. Even the smartest of people fail at certian jobs.

I am sure Einstien couldnt run a football team.

Hey Joe, I'd love for you to come and gamble in my new casino !!!

 

[football karma]

You dont have to be stupid. Even the smartest of people fail at certian jobs.

I am sure Einstien couldnt run a football team.

I dont think stupid is the right word --- however--

How do you say --"we are going to get 7-8 guys to improve the depth of the team" and then-- structure contracts that make that impossible?


Three possible explanations:

1. Rod totally misjudged the free agent market in terms of what it would cost to sign players. This makes me question his judgement -- a competent GM ought to have seen this coming.

2. Top management (i.e. Bidwill Sr) did a 180 on Rod --- when Rod said he wanted 7 or 8 guys, he thought he had $X million to sign free agents, and then learned later that he only had 1/2 of $X million. Contracts were structured accordingly to eat up cap space to provide a modicum of "cover" from media and the fans. Given the management disfunction, this is plausible.

3. Rod sees the price vs the quality of free agents in the current year market. Decides to use up this years cap room to save room for next year when the shopping is expected to be better. One can only hope there is a real plan here.

 

[Pariah]

As soon as anybody disagrees with, they get jumpoed on.

The reverse is true, too, Nidan. If I post something about the Cardinals organization being absolute, hopeless bumblers I get jumped on, too.

I just don't see how it's so outrageous to pay market prices for players that can help your team. These contracts are what they are and they're not going to get small in the years to come.

 

[Mulli]

Rod meant 7-8 undrafted free agents. Come on!!

 

[AntSports Steve]

There are still the June cuts coming. by Big T

Just to make this clear. There are really no June 1st cuts anymore. If a team wants to cut a player, they can cut them now and mark on the NFL paperwork that they are to be considered a "June 1st Cut" and presto, their signing bonus doesn't accelerate until the next year.

You won't be seeing any cuts like that anymore.

 

[Big T]

The reverse is true, too, Nidan. If I post something about the Cardinals organization being absolute, hopeless bumblers I get jumped on, too.

I just don't see how it's so outrageous to pay market prices for players that can help your team. These contracts are what they are and they're not going to get small in the years to come.

My 2 cents here:

Speaking for myself only, I might be a little more inclined to agree with you, if when I saw your postings, they were also accompanied by what I feel is legitimate substantiation and support for your (or anyone's) claims.

So far I can't honestly say I've seen that.

 

[Russ Smith]

It appears to me that much of this negative sabre rattling is much like last years criticism of the team "not spending the cap".

!!!

As Dr Phil would say "how's that working for you?"

We stunk last year, and haven't upgraded the talent at all. Hopefully we have a good draft, young players get better, coaching improves, but we
could have used a player or two. Gandy doesn't interest me at all, I would rather give more current guys roster bonuses than sign Gandy.

 

[Big T]

Just to make this clear. There are really no June 1st cuts anymore. If a team wants to cut a player, they can cut them now and mark on the NFL paperwork that they are to be considered a "June 1st Cut" and presto, their signing bonus doesn't accelerate until the next year.

You won't be seeing any cuts like that anymore.

That is news to me, I wasn't aware of that. Thank you for that correction. (if indeed it is true).