2024 Off-Season

[HoboRocket]

Team Needs:

• Cornerback: the Cards have had arguably the worst CB group in the league for a few years now. Antonio Hamilton has been our best CB, but is more of a solid slot guy. He has also missed time with a freak injury and will now be a free agent on the wrong side of 30. The team invested heavily at CB in the later rounds of the draft the last few seasons, but it hasn't panned out thus far. Tay Gowan, Marco Wilson, and Christian Matthew are all no longer on the team, while Garrett Williams and Kei'Trel still have a long way to go before they are a net positive in the secondary. Expect the Cardinals to pursue some CBs in Free Agency and perhaps early in round 2 of the draft.

• Defensive Line: Also possibly the worst unit in the league. The only impact rusher on the team, Dennis Gardeck, is aging and a role player only with a lack of versatility in his attack patterns. He can win with hustle or speed. Gets completely shut down by power or length. BJ Ojulari had a minimal impact. Zaven Collins is still transitioning back to edge, but so far he looks more effective as an off ball LB. Dante Stills could be a good rotational guy. The team has nothing else here.

• Wide Receiver: This position group needs an overhaul. The depth is underwhelming, and the only player performing above his pay grade is Greg Dortch. Rondale Moore and Hollywood Brown have been disappointments. Michael Wilson flashed last year, and could be a key piece moving forward. The team badly needs a #1, and will likely need a new starter at slot as well as depth. 

• Left OL: Left tackle and left guard are both positions of need. Maybe Paris Johnson switches back to LT after playing RT as a rookie, but that would be his fourth position switch in the last four years going back to college. Either way, we need a new tackle, as DJ Humphries should be gone and is injured anyways. Kelvin Beachum is at or very close to retirement. Left guard is a major need and was the worst performing offensive position last year. 

 

How do you think the Cardinals approach these positions of need this off-season?

[11sanchez11]

Hopefully they sign a starter caliber player at dline and CB in FA. 

Take MHJ at #4. Or trade down and take Nabers, Odunze, Alt, Olu, or Fuaga. 

Hopefully one of Newton, Murphy or Cooper DeJean fall to #27. If not take a WR or tackle. 

Hard to know who will be there at 35. CB, edge, dline, or interior OL. 

Take another DL with one of the 3rds. Maybe Sweat, Fiske, or Dewayne Carter. 

Would be fine with Jon Gaines and a rookie battling it out for LG. 

[HoboRocket]

● In Free Agency, I know Michael Bidwill has made it clear that he wants the team to go out and add some talent. Monti Ossenfort said the team will be active in FA.

 ○ Christian Wilkins was one of my favorite players in the draft and has lived up to it in my opinion. He's an above average pass rusher and arguably the best run stopper in the NFL. The Cardinals BADLY need that at DT.

 ○ I really would like the Cardinals - if they were to make some splash signings - to target Wilkins and Michael Onwenu, strengthen the inside of both lines. Onwenu is one of the best guards in the NFL and an interior of Onwenu, Hjalte Froholdt, and Will Hernandez would be amazing for the running game. 

● In the draft, I think the Cardinals should target Marvin Harrison Jr at 4. If Jr is gone, then they should get either Nabers or Odunze. I prefer Odunze as a prospect but Nabers gives them something they don't already have in their offense. 

 ○ At number 27 overall, cornerback makes too much sense with the class. There aren't really any top 10 or even top 15 level cornerbacks in this class, so a run should start around pick 12 and carry through the end of the round. Guys like Terrion Arnold, Nate Wiggins, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Max Melton, Cam Hart, and Kamari Lassiter should all be good starting CBs in the NFL. I don't like Kool-Aid McKinstry's lack of instincts or awareness and meh athleticism. He really just gets into the receiver's face and bullies them and can't do much else. He'll get picked on a lot by QBs and smart receivers. Ennis Rakestraw is really just an okay prospect and is gonna get overdrafted. 

 ○ At the top of round 2, they should target Amarius Mims, Tyler Guyton, Taliese Fuaga, Troy Fautanu, JC Latham, or Jordan Morgan, depending on who's available. If Joe Alt or Olu Fashanu slip, they would be amazing but all eight are first round caliber tackles. You could even throw Graham Barton in there, but I think he's more of a center or guard in the NFL. Really deep tackle class. One's guaranteed to slide to #35 overall. 

 ○ Unfortunately, I don't think Braden Fiske slides to round 3 the way I was hoping he would. Still, this draft has some nice interior DL and WR talent on day 2. I would hope the Cardinals double down at receiver to add another secondary weapon for the offense. And adding more IDL - especially if they miss on Wilkins - is a must. They have 3 picks in round 3, which could definitely be used to move around in round 1.

 

Of course, Monti has shown that he's absolutely amazing at moving picks around and shuffling to maximize value during the draft. I expect him to do so again this year, so the team very well may not be picking at 4 or 27.

 

 

[HoboRocket]

Losses: 

• WR Rondale Moore

• NT Leki Fotu

• WR Marquise Brown (Has not re-signed)

• LT DJ Humphries (Cut)

• CB Antonio Hamilton (Has not re-signed)

Additions:

• DT Bilal Nichols

• DT Justin Jones

• CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

• QB Desmond Ridder

• LB Mack Wilson 

• OL Jonah Williams

• RB DeeJay Dallas

 

[11sanchez11]

I would trade 4 for 11 and 23 in a heartbeat. Could even try to trade backup for one of the WRs. 
 

 

[11sanchez11]

49 minutes ago, 11sanchez11 said:

I would trade 4 for 11 and 23 in a heartbeat. Could even try to trade backup for one of the WRs. 
 

 

crazy idea. but what if you trade back from 4 and back up to 5 lmao.

use 11 and 27. you basically just move up from 27 to 23 and maybe get an extra like 3rd next year. and still get MHJ.

[HoboRocket]

14 hours ago, 11sanchez11 said:

crazy idea. but what if you trade back from 4 and back up to 5 lmao.

use 11 and 27. you basically just move up from 27 to 23 and maybe get an extra like 3rd next year. and still get MHJ.

I mean, we've seen Monti maneuver similarly last year to get PJJ. We were at 3, moved down to 12 and got an additional 2nd last year, an additional 3rd this year as well as #27 overall this year. And then he moved back up for PJJ and just gave up essentially 12 and our lower 2nd-rounder. So I could see a situation where that happens potentially. 

[LuckyNumber11]

I think Blake Murphy put it really well on Twitter. We could trade out of 4 and get three picks and who knows, maybe we could trade back up for a prospect as good is Marvin Harrison Jr!

 

Just take MHJ. It’s simple

[11sanchez11]

2 hours ago, LuckyNumber11 said:

I think Blake Murphy put it really well on Twitter. We could trade out of 4 and get three picks and who knows, maybe we could trade back up for a prospect as good is Marvin Harrison Jr!

 

Just take MHJ. It’s simple

I would be fine taking MHJ at 4. But if MIN offers 3 1sts I would wouldn't even hesitate. I don't think MHJ is a generational talent like some ppl do. Sometimes I don't even think he's the best WR in this class. 

[LuckyNumber11]

15 hours ago, 11sanchez11 said:

I would be fine taking MHJ at 4. But if MIN offers 3 1sts I would wouldn't even hesitate. I don't think MHJ is a generational talent like some ppl do. Sometimes I don't even think he's the best WR in this class. 

3 first is tough to pass up and would get it if we made that deal. I’d be a little disappointed, but I’d be fine. I personally think he’s the best receiver prospect since probably Julio/Green. Right now there’s a lot of prospect fatigue going on with him.
As far as the others go, I’m really not that high on Nabers, I like Odunze better than him. I think there’s a lot of years where Nabers would be the #1 WR, but I’d take MHJ a good amount before him, then Odunze just a little before home 

[HoboRocket]

On 3/20/2024 at 3:31 PM, LuckyNumber11 said:

3 first is tough to pass up and would get it if we made that deal. I’d be a little disappointed, but I’d be fine. I personally think he’s the best receiver prospect since probably Julio/Green. Right now there’s a lot of prospect fatigue going on with him.
As far as the others go, I’m really not that high on Nabers, I like Odunze better than him. I think there’s a lot of years where Nabers would be the #1 WR, but I’d take MHJ a good amount before him, then Odunze just a little before home 

Yeah Nabers kinda feels a little overhyped. He can kinda get shut down through the route and at the catch point by press. Didn't see it a lot in college because he was almost always open even with teams keying in on him. I'm not sure if he'll be that successful at just being untouched in the NFL. Also had a lot of manufactured touches close to the line of scrimmage. Seems like a great fit for a Kliff Kingsbury offense. He'll probably be a pretty good WR in the NFL but if we're splitting hairs between prospects, I'd be more comfortable with Odunze.

The worry with Odunze was that he might not separate as well in the NFL as he did in college but after putting up those testing numbers at the combine I'm much more comfortable taking him. Plus, even if he isn't blazing past people every route, he's shown way more ability to outmuscle and outposition defenders at the catch point than Nabers has. His body control and high pointing are prolific and those traits translate great to the NFL and also can give you a longer career. We've seen it with Larry, Nuk, heck even Keenan Allen. And Justin Jefferson had very similar knocks on this website to Odunze coming out. I doubt Odunze is as good as Jefferson but he should be a legit #1 in the NFL.