Sadly, the Arizona Cardinals have officially announced that they will be trading the club.
Here in Orlando for the NFL owners meetings, and Tuesday morning at the NFC coaches breakfast, spending some time at the table with Jonathan Gannon. A mailbag ready to go in the interim. Questions have been condensed to improve clarity and brevity. Remember to submit a question for a subsequent mailbag.
According to Luke Strauss:
“Hello, Darren. With the Vikings obtaining a second first-round pick, everyone is going crazy about how much the Cards may potentially win (if the quarterbacks go 1, 2, 3). “As general manager, would you trade 11, 23, and a future first round pick to the Vikings for Marvin Harrison Jr., knowing that you’ll have five first-round picks in two years?”
That one would require some serious thought on my part. (The Vikings might also, as I’m not sure whether that haul aligns with the “trade chart” that we frequently consult.) That would most likely depend in part on my opinion of Harrison. It’s difficult to pass on if, as I felt, he was generational. However, it must be taken into consideration to theoretically obtain five elite players rather than simply two. If there are two firsts and a certain veteran wide receiver who needs a new contract, the calculation is different, but I don’t see the Vikings taking that route either. It doesn’t seem to make much sense.)
From JC Burk:
“Hello, Darren. According to a tweet from one of the “Cardinals insiders,” the Cardinals brass knows the value of selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. both on and off the field (referring to the fan base and community), and they would not trade down to pick No. 4 for anything less than a bounty. Do you concur with that? not the portion about trading. Of course, everything comes with a cost. However, the statement that Marvin has attained Adrian Peterson-like levels of fan anticipation and hype, meaning that dealing him away shouldn’t be taken lightly? Marvin is not Fitz, in my opinion, because Fitz was a legitimate candidate for the Heisman Trophy. Marvin, though, is nearby. He would be ‘the one’ right away and bring in a billion dollars for us in merchandise and ticket sales in a manner that no other athlete (apart from a quarterback) could.”
This is my opinion on that idea. First off, it’s a mistake to select a player only because he sells tickets. I’m not moving because of it, but that doesn’t mean a player can’t be well worth the choice and sell seats and stuff. Secondly, if I were Monti, I would assemble the team in my own way. That’s the reason I was hired. It is a mistake to act because supporters want something. Again, it’s fantastic if fans end up agreeing with a choice. However, supporters will still pursue Monti if, for example, they choose Harrison in the draft and Harrison excels but the club doesn’t win enough games. So he must act in accordance with his moral convictions. (Fans won’t mind if the team wins without taking MHJ.)
From Tom Walcott:
“This is my first time taking part. adore the mailbag. Is there a chance to move Jonah Williams to left guard and still try to choose a starting left tackle in this year’s draft, given the cost of guards in free agency this year and his skill set?”
I’m not discounting anything, even if Williams has always been a tackle. A more likely possibility, in my opinion, would be to take a tackle and maybe use that player at guard—at least initially.
