| The Cardinals are facing the first offseason in
what will be yet another rebuilding process. Not long ago, the NFL’s Arizona
franchise looked as though it was on the verge of something special. It had "the
next Joe Montana" playing quarterback in Jake Plummer. It had the makings for one of
the all-time great defensive lines with Simeon Rice, Andre Wadsworth, Mark Smith and Eric
Swann. And the club featured a likely Hall of Famer starting at one CB spot in Aeneas
Williams.
But somehow, after a playoff win at Dallas following the 1998 regular season, the
wheels came off. The Cardinals dropped to 6-10 in ’99 and then to 3-13 last season.
Simply put, it’s time to start over.
That’s what this team is doing with Dave McGinnis heading into his first full
season as an NFL head coach. He has hired a new staff and will run a new offense — an
attack he hopes will jumpstart the career of Plummer. As for that now-infamous defensive
line, only Wadsworth remains, and his future with the Cardinals isn’t altogether
certain considering he remains an unsigned restricted free agent with severe knee
problems. And then there’s Williams, the six-time Pro Bowler who was designated as
the club’s franchise player.
For months, there has been speculation as to Williams’ future. He has hinted he
might retire. He has also indicated that he wants to finally ditch the red-and-white
uniform of the Cardinals in the hope of finally playing for a winner. In his 10 NFL
seasons, Williams has appeared in just one playoff game. In fact, in those 10 years, he
has had only one winning season, in ’98, when the Cards posted a mediocre 9-7 mark.
Williams is realistic. He knows this current Cardinals team is more than a year away
from making a championship run. Who can blame the guy for wanting shot at a title after
losing for so long?
That’s why the Cardinals should do the classy thing and trade him. In fact, it
would be in the best interests of Arizona to deal him, no matter how much it hurts the
Bidwill family to let go of one of the truly good men in professional sports.
Think about it. As the team’s franchise player, Williams is currently counting
$4.179 million against the Cardinals’ salary cap. This team has very little room
under the cap to make other moves to improve the roster. By trading Williams, the
Cardinals would instantly realize more than $4 million in cap space. That can buy a good
deal of talent.
Furthermore, they wouldn’t be just giving Williams away. They can count on draft
picks and/or players in return. This team has so many holes to fill, the more picks this
club can stockpile, the better.
The most likely trade the Cardinals could execute involves the Rams, who are seeking a
starting cornerback. St. Louis hosted Titans CB Samari Rolle for a visit recently and then
had Williams pay a visit. While the Rams reportedly aren’t willing to part with one
of their two first-round picks for Williams, they would likely give up one of their two
second-rounders. The Rams may also be willing to throw in a player or two.
This is a win-win situation for all parties involved. The Rams get a cornerback who is
still playing at a high level and a guy who could immediately assume a leadership role on
a defense that will be completely revamped from last season. The Cardinals get salary-cap
relief and another high pick to add to the second and 34th overall picks they
already own.
Finally, they would be doing Williams a favor — which is only fair after all
he has done for this franchise. The Cardinals would be giving Williams a chance to win,
something he doesn’t have if he sticks in Arizona next season. |
