What seems certain in the draft?

[Pariah]

IMO, I think come hell or high-water, these are the positions we'll come out of the draft with:

~Offensive Tackle; the depth is fantastic in this draft. Even if we wait until the 3rd round, we'll be getting a guy that should push for a starting spot by next year.

~Safety; I don't think Green is going to go into the season with Aaron Fransisco as the future of the FS position. Also good depth on day-1 and maybe even early into day-2.

~Offensive Guard; before the Cardinals grabbed Brown, I would have thought this was sure day-1 pick. Mow it may be relegated to day 2, but I don't think we'll skip it.

Here are the positions that I think we'll probably also grab, but I'm not as sure as the ones above:

~Quarterback: If we don't take one at #10, I think the chances really drop that we take one (but, I'd love to get Gradkowski in the 3rd).

~Cornerback: I think there will be first-round talent waiting for us in round 2. It'll be tough for Deny to pass on that, IMO. He doesn't seem to be sold on Macklin as a starter. A day-1 CB would really solidify the depth at the position.

 

[Mulli]

What he said...

 

[az jam]

I would also add a lb to the mix.

 

[Duckjake]

I'm looking at our current list of starters to see who is vulnerable to losing their job to a rookie.

OLB Huff/Darling
MLB Darling/Hayes
OLB Dansby
DE Okeafor
UT Dockett
NT Clancy
DE Berry
SS Wilson
FS Griffith
CB Macklin/Green
CB Rolle

Don't see much room there for an "immediate" impact player other than maybe OLB and FS.

LT LDavis
LG MBrown
C Wells/Leckey/Step
RG EBrown
RT Ross
TE Bergen
WR Fitz/Boldin/Johnson/McCoy
QB Warner
RB James/Arrington
FB Femi

The biggest ? is at TE. I don't see them taking a tackle unless they plan to let BIG eventually leave via FA.

I would guess TE and FS. But trying to gauge positions at this point with a fairly strong top 25 or so players and Green's penchant for grabbing guys regardless of position who have slipped from the rounds they were predicted as going, is really difficult this year.

 

[seesred]

Duckjake IMO has the put prespective in a very easy way. I agree with his assesment in that our top 25 players are pretty darn good and will be hard to top in the draft. So, finally we are going to get stronger in back up positions as well as special teams. I also agree that the BPA will most likely be QB, LB,Guard or two and maybe a corner, Safety.

GBR
40

 

[Pariah]

Just to be clear, I wasn't talking about which positions will be manned by a first-year starter, just which positions it seems likely we'll draft.

 

[JeffGollin]

What seems certain in the draft?
Very little other than the top 8 or 9 players drafted.

I don't think the Cardinals will go to a "needs"-draft. I think they will be faithful to "best player available", though - where a half dozen or so prospects are within a point or two of one another - they might pick the one that best fits a position need.

But (see my mock in a separate post), it's quite possible that there won't be a player at a position we need rated within 10 - 11 spots of where we pick. Should that happen, I think we'll either (a) trade out of there (b) go for the best available player.

 

[Shane]

Duckjake IMO has the put prespective in a very easy way. I agree with his assesment in that our top 25 players are pretty darn good and will be hard to top in the draft. So, finally we are going to get stronger in back up positions as well as special teams. I also agree that the BPA will most likely be QB, LB,Guard or two and maybe a corner, Safety.

GBR
40

It will not be hard at all to replace Robert Griffith. he is terrible. If he starts this year it would be a darn travesty.

 

[JC_AZ]

Anyone else remember the reputation that Griffith had as a hard hitter? Did anyone else notice that the last half of the season he was missing tackles because he was trying to shoulder tackle everyone instead of wrapping up...he was either hurt or he gave up so he wouldn't get hurt...maybe Griffith and JJ went to the same seminar about lasting the season without injury

 

[JeffGollin]

Did anyone else notice that the last half of the season he was missing tackles because he was trying to shoulder tackle everyone instead of wrapping up
Granted he did have his uglier moments, but there were numerous times when he made unsung saving plays that helped prevent his teammates from looking bad. I believe he also had a lot to do with calling coverages back there in the secondary and that there weren't very many blown coverages under his watch.

He may have lost a step, however, and can't go on forever, and we need to pay attention to bringing in or developing his eventual replacement.

 

[Shane]

Did anyone else notice that the last half of the season he was missing tackles because he was trying to shoulder tackle everyone instead of wrapping up
Granted he did have his uglier moments, but there were numerous times when he made unsung saving plays that helped prevent his teammates from looking bad. I believe he also had a lot to do with calling coverages back there in the secondary and that there weren't very many blown coverages under his watch.

He may have lost a step, however, and can't go on forever, and we need to pay attention to bringing in or developing his eventual replacement.

We ar elong past the need to develop someone underneath him. He was terrible Jeff anyway you slice it. He is dog slow and needs to be replaced.

 

[lobo]

a long "good" career...i don't think this dog can hunt anymore either...there are a number of very good db's in the draft that can step in and contribute NOW...not sit and be tutored if you get my drift

 

[Redrage]

Good post, Pariah. We could go bpa for most of the draft and do pretty well.

 

[ajcardfan]

We ar elong past the need to develop someone underneath him. He was terrible Jeff anyway you slice it. He is dog slow and needs to be replaced.

Part of his problem was our scheme. With Wilson playing like a blitzing OLB so much we really asked him to cover a lot of ground in coverage. Too much. He would be adequate if we played a two-deep zone evey snap, like the Jags do, but that would be wasting Wilson's talent.

Free safety is a position we'll address on day 1.

 

[Shane]

Part of his problem was our scheme. With Wilson playing like a blitzing OLB so much we really asked him to cover a lot of ground in coverage. Too much. He would be adequate if we played a two-deep zone evey snap, like the Jags do, but that would be wasting Wilson's talent.

Free safety is a position we'll address on day 1.

I hope you are correct aj. There are many good S in this draft.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Gradkowski can be had in day 2 and probably late in day 2.

 

[JeffGollin]

The "Navarre Factor"

Gradkowski
He has some redeeming features, but it depends on how and where DG and RG rate him. If, for example, Gradkowski figures to have no better upside than Navarre &/or Otis, why waste a pick on him.

 

[WildBB]

Gradkowski
He has some redeeming features, but it depends on how and where DG and RG rate him. If, for example, Gradkowski figures to have no better upside than Navarre &/or Otis, why waste a pick on him.

Well said, we don't need more wasted stop-gap picks. Get serious and take the QBOF now if avail. at 10.

Sure it would be nice to have an immediate impact player. But at some pt. you have to bite the bullet there at QB. Every successful team does. Then 8if another prospect you like falls to the 5th round say. You snatch him up too. Make Navarre earn his spot too.