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Hold ahead, he got jacked.
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Dude, you're rising Vision Flurry Rage, tack it Ober. Here's Paul CALVICI.
I'm ready.
I'm one hundred percent ready.
I'm telling you I'm ready.
And Ron Woolfley, it doesn't get any better than that, Ron Wolfley, have you been following the headlines in the last twenty four hours, of course, Paul, I mean, if Mike Tyson can fight Jake Paul, if zach Ertz can rejoin Cliff Kingsbury in Washington, if the Broncos can take an eighty five million dollar dead money cap, hit because of a quarterback named Russell Wilson who reportedly is gonna
meet soon with the Steelers. According to the headlines whow if Good Morning Football, NFL Network and all of a sudden moved from New York City to LA which was announced earlier today and moments ago, if cornerback Quinyon Mitchell can post video of him squatting five oh five for five reps again a cornerback, then of course we can do the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul Kelby c you're Ron Wolfley there.
PAULI have everything you just said right there. I cannot get the image of Russell Wilson and Mike t out of my head right now. Very very interesting combination right there.
All you have to do is call your older brother, who happens to be the Steelers analyst if you want an intel on that one. So all right, there you go. Look, everything is moving, and pretty soon about this time next week, we'll have a lot of official headlines out there. For example, reportedly Greg Dorch not much negotiating their exclusive rights free agent, so they went and tendered him reportedly one point one
to two million. I mean, that is a deal for Greg dort It could be your starting slot right now over Rondale Moore.
Yeah, he definitely could. One of the things I love most about Greg dors PAULI I believe he is a football player. First, he's a football player. You know, we used to talk about an kwam Bolden. Of course, on how an kwam Bolden could have played multiple positions. You could have lined him up at the weak side inside linebacker and he would have been Joss fine, yep, could have held up just fine as the week's inside I look at Greg Dorch and no, you couldn't line him
up as the weak side inside linebacker. Of course, his size is an issue, but man, his heart, he is a football player through and through. It's not surprising the Arizona Cardinals have dealt with Greg Dortch.
I said to Greg late in the season, I said, you know, on the air about you, I mentioned when you live on the edge of a roster, you play with an edge. Is that accurate?
He said?
No, doubt absolutely was his response. Yes, look at some of his closing games. I mean at Chicago he had the thirty eight yard touchdown catch and run right. He had that forty yard kickoff return in the Chicago game. At Philly, he had an one hundred and eighty five all purpose yards between the return game and receiving. So, I mean he took the month of December and January, and I think he proved amanioci for and Jonathan Gannon he's got a role in this team.
No, you're right about that, Pauli. It's very interesting what you just said right there too. I mean, every time I took the field, I knew, oh my goodness, you better come out here, you better ball out or you're going to be in trouble. I mean, the desperation that I had, it was easy to generate. Let's put it that way. Yeah.
Here, here's a guy, Greg Dort who was cut seven times his first three years in the league. So now, as for Xavi and Collins, what are we expecting there in terms of the contract situation is fifth year option is going to need to be decided sometime in May. He would be due thirteen point two million plus, So I don't think there's a lot of optimism out there at that number that the fifth year option will be
picked up. Here's Mania Sapport just asked about Xavion Collins game going into next year after he just made the position switch from inside to outside linebacker.
I thought Zavon had a good year for us last year.
You know, we did.
We went through a transition with him just positionally got back to some things that he did in Tulsa coming out of college, and so, you know, I thought zavan made a lot of great strites throughout the season, was out there for us, a lot of snaps played the whole year, and you know, I think with him, as with all of our players, I think we're going to we expect to see a jump from year one to year two, his comfort level, just getting more use to the position.
What's interesting is, I think a number of people on this staff, the new set of decision makers, really saw him coming out of Tulsa as an edge guy. Yeah, now, how do you see his future because we've seen him both inside and outside linebacker.
Yeah, Paul, I actually thought he was making strides as an inside mike linebacker. I thought he was making strides right there, and then of course the decision was to move them to the outside. And you know, you have to trust these coaches and the skill set that has shown. Of course, the acumen, the football acumen that has shown. You have to trust that these guys know what it is that they're doing moving Zavian out to the edge, and you know, to me, once again, it made an
awful lot of sense. I just don't know if they're going to pick up that option. As a matter of fact, I this is just me guessing. I think it's working against Saban Collins and it bothers me because if there's one dude that I absolutely love on the team at Saban.
No doubt about that. So look, it's about the quarterback. It's about getting to the quarterback. And then number three, I would contend it's about protecting thy quarterback. And that brings us to DJ Humphries, who went down late in the year with a knee injury. In fact, here was Manias support at the podium at the Combine and he was asked about last year's starting left tackle.
It was too bad and unfortunate for Hump. Just you know the timing of the injury and you know when it happened, and you know it's it's a difficult situation. So all I can say is that Hump's been in the facility every day he is, he's grinding through rehab and he's I know, he's going to put himself in the best position to get himself ready to play. It's
a tough situation. Again, it goes back to the unfortunate nature of injuries and football, and you know, I know Hump's going to do everything that he can do to get himself back out on the field.
Longest tenured Cardinal d J. Humpries, He used to have his name on this show, The Big Red Race Age once again, presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert. How do you see his future? Not only is he coming off his second torn acl but he's down for a big number under the cap next year.
Yeah, Paully, you know once again, and if you just listen to Moni ascin for it right there, he's talking about timing, you know, the timing of this injury and it was really bad, and he's talking about how tough the situation is right here, and he's talking about it being unfortunate of course, and I think all of that it's all obvious and it's indications that you know, this
is going to be a difficult decision. I think the Arizona Cardinals are going to have if, in fact, the Arizona Cardinals were a rebuilt, if this was a team that is going to go out and compete for not only a playoff position, but compete for a Super Bowl. If this rebuild was done and that injury happened to him, I don't think there's any doubt in my mind they'd try to bring him back seriously at some point in time.
Now they're going to have to rework the contract, of course, but I think they would try to bring them back at this point in time. I don't know if that's going to be the case. I just don't know, because of the rebuild and how new the rebuild is. What are your thoughts on that, bot, Well.
I agree with all that, and I would add two other factors. Number One, the guy who took number six overall, Paris Johnson Junior, has the ability to play left tackle. And in terms of this draft, where you have two first round picks and a high second round pick, this
is an epic historic draft for offensive tackles. In fact, some say it's going to break the all time record which was set a few years back when seven tackles were taken in Round one they say there might be eight right now, Daniel Jeremiah has six in his top twenty. That's just of all prospects, just based on prospects, forget about draft order. And we know how teams value offensive tackle.
Any you think about it right there, Paully, what you just said, Yes, why do they value offensive tackles because there are guys who are incredible athletes that these scouts are searched all over the world to bring these guys and players in that can actually come off the edge and do incredible things. To get to a quarterback, you need offensive linemen, of course, to protect that quarterback. In today's NFL, how much of passing the football actually goes on.
We all understand that you've got to protect that quarterback and we all know tackles are at a premium, all right.
So DJ Humphries recently was on Justin Pugh's podcast, Former Cardinals Starting Left Guard Right the net Worth Podcast with Justin Peughe shouldn't surprise anyone who insert him on air. He's great and the two of them were chopping it up and Justin Pugh was asking d J Humpries, Okay, how's he doing coming off the knee surgery, and then they started talking about Paris Johnson as well.
I was at breakfast with and my wife the other day and I saw and I look up to him.
I'm like his little brother.
I'm like, all right, mister Giants, all right, mister Johnson, if you you need help with anything, just let me know, let me know.
I'm here to.
I mean that starts making me think, like, man, I gotta get my ass out.
Of the league.
I've never met a rookie like this dude, Like especially in a rookie office in Lineman where it is how he is on the field and actually being ready to play on the field, like the guy that he is with the helmet all and how he is off the field. He's like like, I don't know they made this dude in the lab also like this is he's one of those guys. It's like, how do you how are you good at everything?
Again?
D J Humphreys there with Justin Pugh on Justin Pugh's podcast, and hey, d Jumpries and Paris Johnson were tight. I mean they they they were seen around each other all the time on the sideline on game day in the facility. So hopefully a lot of what d J Jumprees has done over his eight years in the league rubbed off on Paris Johnson Junior.
Yeah, for me, it's one of the reasons why I would love to have DJ Humphreys around Paris Johnson Junior. You know, once again is he's rehabbing that knee. Absolutely having DJ around just to be able to talk to Paris Johnson Junior and have Paris Johnson Junior be able to confide in DJ humphreyes, he's got a lot of wisdom.
DJ.
As you know, PAULI, he's a dog. He's a dog, and I love the dog in him and I'd love to see Paris Johnson Junior adopt that dogship if you will.
You know what, You're absolutely right on game day, those two guys are two different people. I mean, during the week they're really engaging, the very personable high IQ guys. But on game day, like you get out of the way, like they have a different look in their eyes down on the sideline.
Yeah, that's the kind of guy you want.
And by the way, d Jemfrey says he's about a couple of weeks away from getting off the crutches, so he's making good progress.
In the rehab.
Hey joined the Cardinal season ticket priority list today twenty twenty four. Home opponents include the Bears, the Chargers, the Patriots, the Jets, the Lions, the Commanders, and of course the NFC West Go to Hazycardinals dot com slash priority list. All right, we continue start talking about the draft next and the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert.
Daily Habits. I call it winning behavior.
Can you display winning behavior consistently day after day after day? And we have ways to define that. You know, it's not a perfect science, so we know that. But you know, I think we got good enough people in the building that know how to find that information out, starting with our scouts. Our road scouts done a great job. They're giving us kind of the background of these guys for the course of one, two, three, four years, even dating back to high school. They've done a really good job
with that. And then we'll take all that information and then we'll talk to them and talk to them some more, and talk to them some more and then put the card in.
MANI there go Cardinals that coach Jonathan again and just talking about the process. Cardinals with an NFL high eleven picks in an absolutely loaded draft. I mean, like Wolfe's dessert plate. This is absolutely loaded this year. I mean Cardinals have eleven picks and I want more. Honestly, I'm like, trade out of number four, give me some more picks. We got so many guys, it's so many different positions in need.
You know, it's so interesting, Bully, because that is one of the one of the tactics that a lot of the best teams in the National Football League use. That's just number of draft picks. They just want guys that they can pick and bring them in. Because the more guys you can actually bring in and know that you're bringing them in by using those draft picks, the better chance you got that they're gonna they're gonna pan out ball, they're gonna be players. And the Baltimore Ravens they use
that tactic right there. It's not gonna surprise me at all if we continue to see Manti asin Ford collect draft picks over the years.
You know, as the GMS like to say speaking to many Asin for for all the research you do, all the investigating, all the film work, and the scouting going all the way back to high school. It's still ultimately people evaluating people, so there's going to be a margin of error. So to your point, yes, more picks enhances your chances, There's no doubt about it. You had a chance earlier day on or to talk with mel kiper Junior, the legend himself, and it was interesting. You know, I
think the sleeper position. And we're gonna get momentarily here to Charles Davis at the combine with Danny Surrek and Craig Grielou, but I think the sleeper position because there's so much talk about tackle. We already talked about that receiver obviously is ridiculously deep and talented, but that cornerback position. And he even threw out a name with you Wolf, I'd never even heard of TJ. Tampa out of Iowa State. Yeah, six ' two, over two hundred pounds, ridiculously athletics. So
I mean there's like a top six of corners. And then add that guy into the mix, and then we know Jonathan Gannon's affinity. That's the position he coached, and the Cardinals have a need at cornerback.
Yeah, Paul, And not only that too.
I thought it was interesting because I asked him who the biggest killer in the draft was I don't know, I don't know if you actually heard that question, yes, right fresh my memory, Well it was it was Ederan Cooper on the defensive side of the ball. Yes, Egirin Cooper Man. That blew my mind right there. I haven't heard a lot about Edgrian Cooper.
I did not know that.
But six y three, two hundred and thirty pounds of course, playing with the Aggies Texas, A and M. He said, Edgerd Cooper is maybe the nastiest, toughest, dirtiest And when he said that, he meant that in a good way. Inside linebacker coming out in this draft, the guy that they also moved to the edge.
Okay, and I know what we're all thinking at.
That point in time, but miss it just doesn't have to be that way, Polly right, that's of course. And Hassan Reddick, yes, I think other people, yes, will be thinking of but Edred Cooper, I thought that was cool.
It'd be the versus Son Reddick, or you could think of it as a Zavan Collins right inside to outside. Yes, But it's funny because Rob Frederickson on the Red Sea Report came in this week and he cited the inside linebacker from A and M as a guy that he really like. So what it's talking about, we're still learning about guys in this draft. So with that being the case, let's go out to Indianapolis this past week and Cardinals
cover to once again Danny Surrett, Craig Grielttle. They're talking about Charles Davis from CBS and Danny started by asking about Kyler Murray and how you build around a franchise.
Quarterback for this offense.
Kyler Murray his game to elevate immediately. In your opinion, should the Cardinals prioritize the trenches or do you look for a playmaker, especially with look, it's a deep rookie cass for tackles and wide receivers. It certainly is how you make a decision.
It's a tough one, right, It's a tough one. So let's go back and go through some recent history in the NFL. Let's go to Detroit. They took Piney Sewuel and played him at right tackle because they had Taylor Decker at left tackle. That worked for Detroit. Let's go to Cincinnati. Should it be Seul or should it be Jamar Chase? They chose Chase that worked out. I think it's a it's a matter of what montiasen Ford is
your GM. Jonathan Ganza head coach, and the rest of the scouting department determines when they put that board up, where the value is and how they rate those players. Some people think I can get away with a little bit lesser left tackle because I have a quarterback and makes quick decisions. He can run and move that playmaker out. Why it's going to give me a little bit more. Others believe I got to have my quarterback protected. I
need to left tackle and what have you? Picking where you're picking because I made some notes on this sitting there at four. The receiver might be more value for you at four than the tackle would be, because I think you can get a very similar tackle down the road. But that receiver if you really covet him. And by the way, you might get first bite at Marvin Harrison because the first three off the board could easily be quarterbacks.
You may have that decision right there staring at you, and I have to say, if you get to first bite at Marvin Harrison, it'd be hard to turn that down.
A lot of people look at that wide receiver class. Those top three names, whether it's Marvin Harris, the League Neighbors, Duns, they're all number one or projected to be number one wide receivers. How do you differentiate whether one is better than another or is a better fit for a particular team?
Beauties, and I the.
Beholder, right, and each team has to determine all that. I have Harrison at the top, but that's not an original thought. We all have and we have for a while. He's been that projected guy for a while. Has everything you're looking for. And just watch his ability to catch short ones, turn them up field, catch the long one late, hands, go up and get it, run the intermediate route, present that big body, good frame, go and get the football. Really like that, But all the others have that as well.
Here's the interesting part. My League Neighbors, I know, is coach at LSU very well. Do you remember when the Bolitnikoff Award came out and Neighbors didn't win it and he was really upset lost it by like a voter too, it's really close vote. He was really upset about the whole thing. Was actually vocal. You don't hear that very often with those types of Awards. So I talked to his coach about it, and he said, that's just another chip for him. Like this guy just he just munches
these perceived slights. Its kind of Jordan Eskin like he can create these things, he said, he just he said, you guys just took him to another level that way. And the kicker to the whole thing is the guy a guy who's not gonna be listed at the top of the board, but it's gonna be a really good receiver later is neighbors teammate at LSU, Brian Thomas, and Brian Thomas is one of those guys that you can play any position in the wide receiver tray and he'll
produce there. But he doesn't even have to practice them. He can get the lineup, he can get the game plan at a snap, tell you what every the other ten are doing on any given play. And I think that there's another level to his game that's still left, but you gotta project it and you gotta believe it's going to go there, which you're getting from the front three is you're already seeing that, and that's why they're at the top of the board.
Cardinals defense finished bottom tier statistically could use help in the trenches everywhere everywhere. When you're looking at this draft class, you're thinking about d lineman or top cornerback, how do you prioritize what might have the most significant trickle down effect for the Cardinals maybe even in free agency to address.
Yeah, you're exactly right, and Danny, when you get into all this, now we're into that same discussion we had about the tackle versus the wide receiver, except on the defensive side of the ball. Because I've grown up in my nearly sixty years on this earth, start inside out. I want the trenches taken care of, and everything else goes. It wasn't that long ago. Remember when Denzel Ward came out out of Ohio State and went to Cleveland at
number four. They took him instead of Bradley Chubb, the pass rushold of NC State, which seemed like a seismic change in philosophy. And at the time it was prioritized because I think Greg Williams was a decoordinator in Cleveland, and he's like, nowadays, the ball's out of quarterback's hands so fast that the cover guys actually become even more valuable.
Now some people believe it. Some people don't, oh the ANNIVERSI of Madi asin Fort and his crew believe because we're talking about picking it for But you got a bunch of other picks. Twenty seven right deep draft all the way through offensive tackles, wide receivers, a lot of defensive backs, but mainly at the corner, not the safety position. So that's going to be the interesting part to see
where they see they decide to go. And by the way, the linebackers this year a good crop linebackers, but I don't expect a single linebacker going to first round.
There you go, Charles Davis twenty twenty four, combine Danny Surrett, Craig Gariolu on site in Indianapolis. With that interview, let's go back to the very beginning where his reasoning was receiver versus tackle. At number four. There's the big three receivers, but there might be the Big six or Big eight tackles. Because of that, you go receiver at number four.
What do you think of that?
Yeah, Paully, Well, we've talked about this before in the past, and once again, I do believe Marvin Harrison Junior is a generational talent. And if you believe this guy is He's not going to be seen in the next couple of drafts or longer than that, because he's that specially,
he's got everything. He checks every box. Paul, I think you got to pull the trigger on that right there, because I think it's a huge need for your franchise quarterback and Kyler Murray in terms of getting that wide receiver who can actually go out there and make plays for him. You want to help protect your quarterback, protect him with an offensive line, of course, but you also have to protect him by providing him options in which that ball comes out quickly.
And look, you said it, you're in the danger zone when it comes to Marvin Harrison.
Ju I love him.
Yeah, And you know what, I have no problem with the generational receiver. I tend to think Roma Dunesay's a little closer than most thing. And then you see an NFL dot Com mock draft come out after the combine, Lance zer Line, who Danny and Craig also talked to, and he had quarterbacks going one, two, three in the Arizona Cardinals.
The number four going.
Receiver Malik Neighbors Lsu. So it's amazing the sort of mind blow that is out there, and then it's so deep. You got guys like Xavier Worthy with a four to two one, and then you have dudes with size and speed. Ad Mitchell out of Texas, Brian Thomas out of LSU, Ricky Piersall, the local kid ran a four four one. Keon Coleman is a stud. Troy Franklin, the number one receiver at Oregon, is six ' to two and a burner. So it is really deep at those positions.
Save you're worthy four to one. Kansas City Chiefs getum? How about you want about? Yeah, the Chiefs gettum.
They're calling him a taller Hollywood Brown. We'll get into that a little bit later. That's our uh, that's our mention here on The Big Red Rage. By the way, you can listen to your favorite Cardinals podcast at home or on the ghost Search Arizona Cardinals podcast in your preferred podcast provider, or visit Asycardinals dot com slash podcast. We continue to get your coverage from the combine Manti asin Ford. Next on The Big Red Rage, presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert.
Pitch to Connor, running Left Gotta cree at the thirty up to the thirty five and down at the thirty seven. Got a couple of offensive lineman out there, including the center, yelled to pro Hols.
Man you see, yelled the fro Holt. Wait down the veetle making a block. Good job up there.
Fro Hold was way downfield blocking Cardinals again after the play, pushing and shoving.
Pro Hold, what's in there? Throwing hands? You like that? Wolf? Yeah? You got dog right, that's all I get? Wolf Yeah, pro Holt throwing hands.
Give me a little love on that that Hi, Dave Pash campaigning for some love up there in the booth, and Ron Wolfley yelled a fro Holt, the desert Viking, right, magnus ver fro Holt. We threw out there because he has all that gym equipment in there, the Atlas stones like the world's strongest man feats his strength on his own block. As he pointed out to us in the Big Red Rage once upon a time, speaking of Paul kelvc Ron Wolfley. Here we are talking about free agents, see,
yelled de fro Holt. Last offseason, Wolf, did you like the return on investment from a guy who started every single game? Darn near played every single snap as your starting center.
Yeah, I absolutely loved it. PAULI once again yelled a fro Holt is a guy that not only knows what it is that he's doing, but a guy that is going to go out there and do it on every play. He's going to give you everything he's got on every play. And Paul, he moves so much better than what I would expect. When you look at a man his size and you watch him run, it's really surprising how smooth he is.
And he pancaked.
I want to say three four guys last season on a lot of these screens the Arizona Cardinals would run, He get out in front of the receiver or the running back and just pancake. Somebody did an incredible job at that. So yeah, he is definitely one of my favorite guys, Pauli.
You don't have the number four rank rushing game and number two in the league in yards per carry as a run game without a stout and Yeldafroholt really was a joy to watch the entire season. But once again, you know, I think I think that's the caliber a free agent you're going after as opposed to the big names getting the ultra big money.
I get it.
A Christian Wilkins is out there, Could the Cardinals use that, Sure, but he's probably gonna get ridiculous money from someone. Danil Hunter potentially could be a target if you're looking for an edge guy, you know. And then if you if you're into cornerbacks, because you probably need two starting quarterbacks, right Jalen Johnson today from the Bears got four years seventy six, forty four guaranteed.
Wow.
And then there are some big names who have been let go out on the open market. Xavian Howard, Darius Williams, J C. Jackson, Tredavius White.
Yeah, Tredavius White, you got my attention right there. I just think it's gonna take an awful lot of money to sign a guy like Tredavius White.
Right now.
The Buffalo Bills, you have to wonder based on all the moves they made releasing Jordan Poyer and Moore says, well they're starting center. Yeah, you have to wonder, dude, they think their window is closed. You know, you have to wonder right now, is the Super Bowl window closed?
Yet?
Maybe they feel very very confident in some of the guys they have coming up behind those guys and having said all of that, Polly once again, man, it's really about guys that are out there that you can afford because Manti asin Ford, as you well know, he's going to be prudent when it comes to the money. He's going to pay these guys.
And I know you saw Avonte Maddox from the cornerback from Philadelphia. He was released, so you know, maybe that's a possibility, maybe that second tier up corner. Jonathan Gannon obviously knows him very well, so we'll monitor that. And by the way, speaking of the Bill's cornerbacks of their dbs, the famous picture Hal Murray of DeAndre Hopkins with a game winner right over the three Bills dbs, all three of those guys were just released this week, So how's that for fate?
So yeah, that's also right there.
But I just want to go back quickly though, to Avonte Maddox because here's a guy. He's five nine, one hundred and eighty five pounds paully okay, so eighty nine pounds. Man, you don't see a guy that has that kind of height challenge for the most part playing it at corner a lot. And yet I think if he moved him to the inside to the number three corner of the nickel corner a lot. I think that'd be an interesting match with his defense and that being Nick Rowlis of
course and JG. Would they be interested in Avonte Maddox, I don't know, but again we have seen this before interest from these guys in regard to some of the players that the Philadelphia Eagles have let go or have allowed to hit free agency. Kaiser White of course comes to mind right now. But that is something I think you should watch because if I were a Vonte Maddox,
this is just and I listen. I may be the number four corner if I'm Avonte Maddox, but if there's any interest whatsoever, man, I'd want to go play four coaches that know who I am and know what I can bring to a team, and if in fact they have a good relationship with Maddox, I'd be and ten up on that one.
Yeah.
And by the way, another smaller dB, one of our favorite all time former Cardinals, Tyron Matthew inc d a two year, thirteen million dollar extension with New Orleans, so it'd be going into season number twelve. He had four picks last year.
Glorie Badger.
How about that so many Austin four was at the combine obviously, and our Danny Serek was there. They were talking about the draft, free agency and more.
Year two at the helm for you, what's one lesson learned from last year's combine? That's just the way you are evaluating this time around.
Yeah, and I think I think really the biggest you know, improvement that we've been able to make is everybody has been through one of these together, so we all know kind of the direction that we're going, just the processes and what we're trying to get out of these meetings, what we're trying to get from the coaching staff out
of the combine. Our scouts are now through their second combine, and really it's helped the continuity, it's helped the flow, it's helped you know, last year at this time there was some of our staff that I hadn't even met yet, you know, on the coaching staff, they were just getting here. So you know, that's really helped, and everybody knows what's
expected of them. But where we've been at so far, getting some interviews and having some meetings with different people around the league, it's been a beneficial week for all of us.
In regards to free agency, you said the Cardinals will strike and be aggressive if the right opportunity presents itself. Aggressive in terms of.
What yeah, and I think really what that starts with is being prepared, right, So we have to be prepared with the evaluational players, and we have to look into and project them into our systems. They've been playing in different systems, maybe being asked to do different things for other teams, and so we have to see if they translate to what we specifically would ask them to do. And then the other tricky part of free agency is
really the market valuation of the players. And there's a financial component of adding any free agents, and so we have to fit that. We have a salary cap in our league and we have to figure out how all that fits together when you're building the right fifty three man roster. And so, you know, we have to be knowledgeable about the players that are available, and we have
to be knowledgeable about the market. And really we have to see if those two things come together to be a fit and is the right person to add to our roster.
To find that right person, there has to be a balance of how you're approaching this entire off season of where you find those needs to add to this team coming off a four win season, there's a lot of draft capital your top ten in terms of available cap space. Philosophically, how do you determine which needs to address through the draft or free agency?
Yeah, and I think the nature of the NFL is that there's turnover every year and the team that we had last year is going to be the team that we have next year. And so you know, at various points throughout the season, there's there's ways to add to our roster. There's ways to add and really two of the big ones are coming up in the next couple in the next couple months here, starting with free agency, and so you know, I think what we do is we assess where we're at, and we assess where we
are not only short term, but also long term. And you know, I think the one thing about free agency is I don't think it's a cure all. You know, I don't think a team that's the great place to be roster building and forming the nucleus of a team. I think that has to happen through the draft. And so free agency is a great tool. It's a supplemental tool and one that we're going to investigate every single
aspect that we can to build our team. And then really once we get to the draft, then that's where we're going to continue to find the right guys for the team, and that's where the core of our team is going to be built.
Cardinals defense was bottom tier statistically across the league last year. When it comes to improving the defense, which level, if you address it early on, could have the greatest trickle down effect?
Yeah, And I think I think it's all levels. You know, I think specifically on defense, like and I think you say the same thing on offenses. The game starts on the line of scrimmage, and so you know, we need good players at all three levels of the defense. So we're going to look at all those areas and we're going to find the right fits for us where it
makes sense just financially and also the fit schematically. But whether it's a draft or free agency, we're going to look at all three levels of the defense and try to improve our team.
You address the offensive line early in the draft last year, left tackle DJ Humphrees tours ACL late in the season. Your top wide receiver, Hollywood Brown is a pending free agent. How do you prioritize your needs offensively?
Yeah, and I think it's really the same conversation as we have needs across the board. Listen, we were a four win team last year and so there's there's a lot of room for improvement, and so, you know, I think with the NFL, there's never a situation where you can look at one position and say, hey, we're good
at this position. We don't need to look there. I mean, the nature of the game is that there's going to be injuries, there's going to be turnover, and so not only building the quality of players on the team, but we also have to build the quantity of depth on the roster as well.
It's a long.
Season, attrition happens along the roster, and so we got to be prepared to withstand those things. So, you know, whether we're talking about adding quality players is certainly at the top of our list, and we're also talking about adding depth to our current roster construction.
The Cardinals are in a good position knowing who you have at quarterback and what you have with a healthy Kyler Murray. After the eight games he played in last year, he had to spend a lot of the last offseason and the start of last season on the sideline rehabbing that ACL. Once you got a chance to see what a healthy Kyler Murray looks like on the field, how much more confidence did that give you of how much he can lead this organization to success?
Absolutely. I think last year at this time, there was a lot of unknown. There was a lot unknown with Kyler and just where he was and with the injury, the timing of when it happened, obviously we knew we weren't going to be with him at the start of the season. We didn't know how long that was going
to drag out. And so you know, being in a much different spot this year, you know, Kyler attacked his rehab going into last year and he's continuing to progress and do things this offseason that's going to put him in a great position. So, you know, I think it's taken out a lot of the unknown that we had last year at this time, and to know that we have him and he's going to be, you know, take off where he left off this last twenty twenty three season.
Then he's only going to get better from here. It's it's an exciting place to be for us as an organization.
There you go the GM Monei yasin Fort with Danny Sirek at the combine last week. Think of Mani and how much sleep did he lose this time last year? He had no idea when Kyler was going to be back. You had no idea about so many players on your own roster as a brand new GM, brand new to the organization. At least now you have a real sense
of your wants and needs. I know you have about fifty million or so available theoretically, but Kyler Murray's cap number is fifty two million, up from sixteen million last year. And if you're a GM, well, if you got to build like with two three, four years in mind, right, you have to look at the big picture when you're building and spending.
Yeah, no doubt, Paully, did Paully you say fifty the cap number? The cap number was fifty two million right there. And Paul, that's one of the reasons why I think at number four, you take the best wide receiver that is out there. You're paying this guy fifty two million dollars. You're gonna go out there. You've got to give him options out there Okay, I digress on that one right there.
Bali.
I think my biggest takeaway from that interview from Danny, of course with many is where he said, I don't think free agency is a cure all and that to me is philosophy, PAULI. That is dogma that maniasen Ford has. He certainly displayed that to some degree. I think last free agent period as well, where he went out and really tried to sign a lot of pros, brought a lot of pros in, and I thought that was a brilliant strategy at that point in time, especially when you're
trying to rebuild. Okay, you're not going to go out and get pro bowlers. You're not going to go out there and and get these these all legal world prospects and bring them. You're not going to do that. What you're gonna do is go out there as you're trying to get your finances in order, You're gonna go ahead and focus on pros, guys that are gonna come in here and do their job.
It be professional.
Now, I think they're going to try to upgrade it a little bit more as they go forward. Free agency is not the cure, and that's dogma with Manti assin Ford.
Now, you're right, that was a key part of that interview. There's no doubt to use the word supplemental free agency. For example, if you were a guard away, Cardinals haven't need a left guard, right. If you are a guard away from being a playoff team, okay, then maybe go out. For example, the Rams just moments ago, Kevin Dotson three years, forty eight million, thirty two guaranteed sixteen million per so it's costly. Offensive line and receiver will cost you a
lot of money in free agency. Both those areas are very deep in the draft. To your point. In fact, speaking of young receivers, we'll talk about Michael Wilson next. The big Red rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert snap to murray, what's coming? Burry backing up close into the end zone, middle of the end zone, pulled in by Wilson for a touchdown.
I told you all from day one. You know, I watched his Senior Bowl and I was like, yeah, that kid knows, you know, he knows what he's doing. I can tell you know. And then just obviously he had zero catches two weeks in a row, and that's not you know again, they're not a real representation of you know what I think we could be. Now we'll get a full off season on our belt. You know, I think next year, you know, Michael have.
A big year.
There you go, Kyler Murray talking about third round rookie Michael Wilson that finale Week eighteen against Seattle. Six catches ninety five yards on six targets. You know, two games earlier right Philadelphia, four grabs for thirty five yards, that big game winning touchdown. So Michael Wilson, especially at the end of the season, really got in sync with Kyler Murray. And what is the upside after they have an entire
offseason to work together. Are wrapping up this edition of The Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert. We are Antan Ford, Paul, Paul KELVC and run Wofully here and Wolf don't make me break out my list of all the receivers taken beyond the first round who ended up in the Pro Bowl and on the All Pro teams the last couple of years. Hopefully eventually Michael Wilson might be.
One of those guys.
Paulli, Uh, you know what, Honestly, right now. Please, I'm gonna talk a little bit here because nobody wants to hear that, Paul. Okay, nobody wants to hear about your list. Ouch, Can I just say eleven personnel right now? Eleven personnel?
Well, if nobody wants to here, like your personnel.
Groups one back, one tight end, three wide receivers, Paully, can you imagine if in fact you had eleven personnel, one back, one tight end, three wide receivers, where you had Michael Wilson, you had Marvin Harrison junior, Paul, you had Hollywood Brown.
Over the top of the law.
Oh and by the way, Trey McBride, a true stud tight end who can line up and block and run down situation first and ten second in one to six can line up and actually you can run it or throw it out of eleven person That is the modern NFL personnel grouping eleven personnel. And if you had those names with James Connor's toes at seven and Kyler Murray under center in the pistol from the gun.
Oh, Paulie, look.
Out, you are in the danger zone. There's no doubt about that. Here's many Austin for the GM just talking about Michael Wilson. Can we just focus on what we know and what the Cardinals have, and that is Michael Wilson. And here's what the GM has to say.
Michael Wilson is a very talented receiver and I think he showed that last year. He made a ton of plays for us as a receiver, run after the catch, catching the ball in contested situations. Underrated part of Mike's game is his blocking ability, which is important in our run game. And he's a good player and he's only going to continue to get better and we're looking forward to having him moving him too twenty twenty four.
Right, So you pulled a word out of money earlier when you said it. You know, free agency isn't a cure all. I'll pull out the word contested. To me, that was what was most encouraging, most bullish on Michael Wilson. He does a lot of everything, including you know, blocking in the run game, the whole no block, no rock, he buys into that thing.
I get it.
But he makes those contested catches. We saw that in Week four, his breakout game against the forty nine ers. He's battling those Niners dbs and coming down.
With the ball. Yeah, Paully.
You know in a lot of times too, there's pluses there, There's no doubt about it. Those contested catches. But you know what, Paul, sometimes you need a receiver as well that has uncontested catches and the reason why they're uncontested because it's really hard to cover, you know that. I mean, that is something you've got to take into consideration as well. Michael Wilson, to me, has just scratched the surface of
what he could possibly become. And the fact that Manti asin Fort and JG love the way Michael Wilson goes about his business and blocks in the run game, and we all know how important that is an elite rushing attack in the NFL with James Connor, it's critical you have guys like Michael Wilson, maybe Marvin Harrison Junior, maybe I say, okay, maybe Paul, but big wide receivers roll with Doonzay, big wide receivers.
That can block.
That's critical. It's one of the reasons why the Arizona Cardinals had so many runs of twenty yards or.
More, no doubt, no doubt.
And I just like how you know they want the guys who love ball for someone who would text Kyler Murray after the Philadelphia game and both apologize and thank Kyler in his text message, apologize for screwing up the route the result in the ninety nine yard pick six, but then thanking him for trusting Michael the rest of the way and throwing him the game when he touchdown pass.
So he's very conscientious in that way. Before we're done here with the big red rage, I'm gonna get your thoughts on what has happened at the safety position because what we have seen this week, Ron Wolfley, here are some of the names who are CAP casualties. Premier names Justin Simmons, Jordan Poyer, Jamal Adams, and Quandray Diggs from Seattle, Kevin Byern cut by Philly, Eddie Jackson in Chicago. Rayshawn Jenkins is starting safety Jacksonville. Xavier McKinney, a twenty four
year old cut by the Giants. He was a starter and it was all because of the cap. And there are a lot of gms anonymously quoted in these stories run the NFL saying that safety is the new running back and the teams just aren't valuing that position. That's hard to believe for me.
Yeah, PAULI you know what, honestly, it's a situation where I think a lot of this has got to do with the fact that the pendulum has swung back to the middle. The old is being blended with the new, Paul, and because of that, I think it's changing everyone's perception
of the secondary and in particular those safeties. Paul, that's no accident, right, that's no accident what you see happening league wide where all of these safeties they were signed when the new age offense, for the most part, was taking hold across the NFL, and safety was a huge position against the spread. But now that it's coming more back to the middle and you're blending the old and the new, I think safeties are looked at as overpaid. Thus your running back continent.
And there are still elite safeties the Derwin James, the Antoine Winfield junior, you know, the up and coming Cale Hamilton who was an All Pro, and then of course Buddha Baker. But it's interesting because when you look at least at the numbers in the websites, right over the cap has Buddha's cap number this coming year, at nineteen million whoa and Jalen Thompson at twelve point five. So the Cardinals would seem to be contrary to the trend. Yeah,
very interesting. Now do they have the cap room? Absolutely? Is Buddha critical? Is he the heartbeat of the defense? Absolutely? I'm just saying it's interesting how the tide is trending one way in the NFL, and it appears the Cardinals are constructed just the opposite. So hang onto your hat because the legal tampering starts on Monday. The official signings they can commence on Wednesday. Once again, there is no offseason. It's game season and non game season. There's always something
going on in the NFL. Special thanks as always Jim Momro, Cody Fincher, Matt Lazareth, Bron Wolfley. I'm Paul Calvc. This has been the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford.
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