MO’s Personnel Criteria Applied to Cardinals’ Current Roster

Two things that Cardinals’ new GM Monti Ossenfort (aka “MO”) said at his introductory press conference that stood out were:

1 —- “It takes a smart, tough, dependable, accountable, and mature individual” to play in this league.

2 —- “I have been evaluating the roster.”

For those of us who are very familiar with the Cardinals’ roster, what players at each position do you think fits at least three of MO’s personnel descriptors?

Let’s give Monti our perspectives.

Here are my considerations —- with a caveat or two:

QB:

• Colt McCoy —- durability
• David Bough* —- small sample size

RB:

• James Conner —- durability

WR:

• Hollywood Brown —- durability
• Greg Dortch
• Antwan Wesley —- durability

TE:

• Zach Ertz —- durability
• Trey McBride
• Maxx Williams* —- durability

OL:

• Will Hernandez*
• Kelvin Beachum* —- inconsistency
• Josh Jones

DI:

• JJ Watt*
• Zach Allen*
• Rashard Lawrence —- durability
• Leki Fotu —- inconsistency
• Michael Dogbe*
• Trysten Hill —- durability

LB:

• Zaven Collins
• Isaiah Simmons —- inconsistency
• Markus Golden —- inconsistency
• Ben Niemann —- inconsiistency
• Cameron Thomas
• Myjai Sanders
• Jesse Luketa
• Zeke Turner*
• Tanner Vallejo*

CB:

• Byron Murphy* —- durability, inconsistency
• Marco Wilson —- inconsistency
• Antonio Hamilton* —- inconsistency
• Christian Matthew —- inconsistency

S:

• Budda Baker
• Jalen Thompson —- inconsistency
• Chris Banjo*

STs:

• Aaron Brewer*
• Andy Lee*
• Matt Prater*

Notable Omissions:

• QB Kyler Murray —- one could make an argument that Kyler does not fit any of the descriptors resoundingly well enough at this point. His issues are fast becoming stigmas.. There is no question who MO’s “egos will not be tolerated” comment was directed to —- more than anyone else.
• WR DeAndre Hopkins —- has failed to be a reliable and accountable member of the football team and now, instead of feeling a tad indebted to the Cardinals for the fact that he’s missed 16 games over the past two years, because his g-ted money has run out, like it did in Houston in the 3rd year of a 5 year deal, he wants a trade to a team he approves of (per his no trade clause).
• C Rodney Hudson —- took Cardinals for a $30M ride and the FO obliged him.
• T D.J. Humphries —- is he as dependable, mature and accountable as he insists he is? He got outplayed by Josh Jones who wound up earning the highest PFF on the offense for the season at 75.8. No way he should play LT over Jones next year.
• G Cody Ford —- 42.1 PFF grade says it all. 5th round pick for him?
• LB Nick Vigil —- still have no idea what Vance Joseph and Billy Davis see in him.

Those are my assessments —- what are yours?

It feels especially good to see the Cardinals have MO on their side with regard to changing the team’s culture and how the team evaluates players.

The most Belichickean thing that Monti Ossenfort said: “We want a coach who can work with and develop all of the players.”