Way-too-early Monti Ossenfort Performance Review

[Krangodnzr]

Outside of next year’s draft picks, he hasn’t improved the team at all. Actually the team is worse.

I agree the team is worse. I would wager Monti would as well.

We went from having two good defensive linemen to none.

DL is pretty damn bare, but I think Cam Thomas will be as good as Allen.

We had one good CB in Murphy and he let him leave so we have no good corners.

Eh Marco Wilson was better than Murphy last year.

The strongest position on the defense the linebacking unit he adds a decent free agent and a second round pick.

Not all LBs are the same. Ojulari is an edge and I think he can be pretty good.

Had the chance to pick the best player in the draft and didn’t.

And instead added best OT and a pick next year.

On the offense we had three strengths. WR,OT and TE.

Outside of Hopkins who is arguably elite, none of those positions have any true elite talents. I like Humphries, but Beachum and Jones are only really ok players. Johnson can be better than any OL the Cardinals have on their roster right now.

He released our best player in Hopkins.

Sucks, but it's a business.

Drafted an OT with our first pick when we already had three tackles that could start and play well.

Johnson will be better than any of them.

Our pick in the second round should have been a center.

Pass rush>>>>>>>>center.

No serious football evaluator will came otherwise.

Not only could we have had any of the top centers, but it was a huge need and the best guard in the draft was also sitting there for the taking.

Pass rush was a huge need as well. Guard has plenty of starting candidates.

If it wasn’t for getting a couple high picks in next years draft I would grade him an F- as GM. Because of those picks a C-.

Disagree. I think the draft was a B, but the picks push it to an A-. I'm real high on Johnson, Ojulari, Williams, and cautiously optimistic on Wilson. Stills looks like a great late round DL. Tune has some real potential as does Gaines.

 

[blindseyed]

This thread really IS way way too early, but a fact I do I know is no matter what he does or doesn't do 1/2 the board will love it and 1/2 will hate it lol

 

[Krangodnzr]

I said the gist of this to @Stout via pm. This is my current view that is shaped by the moves that Monti has made during the offseason.

I think that when Monti interviewed with Bidwill, he likely talked about how the Cardinals roster wasn't constructed the right way. He probably sold Bidwill on a plan to teardown the roster and reconstitute the team over the next two offseasons, with the goal of the Cardinals being a playoff team in 2025.

Coaching hires: Monti went after a young, hungry coaching staff that can relate to players and are known for being teachers. While players mostly develop on their own, he looked for a coaching staff that could maximize teaching opportunities. This might not be the staff that will be around for the Cardinals next playoff team, but this could be the staff that sets the foundation.

Free Agency: The focus of free agency wasn't to make the Cardinals better this offseason. The focus of free agency was filling out the roster and bringing in veterans that can teach and execute the new staffs offense. I know some believe this was a missed opportunity, but I think Monti didn't want players who could add 1-2 wins to next years team.

Draft: The draft focused on guys that have loads of potential but need some development. Even taking Garrett Williams was a move focused on 2024, not on 2023. Paris Johnson can be a good LT in the NFL, but I don't think he will be next year, he needs some more growth.

Moving forward: I think the team has been torn down, and the Cardinals are going to evaluate Murray with lower expectations. Does he take the next step? Does he take a team that some people think will struggle to win any games and win a few games himself through making players around him better? I think if he doesn't respond well, the Cardinals will be in position to draft a franchise QB, trade Murray, and add another blue chip player with the other pick.

 

[Stout]

I said the gist of this to @Stout via pm. This is my current view that is shaped by the moves that Monti has made during the offseason.

I think that when Monti interviewed with Bidwill, he likely talked about how the Cardinals roster wasn't constructed the right way. He probably sold Bidwill on a plan to teardown the roster and reconstitute the team over the next two offseasons, with the goal of the Cardinals being a playoff team in 2025.

Coaching hires: Monti went after a young, hungry coaching staff that can relate to players and are known for being teachers. While players mostly develop on their own, he looked for a coaching staff that could maximize teaching opportunities. This might not be the staff that will be around for the Cardinals next playoff team, but this could be the staff that sets the foundation.

Free Agency: The focus of free agency wasn't to make the Cardinals better this offseason. The focus of free agency was filling out the roster and bringing in veterans that can teach and execute the new staffs offense. I know some believe this was a missed opportunity, but I think Monti didn't want players who could add 1-2 wins to next years team.

Draft: The draft focused on guys that have loads of potential but need some development. Even taking Garrett Williams was a move focused on 2024, not on 2023. Paris Johnson can be a good LT in the NFL, but I don't think he will be next year, he needs some more growth.

Moving forward: I think the team has been torn down, and the Cardinals are going to evaluate Murray with lower expectations. Does he take the next step? Does he take a team that some people think will struggle to win any games and win a few games himself through making players around him better? I think if he doesn't respond well, the Cardinals will be in position to draft a franchise QB, trade Murray, and add another blue chip player with the other pick.

I think you're right, that the plan was 2025 all along. That's why I'm displeased with the plan. 2023? Dead year. We were never going to be any good. We had to start over. 2024 year should be the year we take a run at making the playoffs, in my view. That's also why I didn't like FA, because it was a missed opportunity not to compete for this year, but to make us better in 2024. Basically, I don't think you need 2 complete years to rebuild in the NFL. It's a fast turnaround league.

It will certainly be interesting to see what works and what doesn't

 

[Yuma]

Looking at New England, which uses this model, only works if you pick right. A lot of the time they pick guys, and I'm like, huh? Then you see them play on the field as a unit and beat teams, and I think, they must know what they are looking for in the draft. So this only works if you can evaluate guys that plug into your system. So we need to watch how this crop of draftees plugs into our new system, to get any idea if this is going to work.

 

[kerouac9]

Looking at New England, which uses this model, only works if you pick right. A lot of the time they pick guys, and I'm like, huh? Then you see them play on the field as a unit and beat teams, and I think, they must know what they are looking for in the draft. So this only works if you can evaluate guys that plug into your system. So we need to watch how this crop of draftees plugs into our new system, to get any idea if this is going to work.

New England worked because they had the GOAT at QB playing for 70% of his market value.

It’s kind of why KC works now.

 

[Krangodnzr]

New England worked because they had the GOAT at QB playing for 70% of his market value.

It’s kind of why KC works now.

Literally a model that isn't able to be reproduced.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I think you're right, that the plan was 2025 all along. That's why I'm displeased with the plan. 2023? Dead year. We were never going to be any good. We had to start over. 2024 year should be the year we take a run at making the playoffs, in my view. That's also why I didn't like FA, because it was a missed opportunity not to compete for this year, but to make us better in 2024. Basically, I don't think you need 2 complete years to rebuild in the NFL. It's a fast turnaround league.

It will certainly be interesting to see what works and what doesn't

I think more work has to be done next year too, though.

Keim never built a team that would be capable of sustainable success. He rushed the process too much.

 

[WiscoBird]

I'll tell you after the 2024 season. If this season goes the way most of us think it will then 2024 might be a make or break season.

 

[phillycard]

I have no choice but to be fair to him and Gannon. I certainly look at them with scorn every day I wake up, but as Cardinals fans, we've been trained to side eye any move we've ever made. Some teams make moves that are met with confidence by the fan base. We are not one of those teams.

 

[Yuma]

I have no choice but to be fair to him and Gannon. I certainly look at them with scorn every day I wake up, but as Cardinals fans, we've been trained to side eye any move we've ever made. Some teams make moves that are met with confidence by the fan base. We are not one of those teams.

It's like dating a woman after she had really bad relationships. You buy her flowers and she's like, "What did you do? Or what do you want?"

 

[Outerlimits]

I try not to judge too harshly because he kind of had to rely on many people from the previous regime in the short term. Fortunately he made some good moves in draft to set us up for a potentially good 24. We shall see.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

His job performance so far has been abysmal.
He’s been busted for tampering, passed on the consensus best player in the draft, let his best player walk for nothing, and assembled the least talented roster in the league.

 

[Krangodnzr]

His job performance so far has been abysmal.
He’s been busted for tampering,

Everyone tampers all of the time. He self reported. What would cause him to self report? Maybe it's because lawyers will be digging through the Cardinals communications in the next year over the Terry McDonough situation?

passed on the consensus best player in the draft, let his best player walk for nothing, and assembled the least talented roster in the league.

Tanking moves.

 

[FB94]

Monti has done a A- job to date sans the tampering deal. Glad they are tearing this team down to the bone, frankly it needed it. 2023 is a transition year and will be rough. Perhaps so hideous that you can’t take your eyes off it, but with the hope of 2024 being a rebound year of setting this team up for sustained success and not a brief flash every once in awhile. 2024 draft has the potential to be tremendous, and perhaps parlay more picks for 2025.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I would be very interested to see the grades if Monti’s name was replaced by Steve Keim and he made the exact same moves.

Think I know what the results would be.

 

[Stout]

I would be very interested to see the grades if Monti’s name was replaced by Steve Keim and he made the exact same moves.

Think I know what the results would be.

Now we can add in that he's failed to get his 2nd-round rookie pass rusher to any of the OTAs thus far. Inexcusable for a rookie you want (need) to integrate.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Now we can add in that he's failed to get his 2nd-round rookie pass rusher to any of the OTAs thus far. Inexcusable for a rookie you want (need) to integrate.

We don't know why he hasn't signed though.

 

[Stout]

We don't know why he hasn't signed though.

Let's just say it's not good.

 

[Yuma]

Why Olajari isn't signed yet.

It's not that nefarious. The article explains there are more second round picks around the league not signed. First round picks get fully guaranteed money. Second round picks have to negotiate for that. That's what is holding up the signing.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

No excuse why the contract is not done

New FO and its simple things like this that end up being important

He needs to be in camp now

 

[BirdGangThing]

No excuse why the contract is not done

New FO and its simple things like this that end up being important

He needs to be in camp now

Nah, put me in the patience is a virtue camp. A good GM isn't going to fold on a rookie contract because it's basically Arizona or bust for Olajari - especially before a season with tankage afoot. I really don't care about one holdout

 

[Jetstream Green]

I'm agnostic on this topic. He's done some good, some bad, some indifferent.

And the whole Hopkins 'fiasco' is also moot because it appears nobody want to front his current position with a contract, and btw... let's throw in a safety position throwing in a desired king's ransom for his position lol

 

[DVontel]

No excuse why the contract is not done

New FO and its simple things like this that end up being important

He needs to be in camp now

lol this is really your response after the reason was already put out right above your post?

 

[Stout]

And the whole Hopkins 'fiasco' is also moot because it appears nobody want to front his current position with a contract, and btw... let's throw in a safety position throwing in a desired king's ransom for his position lol

...Now. Nobody wants to front it now, well after FA and the draft. This false narrative (excuse for Monti) sure gets thrown around a lot.