Wells likely to be matched ----Cards will wait on other free agents.

[spanky1]

did you just get back from luch with denny and graves?

No....on the contrary, logic (versus emotion) would indicate this:

a) without creating less than cap friendly contracts going forward, we cannot likely put an offer together to go after Peterson or Arrington as potential W/OLB's,

b) Charles Woodson might be a possibility as a FS but has the type of character that grates against what this team looks for in players. Ahmad Plummer has durability issues (neck) which eliminates him and might force him to retire,

c) of your list previous wish list of O-Linemen: Mike Pearson hasn't been right since breaking his leg and having reconstructive knee surgury in '04; Brad Hopkins is in turn 4 of his career and has slowed down considerably; Jon Runyon is 32; Jeff Mitchell is old and there are subtle questions as to whether or not his performance in the past was "juice induced" and has since been replaced by Justin Hartwig on the depth chart in Carolina; Mike Flanagan has knee and stomach injuries that kept him on the shelf in '04 and 05; Kenyatta Walker has a career that has been hot and cold and is in disfavor with Jon Gruden; Vince Manuwai is a RFA and would cost us a 3rd rounder that is better used in our draft planning strategy etc etc.

Anyone else high on your "sign em" list that we can add/review?

 

[JasonKGME]

but of we would have offered the high or mid level option for wells the bill would have risked us letting him go and giving up as much as a 1st rd draft pick for doing so, they wouldnt have taken that risk and we would have another year to judge wells for 1-1.5mil. we could work a long term deal during the year if we wished

Course on the other side of the coin it could be that we tender wells at the higher tender, he gets no offers on the open market, is pissed off he is only making $1.5 million when he was the best O-lineman, signs the tender and then refuses to play for the Cards next year and we lose out on him completely, or he plays great next year and we have to give him a new $5 year $30 million contract unstead of the 5 year $17 million he is going to be getting.


I think the Cards did the right thing, gave him the low tender and told him we want you back, go see what the market is and unless there is a huge poison pill we'll match it because we really do want you on the team.

 

[sundevil04]

Go

Course on the other side of the coin it could be that we tender wells at the higher tender, he gets no offers on the open market, is pissed off he is only making $1.5 million when he was the best O-lineman, signs the tender and then refuses to play for the Cards next year and we lose out on him completely, or he plays great next year and we have to give him a new $5 year $30 million contract unstead of the 5 year $17 million he is going to be getting.


I think the Cards did the right thing, gave him the low tender and told him we want you back, go see what the market is and unless there is a huge poison pill we'll match it because we really do want you on the team.

it is extremely unlikely that a 6th rd pick that has played average to below average would be upset making 1.5 mil. and he would NEVER make 6mil/yr(5/30mil) thats bentley money for a G
________
Tv gossip

 

[john h]

A bird in the hand my man. It is alot of money but we would have to get someone comperable or better to agree to sign here. We aren't the only team looking for OLinemen. Wells could be developing into a pretty good lineman.

Wells got what the market dictated he would get. We may have our own idea of what he is worth but other teams clearly think he is worth more. We either keep up with the market value of players or continue to play in the second half of the division.

 

[Goldfield]

My opinion...

Keep Wells, move him to RT and cut ROSS...

Davis, Brown, Lecky, M.Brown, Wells... New OLine coach & EDGE

 

[spanky1]

it is extremely unlikely that a 6th rd pick that has played average to below average would be upset making 1.5 mil. and he would NEVER make 6mil/yr(5/30mil) thats bentley money for a G

I think you are selling Wells far too short based on:

a) He was a 6th round pick out of a small Division school (Clarion College) where he did not benefit from teir 1 coaching. He was a basketball player before becoming a football player. At the time, the book was saying that this guy was a great athlete, had good size, strength and speed.

b) In his first year he sat on the PS (again, with the benefit of no real coaching) for much of the year, finally cracking the starting lineup in the game against Minnesota in '03. In 2004, he started full time and held his own as a sophmore, yet was only 23. He showed a lot of promise and reaffirmed his credentials as a draft pick (see above).

c) In 2005, he had to play under a coach who had no experience and that wasn't even able to make the team the year before as a backup. Additionally, he had to endure constant personnel moves as the O-Line went through the year of hell injury wise. He only played in 9 games before he broke his ankle.

Now you can use this as justification to support your position that the guy sucks....I chose to look at it in a different light....that he is a potential "diamond in the rough" with a ton of upside. It appears that coaches in both Buffalo and Arizona agree. I tend to think they know more than we do.

 

[BigRedArk]

...or he could fall on his face like he has in the past, when did this love affair with wells start on this board he has proven to be nothing but average at best

True he could have a bad year next year. If he signs a 5 year contract he could then have 4 good years. 4 out 5 ain't bad. Who knows for sure what the future holds? Right now it looks like the Cards want him and want to see if he improves as a player with Loney as OL coach. With him they keep the chemistry and continuity intact which is important for OL performance. LD knows what it is like playing next to him for the past 2 years or so. No point in messing with that by bringing in someone new. Especially after injury riddled OL last year. They have a foundation to build on by keeping Wells and only adding M. Brown. Two new guys may prove disruptive to that chemistry.

 

[Goldfield]

Wells doesnt dominate anyone but he does a good job and is pretty consistent. IMO he makes a better Tackle than a guard because he is more fundimentaly sound then a brawler.

 

[Cardiac]

I think you are selling Wells far too short based on:

a) He was a 6th round pick out of a small Division school (Clarion College) where he did not benefit from teir 1 coaching. He was a basketball player before becoming a football player. At the time, the book was saying that this guy was a great athlete, had good size, strength and speed.

b) In his first year he sat on the PS (again, with the benefit of no real coaching) for much of the year, finally cracking the starting lineup in the game against Minnesota in '03. In 2004, he started full time and held his own as a sophmore, yet was only 23. He showed a lot of promise and reaffirmed his credentials as a draft pick (see above).

c) In 2005, he had to play under a coach who had no experience and that wasn't even able to make the team the year before as a backup. Additionally, he had to endure constant personnel moves as the O-Line went through the year of hell injury wise. He only played in 9 games before he broke his ankle.

Now you can use this as justification to support your position that the guy sucks....I chose to look at it in a different light....that he is a potential "diamond in the rough" with a ton of upside. It appears that coaches in both Buffalo and Arizona agree. I tend to think they know more than we do.

Great post spanky!

I think the FO guessed wrong about the interest Wells would receive due to the injury. They didn't give him away and gave us a chance to keep him with the team. Wells contract is not to high for an up and coming OG in light of the new CBA and higher CAP.