The Cardinals' Draft Was Scripted

[Mitch]

There is no doubt in my mind.

As I still try to figure out what in the world happened to this draft---I've come to the realization that the Cardinals had a concrete plan all along---which accounts for them not reading the surprise players available to them when they picked.

The plan was this:

1-Patrick Peterson---he was the one they wanted and got, and even eschewed an offer of the #13, #44 and #107 picks from the Lions---which---if you go and see what the Cardinals could have accomplished with those picks is extremely tantalizing.

But---we all get that Peterson is a unique talent and worth staying at #5 for.

2-Ryan Williams---he said he was promised, and guess what...either way he was the scripted pick at #38---which explains why with DE Da'Quan Bowers and other pass rushers like Brooks Reed sitting there on the board, the Cardinals passed.

Some will say, yeah but Bowers doesn't fit the 34. Well, I beg to differ---because anyone who can line up at DE in the 4 man rush and bring it the way Bowers can in that role is a major asset.

The thing is---what some may forget---if you can get pressure on the QB rushing 4 in the NFL, you are WAY ahead of the curve. This is the luxury that all teams crave and covet.

3-Rob Housler---the Cardinals knew that the odds were very well in their favor of Housler being available at #69---and they were correct.

Again, what they may not have ever imagined was that OLB/DE Justin Houston would be sitting there at that pick. Or QB Ryan Mallett.

Justin Houston---at #69---is a steal---and he will prove it. Yes, he had the failed marijuana test rap---and the other rap was that he took some plays off at Georgia---which, by the way, I rarely if ever saw of the numerous game tapes I watched of Houston. What this kid can do is rush the passer and players like that are a rare commodity.

4-Sam Acho---the Cardinals figured he would be there, and they were right. But, in case he wasn't, they had a 2nd and 3rd OLB choice ready at this pick. This IS the pick they targeted for the OLB position. My guess as to the 2nd pick: Chris Carter. 3rd pick: Jeremy Beal.

5-Anthony Sherman---this pick was locked in from the start.

6-Quan Sturdivant---this is the slot the Cardinals saved for addressing the ILB position---and they were surprised to see Sturdivant there, but had other players in mind. 2nd pick: Mario Harvey. 3rd pick: Mike Muhamed or Nick Bellore.

6-David Carter---locked in on this pick---he's the 34 DE they slated for the pick.

7-DeMarco Sampson---locked in---this is where they wanted to take a WR and Sampson was the player they were coveting here.

Thus---the only two flux spots in this draft were at the #4 and #6A picks where the intention was to take the best OLB and ILB on their board respectively.

At this point I could provide you with what the Cardinals could have done if they agreed to the Lions' generous offer---by now you've probably thought of the possibilities there---and man---when you look at the players that were there at those picks it makes all the more tantalizing---but hey, at this point it is water under the bridge.

All I can say is---with this scripted draft---which relegated the most pressing defensive needs to the back end of the draft---Mike Bidwill's avowed aggressive approach to free agency had better be good---or we will be staring at a 5-11 season or worse again this year...and may become a perennial cellar dwellar once again.

 

[desertdawg]

I agree bigtime Mitch. No hesitation at all (after Peterson) to see if other teams were fishing. Seemed like they ignored the players sliding down, that was kind of new. I think Whiz looked at the offense and said no way, not again.

This is Whiz's defining year, the rebuild will either do well, do well enough to look promising, or blow up. I don't see a blow up and with the "Whiz" guys he has brought in it looks like there was the plan to go with it. With the QB talk as of late, it looks like the Cards knew a whole lot and said little.

This lockout might have helped the Cards concentrate on the Draft alone, it sure looks like it.

 

[bg7brd]

There is no doubt in my mind.

As I still try to figure out what in the world happened to this draft---I've come to the realization that the Cardinals had a concrete plan all along---which accounts for them not reading the surprise players available to them when they picked.

The plan was this:

1-Patrick Peterson---he was the one they wanted and got, and even eschewed an offer of the #13, #44 and #107 picks from the Lions---which---if you go and see what the Cardinals could have accomplished with those picks is extremely tantaizing.

But---we all get that Peterson is a unique talent and worth staying at #5 for.

2-Ryan Williams---he said he was promised, and guess what...he was the scripted pick at #38---which explains why with DE Da'Quan Bowers and other pass rushers like Brooks Reed sitting there on the board, the Cardinals passed.

Some will say, yeah but Bowers doesn't fit the 34. Well, I beg to differ---because anyone who can line up at DE in the 4 man rush and bring ot the way Bowers can in that role is a major asset.

The thing is---what some may forget---if you can get pressure on the QB rushing 4 in the NFL, you are WAY ahead of the curve. This is the uxury that all teams crave and covet.

3-Rob Housler---the Cardinals knew that the odds were very well in their favor of Housler being available at #69---and they were correct.

Again, what they may not have ever imagined was that OLB/DE Justin Houston would be sitting there at that pick. Or QB Ryan Mallett.

Justin Houston---at #69---is a steal---and he will prove it. Yes, he had the failed marijuana test rap---and the other rap was that he took some plays off at Georgia---which, by the way, I rarely if ever saw of the numerous game tapes I watched of Houston. What this kid can do is rush the passer and players like that are a rare commodity.

4-Sam Acho---the Cardinals figured he would be there, and they were right. But, in case he wasn't, they had a 2nd and 3rd OLB choice ready at this pick. This IS the pick they targeted for the OLB position. My guess as to the 2nd pick: Chris Carter. 3rd pick: Jeremy Beal.

5-Anthony Sherman---this pick was locked in from the start.

6-Quan Sturdivant---this is the slot the Cardinals saved for addressing the ILB position---and they were surprised to see Sturdivant there, but had other players in mind. 2nd pick: Mario Harvey. 3rd pick: Mike Muhamed or Nick Bellore.

6-David Carter---locked in on this pick---he's the 34 DE they slated for the pick.

7-DeMarco Sampson---locked in---this is where they wanted to take a WR and Sampson was the player they were coveting here.

Thus---the only two flux spots in this draft were at the #4 and #6A picks where the intention was to take the best OLB and ILB on their board respectively.

At this point I could provide you with what the Cardinals could have done if they agreed to the Lions' generous offer---by now you've probably thought of the possibilities there---and man---when you look at the players that were there at those picks it makes all the more tantalizing---but hey, at this point it is water under the bridge.

All I can say is---with this scripted draft---which relegated the most pressing defensive needs to the back end of the draft---Mike Bidwill's avowed aggressive approach to free agency had better be good---or we will be staring at a 5-11 season or worse again this year...and may become a perennial cellar dwellar once again.

When this was brought up to Whiz and Graves, they both laughed. Come on Mitch, how many times have players been told that they were going to be "the pick"?

 

[82CardsGrad]

There is no doubt in my mind.

As I still try to figure out what in the world happened to this draft---I've come to the realization that the Cardinals had a concrete plan all along---which accounts for them not reading the surprise players available to them when they picked.

The plan was this:

1-Patrick Peterson---he was the one they wanted and got, and even eschewed an offer of the #13, #44 and #107 picks from the Lions---which---if you go and see what the Cardinals could have accomplished with those picks is extremely tantaizing.

But---we all get that Peterson is a unique talent and worth staying at #5 for.

2-Ryan Williams---he said he was promised, and guess what...he was the scripted pick at #38---which explains why with DE Da'Quan Bowers and other pass rushers like Brooks Reed sitting there on the board, the Cardinals passed.

Some will say, yeah but Bowers doesn't fit the 34. Well, I beg to differ---because anyone who can line up at DE in the 4 man rush and bring ot the way Bowers can in that role is a major asset.

The thing is---what some may forget---if you can get pressure on the QB rushing 4 in the NFL, you are WAY ahead of the curve. This is the uxury that all teams crave and covet.

3-Rob Housler---the Cardinals knew that the odds were very well in their favor of Housler being available at #69---and they were correct.

Again, what they may not have ever imagined was that OLB/DE Justin Houston would be sitting there at that pick. Or QB Ryan Mallett.

Justin Houston---at #69---is a steal---and he will prove it. Yes, he had the failed marijuana test rap---and the other rap was that he took some plays off at Georgia---which, by the way, I rarely if ever saw of the numerous game tapes I watched of Houston. What this kid can do is rush the passer and players like that are a rare commodity.

4-Sam Acho---the Cardinals figured he would be there, and they were right. But, in case he wasn't, they had a 2nd and 3rd OLB choice ready at this pick. This IS the pick they targeted for the OLB position. My guess as to the 2nd pick: Chris Carter. 3rd pick: Jeremy Beal.

5-Anthony Sherman---this pick was locked in from the start.

6-Quan Sturdivant---this is the slot the Cardinals saved for addressing the ILB position---and they were surprised to see Sturdivant there, but had other players in mind. 2nd pick: Mario Harvey. 3rd pick: Mike Muhamed or Nick Bellore.

6-David Carter---locked in on this pick---he's the 34 DE they slated for the pick.

7-DeMarco Sampson---locked in---this is where they wanted to take a WR and Sampson was the player they were coveting here.

Thus---the only two flux spots in this draft were at the #4 and #6A picks where the intention was to take the best OLB and ILB on their board respectively.

At this point I could provide you with what the Cardinals could have done if they agreed to the Lions' generous offer---by now you've probably thought of the possibilities there---and man---when you look at the players that were there at those picks it makes all the more tantalizing---but hey, at this point it is water under the bridge.

All I can say is---with this scripted draft---which relegated the most pressing defensive needs to the back end of the draft---Mike Bidwill's avowed aggressive approach to free agency had better be good---or we will be staring at a 5-11 season or worse again this year...and may become a perennial cellar dwellar once again.

Mitch, nothing that you offer would have made anymore of an immediate impact than what was done by the Cards. Not even risking our #38 pick on a guy who is questionable as a 3-4 DE and who is coming off of microfracture knee surgery in Bowers...
The ONLY thing that could change our fortunes in the coming year or two is what gets done at the QB position. And there was nothing in the draft that offered this potential. To be sure, 2011 always hinged on what we did in Free Agency to address the QB position. Period.
This team has been worse than sucky at TE forever... so, I am certainly not going to fault them for taking a shot on a very, very intriguing prospect in Housler. The kid is an athletic freak... Can he block and catch at the NFL level? We'll soon see. But if he can, I'm pretty certain you'll be back here singing his praises.
I'm not particularly crazy about drafting a Fullback so the Sherman pick is without a doubt the most questionable pick of the bunch for me... But again, we have sucked so badly at this position for so long, if Sherman actually pans out, it could be a huge enhancement to our offense.

I can't help but feel the only way you would have been satisfied is if the Cards solely drafted defensive end and linebackers....

 

[Russ Smith]

Mitch with all due respect, you're totally overthinking it.

Peterson was the best player in the draft IMHO, we got him 5th, great pick. I looked at what we could have had making the Lions deal, I don't see us getting more than one impact player right away, if that. I wouldn't have taken the deal either.

There's a reason Bowers fell, apparently you didn't think he would, but I'm guessing most NFL teams figured he would because they had the same medical information on his knee. After what the Cards saw with Wadsworth, Swann and Mark Smith why in the world would you want them to spend a 2 on a guy who was falling because his knee was apparently damaged goods? The re-check on his knee showed signs of longterm arthritis and weakness in the surgically repaired knee.

Justin Houston allegedly failed THREE drug tests, again, every team in the NFL would have that information so the Cards were likely NOT surprised he was still there, they just knew why and made the decision they didn't want to use the pick on a kid who knowing he'd be tested still managed to fail 3 times.

Another reason I don't agree is they told us they were going to take a QB between the 2nd and 4th rounds. They have been pretty consistent over the years doing what they say they will, people brought this up repeatedly during the draft. So if this was scripted, why didn't we take a QB? Because when our picks came up there were players on the board we had rated higher than any of the QB's.

If anything you're giving them too much credit if you really think they can forecast the entire draft that far in advance that they knew all those guys would be there when they picked.

 

[Folster]

Our brass has stated repeatedly that we had a board of 120 players and we routinely picked BPA based on that board. After watching the Bill Parcells special about the draft. It's possible and likely that the Cards had flags on players like Bowers and Houston to the point that they would not take them under any circumstance. A lot of teams passed on those guys repeatedly. And I disagree that we had Acho penciled in for the for the 4th round. Many mocks had him projected much higher. I imagine he was close to BPA on our board at the time.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Another reason I don't agree is they told us they were going to take a QB between the 2nd and 4th rounds. They have been pretty consistent over the years doing what they say they will, people brought this up repeatedly during the draft. So if this was scripted, why didn't we take a QB? Because when our picks came up there were players on the board we had rated higher than any of the QB's.

Great point Russ.... I was thinking that they may very well have had their sights on Locker. But we'll most likely never know...

 

[kerouac9]

IMO the Cards stacked their board with players that they thought they wanted, and it turned out that they didn't like the pass rushers available very much, and they didn't like any of the offensive linemen (considering their track record of getting offensive linemen under Grimm/Whis, I'm not sure I can argue otherwise). None of the conversion projects that they could've drafted would've been any better than they guy they already had in O'Brien Schofield, so they took a pass and worked at other positions.

As I said in my own thread, I think the Cards took the best players that they had and stacked their 120 board with very little regard for positional need. If these players work out (especially Ryan Williams and Housler), then it's a great credit to the scouting staff and Steve Keim may not be with us much longer.

If the picks don't work out, then we'll be looking at a strong general manager and a new head coaching staff very soon. One canny thing that Whis has done during his tenure here is make frequent changes to his defensive staff, which always gives us the impression that we should let his changes take one more year to fall into place, otherwise the investment in those coaches is wasted.

 

[football karma]

As I said in my own thread, I think the Cards took the best players that they had and stacked their 120 board with very little regard for positional need. If these players work out (especially Ryan Williams and Housler), then it's a great credit to the scouting staff and Steve Keim may not be with us much longer.

i wonder if this was a permanent change, or in response to the draft being ahead of free agency.

I hope its a long term change

in my meta view:

People sometimes forget that Mike Bidwill is a "new" owner. Ken W got real personnel input for the first time in his career three years ago. Graves is such a consensus guy that he was going to go with the flow, and temper only the more extreme points from the other two.

Hopefully Mike B learned from the Suggs fiasco -- maybe as they turned down the Lions attractive package. Hopefully Whis learned from the Levi Brown miss--- at least Larry F says so.

we will see

 

[Mainstreet]

ESPN had an announcer that covered Bowers medical condition in quite some detail during the draft. His knee injury is reportedly quite serious and he may need another operation which potentially could put him out of football conceivably for quite some time. I believe his knee was described as loose now and the dreaded word micro-fracture was even mentioned. After that report I was only curious to know which team would take a chance on him. I wish him the best and hope he proves everyone wrong.

 

[Pariah]

Mitch with all due respect, you're totally overthinking it.

Exactly.

 

[Krangodnzr]

There is no doubt in my mind.

As I still try to figure out what in the world happened to this draft---I've come to the realization that the Cardinals had a concrete plan all along---which accounts for them not reading the surprise players available to them when they picked.

The plan was this:

1-Patrick Peterson---he was the one they wanted and got, and even eschewed an offer of the #13, #44 and #107 picks from the Lions---which---if you go and see what the Cardinals could have accomplished with those picks is extremely tantalizing.

But---we all get that Peterson is a unique talent and worth staying at #5 for.

I agree that this would've been a haul and IMO I think we should've taken it and then drafted BPA here. But I think the Cardinals believed that after the top four players were gone (Dareus, Miller, Peterson, and Green) that the drop off in talent was significant. My only issue is that we could've added multiple playmakers with those aforementioned picks.

2-Ryan Williams---he said he was promised, and guess what...either way he was the scripted pick at #38---which explains why with DE Da'Quan Bowers and other pass rushers like Brooks Reed sitting there on the board, the Cardinals passed.

I remember hearing that we promised Peyton Manning we would draft him if he was available with our #2 overall in 1998. I'm kidding, but that's illustrating a point: If the Cards believed that Ryan Williams was worthy of a #15 spot on their big board, then the 14 higher ranked players were likely gone. And I can understand Bowers NOT being ranked higher since he A) Isn't a great fit as a 3-4 end B) was a one season wonder C) has had a questionable motor in college D) has major knee issues. So Ryan Williams is a lot less risky and fills a major need for one of the worst offenses in football last year.

I disagree on Brooks Reed wholeheartedly. I was one of the major detractors of Brooks Reed on this board before the draft. He wasn't that productive in college and is a big time project to convert to 3-4 OLB. Like Joeshmo has pointed out on numerous occasions, there is virtually no examples of a defensive end converting to 3-4 OLB and being productive in year one. We need immediate impact and Williams IMO is more likely to provide that since he can not only impact the running game but also the passing game.

Some will say, yeah but Bowers doesn't fit the 34. Well, I beg to differ---because anyone who can line up at DE in the 4 man rush and bring it the way Bowers can in that role is a major asset.

The thing is---what some may forget---if you can get pressure on the QB rushing 4 in the NFL, you are WAY ahead of the curve. This is the luxury that all teams crave and covet.

See above.

3-Rob Housler---the Cardinals knew that the odds were very well in their favor of Housler being available at #69---and they were correct.

Again, what they may not have ever imagined was that OLB/DE Justin Houston would be sitting there at that pick. Or QB Ryan Mallett.

I really like Mallett, but I understand where the Cardinals are coming from; we need a long term solution at QB and we don't need two young guys on the roster. Mallett fell into the perfect slot where he can sit and hone his skills and get his mind right after what has to be a traumatizing draft experience.

Justin Houston---at #69---is a steal---and he will prove it. Yes, he had the failed marijuana test rap---and the other rap was that he took some plays off at Georgia---which, by the way, I rarely if ever saw of the numerous game tapes I watched of Houston. What this kid can do is rush the passer and players like that are a rare commodity.

I really like Justin Houston, but admittedly I haven't watched a ton of tape on him. The football minds I trust have statedly repeatedly that when you watch his highlights he's an amazing player, but other than his highlights he's virtually invisible. He's one of those players that will have a bad 2 sack game. If he was such a stud you'd think that teams would have drafted him higher....

And obviously he's failed two drug tests so character is a huge, waving red flag.

4-Sam Acho---the Cardinals figured he would be there, and they were right. But, in case he wasn't, they had a 2nd and 3rd OLB choice ready at this pick. This IS the pick they targeted for the OLB position. My guess as to the 2nd pick: Chris Carter. 3rd pick: Jeremy Beal.

IMO Sam Acho WAS BPA at this spot, first day productions but a few warts as a prospect. If Acho had gone off the board at the end of the second round would you have thought it was a reach? I wouldn't have, though I didn't think he was great value there. In the fourth round, he was a great pick however.

5-Anthony Sherman---this pick was locked in from the start.

6-Quan Sturdivant---this is the slot the Cardinals saved for addressing the ILB position---and they were surprised to see Sturdivant there, but had other players in mind. 2nd pick: Mario Harvey. 3rd pick: Mike Muhamed or Nick Bellore.

6-David Carter---locked in on this pick---he's the 34 DE they slated for the pick.

7-DeMarco Sampson---locked in---this is where they wanted to take a WR and Sampson was the player they were coveting here.

Thus---the only two flux spots in this draft were at the #4 and #6A picks where the intention was to take the best OLB and ILB on their board respectively.

At this point I could provide you with what the Cardinals could have done if they agreed to the Lions' generous offer---by now you've probably thought of the possibilities there---and man---when you look at the players that were there at those picks it makes all the more tantalizing---but hey, at this point it is water under the bridge.

All I can say is---with this scripted draft---which relegated the most pressing defensive needs to the back end of the draft---Mike Bidwill's avowed aggressive approach to free agency had better be good---or we will be staring at a 5-11 season or worse again this year...and may become a perennial cellar dwellar once again.[/QUOTE]

I disagree with your basic premise to begin with so I don't need to comment any further.

 

[lobo]

Exactly.

I'm under the tent with this comment. However I will give them credit for thinking the draft combined with knowing what they are going to attempt to do when free agency comes about. There is a good reason for some obvious omissions and chances are some thoughtful thinking when combined with their free agency agenda. Let's hope I am right and the missing pieces to the puzzle are clearly addressed.

 

[ReddBird]

Mitch with all due respect, you're totally overthinking it.

Yeah.

But I love that you take the time to over-think it, Mitch. I enjoy your posts.

 

[conraddobler]

There's nothing particularly terrible about this draft other than our glaring hole at Lber IMO.

The option to fill the QB spot with a veteran is what I expected all along, and our team is terrible at drafting QB's, just spot on awful so it's probably better we didn't.

That all being said, there's a reason we have been so bad so long, our overall strategy IMO is lacking bigtime, the big picture IMO is horribly lacking.

BPA is much better than what we had in the past, but what we had in the past was so bad that it'd be tough absent trying, to do much worse.

We got good players, it's just slapdash IMO, the only thing I can say about it is that it looks like someone thinks BPA is the ONLY criteria, and that IMO is as wrong as drafting solely for need.

We aren't good enough to do strict BPA, not when we run a 3/4 with no stud lbers, it's just amazing that we think we're going to get away with this.

This team isn't as a badly run as it has been in the past, the amount of upgrading it's undergone is pretty big, but the gap was monsterous.

There's only a handful of teams that are ever going to be in contention to win a SB, I think our efforts to join that group are going to hit a big wall of goo.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

When this was brought up to Whiz and Graves, they both laughed. Come on Mitch, how many times have players been told that they were going to be "the pick"?

They neither laughed or denied it. Multiple inside sources verified it. Even a homer like me can call a spade a spade.

 

[Mainstreet]

They neither laughed or denied it. Multiple inside sources verified it. Even a homer like me can call a spade a spade.

As I recall, even Whiz said he was going to check it out with his staff chuckling or not. I like the Cardinals went for play makers early in the draft.

 

[bg7brd]

They neither laughed or denied it. Multiple inside sources verified it. Even a homer like me can call a spade a spade.

See it for yourself.

http://www.azcardinals.com/photos-v...wo-Recap/b91120c0-af45-43c5-ba2d-d3cafa7ad941

 

[desertdawg]

Another part that was cool for me (in the draft) was how the Cards let everybody go QB crazy. Then when it died down, the Cards released a "whatever" saying they would be going QB soon, I don't think they ever planned too, (K9 even won a bet on this) perhaps the move to entice other teams to pick QBs, which would help our draft options in a sense.

A few teams went QB early in the draft, that really helped us with our competition and us going either Kolb/Palmer. I gotta hand it to these guys, stuff looks pretty good right now on offense.

My biggest wishes were a new worthy QB and a new DC. The new DC is here, he got Peterson right away, talk about a dream fit. He also kept mentioning our #1 redzone defense, which I was always hung up on because it didn't make no sense. How can you be worst in the NFL in most categories concerning defense, and have the #1 redzone?

Horton got Peterson, and has this year to not only improve our D, but also figure out what it needs. I know, I'm a dork.

 

[Gee!]

For The Love Of God! <-Chris Farley voice

Can someone please get Mitch some female lovin?

He has become dillusional with thinking of the Cards every waking second..

 

[Seandonic]

This is Whiz's defining year

I could not agree more with this...and have been saying it for quite some time. This off-season is HUGE for Whiz and more importantly...for the Cardinals.

Mitch with all due respect, you're totally overthinking it.

This is true, but...isn't this what makes Mitch's post fun to read. Agree with them or not, at least they are interesting and very well thought out.

I personally don't think the draft was "scripted". They just stuck with the best player available philosophy a little more than need based picks this year.

I also think that this draft will appear a lot less BPA driven when the dust settles. There was more need based thinking behind these picks than anyone outside the organization realizes at this point...IMHO. In other words...changes are coming.

 

[Duckjake]

Like Joeshmo has pointed out on numerous occasions, there is virtually no examples of a defensive end converting to 3-4 OLB and being productive in year one.

DeMarcus Ware and Brian Orakpo come to mind.

But that being said I don't think there were any guys with that kind of talent in this draft.

 

[Cardiac]

Bowers does you no good sitting in the trainers room during games or losing a season to micro surgery. The fire zone blitz that Horton will install needs players that fit the 3-4 defense. Having a 4-3 DE on the team is not an option.

Houston does you no good being suspended due to drug usage. Does he start off with one strike already or does he have to earn that as an official NFL player?

Sherman will get as many snaps as just about any rookie this year. He will play on every special teams unit and get some snaps on offense. Getting a 5th rd pick that plays that much as a rookie is truly impactful.

Quan in the 6th rd, this is where the Cards will look past minor drug issues.

I do think the we will address the QB situation in rds 2-4 was a smoke screen.

I'm not going to say we shouldn't have drafted PP7 instead of getting those picks from the Lions but I would have made the deal. Yes PP7 could be the next Woodson but if he gets injured then the pick is not so impactful.

Some are saying that if PP7 is your starting CB then he shouldn't be used returning punts and especially not kick offs. They sight Devon Hestor and his drop off in the return game when he was a starter on the offense.

If you are drafting BPA with less focus on need then in the past and you have extra picks then it is easier to get 2 or 3 players to help the team.

Every team needs playmakers and if PP7 is everything that most people think he will be then drafting him was the right/safer decision.

 

[JeffGollin]

IMO the Cards stacked their board with players that they thought they wanted, and it turned out that they didn't like the pass rushers available very much, and they didn't like any of the offensive linemen...I think the Cards took the best players that they had and stacked their 120 board with very little regard for positional need...

I agree with this assessment.

Wiz said something along the lines of his first 5 picks being rated within their Top 60 picks.

The way each team's boards seem to vary (often wildly) in their player rankings, I'd doubt that the Cards were able to know in advance precisely which players in their Top 60 would come tumbling off their board so that they could draft 5 targeted players.

In fact, that's the way we used to draft during the Coach Mac era - where we'd target specific players and then (with the exception of the first round for obvious reasons) draft them one round earlier than they were projected to be drafted "to make sure we got 'em"). The dangers in doing so were (1) in our obsession to draft a certain player, we'd overlook a much more highly-rated player who happened to fall thru the cracks and (2) we consistently drafted guys who were one-round less valuable than they should have been and gradually eroded the overall talent on our roster.

It wasn't until Denny G (for all his other shortcomings) and Wiz came aboard that we started to draft players representing good value for the pick and gradually improved the over talent-level of the team.

Mitch - I'm just guessing that we did not target Ryan Williams at #38. I believe he was rated #15 on our board and when he unexpectedly fell that far to us, we had to jump on that puppy.

 

[Duckjake]

Another part that was cool for me (in the draft) was how the Cards let everybody go QB crazy. Then when it died down, the Cards released a "whatever" saying they would be going QB soon, I don't think they ever planned too, (K9 even won a bet on this) perhaps the move to entice other teams to pick QBs, which would help our draft options in a sense.

A few teams went QB early in the draft, that really helped us with our competition and us going either Kolb/Palmer. I gotta hand it to these guys, stuff looks pretty good right now on offense.

My biggest wishes were a new worthy QB and a new DC. The new DC is here, he got Peterson right away, talk about a dream fit. He also kept mentioning our #1 redzone defense, which I was always hung up on because it didn't make no sense. How can you be worst in the NFL in most categories concerning defense, and have the #1 redzone?

Horton got Peterson, and has this year to not only improve our D, but also figure out what it needs. I know, I'm a dork.

Simple our pass coverage was terrible especially when they had to cover deep threats and the Cards were too small to really be playing a 3-4. Once the field got compressed it became easier for our secondary to cover and the Cards got bigger along the line. Guys like Branch and Williams and Watson came into the game.