The Super Bowl is over, which means the 2019 season is basically underway. Then again, the questions for this mailbag have been forward-thinking anyway, right? So here's this week's edition. As always, if I missed your specific question, I likely answered one similar. Also, if you want to drop off a question for next week's mailbag, please click here.
No. First of all, the guys you would mostly get on waivers are going to be on rookie contracts and won't cut deep into the salary cap. Second, waiver pickups are just that -- you hope once in a while you get a diamond in the rough, but they aren't the guys you are planning on being immediate starters usually. If they were flashing that kind of talent, their original team usually is going to want them around. Sometimes they develop into something so much more, and that would be the ideal situation. But initially, free agency will be much more important.
From Shamgod via azcardinals.com:
"Hey Darren, any chance we are getting new uniforms this season or anytime soon? Wondering if you've heard anything."
I have not heard anything about new uniforms. I don't think that's a consideration right now.
There aren't a lot of rumors yet, because we are still far enough away from free agency that there is still time for extensions to be signed by players with their current teams. The issue of a player like Humphries or someone like him is that no, he might not be a No. 1 -- yet what kind of money will he be seeking? No. 1 money? He's actually a lot like Christian Kirk, who you already have. I would think if you chase a receiver in free agency, and spend a little money doing it, you want someone who might be able to be that No. 1, at least for now. Not that a Humphries couldn't help -- I agree, the room is thin as it stands -- but these are the puzzle pieces the Cardinals must find and fit together.
From Walter Richters via azcardinals.com:
"I have heard a lot of fans opinions concerning the hiring of Kliff Kingsbury as our coach. About half of those here in my circle of Scottsdale have been negative. I personally have liked what I have heard from him. He isn't coming in planning to blow the NFL away with his genius alone. He said he intends to "utilize" the experienced coaches knowledge which has taken decades to accumulate. I especially like Mike and Steve's acquisition of a "Hall of Fame" quarterback who coincidentally coached Aaron Rodgers for several years."
I'm not sure there is a question pending here, other than the idea of what people might think of Kingsbury. I agree with what the coach said at his presser, and I'm paraphrasing: It doesn't matter what he says right now, because one way or the other, it'll play out on Sundays and that's how he will be judged. I get the skepticism. But nobody knows.
It's not ideal. Stability, to me, is one of the most important things for a QB to be successful. It doesn't mean they cannot be successful otherwise, but let's look at the best QBs around and what they have had -- Brady and Belichick, Manning and Dungy, Brees and Payton, Rodgers and McCarthy, Roethlisberger and Tomlin. There are exceptions, but stability means something.
All that said, I do think Rosen can use it as motivation. Besides, if you don't look at it as glass half-full, that's a mistake, because the change has happened regardless. Make lemonade from those lemons. I think going from a defensive head coach to Kingsbury will also serve as a boost too. What Rosen does with it, we will see.
I do not expect any changes to the strength and conditioning staff. But I usually have an issue about the S&C coaches being questioned on injuries. If all these guys were gone for the season with soft tissue problems like hamstring tears, maybe. But the vast majority of guys who were hurt this year tore some ligament in a knee. That's not coachable. That's bad luck.
How? I mean, there is only two ways to go about it, with free agency and the draft. I will be surprised if they don't address the position in each fashion. One thing to emphasize: Even if Fitz was in his prime, wide receiver would be a priority need, at least for depth (although Fitz in his prime plus Kirk would be a nice foundation).
From Cynthia Dobbins via azcardinals.com:
"Do you think Golden Tate would be a good free-agent acquisition and a good fit for the Cardinals?"
If Tate reaches the market, I could see him as a potential target. But he will be arguably the top receiver available, so I would assume there will be a significant market for his services as well.
Good questions. For the trio of Gunter, Bucannon and Golden, I think I'd rank "likely" as Golden, Bucannon, Gunter? Although at this point, each may want to see what is out there for them on the open market. Golden is a guy who might want to do the one-year-and-build-back-up-my-leverage deal, but we'll see on that. Bucannon always said he wasn't closing the door here, and then with the coaching change, that could put him back in play. What Gunter might be able to get on the open market is fascinating. He had a solid year. It was also his best year.
