AZ Cardinals hurting.....

[Davis_Mike]

While this hurts, I don't think losing Docket will break the season for us. This was realistically Dockets last season with the team anyways unless he took a big pay cut. He had a decent season last year but at 33, his production has seriously slipped over the last few seasons.

As far as the rest of the defense, there are more than a few upgrades that might mitigate the loses on defense. Getting Acho/Okefor back after missing most of last season will give them a pass rushing boost along with Abraham starting the season as the starter. Unlike last year when he didn't see much of the field till he took over as the starter in week 5. The secondary was upgraded in 2 spots. Middle linebacker is the only real question mark.

For all the talk about the defense declining, the offense will be vastly improved over what was a top 12 offense last season. I think the offense can easily compensate for the defensive loses. I still think this team can win 10 games again.

 

[Mariners_44]

While this hurts, I don't think losing Docket will break the season for us. This was realistically Dockets last season with the team anyways unless he took a big pay cut. He had a decent season last year but at 33, his production has seriously slipped over the last few seasons.

As far as the rest of the defense, there are more than a few upgrades that might mitigate the loses on defense. Getting Acho/Okefor back after missing most of last season will give them a pass rushing boost along with Abraham starting the season as the starter. Unlike last year when he didn't see much of the field till he took over as the starter in week 5. The secondary was upgraded in 2 spots. Middle linebacker is the only real question mark.

For all the talk about the defense declining, the offense will be vastly improved over what was a top 12 offense last season. I think the offense can easily compensate for the defensive loses. I still think this team can win 10 games again.

Isn't there a chance of suspension for Abraham? I may be wrong, but between that possibility and his late arrival to camp, he may have hurt early production. You're right, the offense should be better for sure. With that being said, consider the division you guy's are in and the production of the best offense in NFL history during the Super Bowl. Defense is still king, and each team in this division is pretty stacked on D.

 

[Wolvie]

I can't agree with this. Back in 2009 were we a better team after drafting Curry at #4, or were the Packers better for drafting Matthews at #26? Nothing is guaranteed in the draft, and for the Cards they should be building off of last year's momentum. Now they take a step back talent wise for this year with no guarantees for next year as their vets are another year older.

Back in 2009 you had a much better point. High draft picks got paid ridiculous amounts of guaranteed money. But that is no longer the case with the new cba. But yes they will still have to draft properly.

 

[Wolvie]

Sorry bro, but you will have a hard time convincing most of us that tanking games to improve draft status is the way to go.

Don't worry because I won't ever try. Every team should always try to win the game. But a team missing multiple key starters on defense is going to have a much harder time doing so.

 

[Wolvie]

Disagree entirely. A high draft pick means you've got a ton of holes on your team and issues galore. It means you probably wont be a contender anytime soon (what Seattle did as quick as they did is NOT the norm).

Yes you may get a better PROSPECT but the pressure you put on that prospect is enormous and often times backfires (as evidenced with the many top 10 busts we see).

There's a reason VERY good franchises over the years (Packers/Patriots/49ers/Steelers etc.) are not drafting super high much. Yah a couple seasons here or there. There's a reason the Browns/Lions/Jags/etc. are routinely in there.

And normally those holes are from lack of talent which need to be filled. For AZ though those holes will be filled by vets that missed this year. And that high draft pick gets to be spent elsewhere

 

[Davis_Mike]

Isn't there a chance of suspension for Abraham? I may be wrong, but between that possibility and his late arrival to camp, he may have hurt early production. You're right, the offense should be better for sure. With that being said, consider the division you guy's are in and the production of the best offense in NFL history during the Super Bowl. Defense is still king, and each team in this division is pretty stacked on D.

There is almost zero chance of a suspension this season. Usually the NFL waits till there is a resolution with the court case before they hand down punishment, if there is any. The court case may not be resolved until the offseason or late in the season at the earliest. So even if he gets a suspension, it will be for the 2015 season.

 

[dude82]

Back in 2010, there were quite a few people who felt it would be better for the Seahawks, in the long run, to lose those last few games in December than to make the playoffs. The logic used then was that the Seahawks weren't going to win in the playoffs once they got there anyway, so all they were going to get out of making the playoffs was a lower draft slot than teams with a better record that didn't make the playoffs.

My argument against that logic was basically the same as the one being made here. A higher draft slot doesn't guarantee better players and if you have a competent group of talent evaluators, you can get really good or great players wherever you pick. On the other hand, if you have a lousy group of talent evaluators, you're either not going to get good players regardless of where you pick or you're going to get good players that don't fit with what you're trying to do, ruining whatever potential they may have had.

There's a reason why we keep seeing a lot of the same teams picking towards the top of the draft every year and a lot of the same teams picking towards the bottom of the draft every year. I also mentioned in that particular case that tanking when you still have a chance at a division title sends the wrong message to the players and I'm glad that the Seahawks didn't even entertain the idea.

Injuries are gonna happen and they can wreck the season of a legitimately good team if they happen to the wrong players and I do think that if it happens to the Cardinals and the talent evaluators there are good at their jobs, they can take advantage of having a higher draft slot and get some really good players out of it. I just don't think that having a higher draft slot is always an advantage. It's meant to be, but as we've seen over the years, it doesn't always turn out to be.

 

[SonnyCID]

Back in 2010, there were quite a few people who felt it would be better for the Seahawks, in the long run, to lose those last few games in December than to make the playoffs. The logic used then was that the Seahawks weren't going to win in the playoffs once they got there anyway, so all they were going to get out of making the playoffs was a lower draft slot than teams with a better record that didn't make the playoffs.

My argument against that logic was basically the same as the one being made here. A higher draft slot doesn't guarantee better players and if you have a competent group of talent evaluators, you can get really good or great players wherever you pick. On the other hand, if you have a lousy group of talent evaluators, you're either not going to get good players regardless of where you pick or you're going to get good players that don't fit with what you're trying to do, ruining whatever potential they may have had.

There's a reason why we keep seeing a lot of the same teams picking towards the top of the draft every year and a lot of the same teams picking towards the bottom of the draft every year. I also mentioned in that particular case that tanking when you still have a chance at a division title sends the wrong message to the players and I'm glad that the Seahawks didn't even entertain the idea.

Injuries are gonna happen and they can wreck the season of a legitimately good team if they happen to the wrong players and I do think that if it happens to the Cardinals and the talent evaluators there are good at their jobs, they can take advantage of having a higher draft slot and get some really good players out of it. I just don't think that having a higher draft slot is always an advantage. It's meant to be, but as we've seen over the years, it doesn't always turn out to be.

Glad you mentioned 2010. I remember late in the season when like you said, many didn't want the hawks to win because they weren't going to win a SB anyways. I think we look back now and most see the Beastquake game as sort of a defining point for this regime.

Same thing with 2011. Many were suck-for-luck mode and were just concerned with getting a high draft pick, because well, they weren't going to make the playoffs. Then they made a push, fell short, but had some quality wins that gave confidence to a young team and provided some momentum going in to the next year (especially fueling the fire with the niners).

 

[DunceKaep]

I feel it doesn't matter what 15 player range the Seahawks draft (ex, 16-30 or 21-35, etc) the Seahawks will draft a guy that most say should have been taken 30+ picks later.

How has that worked out?

Go Hawks.