The mid-season of the off-season is here in the NFL as the first wave of free-agency ends for the Cardinals with their first major (if you could call it that) acquisition in CB Bryant McFadden.  The Cardinals have also re-signed Kurt Warner; this without the prospect of Matt Leinart’s imminent departure.   Edgerrin James’ departure remains on hold, as does any new contract for the disgruntled Anquan Boldin, Adrian Wilson, and possibly Darnell Dockett.   So, how does the Cardinals mid-term off-season report grade out:

A’s:

Kurt Warner re-signed
Matt Leinart staying without a fight
Russ Grimm staying

B’s:

Bryant McFadden coming

C’s:

Bill Davis (new DC) staying
Anquan Boldin not saying too much in regards to his future.  Not lately anyway
Adrian Wilson and/or Darnell Dockett not saying anything in regards to contract extensions
Todd Haley new HC in Kansas City (couldn’t do anything about that, but it still hurts)
Antonio Smith headed to Houston (couldn’t do much about it without paying too much)
JJ Arrington headed to Denver (same as Smith, although it would have been nice to a replacement in-tow.)

D’s:

Edgerrin James headed anywhere he can, and letting the Cardinals know in anyway that he can, that he does not want to come back
Slight PR hit in delayed Warner re-signing and brief flirtation with a division rival

F’s (if true):

Another PR hit in ProFootballTalk.com report that the Cardinals did not pay Super Bowl bonuses to departing coaches such as Haley, Clancy Pendergast, etc.
Speaking of the NFL:

OK, it may make perfect sense to acquire someone to take pressure off of Lee Evans, add a element missing to their offense next season, and aid the development of Trent Edwards by providing a big, sturdy target in intermediate passing routes, but Terrell Owens to the blue-collar Buffalo Bills just doesn’t look right.

Kind of like:

A innovative offensive mastermind (Steve Spurrier) heading from the highest profile SEC job (Florida) to one of the highest profile NFL jobs (Washington) to…South Carolina???

A Hall of Fame RB (Emmitt Smith) heading from one the most successful NFL franchises (Dallas) to one of the worst (Arizona).

Arguably the NFL’s most selfish player ( Randy Moss) traded to a team that prides themselves on their selflessness (New England).

A shy, introvert (Randy Johnson) known for his indifference if not disdain for the spotlight going to the highest profile franchise in sports (Yankees) in the media capital of the world (New York).

An iconic HC (Bill Parcells) who overshadowed the various organizations that he coached, becoming just the next in line (Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson) in working for football’s most iconic franchise (Dallas Cowboys).

An NBA superstar (Charles Barkley) traded to a sports market whose biggest star up to that point may have been a collegiate superstar (Danny White).

An NBA superstar (Allen Iverson) known for his me-first offensive attitude and lax practice habits headed to an organization that’s always practiced what it has preached in regards to great team defense.

The NHL’s greatest star and ambassador (Wayne Gretzky) coaching the league’s least financially successful organization in a market that has given an icy cold reception to professional hockey.

Now we can add:

Football’s highest profile malcontent and least relatable player (Terrell Owens) signs with lowest profile NFL destination in the heart of blue collar America (Buffalo).

Kurt Warner is a Cardinal.  Well … duh.

In the history of duh’s this has to be in the top ten.

Were you actually worried about Kurt Warner signing elsewhere?

Did you allow those who peddle panic and deal in fear convince you that there was actually a chance that Kurt Warner was going to leave the Cardinals and the Cardinals were going to allow him to go?

The ultimate irony of this story is that it happened exactly the same day that Manny Ramirez signed with the Dodgers.  I’ve said for a week now, that their two situations were almost exactly identical.  Neither player had any other reasonable option; neither team could run the risk of infuriating their fan base.  I guess irony can be pretty ironic sometimes (the best line from one of the worst movies of all time, Airplane 2).

The truth is he was never, ever, ever (ever to the nth degree) going anywhere.  And everybody knew it.   Once you removed emotion from the equation and just concentrated on common sense…there was no choice.  He had to come back and they had to have him back.

The big winner in this process is Warner, but even more so, his agent Mark Bartelstein.  Some agents (see Drew Rosenhaus) negotiate like nuclear bombs.  They come in with Uzi’s in both hands and just start firing away.

Bartelstein was like a roof top sniper.  Quiet but just as deadly.  And he used the perception of the Cardinals against them, just like I had thought he would.

Warner’s counter offer was for less than what he wanted, less than what the 49ers had offered, and even included money he would give back to Anquan Boldin.  By doing that, the national talking heads on ESPN all universally proclaimed the Cardinals would be fools – even worse than that – they’d be the  Same-Old-Cardinals if they didn’t  accept this deal.

Slaves to their own reputation, the Cardinals had no choice and finished the deal late last night.

Focus now turns to Matt Leinart.  Seems unlikely he’ll just sit around and be a backup for another year.  Brian St. Pierre is telling his hometown newspaper he’s going to have a chance to compete with Leinart for the number two spot.  Between that and the Warner extension, it’s not exactly happy birthday for People magazines favorite benchwarmer.

And of course, Boldin.  Will Warner’s plea force the Cardinals to alter whatever their plan is with Q?

Wish I was as sure about that one as I was about Warner.

The positions have been taken:

Kurt Warner believes the Arizona Cardinals need him more than he needs them.

The Arizona Cardinals believe Kurt Warner needs them more than they need him.

In the middle are the San Francisco 49ers and a difference of roughly $5 million in base salary

So, you are the final arbiter, and have to make to the call.  Who is right:  The Arizona Cardinals or Kurt Warner?

The Case for the Cardinals:

Kurt Warner wasn’t supposed to be in this position.  He was even supposed to be the Cardinals starting QB; Matt Leinart was.  Warner did get the job, but not by much according to Ken Whisenhunt.  So, if Warner gets the slight edge in the QB competition, why does he get such a big edge in payment?  Leinart makes $1.1 mill next year.   Does Warner deserve 14 times that much???

OK, Warner does deserve a lot of credit for his 2008-9 effort, but here’s one thing he won’t have in 2009-10 with the 49ers; Larry Fitzgerald.  There are no such playmakers in San Francisco at the WR position.  In fact, the 49ers most dangerous receiver might be their RB.

Let’s also talk about age.  Warner will be 38 next year.  Same age as Rich Gannon in 2003, when he lasted exactly 3 games for the Raiders following an MVP year at age 37.

How about Phil Simms?  Played just four games for the Giants at that age (1-3 record).

Dan Marino?  His age 38 season was his worst- with a career low 67.4 passer rating.  He retired the year following year.

Steve Young also retired following his age 38 season, one that saw him play in only 3 games, before a season ending injury.

But we’re sure Warner is the exception to the rule.  After all Warner has played in back-to-back full seasons exactly……never.  But we’re sure that will happen next year with Cardinals…At age 38…and age 39.  That’s when we’re supposed to be playing Kurt 14-15 mill, right???  Sorry, we won’t do it.  Kerry Collins makes 8 mill, Matt Leinart makes 1.1, and $10 mill per year is more than fair market value for Kurt Warner.

The case for Kurt Warner:

Let’s talk firsts.  First division title since 1975, first home playoff game since 1947.  First time a team had 3 starters in the Pro Bowl.

Now, without Warner, the Cardinals may be left with one only of those players.  Couple that with Todd Haley’s departure and the offense in the “capable” hands of…Matt Leinart.  The same guy who basically had the starting QB job handed to him, only to lose it to Warner?

But we’re sure he will do better next year.  Without Boldin.  Without Haley.  Without someone challenging him in camp.

Or is there another option that the Cardinals have yet to unveil?

Kerry Collins?  Nope, he’s off the market.

Jeff Garcia?  He doesn’t have the arm strength.

Jay Cutler?  It would take a higher draft pick than the Cardinals have and/or Boldin.

Face it, just like last year, Warner gives the Cardinals the best chance to win football games in 2009.  The Cardinals still have great weapons, and play in a bad division, with San Francisco as they only viable threat.  Want to strengthen that opposition?  Be our guest.  If not, pay Kurt Warner what he wants.

In the end Burnsy sides with the Cardinals.  He feels $10 million is fair value for Warner, and that something is going to be worked out in the near future.  It has to.

 

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No matter how hard people try, I refuse to worry about Kurt Warner.

Despite the I-know-something-you-don’t-know laugh he gave when asked on ESPN this afternoon if he had been in contact with another NFC West team, I refuse to show an ounce of concern.

His agent left town yesterday without a deal?  Whoopee.

He’s not going anywhere, and everybody knows it.

Where else is he going to go?  What other team offers the combination of:

1.)    A need for a quarterback.

2.)    The money he wants.

3.)    A system he likes.

4.)    Weather that allows that system to flourish.

5.)    A team that was as close to winning it all as the Cards were.

6.)    A city where his wife and seven kids want to live.

7.)    A wide receiver like Larry Fitzgerald.

Plus, he keeps talking about how his “perfect scenario” is to remain with the Cardinals.  When he talks about going elsewhere, he does so in tones that I usually reserve for folding laundry or taking out the trash.  In other words, a chore that he’d just as soon not do.

Plus, don’t you think that other teams know he doesn’t want to leave Arizona?  I do.  That he might just be using them for leverage to get a better deal for Arizona?  I do.

He might, and I emphasize might, get a bigger dollar offer from another team.  But will it be a better situation?  He’s a soon-to-be 38 year old quarterback in a system that is cut to fit his skill set like a perfectly tailored suit.

I understand his position.  He just took the Arizona Cardinals to the promised land.  He had a career year and wants a paycheck to match.  But the Cardinals have made, what I believe to be a very fair, market-driven offer.  It would be irresponsible to just give him franchise QB type money.  Instead it’s an offer based on what he is….an aging quarterback with a specific set of skills.

I think the Cardinals have most of the leverage here; they’re in the position of strength.   The best thing the agent has going for him isn’t the Jets or 49ers or Chiefs or Bears.  It’s you.  The fans.  And the perception that if this goes wrong it will be the Cardinals fault no matter what.

He’s banking on the pressure you will apply to the team to get a deal done no matter what.  Otherwise, the team runs the risk of being branded by the fans as (all together now) the Same Old Cardinals.  The ones who are too cheap to bring back the guy who took the team to a Super Bowl.  The agent is using the Cardinals history against them.

Quarterback Kerry Collins just got a two year extension from the Titans worth 15 million.  8.5 million in guaranteed money.  Word is he was waiting to see what Warner was going to get but decided, why wait?  Where else is Collins going to go that will be an upgrade?

Sound advice Kurt.  So shop around, see what the market tells you you’re worth.

But there is not a shred of doubt in my mind at the end of the day he’ll realize what I suspect he already knows.  What everybody knows.  He’s not going anywhere.

It’s time for Suns fans to get over it.  The divorce is final.  The Suns are not getting back to a championship level of play, and yesterday was a quick reminder why:

A) They are not a NBA title contender
B) They are not about to be a NBA contender anytime soon

To illustrate the latter point, we need look no further than Rajan Rondo and his 32 point, 10 assist performance.  Rondo, as many already know, could have been a Sun.  His emergence as a top flight NBA point guard amidst Steve Nash’s decline is just another reason why the Suns need to pay more careful attention to the draft as they prepare for a long rebuilding process.  But how soon should that process start?  This year might be as good as any since it’s pretty obvious the team is a 1st Round playoff exit at best.  So, wouldn’t it be worth it for the Suns to start from scratch ASAP?  Are the playoffs really that big of a deal, or do people really still think that this team has a chance at being the NBA’s version of the Arizona Cardinals?  Burnsy sincerely hopes not, but does hope the reality of the situation finally sinks in for some.

Speaking of the Cardinals, is anybody else getting nervous about Kurt Warner hitting the open market?  Last week some got a little nervous when Karlos Dansby got the Cardinals “get out of jail free card,” instead of Warner.  Now, the possibility of Warner leaving this off-season is at best (from other team’s perspectives) palpable, and at worst improbable.  Burnsy says very improbable, as in a 5% chance of Warner not having a deal in place by Thursday.

Bob Melvin stopped by as the D-backs start Spring Training.  By stop by, I do not mean literally, although BoMel seemed genuinely confused why he and Burnsy had to speak over the phone.  “There’s not a whole lot (else) to do (in Tucson)?” questioned Melvin.  He later retracted, but did hold back his optimism for Chad Tracy, whom he thinks could have a big year.  Tracy is penciled in at 1B, and Conor Jackson in LF, but the main theme of this year’s camp is competition, something BoMel didn’t feel last year’s spring had enough of.

Bob Melvin

Alvin Gentry

 

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