Big Red Rage - Healthy Allen Ready For Breakout Season

Talk to an agent today at eight hundred State Farm, And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts Visit acy Cardinals dot Com, Slash Podcasts, The red S, Rising ud, Temperaturizing Vision, flurring rage, take it over. Here's Paul Calvc. I'm ready. I'm one hundred percent ready. I'm telling you I'm ready. And Ron Wilflee. It doesn't get any better than that. Unleash the far Well. There's the radio that Kyler used on Saturday to call

on the plays Wolf to the other. QB's right. Cliff Kingsbury talking today, saying with a smile out quote, I just wanted him know that, Hey, this stuff ain't easy. Yeah, every now and then quarterbacks will shake their heads when I'm calling in the place, says Cliffs. So he's like all right, go ahead, big dog. There you go, and then there's the radio that we're on this evening for

the next hour. Let's see here at show number five seventy one all time in the History of the Big Red Rage, presented by santan Ford and Gilbert we are santan Ford, Paul Calvc here or on wolf Ley there. You know what's beautiful about it as well, Paulie, we actually have some things to talk about that's pertained to the game of football on the football field, though we not. Paul I was about to say, let's see here ninety plus players in camp and about ninety plus storylines in

the span of a week. I mean storylines. We have headlines a little bit. We've got the return of guys we didn't expect, like, oh, Max Williams to start off today, hashtag mustache. Love seeing Max Williams out there, I mean, wolf PAULI, what was that? Honestly? First of all, before you go off of Max Williams, what was that mustache that he had gone right there? Paul, You, from time to time have been known to grow a nasty looking mustache, I might add, what was that all about? Well, first off,

you have the full Back Club. I'm not gonna say you know anything negative about the full Back Club like you do about the Mustache Club. You know, the likes of a Drew stand in the PASSA Carson Palmer was the worst, I said earlier, the leader right now, all you know across the country the mustache power Poles, Matt Carpenter, the Yankees. Google that up. The infielder, yes. And then you had Max Williams say Wolf, I mean, there's always got to be that guy who keeps it light during

the drudgery right in the of a training camp. And that guy is Max Williams. What he says, what he's wearing on his upper lemp. You know, it's so amazing about it too. You're talking about one of the most dangerous human beings on the face of the planet when he's actually in between those white lines. Max will light you up. Paul, I know you've never been let up. Polly. I know that you don't know what that really feels like. It's not a very nice experience, let's put it that way.

And honestly, that mustache is nefarious. Don't maybe break out the high school game film from our game against Sanatory, Ronnie Lott, so please don't do that, Paul. They activated Max Williams off the pup. We see that. I mean, there's a lot of stuff flying around today. So that started the day in terms of personnel. To end the day, they signed a wide receiver by the name of Marcel Eightman.

Because we also have some injury news mixed in there, like Antoine Wesley looks like he's gonna miss at least the next week because they try and evaluate his growing in his hip. He's had an MRI. Zach Ertz left the field today with a calf strain, so we'll see what's up with that. Speaking a tight ends, Tray McBride, he missed his second straight practice. Doesn't sound like it's a big deal with a back. They want to make sure he's good to go for the preseason opener next

week at Cincinnati. Marco Wilson dealing with a groin. We'll get to more Marco Wilson and what the head coach had to say about him. So yeah, well, if there's a lot going on. And then there's the former host of this show, DJ Humphrey's putting the big in a big red rage with a big dollars how about your reaction to his contract extension. You know it, Polly hum In the National Football League in the Year of Our

Lord twenty twenty two, you need three offensive positions. You've got to address three, and you've got to have three really really good ones if you want to have a good offense. Number one, as we all know, Polly, it's franchise quarterback, right, say, you would agree with that, of course, even you, Polly, you would agree with that. You know, you need a franchise quarterback if, in fact you want to have a good offense. Well, I think the Arizona

Cardinals have that, of course in Kyler Murray. You also need a wide receiver one, Polly, you need a guy in today's NFL where you're throwing the ball and they're making the rules so easy to throw the ball and easy to protect a quarterback and protecting the quarterback literally when he's getting hit or sacked. Yeah, there's no doubt about that. You need a wide receiver one out there, and I think the Arizona Cardinals have that in DeAndre

Hopkins when he's healthy and ready to go. Yeah, thank you, Bill O'Brien, team MVP of the Cardinals three years ago. And Polly. You need an offensive tackle, you need a left tackle to be precise. And that's what the Arizona Cardinals have now with DJ Humphreys. They locked him up. Of course, they added what three more years onto his contract.

Right now, when you find a left tackle that is better than average, let's put it that way, when you find a left tackle that is in the top third of the league, you go ahead and you sign him to an extension. He started forty nine to the last fifty games, so the Cardinals. In one game he missed COVID. He's a two time team happening. But think about dj MP dog ball, Yeah, and think about dj mpre's always a rookie twenty and fifteen when he's a first round

pick and by his own admission, was immature. Yes, he was asked in front of the media if the two fifteen version of DJ Humpreys would have believed you just earned yet another contract extension. Definitely surreal. I think just you know, I mean, thinking back over the whole thing, you know, if you had told me this in twenty fifteen, that first, you know, I mean that first Rickoy minicap, that this was going to be the case. Eight years later, I probably would have laughed at you, you know what

I mean. But being on this side of him, man, it's it's definitely sweet man, being able to you know, secure my future here and no, I'll be able to be here. I always wanted to play for one team, So knowing and I'm able to be in that position, they continue to keep that dream alive. It's huge for me. So the reports say he set to during this season twenty one million, that's up from fifteen million, but they lowered his cap hit for this coming season to twelve

and a half millions. That creates almost another seven million of cap space for this year. Yeah, so what does that mean? Are they going to extend some of the current guys like a Byron Murphy or a Jalen Thompson, or might they go out on the open market looking to bolster another position might be from the outside, yeah, Polly, or might they even look for at Marcus Golden and say, hey, you know what I mean, maybe we're gonna do something

right there. I have no idea, Polly what they're gonna do, but it is nice that they freed up some seven million dollars right there. You know what, I love Polly in regard to this offensive line as well, this is a veteran offensive line, yet it's not decrepit by any any stretch of the imagination. This is a veteran offensive line. Yet you can look at these guys. Think about it, Polly, four the five of course coming back. Four the five from last year coming back, and then three of the

five they've played together four years. When you think about it, right, DJ Humphreys and Justin Pew and Calvin Beecham, now they've played four years. I really really liked the continuity on that offensive line and the new addition of Will Hernandez alongside of Rodney Hudson. That really fills me with an awful lot of good feelings, PAULI, because they needed to shore up that interior old line. You said it earlier.

No QB no chance in the NFL. That's one A. One B would be no offensive line, no chance, and offense doesn't matter how many weapons you might have. If you have a terrible offensive line, you're going nowhere. So Cliff Kingsbury knows the importance of a left tackle like DJ Humphreys. He brings a lot of juice, a lot of leadership to our team and offense, and he loves to play the game, so you can fill that out

there with offense and really big fan of DJ. When we got here, I think people were still trying to figure out if he's gonna make it in this league. And he's really taken off and become a real integral part of what we're trying to do here. And you mentioned it. He's a dog. I mean, as big as he smiles and as good a time he has in as great a sense of humor he has during the week Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, he is a different

dude down on the field between the white lines. And now he has company in that regard in the new right guard, Will Hernandez. A fact, you at a moment with Will Hernandez earlier today or last couple of days, Right, didn't you sit down with Will Hernandez? Yes, as a matter of fact, paul I believe that was today, Yes, there it was today, no doubt today. Is Pauli three hundred and thirty six pounds. He told me what his way was. I was like, are you three forty because

I like him at three forty five. I'm just joking, ball, are just joking, but the three forty it sounded really really good when you looked at him because of the refrigerator like structure of Will Hernandez and the body that is a square dude, Paul. You know, I talk about this all the time, how square a dude is. Will Hernandez is a square dude, man, a wide butt. What was your old saying that this is back in the

day and this is old school football. But you got the advice from your older brother who had already spent five years with the Steelers as a rookie, what was the advice, Wilf and I don't get off it. Just this the basic piece of advice going into camp as a rookie. Well, Polly, it was number one, shut your mouth. Number two he told me respect everybody. And then number three, Polly said, pick a fight with the toughest guy on the team, because Will Hernandez just had a skirmish with

JJ Way. I'm just saying, if you want to pick somebody out on that field ninety nine and you want to make a statement to your new teammates, they got into it. I mean they're rooting in a tune a little bit right. It wasn't quite wamping in a stomp and they cut it off. They were yeah, you know, yeah, but you know what, Polly, that's gonna happen. You know what. Honestly, football is an intense game. You're literally trying to drive another dude into the ground. That's your intent, that's what

you're trying to do. When you're you're doing it with malice, dare I say, And if you're not, what are you doing out on the field? And you know what, he's also doing a solid for the starting left guard. Here's justin Few asked about the arrival of Will Hernandez earlier today. I love having Will here. Will will replace me in New York and he was the scrapper there. It must be like if you played left guard in New York, you just have to fight, because I was. Now I

don't have to fight. Will's taken over that role. Man. He's the enforcer out there. Let my old ass, you know, take a couple of plays off and having a beat up d lineman. Um, it's been awesome. He's a great dude, great personality, great in the locker room. I couldn't say enough good things about Will. I'm real happy he's here. I've kind of three scraps, so Will Hernandez against three different guys at three different times. In fact, I'm gonna come up with a new hashtag. You know they like

to say Detroit versus Everybody, It's Will versus Everybody. That's my new hashtag. I didn't get it. I'm gonna get a T shirt going forget to prove it every day t shirt. I'm going with Bill Will versus Everybody? And Polly, did I tell you he was a brawler? I told you exactly when he showed up. When when the Cardinals said, you know what we're signing Will Hernandez, I said, you know, they just signed a brawler. This is a guy that is known for his run blocking. Of course he's gonna

have to continue to work on his pass sets. I think is really helping him. Talking to Will Hernandez today, he was talking about how much help he's really got from this veteran offensive line bringing him along where he's the baby on this offensive line. He at five years in the league. Think about that, Paul, Will is the baby. He said, he's learned so much from all these other guys.

They've helped him so much. And I man that resonates with me because I remember being in that running back room when you had guys like Otis Anderson and Stump Mitchell. I'm talking about pros pros. I'm talking about some of the best to ever do it. Man. They helped me so much inside of that locker room. And Will Hernandez here he is at five years in the league. Yeah, this is a veteran offensive line and I'm bullish on it.

And look for all the needs we talked about in the offseason Wolf the last five months, corner and pass rush. Right guard was a need that was a liability last year Justin Murray went down and the Cardinals never had a solid answer at right guard, and it showed up at the worst times, including the playoff game. And so when you're in a vision with Aaron Donald, you gotta solidify that position, period and the Cardinals like to think

they've done just that with Will Hernandez. Hey Episode thirty four The Day Pash Podcast featuring Cardinals running back the pro bowler James Conner, available now wherever you get your podcasts and be a Twitter at pashpod. All right, speaking of pass rush, Yeah, I mean you're asking yourself, where's it going to come from minus Chandler Jones. Well, it doesn't have to be from the edge, doesn't have to be via the blitz. Are we all forgetting about a

difference maker? Who might be that guy? This year? He is next on this edition to the Big Red Rage presented by Satan Ford in Gilbert Snap to Lance. He's gonna rush up the middle and he's brought down by Zach Allen at the twenty two for a loss of

three on the play snapped the staffer. They get the playoffs straight dropped back as time pumps, doggets hit at sacked by Allan back in the twenty nine yard line and the Cardinal's force upon plants to throw from the pocket now steps up, gets hit by Zach Allen and sacked at the forty six yard line. Big number ninety

four has made a couple of plays here today. Back to throw Dalton at the screen and it picked off Allan on the firesides, got it at the thirty, at the twenty, at the fifteen, it tackled by Dalton at the eleven yard line, and the fall comes out and it's scooped up by Zach Allen at the five and indie ends up before the touchdown. Well, we're definitely putting the big into big red rage right now. The aforementioned Zach Allen joining us all brought you by santan Ford.

We are santan Ford, Paul KELBC, Ron Wolfley and the Cardinals Big d Lineman and Wolf. I feel like we should go full disclosure right off the top, considering that you tried to book Zack's dog, what are you talking about? Your first request for this segment was actually being Zack's dog. But we can get through to the publicist, you know, after Cardinal's flight plan and the whole Instagram page and everything, Zac. So I mean, the popularity of your dog these days

is remarkable, is it not. Yeah? No, it definitely has popped off. I did not expect any of this, so no, it's it's pretty funny to see it. What kind of dog are we talking about? Sorry, Paul, because I did not see what you're talking about. Sorry, z Yeah, No, I have a burning Doodle. So he's half Burnie's Mountain dog half doodle. So it's nice because he doesn't shed, but he's awesome. Oh my goodness, is a big dog? No, he's only like forty pounds Okay, yeah, he's not too

too big, but he acts big. He jumps around everywhere. He still thinks he's a lap dog. But what do you attribute the popularity too though? I mean, seriously, come on, no, I mean he's adorable. I think it's impossible not to love him. So yeah, talk to us a little bit about training camp right now. How's your training camp going, Zach? It's been great, No, it's awesome, I think, Um, you know, it's been really cool for me personally, just coming off the surgery and you know how much better I feel

compared to you know how I felt last year. You know, it really cleared up a lot of things for me. And then also working with coach Burke has been awesome just learning his style and you know, using what he's been teaching us. I think, you know, it's given me a lot of successful so far and helping me with a lot of productions. So you know, I definitely am excited to you know, use it in the games. Now. How much did the injury impact you last year? I mean, now you can tell us so how many games were

you dealing with that? So I really had it the whole season, so it was kind of stem from the high ankle spring that I had my second year in the league, and then I just kind of rushed back into it too fast because I wanted to get back, you know, So I really was supposed to be like a six to eight week injury, but I came back in three that second year, finished the season, and then I just wanted to, you know, really build off the momentum because I started playing well towards the end of

the year, so just you know, full off season and it just kind of you know, wear and tear. And then finally when we got to, um, you know, that Christmas game versus Indianapolis, it was kind of like, okay, I think we need to take a look at it, and we realized how bad it was. But you know, luckily, um you know, we got a lot of tape and we got a lot of to roll, so we're able to make it work, you know, because we heard the

montage there. I mean, you made a lot of plays, despite the fact you said, I think earlier in this camp you felt flat footed a lot of last Yeah, yeah, no,

I really did, like it was it was. I mean, after playing a game I legitimately couldn't walk on Monday, you know, so I would be you know, my girlfriend would have to help me down the stairs and then you know, just it was kind of a mess, but you know, just trying to get it ready, and towards the end of the season, I wasn't even practicing, you know, it would be kind of hopefully that Friday practice at least get some reps in. But yeah, no, it was. Now it's it's it's amazing, um and I just I

feel like an athlete again. You know. Last year was kind of like the fact that I was able to kind of do what I did with it was you know, obviously gave me some confidence about, you know, playing this league. And that's why I'm so excited about this year. You know, knock on wood, stay healthy and just show what I could do with you know, with all this progress. You know, when I came into the league, I had a really

really good coach. I had good coaches around me, and yet at the same time, the impact that some veterans made on me, some veterans inside that running back room, what they made on me was significant. I know J J. Watt, you're really tight with J. J. Watt. Talk about his impact on you. Yeah, he's helped a bunch obviously, you know, from the football standpoint obviously, I mean he knows as much about you know, football and being productive in this

league as anybody that's ever played. But a lot of you know, the off the field stuff, like you know, with my surgery. It was kind of funny he had his surgery and then a few months later I had mine, So he basically kind of walked me through everything he did because I mean his recovery was pretty remarkable to come back and only a couple of months from his shoulder surgery. So I kind of picked his brain and

you know, he helped me out a bunch. Um I got my surgery and was in Wisconsin, so he was giving me, you know, all of his best cheese curd recommendations. But um no, I really definitely you know, he know, he knows what he's doing it, um you know, on and off the field, and you know he's it's nice that he's not, you know, kind of being shy about that knowledge. He really you know tries to teach us, and um, I think that's why he's such a good leader.

D Lyman Zach Allen, our guest on the Big Red Rage. So where were you when the scrap broke out between JJ Watt and Bill Hernandez the other day. It was funny because that was like the so JJ and I were in together and that was our last play like before you know, we were going to switch it out. So I started walking. All of a sudden, you just hear the you know, the horns going, So I was like, what the heck? So you obviously you're going to go help, and you know the D line. We're a close group,

so everybody you know, starts running in. But it was probably one of the softer fights. I'm not gonna lie, you know. I mean they just you know, it was just a big push in match and you know, no punches were thrown. So you haven't had a good scrap yet, so I mean, obviously coaches don't want that, but you know it's always good to have one or two. Did you like hockey? You know baseball you kind of grab someone in your ship, Yeah, you try to grab from behind,

just break it up. But I don't think anybody was really serious about fighting. So so here you are. Now you're you're getting ready, of course to enter in two preseason. I know we've got another week here to go before you're actually going to play a preseason game. But are you a goal guy? Are you one of these guys that say, you know what I'd like to do A B and C this year? Do you set goals for

yourself personally? I mean, obviously I have expectations, but I'm not necessarily like I need to hit this number, this, this, this, because for me, it's a big like if I look too far down the road, then I kind of get lost in it and you're just overthinking things. So for me, the thing that I found the most successful is literally taking it day by day. So you know, if we have practice today, that's my focus. Is what am I working on in practice today? What's my goal for? You know? What? Pass?

Rush movie? Do I want to work? What do I want to work in the run game? What's this? And then kind of go from there and then you kind of just let it stack and build and hopefully you just stack a punching so you go in whitecrol instead of mat Yeah. No, once you think too big, I mean you kind of you know, it's just too general. I feel like, So I love that because this is a big year for you. It's a contract. Ye, So if you start thinking too much big picture, I could

mess you up, I would assume. Yeah. Yeah. And the thing that's kind of cool too is, you know, obviously, you know, guys, there's a bunch of us that are kind of in the same position, so we're able to kind of calm me down and calm each other down and bounce ideas off each other, you know, especially you know, like my class, you know, draft class with JT. Murph. You know, we're all really close. So it's nice to

talk to guys like that. So talk to me a little bit about that defensive line room and some of the guys in there and your expectations, because there's a lot of people looking at it now. And when I say this, I'm talking about experts quote unquote on the outside that are looking at the Arisulta Cardinals defensive line and consider that to be a weakness, to which you say, yeah, that's just wrong. I mean, I think, honestly, we the thing is just I think, you know, it's been unfortunate.

We were really young for the past couple of years. I would say, I think in this league, especially to play you know inside, it's so much different than college, and like in college, if you're a wide receiver or a corner, you're faster, you're fat. Like you know, speed translates, you know, at the here, it's just the speed and the side. It's just something that you just know what's really seen before. So even the best offensive and defensive linement,

it usually takes a couple of years for them. And like especially in my draft class, if you look at a lot of the top D linement, a lot of them it took kind of late second year, third year to kind of figure it out and put the pieces together, you know. So that's just the way football is. But you know, I think we got a lot of great guys in the room, and I think we're a really deep room. Obviously, Lecky, Richard, Mike, I think this offseason

they absolutely killed it. So it'll be you know, really interesting. Obviously, have JJ being JJ, and you know, then there's a lot of other guys that are you know, in the same spot. I think we just have a lot of guys that are you know, really excited to play ball and play play fast and it's going to be a lot of fun. And it's not just the D line.

There was an analytics site. I think DVOA the other day that projected the Cardinals, who finished number six in overall defense last year, and their analytics, their metrics, they projecting be twenty eighth this year. I'm like, Wow, what's going to dictate whether you finish top ten or bottom ten? You think as a defense, what's going to be most important for this d You think, Yeah, I think if we just execute, you know, I feel like last year, you know we will after kind of you know, doing

this self scout this offseason. You know, when we were had eleven guys doing their jobs, I mean, no one could do anything on it. Where we got into trouble is you have an m A here and mister Simon here, you know, making mistakes here here here. That's kind of where it killed us. So this offseason, obviously, guys are really focused on knowing their job and performing at a

high level. And for a lot of us, I mean this is now year four in the defense, which is you know, really encouraging, and I think, you know it will be as we've seen in camp so far, it's been a lot smoother and I think the way we're playing defense is it's just a lot faster and it's just a lot more physical, which is great. As you well know, Zach, over the last couple of years, you guys have gotten off to some pretty good starts over the last couple of years and some really bad finishes

over the last couple of years. Why do you think that is, Zach? And can you do anything about it as well? Yeah, I mean, obviously, you know, I'm a young player. I mean this is technically year four, but I missed my entire first year, so I mean I've been around some ball. I haven't been around, you know, as long as some other guys. I might not be the best guy to answer that question, but I just know that, you know, for us, talk is just you know,

day by day doing our job. And I think, you know, if this year we really embraced that, you know, I think we'll, you know, we'll do good. And I think also last year, I think we had so much success, like so quickly. It wasn't kind of it kind of I'm not gonna say it came overnight, but you know, you go from eight and eight to all of a sudden, you know, you start a season seven that's you know, doesn't really happen a lot. So that kind of gets in your head now that we kind of have that

wake up call. How you know, you have to be on point throughout the entire season. They're not just you know, there's no easy games. I think that will be Uh, that was kind of you know obviously you know you wish he did better last year, but I think that will help us a lot this year. Boy, that really resonates with me when I listened to Zach say that, because honestly, that is so true right there. It's one thing to talk about it, but actually having it happened

to you, boy, that really is a learning opportunity. Well, and some other guys I mentioned it's some other team leaders, Budda Baker and so forth. Maybe the attention to detail, maybe it waned a little bit of ten and two, etc. So Yeah, considered a lesson learned. You you would hope, uh you you hear him before you see him, your new d line coach, Matt Burkey. He's really vocal. What's upen like having that new voice around. It's great and

honestly has been a seamless transition. Um. You know, he's really high energy and you know, just the style that he's teaching, it's a lot of fun to play in. It's just you know, go fast and they'll be violent, and you know we'll correct all the mistakes after, you know, and uh, you know, obviously, you know, we all really like Buck and you know, appreciate everything he's done. But you know, it's like you go from one great D

line coach to another great D line coach. So we were really fortunate to have him, and um, you know, it's been awesome to play for him. Are you particular as to what side you'd like to play? Right side, left side? That where exactly? Do you like to be across the front seven? Yeah, honestly, I mean just the way our defense is, you know, you kind of got to know everything and you play uh, you know across.

But I know, um now I probably you know, become a little bit more comfortable playing on the right side, just because JJ more comfortable on the left, and um, you know it works out well that you know, we're

both in our most comfortable spots. You like being over the guard or over the tackle, um or over the center de yeah did it all last YEA, Yeah, No, it's it's kind of a mix whatever, you know, it depends on the look that down obviously, you know, you know the certain looks where the play is going to be made, so you obviously try to cheat it a

little bit. But yeah, and as we wrap it up with Zach Allen, who's the guy you would least want to fight on this roster or who's the guy you would want on your side as your wingman if you walked into a biker bar full of Hell's Angels, who's the dude you'd want with you on this team? I'd take Lucky like he's a big boy's, you know, three pounds of torso, So we'll take that. All right. That's good. You got Lucky and you got your dog being so you know, life is good these days. Yes, there you go,

Zach Allen. Everyone on the Big Red rage As Weekend, seeing you all brought to you by Satan Forard. We are Santan Pord snapped the Lawrence Hilt throw short set looks left, throws left and broken up incomplete, nearly intercepted on the far sideline by Marco Wilson, who stepped in front of Marvin Jones. What a great play by Marco Wilson. Right there, Michelle running left and then he's cut down on the far side of the ten yard line by Marco Wilson. Oh my goodness, what a great tackle by

Marco Wilson. The corner dumps it off short left. It has caught at the twenty five yard line. A huge hit on the far side by Marco Wilson. He absolutely levels the receiver. Marco Wilson comes up and I mean delivers a blow. Oh pro Sprang Grasshopper, the fourth Brown rookie out of Florida last year, ended up playing starter snaps pretty much the entire season. We know he has a talent in the measurables. You know he has a pedigree. I mean his dad coaches dbs for a living. His

older brother has been an NFL dB as well. The question is, okay, can he show that sort of consistency. Can he take the next step to really appease the decision makers and make him a bona fide starter from maybe the next seven or eight years potentially the Cardinals have a need? Can he fill that need? And guess what? We got some news on the Marco Wilson front earlier today that we'll get into here on the Big Red Range presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert Paul kelvc Ron Wolfley.

We're just joined by Zach Allen. How about some impressions real quick on Zach Allen? How about I mean, how about by the way, and kudos do you wolf? He said, you know, the coaches don't like the fights, but in his words quote, it's always good to have at least one real fight. That's right, boy, I mean, honestly, once again,

you'd heard me talk about it all the time. It really sets the tone in the tempo, of course for a football team, and a lot of times it will relieve some pent up pressure inside of that locker room. I know it doesn't seem like that would be the case. I know that you would think, my goodness, you're gonna fight one of your teammates. You're gonna fight him? Are

you kidding me? You're gonna fight You know what happens the vast majority of the time after you fight him, you totally hug it out after it's over, and you kind of laugh at each other, and then all of a sudden, everyone just the respect level returns to a locker room. I just listen. I know that I talk about it all the time, but yeah, that certainly can happen inside the locker room, and I think Zach Allen

kind of alluded to that. They said their new D line coach, Matt Burke, his one messages go be fast, be violent, We'll fix everything later. He wants a physical D line and it was amazing to me. My last takeaway was just how banged up he was last year with that ankle that on Mondays he needed help from his girlfriend to get down the stairs. He could barely walk, and somehow he was still playing on Sundays. Yeah. So if he's fully healthy, because we know his rookie year

was wiped out by the neck injury. For the most part, if you're looking for a guy who can really take that next step, I know it's year four, but I just get the sense Attack has so much more ceiling to reach and productivity to bring to that defensive front. Yeah. The other thing too, I liked about our conversation was the fact that he likes playing on the right side of the defense and J. J. Watt, of course likes playing on the left side. That's very very interesting, right

there two guys that are very similar. Right, So the two cornerbacks that we went into camp thinking, all right, these are the two guys, Byron Murphy Junior and Marco Wilson. And what's been interesting, Wolf is we've since learned and we started the off season this direction, and then the tragic passing to Jeff Gladden. You figured that, you know what, Byron Murphy was going to be an outside corner even

though they prefer him inside. Well, guess what, Cliff Kingsbury has been pretty vocal, they would really prefer Byron Murphy Junior to be a slot corner, which just heightens the importance of a Marco Wilson being one of those outside corners. But earlier today, here's what Cliff Kingsbury had to say.

And the setup on this to some degree is that some of the younger corners were wearing mits, as in they let's just say, they have been holding and grabbing and so they put somemits on him so they couldn't do some of that, and that was sort of what the question revolved around. And then listen to where Cliff Kingsbury took it. I think that's a position that where guys got to step up. Really like some of the veterans, we have a different positions on defense. Murphy's really come

a long way, Marco. We want him to step up and be in every down starter, but we'll see. I think the jury is still out and the rest of as young guys, somebody's got to step up and help us out. Paul. As soon as I heard that, man, I just want to jump in here. As soon as I heard Cliff Kingsbury say that, you know what, Marco, we want to see him actually step Bob, you know

we want we want to see this right here. You know what I thought of immediately, Polly was Cliff Kingsbury and the development of Cliff Kingsbury as a head coach. It was the PAULI, this is what a head coach is going to do. He's going to let some veteran guys from time to time know that, hey, listen, you know what, your reps maybe getting caught. He's got to do that. Now. I'm not saying he's doing it here

with Marco Wilson. What I am saying young guys, young guys that they want to continue to develop, You're gonna say, you know what, Hey, he's got to stop up. He's got to prove it to us. Basically, this is what he's saying to Marco Wilson right now. I think it is a tactic that a coach use, especially a head coach uses to get young guys to develop, to challenge young guys and make sure they don't get complacent. Paulie,

stop and think about it. Marco Wilson, through two thirds of last season, I'll even go three quarters of last season, he was as good as a rookie corner could possibly be. And then he kind of tailed off at the end of last year. And I don't think they want him getting complacent at all. He was a starter and all of a sudden he tailed off at the end. I don't think they want him to get complacent. I know that that's a thin cornerback room as well, and maybe

that's what it is. Maybe they're trying to ring a little urgency to Marco Wilson because he can look around that cornerback room as well and see that he doesn't have a packed room in terms of competition, because when camp started, it was early in camp and Cliff Kingsbury's feeding a lot of basic questions about, Okay, how where the competitions on this roster, and he said Marco Wilson

was quote in the mix to be a starter. He was not giving him a starting job, even though he did exactly that most of the last year as a rookie. He said he has to earn that job. And then Vance Joseph was asked if Marco Wilson needed a big camp, and Vance Joseph told him me, well, I don't really necessarily think he needs a big camp because you know, he played so well last year, So it's almost like a good cop bad cop going on between the head

coach and the defensive coordinator. But then Cliff Kingsbury doubled down again today after Marco Wilson missed with a groin injury. Look, I think there's some I think there's some general frustration with the position itself, just in general. Last couple of days, the head coach was irritated all the corners grabbing and holding hens. He saw the mits out there in three different guys at least today, But then hit zoom out

as you said, the position depth isn't there. I mean, God forbid, the Cardinals have a real injury to one of their primary guys a corner. They could really be hurting, so the time is now. Otherwise there are guys out in that market that I imagine might be a kind time sign. Yeah, you know what, Polly too. Once again,

I just don't gloss over this. This is a big moment for Cliff Kingsbury to come out and say that about a guy that was a starter for the Arizona Cardinals last year in a room that is thin this year. For him to actually say that, to challenge Marco Wilson, this is a Grove spurg from Cliff Kingsbury. As far as I'm concerned, I can almost hear Bill Belichick. Bill

Belichick used to do this same thing. He would let he would let people know in the media, of course, you know, ask me about this position, or ask me about you know, what kind of battle we've got going on here in the you know, in side linebacker position or whatever it may be. He would set it up and then all of a sudden he'd just give you a very dry answer, and it was always about, you know, he's got to play, he's got to step up and play. He's got to prove it to us he can do that,

you know what I mean. And that's all he would say, Paul, and then he would back it up. It is. This is a growth opportunity right here for Cliff Kingsbury. And well, if you spent ten years in the league, does a message from the head coach to the media get to the player in the locker room? Yes, yes it does, Paul Okay, think think of two hosts of this show, The Big Red Rage, Klais Campbell, he was going to

Pro Bowls. Remember Bruce Arians was low to give Kleis a real compliment, Yes, and then DJ Humphreys and what Bruce Arians said, DJ Humprey's rookie year, Paul yep, which

to this day DJ does not appreciate. Correct. So, yes, there have been many messages sent through the media, and you would qualify today's comments about Marco Wilson in that position group when he says the jury is still out and someone has to step up and help us out quote quote absolutely so Hey, Cardinal season tickets available now. Go to easy Cardinals dot com slash tickets for more info.

Easy Cardinals dot com slash tickets. All right, Isaiah Simmons, big storyline, big position, We'll talk about that next on The Big Red Rage presented by Satan four. In Gilbert, they run Henry off the left side and he's tumped immediately, and it's Isaiah Simmons knifing into the backfield to take him down. I want to play by Simmons. You want to talk about playing Downhill. Isaiah Simmons coming from the backside, the weak side, inside linebacker making a play. I'm king

Henry Baby. Tan Hill takes the shotgun, snap backs up as time steps up, throws over the middle to fleck it into the air, and it is intercepted by Isaiah Simmons at the forty five yard line. Sayah Simmons with a heads up play. And one of the first questions after he was a first round pick in your mind Wolf was all right, how physical is he? We know he's an athletic freak, a unicorn, but will he put his nose in there and stick his face mask in there into the fray? And the answer to that right

away he realized was what, yes, yes, he would. Ball was the first thing I was looking for. And you know what's interesting about that if you talk to Bill Davis, that was the first thing that the inside linebacker coach for the Cardinals was looking for as well. Interesting. Interesting, So okay, there you go. He answered that question. Now the question is where exactly is he going to play and what does that mean for the Cardinals defense? What

does that mean for the opposition? Because us media types were there at camp the last week or so, like, wait a minute, there's I say, Simmons on the edge. There he is in the slot. There he is in the middle of the defense. There he is in the back end of the defense plane, center field, safety. All right, So Vance Joseph, the defensive coordinator, was asked just to describe position exactly is he playing? Coach right now, he's a star you know, I was starbacker or safety, whatever

you want to call him. Um, he's playing well, you know, but but we'll see. That's what camps for to kind of figure out how far we can go with him playing certain spots. A starbacker is a guy that plays a linebacker, a little bit of safety, a little bit of dime. I mean, he's a star position and in this scheme, it can be a lot of places. Your thoughts on that sounds like where needed, where he's going to be the most lethal and effective is where he's

going to be. Yeah, Paully, first of all, let me just say this quickly right now, Um, I I no longer have these dreams of him being the week side inside backer. Okay, where he's just you're gonna put him there and he's going to be Thomas Davis. They're gonna move him around. This is something that they have already come to a conclusion about. They're gonna move him around today, just today and today's practice. Polly, you already said it. I saw him on the edge. I saw him in

the lot as a corner. I saw him lineup as in the slot as a corner. I saw him as a week side inside linebacker. And I saw him playing safety in the middle of the field, man free. He was. He was the deep safety in the middle of the field, man underneath on a blitz. They had blitz six guys and he was the free safety in the middle of the field, man free. It is. It is hysterical to me.

I don't care where they put him now. I just want Isaiah Simmons to make plays, plays that change games, games that can be won because Isaiah Simmons is making plays. That's what I want to see from this young guy. Yeah, be a playmaker, be a difference maker. But you're right, he's not exclusively an inside linebacker. And it doesn't sound like he'll ever be so you know, I mean, we might want to fire up, let it go from frozen at this point. Ball okay, ball, And that's what I've done.

I have let it oh, just so make place. They asked him Isaiah Simmons about his star backer role. It feels like what it was last year, not too much more, not too much less. I like the new name for it, though. I feel like it's kind of fitting so um. I feel like it's a lot of similarities to Clemson. So obviously that's how I got here, and that's what I

was comfortable with during all my college career. So being able to do it at the highest level is I guess a lot of courtesy to VJ, you know, for allowing me to do that, and you know, also the team for working with me, and you know, being able to help me out. Guys like Buddha, guys like I mean, JJ, everybody helping me out on all different levels, just to be the best version of myself. The only thing better than starbacker would have been grudgebacker. Paul all Right, the grudgebacker.

This guy's got an edge. Have you noticed Paul all Isaiah's got an edge? To him. I mean he got into it with DeAndre Hopkins, somebody he says is like his best friend on the team, which was really intriguing to hear, because I mean Dap was hot. He fired the football at Isaiah, him square in the back between the numbers and the tune. Why was that, though, Paul? Why did he do that? Because Isaiah came over and

was john at him. He's got an edge, Paul. I saw a little check down to Eno Benjamin and there was Isaiah Simmons. He was playing inside linebacker. He dropped into a zone cover. They checked it down in front of that zone to Eno, and he went whacked him, Paul, and then throw him chucked him after you know I did. He didn't have to do that. All he had to do was come up and tag him with both hands. He didn't have to chuck him the way that he did.

And yet Isaiah dead. He's got a little something something coming down the side of his neck. Paul, I use a hockey term for him. After this CAMPU would've witnessed so far, I'm calling him an instigator. You're from Buffalo Wolf, you know, the guy in hockey who skates around and he just sees just starting stuff. You know, he's giving guys elbows, and he's a hip check here and a face wash there. That's Isaiah Simmons. And and just like some of the coaches, you hear him before you see him,

because he's always chirping and yapping and starting something. And it's just the way he plays. It's it's it's is adrenaline going. Yeah, Pauline, can I also say this too? I was filled with hope, hope because I really today was a day where I saw Isaiah Simmons and Zavan Collins playing inside linebacker together. It didn't matter what the down and distance was, Paully. They did it in run down situation first and ten second and one to six. They did it in third and obvious pass situations. They

took more reps together today as the inside linebacker. Now they moved Isaiah all over, don't get me wrong, but they took more reps today together as inside linebackers in certain down and distances and personnel groupings. It didn't matter. They took more reps than I have seen them take in any other practice as the inside linebackers. By the way, did we not see Zaven actually fill the hole really

and react in a couple of drills. Correct, Yes, he did, especially the inside drow where his eyes were on the inside man. When he sees it and knows what to do, he's a force. I was encouraged watching Zavin. Yeah, I mean just like, look, remember what Jordan Hicks told us last year. They're now departed middle linebacker and team captain, and he said he would sit in the meeting rooms look at Isaiah Simmons and look at Zavian Collins. Callan, We've got a couple of legit freaks here. I mean,

these guys are huge, they're fast. So if you can get Zaven Collins up to speed, now they got a play like in Paulie all right, special thanks as always to our senior broadcast manager and producer Jim i'm ahndro technical director Zach Larson. How about Zach Allen the big d lineman and his dog being the Bernadoodle. I'm really well done. Whatever, Yeah, Ron Wolfley there, Paul Kelvici. Here, this has been the Big Red Rage presented by Santan

four in Gilbert, You're Little Dog too, number one. Til you've been listening to the Big Red Rage presented by Santanford in Guilder. Are you Santanford State Farm? Talk to an agent 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