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ROTB Roundtable: Favorite Pick, Best Draft, and Tyrann Mathieu

The recent draft has left the Arizona Cardinals with as many questions as they answered

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The ROTB Writing Staff took their swing at answering three of these.

Don't forget to answer the questions yourself in the comments below!

1) Besides Jonathan Cooper (1st Round), which pick is your favorite of the Cardinals 2013 Draft class?

AndyStandsUp: Toss up between Minter and Swopes as favorite selections.
I've always appreciated the Cards under - appreciated linebackers from Ken Harvey to Eric Hill to Gerald Hayes to Ronald McKinnon to Reggie McKenzie to Jamir Miller.
And Swopes reminds me of Rickey Proehl.

Cdeveau: To be honest, I like Cooper as a player, but still strugge with #7. Anyway, I move on. Swope in the 6th is a pick I like, didn't get to watch a ton of A & M film, but when I did, he was a playmaker. Taylor in the 5th would also fit the bill, great character, workhorse, durable, strong runner.

D.L. Parsons: I like both Kevin Minter and Andre Ellington. I love that the Cards snookered an extra pick out of the Chargers and still got their man. Ellington is a threat to take Ryan Williams' job, especially if Williams gets hurt AGAIN.

RedC: Earl Watford. His stock fell heading up to the draft, but many had him tabbed as one of the starting-caliber linemen in this year's class. I'll be in favor of any draft pick that can push for a starting job on our offensive line, even if it takes him a little while to get there. I felt the Cardinals needed to double-down on offensive linemen, and they did.

Alex Mann: Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor are my favorite picks. Both are steals, and both will have very productive careers.

Jess Root: That would be Mathieu, but because of the boom/bust factor. He is a big risk, but could potentially be the most impactful in this class.

2) Which team, in your opinion, had the best draft in the entire league? NFC West?

AndyStandsUp: Supposedly, the Falcons and Niners (BOO!, HISS!) had the most decorated drafts. Only time will tell. Just glad the Poopkickers have been disemboweled for their selections.

Cdeveau: Best draft period, I think that Baltimore had a nice draft. Yeah, Baltimore is my pick. As for the NFC West, I've got to go with the Rams. They gave Sam Bradford everything he needs to be successful. Or I really dislike the 49ers and the Seahawks, you can infer.

D.L. Parsons: Vikings. Three first rounders, and all will probably start this season.

2A. Cards had the best draft in the NFC West. Can four teams in the same division win 10 games each?

RedC: Sidestepping this one, and giving my favorite draft: the Bills. I casually root for them as my regional team, so it doesn't sting too much when they take prospects I like, or when they do something completely ridiculous and it backfires horribly. Little bit of both for them this year.

Alex Mann: Vikings had the best draft by far. Three first round selections will do that for you. And in the NFC West... So many people are willing to hand it to the Seahawks and Niners but both teams draft were for depth purposes primarily, thus leaving Arizona and the Rams. I think we're both tied. We got productive starters that will do loads of good for our respective teams for many years to come.

Jess Root: Considering they went into the draft with just seven picks, I really like what the Cardinals did. Minny had extra picks, as did all the NFC West. Outside of the Cards, I like what the Rams did.

3) 3rd Round pick Tyrann Mathieu is reportedly going to hold out on signing his contract until he receives guaranteed money. Do you think the Cardinals should give in to his demands?

AndyStandsUp: Just wrote a blog about it. It's a two way street and it's been done before in the league. Don't see much or a problem.

Cdeveau: Here's the rub. I've never heard of any player getting a contract with no guarenteed money, not even Janoris Jenkins last year. Aaron Hernandez is my safest mirror to compare the Honey Badger scenario, but sadly, the HB lacks (IMO) the moral fiber that Hernandez does. So what does AZ do, fold and give $ to someone who hasn't shown he can be counted on or play hardball and waste a 3rd round draft pick and look like fools? My bet is they give him some money. Hopefully Keim can work out some sort of contract similar to what the Patriots did with Hernandez.

D.L. Parsons: The Honey Badgers should tell his agent to STFU and sign the contract. His agent is not looking out for the players' best interest here. What's the agent's cut? 10%? So, he's missing out on a $70k payday by not getting that money (reportedly $700,000.00). It seems to me that it is the players' best interest to NOT get a sudden, large infusion of cash that could put him in danger of relapse. Lead him not into temptation.

RedC: Let's not make this into something it's not. Mathieu said he'd be happy to sign any contract the Cardinals offer him, but that's the player talking. His agent is going to be expected to act in his best interest, and that includes securing guaranteed money. The Cardinals have the option of spreading his signing bonus out over his contract instead of paying it all up-front, which Mathieu's agent said he anticipates. The bottom line is the team wouldn't have drafted Mathieu if they weren't going to pay him.

Alex Mann: I think there should be incentives. Nothing guaranteed until he passes several Drug Tests. Each test he passes he gets some money, and when he passes say a months worth of tests, they'll go ahead and give him a some guaranteed money.

Jess Root: That would depend on what those demands are. His agent is giving us agent talk. He will sign his deal. The Cards will have protection, but Mathieu will get his money.