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Look, if the forty nine ers can sweet out quote against all odds, when the Niners have literally been favored in every game this season, including the Super Bowl, if every Super Bowl official gets a Super Bowl ring fact, if the Kansas City mayor can say quote, she is welcome to stay forever. Talking about Taylor Swift, and the
economic impact of the city itself. Right, if the Dallas Cowboys can interview Rex Ryan for their defensive coordinator job, and if a media member can ask Drake Greenlaw this week, would you get a tattoo of brock Perty's face if it guaranteed you a win in the Super Bowl. If all that can happen, we most definitely can bring you The Big Red Rage starring Drew Stanton momentarily all presented by Santan Fordy and Gilbert. We are Santan Ford Paul
Kelvic here, Ron Wolf Leon Assignment. We have upgraded a pleasure to welcome in Darren Urban and Darren. It is a big show.
There were a lot of ifs there putting.
The Big into Big Red Rage Night Show number six fifty overall, that's going back to two thousand and one. And if you were to put all those shows together, Jim al Mahundro did the math here. You've heard a binge watching about binge listening. It would take you twenty seven plus straight days to listen to every single edition of The Big Red Rage back to back.
Yeah, I'm going to take a pass on that. No offense homes what kind of reporter.
Were you doing those media days? You weren't the guy you never put on a wedding dress or asked the wacky question, were you, Darren? Come on?
No, And in fact that only got worse as I I mean it was, it was just in its I don't want to say it's infancy, but it was really getting going hard when I first the first Super Bowl I tended was after the two thousand season, and it was there, but it wasn't didn't.
I think it peaked a few years later, and it's it's still there now. But I think somewhere.
In like the mid aughts, I would say, is when it got really really bad. But yeah, there's plenty of that, and I was trying to do regular stories on those media days and it wasn't easy.
See, I'm trying to remember Super Bowl thirty sun Devil Stadium, Cowboys and Steelers backs still when it was Emmett and Troy Aikman and Michael Urha'm trying to remember if there was like a media day and whether it was a craziness and insanity whatever doesn't matter right now. Right here in the Red Sea, Darren Ermanizzio, there are two kinds of people and only two those who would draft a receiver number four and those who would not winch Camp are you in?
I'm not ruling it out, but and I know people hate it when they asked me my questions because they all want black and white. But I'm just I'm not a black and white type of answer giver.
But you get a lot of those questions in the mailbag these days, right, But.
Like, I don't think the Cardinals have made that decision, So how would I you know?
For me?
There's so much that goes into it.
I mean, they haven't had a chance to talk to all these players individually as much as they want. Obviously they've done a lot of the scouting, but we know what kind of players they are. We don't know what they're what they're going to address in free agency. We don't know exactly how they feel about Let's take Harrison.
For examples, JR.
If you think he's a next level type of talent more so than some of these other receivers, I understand why you want to get it, but we don't know how they've interpreted it. And there are people out there that see Harrison and a couple of these other receivers really close. And if that's the case, I don't know if I'm willing to burn the fourth pick on that or whether I might want to trade down before I make a pick. And you know, there's a lot that
goes involved with when you're picking at four. It's great because you get a great player, you should get a great player. But when you're picking at four, there's also pressure to make sure you pick a great player, and oftentimes you're kind of forced to go in only a couple different directions because your needs might not line up with like there's it doesn't seem like, for instance, there is a cornerback that is worth the fourth overall pick.
Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe they'll see it differently, but that's obviously something they need. But they're not gonna be able to take a cornerback there. So then you have one less position you're looking at.
Look, if the game is won in the trenches, then okay to me, that's where the top five. Look, it's either quarterback, get to the quarterback, protect the quarterback. Now, if you're going to give the quarterback wide receiver one if dare we say you're going to give the quarterback a Hall of Fame receiver, a first ballot guy like a Larry Fitzgerald, then absolutely Marvin Harrison Junior is your guy at number four. That is the question. Is he that guy? And we pose that question of Frank Sanders
on just that conundrum. Do you draft a receiver including Marvin Harrison Junior number four?
Overall?
This was last week in the Big Red Rage.
They're three or four receivers right now on the top of the list that just makes your heart melt. They're all six foot three, six foot four, tall, lanky, rangey guys with arms. You know, they can make all kind of plays from the one step hits to you know, throwing the ball down the field, not afraid to go across the middle. And Marvin Harrison would be something that you just would love to have, especially because you know this could be, you know, another dreaded hair situation. Like
Larry Fitzgerald, a guy that runs all around. He's got speed quality on every area from the outside to the inside. He's knowledgeable as a receiver, so you're winning that area. But I will add this in, there are a lot of receivers out there and that can make plays that if you can steal him in the draft, between the third, fourth, and fifth round. That's gonna be absolutely helpful to Kyle.
Yeah, that's Frank Sanders once again, former Cardinals receiver. Don't make me break out the list of all the Pro Bowl and all Pro receivers this year who are not taking in round one. But once again it's a persistent question you're getting in the mail background.
Well, it's funny because I did get a question in this past week on Easycardinals dot com and the question was, and thankfully it was, if you can guarantee that you were getting a Pro Bowl guarantee now Pro Bowl talent at the fourth pick for the next five years, what positions would you want it to be at. So he's not saying Harrison's your guy, he's saying, if you could
guarantee that who it is. And the bottom line is, if you're talking about not names, and you're you're posing it like that wide receivers not in that list, it would be it would be a cornerback, it would be a tackle, and it would probably be an edge rusher, maybe an interior defensive lineman.
But you wouldn't say receiver like that.
And once again, if there was a Sauce Gardener there at number four like a couple of years ago. Absolutely, if but Miles Garrett was there, you know, the edge rusher extraordinary, then absolutely, But that guy seemingly is not there at number four. And if quarterbacks are going one, two, three, like most mock drafts say, then okay, what do you
do if you're the Cardinals. Here's Roy Green, the legend Ring of Honor member, also a guy who wore number eighty one right and big time receiver and Cardinals history. And we asked him this week on the Red Sea Report on receiver versus other positions.
I don't know.
I think there's a couple more guys I want to grab before getting the receiver.
But that's just me talking. Prior to the season, we say.
Hey, we need a defensive tackle, a dominant defensive Lindman, We've always talked about where's that cornerback going to be? Where is that guy that we have? We haven't had those guys. You know, if we want to go where we want to be in my opinion, to be in those playoffs next year, you know, those some things we have to address.
That is Roy Green this week on the Red Sea Report. Now, look, I was arguing with Wolf and I contended, and this really wasn't a hot take. I think I honestly believe this is that if Marvin Harrison Junior is drafted before the Cardinals selected four, that could be a best case scenario. That means one of those top three quarterbacks falls and then,
for example, you could cash that in. You could leverage a team's dire need for a quarterback at number four and trade with Atlanta and go down to eight for example, still get one of those top tackles. Daniel Jeremia put out his eight of his top seventeen prospects are tackles, so it's very deep, whether it's at eight, for example, or if you your second first round pick and number twenty seven.
I'll be honest, I would be surprised if that scenario falls to the Cardinals. And this is why, because if you're one of those top three teams and you're not taking a quarterback, you're the team making the trade, and Harrison is probably going to be on the board.
That would be, my.
Guess, possible, no doubt, But we've seen teams like Atlanta go for a tight end at number four. Kyle Pitts a couple of years.
Ago and would they do that over if they could? Oh, yes you would.
Well you think so, Kyle Pitts really top five? You think they do that over again?
Yeah? I do. And I'm not saying he's not a great talent.
But you got Drake London the next year, and if you could have been in a situation where you had I mean, their offensive line has been okay. Like again, maybe it changes now that they've got Raheem Morrison there, and maybe.
If they get the right quarterback. But see, the Atlanta's problem is they I don't have a quarterback.
And once again, whether it's Atlanta, whether it's Minnesota, whether it's the Raiders, there are teams in the middle of the first round and you wonder how poised are they, how willing are they to give up the farm to come up and get Jane Daniels. The other scenario I talked about was, Okay, you're looking at that one quarterback rising a year ago as Anthony Richardson all the way up to number four. Could it be Michael Pennix Junior?
Could it be bow Nicks? Maybe just maybe after you're done with the combine and the pro days, and seemingly there's always that one guy every single year they joined the Cardinal season ticket priority list twenty twenty four. Home opponents include the Bears, Chargers, Patriots, Jets, Lions Commanders with Cliff Kingsbury, and of course the NFC West go to Azycardinals dot com slash priority list. All right, what does a former NFL quarterback think about all this drafting a receiver?
What does he think about? Kyler Murray Drew Stanton? Next on the big red rage.
Stanton's got the ball, short set, stands with the pocket, throws deep nearside, going for John Brown. He caught it to the end zone. Touchdown.
John Brown second NFL today.
Wide open, running a corner round in a great breath by Drew Stanton.
Snapped to Stanton short set, pops right now, throws meddle for Brown, caught at the end zone, touchdown, a laser by Stanton. John Brown second score of the game, third on the year, and the Cardinals lay and.
Drew Stanton with another laser beam.
There you go, Darren Irman, See that's another receiver I need to add to my working list over here. Big time dynamic receivers not drafted on Day one Round one. John Brown back in the day as we interrupt the NonStop offseason and post playing career of a former Cardinals quarterback. Who I mean we need to tap into all that NFL knowledge that people need to hear. Right, fans demand Drew stand and he is our guest here on the Big Red Rage presented by santan ford Ian Gilbert. We
are Santane Ford Drew. How you holding up these days?
I'm doing great things. I don't know how demand and demand I really am, but I appreciate.
The lead them.
I do have to ask this question, is I'm listening to the I mean, we're just hearing these sounders, like we hear all these play by play sounders. Obviously we're never going to get a chance to hear one about us. Like when you're listening to that, do you like go back in your head of those plays or is it all just mush?
Sometimes in terms of no, it's not much for me.
I only had so many good plays. So I love her John Brown, so I can tell you know, like I love hearing those highlights and being able to do it. So you know, those were good times and good memories and again, such a great experience I had being a part of the Arizona Cardinals organization for five years.
You're not like one of those Sean mcvays. Though. If I say, you know, twenty thirteen, Week eleven, third quarter on third and seven, like you don't remember the play call? You can't go that in depth, can you?
No, I wasn't a caller. I can tell.
I mean, I can go back to different situations and different things of what happened, transpired or different. You know, for instance, right the whole Justin Tucker situation that came up, Oh yeah, where he was, you know, doing his little warm up that happened in Philly to us with Donnie Jones. He was punting and Eric Winston kicked the.
Ball back at him, and I was like, that's.
One guy that I probably wouldn't try to mess with it. And we were trying to warm up and do all that stuff and whatnot. So again, you see all these things, and you remember those type of things probably more than anything as opposed to third and three in the third quarter, Week three.
All right, lo, look, Drew Standers, our guest, former Cardinals quarterback, and if my memory serves, when the Cardinals hired Drew Pats and his offensive coordinator you cited the run game, and sure enough, by the end of the season, the Airzona Cardinals finished fourth in rushing yards per game, second in rushing yards per carry, and first in twenty plus yard runs. How impressive was the Cardinals run game before we getting into Kyler and the rest of the offense.
It was very impressive, right, But that's again you stick with what you know, and he came from an unbelievable system in Cleveland and understanding, hey, we have to establish the run. Kevin Stefanski tries to protect the football. He utilizes the run to set up play action and then push the ball down the field, much like we saw with Cleveland in the past, and that's their identity. So you stick with what you know and you find ways
to make it work. And it was very impressive because you know, as well noted as everything is in the NFL, the teams that can establish the run and stop the run, those are the teams with the most success year in and year out, week in and week out, and we saw that pick up to the latter part of the season, which is super encouraging because a guy like James Connor that can carry that kind of a load to be able to do it in the run and pass key to defenses off balance.
Well, we're just going to say that's a great segue right there, Drew, because I want to then ask if if that becomes an identity and they did it so well. When we start talking about this first pick at and there's so much talk about Marvin Harrison or another receiver, like kind of what is your thought process on that early pick and the talent that might be at the top of the draft and what you think could happen, what should happen.
Well, I think when you have a generational talent that comes along like Marvin Harrison, and I know that there's a lot of great wide receivers that are for being the first tick off the board for wide receiver position. But I just I saw the guy play in person. I've seen him and know people that know him extremely well. In the pedigree. I mean, you look at if you were going to make a wide receiver on and off the field, just how he carries himself, all of those things.
Because when you're investing in the top five pick in somebody you can't miss, you cannot miss, and you can't say, man, I didn't understand that and I look at that, and obviously I'm biased from a quarterback position, but when you have a number one, a true number one wide receiver that you can get, I don't think you passed that up. Now I was wrong to the last year. I would have taken will Anderson knowing what I know. But at the same time, you get a chance to trade back,
you get parashaulphin junior. He has a great, great rookie season, and rightfully so, as you're saying, okay, now we're moving forward with Kyler as our franchise quarterback, we need to be able to protect him, and so you invest in the offensive line. Now, what's another way of investing in Kyler Murray is you go out and you get a bona fide superstar to be able to roam outside and it doesn't matter if he has single coverage or double coverage.
That are where it leads into it with the run game, those can marry it up and then you're going to see single highest safety where you have the opportunity to get one on ones on the outside.
It's interesting that you bring up the fact that Marvin is what you would want on the field and off the field, because I feel like a top five pick you said you can't miss.
I think that's part.
Of the equation is because that person inevitably is going to be one of the faces of the franchise. And obviously we saw it with Fits for so many years where he was an ambassador not just with what he was doing on the field, but because of how he was off it. Obviously, I would think ownership would love that here if they when they go through the process, they find out about Harrison or any player quite frankly.
Yeah, I mean that's the other side of the coin that you try to get as much information as you can. You see what you see on film, You assess what's on film. But when you're invested in the top five taking somebody, you better make sure that you know everything possible about them, because again, you're looking to be able
to strike gold with somebody like Larry Fitzgerald. They can become a cornerstone or a pillar that you are sitting there trying to build around, and you just say, Okay, we're good, We're set at wide receiver for now on. And everybody's still quarterback crazy, right. You're starting to see all of these people trying to trade up or do
different stuff, especially for the quarterback position. So to be sitting at number four, it's a very good position to be in because to me, you're looking for somebody that's going to be a ten year type of guy that you can plug and play and not have to look back. And Marvin Harrison, in my opinion, again, is that of a guy.
Former Cardinals quarterback Drew Stan our guest on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert former Lions quarterback Drew stan The reason I bring that up is if you're telling me Marvin Harrison juniors an nex, Larry Fitzgerald or a first bout Hall of famer, absolutely run the card up to the podium, I get it. My hesitation is the Lions for many years took a lot of receivers top ten and they whiffed. But then they finally hit on a Hall of Famer in Calvin Johnson.
It really didn't change their fortunes very much. And you only see a Lions team now competing for the Super Bowl after they addressed the line of scrimmage. So I guess I'm just wondering if indeed, MANI Austin Ford is going to go a similar direction to which the Lions just did.
Yeah, I mean, look, you look at that offensive line and you could take the other side of the coin and say, okay, well, if you're the Cincinnati Bengals and you have Jamar Chase, that's great, but your quarterback couldn't finish the season and you had a chance to draft toiney Sewell, so what are you thinking now saying, man, I wish I had that Pro Bowl left tackle and we could have made do with the other wide receivers in the room because the quarterback can't throw from his back,
and that's the thing that you have to assess and say, Okay, where does DJ fit in this equation as we move forward? We know he have Paris Johnson Jr. Do we look for again? We saw the risk of taking a guard Jonathan Cooper. I could tell you was an absolutely amazing, amazing prospect coming out and unfortunately one injury because he's so athletic in ten yards downfield puts himself in a position where he snaps his leg and nember the same player again, So do you invest that in the guard?
A center? Too high of a pick? So where are you looking at that you can get difference makers. And again I think you assess what you see and not only the wide receiver position, but you feel really good about Trey McBride. And so when you can control the outside and the inside part of the field, you're going to be able to just help your quarterback that much more.
Trey McBride, what sort of weapon is he? We see all the tight ends who advanced so deep in the playoffs. Roy Jetstering Green on the Red Sea Report this week, he said, you know, the tight ends are uncoverable because they're too big for a corner or a dB, and they're too fast and skilled for a linebacker. I mean, what do you think the upside in future holds for Trey McBride.
I think the upside is tremendous. That's why they felt good, you know, about letting zach Ertz go, and that's why Steve Kim in that regime wanted to draft him. He was the first title off the board. So we shouldn't be surprised of what we're seeing. And I think truly this system fits him better now than Cliff's system. And you see that because he can play in line, he can do different stuff. He can set up stuff off of play action or you feel good about splitting the mountain.
And again, that's just kind of the trend of the NFL at this point or has been for the last decade, is finding guys that can put their hand in there, be serviceable blockers, but then be a complete mismatch when it comes to the pass game, because he said, how do you match up in personnel? And every team tries to do it differently, and some teams do it better than others. But but you're going to have to allegate
somebody to him to try to stop him. And if those guys are really good, the Travis Kelcey's, the George Kittles of the world, give them options, you give them multiple ways to go. They're going to beat you and find a ways to win.
Okay, So we've talked about the running game and the receivers and maybe the offensive line and tight end, so we dial it back to the quarterback where it starts. You know, it felt like there were some bumps, like Jonathan Gannon said, there were going to be when he first returned from the ACL, but it did feel like Kyler was trending up in the right direction. By the end, it looked like he was getting more and more comfortable under center and running the petsing offense, and I can
understand why they have high hopes for him. What did you see in terms of his eight games and where he might be going.
I saw a guy that started to understand situational football.
Really.
I mean that's the biggest thing that I think we would sit there and scratch ahead at times in Cliff system where they'd take a shot on third and two and be like, well, why don't they just throw it underneath, or you know, live to see another down and throw the ball away. Hey it's a red zone, we're okay kicking a field goal here, or knowing all those things the game within the game, and I think that comes
a lot of different way. I think when you take away the fact that he had to sit and watch this system and learn it from the sideline and then go out and try to implement it, that's a huge advantage because his whole life he's always been the starting quarterback.
He's learned on the fly, on the job, and so being able to kind of peel back those layers and say, hey, this is why we're under center here, this is why we're in this formation expecting this kind of coverage that setting it up with this, This is why we're shifting and motioning and getting into these different things, and we can marry it up with it. And then the light bulb comes on and you all of a sudden, Yes, he is as good of an athlete as there is
at that position in the NFL. But playing quarterback is far more than just being a great athlete. And I know that I can't remember what the status Wolf probably knows it. But however, many times when Kyler ran or had rush attempts in the game, they were going to win, and I was like, that doesn't mean anything, because there's no longevity in that for quarterbacks in the NFL, and you've got to be able to do that. And I think Kyler has the ability to change pace on his throats.
He understands how the layer throws in, he understands she understands all of these things. But being able to be under center, being comfortable in that, and truly playing quarterback as opposed to being an athlete playing quarterback and turn it in the backyard football at times, I think that's where you start to see some of these things and the excitement for next year is really on the horizon.
How big a deal is it. He'll be able to have an entire offseason with his receivers unlike a year ago. We always hear about that cohesion and chemistry and being and saying how real is that?
I think it's very, very real from the standpoint that you have to sit back and say, Okay, well, yeah, everybody runs a curl, everyone runs a slant, everybody runs a go ball or a post or any of these routes. There's only so many routes that you can run. But at the same time, the detail of those routes matter immensely, the feel of those guys. Just like the lead that we heard about John Brown running his corner route. You knew that Brown was going to come out of his break.
He was going to stick his foot on the ground and you had to put it out there. You could not underthrow him because he was going to be so far down the field. Other guys just have a different field. Michael Floyd, I had to throw the ball a little bit different to him, understand how he was coming out of his break. I just had to get it close to Larry and he was going to catch it with made me feel really good. So all of these guys are completely different on how they do stuff. And that's
what the off season really is for. Right you look at the phases and whatnot, and that phase two situation operation of on the field give it a chance to walk through and talk through and run through routes. That that is where you get the opportunity to really get guys.
So when you get into a.
Weekly game prep or anything in the regular season, it's say, hey, remember this in training camp or go back and watch this in training camp. We had this concept in versus this coverage that we're anticipating seeing, so we can get to it and it becomes second nature. And that's just developed over time. That's through repetitions. As you're talking about, Paul.
All right down the stretch, we come with Drew stand former Cardinals quarterback, on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert. I don't know if there's one thing that stands out to you as a key to the Super Bowl fifty eight, But let me ask you about the experience factor at quarterback. Patrick Mahome fourth and five years, brock Perty's in year number two obviously never been there, and done that. You're around Tom Brady a few years ago, super Bowl week, just the whole experience
factor at quarterback. How big a difference is that going to be?
You think, well, I think it's big for a few reasons.
Right.
Obviously, they have a schedule set up and Patrick will just say, you know, this is what we're doing, and everybody follows. Suit I saw that firstand as he talked about with Tom Brady. But Kyle Shanahan's been in a super Bowl before. He was leading immensely in a super Bowl before, so he knows what that preparation looks like from an offensive standpoint, and I'm sure they've had a lot of communication. He's running the ship and there's nothing
wrong with that. This first time around for Block Party, it's okay for him to be comfortable and say, you know what, I'm not going to pretend that I don't know what I don't know. And that takes maturity, That takes somebody that's very comfortable with who they are. And as much criticism as he's gotten all year, he's very comfortable with who he is and he understands the skill set that he has around them. He understands all of
these things and one of these things. But my biggest piece of advice to him would just be, you know what, once he kicked that ball off, it's just football. You can't win the game in the first half as the Detroit Lions. Now you've got to go out and play four quarters.
Drew, we really enjoyed it, some great insight.
We're also going to get more of your clips going. We're just gonna listen to Drew stan highlights all afternoon.
Yeah, get all eight of them out.
Ash has a couple of ones.
I've heard some other ones too when I was with the Lion about Old Wolf. So you know, all of them are good.
Hey, and all those parents right you're coaching their kids. Tell their parents to appreciate the fact they have a long time NFL quarterback as their kids head coach. All right, appreciate it, Drew, thank you? All right, there you go, man, Yep, Drew stand former Cardinals quarterback, our guest on The Big
Red Rage. I'll tell you what we'll come back. We'll talk about Cardinals free agency, needs, wants, what's feasible and doable all coming up next in The Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert.
Kaiser White just set the tempo for everybody out on this field right now between the White Liones.
What are you going to do about A message has been sent?
What is that message, David, that.
Messages we will fight you. And Kaiser White's a thumber.
He has been all over the field and he is a physical guy as well.
Kaizer White White turned down the Jets to get to the quarterback. Yeah, Kaiser White and run flying in there at the end is Kaizer White.
It's a culture of physicality, is what this is about.
He's a very physical player and one of the reasons why the Cardinals wanted to bring him over when Jonathan Gannon got the job. What a big play by Kaizer White.
Kaiser White getting off an awful lot of blocks right now and making tackles.
Hit and sacked by Kisier White.
Kaizer White manhunter, track and bag, Kaizer White.
Passion Wolf. That was just from week one and two. When you got to you know it and the Cardinals new right away, you know what. Kaiser White is a legit Mike linebacker. Not just the plays he made, but his ability to get the play called, to make the checks, get everyone in the right position for a defense to play fast, played with some nasty I mean it was early in that season opener at Washington he started, he started a fight on the sideline with that physical hit.
I mean so right away, no doubt he didn't make a statement. And we'll see if the Cardinals are going to do something similar once free agency begins. It is the big red rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Darren Urban and for Ron Wolfley and really Kaiser White would be the big name, would be the big signing from a year ago. How much bigger do you think it gets this year in free agency with some forty two million or so available under
the cap. Now that Mantia support Johnathan Gannon know what they have, they have a better understanding of what they need in free agency.
I think there's a chance there could be a splash signing or two. I don't know if if Monty's the type of guy that's going to top the market with the splashiest signing. And I'm very curious to see who is available at the positions they so desperately need, especially
on defense, defensive line, edge rusher, cornerback. If any of those things are there, especially when we sit here, and I mean we just earlier in the show, we're talking about the draft, Paul and what might be available at four, and I think you need to keep.
That in mind.
Okay, if you're thinking to yourself that cornerback may or may not be there at four, it could be there at twenty seven. Tackles are deep, Like, I think there's some positions you might want to look at in free agency to try and get to bolst of those early, because you're not one hundred percent sure you're going to be able to get a blue chipper in the draft.
No doubt. Look, you know there might be a corner like Terry and Arnold of Alabama who has the size, has the skill set, the athleticism. We'll see. You don't truly know what the Cardinals warroom thinks is someone like that?
But would he be someone at number four? So when I say you might trade out from four down to eight, or dare I see even down to Vegas at thirteen or Minnesota at eleven, you know, maybe you still target the corner at that point because there don't seem to be a ton of free agent corners available, and you don't just need one, you probably need two. In terms of defensive linemen, though, there are some names. For example, Chris Jones, according to all reports, will be playing his
last game as a Kansas City Chief. Remember they had the whole contract stalemate that caused him to miss the first game. And then you have other guys who are tracking towards free agency Pro Bowlers like Baltimore's Justin Matdabweke, Jonathan Greener to Houston, Demnil Hunter of Minnesota, you know, Christian Wilkins, a lot of speculation out of Miami what exactly they are going to do. They're Chase Young, who really needs to rebound after the NFC Championship game. He
appears to be hitting the open market. So to me, if there's big money on a big name, I'm guessing it'll come at defensive line, just because there seems to be more support then maybe demand this year.
I would agree, And I think those are some fascinating names. I mean, I think you want to be smart, you know, I do think the Cardinals are in a position where they could challenge for a playoff spot next year if they do things everything right in this offseason. But I think the defense has to get a lot better, and you got to be careful. Are you going to hand out a four or five year deal to a guy
who's twenty eight to twenty nine years old. I mean that's I think that's got to make you pause a little bit, depending on how big the deal is.
For example, Daniel Hunter aged twenty nine and he just had a career year sixteen and a half sacks and he led the NFL with twenty three tackles for loss. Jonathan Greener career year, had a career high in sacks twelve and a half for Houston. Mattabike, right, he just had a breakout season, went to the Pro Bowl. And it can't help but remind you of a lesson learned with Jordan Phillips a few years ago, who had a breakout contract year for the Bills, came to the Cardinals
big money. Thankfully it was only a two year deal because it didn't work out. But we were talking to Kyle Vannerbosch, former Cardinal and Cardinals analyst on the airs on a Cardinals radio network, and he was talking about, you know what, you don't need to look at their best year as a free agent. You need to look at their worst year that you look at. You don't look at the ceiling. You look at the floor to try and get an understanding of what you're getting. And
if i'mani ousten Ford, yeah that's a tough assessment. Okay, who am I getting? And why are they playing? Are they strictly playing in a contract year for the big money? And if we give him that money, what happens next?
Well, and again, guys who hit the free agent market and their current team isn't willing to give them that money, that's always going to make me pause. Chris Jones is a little different of a situation because of Patrick Mahomes's contract and some of the other issues the Chiefs have because they've been so successful. But Chris Jones is also somebody who, as long as he doesn't get too old too fast, I believe is going to be a really
good player. Hunter's another guy. He might have had statistically a career year, but we are I knew Danielle Hunter was one of the best edge rushers and that's why there was an issue this year. He wasn't gonna play at first, he wanted to be traded, and he finally came into an understanding with the Vikings, and he balled out to make sure he got the money he thinks he deserves.
But he's been a really good player too.
A year ago, you saw Mania sap Fort entered the second and third stage a free agency. Kiser White came in that second stage of free agency, a yelled of Froholt who ended up starting every single game at center second stage. You know Will Hernandez a couple of years ago was in that second stage, and you really you got a good deal on Will Hernandez and then re upped him. But then a guy like an LJ. Collier, a Carlos Watkins who really played well in such a
limited sample size. Both guys were done by the end of September. But when you need d Lineman and those guys proved themselves in a very short term basis, how do you assess some of those Cardinals free agents in the likelihood they might be back.
Well for me, if you're trying to bolster that defensive line, if you believe what you saw out of Collier and Watkins was worth bringing back, I would try and bring them back because they're not gonna cost very much money, and you can't replace everybody on the defensive line, not that they have to, but I mean you've got Jonathan Ledbetter who's coming off in ACL now, you needed to
improve that whole group anyways. I mean, there's some work to do on that defensive line that you're not gonna be able to do with one big free agent signing or one blue chip draft pick. You're gonna need more guys than that. The other thing to remember, especially when it comes to defense. I'm not saying you don't get a blue chip defensive lineman that can wreck the game. But again, when you're talking about spending a super high pick on somebody or spending a lot of money in
freegency especially, you're gonna be rotating out the linebackers. You're gonna be rotating out the edge guys. You're gonna be rotating out the defensive line. Now, I'm not saying a really good guy isn't gonna get more snaps than maybe they did this year. But if that's Nick Rolis's philosophy, that you're going to rotate these guys all the time, how much are you going to give them if you're only going to play them sixty percent of the snaps.
Cardinals played Chicago late in the season, and I think once you saw Montes sweating when he did for that Bears defense, you understood the value of a number one pass rush that guy off the edge. They gave him a high second round pick and they paid him big money, but he really set the defense.
Agreed.
Once upon a time, Chandler Jones did the same thing for the Cardinals. Once you give an offensive coordinator that guy he has to game plan for, and then it's amazing how much opens up for everyone else, and it just sets your defense. As for offense as vexing as it was Hollywood Brown this past season. How many deep shot touchdowns they missed to Hollywood Brown by my count
at least four. The fact his stats were suppressed and he ended the year being injured, do you think that helps the Cardinals maybe trying to resign him if nothing else, maybe on a one year, proved deal. We're allowed to talk about that. How realistic do you think that is?
Well?
I mean, I don't know what's going through Hollywood's mind, and I don't know what the the market might look like. I will say this, if you're the Cardinals and you want to draft a blue chip wide receiver. If you're Hollywood Brown, do you want to do your prove it deal in a place where Michael Wilson's up and coming and they just drafted a blue chip receiver?
How much are you going to be able to prove it?
And Trey McBride's getting ten targets a game.
So I think all of that could play into a factor. But again, Hollywood Brown's got to make that decision long before the draft.
That's true, and he has that relationship with Kyler Murray, so we'll see. Hey, Raminer, you can listen to your favorite Cardinals podcast at home or on the GOH search Arizona Cardinals podcast on your preferred podcast provider, or visit Asycardinals dot com slash podcasts. All right, you heard what Drew stand had to say earlier about the Super Bowl.
We'll get into that next. The Niners and the Chiefs, and if you're the forty nine ers, be afraid, be very afraid of when Patrick Mahomes is deemed an underdog. That is next. It is the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert.
It has got it and the forty nine ers are going to the Super Bowl. Bet on red Foever, Las Vegas. Come on, Christian McCaffrey's going to his first Super Bowl, Rock Verd. He's going going for Super Bowl. The forty nine Ers have won this crazy championship game and they are going to the Super Bowl.
This game is over, and you can doubt the Chiefs. You can dislike the Chiefs, you can disrespect the Chiefs. You're gonna have to deal with the Chiefs being the AFC champions for the fourth time in five seasons. The Chiefs have the Lamar Hunt Trophy and they're taking it to Vegas for Super Bowl fifty eight.
About it, Mitch Oltis Chiefs Radio, preceded by Greg Papa, Tim Ryan Niners Radio. The final calls in the championship game, setting up Super Bowl fifty eight, a rematch from four years ago. And Darren, I hate to inform the forty nine Ers, but Patrick mahomes all time as an underdog is nine to three, and he has said this week, and I'm quoting, it's kind of lit a fire under some guys, including myself. So an ultramotivated Patrick Mahomes going into this game, I figure it's going to be tough
to beat. Where do you stand, right now in this matchup, because we both know the forty nine ers real well being in the Cardinals Division against a Kansas City team that has been a stalwart on Super Sunday.
I mean, I think, ultimately I do like the Chiefs because of Patrick Mahomes, and that's not necessarily dissing brock Purty, but it's really really hard after this march through the postseason that the Chiefs have had to think he's not going to figure out another way. And if the forty nine Ers defense was as strong as it may have been in a couple of their other Super Bowl appearances, maybe, but the forty nine Ers defense seems like it can be had at times, and I think that helps the Chiefs.
And I think the Chiefs defense is pretty good. Now they've got some injuries that'll be interesting to see how the Kansas City and Steve Spagnola deal with.
But I mean, there's the Chiefs reminded me.
And obviously the Cardinals didn't win in two thousand and eight, but the Chiefs remind me a lot of the Cardinals in two thousand and eight in terms of, like, by the end of the season, you were wondering how far they were going to go in the playoffs a little different situation. I get it, But ultimately, not only did they do really well and get to the Super Bowl,
but they very well could have won it. And that kind of It's always about who's playing the best football, and I just don't feel like the forty nine ers are playing the better football than the Chiefs.
I would agree with that Chiefs are definitely playing their best ball of the year. For example, they led the NFL and drop passes forty four during the regular season. They had zero in the AFC Championship. They're just playing really clean football right now. The Niners are not, especially the Niners defense. To your point, Kansas City had the number two total defense in the NFL, but the last two games of the forty nine they've given up a
combined one hundred and eighty two yards rushing. Actually that was just in the NFC Championship, and they obviously gave up a lot of rushing yards against Green Bay. So between a hard charging Isaiah Pacheco, who runs as hard as anyone in the league pound for pound, and what Travis Kelcey has been doing, forget all the tailor swift stuff for a minute, he's been unstoppable and against Baltimore eleven catches on eleven targets for a touchdown or over
one hundred yards receiving. What did the Niners do to try and check and neutralize Travis Kelcey?
Well, I mean, that's a great question, and I'm not really sure how that is gonna go. And and don't get me wrong, the forty nine Ers have a very good team. I understand why they're favored. I think it's like two points, so it's basically a pick them. And am I gonna be surprised if the forty nine.
Ers win this game? Absolutely not. I do think it'll be close.
And and to me, it's it's I want to see can this forty nine Ers offense really get a rhythm against this Chiefs defense, which is really good, because I I think that's as well as the Chiefs have been playing, it's not like they're scoring a ton of points. They are still using their defense to get to where they want to go.
In brock Purty, look, he had the game winning drive obviously against Green Bay, and then he had the big comeback after being down twenty four to seven and a half against Detroit in the NFC Championship. So for a young quarterback, he's been in the spotlight, there's been high pressure moments and he's come through. But once again it's a Niners defensive Former Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks the
Niners defensive coordinators saying, quite honestly, it was embarrassing. How do you have a lack of effort in the NFC Championship game? And at least for the niners sake, Chase Young came out and owned it because there were some film clips where he looked really bad.
Well, you know again, I think it's going to be hard not to have the effort in the Super Bowl. I'm wondering if they were got a little high on themselves after beating the Packers and having a home game and the Lions. The Lions are the Lions, and that they there's a good chance they underestimated him and they
got out of it. I'll go back. I thought it was interesting where Drew Stanton said that if he could give advice to Brock Purty is when he goes out there, it'll remember it's just a football game, because I don't know Brock Purty at all. Okay, I don't know how he internalizes things. Obviously, he's got to do a pretty good job of it to play NFL quarterback at the high level that he has played. But if you turn the ball over early, if you fall behind ten nothing,
how does he handle that? Does it cross his mind? Oh my god, everybody's going to be wondering why I'm not, yep doing this.
I told this story earlier in the week's Super Bowl forty three Cardinals in Tampa. It's game day and I was on the last bus to the stadium. Players were on that same bus, and I've never ever been on a team bus with that much tension. You could cut the nerves with a knife, right, And all of a sudden, the last guy on, and I don't know if this was by design or not, Kurt Warner, and he walked down without a care in the world. And it's as
if the whole bus exhaled. Everyone sort of channeled themselves to Kurt Warner, and they reminded themselves, Oh, yeah, he's been here and done this, and guess what, he's not overly amped up. He's not ultra nervous. Why am I nervous? Kurt Warner? He's got this for us, and so maybe, just maybe the Niners and Kyle Shanahan's experience will rub off.
We'll see. I'll just say this, it's a crazy stat but the past three teams in NFL history to be favored in every game in a season, regular season of postseason, every one of them lost the Super Bowl. The twenty seventeen and two thousand and seven Patriots and the two thousand and one Rams all were favored in every game all season long, and every one of them lost the Super Bowl. And you can't tell me that an ultramotivated Patrick Mahomes isn't gonna come out there. And by the way,
you know it's a crazy statu of Patrick Mahonssey. You realize when you get that quarterback. Prior to Mahomes, the Kansas City chief since a merger had been four and sixteen in the playoffs. Ever since Mahomes is a starter, they're fourteen and three in the postseason.
Well, and the other thing too, is and I'm not saying this is necessarily playing in Obviously, the Chiefs very badly want to win this game, and they have many players I'm sure that don't have a ring yet.
However, if the Chiefs lose No.
One, Everybody's still going to say they're a great team. Everybody's still going to say Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the league, all these things. If the forty nine Ers lose Kyle Shanahan. This brought pretty that. I mean, I do feel there is a crap ton more pressure on the forty nine Ers and the Chiefs.
I like Nick Bosa work in the media and maybe working the officials. When he has asked what he thought of the Kansas City old line, he said, quote, they hold a lot. So we'll see. Niners have so much invested in that front seven, can they be the difference against a really good Kansas City offensive line, which, by the way, did lead the NFL and enforced holding penalties this year. So we'll see how it comes down into the trenches. Darren Urban, thank you. Special thanks to Drew
Stanton for joining us. Special thanks as always, Jim Almahondro, Cody Fincher, Aliy Narini. Once again show number fifty in the history of the Big Red Rage, which goes back to two thousand and one season twenty four and it's been a pleasure every step of the way. The Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford.
You've been listening to the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert right on the Price, right on the corner of the Santan two oh two Freeway in Valvista. The Rage is brought to you by seat Geek your ticket to Great Seats, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit Azycardinals dot com slash podcast. This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals football Club