Arizona Cardinals Getting High Grades With Free Agent Additions

by Jess Root on Aug 3, 2011 6:01 AM MDT in NFL Offseason/Free Agency

Teams across the NFL are making moves to improve their rosters at a rate never seen before. The Arizona Cardinals have been among the busiest, as noted with the 51 player moves as of the start of the week. Since everyone has an opinion and the Internet is awesome for giving them, people have been grading the teams on their offseason additions.

I personally believe the Cardinals have been very successful, but I am not the only one. They have gotten high grades from a lot of writers and broadcasters.

John Clayton for ESPN listed the Cardinals among the winners so far.

Their aggressiveness stunned everyone. Not only did the Cardinals pick up Kolb in a trade, they added guards Daryn Colledge and Floyd Womack, cornerback Richard Marshall, linebacker Stewart Bradley, tight ends Todd Heap and Jeff King and wide receiver Chansi Stuckey.

A Sporting News article puts the Cardinals as number seven in the league in best moves.

They had to get Kolb. Plucking Daryn Colledge from the Packers will strengthen the offensive line, and cornerback pickup Richard Marshall is likely to start opposite rookie Patrick Peterson.

A Yahoo Sports blog had them as one of the five teams that most improved in offseason.

Kolb's their big offseason prize, but under the radar, the Cardinals did pretty well with free agents, too. Stewart Bradley immediately upgrades the linebacking corps, and Daryn Colledge will help stabilize the offensive line.

Scott Van Pelt, on his ESPN Radio show said, "I found it fascinating to see the organizations who were ready to just say ‘let's go' (after the new CBA was negotiated) and obviously the Cardinals were one of them."

Adam Schein, on Sirius NFL Radio, gave his thoughts:

"Without question, (the Cardinals) should be proud. Rich [Gannon] and I think that you've got a future great quarterback in Kevin Kolb, who can come in and contribute right away. Great for this year. Great for beyond....Just an amazing move for the Arizona Cardinals. Just a perfect trade. We made those same comparisons to [Matt] Schaub and Aaron Rodgers...I love the signings of [Richard] Marshall and Stewart Bradley. Good pick-ups as well...Amazing stuff. (The Cardinals) are one of the true winners here, in Christmas in July. This football team is ready to rock and roll once again."

I, too believe the Cardinals have done very well for themselves. If they manage to get Larry Fitzgerald, I think we can probably call this perhaps the most successful offseason ever.

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Comments

maybe I'm fatalistic (because I've been a Cards fan for 40 years)

but I think I like it better when everyone thinks we’ll suck. Then when we do kick some ass, it feels that much better.

No more night. I have seen the light. Let it shine on bright.
HANG HIM HIGHER!!!

by Cuckoo for Coco Puffs on Aug 3, 2011 6:42 AM MDT reply actions

-1 for being clueless

first of all, nobody here cared about the Cards in St. Louis … and second, it will only take one or two bad games for Cardinal fans to go ballistic and turn on its players

Do you have a short memory or something?

by quid pro quo on Aug 3, 2011 7:36 AM MDT up reply actions

I think you have a misrepresentation of real Cardinal fans

Those who turn on the team after a few bad games are the definition of bandwagon fans. We got to respect our elders. I bet Cuckoo is the longest tenured Cardinal fan on this site

by cardinalbrown on Aug 3, 2011 9:23 AM MDT up reply actions

I find

most fans here don’t remember when we played in Sun Devil Stadium

… let alone the dancing fat guy ;)

but I digress, who didn’t love jet stream green … but Hart and Anderson just couldn’t get it done

by quid pro quo on Aug 4, 2011 10:05 PM MDT up reply actions

I cared about them in St Louis

and still follow them as my favorite team today. We have some good pickups in FA this year… but this will all take time to jell. I think some major credit is due to the Bidwills. I like the direction the team is taking.

by RyanB17 on Aug 3, 2011 11:50 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

you may be the first Bidwell fan I’ve ever met … I stand corrected, my how things change

really, brilliant job by the media … lol

by quid pro quo on Aug 4, 2011 10:07 PM MDT up reply actions

I like it when we get good grades

Because then the whole NFL sees that we’ve improved. Also, I can rub it in the faces of the rest of the division.

by Skii on Aug 3, 2011 8:41 AM MDT up reply actions

Hm

We got good grades for the draft, but I bet at least half of NFL fans still think Kolb will be a bust. With the Seahawks also getting high grades and people saying Bradford > Kolb, we won’t be a sure favorite yet.

by KholdStare88 on Aug 3, 2011 4:16 PM MDT up reply actions

Even some of our fans are skeptical

…including me. I still have no clue what our defense will be like.

by KholdStare88 on Aug 3, 2011 4:18 PM MDT up reply actions

I'm skeptical about our QB

situation, but as far as the rest goes, I do like the aggression in actually signing talent instead of former Steelers’ and a few nobodies. Like Heap for example, he is not what he was, but he is still far better than anything else we had on the roster

by Cardsfan928 on Aug 3, 2011 5:06 PM MDT up reply actions

+1

Glad I’m not the only one who feels like this. I usually find that all of my grades came after I actually did something.

by Irishcardinal on Aug 3, 2011 6:59 AM MDT reply actions

*do

by Irishcardinal on Aug 3, 2011 7:00 AM MDT up reply actions

C- for grammar there

by Irishcardinal on Aug 3, 2011 7:00 AM MDT up reply actions

Would Charlie Sheen

call this “Winning”?

by NATIVEWOOD on Aug 3, 2011 7:53 AM MDT reply actions

He would, but...

the rest of us will have to wait until they play the games. I’m optimistic and can’t wait to see this team play.

by psknapp on Aug 3, 2011 9:24 AM MDT up reply actions

You can't turn your back...

…on great effort. And that IS EXACTLY what the front office gave us! I am amped to see how all the pieces fit and the final product on the field opening day for game 1. GO CARDS!!!

by jmpautz on Aug 3, 2011 8:32 AM MDT via mobile reply actions

While I don't necessarily agree with some of the moves we've made

I am very pleased with the effort the FO is putting in to try and make us competitive. I won’t call it a success until we start playing some games and we can see how this teams gels and competes, but I think we are definitely moving in the right direction, and I think the FO has done a tremendous job of trying to make us more competitive and trying to help us keep Fitz.

We all bleed Cardinal Red, but most of us don't recognize it!

"It takes no talent to give great effort"--Chris Petersen

by robloosli on Aug 3, 2011 9:29 AM MDT reply actions

Agree to that

Once they start delivering I will believe we have improved.

by Jesse Reynolds on Aug 3, 2011 11:21 AM MDT up reply actions

While it is nice to be the surprise team every now and then...

I prefer it much more when the front office is active as it has been this off-season. Let’s face it, your odds are long against flying under the radar with everything you are doing and then having it work out for the best. Analysts are going to know if you are doing things that will help your team and they will comment on it.
The reason why the cardinals are getting high grades for their moves this offseason is because of the fact that they’ve made some good moves that will really help the team. I am OK with others noticing that. Now hopefully it will transfer onto the field and we’ll be in for an exciting season with a battle to get into the playoffs and who knows what happens from there.

by Superfizzogotflow on Aug 3, 2011 10:38 AM MDT reply actions

Interesting

Sporting News thinks Marshall will start across from PP? I doubt Toler gets shoved out as a starter so soon. Will probably start with Toler and Marshall as starters, PP will work his way in.

Follow me on Twitter @RedBirdRevival

by Tyler Nickel on Aug 3, 2011 10:57 AM MDT reply actions

Hard to imagine Peterson getting the start week one.

It’s like they have completely forgotten what’s been going on from March up until last week.

by hadrarius on Aug 3, 2011 5:05 PM MDT up reply actions

It better be Toler and PP starting near the end of the season

by CanadianCard on Aug 3, 2011 8:17 PM MDT up reply actions

My take at the beginning of the season

1. Toler, 2. Marshall, 3. Peterson, by mid season 1. Toler 2. Peterson 3. Marshall, unless Peterson makes a bunch of huge plays in critical moments I don’t see Toler moving from the top until next season.

by Cardsfan928 on Aug 3, 2011 8:48 PM MDT reply actions

Considering how in vogue multi-WR sets are right now, it’s safe to say all three (and Adams) will get their fair share of snaps. And if Horton is smart – and I’d like to think he is – where they line up will be dictated by potential match ups, and not their placement on the depth chart.

by Chg91 on Aug 4, 2011 1:44 AM MDT up reply actions