Yes or No: Are you happy with this team's direction?

[HGC]

Yeah, I don't want to sound unrelentingly pessimistic, I'm just still in the "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore" phase of things. Sure there's a chance of all of these things, but this year with the exception of better play from Kyler Murray, has gone exactly how I anticipated.

Very worried about finding a competent GM who will want to take this over, or a DC who will want to join a coach who could be on the outs in as soon as a year depending on the GM/Coach relationship.

For coaches and coordinators I believe this job is bottom 3 as long as Steve Keim is in charge. For a GM I believe it’s a very solid opening. No incoming GM is going to be tied to Kingsbury long term but would in all likelihood be on board for keeping him through 2020 and evaluating him and his staff. Murray has shown that he’s capable of playing in this league and if he can continue to improve with a better team he might actually develop into the player many believe he already is.
To Keim’s credit he hasn’t mortgaged the teams future with bad long term contracts or traded away draft capital.

 

[Son of RedRage]

Most of my qualms with the team lie with management. Keim needs to lose his job, and Vance either needs a reality check or a pink slip. To have assumed that we would make a deep run this year was naive. We're getting there, but we need to have people who can accurately evaluate player talent and be objective as opposed to having a GM that will pick any Make-A-Wish kid from a D-III school in the midwest with a 3rd round pick. We're almost there. We just need a good draft and to use our cap space well in free agency. We likely won't be a wild card team next year but there's a chance we could be middle of the pack.

 

[Morty]

10101

21 ?

 

[Solar7]

A re work:

"We dumped assets into a top ten PICK of a QB, who never showed the proclivity to play like one, surroundings be damned, sold him for what he was worth, and now have a number one pick who needs additional help, which was to be expected."

"Now that youve admitted your mistake and taken an outside of the box, swing for the fences prospect, knowing it might or might not work out, keep on going, move on from the short term disaster that is changing coaches AND QBs in consecutive years, invest in the line, invest in building this team starting with players that will keep your prospects head attached to his shoulders. And do it with a new FO."

Same thing, but just not sounding so immflamatory, while also not sounding so fan-boyish either. Was that so hard?

Yeah, it's pretty hard because I'm incensed with the team, and how poorly they have managed to look forward at what this imminent disaster is quickly shaping into. At best we're going to be mired in mediocrity because it doesn't appear Michael Bidwill really knows what he wants to, or direction to take.

Last year was a perfect time to get rid of both Wilks and Keim, one for performance, the other for a combination of performance and not adhering to company expectations of off-the-field character.

Now? What can MB be thinking? He's got a team that is talent-poor, potentially needs to find a new GM who is also on board with Kliff Kingsbury while holding his hand through finding a new Defensive Coordinator, and that DC has to be fine with the idea that he might have moved himself and his family out to Arizona for a one-year gig if Kliff keeps coaching like he has his entire career (read: poorly).

Then what is the GM going to have to do? Of course, keep drafting talent to fit Kliff's scheme, but then if KK can't do anything with it and we go with a new coach, it's time to hit the reset button again.

And yes, I know, I know, "well Solar, what if Kliff is the real deal and he's actually going to move this team forward? What then?" We'll get to that road when we come to it. Because for right now, Kliff Kingsbury's head coaching record between both levels is 38-48-1.

 

[Solar7]

Maybe try operating in these shades of grey. It doesn't have to be, yes or no. I'm not sure there is anybody really happy with us going 3-8-1. The question was asking about the direction of the team, and I feel pretty good that this team will be better than this as early as next year. Even with a historically bad defense and a terrible GM.

I think my entire point in this thread too is to have people think about the fact that we don't have much of a direction.

Right now the only planned out direction we seem to have is "Kyler Murray and a slightly improved offense." The rest is basically completely up in the air.

 

[Solar7]

For coaches and coordinators I believe this job is bottom 3 as long as Steve Keim is in charge. For a GM I believe it’s a very solid opening. No incoming GM is going to be tied to Kingsbury long term but would in all likelihood be on board for keeping him through 2020 and evaluating him and his staff. Murray has shown that he’s capable of playing in this league and if he can continue to improve with a better team he might actually develop into the player many believe he already is.
To Keim’s credit he hasn’t mortgaged the teams future with bad long term contracts or traded away draft capital.

I'm not totally sure why a GM would be excited about a losing college head coach and a QB he didn't pick when other teams might let him handpick his head coach and choose a QB that fits his style when we're drafting in the top 5.

Another issue is that while we have decent cap room, we don't have many guys signed. He's gotta fill 18 roster spots with that $70 million, and he's only got 6 picks to do it with (one of our current picks is going to Miami for Kenyan Drake). So that's still 12 roster spots outside the draft, then maybe consider that we'll probably franchise or re-sign DJ Humphries to a sizable deal... and that money dwindles very fast.

This is the problem with absolutely failing at the draft for 6 years straight.

 

[HGC]

I'm not totally sure why a GM would be excited about a losing college head coach and a QB he didn't pick when other teams might let him handpick his head coach and choose a QB that fits his style when we're drafting in the top 5.

Another issue is that while we have decent cap room, we don't have many guys signed. He's gotta fill 18 roster spots with that $70 million, and he's only got 6 picks to do it with (one of our current picks is going to Miami for Kenyan Drake). So that's still 12 roster spots outside the draft, then maybe consider that we'll probably franchise or re-sign DJ Humphries to a sizable deal... and that money dwindles very fast.

This is the problem with absolutely failing at the draft for 6 years straight.

Because Kyler has looked good(not great)and showed potential. If he played terrible and was making more poor decisions than good ones I’d agree with you. Kliff has one more year to improve this team in the win column or he’ll most likely be gone even if Keim is retained this season. Keeping him for a season allows a new GM to evaluate him and his staff, players and most importantly Murray. I don’t believe any GM candidate would be selling Bidwill on a one year turn around.

You are correct about the roster spots but like I already said it’s better than being crippled by a bunch of long term contracts that would tie a GM’s hands for the next 3 seasons.

 

[Covert Rain]

I had to vote no because this poll was too limited. I am happy with SOME direction like KM. However, so many other areas we have regressed. We need a new DC and some changes on defense to say the very least.

 

[Solar7]

I had to vote no because this poll was too limited. I am happy with SOME direction like KM. However, so many other areas we have regressed. We need a new DC and some changes on defense to say the very least.

Not to repeat myself, I just think that since this is a team game, it’s hard to say “well I like Kyler Murray but the rest of this team needs to be wholly revamped,” because it’s easy to be optimistic about the most important position in the NFL and let it cloud your thinking about everything else.

 

[Covert Rain]

Not to repeat myself, I just think that since this is a team game, it’s hard to say “well I like Kyler Murray but the rest of this team needs to be wholly revamped,” because it’s easy to be optimistic about the most important position in the NFL and let it cloud your thinking about everything else.

The choices seems to be absolute either way. Regardless if you say yes or no there is probably things on both sides.

 

[Chopper0080]

Yes, I'm happy with the direction. We have a franchise QB who looks like he's going to be a star. Kliff's made many adjustments to his system and it seems to be working out in the NFL. We need better personnel. With a good draft and good free agency period we can compete in this division.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

I don't see what Murray has done so far as any sort of indication that he is going to be a "star". He has shown that he can be a QB who can keep us around 8-8, and maybe lose in the playoffs if we assemble a top 5 NFL roster. This is not to say that he can't or won't improve, it is just saying that he has not shown anything close to being a star to this point in his career.

 

[Chopper0080]

We're not. Only reason I'm frustrated with this team is because of the defense. I've said it many times in the last few weeks, handful of plays in about 5 games away from having 7-8 wins right now. Offense has carried this team. Sure, they could've put the game away in Tampa but the defense gave up a TD way too easily on many possessions. I could go on & on. Defense couldn't get one stop when we needed it most. I believe with the right moves in the offseason, this team could be much improved next yr. Much more excited about this team than last yrs. Not sure that's saying much but it's better imo.

I disagree. The margins are very thin in the NFL. Yes we need more talent, but we also have a ton of cap space and high draft picks to improve those. How we use those resources is what determines if we improve to around average in the NFL.

 

[pinetopred]

I think my entire point in this thread too is to have people think about the fact that we don't have much of a direction.

Right now the only planned out direction we seem to have is "Kyler Murray and a slightly improved offense." The rest is basically completely up in the air.

I think they have a direction when they hired KK, and drafted Murray. I think what they were doing was trying to pair a young offensive minded coach with a young dynamic QB will it work who knows, but if it does that goes along way towards being good for along time. At the end of the day it boils down to if you like Murray and KK your gonna vote yes if you don't your gonna vote no, but to say there wasn't a direction is wrong IMO you just didn't like the direction. I do agree last year should have been SK last and a new GM should have been had the chance to go in whatever direction he wanted to go

 

[jmt]

You’re right but unfortunately I don’t see Keim or Joseph leaving.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

I don't think Keim has direction, I think this is his fatal flaw and was exposed after Arians left and he brought on a wretched collection of offensive pieces last year (McCoy, Bradford, Glennon, Rosen), and then again this year with Joseph and a hodgepodge of defensive players, Hicks panned out...and then nothing.

To me, the last three years have really made it apparent that we need to move on from Keim. And I think that is the direction we are on, because he is ensuring his own demise, so I would vote yes.

 

[JeffGollin]

Is the problem with the direction the team is going? Or is with the execution of the steps used to follow that direction?

 

[kerouac9]

I don't think Keim has direction, I think this is his fatal flaw and was exposed after Arians left and he brought on a wretched collection of offensive pieces last year (McCoy, Bradford, Glennon, Rosen), and then again this year with Joseph and a hodgepodge of defensive players, Hicks panned out...and then nothing.

To me, the last three years have really made it apparent that we need to move on from Keim. And I think that is the direction we are on, because he is ensuring his own demise, so I would vote yes.

Oftimes, Keim’s individual moves seem fine, but when you pile them all together, it seems like he doesn’t have a grand strategy. Why did we sign Terrell Suggs on the eve of free agency? Why give David Johnson a record contract when he hadn’t played effectively in a year? What was the plan at WR? Remember how we signed Michael Crabtree for some reason??

Every now and again one of these moves works out, and you get some value. But it’s not roster-building.

 

[HGC]

I don't think Keim has direction, I think this is his fatal flaw and was exposed after Arians left and he brought on a wretched collection of offensive pieces last year (McCoy, Bradford, Glennon, Rosen), and then again this year with Joseph and a hodgepodge of defensive players, Hicks panned out...and then nothing.

To me, the last three years have really made it apparent that we need to move on from Keim. And I think that is the direction we are on, because he is ensuring his own demise, so I would vote yes.

Spot on.

 

[Solar7]

The choices seems to be absolute either way. Regardless if you say yes or no there is probably things on both sides.

Of course there's always subtleties. Like, Kyler is way better than I expected him to be, and we wore the red on red this season IIRC, so those are positives.

I think they have a direction when they hired KK, and drafted Murray. I think what they were doing was trying to pair a young offensive minded coach with a young dynamic QB will it work who knows, but if it does that goes along way towards being good for along time. At the end of the day it boils down to if you like Murray and KK your gonna vote yes if you don't your gonna vote no, but to say there wasn't a direction is wrong IMO you just didn't like the direction. I do agree last year should have been SK last and a new GM should have been had the chance to go in whatever direction he wanted to go

Just to be clear, I'm not asking how we felt about the direction in the offseason, just where we are in the final weeks of the season with the direction as it stands now. Their ideas were what they were, but right now, we're basically all standing here saying "now what?"

This is very much a situation where we're just hoping KK/KM's offense can save us, and not much of anything else.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Of course there's always subtleties. Like, Kyler is way better than I expected him to be, and we wore the red on red this season IIRC, so those are positives.


Just to be clear, I'm not asking how we felt about the direction in the offseason, just where we are in the final weeks of the season with the direction as it stands now. Their ideas were what they were, but right now, we're basically all standing here saying "now what?"

This is very much a situation where we're just hoping KK/KM's offense can save us, and not much of anything else.

I believe the K1/KK pairing can be successful.

But I dont believe in the defense or Keim.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I think my entire point in this thread too is to have people think about the fact that we don't have much of a direction.

Right now the only planned out direction we seem to have is "Kyler Murray and a slightly improved offense." The rest is basically completely up in the air.

I think the direction is very clear. Build around Kyler. Whether you agree with that direction or not is different.

 

[AZ Native]

We’re actively discussing firing the DC and the GM. That doesn’t scream excitement

I doubt either will be fired. I hope I’m wrong.

 

[TheCardFan]

The direction is based on the past. This team is better than it was last year with more to look forward to, so I am happy with the direction its going.

I think we would all agree, its not where we want to be yet.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

I disagree. The margins are very thin in the NFL. Yes we need more talent, but we also have a ton of cap space and high draft picks to improve those. How we use those resources is what determines if we improve to around average in the NFL.

I wasn't saying we're average this season or even could be, if that's what you thought I meant? Just saying missed opportunities have cost us at least 4-5 wins this year. Even if we had 8 wins right now, still wouldn't make us average. Our defense is beyond crap. Last yrs defense was better & Steve Wilks is do do as a DC. You're right, we have plenty of cap space & a good draft position. Hopefully SK fixes this team? I have to hope for this because imo, he isn't going anywhere, so he will be making all the key decisions with personnel. There's no reason with the cap space we have, that we can't add at least 4 starters to each side of the ball next season. FA & the first 3 rounds of the draft. I want D. Brown from Auburn with our first pick, difference maker right there. If we sign a stud DT in FA (I have no idea who's available) then we need to take the OT from Iowa or Thomas from Georgia. KM needs protection but our defense needs to be fixed first imo.

 

[JosiahLee]

Ask me in the off-season. If Keim is fired, yes. If not, no.