Did the Cardinals Make the Right pick in Rashad Johnson and Greg Toler?

As the draft unfolded I was surprised as well because I didn’t think we’d take but maybe one defensive back, so when we went back to back in rounds 3 & 4 I was wondering if that was the way to go, and in hindsight I think it was.

In the third round I was really hoping that Kraig Urbik would fall but when the Steelers took him I don’t think we had any choice but to go with Johnson at that point because he really should have been gone a round earlier. I don’t know when Rolle’s contract is up but the Cards were thinking ahead with Antonio Smith when they picked Campbell and Iwebema the year before, and I think that Johnson really looks like a potential starter in this league so I’d rather they go that route than to reach.

Round 4 shocked me, I wasn’t thinking CB at all. But again, I’m not as high on Ingram as some (I was thinking a TE at this point, and if I remember correctly Buffalo ruined that by taking Shawn Nelson). Ingram is another guy who still needs to learn how to block and we have enough of that on our roster already. The guys you mentioned I think will be good backups, but if what I’ve read about Toler is true the opportunity to get a legit starter at this point in the draft had to be too appealing to pass up, even if the need isn’t there right now. Of course, not to jinx anyone but injuries could speed the process along as well.

I’ve got to give our current leadership the benefit of the doubt because their personnel moves have been more right than wrong, and we’ve suffered through enough bad regimes to know that this group has a definite plan in place.

1. If I’m not mistaken, Rolle has an ascending (back loaded) contract. This was signed knowing that there was no way that we’d see the final year of it. If we are unable to resign him, then we will already have the heir apparant in the wings with a year in the system. RJ is no doubt the ballhawking center fielder we have coveted for years now and should be ready to slide right in if Rolle is gone, at a much cheaper rate as well for possibly much more production.

2. $5mil a year for a CB is much too much to pay for a corner, but in a win now and win later approach, we had to fix a glaring weakness. We got burned for so many passing TDs last year that a drastic change was necessary. We compensated for some of his costs by cutting Hood. In the grande scheme of things, the bottom line is the bottom line. Hence Mac’s contract only being for 2 years. I have to applaud the FO for this. They drafted Toler (a guy many have repeatedly said looks to be a clone of DRC) and he can sit for up 2 years before he is asked to start. And don’t get me wrong. We will save a ton when he is starting and Mac is gone. Another cost cutting move. Genius.

3. My only concern is that we didn’t get anyone to play in the middle of our 3-4. With KD most likely bolting after the season, We will have a huge void. But maybe, just maybe we already have a secret weapon in the waiting, for the cheap I might add.

4. Which leads me to my last point. Go Cards! Enough said.

I thought the Cards would address the secondary but I didn’t think that a corner would be drafted unless they had serious return potential. Looking back at my mock draft, I had them taking a safety in the fifth round so I thought they needed some depth at safety. One guy that I think some of us my be is Keith Lewis. Everything that I’ve read and heard on the guy suggests that he’s a special teamer first and really shouldn’t be counted on from the defensive side. I know that Bill Davis has some experience with Lewis so there’s a glimmer of hope that he can help Lewis get back to his 2006 form, but even at his best, Lewis is a strong safety in the cheap-knockoff mold of A-dub. We did need a ‘centerfield-type’ safety that would allow A-dub to roam and the corners to be aggressive without have to worry about getting beaten over the top. So far, Rashad Johnson sounds like that guy. With all that being said, do I really agree with the picks……

2nd round: I obviously liked Lawrence Sidbury (I had the Cards taking him in the second), but I guess the scouting reporting didn’t match up to what the NFL teams thought of him. He lasted until late in the fourth round while guys like David Veikume (who we all thought was a 4th or 5th round guy) went in the second. Overall though, I like the pick of Brown and it sounds like the staff really thinks he can contribute right away, which is rare for DE/OLB convert. So I can’t argue with the pick…thumbs up Cards!!

3rd Round: I had the Cards taking a G/T from Eastern Michigan (who was avaliable and was actually selected about 10 picks later) and I had them taking a safety in the fifth, but of course we know that ended up getting our G/T guy in the fifth and we took Rashad in the third. So my illogical mind says, would you rather have TJ Lang and Brandon Underwood or Rashad Johnson and Big Herman Johnson? I’m thinking the Double Johnson (can you tell I like nicknames) is the better combo. So I can’t argue with the pick….thumbs up Cards!!

4th Round: I had the Cards taking tight end Anthony Hill from NC State but unfortunately he was picked by the Texans about eight picks before the Cards in the 4th, so he’s off the board. The only other TE who was avaliable that I was interested in was Cornelius Ingram but the Cards obviously didn’t like him for whatever reason. As for Toler, everything I’ve read about him suggests that’s he’s basically a DRC-clone. With great size and tremendous athletic ability, the only real question seems to be can he handle the tremendous jump in competition. The luxury that the Cards have with him is that they won’t have to rush him into playing time considering that he’s probably the fourth or fifth corner (if you count Rolle as a corner in the nickel or dime) so he could be nothing more than a developmental pick. After all, Brown is plenty old and on a one year deal so it’s possible that Toler could be the nickel corner in 2010. Then McFadden is free after that season and maybe just maybe, Toler is ready to be a starter in his third season. So I can’t agrue too much with the pick…..a sheepish thumbs up!!

Round 5: See round 3

Round 6: Ok the last two rounds are pretty dicey and I think at this point boards don’t really matter and your just trying to find someone with the talent to become a player in two or three years. Davis sounds more like the kind of DE/OLB convert that we’re used to considering that he’s a natural pass rusher who struggles to hold his ground against the run. He fell in the draft though because of a down senior year, but everyone agrees that he has the physical ability to be a player in the this league. Let him spend the next year and half with John Lott and we’ll see where he is next summer. I could argue for a ILB who went undrafted but oh well, at least I had the Cards taking a OLB in my mock with this pick. So I can’t argue with the pick….thumbs up Cards!!

Round 7: Ok, so this is were my beef with their draft starts. Everything I’ve read says that LaRod Stephens-Howling is a big time reach and we easily could have picked him up as an UDFA. So who would I have rather had…Any number of guys including ILB’s Darry Beckwith, Antonio Appleby, Dannelle Ellerbe or Frantz Joseph…RB’s Ian Johnson, Rashad Jennings, Kory Sheets, Marlon Lucky or Arian Foster and finally a couple of NT’s Chris Baker or Khalif Mitchell. Anyone one of those guys would have been a better pick in my opinion, but I’m guessing that the Cards might have been super impressed by LSH at Pitt’s pro day. As for Trevor Canfield, I’ve seem some rate him as high as a fourth round pick so I can’t argue with that pick at all. So I’m half arguing and half pleased with the round……half a thumbs up to the Cards???

Wow, that was super long so I won’t add anymore other than to say….Go Cards!!

And didnt read the comments

Greg Toler in my opinion is going to be the next Asante Samuel. He has all the tools to play just like him. Rashad Johnson is going to be a very good safety in this league and will add some depth to the position, already had decent depth but we didn’t really have a backup safety that could effectively play good coverage.

other teams did well, but the cardinals won.

The Dolphins came in 2nd place since they schooled the Redskins into giving up a 2nd round pick for Jason Taylor who is now back with their team anyway. ( That pick was used on Pat White!)