Big Red Rage - Former Cardinals LB High On Collins

and buy Arizona Cardinals podcasts. Visit Hacy Cardinals dot com, Slash podcasts, The Rods, Rising Guard, Temperatureizing Vision, flurring Rage, taking it over. Here's Paul KELVC. Get the popcorn ready. It's gonna be a show and Ron will flip. It doesn't get any better than that horn. Unleash the fard. On the NFL calendar, there are two absolutes on a year round basis. I said to a pair of Staples, you can count on weekend and week out. First, the first,

thanks for playing along Wolf. The first would be the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan for fifty two weeks per year. Here in the Big Red Rage, Paul Calvci here, Ron Wolfley there, and Wolf you are there? Correct? Yes, I am here, Paul, aken, it is dinner time. We're never quite sure. We just want to make sure you don't have anything I could eat ball. And then number two power rankings. You can count on NFL power rankings every single week of the year.

I defy you to go a single week without finding a new power ranking. And I've done just that right in front of me, right here, right now, Wolf, as a purveyor of power rankings. Are you ready? Oh, Paul, this is just a brutal exercise. CBS Sports as a new one out today, and you know, Wolf, before you start the disdain, in the mocking, in the minimizing, um, you know what. I think this is gonna hold until

the season starts in September. Oh Polly, please a power ranking not of teams, not of players, but of divisions. Oh well, if you're talking about the NFC West being the best division in the football universe, I think you're right, Polly. There you go, yeah, ding and more ding because it's big setup. But you help, Paul. I hate to shoot it down, but the NFC West, I think the AFC North in the NFC West battling it out. Correct, Wolf, you've obviously come to the show prepared. The NFC West's

number one. You've defied the doubters out there in the haters. You are actually prepared for this edition of the Big Red Rage. NFC West is number one in the power rankings and the AFC North is number two. Would you how lucky do you feel right now? Wolf? If you want to let a ride and name number three in the power rankings, do not Paully hit me with it. AFC West, Hey number three? Last? Okay? Yeah, oh all

right da? Well, of course the Kansas City chiefs right, and everyone's looking at the Raiders still wondering whether aids gay to be good or not? Yea, I can see that, Paul, like justin Herbert. And then you know, when the Raiders end up with Aaron Rodgers, you know, look out. So there you go, man, we're talking about the Denver Broncos, of course ending up with Aaron Rodgers. Either one really gonna happen. Do you really think Aaron Rodgers is going to be moved by the Green Bay Packers? I think

it's a waste of breath. Probably, probably, But believe me, he's gonna play this along as long as he possibly can, as as you can see, right down to his Hawaiian vacation, of which we're getting plenty of Instagram photos right about now. So maybe, just maybe we'll ask Rob Frederickson about that, because you know what, we have lots of questions for the former first round pick, the former first round linebacker. If you want to know about Zavin Collins, you know what,

Bring on, Rob Frederickson. We'll do you that shortly here on The Big Red Rage. But I'm out. Last week on The Big Red Rage, Wolf Drew Grigson, would you say, would you say the Cardinals director of player Personnel moved the meter with his interview? Yeah, there's no doubt about him. Man,

he knocked it out of the park. And here he is right off the top, and we asked him about Zavian Collins and obviously coming off the rookie minicamp and three days practicing on air, and okay, what can you tell if you're a personnel guy, Drew Grigson, with his command of the huddle, with his command of the defense, his ability to make adjustments even before he gets him from Vans. I mean, he's knocking stuff out, you know, vants telling me that if he makes a mistake, that's it.

It doesn't happen again. You know, his ability to communicate with the rest of the defense, move people around, and be confident doing it. Now. I know it's still rookies, but it could be different again when he's looking at J. G. Watton and Chandler Jones, Buddha Baker. But again, I think it was his maturity and the respect that he's going to get from those guys. It's going to be an

easy transpo. Just listening you right there, that really bodes well. Absolutely, And again they're still making a ton at him, but just watching him out there again, I was I left the first couple of practices to day and we will get this was pretty good right now, so we're bad about him, you know, and having him inside Call of Defense with Isaiah next to him, and those are two gigantic freaks in the middle of the field and two incredible skill sets for a Mike and mow for us.

I mean, they're giving him the green dot Zavin Collins. So you know what, that makes you feel a whole lot better because if he was swimming from day one, that already would give you a little trepidation. But to hear that he's setting the front, he's making the adjustments, he's able to communicate with the guys around him. That's really all you can glean from these workouts. But that's enough to at least give you a little encouragement that you know what he is going to be capable of

being the starter from day one. I don't know if I could impart just how difficult this proposition is going to be. I think for Zavin Collins going forward, Bully, it's just once again, when you think about it, you've got a base defense. Imagine Polly, right now you've got you've got this base defense, and now all of a sudden, you've got adjustments based on personnel, group, based on formation.

You've got to make the right calls. You've got to actually be playing the right defense and the right coverage. Of course, you've got this base defense with those adjustments. Now all of a sudden, you tailored those adjustments, Paul against a certain opponent that you're playing. It's called a game plan, Paully, So you're refining the base defense and then those adjustments to fit your opponent. It is Paul,

I mean it is. There's a lot of different dynamics that go into actually understanding what it is that you have to do and also being able to tell other people what it is that they have to do. It is a difficult proposition in front of Zaven Collins. But listen, I think the Arizona Cardinals, they've been very very clear

about this. This is gonna be trial by fire. They're gonna let him go out there and experience this and actually work through the process of becoming their mic linebacker by doing as opposed to watching, and you know what, you know, it's right there with him. And when I had chanced to watch someone rookie Mini Camp a couple of weeks ago, his position coach makes sense. Obviously. Linebackers coach Bill Davis is out there a lot of times.

He would stop the drill, he'd jump in, he'd points some fingers, he'd impart some knowledge and if he caught Cardinals flight planned season four, episode two the other night, well guess what Bill Davis was asked about his first round linebackers Zavan Collins. I know, it's such a crapshoot. You have no idea how it's going to unfold. Was I hoping he was there? Absolutely, And I was glad

he was. We're making a concerted effort to get intelligent high football IQ players, and Zavan and Isaiah in the middle joined all the inside backers. They're the quarterbacks to our defense. Thank god we have the off season. Thank god we're gonna have a rookie camp. Last year was so hard on Isaiah. That was all the rookies. They were robbed of those chances through to really absorb immense

amount of information. And I can tell right now of all you know, he'll be a very quick learner, and hopefully we have the reps on the field to where that that actually goes even faster. There you go, Bill Davis, your reaction to that. Wolf, I'm sure he saw Cardinals flight plan. He's in there. He's breaking down Zamon Collins on film what he saw at Tulsa. And he actually, and you know what, you know this better than virtually

anyone he throw. He said, he's an old school linebacker with his size, with new school athletic ability and speed. Because you tell me, Wolf, back in the day, you used to go against some monsters at inside linebackers. Oh yeah, Oh, yeah, Paulie, And there's still pretty brutal. Dudes, They're still even today, they're still very, very difficult. Right now. I love this man. This is listen. This is going to be a work in progress. It is with Zaven Collins, He's going to

have to go through some of the lumps here. But the prospect of actually having Zaban Collins and Isaiah Simmons out on the field at this same time, that length and that athleticism and that physicality, I am hoping something very very special is coming in front of the Red Sea. I think I'm hoping that something very special comes together at some point. I don't know if it's gonna be this season where we see Zaven Collins go out there at his best. I don't know, but I do know

this right here. You have to know what to do before you can do. Do you understand that, Polly. You have to know what to do before you can do and you have to know it with conviction. This is something I can't wait to talk to Rob Frederickson about in the next beautiful part of the program. You have to know what to do before you can actually do it. And I think Zaven Collins is gone he's not going to have any problems with the doing. I think he's

gonna be physical. I think he's gonna be athletic, he's gonna be long, he's gonna make place. But he's got to know what to do and then be able to tell other people what to do as well. With that green dot playing Mike linebacker in the box, Isaiah Simmons, certainly hopefully we'll be able to help him do that. I think Booted Baker, I've talked to you about this before, walking down in the box, being a box safety. I think he will help Zavian Collins with a lot of

the calls as well. We'll have to wait and see, but you know, it's just I cannot wait to see how this whole thing transpires. Well. In that film room, Bill Davis said one of the first things he looks for when he assesses any inside linebacker is the rate at which he recognizes the play and then reacts and then he goes from there. So that was his initial takeaway.

Let's go back to Drew Grigson last week here on The Big Red Rage, the Cardinals director of player Personnel, because his other big takeaway from rookie minicamp would happen to be Rondale Moore, the second round receiver out of Purdue ran the four two nine forty. But it goes beyond that when it comes to his quickness, Grison, He's gonna make this dynamic inside. He's arguably the best runifer catch guy in this draft. It's a straight line, it's unbelievable.

But this kid's ability to move a lad early, and I mean he just gets teleports. He hasn't just changed directions. It's unbelievable to watch. He's a video game in real life. Every one of the defensive coaches say the other day, this kid looks quick and slow motion. I just didn't win that. I just I'm excited to see him for seventeen games for US. I mean, I'm excited for the preseason just to see Rondale Moore. Just get him a ball in space and get out of the way once again, Bully.

With Rondelmore, the key is going to be, I mean, everything horizontal is something he does very very well. He also has got to be a guy that can be teams vertically, and that really is going to be the challenge right there. If Rondel Moore can actually line up and run by somebody. I've talked about this the entire offseason since they've drafted him, But Paul, this is gonna be huge, not only for the Arizona Cardinals, but specifically

for Ron Delmore. It's going to be important that he beats people vertically down the field and catches the ball and a defensive court. Nader says, man, I don't know where that emmonium made is, but somebody passing to me, you need to scare the opponent vertically. And then when that happens, man, all that horizontal goodness is gonna be there. Well, and when you give him that space, if you truly

can stretch the defense as the saying goes. In twenty eighteen is one full season to college football with Purdue, he forced thirty seven miss tackles, which was the most by any receiver in a single season in college ball since twenty fourteen. So and at a buck eighty five and with those legs, you know he's gonna break an arm tackle or two. And let's be honest, Andy Isabella hasn't shown a lot of that. He doesn't have your

Cavs ball. We come back, Rob Frederickson is going to join us here On the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford In Gilbert with the sixteenth pick, the Arizona Cardinals select Zaven showing I have a number twenty three Davan Collins. Then, dude's an animals six three, two sixty linebacker, one of the best linebackers in all of college football. What I liked about him was everything size, football, acumen, instincts, coverability.

This guy's got rare and unusual round skills for a guy who's only six foot five, two hundred and sixty five miles. I only dreamed of Arizona and being in that organization, in that community, with everything there. It was something that I've dreamed of. And well Collins preceded by the GM Steve Kim, the draft pick and the guy making the draft pick. That was from draft night talking to the media. The Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford Ian Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul calvc, Ron

Wolfley and soon to be joined by Rob Frederickson. Who Wolf did you happen to catch? Made a cameo in Cardinal's flight plan. I did Balley. I saw that there was the war room scene where Steve Kim said, I've got it right here on my phone. I told Vanson only starter day one, big fast and smart. Put that on camera, boys, and he winked at the camera talking about Zavin Collins and what he texted Vance Joseph and

Bill Davis, the defensive coaching staff. But then there was a text he received from our own Rob Frederickson, former first round linebacker who joins us now in the Big Red Rage and Rob, good evening, we don't have time for the semantics. What exactly were you pinging the GM's phone with on draft night? Hey, Paul, So you know they made the pick, and I absolutely loved the pick. And I just texted Kim and I said, you know, we have a kind of a joking relationship. I just

joked him as a great pick. Must have been Michael's pick. Well you got a smile out of him. We saw it right there on camera. Yeah. Yeah, Well, you know, we're just joking around. And look, I don't care who made the pick. That's that's a great pick. I think, um just just looking at Zame Collins and what he was able to do in college and I really think

his game will translate to the NFL. You know, all I think of as playing the mic linebacker right there, not only one of the most physical positions in all of professional football, but also just how mental it is anytime you're playing inside the box, especially if you have the green dot. How do you think all of that is going to go? Rob, Well, you know, they'll obviously be a learning curve. Wolf like you and I had it.

Everyone has it when you when you go from college and you know, a smaller school like Tulsa into the NFL. There's going to be some adjustments. There's going to be a learning curve. But I think he's equipped just watching what little film I have of him, I think he's equipped to move right in from day one and be an impact player. He just he has the instincts of an inside linebacker and you really can't teach those, you know.

And then we saw at times last year, especially early, Isaiah Simmons really struggled with it, just the speed of things that happened inside the box. And you know, obviously Isaiah Simmons, he got better as the season progressed. But I really think, yeah, I really think Xavin Collins will come in from day one and be ready to roll. You know, it was apparent a couple of things last year, and we saw Isaiah Simmons, especially the first month of the season eight. He didn't play all of his snaps

in college ball at the inside linebacker spot. He split his reps between four or five different positions, so he maybe wasn't as experienced an inside linebacker, you know as

Zaven Collins. Obviously. Number two. One of my big takeaways so far in the offseason is when they asked Staven Collins about trying to digest the playbook and getting out there during rookie minicamp, and he paused and he said, I couldn't imagine doing this without having that rookie manning camp doing this virtually, and that was the challenge Isaiah

Simmons faced a year ago. At the same time, this isn't a situation where Daryl Washington comes in and he has Carlos dan be next to him mentoring him right and telling him where the rook where to be. So what is the degree of difficulty to be a starter from day one at that position and being asked to call the defense rob well, just you know, again not ever having met Zavan Collins, but just seeing some of his interviews and hearing him, he sounds like a guy

that that will command a huddle. He really does. He sounds like a guy from day one to me that that will come in there and get the call, make the call, and get everybody lined up. You know, he's also got some some veteran leadership, not at the position, but he's got some veterans, you know, JJ Watt and getting Chandler Jones back, Buddha Baker. You know, there's some really strong leaders on that defense that I think will will buoy him and and really bring Zavian Collins along.

Rob if you could talk to us about having two inside linebackers that are three down backers, two inside linebackers that are never going to come off the field. Why is that such an advantage? Why do we see this the commonality of this actually occurring with a Luke Keakley and a Thomas Davis for the Carolina Panthers. I think of Navarro Bowman and Patrick Willis the great San Francisco forty nine or defenses. Why, in your opinion is it

so important those two inside linebackers never come off the field. Well, I think it's it's important to be number one, because they get into a flow. You know, you get into a flow of a game and you don't You don't want to be coming off for one or two snaps and then going back in as a linebacker. You want to be out there the entire time. And I think with these guys, especially Isaiah Simmons, the versatility that he has, it doesn't matter what personnel group the offense has out there.

Isaiah Simmons, we can put him out on a slab receiver, we can drop him back, if we saw it last year, drop him back to play a deep safety. So there's really some some things that you know, this defense can do with these guys Zamn Collins and Isaiah Simmons that are so versatile they don't need to come off the field.

It's one of the reasons why I love it. I'm so fired up about it, Rob is just the fact that for me down in distance and personnel groups, as you well know now, all of a sudden, it doesn't matter if you're an eleven personnel, You're not going to take those two guys off the field. You're not gonna do it. It doesn't matter if you're in twelve personnel. Those two guys are still gonna be there. You can run personnel groups out there, especially in rundown situation, you

can do it. And you know how offenses rob love to actually disguise the play they're gonna run based on personnel groups and formations as well. If you've experienced it, if you've been out there playing this game, you've seen it all typically by the fourth quarter. Now again, do you make adjustments. Of course, teams always make adjustments, always

on the fly. But I think seeing it and getting that repetition and experience, it's one of the reasons why the best defenses in the National Football League have those two inside linebackers. I absolutely love it. So yeah, and I think these two, you know, it's gonna take some time and there's gonna be a learning curve for both of them. Isaiah Simmons is still learning as he goes, but I think these two. Number one, we got faster at the position. That's number one, and that's everything in

the NFL. That is everything. You can't make a tackle if you can't get there, and these two they move around out there and that and that's gonna be fun to watch. That's number one and number two. You know, they I just think, I just think they're gonna absorb so much. And Paul, you hit the nail on the head with the benefit of these OTAs and these rookie mini camps. Isaiah Simmons didn't have that, so he's going through it the first time. It's the same as Zavan

Collins and the rest of these rookies. So these guys are going to absorb so much in this offseason and hopefully, you know, take it over to the field once the season starts. Until last year, you for hearing me say the words, thank goodness for the preseason, But you know what with these two guys in particular, especially when you're asking them to be starters from day one and be

every down linebackers. As Wolf says, Rob listened to Drew Grigson last week here on The Big Red Rage, Cardinals director of player Personnel, and I think Wolf asked him, when did you know Zaban Collins would be the Cardinals guy? When we interviewed Zaven over Zoom and he, you know, he pressed the leave button, we all looked at each other in the room like, oh boy, Like it's almost like we knew that that was a guy that this is going to be a consideration at the sixteen and

then its evolved and it became what it was. And that's always in the back of your mind as the guys are falling and we start to look at is even going to get past this team? Where he's gonna get past this team? And then sure enough he fell right to us and we were able to pick him. And again we feel great about him at sixteen, but

I think we got to steal at sixteen. How about that Drew Grigson, you said earlier, Rob Frederickson, our guests, it's all about you present him by Santan Ford and Gilbert Cardinal's former first round linebacker, what his game translates to the NFL. Those are your words earlier. Break that down a little bit. Well. Number one, the size for the position. You don't see a lot of two hundred and sixty or however many pounds he wags. You'll see a lot of inside linebackers away two hundred and sixty

pounds that can move like he does. So that's number one. I don't I don't have any question that he can hold up in the run game, he can hold up in the box. That's not a question that was a question maybe for Isaiah Simmons last year, but he progressed obviously throughout the year. But Zavian Collins just plays with instinct at that inside linebacker position. Whether he's blitzing, whether he's just reading the blocking schemes or getting out into coverage.

Those are things that you really can't teach. Now they can improve on some things obviously the NFL when it comes to coverages, they're going to be more advanced and more intricate versus the college game because when you're in college, you're very limited in the amount of time that you have during the week and meetings and practices, so there's there's gonna be some learning involved. And I just from what I see of him on film, he's just a very instinctive player and he knows where the ball is

and he knows how to get there. Yeah, you know what, backer, I love the fact you got a guy that is six five, he's a big dude bad. You got a guy that is big. Isaiah Simmons is long. You got Zaven Collins. Two inside linebackers that are really gonna be long that can clog up that two round passing lane, as you well know. But talk to me a little bit about Rondelle Moore and your your thoughts on Rondale Moore as the second round pick for the Arizona Cardinals.

You know, well, if I watch a lot of Big ten football, a lot a lot of my Spartans, and then a few years ago, Rondel Moore was absolutely destroying the Big Ten. I mean he was honestly in the Heisman talk and he destroyed Ohio State. Now he's had some j's the last couple of years, and he hasn't he hasn't seen the field a lot, so that's obviously

a concern. But just from a talent standpoint, yeah, he's not the tallest guy in the world, but I'm telling you he is a quick one of the quickest players you'll ever see, and once he gets the ball, he knows what to do with it. Very exciting football player. I hope he can stay healthy. That's you know, that's that's gonna be the big knock on Wood. But Rondel Moore, you know, if this guy stayed healthy, he would have been a first round pick. Do you think he evolves

Cliff Kingsbury's offense? Meaning there's gonna be some wrinkles we've never seen before because they now have a Rondel Moore. Or is this the piece that completes Cliff Kingsbury's offense and the guy he's been looking for all along. Yeah, if I'm speaking honestly here, I don't want to see a bunch of whole new wrinkles. Honestly, I actually want to see this offense gain an identity. And I think personally it starts with the running game. I want I want to see more downhill running. I want to see

more under center. But that's just me personally, that's I just think there's so many more things. Yeah, I just think there's so many more things you can do when you're under center, and it doesn't have to be all the time. But yeah, exactly, you know, maybe twenty twenty fifteen snaps a game. Let's let's do some things where that running game really starts to establish things, and then you're gonna see guys like Rondel Moore really exploit things

coming out of play action over the middle. Oh my goodness, Becker, do you really think that might happen? For me? It's the biggest question mark going into the season, It really is. It's not the defense. It's the offense. Ironically enough, it's the offense. And how much will this offense change? I you know, is there going to be a blending of the old and more traditional offenses with the new I

don't know, but that to me is the biggest question mark. Yeah. Well, well, if I remember last year, you and I were talking, yeah before before the game, and we were we were just pleading for something like that to happen, and and they did. Cliff. Cliff started getting Kyler under center. They were doing some bootlegs, some play action and moving DeAndre Hopkins around. I don't think it's good to have him stagnant over on the left side. Let's move him around

a little bit. It was working. And so I think when when when in the off season, when they go back and self scout and self evaluate the season and watch the film and they see some of those plays that, you know what, there's some things that we can build off of that. Um, I think they're gonna implement it. I really do so. Rob. If we went back and looked at what Rondel Moore did to your Michigan State sparts in twenty eighteen, you conveniently left out the stats.

I mean, did he have like a dozen catches for two fifty and three touchdowns and upump return taken to the house and he come on, now, he must have torched your sparties. He certainly did. But you know, look, I'm just glad he's on our team now. I'm tired of watching him beat up on my spartans. I saw it was a few years ago where on the road, and I guess it was the pleasure. It was a

spectacle watching Rob watch the Michigan Michigan State game. And let's just say I kept a good distance from Rob because he was re enacting a lot of the physicality of the game and from his seat at the bar, let's put it that way. So yeah, well you know what, we won that game, Paul, So I didn't have to beat you up or anything back. You're the best man. Thank you, brother, Really appreciate your time this evening, baby

guys Misia and can't wait to see you again. Okay, buddy, we continue with a big red rage right after this. Don't be don't be right here, Hey, you don't need to run. Played a homer off the right side across the forty five. He gets leveled at the forty seven yard line, food A Baker came flying in there with a head dropped down by Baker. At the thirty five ye hard line, Booda Baker on the safety blitz. Something gets hit and slammed to the ground by Buddha Baker

like a torpedo. He came flying into the backfield over the middle, picked off, intercepted by Baker. At the fifteen gets up a run pass near side, picked off by Baker. The five running left to the ten of the twenty fit chases on Booda Baker, redded jumped into one a day, Buddha Baker. They all pro safety Buddha Baker and Wolf who can forgive what he told us earlier this month in person on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan

Ford in Gilbert Buddha Baker. Remember we were talking about Seattle, his hometown, going back to Seattle, the guy who heckles all the players, and he made a comment about Buddha and his size, fine diminutive American and that what was Buddha's response, Well, you know, I just proceeded to knock out two or three of the running backs, right That was That was the mentality and don't all the great

ones have that? Yes, they have that fire, that need to compete and prove themselves on an almost down by down basis, no doubt about it. I think of Tyrone Matthew. Of course, the Badger had the exact same thing. Paulie run into the darkness right as pants. Joseph loves to say it was one of the greatest things I ever heard of any coach say about a player that Buddha Baker will run into the darkness and you watch him play, he comes down out of that secondary like a bad

bad man, no doubt about it. Well, it's great to visit with Rob Frederickson, former Cardinals linebacker, former first round pick of the Raiders, current member of our broadcast team. So he had the cameo Cardinals Flight Planner Reminders, Season four, episode two, available right now in the Cardinals YouTube channel, right all access behind the scenes of the draft, you get into the war room, rookie minicamp, some great stuff

YouTube dot Com, slash Asy Cardinals. So it was interesting to hear both you guys say that you actually have more folk right now on the offense versus the defense. Nationally, Obviously, the focus is on the defense and whether the defense can measure up and propel the Cardinals that next step into the postseason. And I think most people will look at the secondary, not the safety position, but the cornerback position, and just tell me where you are right here, right

now on that. And if you expect, for example, a time time sign between now and August. Yeah, you know, Polly, I do believe that we could see a veteran corner being brought in here, no doubt about it. But you have to say, what veteran corners are walking around out there right now. It's not like there's a bunch of

veteran corners walking around on the street. I know. Stephen Nelson, of course, was a subject matter earlier in the week, talking about the possibility of going out and signing a guy that played for the Steelers, a guy that has been paid, a guy that is impressive when it comes to the kind of salary that he garnished, a kind of contract he actually signed Pauli. So that it's a possibility. But you know what, honestly, and they got lucky last

year at trade Kirkpatrick. Obviously they asked him late. Yes, absolutely, Paully, But to me, once again, I think the corners they have now, as long as they stay healthy, the corners they have now, I'm okay with it. I am Robert Alfred, of course, is the guy you think of very first. Do you think of him? And the fact he has not been able to stay healthy. We all understand that. But it really has been freak injuries that have happened to Robert Alfred over the last two seasons. And you

know it as well as I do. He's a very capable guy. But you got Malcolm Butler. I am really jacked up about Malcolm Butler because of the dog that he is. Byron Murphy, I think is only going to get better. And you have to remember, it's not like this secondary stunk last year. They did not, Paul, No, they did not. They were number ten overall and passing yards per game, number seven overall and passing yards per play. By the way, they were fifth in sacks per attempt.

That was without Chandler Jones. And now you've got Chandler Jones, you got j. J. Watt, you got a healthy Jordan Phillips. Hopefully the pass rush is going to help a guy like Malcolm Butler out a lot because if you got guys that we'll be able to walk up over wide receivers and jam them on the line with an expectation I only have to hold up on that press man cover for a few seconds before we're going to get home on that quarterback man. That really fills those dbs,

especially the corners, with a lot of confidence. And speaking of Malcolm Butler, remember what he said in the media after signing on the line that has dotted his intro press conference with the Airs on a Cardinals and he was asked, how bullish is he on a Cardinals team making the postseason, ending the five year drought. Here's Butler almost definitely think we can make him push guys get

old and things like that. But if you're doing the right thing, which overbody, you staying focused, you committed to the game, you commit it to one goal, and that's just winning, you know what I mean. If everyone had the same mindset that's what we're gonna do, then oh,

ball harder this year. You know, I was floy had my best year at the age of thirty age and number the number here, you know, will be thirty one this year during the season, and look, here's the guy who had over a hundred tackles as a cornerback, So he plays hard. There's no question about that. My question within the question when it comes to the cornerbacks both is whether Vance Joseph is going to be able to play the way he wants to. Yeah, Deally takes those

two corners, puts him on an island. Then he dials up the other nine guys. But the second half of last season they got away from that. Primarily Pat P really wasn't employed the way traditionally was and traveling season for that, Polly right, and that might have been more on pat P, let's be honest and so, but as Malcolm bothered that guy, Yeah, especially at age thirty one. Yeah,

that remains to be seen right now, PAULI. But so once again, I know a lot of people will say, hey, Wolf number ten in passing defense and number number seven in passing yards per play. You know that was with pat P. And there's no doubt about that. I'm not trying to minimize Pat P in any way, shape or form. But once again, um, it wasn't like pat P was locked down. I think we'd all admit he was not the lockdown corner that we've seen from him in the

past last year. Now going up to Minnesota, I expect pat P to have a great year. I really do, because I think the change of scenery is going to do him a lot of good. But I true or false? Was Pat P's still the Cardinal's best cornerback last year? Yes? He was? Yeah? To me he was. Yeah. His biggest problem, honestly was penalties. He led. That was his biggest problem, exactly right. He was just consistently getting flagged up. So it's the one thing, Paul, you got to remember too.

Defensive quarterback rating is really an important number. It is for a defense to look at defensive quarterback rating. Quarterback rating, Paul, I know a lot of people throw stones at it, but Gino I like it because year after year after year in the top ten. Guess what, there's the best quarterbacks in the NFL. For whatever reason, there they are. So it must be a decent indicator of how a human being is playing the quarterback position. Flip it over

and go defensive quarterback rating. The Arizona Cardinals improved from dead last in the league in twenty nineteen with one hundred and nine point nine quarterback rating defensive quarterback rating one hundred and nine point nine Paulli. That was dead last in the National Football League. They improved to number fourteen in the top half of defensive quarterback rating. That was with Pad p having certain struggles, that was with

not having a Chandler Jones. It was really an incredible accomplishment and I think this is something that the Cardinals can build off going forward, and it starts with that secondary Paulli and the players will dictate the scheme. We know that we had Greg Williams on the cornerbacks coach recently on the Big Red Rage, and when we asked him about Malcolm Butler and his versatility, Here's Greg Williams. He's had a chance to be in multiple schemes, so I think he can adapt to whatever we want him

to do and whatever will help the team win. To stay right, stay left, or travel. He's done it all and he's more than willing to do that in this game as well. So what is Malcolm Butler going to show these coaches in training camp? Is Robert Alford gonna be Romerd Alfred circa twenty seventeen before all the flurry of injuries and the guy we saw in training camp as recently as last year. What about Marco Wilson and Tay Gowen, two guys with size and athleticism, how quickly

can they navigate the rookie learning curve? If you have a guy like Marco Wilson who could also play inside as Byron Murphy, maybe a candidate to kick outside at times. These are a lot of questions in that secondary that are spirling right now. Those are good points, Pauli, and keep in mind right now this is just my belief, but if you wanted to get a rookie to actually make an impact, plane corner is a great position to actually try to have that happen. You know what's so

physically related, it's just your talent taking over. Go out and you cover that guy. And if I was a rookie corner in the NFL right now, there's no better team than the Arizona Cardinals to come in and make a name for yourself. We continue with the Big Red

Rage presented by Santan Board and Gilbert. We are Santan fourd case Edmonds in the backbod with Murray third down in one of the twenty nine four receivers set shotgun snap it's a run play right side, big Whole Edmonds twenty five ten five touchdown the inside zone being run and Chase Edmonds follow the whole baby twenty nine yard touchdown run on third down and one for Chase Edmonds. All four of Chase Edmonds touchdowns at Medlife twenty yards

are longer. Dave bashed the voice of the Cardinals on top of that staff because the year before the Cardinals had gone to the New York Giants and he had three touchdown runs of twenty yards or more in the same game. So, yes, Cardinals go to the Big Apple and they always get big games that at Chase Edmonds a twenty nine yards score. They're part of the Cardinals Week five win thirty to ten of the Jets last season. This season, though, Ron Wolfley, you can now call Chase

Edmonds Deuce. He has changed his number. He is now number two. Yes, in college, the Fordham guy was twenty two, and he says he was known as Deuce and he said, among other things, to our Kyle to Guard this week on Acy Cardinals dot Com, he said, look now I'm going back to two. Hopefully I can change my life. And he had a lot of really good quotes to Kyle to guard. Look, we know as Edmunds well do we not? Will highly intelligent guy, really well spoken, very

passionate about everything he does. Only just a great football player. And and you know what, he would take that as the ultimate complement what he football player? Football player, PAULI, I mean, this is a guy you could stick out as a gunner. If you wanted a two on punt pro you could put him anywhere. I kid you, not special teams, he could play anywhere. This is a tough human being. He's just a great football player. I'm not saying he's going to the Pro Bowl. I'm not saying, Paul,

that he's gonna win the MVP. I'm just saying, when you talk about the body, soul, in spirit of a human being being a great player, think of Chase Edmonds, because he's got it all. You know what, Chase the same it's now or never quote end quote. He said, I'm ready to run through a damn wall. Another quote that I'm going to ball out this year, among other things. What he said his contract year, his fourth year in

the league, twenty eighteen, fourth round pick. And as for those people out there side, come on, now at his size five nine, two hundred pounds or so, can he really be a work workhorse, bell cow type of back. And you know, one of us around here might decided the Miami game a year ago when he got the twenty five carries and only had seventy yards rushing. It gets a pretty good stout Miami Dolphins defense. I think

we would all agree. And he told our Kyler Guard, you know what I read it all, bro is what he says. He reads everything, and everything motivates him. And he's coming to play this year and try and win as many reps in touches as he can at running back. It's so fascinating, BALI really is. Because James Connor again is also a guy. He's more of a traditional offense running back inside zone, good power scheme guy, good and blitz, pick up after play action, catch the ball coming out

of the backfield. Mike Tomlin called him his bell cow. When you had James Connor rolling with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was truly a three down guy. Chase Edmunds more of a new offense, a new age offense type of running back, zone reads and rpls more of a back coming out of the backfield and catching the ball. A guy you could line up, I think in the slot and have him work against a cornerback running a choice route, which is a go anywhere route for the most part.

So I look at that, Paulie, I think it's going to be a perfect blend between Chase Edmonds and James Connor. Well, I'm glad you brought that up, because here's a flashback to what James Connor said his intro press conference as a cardinal on working with Chase Edmonds. I just think explosive. I mean just the weapons that that we have, Chase doing a sting already, and so you know, watching film, I'm like, man, just do he can He can ball?

And I want to, you know, learn from him and be a part of it and just get to work with him. With Chase and so you know, I ain't no telling I can't predict nothing, but I know what I can guarantee. I'm going to come in here and work day in and day out, put my down and grind, and you know, I'm in for a long cost so seventeen game season, I'm looking forward to it. Paula. I think of offensive lineman when I listened to that right there. James Connor. Of course, he knows he's going to be

able to learn from Chase Edmonds. But I think of offensive lineman too that love the block for a guy who's gonna stoke it. That is James Connor. And by the way, that's Chase Edmonds as well. Yeah, and Chase said, look, he's realistic. He knows when it's the four men an offense and you're trying to grind down the opponent and try and move the sticks late in the game and run the clock, James Connor will probably be that guy. He's that big back or maybe in the red zone

near the goal line. Guess what, James Connor might be the guy that comes in and gets a lot of the touchdown runs. You know, he's so Chase is realistic about that. How about this comment from G. J. Humphreys a year ago on the Big Red Rage when we asked about Chase Edmonds just in general, and he went all the way back to Chase's rookie year, big energy, Jesse, We all me and justin always look around you hear Chase before you see him. Every time you're gonna hear

him before you see him. My god, though, man, he's always been a guy at football matter most to him as well. On the first day I've realized about him as a rookie, you know, you could tell that he takes his game serious as officer alive. You see a rookie running back coming in, He's just as focusing on picking up the blisses as he is fighting the hole. He found a special place in our heart. Quickly, Paulie,

what do you say all the time? Players know players right? Yep, dogs no dogs as well, and DJ Humphries is a dog and appreciates that in Chase Edmonds and the fact that, yeah, Chase Edmonds is not a big guy, but man, he plays much bigger than his body, much bigger than his frame. And I think it's one of the reasons why I'm bullish on this offense becoming more physical, just the way that Steve Kim says he wants this team to be

more physical. Better leadership in the all season, create that culture, create that identity. We're gonna line up and we're just gonna be better than you in certain situations. Not all the time, but we're gonna line up and sometimes just beat you as opposed to trying to trick you, Chase saying this week, among other things, I believe if I have twenty touches in a game, I can make some special things happen. And even if that's fifteen rushes in five catches, you know, just he has ability to make

that first guy miss. So we'll see the one two punch in the Cardinals backfield. Speaking of a one two punch, two guys, we will not see around the facility anymore. How about congratulations on a well earned, well deserved retirement for former Cardinals receiver Anthony Edwards, who has been so indispensable in so many roles for the Cardinals over the last two decades. Congratulations Anthony and assistant equipment manager Stein, Well,

I did you really nickname Stein? I call the mind Stein out there because we're working the ball machine, and that machine actually said hey Stein. He picked it up from that point Stein, Love you, buddy. Congratulations, congrats, special thanks Jim or a chopped art. This has been the Big Red Rage Number one. You've been listening to The Big Red Rage presented by Santanford in GUILDA. Are you Santanford State Farm talk to an eight and today at

eight hundred State Farm and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit acy cardinals dot com Slash podcasts. This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals football Club