Your Arizona Cardinals now hold the 16th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

[MadCardDisease]

With the 16th pick I'm targeting

Edge
Disruptive IDL
OT

 

[Russ Smith]

Except he’s not a deep threat. He’s more of a YAC guy.

Yep I love Burden but he hasn't really shown the deep ball threat in college. He's terrific after the catch, he's like Waddle without the deep threat component Waddle has.

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Yep I love Burden but he hasn't really shown the deep ball threat in college. He's terrific after the catch, he's like Waddle without the deep threat component Waddle has.

I saw Luther Burden play in high school at the tradition rich East St. Louis program his senior year. East St. Louis had Division 1 guys all over their team but Burden just stuck out. In the state championship game he took a bubble screen 90 yards and just made everyone else look slow.

 

[TheCardFan]

You simply can't say that Monti hasn't improved the depth of this team and added quality players.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

You simply can't say that Monti hasn't improved the depth of this team and added quality players.

Depth I'll agree with, quality players is a much bigger question. How many above average starters has he added? Isn't that an important question in terms of, you know, building a winning team?

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Depth I'll agree with, quality players is a much bigger question. How many above average starters has he added? Isn't that an important question in terms of, you know, building a winning team?

Criminy, these guys are in their 1st or 2nd year.
I’ll say Marvin, Paris, Williams, Melton are all on track to be above average to really good starters.
Rabbit, Benson, Wilson have all shown they can play in the league.
Injuries leave questions about BJ and Robinson.
Reiman is probably already near the top as far as blocking TEs go.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Criminy, these guys are in their 1st or 2nd year.
I’ll say Marvin, Paris, Williams, Melton are all on track to be above average to really good starters.
Rabbit, Benson, Wilson have all shown they can play in the league.
Injuries leave questions about BJ and Robinson.
Reiman is probably already near the top as far as blocking TEs go.

So funny that the entirety of your argument is the draft, which is kind of the problem.

Paris is the only established above average starter. (as a top 10 pick should be)

Williams and Marv are trending in that direction but have a ways to go. Melton hasn't shown enough to know anything. The rest are all total question marks. Play in the league is a low standard - we have plenty of guys on the team that can hang on a roster.

I don't know how to explain it in a way that people like you will understand, but WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF ABOVE AVERAGE STARTERS!!! I asked how many above average starters he's added, and you came up with 1 and a bunch of maybe/could be/question marks. I'd like to have a little more certainty 3 years in that we're acquiring the kinds of players we need for the next Cardinals playoff team. I see many of the same holes and a lot of questions.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I'd like to have a little more certainty 3 years in that we're acquiring the kinds of players we need for the next Cardinals playoff team. I see many of the same holes and a lot of questions.

The Cardinals hired Monti less than 2 years ago. So they are only two years into his regime.

 

[Harry]

I wouldn't complain about any of the EDGE guys if we drafted one at #16. But, damn, if either Grant or Graham from Michigan are there I really want one of those two DTs.

What we do in free agency will influence the draft obviously and everything could change a lot. But, right now, I think we are in a terrific draft and in a great spot to address our two biggest needs in the first two rounds. This is a very deep draft at DT and EDGE

I would try to get a ILB in free agency. This is not a great draft at that position. Not sure who will be available in free agency but surely we can get better than Kyzir.

Sadly, Graham will be long gone. Grant would be a great acquisition

 

[Harry]

One member said it last night…James Pearce and the Kentucky defensive tackle would be a good combo….or a grant and jack sawyer combo…would be another….question…if the two bulldog pass rushers …scourton and Pearce is gone who would be next in line?…grant?..Walter Nolan?…Shamar Stewart?

The big problem with Pearce is he struggles to contain the edge. He lacks the lower body strength to anchor and is just passable as a tackle. Good pass rusher for sure.

 

[Timm Rosenbach]

Has it?

2023 - 1st Paris Johnson Jr was an excellent pick.
2nd round - Got cute and ended up with Ojulari who is a bust. The pick they traded out of ended up being Sam LaPorta for the Lions.
3rd round - Garrett Williams excellent pick
3rd round - Michael Wilson meh
4th round - Jon Gaines - injured and then terrible
5th round - Clayton Tune - terrible
5th round - Owen Pappoe - Yuck
6th round - Kei'Trel Clark - I like him but the coaches do not.
6th round - Dante Stills - contributes so good pick

Positions drafted: OL - 2 DL - 1 WR - 1 DB - 2 LB - 2 QB - 1

I count 2 excellent picks and 1 good pick. The rest is meh to trash.

2024 - 1st Marvin Harrison Jr - Disappointing
1st - Darius Robinson - Injured and then disappointing
2nd - Max Melton - Reach who is okay but the players that were available both before the trade down and after make this a bad pick.
3rd - Trey Benson - Disappointing and then injured. Spending a 3rd rounder on a back up RB with so many needs is terrible.
3rd - Isiah Adams - Terrible.
3rd - Tip Reiman - MEGA reach. I bet he wouldn't have 50 yards receiving on the year and I was right.
3rd - Elijiah Jones - Injured
4th - Rabbit - Great pick
5th - Xavier Thomas - meh
5th - Christian Jones - meh
7th - Jaden Davis - Not a contributor

Positions drafted: WR - 1 DL - 2 DB - 4 RB - 1 OL - 2 TE - 1

Combined Talent Acquired from 20 draft picks:

QB - 1 bad back up
RB - 1 back up
WR - 2 starters but right now really they are WR 2 and WR 3
TE - extra offensive lineman
OL - 1 high quality starter and 2 back ups
DL - 3 non impact players either as back ups or starters. Stills is sort of playable.
LB - 2 back ups that don't contribute
DBs - Drafted 6. 1 excellent 1 very good and 4 back ups.

Two years ago our biggest needs were on both lines and at WR

20 picks later we have 1 quality starter to address those needs and a lot of hope for Marvin Harrison Jr.

This is an eye opener that sums it up in one post. Thank you

 

[Russ Smith]

I saw Luther Burden play in high school at the tradition rich East St. Louis program his senior year. East St. Louis had Division 1 guys all over their team but Burden just stuck out. In the state championship game he took a bubble screen 90 yards and just made everyone else look slow.

Yeah he's terrific after the catch. I think he's what we thought Rondale would be

 

[Stout]

He's played about 4 games coming off an injury. Calf injuries can be tough. That's what you need to anchor.
As for the needs, I agree they are edge and DT. But, he has used a late 1st and early 2nd to try and address the positions. Both guys have been hurt. Not much you can do about that.
How about what he has addressed? The WR group is much better. The OL is solidified at the most crucial position. The defensive backfield is much better. The guy has had 2 drafts. He's done pretty well sans injuries.

Having your top picks injured and unable to contribute doesn't equate to good picks. It equates to "I hope they can someday be good when they aren't hurt."

I will give you the defensive backfield. The WR group isn't much better...yet. We still have the same glaring need for a burner WR as when Monti got here. OL isn't close to solidified, with some young bucks we hope come on, a perpetually injured RT, and no current RG. Center has also become shaky again.

 

[Stout]

You simply can't say that Monti hasn't improved the depth of this team and added quality players.

Depth? Sure. Big Johns? Maybe 1 thus far, while missing on a number of others.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

With the 16th pick I'm targeting

Edge
Disruptive IDL
OT

Based on available FAs, I think we have to go EDGE in the first round, and if we need to trade up to get our guy, so be it.

 

[Dayman]

So funny that the entirety of your argument is the draft, which is kind of the problem.

Paris is the only established above average starter. (as a top 10 pick should be)

Williams and Marv are trending in that direction but have a ways to go. Melton hasn't shown enough to know anything. The rest are all total question marks. Play in the league is a low standard - we have plenty of guys on the team that can hang on a roster.

I don't know how to explain it in a way that people like you will understand, but WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF ABOVE AVERAGE STARTERS!!! I asked how many above average starters he's added, and you came up with 1 and a bunch of maybe/could be/question marks. I'd like to have a little more certainty 3 years in that we're acquiring the kinds of players we need for the next Cardinals playoff team. I see many of the same holes and a lot of questions.

This is what some of us were worried about when the Cards hired Monti. Like others before him, he is outsmarting himself too much while trying to emulate the "Patriot way."

Max Melton could still be a solid player. The problem is that Monti traded down and missed out on several better players to get him. He traded the 35th pick and the 186th pick for the 43rd pick and the 79th pick. He then traded down from 79 to 82 and recouped a 6th round pick.

While Monti did get an extra 3rd out of the deal, he missed out on Sweat, Fiske, Dejean, Lassiter and Newton in between the 35th pick and the 43rd pick. And he turned that extra 3rd round pick into Tip Reiman, who had more penalties called on him than catches this year. I also wasn't exactly blown away by Tip's blocking. I would personally rather have any of those 5 guys Monti passed on instead of Melton and Reiman.

Monti has yet to show that he can identify and acquire top end talent. He can make a lot of trades with draft picks that look good on paper, but the end results of those trades are questionable at best.

 

[Jetstream Green]

So funny that the entirety of your argument is the draft, which is kind of the problem.

Paris is the only established above average starter. (as a top 10 pick should be)

Williams and Marv are trending in that direction but have a ways to go. Melton hasn't shown enough to know anything. The rest are all total question marks. Play in the league is a low standard - we have plenty of guys on the team that can hang on a roster.

I don't know how to explain it in a way that people like you will understand, but WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF ABOVE AVERAGE STARTERS!!! I asked how many above average starters he's added, and you came up with 1 and a bunch of maybe/could be/question marks. I'd like to have a little more certainty 3 years in that we're acquiring the kinds of players we need for the next Cardinals playoff team. I see many of the same holes and a lot of questions.

Williams is above average right now for a slot corner, the question being can he sustain his play going into next season which he can

 

[Stout]

This is what some of us were worried about when the Cards hired Monti. Like others before him, he is outsmarting himself too much while trying to emulate the "Patriot way."

Max Melton could still be a solid player. The problem is that Monti traded down and missed out on several better players to get him. He traded the 35th pick and the 186th pick for the 43rd pick and the 79th pick. He then traded down from 79 to 82 and recouped a 6th round pick.

While Monti did get an extra 3rd out of the deal, he missed out on Sweat, Fiske, Dejean, Lassiter and Newton in between the 35th pick and the 43rd pick. And he turned that extra 3rd round pick into Tip Reiman, who had more penalties called on him than catches this year. I also wasn't exactly blown away by Tip's blocking. I would personally rather have any of those 5 guys Monti passed on instead of Melton and Reiman.

Monti has yet to show that he can identify and acquire top end talent. He can make a lot of trades with draft picks that look good on paper, but the end results of those trades are questionable at best.

Very well said.

 

[CardNots]

I loved him last year.

and he loved chicken fried steak

nevertheless I wanted to take that chance he would be able to control his weight. Phoenix isn’t a hot bed for great chicken fried steak

 

[Harry]

I saw Luther Burden play in high school at the tradition rich East St. Louis program his senior year. East St. Louis had Division 1 guys all over their team but Burden just stuck out. In the state championship game he took a bubble screen 90 yards and just made everyone else look slow.

Burden is a luxury and the Cards have basic needs

 

[football karma]

Williams is above average right now for a slot corner

i think metrics show he is well above average

 

[Brian in Mesa]

3rd - Tip Reiman - MEGA reach. I bet he wouldn't have 50 yards receiving on the year and I was right.

He was drafted to be a blocking TE. No one was talking about him being a top receiving TE. We all knew any yardage would be bonus. Not seeing this as a knock on him at all. He did what we drafted him to do.

 

[slanidrac16]

I can be critical because they aren't good drafts. When you draft 2x in the top 5 and have 20 picks on a team without talent and end up with little impact to show for it, it is not a good outcome. Yes I watched Adams be terrible for most of the season and Jones be poor prior to yesterday. Adams was still crap yesterday. PFF grade for the season is 58.4 or the 80th of 135 guards. Jones, he is worse at 53.8 or 104th out of 141 tackles.

Reiman is a clown pick in the third. An absolute clown pick. It's like drafting a punter in the third. A waste of premium resources when you have tons of needs. 36 yards receiving for the year. If Petzing leaves, is the next offensive coordinator going to trot out 3 TE sets 30% of the time?

Benson is terrible because who was available around that pick and it's worse now that we resigned Conner. Benson has brought nothing to do the team that we didn't already have in Carter and Demercado. You know what a good RB pick is in this draft? Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Melton has allowed a passer rating of 99.6 this year, which is 68th of all CBs and he has allowed 12.8 yards per target, which is 81st. He was at least a full round reach and is not good.

Robinson has been atrocious since coming back from injury. He also was a reach where he was drafted. He is a project that may work out but has been out performed by numerous defenders taken after him. That's called a bad pick.

You can't seriously think Michael Wilson is even an average starting WR right now. Wilson's year 2 543 yards would be WR 9 out of the rookies of this year. These are the guys that we could have taken from round 2 on last year as pass catchers:

Puka Nacua, Rashee Rice, Sam Laporta, Jayden Reed, Tank Dell, Josh Downs. You can put Wilson on the same tier as 6th rounder Demario Douglas.

Hindsight sure is 20/20.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

He was drafted to be a blocking TE. No one was talking about him being a top receiving TE. We all knew any yardage would be bonus. Not seeing this as a knock on him at all. He did what we drafted him to do.

Because you don't take a blocking TE in round 3 when there are good offensive and defensive linemen still on the board

 

[MadCardDisease]

So funny that the entirety of your argument is the draft, which is kind of the problem.

Paris is the only established above average starter. (as a top 10 pick should be)

Williams and Marv are trending in that direction but have a ways to go. Melton hasn't shown enough to know anything. The rest are all total question marks. Play in the league is a low standard - we have plenty of guys on the team that can hang on a roster.

I don't know how to explain it in a way that people like you will understand, but WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF ABOVE AVERAGE STARTERS!!! I asked how many above average starters he's added, and you came up with 1 and a bunch of maybe/could be/question marks. I'd like to have a little more certainty 3 years in that we're acquiring the kinds of players we need for the next Cardinals playoff team. I see many of the same holes and a lot of questions.

A few years ago you labeled McBride as "looking like a big miss"

Post-Season Cuts Impact Cap

None of that should affect bad snaps and false starts, especially as the C. Sacks, he gets a bit more leeway with, sure, but even then he's not been good. Compete for a backup spot? Sure. Nothing more. Not playing shotgun much seems like a pretty good excuse for bad snaps. As I said, he's...

www.arizonasportsfans.com

and so far McBride looks like a big miss in general.

Maybe we we should give these young guys a year or two to develop. That "big miss" has developed into arguably the top TE in the league or at least among the top 3.