The trade was in the works for a week...which likely means the terms were agreed in principle to before the Bears/Jets trade. Early in the week this trade would have seemed more feasible, but by draft day the trade looked all the more dubious because of what the Bears got for the #4 pick.
The Cardinals' plan backfired, there's little question of that...partly because Jerome McDougle was swiped away at #15...partly because the run on defensive linemen was fast and furious...and partly because the Cardinals shot themselves in the foot by swapping the second round picks. The Cardinals could have selected WR Bryant Johnson as expected and then traded the #18 pick, but once it became clear that the top defensive linemen were being taken like hot stock options, the Cardinals couldn't risk trading the #18 pick for a middle to late second rounder. Had the Cardinals been able to keep their #37 second round pick, they could have traded the #18 with the notion that Calvin Pace would have been available at #37.
The biggest dilemma at #18 must have become whether to select the last of the heralded 1st round defensive linemen: DT William Joseph. Once again the Cardinals had shot themselves in the foot by re-signing Russell Davis and Barron Tanner before the draft. While Joseph would have normally been a highly attractive pick at that spot, the Cardinals HAD to come away with a DE...by hook or by crook. Because Suggs, Haynes and McDougle had all been taken the Cardinals basically had to choose between Calvin Pace, Chris Kelsay, Tyler Brayton, Corey Redding, Dewayne White or Alonzo Jackson. Pace was rising on a lot of draft charts...in fact, Mel Kiper recently moved him up to #38 on his board.
Is Calvin Pace worthy of the #18 pick? Nobody thinks so. But, the Cardinals couldn't risk that Pace would be available at #54...and they probably were right. Just the same, Calvin Pace may be a better fit for the Cardinals as a three down DE than Terrell Suggs. Whether any of you want to ignore the obvious or not...Terrell Suggs needs to play at 252 pounds and therefore is ideally a three down 3-4 Sam LB...which is exactly how Baltimore is going to use him. The Cardinals' dilemma was...and it IS a valid one...they would either have to pay Suggs #6 money to be a situational pass rusher in the 4-3 or switch their base defense to the 3-4. We have been arguing for quite some time as to what defense best serves the Cardinals' current talent base on defense...and many of you have rightly ascertained that Mac and Marmie are 4-3 proponents. Calvin Pace, on the other hand, has the size, quickness and strength to be a three down DE in the 4-3, which is why the Cardinals tabbed him.
They wanted McDougle...and while the Cardinals may have initially looked silly, the Cardinals may have lucked out. McDougle clearly has intelligence/character issues...any guy who on the eve of the most important event of his life...chooses to resist authority and get arrested...has to be questioned. In addition, if you watch McDougle on tape he's a terrific athlete, no question, but he and fellow primadonna William Joseph were frequently pounded in the running game this past season. Neither one of them is a consistent stalwart at the point of attack...which is more a question of toughness and character than anything else, because these guys are physically gifted.
I would just remind everyone that Rod Graves is a relative rookie when it comes to being the top person in charge of free agency and the draft. We have to cut him a little slack. He was being proactive by trading down in order to address multiple needs. In retrospect, his biggest mistake was swapping the 2nd round picks and I'm sure he recognizes this.
Rod Graves strikes me as a man of real integrity. He has been working diligently to improve the quality and character of this football team. He has asked us to be patient...and I believe we should honor his wish. He is learning a great deal every day on the job and this will make him all the more savvy today and tomorrow. Of course, it would be a real boon if Calvin Pace turns out to be a productive DE in the Cardinals' system. Who knows? Maybe Graves will come out of this looking like a genius. If not, he will certainly come out of this more prepared for the next draft.
The Cardinals' plan backfired, there's little question of that...partly because Jerome McDougle was swiped away at #15...partly because the run on defensive linemen was fast and furious...and partly because the Cardinals shot themselves in the foot by swapping the second round picks. The Cardinals could have selected WR Bryant Johnson as expected and then traded the #18 pick, but once it became clear that the top defensive linemen were being taken like hot stock options, the Cardinals couldn't risk trading the #18 pick for a middle to late second rounder. Had the Cardinals been able to keep their #37 second round pick, they could have traded the #18 with the notion that Calvin Pace would have been available at #37.
The biggest dilemma at #18 must have become whether to select the last of the heralded 1st round defensive linemen: DT William Joseph. Once again the Cardinals had shot themselves in the foot by re-signing Russell Davis and Barron Tanner before the draft. While Joseph would have normally been a highly attractive pick at that spot, the Cardinals HAD to come away with a DE...by hook or by crook. Because Suggs, Haynes and McDougle had all been taken the Cardinals basically had to choose between Calvin Pace, Chris Kelsay, Tyler Brayton, Corey Redding, Dewayne White or Alonzo Jackson. Pace was rising on a lot of draft charts...in fact, Mel Kiper recently moved him up to #38 on his board.
Is Calvin Pace worthy of the #18 pick? Nobody thinks so. But, the Cardinals couldn't risk that Pace would be available at #54...and they probably were right. Just the same, Calvin Pace may be a better fit for the Cardinals as a three down DE than Terrell Suggs. Whether any of you want to ignore the obvious or not...Terrell Suggs needs to play at 252 pounds and therefore is ideally a three down 3-4 Sam LB...which is exactly how Baltimore is going to use him. The Cardinals' dilemma was...and it IS a valid one...they would either have to pay Suggs #6 money to be a situational pass rusher in the 4-3 or switch their base defense to the 3-4. We have been arguing for quite some time as to what defense best serves the Cardinals' current talent base on defense...and many of you have rightly ascertained that Mac and Marmie are 4-3 proponents. Calvin Pace, on the other hand, has the size, quickness and strength to be a three down DE in the 4-3, which is why the Cardinals tabbed him.
They wanted McDougle...and while the Cardinals may have initially looked silly, the Cardinals may have lucked out. McDougle clearly has intelligence/character issues...any guy who on the eve of the most important event of his life...chooses to resist authority and get arrested...has to be questioned. In addition, if you watch McDougle on tape he's a terrific athlete, no question, but he and fellow primadonna William Joseph were frequently pounded in the running game this past season. Neither one of them is a consistent stalwart at the point of attack...which is more a question of toughness and character than anything else, because these guys are physically gifted.
I would just remind everyone that Rod Graves is a relative rookie when it comes to being the top person in charge of free agency and the draft. We have to cut him a little slack. He was being proactive by trading down in order to address multiple needs. In retrospect, his biggest mistake was swapping the 2nd round picks and I'm sure he recognizes this.
Rod Graves strikes me as a man of real integrity. He has been working diligently to improve the quality and character of this football team. He has asked us to be patient...and I believe we should honor his wish. He is learning a great deal every day on the job and this will make him all the more savvy today and tomorrow. Of course, it would be a real boon if Calvin Pace turns out to be a productive DE in the Cardinals' system. Who knows? Maybe Graves will come out of this looking like a genius. If not, he will certainly come out of this more prepared for the next draft.
