What a difference a year makes.

[PACardsFan]

Last year at this time I honestly already gave up on 2023.
Kyler hurt, new GM(rookie) new HC (rookie PEW PEW) , Hopkins destine to leave, an o-line that was in shambles and a defense in even worse shape. We had no cap space to speak of.

The fan base mostly had their fill with Kyler. We had an oft injured RB that appeared to be 3/4 yards and a cloud of dust. An aging TE coming off injury. We jettison our two superstar in Allen and Murphy(pun intended). Our 90 year old kicker just signed a gazzilion dollar contract. What are we doing?

As the off season continued our big free agent signings were Zac Pascal, Kyzir White and some guy named Froholdt. Things were hopeless. We traded our pick ( on no Will Anderson) and then traded back up for an OT.

It didn’t really get better as the season started. We cut our Qb and trade for this dude from Cleveland 6 days before the opener and it cost us 5th round pick. Talks about Kyler were, when will he be back, if he will be back, we are going to move on from him, to no we’re not.

Even after Kyler returned not to many were convinced he’d be himself or if any version of himself was even good enough. The defense was like a sieve and the losses continued to grow.

Somehow, about 4 weeks ago things seemed to take a turn in the right direction. A pretty convincing victory over the Steelers was received as “ okay, that’s nice”. Then the samething happened in Philadelphia which got most of us to at least raise an eyebrow.

Today, I think most of us believe we are heading in the right direction. Kyler has seemed to return to his old self to a certain extent. It has squelched the talks about trading him or drafting a QB. We found a TE! We discovered Connor is a beast. And this o-line isn’t too bad. Even that Froholdt guy. We watched a team that never quit even in the worst of times.

I’ve never felt better about a 4-13 team. Cautiously I see light at the end of the tunnel hoping it’s not a train heading towards me. There seems to be a pretty clear path to the road of improvement and I believe this staff has instilled a little faith in most of us.

I’m looking forward to this off season. There are sure to be some debates amongst us along the way. I’m also sure I will be pissed off about some of the moves we make or don’t make. But I feel we have one thing today that we didn’t have at this time last year.

Hope.
Sorry for the long post. Just feeling a bit giddy.

Sometimes you just have to believe what a guy who has watched this franchise play for 60 years tells you. I just had to get that in there LOL. No one can be right 100% of the time, so I’ll have to settle for 97.789654% I don’t expect perfection from this team in 2024, but I believe that, barring critical injuries, that we will see steady progress. And isn’t that what MOJG is there to build? Sustainable success. The one constant over the years that has prevented this team from ever seeing sustainable success is the Bidwill family. Michael isn’t his father, who was an utter disaster of an owner, but I’m also not ready to trust that he will keep his word, and not meddle with what MOJG need to do to make this franchise consistently good year after year.

 

[BritCard]

Cards have 13 picks this draft, no?

It seems I found conflicting statements from the rags

• Arizona has a total of 13 draft picks in 2024, six of which are coming in the first three rounds. Heading into the second year of a rebuild with plenty of draft capital and cap space, there's confidence the Cardinals can right the ship sooner rather than later. The Arizona Cardinals are currently slated for the No. 4 pick in the NFL Draft.

As of now, the Cardinals have 11 draft picks in 2024 -- including two first-rounders, one second-rounder and three third-rounders. For those counting at home, that's six in the top 100. The Cardinals got the Houston Texans' 2024 first-rounder (among other picks) in last week's draft when the Texans traded up from No. 12 to the Cardinals' spot at No. 3 to select pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr.

Some of the differences could be time related so I have no clue how many picks we actually hold for the 2024 draft

I’ve been under the impression we have 11 picks.

It looks like 11 was the original number and we picked up a couple of low picks in trades.

4
21
35
66
71
86
104
136
156
187
221
223
244


Definitely going to see some of these traded.

 

[slanidrac16]

It looks like 11 was the original number and we picked up a couple of low picks in trades.

4
21
35
66
71
86
104
136
156
187
221
223
244


Definitely going to see some of these traded.

I definitely can see Monti swinging numerous trades with all these picks within the 2nd and 5th rounds.

 

[slanidrac16]

Sometimes you just have to believe what a guy who has watched this franchise play for 60 years tells you. I just had to get that in there LOL. No one can be right 100% of the time, so I’ll have to settle for 97.789654% I don’t expect perfection from this team in 2024, but I believe that, barring critical injuries, that we will see steady progress. And isn’t that what MOJG is there to build? Sustainable success. The one constant over the years that has prevented this team from ever seeing sustainable success is the Bidwill family. Michael isn’t his father, who was an utter disaster of an owner, but I’m also not ready to trust that he will keep his word, and not meddle with what MOJG need to do to make this franchise consistently good year after year.

Lol! I’m a 60 year fan too!!! I understand Bidwill is looked upon as an idiot by most.
I can’t call him cheap or frugal. I’d call him an owner who has either made or allowed dumb decisions. He allowed his GM ( I refuse to say his name) to acquire in free agency and trades that cost him millions that fail to pay dividends.
He allowed the GM to continue down the road of a patch work roster. Signing players in the twilight of their carreers ( Watts, Green, and others) has brought us nothing but mediocrity or worse. In the last 6 years ( including now) Bidwill has been paying two coaching staffs and now two GM’s.
If Bidwill can stay out of the way and let Monti build a “ sustainable” roster we should be okay.
I don’t think Monti is going to go to Bidwill and request permission to sign Chris Jones for 100m, nor should he. I also can’t see Bidwill telling Monti to go out and sign Chris Jones.
Bidwill watches TV. He witnessed what everyone saying at the start of the year and what they’re saying now. He has to be pleased with the results.
Now Billy…stay out of the way.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Now Billy…stay out of the way.

This

Best thing he can do right now is let MO run the show and not meddle

 

[Cardiac]

Billy don't be a hero.

 

[Mulli]

Billy needed to meddle with Steve Keim's nonsense sooner.

 

[Chopper0080]

If our big offensive spend is on Hollywood Brown, I don't think people will be happy. He was awful in a contract year. Offer him 8 million on a 1 year deal, and if he goes, who cares? He's not anything near an irreplaceable piece.

Be prepared to be unhappy. I don't believe the Cardinals will be looking to spend big on the offensive side of the ball. I think they will look to get cheaper on offense and add vets to the defense.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Be prepared to be unhappy.

I'm a Cards fan...don't have to get ready if you stay ready!

I don't believe the Cardinals will be looking to spend big on the offensive side of the ball. I think they will look to get cheaper on offense and add vets to the defense.

I think you're right. I'd rather spend 8M on a good guard than use those resources on Hollywood. 8M per year has to be a serious contributor...unless Hollywood has a different gear we haven't seen, I just don't like the fit whether he's fairly priced at 8M or not.

 

[phillycard]

Lol! I’m a 60 year fan too!!!

Slan, real talk! I didn't know you were an "elder" statesman on this board! LOL! I thought PA was the monarch and everyone else were "just" veterans. Tip o the cap to you sir for your service!

 

[Stout]

Be prepared to be unhappy. I don't believe the Cardinals will be looking to spend big on the offensive side of the ball. I think they will look to get cheaper on offense and add vets to the defense.

They either need to spend big on WR in FA or the draft. So long as they do it in the draft, I'm fine with them going cheaper on OL because they're good at finding that talent and RT/G aren't hard to find in the draft or too expensive in FA (G).

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I'm a Cards fan...don't have to get ready if you stay ready!

So damn true

 

[Chopper0080]

I'm a Cards fan...don't have to get ready if you stay ready!

I think you're right. I'd rather spend 8M on a good guard than use those resources on Hollywood. 8M per year has to be a serious contributor...unless Hollywood has a different gear we haven't seen, I just don't like the fit whether he's fairly priced at 8M or not.

While I agree as I am not a huge believer in Brown, I don't think you can enter the draft with a WR room of Dortch, Wilson, Moore, and Pascal. And I don't think adding an eight mil WR (Juju, Russell Gage) changes that. I just personally feel many people aren't understanding about what the WR market league wide looks like. 10 mil doesn't get you very far.

This FA class has four WRs at the top. 15 mil +. Pittman, Ridley, Evans and Higgins.

Brown is in the next tier with Gabe Davis. Somewhere between 8-12 mil.

Then you have your vets like Boyd, Odell, Samuel with your younger but unproven guys like Chark, Osborn, and Mooney.

As I have said, I don't believe the Cardinals will land one of the top 4, and I don't believe they will head into the draft with just adding a player from the bottom group. That leaves re-signing Brown on a one year deal or signing Davis. I think they go Brown.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

While I agree as I am not a huge believer in Brown, I don't think you can enter the draft with a WR room of Dortch, Wilson, Moore, and Pascal. And I don't think adding an eight mil WR (Juju, Russell Gage) changes that. I just personally feel many people aren't understanding about what the WR market league wide looks like. 10 mil doesn't get you very far.

This FA class has four WRs at the top. 15 mil +. Pittman, Ridley, Evans and Higgins.

Brown is in the next tier with Gabe Davis. Somewhere between 8-12 mil.

Then you have your vets like Boyd, Odell, Samuel with your younger but unproven guys like Chark, Osborn, and Mooney.

As I have said, I don't believe the Cardinals will land one of the top 4, and I don't believe they will head into the draft with just adding a player from the bottom group. That leaves re-signing Brown on a one year deal or signing Davis. I think they go Brown.

You're probably right, which bums me out. Brown is just so uninspiring. Too small, too fragile, not a good blocker, not great at adjusting.

If it truly comes down to Davis and Brown, I'd rather get Davis. He's a much bigger target, and that appears to matter with Kyler. That said, if they go for the same money, my guess is being Kyler's BFFF is the tie breaker.

 

[Chopper0080]

You're probably right, which bums me out. Brown is just so uninspiring. Too small, too fragile, not a good blocker, not great at adjusting.

If it truly comes down to Davis and Brown, I'd rather get Davis. He's a much bigger target, and that appears to matter with Kyler. That said, if they go for the same money, my guess is being Kyler's BFFF is the tie breaker.

Yeah. But if you exit the draft with MHJ, Marquise Brown on a one year deal, Dortch, Wilson, Moore and Pascal (?), that is a dramatically better WR room IMO to evaluate. IMO.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

L That said, if they go for the same money, my guess is being Kyler's BFFF is the tie breaker.

That shouldn't have anything to do with it

This is a business, not a frat party

MO had better not get sucked into moves like this

Hollywood has not shown any reason to re-sign him

None, zero, zilch, nada etc.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Yeah. But if you exit the draft with MHJ, Marquise Brown on a one year deal, Dortch, Wilson, Moore and Pascal (?), that is a dramatically better WR room IMO to evaluate. IMO.

No doubt. Simply swapping MHJ for Hollywood would be an improvement. On top of that, will we be running enough 3+ WR sets to make it worth it vs. socking that money into LG or D?

I know he's likely to be retained, I just don't like it.

 

[oaken1]

While I agree as I am not a huge believer in Brown, I don't think you can enter the draft with a WR room of Dortch, Wilson, Moore, and Pascal. And I don't think adding an eight mil WR (Juju, Russell Gage) changes that. I just personally feel many people aren't understanding about what the WR market league wide looks like. 10 mil doesn't get you very far.

This FA class has four WRs at the top. 15 mil +. Pittman, Ridley, Evans and Higgins.

Brown is in the next tier with Gabe Davis. Somewhere between 8-12 mil.

Then you have your vets like Boyd, Odell, Samuel with your younger but unproven guys like Chark, Osborn, and Mooney.

As I have said, I don't believe the Cardinals will land one of the top 4, and I don't believe they will head into the draft with just adding a player from the bottom group. That leaves re-signing Brown on a one year deal or signing Davis. I think they go Brown.

perfect sense...and a smoke screen claiming how much we love wilson and think his injuries were a fluke gives us just enough cover that everyone isnt absolutely certain we are going WR in the draft.
just hope they dont believe it, lol.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

Yeah. But if you exit the draft with MHJ, Marquise Brown on a one year deal, Dortch, Wilson, Moore and Pascal (?), that is a dramatically better WR room IMO to evaluate. IMO.

I would LOVE we could just rid ourselves of Moore and Brown and move on. They have Keim stank on them. Drafting MHJ and teaming him up with McBride, Wilson, Dortch, and a free agent like Boyd would be perfect.

 

[CardNots]

That shouldn't have anything to do with it

This is a business, not a frat party

MO had better not get sucked into moves like this

Hollywood has not shown any reason to re-sign him

None, zero, zilch, nada etc.

I’d be good with an incentive based contract starting at 8milish

 

[HairZach]

Please explain!

I think he was demoted to third string behind their 5th round rookie (who was awful) because him starting another game would lose them a draft pick.

 

[daves]

I think he was demoted to third string behind their 5th round rookie (who was awful) because him starting another game would lose them a draft pick.

So they had to make him 3rd string to prevent themselves from accidentally naming him the starter??

 

[Gandhi]

I didn't know what to do with my time, so I decided to read this thread from the start, and how wonderful that was. So much positivity and optimism. It made me happy. Thank you everyone!

 

[HairZach]

So they had to make him 3rd string to prevent themselves from accidentally naming him the starter??

it would have been kind of awkward if Dobbs was 2nd string, came in due to Mullins throwing 5 INTs, played well, then he wasnt starting the next week.

Also, why waste 2nd string snaps on a guy who has a permanent DO NOT START tag on him for the rest of the season.

 

[Krangodnzr]

You're probably right, which bums me out. Brown is just so uninspiring. Too small, too fragile, not a good blocker, not great at adjusting.

If it truly comes down to Davis and Brown, I'd rather get Davis. He's a much bigger target, and that appears to matter with Kyler. That said, if they go for the same money, my guess is being Kyler's BFFF is the tie breaker.

As much as Brown has been meh, Davis is probably even more inconsistent.