Arizona Cardinals: The case for waiting on a quarterback
Jan 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill (left) and general manager Steve Keim watch from sidelines before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The moneyball approach to finding a quarterback
There is, however, an alternative strategy that has the potential to reduce the risks associated with finding a franchise quarterback. Moreover, this strategy has certain advantages regarding salary cap management, leading some to call it a “moneyball” strategy.
The idea is pretty straight forward. Instead of starting with the quest for a quarterback, use the draft to build up the other parts of the team first. Once you have a deep and talented team, draft a quarterback somewhere in the middle rounds.
By taking this approach, you are putting that quarterback in the best situation possible to succeed. If you hit on the quarterback, you have a Russell Wilson or a Dak Prescott. If you miss, it’s easier to move on because he’s not a first round pick.
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Not only does this strategy put the quarterback in a better situation to succeed, it also has salary cap implications. By building up the rest of the roster first, the team has a chance to be competitive as early as the quarterback’s rookie season. This early success allows the team to maximize the quarterback’s rookie contract. In other words, since the team is paying the quarterback far below market rate, they can maximize the talent on the roster by using the cap space elsewhere.
So perhaps Steve Keim and company are on to something. Maybe it was a wise move to take Budda Baker in the second round, instead of DeShone Kizer. Perhaps by drafting the best players available now, the Cardinals are building the type of team that can compete, even with a rookie quarterback.