Arizona Owns 2024
The new Arizona GM, Monti Ossenfort, got off to an inauspicious start Thursday, having to admit he erred by making a phone call to Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon outside the permitted time for contacting coaching candidates during the playoffs. The Cardinals paid a 28-slot penalty in round three, moving down from 66 to 94 with Philadelphia as part of Ossenfort’s penance.
“I made a mistake. I own that,” he said. After that, he had a strong weekend.
Ossenfort, with more holes to plug than any GM in football, made three trades in the first 34 picks—with Houston, Detroit and Tennessee. The upshot: Ossenfort traded the third overall pick, plus picks in the second, fourth and fifth rounds. In return, he got pick six (tackle Paris Johnson), pick 41 (linebacker BJ Ojulari) and pick 72 (cornerback Garrett Williams), plus a first-round pick in 2024 and two third-round picks in 2024.
The Cardinals now are scheduled to own a league-high six picks in the first three rounds next year, and the first-rounders could be pure gold. PFF data analyst Timo Riske reported that after simulating the 2023 season 10,000 times, Arizona and Houston were favored to be the two worst teams in the NFL this season. Each team, PFF said, has a 46 percent chance to have a top-five pick in the draft next year—which would mean, of course, that Arizona would have two of the top five picks in the draft next year.
Think what that could mean. Clearly, it would leave Arizona as the leader in the clubhouse for the top pick in the draft, or the ability to deal for the top pick, which could be a great quarterback—maybe Caleb Williams of USC or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. That, of course, puts pressure on Kyler Murray with a new coaching staff and administration and coming off knee surgery, to show he’s a premier player when he returns sometime this fall.
Ossenfort told me Saturday night he didn’t go into the draft with a plan to deal for so much 2024 draft currency—that’s just the way the trades fell. He did admit he made the first deal with Houston with the idea of trading back up. “It was important with that first trade to retain the option to move back up,” he said. And that, of course, was for Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson, the best tackle in the draft. The Cardinals got him at six, just ahead of the Raiders, who may have taken Johnson at seven.
One more point. If Arizona, Houston and Tennessee all struggle next year and all finish below .500, the Cardinals would have six picks in the top 75, including two early in the first round. Ossenfort may not have gone into this draft with an intention of owning the 2024 draft, but that’s exactly how it turned out.
They don’t win often and it doesn’t mean all that much but the cardinals “won” this draft.FMIA: A Night in the Raiders’ Draft Room and 12 Minutes With C.J. Stroud
Excerpt:
Arizona Owns 2024
The new Arizona GM, Monti Ossenfort, got off to an inauspicious start Thursday, having to admit he erred by making a phone call to Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon outside the permitted time for contacting coaching candidates during the playoffs. The Cardinals paid a 28-slot penalty in round three, moving down from 66 to 94 with Philadelphia as part of Ossenfort’s penance.“I made a mistake. I own that,” he said. After that, he had a strong weekend.
Ossenfort, with more holes to plug than any GM in football, made three trades in the first 34 picks—with Houston, Detroit and Tennessee. The upshot: Ossenfort traded the third overall pick, plus picks in the second, fourth and fifth rounds. In return, he got pick six (tackle Paris Johnson), pick 41 (linebacker BJ Ojulari) and pick 72 (cornerback Garrett Williams), plus a first-round pick in 2024 and two third-round picks in 2024.
The Cardinals now are scheduled to own a league-high six picks in the first three rounds next year, and the first-rounders could be pure gold. PFF data analyst Timo Riske reported that after simulating the 2023 season 10,000 times, Arizona and Houston were favored to be the two worst teams in the NFL this season. Each team, PFF said, has a 46 percent chance to have a top-five pick in the draft next year—which would mean, of course, that Arizona would have two of the top five picks in the draft next year.
Think what that could mean. Clearly, it would leave Arizona as the leader in the clubhouse for the top pick in the draft, or the ability to deal for the top pick, which could be a great quarterback—maybe Caleb Williams of USC or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. That, of course, puts pressure on Kyler Murray with a new coaching staff and administration and coming off knee surgery, to show he’s a premier player when he returns sometime this fall.
Ossenfort told me Saturday night he didn’t go into the draft with a plan to deal for so much 2024 draft currency—that’s just the way the trades fell. He did admit he made the first deal with Houston with the idea of trading back up. “It was important with that first trade to retain the option to move back up,” he said. And that, of course, was for Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson, the best tackle in the draft. The Cardinals got him at six, just ahead of the Raiders, who may have taken Johnson at seven.
One more point. If Arizona, Houston and Tennessee all struggle next year and all finish below .500, the Cardinals would have six picks in the top 75, including two early in the first round. Ossenfort may not have gone into this draft with an intention of owning the 2024 draft, but that’s exactly how it turned out.
They don’t win often and it doesn’t mean all that much but the cardinals “won” this draft.FMIA: A Night in the Raiders’ Draft Room and 12 Minutes With C.J. Stroud
Excerpt:
Arizona Owns 2024
The new Arizona GM, Monti Ossenfort, got off to an inauspicious start Thursday, having to admit he erred by making a phone call to Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon outside the permitted time for contacting coaching candidates during the playoffs. The Cardinals paid a 28-slot penalty in round three, moving down from 66 to 94 with Philadelphia as part of Ossenfort’s penance.“I made a mistake. I own that,” he said. After that, he had a strong weekend.
Ossenfort, with more holes to plug than any GM in football, made three trades in the first 34 picks—with Houston, Detroit and Tennessee. The upshot: Ossenfort traded the third overall pick, plus picks in the second, fourth and fifth rounds. In return, he got pick six (tackle Paris Johnson), pick 41 (linebacker BJ Ojulari) and pick 72 (cornerback Garrett Williams), plus a first-round pick in 2024 and two third-round picks in 2024.
The Cardinals now are scheduled to own a league-high six picks in the first three rounds next year, and the first-rounders could be pure gold. PFF data analyst Timo Riske reported that after simulating the 2023 season 10,000 times, Arizona and Houston were favored to be the two worst teams in the NFL this season. Each team, PFF said, has a 46 percent chance to have a top-five pick in the draft next year—which would mean, of course, that Arizona would have two of the top five picks in the draft next year.
Think what that could mean. Clearly, it would leave Arizona as the leader in the clubhouse for the top pick in the draft, or the ability to deal for the top pick, which could be a great quarterback—maybe Caleb Williams of USC or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. That, of course, puts pressure on Kyler Murray with a new coaching staff and administration and coming off knee surgery, to show he’s a premier player when he returns sometime this fall.
Ossenfort told me Saturday night he didn’t go into the draft with a plan to deal for so much 2024 draft currency—that’s just the way the trades fell. He did admit he made the first deal with Houston with the idea of trading back up. “It was important with that first trade to retain the option to move back up,” he said. And that, of course, was for Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson, the best tackle in the draft. The Cardinals got him at six, just ahead of the Raiders, who may have taken Johnson at seven.
One more point. If Arizona, Houston and Tennessee all struggle next year and all finish below .500, the Cardinals would have six picks in the top 75, including two early in the first round. Ossenfort may not have gone into this draft with an intention of owning the 2024 draft, but that’s exactly how it turned out.
If a team opts not to do these reality shows, I can understand. Cards HC is now a laughing stock.
Crazy part is the team itself put out the show/video.
It's good for fan engagement as long as it doesn't come out like this. I mean they didn't really need the drive/bus/Uber/hitchhiking part at the start.
-QG
man that was a little cringe worthy...Crazy part is the team itself put out the show/video.
It's good for fan engagement as long as it doesn't come out like this. I mean they didn't really need the drive/bus/Uber/hitchhiking part at the start.
-QG
same PR team that thought this was a good idea
I thought it was a scene from Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure III.man that was a little cringe worthy...Crazy part is the team itself put out the show/video.
It's good for fan engagement as long as it doesn't come out like this. I mean they didn't really need the drive/bus/Uber/hitchhiking part at the start.
-QG
same PR team that thought this was a good idea
LOL, the video is hilarious.
Not quite as deep, but in my 12 team 16 round draft last year, the only 2 Texans drafted were Cooks and Pierce.Had a 12-team redraft tonight, 19 rounds.
All of four Cardinals were drafted -- Conner, Brown, Ingram and Wilson. Not even Murray. And Ingram and Wilson were really late.
I am hard pressed to remember the last time a team had as few as four players drafted in 228 opportunities.
I’m sure the Jets accomplished it a few seasons.Had a 12-team redraft tonight, 19 rounds.
All of four Cardinals were drafted -- Conner, Brown, Ingram and Wilson. Not even Murray. And Ingram and Wilson were really late.
I am hard pressed to remember the last time a team had as few as four players drafted in 228 opportunities.
Just checked. The 2022 Texans also had four -- those two plus Collins and Burkhead.Not quite as deep, but in my 12 team 16 round draft last year, the only 2 Texans drafted were Cooks and Pierce.Had a 12-team redraft tonight, 19 rounds.
All of four Cardinals were drafted -- Conner, Brown, Ingram and Wilson. Not even Murray. And Ingram and Wilson were really late.
I am hard pressed to remember the last time a team had as few as four players drafted in 228 opportunities.
Of course, the 2022 Texans probably aren't what any Cardinals drafters are hoping for.
I have zero confidence in this offense. I’d keep Wilson over Moore, but I’m not sure Moss is more valuable then either one long term.Anyone have any faith in this offense?
I am holding in a keeper both rondale moore and michael wilson now but have zack moss sitting on waiver wires and i want to drop one of them but of course then they can't be keepers anymore...
I was a week early on the AZ upsetThe Giants just got run over 40-0
Arizona almost beat the Washington Commanders and were one of the bigger underdogs on Sunday
I want to say the Cards pull the upset at home and the Giants hit rock bottom Week 2, I'm not a big Dabol fan and think it was smoke and mirrors last year
I'm inclined to take the points until the team decides to quit on the season.
I was a week early on the AZ upsetThe Giants just got run over 40-0
Arizona almost beat the Washington Commanders and were one of the bigger underdogs on Sunday
I want to say the Cards pull the upset at home and the Giants hit rock bottom Week 2, I'm not a big Dabol fan and think it was smoke and mirrors last year
I'm inclined to take the points until the team decides to quit on the season.
I wonder what the Diggs injury did to their psyche this past Sunday
They just need to draft a good run stuffing DT to help that out.I was a week early on the AZ upsetThe Giants just got run over 40-0
Arizona almost beat the Washington Commanders and were one of the bigger underdogs on Sunday
I want to say the Cards pull the upset at home and the Giants hit rock bottom Week 2, I'm not a big Dabol fan and think it was smoke and mirrors last year
I'm inclined to take the points until the team decides to quit on the season.
I wonder what the Diggs injury did to their psyche this past Sunday
Dallas couldn't stop the run last year, they don't appear to be any better at it this year. They'll finish with 12 or so wins and get bounced in the playoffs again by a team that has a good run game (SF or PHI). Then all offseason the Cowboys will be on Trey Lance watch.
They just need to draft a good run stuffing DT to help that out.I was a week early on the AZ upsetThe Giants just got run over 40-0
Arizona almost beat the Washington Commanders and were one of the bigger underdogs on Sunday
I want to say the Cards pull the upset at home and the Giants hit rock bottom Week 2, I'm not a big Dabol fan and think it was smoke and mirrors last year
I'm inclined to take the points until the team decides to quit on the season.
I wonder what the Diggs injury did to their psyche this past Sunday
Dallas couldn't stop the run last year, they don't appear to be any better at it this year. They'll finish with 12 or so wins and get bounced in the playoffs again by a team that has a good run game (SF or PHI). Then all offseason the Cowboys will be on Trey Lance watch.
Yeah. They need to draft a good one, like I saidThey just need to draft a good run stuffing DT to help that out.I was a week early on the AZ upsetThe Giants just got run over 40-0
Arizona almost beat the Washington Commanders and were one of the bigger underdogs on Sunday
I want to say the Cards pull the upset at home and the Giants hit rock bottom Week 2, I'm not a big Dabol fan and think it was smoke and mirrors last year
I'm inclined to take the points until the team decides to quit on the season.
I wonder what the Diggs injury did to their psyche this past Sunday
Dallas couldn't stop the run last year, they don't appear to be any better at it this year. They'll finish with 12 or so wins and get bounced in the playoffs again by a team that has a good run game (SF or PHI). Then all offseason the Cowboys will be on Trey Lance watch.
They drafted Mazi Smith in the 1st round.
Yeah. They need to draft a good one, like I saidThey just need to draft a good run stuffing DT to help that out.I was a week early on the AZ upsetThe Giants just got run over 40-0
Arizona almost beat the Washington Commanders and were one of the bigger underdogs on Sunday
I want to say the Cards pull the upset at home and the Giants hit rock bottom Week 2, I'm not a big Dabol fan and think it was smoke and mirrors last year
I'm inclined to take the points until the team decides to quit on the season.
I wonder what the Diggs injury did to their psyche this past Sunday
Dallas couldn't stop the run last year, they don't appear to be any better at it this year. They'll finish with 12 or so wins and get bounced in the playoffs again by a team that has a good run game (SF or PHI). Then all offseason the Cowboys will be on Trey Lance watch.
They drafted Mazi Smith in the 1st round.