We're $10,000,000 UNDER the salary cap

[Pariah]

Once again, on whom should have spent it ?

To Acting Wild's list, I'd add the following:

LeCharles Bentley, G/C: We should have put the full-court press to him just like we did to Edge.

Adam Meadows, OT: Denver got a hell of a lineman for really cheap.

Terry Metcalf, G: An upgrade at G over the player he's most similar to in Reggie Wells.

Julian Peterson, OLB: Guy is a monster. Dansby, Hayes and Peterson? Fuggetuboutit.

Will Witherspoon, OLB: Would have been perfect for Pendergasts' schemes.

Ty Law, CB: Is he older? Yeah, but he's still better right now than anyone else we've got at the position. (...that's right. For the moment he IS better than Rolle.)

There are plenty of others out there that would have been quality additions to the team in backup rolls. These are just the guys that I think would be starters.

 

[ActingWild]

To Acting Wild's list, I'd add the following:

LeCharles Bentley, G/C: We should have put the full-court press to him just like we did to Edge.

Adam Meadows, OT: Denver got a hell of a lineman for really cheap.

Terry Metcalf, G: An upgrade at G over the player he's most similar to in Reggie Wells.

Julian Peterson, OLB: Guy is a monster. Dansby, Hayes and Peterson? Fuggetuboutit.

Will Witherspoon, OLB: Would have been perfect for Pendergasts' schemes.

Ty Law, CB: Is he older? Yeah, but he's still better right now than anyone else we've got at the position. (...that's right. For the moment he IS better than Rolle.)

There are plenty of others out there that would have been quality additions to the team in backup rolls. These are just the guys that I think would be starters.

Good additions to a list of possible FA the Cardinals had a shot at signing. Thanks Pariah.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Not that I am defending them holding onto the money. I dont think that Law was worth 10 mil, and most of us know that the Bidwells weren't going to use all of this money. If they dont restructure Big, they will have to sign him to a new contract. Dockett and Dansby are playing (and not playing) themselves out of a contract.

I am with a few others here that don't see many other FA's worth the money.

Do you guys not remember that this was our best FA season EVER? Glass half full.

 

[NMCard]

Green is not to happy about having 10mil in cap leftover according to the latest urban article. It makes you think that there were players that he would have gone after if the money had not been cut off by B.Bidwill.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

So, if we would've spent this $10 mil on free agents, would you all then be whining about why we can't resign our own free agents?

My point being that some of our free agents are just as good as the guys you're going to get off the street, but we need to resign them.

 

[Pariah]

So, if we would've spent this $10 mil on free agents, would you all then be whining about why we can't resign our own free agents?

My point being that some of our free agents are just as good as the guys you're going to get off the street, but we need to resign them.

Like who? And, why not spend that money when it comes due: next year. It's not an either/or situation. We can do both. It's not like our own free agents are going anywhere this year.

 

[football karma]

To Acting Wild's list, I'd add the following:

LeCharles Bentley, G/C: We should have put the full-court press to him just like we did to Edge.

Adam Meadows, OT: Denver got a hell of a lineman for really cheap.

Terry Metcalf, G: An upgrade at G over the player he's most similar to in Reggie Wells.

Julian Peterson, OLB: Guy is a monster. Dansby, Hayes and Peterson? Fuggetuboutit.

Will Witherspoon, OLB: Would have been perfect for Pendergasts' schemes.

Ty Law, CB: Is he older? Yeah, but he's still better right now than anyone else we've got at the position. (...that's right. For the moment he IS better than Rolle.)

There are plenty of others out there that would have been quality additions to the team in backup rolls. These are just the guys that I think would be starters.

You got the sense the Bentley was going back to Ohio regardless.

I think they wanted Peterson, but one of two things happened: Peterson said he wasnt interested in Az, or the Cards were turned off by Peterson's contract expectations. In the offseason, there was risk with him as he wasnt all that great coming off a bad achilles injury. The Seahawks gave him a contract as if he would be back to form, and while its early, he looks good.

I posted about Witherspoon earlier. Denny wanted a WLB, and Witherspoon is a very good one. Never a hint that AZ was interested in him.

Will Allen was in town the night before free agency was supposed to start. Then nothing happened. With the up and down play of Green and Macklin, it would be nice to have Allen on the roster.

 

[ActingWild]

Not that I am defending them holding onto the money. I dont think that Law was worth 10 mil, and most of us know that the Bidwells weren't going to use all of this money. If they dont restructure Big, they will have to sign him to a new contract. Dockett and Dansby are playing (and not playing) themselves out of a contract.

I am with a few others here that don't see many other FA's worth the money.

Do you guys not remember that this was our best FA season EVER? Glass half full.

It's definitely our best FA season ever. But then, if you're a guy chained to a wall in a dungeon, who gets whipped every day, you'd probably be ecstatic if they got rid of the whip...however, you're still chained in a dungeon.

Bad analogy I know. I AM still excited about this season. I bought 2 season tickets and won't miss a game. But watching Edge (who's a stellar signing and running back) struggle to get 3 yards per carry against the 49ers, while we have $10,000,000 in cap space that could have been used to help our O-Line....well, that gets to me.

 

[seesred]

I'm not going to make excuses for the way Graves, Denny and Micheal run this team after three solid drafts and FA signings. That being said most FA don't work out. There are the exceptions just look at Berry and Warner. Most good teams build from within by keeping there 25-30 solid players and filling in behind them. I think the Cards are trying to do just that.

I don't think you can read into last weeks run game as it got a lot better in the second half were last year we would have had to throw. The line is together a full week, next game it will be two weeks. A side from Dansby we have basically the same D unit as last year and they were eighth in the league. Oh, and by the way Edge had 88 yards running last year in the first game in Indy. THis year that same team had less than 50 yards rushing. Edge will make his mark as the O line works with him more and more. We will see where we are this week.

GBR
40

 

[clif]

The tough thing in all this is we really don't know who the cards pursued and what the real reason is that they are 10 mil under. It leaves so much room for speculation. For those that say Bidwill is cheap.. you're probably right... for those that say they did didn't want to spend on overpriced mediocre players... you're probably right as well. BUT NO ONE REALLY KNOWS!

The thing I draw my conclusion from is this. If the cards are so damn cheap then why did they offer edge so much money? There has to be some plan in place right or wrong.

 

[BACH]

Guys can we PLEASE stop defending ownership for not doing something EVERY OTHER NFL TEAM DOES. The cards have made great strides over the years but this is probably the final piece to prove we have legit owners. I guess i will give them till next year when the stadium money comes rolling in but Billy boy sure ain't helping his cheap image with this much money under the cap. I mean how much can bowties and vanilla ice cream really cost?

The only problem is that you're wrong on most of your points.

1. Almost every team is under the cap this season. So Bidwill isn't doing anything that every team isn't doing, either.

2. You fail to recognize the cap strategy used by the team (also used by PHI, PIT, MIN, BAL).This team doesn't sign player for the sake of signing players. The cap space will be spend to extent Hayes, Big, Fitz, Moore etc., and spend in such a way that we'll have even more cap space to sign FAs next year. Building for the future instead of overspending now.

3. I get annoyed when reading posts like this. You have every right to criticize the ownership for various things, but at least base your criticism on facts.
You wanted them to sign Bentley, Lewis, Makeatu, Hutch etc. etc. Problem is...
Bentley only wanted to sign with the Browns. Seattle wouldn't have allowed us to sign Hutch. Well, who was next on the list? That would be Milford Brown. The guy that we signed.
You wanted Makeatu or Lewis. Makeatu signed a huge deal with the biggest off-season favorite. I doubt more money would have convinced him to sign with us. Instead, we signed the 2nd best DT available in Free Agency in Clancy. A player ranked way ahead of Lewis.
RT. The only available was Runyan and he didn't want to leave the east-coast. After that ther weren't any players available. Not anyone better than Gorin or Liewienski that is.

I will agree with you on one thing. We could have upgraded the CB position with a player like Will Allen. He would provide depth and most likely beat Green/Macklin out of the starting line-up.

 

[Pariah]

TThis team doesn't sign player for the sake of signing players.

No, they don't even sign players for the sake of getting better.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

No, they don't even sign players for the sake of getting better.

Pariah, who is our starting RB? RG? Even Clancy.

where do you come up with lines like this?

 

[Pariah]

Pariah, who is our starting RB? RG? Even Clancy.

where do you come up with lines like this?

So you don't think that any of the players people have named would have helped the team? I'm psyched for the guys we did pick up, but it's like giving a guy who hasn't eaten in days a saltine. Why be satisfied with an off-season that didn't build any significant depth at OL, CB or LB--positions that were really thin last year and are only slightly less thin this year?

If we entered September being able to say, "They did the best they could," then great. But that's not the case. Now we're saying, "the guys they got were fantastic--but they stopped short of doing what needed to be done."

 

[BACH]

To Acting Wild's list, I'd add the following:

LeCharles Bentley, G/C: We should have put the full-court press to him just like we did to Edge.

Adam Meadows, OT: Denver got a hell of a lineman for really cheap.

Terry Metcalf, G: An upgrade at G over the player he's most similar to in Reggie Wells.

Julian Peterson, OLB: Guy is a monster. Dansby, Hayes and Peterson? Fuggetuboutit.

Will Witherspoon, OLB: Would have been perfect for Pendergasts' schemes.

Ty Law, CB: Is he older? Yeah, but he's still better right now than anyone else we've got at the position. (...that's right. For the moment he IS better than Rolle.)

There are plenty of others out there that would have been quality additions to the team in backup rolls. These are just the guys that I think would be starters.

Bentley only wanted to sign with the Browns.

Hope played FS out of need in Pittsburgh. He's a SS and is playing SS for the Titans. We don't need another SS.

Metcalf was extented before the start of FA. He wasn't available.

Meadows has been out of football for two years.

Peterson/Witherspoon. Both would have been a nice pick-up, but until Dansby pulled his off-season crap it would also have been an unnecessary pick-up with DAnsby and Pace already on the roster.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

So you don't think that any of the players people have named would have helped the team? I'm psyched for the guys we did pick up, but it's like giving a guy who hasn't eaten in days a saltine. Why be satisfied with an off-season that didn't build any significant depth at OL, CB or LB--positions that were really thin last year and are only slightly less thin this year?

If we entered September being able to say, "They did the best they could," then great. But that's not the case. Now we're saying, "the guys they got were fantastic--but they stopped short of doing what needed to be done."

Funny saltine analogy, but not fitting here. This easily was the best offseason in Arizona Cardinals history, possibly ever. (My Cards knowledge doesnt go much into the 70s and before)

The beginning of this offseason was complaining about how cheap the Bidwells were, and that we didn't even have a chance at Edge or Alexander, because we wouldn't pony up the money. Well, we did. With Hutchinson and Bentley each signing huge deals, we could not sign another one, after already choosing Edge. We then got the next best OLineman on the market. Clancy was another great signing. Gorin and Lewienski provide solid, but not spectacular depth.

Yes the Cards have money left over. Yes they probably could have spent some more on maybe one person from that list, but most were unattainable at the time IMO.

Glass full, glass full.

 

[Rats]

Every year I complain we are 10 mil under the cap and could have spent more to have depth. Not this season. The Cards did everything they could do in FA...EVERYTHING...then they scoured the waver wire and landed a Rt and traded for one for depth. We won't have to start Wakefield this season at RT in any game.....We can whine about the lack of signing certain players that were unobtainable like Bentley but for the most part the Team went out to improve what they could in FA and thru the Draft (Which landed us a Franchise QB for the future) and then got depth during the preseason. Anyone complaining about the fact we have money left to extend players and still sign our own guys for next year does not have there head screwed on straight IMO. Lutui is depth and Watson and Lewis are quality depth thru the draft as well. Not to mention a starting TE in Pope.

 

[BACH]

So.. Looking forward.

There's still one major possible upgrade available.

Donnie Edwards is still on the trading block. The Chargers are only asking for a 3rd rounder, because Edwards only got one year left on his deal.

Would Edwards be worth a 3rd rounder and $5M a year on a 3 year deal?

EDIT: Edwards has two years left on his deal with his base salary jumping to $4.8M next season.

 

[Redheart]

So.. Looking forward.

There's still one major possible upgrade available.

Donnie Edwards is still on the trading block. The Chargers are only asking for a 3rd rounder, because Edwards only got one year left on his deal.

Would Edwards be worth a 3rd rounder and $5M a year on a 3 year deal?

I'm buying...

 

[nidan]

Before I reply I just want to say on the grammar. For some reason who and whom always trip people up.

Thanks, it comes of speaking english rather than american

 

[nidan]

Green is not to happy about having 10mil in cap leftover according to the latest urban article. It makes you think that there were players that he would have gone after if the money had not been cut off by B.Bidwill.

You say this as though it is a fact, you don't know this

 

[conraddobler]

I know two things.


We have the most cap money at the end of the year AGAIN!


We have a new stadium to pay for...... hmmmmmmmmmm


Coincidence?

I think not.

 

[joeshmo]

Some misconceptions need to be cleared up first.

1. Using the 10 Mill does not mean losing our own FA's. We have 3 months of exclusive negotiating rights with our own FA's when the season ends and the 50 Mill of cap space begins.

2. There is no one to re-sign on this team in the first place besides Davis. All others are either easily replacable, RFA's, or still have one more year on their contracts.

3. Did anyone check out that FA list already posted in this thread. What are we going to spend 50 Mill on?

4. We are not following the PHI, PIT, MIN, BAL cap strategy model. They use creative contracts and cap loopholes to greatly lower their cap totals by utilizing strategiclly placed bonuses and incentives. I have alluded to this before and there have been a few articles on it. We are not on their level of cap strategy.

5. Bringing up starting caliber players as your arguement in this debate and slamming ownership for not using the 10 Mill on them is a lousy arguement. In my eyes this debate isnt about using starting Caliber players it is about using only a small protion of that 10 Mill on much needed depth and upgrades. Telling us we should have signed Peterson really doesnt fly in this arguement as that would be way to much up front money to shell out in one offseason for any owner. The arguement you should be using is Will Allen, RW McQuarters, and LB Bart Scott. Both Allen and McQuarters would have been great additions at financially responsible amounts with out jeapordizing the future in an area of need - CB depth and over all talent on the DB squad. Scott was on his way as well, but he didnt sign a very financially responsible deal with the Ravens so I will let that slide. All 3 were already in town or on their way to town making us their first team to visit, we knew were going to sign James from the day he called us to visit so we canceled them all. Why would we do that? I think you already know what I am alluding to, and I have brought it up before as has all the major players/media with inside contacts into the Cards, heck even Green has alluded to it faning the fire.

6. "But there was no one to sign or use the 10 Mill on". I call bogus. Yes there may not have been many Hutchinsons or Petersons. But there was a lot of Will Allens, RW MqQuarters, Bart Scotts, and plenty of other solid depth and role players to be had.

Now that the negative stuff is out of the way lets make a point on the other side of the arguement.

1. A lot of teams this year still have a lot of money left over. Seattle had more then us before they signed Branch.

That and I would suggest reading AntSports Steve post again as well. It is a well thought out and factual post that gives both sides of the story.

 

[joeshmo]

I know two things.


We have the most cap money at the end of the year AGAIN!


We have a new stadium to pay for...... hmmmmmmmmmm


Coincidence?

I think not.

I dont think it is either.

2007 offseason is the final test for me. Although the there isnt anyone to sign mantra will be sounded off again becuase this next offseason is going to be crap. Which is all the more reason to sign what you can now at a reasonable rate, and still have plenty left over to keep your own.

 

[NMCard]

You say this as though it is a fact, you don't know this

Got my opinion from this part of Urban's article. It seems like Green is pretty PO'ed about not having access to cap space so he could get some depth.
Who would he get? Not sure. Maybe he had is eye on a couple of guys after the Cards got edge. It has been mentioned here before that the cash flow came to an end after they got edge.

It may not be a fact but it sure makes you wonder.


"Green also didn’t sound all that thrilled that NFC West opponent Seattle — where the Cardinals visit this weekend — was able to trade for former Super Bowl MVP wide receiver Deion Branch Monday.

Branch may not play against Arizona, and Green acknowledged he didn’t know what to expect with Branch’s arrival. But asked if the Seahawks were better than last year, Green said, “They seem to be able to make any kind of move they want to make.”

“They can spend a lot of money on one receiver (free agent Nate Burleson), they can trade for another receiver (Branch), they get to do a lot of different things,” Green said.

There may have been a message with the comment, since the Cardinals have somewhere between $8 million and $10 million in salary cap space. In the preseason, Green more than once lamented his team’s lack of depth.