The Stupidest Off-Season Plan I Can Think Of---a Snow Day Special

[LuckyNumber11]

One other thing I learned, Lucky 11...with extra picks, you have the luxury of taking a guy like RB Marcus Lattimore. That sure could quite the Adrian Peterson tears, if and when Lattimore gets 100%.

Or take a chance on a guy like Tyrann Mathieu. The more the merrier!

 

[Mitch]

Or take a chance on a guy like Tyrann Mathieu. The more the merrier!

Exactly. Honey Cardinal...what a thought!

 

[GatorAZ]

Warmack and Warford would be awesome. Unfortunately stiffs like Colledge and Snyder cost too much to release.

 

[Jetstream Green]

It will be very interesting to compare their NFL records.

I had no interest whatsoever in Barkley but the more I hear draft guys talk about him (guys who I would like to think know more than me, who invest all year into judging talent), the more I have warmed to him. It seems Barkley does do one thing Leinart never did, he works his butt off and treats the position seriously...and I do not mean treating it seriously ala De WRECK Anderson

 

[cardpa]

I do my crazy off-season plan once a year---and while it requires hours of work---I wind up learning a lot.

I, myself, don't take the plan seriously, as it will never happen, but along the way i discover aspects about the difficult decisions that need to be considered and made...it also helps me zero in on the players I like in each round of the draft.

Here's what I learned this time:

1. Welcome to Disner World!

Mike Disner (the new Dir. of Football Adm.) and Debbie Pollom (Exec. Asst.) have quite a challenge on their hands, dealing with bad contracts and the task of creating some wiggle room for signing the team's own free agents and hopefully a few new FAs from other teams.

2. Salary Cuts:

It would seem likely that the FO is going to have to ask a number of the Cardinals veterans to take salary cuts---and based on recent performances several of them clearly are not performing on a level commensurate with what they are being paid.

The veteran players that immediately come to mind are:

Kevin Kolb
Daryn Colledge
Adam Snyder
Lyle Sendlein
Early Doucet
Stewart Bradley
William Gay

The team doesn't lose much by releasing Doucet and Gay---which would clear over $5M of cap space right there.

I was going to list Darnell Dockett, but maybe going back to his old role as a one gap penetrator will boost his performance and production.

But, what happens if Kolb, Colledge, Snyder, Sendlein and/or Bradley are not amenable to taking pay cuts?

If that's the case, the decisions become even tougher.

The reality is the Cardinals are going to have to eat some money---if they intend on upgrading the talent.

This is where Disner and Pollom can figure out the best ways to pay the dead money off.

3. Fitzgerald.

This is the hardest scenario of all---because his next three years of cap huts are 2013---$10.25M; 2014---$18M; 2015---$21.25M.

The profound irony is that as much as Fitzgerald insists he want a ring, his salary prevents the team from acquiring a championship level supporting cast.

Of course, I don't want to trade him---but I have issues with him beyond the money as well.

This organization has become more about him than the team and that really bothers and concerns me.

There are other loyal veterans on this team who have toiled very hard for years and wanted desperately to win a ring---

It also concerns me how easily Fitzgerald was bracketed this year---the elite WRs in the league can find ways to beat double teams. Fitzgerald is getting worse at it---yes partly because he's dis-spirited by it and also because he is playing slower than ever before.

4. Rhodes and Wilson.

They take up over 1/12th of the cap---one can make a case for Rhodes staying at $6M. I don't think he's worth that as FS, but he did play well this year and if he forced the run from the FS position it would make $6M seem more acceptable, but what he really is is a SS. If he plays SS, I am ok with $6M.

As for Wilson---it's heartbreaking because you love the guy---but he no longer is a willing tackler and he still seems prone to coverage blunders. His $4.925M cap figure is too high.

What Wilson needs to be at this point in his career is a situational defender/blitzer---a nickel attacker from the edge or up the middle and sometimes underneath cover man. But, $4.925 is too much to pay for a situational player.

5. Kolb and the QB Situation:

I was never in favor of the Kolb contract---I also questioned his toughness when he was in Philly and during year 1 with the Cardinals. This past year I was impressed with the way he hung in there, and I think that the way he was called out in pre-season by DT Tommy Kelly was the best thing that could have happened to him---it sure motivated him.

Even though I was happy to see Kolb step up, I still didn't see a franchise QB in Kolb....not one worth paying 1/12 of the salary cap on.

The other options in FA and the draft leave a great deal of question marks.

The only solace I feel at this point is that I feel confident that once BA and TM identify their QB we will become excited about the QB position once again.

Who that QB is---I have no idea.

If the decision is to continue to feed Kolb's enormous bank account and to continue to bide out time with him, I will feel very disappointed.

Thus---to me the Kolb decision is a no-brainer as in no mas. Move on.

I have no problems asking any of these guys to take salary cuts as they haven't played up to the salary they are drawing. What I do find interesting is no one has mentioned asking Fitz to restructure his contract. Mitch makes a very interesting point about Larry not being able to break double teams almost at all last year. He is right in saying the elite ones do find ways to beat double teams. It's fair to say the QB situation hasn't helped however Fitz was also not at the top of his game last season either.

If he truly wants that ring he has to know his salary is a problem for the team. What is he willing to do to help in this situation.

 

[Sam Wise]

I think Rhodes is way overrated. The Defense didn't miss a beat when he went out the last half of 2011. Always seemed to me to be a Frank Sanders kind of player. Makes a great play and then blows the easy one.

Rashad Johnson and Larry Sanders can play the position just as well at much less cost. It would also be great to get a guy like Baccari Rambo in this year's draft.

In 2011 we didn't miss a beat because we had Marshall who is a pure DB and could play any position. As far as Johnson and Sanders, Johnson finally played well last year AS A BACK UP, James Sanders was cut from the Patriots and Atlanta before coming here AS A BACK UP. Both are remembered for their TD scores. Johnson is a filler and a SS, and can play, but to call Rhodes over rated is just dumb, watch his coverage of Gronkowski when we played the Pats, Gronk had one play, his TD, and Rhodes covered him as good as could be done without PI. Rhodes doesn't blow many, most are done because he tries to lay shoulder wood and well, he's lean.

 

[Duckjake]

In 2011 we didn't miss a beat because we had Marshall who is a pure DB and could play any position. As far as Johnson and Sanders, Johnson finally played well last year AS A BACK UP, James Sanders was cut from the Patriots and Atlanta before coming here AS A BACK UP. Both are remembered for their TD scores. Johnson is a filler and a SS, and can play, but to call Rhodes over rated is just dumb, watch his coverage of Gronkowski when we played the Pats, Gronk had one play, his TD, and Rhodes covered him as good as could be done without PI. Rhodes doesn't blow many, most are done because he tries to lay shoulder wood and well, he's lean.

Oh yeah. Marshall, a CB, was able to replace Rhodes and the D didn't miss a beat and the Cardinals thought so highly of Marshall they let him go to Miami.

Gronkowski had 6 catches in that game despite the other TE being out. Rhodes is 30, not a star caliber player and can be replaced by a younger guy at half the cost.

 

[Sam Wise]

Oh yeah. Marshall, a CB, was able to replace Rhodes and the D didn't miss a beat and the Cardinals thought so highly of Marshall they let him go to Miami.

Gronkowski had 6 catches in that game despite the other TE being out. Rhodes is 30, not a star caliber player and can be replaced by a younger guy at half the cost.

Did you watch the 2011 season? Marshall was the only reason we didn't miss a beat, was named defensive MVP by the team, oh yeah got a 3yr/16mil deal we couldn't match.

 

[Duckjake]

Did you watch the 2011 season? Marshall was the only reason we didn't miss a beat, was named defensive MVP by the team, oh yeah got a 3yr/16mil deal we couldn't match.

No he wasn't. Horton called him his Defensive MVP. Never heard Horton call Rhodes that did you? And of course after signing a contract the Cards could have matched but didn't want to Marshall "struggled in coverage" before getting hurt in Miami and will probably be released to save the Dolphins cap space.

 

[john h]

1. Roster Trimming

The following players, imo, are not worth their current salaries this year and moving forward: (2013 Cap Figures in Parenthesis)

QB Kevin Kolb ($13.5M)
DE Darnell Dockett ($7.7M)
G Daryn Colledge ($7.275M)
LB Stewart Bradley ($$6.5M)
S Kerry Rhodes ($6M)
S Adrian Wilson ($4.93M)
G Adam Snyder ($4M)
C Lyle Sendlein ($3.675M)
CB William Gay ($3.675M)
RB Beanie Wells ($2.42M)
WR Early Doucet ($2.25M)

By getting all of these players off the books via trades or releases, the Cardinals would be saving $41.2M in base salaries and $11.9M in miscellaneous bonuses.

They would also be on the hook for $25.3M in guaranteed money---some of which we could elect to defer---but, in my play, we are going to take care of it all this year.

After the deductions, what this clears is $27.7M in cap space.

2. Larry Fitzgerald.

This year he only counts $10.25 versus the cap. However, his cap figure jumps to astronomic proportions the next two years: to $18M in 2014 and to $21.25M in 2015.

if we were to trade him now, we still owe him $18M in guaranteed money.

Trading Fitzgerald while his stock remains sky-high is going to help the team in the long run.

The Vikings have offered their 1st (#23) and 3rd (#83) round picks and their 2014 2nd rounder.

I am taking this deal.

We recover Fitzgerlad's $5M base salary---so I am going to put that and $5M more to paying it off this year, which now leave me with $22.1M...with $8M to pay on next year's cap.

3. Levi Brown.

He counts $6.4M on the cap this year---and he has $6.6M in guaranteed money---I am going to have him restructure his deal so that his cap hit for this year is $3.4M.

Now I have $27.4M to take to the FA market.

4. More Trades:

DE Darnell Dockett to the Dolphins for their 4th round pick (#108) and their 7th round pick (#201). (Makes him happy and after they lose Randy Starks to FA, Dockett fills a big need)

S Kerry Rhodes to the Falcons for their 5th round pick (#156). They lose William Moore to free agency and need a FS.

S Adrian Wilson to the Eagles for their 5th round pick (#129). (Per the urgings of new Eagles' DC Bill Davis)

RB Beanie Wells to the Giants for their 5th round pick (#145). They need RBs and want to roll the dice on Wells.

5. Free Agent Signings:

*QB Matt Moore (6-3, 203, 7, Oregon St.)---3/$16M+incstvs/$5MSB/$5M cap
*DE Randy Starks (6-3, 305, 10, Maryland)---3/$18M/$8MSB/$6M cap
*WR Mike Wallace (6-0, 199, 5, Mississippi)---4/$30M/$10MSB/$5M cap
*CB Greg Toler (6-0, 192, 5, St. Paul's)---3/$12M/$5MSB/$4M
*FS Rashad Johnson (5-11, 204, 5, Alabama)---2/$3M/$1MSB/$1M cap
*OLB/DE Quinton Groves (6-3, 265, Auburn)---2/$3M/$1MSB/$1M cap
*CB Michael Adams (5-8, 181, 6, LA-Lafeyette)---2/$2M/$1MSB/$$1M cap

Total on 2013 Cap: $23M

Still $4.4 over---and I need to subtract the draft allocation---but at this point it's close enough.

6. 2013 Arizona Cardinals Draft:

1 (#7): Chance Warmack, G, Alabama
1 (#21): Barrett Jones, C, Alabama
2 (#38): Larry Warford, G, Kentucky
3(#69): Corey Lemonier, DE/OLB, Auburn
3 (#83): Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina
4 (#100): Tavares King, WR, Georgia
4 (#108): Nigel Malone, CB, Kansas St.
5 (#129): Zeke Motta, S, Notre Dame
5 (#133): Jake Stoneburner, TE, Ohio St.
5 (#145): David Quessenberry, T/G, San Jose St.
5 (#156): Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas St.
6 (#165): Duke Williams, S, Nevada
6 (#166): Sean Renfree, QB, Duke
6 (#179): Meshak Williams, OLB/DE, Kansas St.
7 (#201): Sheldon Price, CB/S, UCLA

7. 2013 Arizona Cardinals Depth Chart:

Offense:

LT Levi Brown/Nate Potter
LG Chance Warmack/Senio Kelemete
C Barrett Jones/Senio Kelemete/David Quessenberry
RG Larry Warford/David Quessenberry
RT Bobbie Massie/Levi Brown/David Quessenberry

TE Rob Housler/Jeff King/Jake Stoneburner/HB Anthony Sherman
WR Mike Wallace/Tavares King
WR Michael Floyd/Andre Roberts/LaRon Byrd

QB Matt Moore/John Skelton/Sean Renfree
RB Ryan Williams/Marcus Lattimore*/William Powell/Fozzy Whitaker

Defense:

LDE: Randy Starks/David Carter
NT: David Williams/Rickey Lumpkin
RDE: Calais Campbell/David Carter/Ronald Talley

LOLB: Sam Acho/Quinton Groves/Zach Nash/Meshak Williams
LILB: Reggie Walker/Colin Parker
RILB: Daryl Washington/Arthur Brown
ROLB: Corey Lemonier/O'Brien Schofield/Zach Nash

LCB: Patrick Peterson/Michael Adams/Sheldon Price
FS: Rashad Johnson/Duke Williams/Sheldon Price
SS: Zeke Motta/Justin Bethel
RCB: Greg Toler/Jammel Fleming/Nigel Malone

K: Jay Feely
P: Dave Zastudil
LS: Mike Leach

I agree with most except I would keep Dockett and perhaps Doucett. I think Dockett starts for any team in the NFL. Some hate him and some love him.

 

[Sam Wise]

No he wasn't. Horton called him his Defensive MVP. Never heard Horton call Rhodes that did you? And of course after signing a contract the Cards could have matched but didn't want to Marshall "struggled in coverage" before getting hurt in Miami and will probably be released to save the Dolphins cap space.

Sorry, Horton must be an idiot.