Big Red Rage - It's Time For Zaven Collins

And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit Hacy Cardinals dot Com, Slash podcasts, The Rods Rising ard, temperature rising vision, flurring, rage taking over. Here's Paul CALVC. Get the popcorn ready, It's gonna be a show and Ron will flip. It doesn't get any better than that. Unleash the far n wollefully are you ready ready for a metaphor? Oh? No, actually, I mean are you ready to broadcast period? Isn't this normally a time of year you take your two week

vacation spring break vacation in Hawaii? So it's a matter of fact, Paul, I was born ready yesterday at Casa KALBC. You know what arrived? Don't answer that I knew I shouldn't give any time to answer that a Christmas card from my parents, a holiday card arrived yesterday, that was mailed on December twenty first. I mean, I could show you the postmark right here. It's right on the envelope.

It's stamped official alike from the United States Postal Service, officially mailed from San Jose, California, on December twenty first, and it arrives in our mailbox on March nine. So what is going on with bad ball? I'm just saying, maybe it's a reminder tis this season right now, the offseason free agency is about to get you know, sometimes things might take a little longer, maybe maybe a lot

longer than you might expect. You know, maybe this applies to free agency and are reminder to everyone, all the players out there, just hole tight, hang on. You know what, your bag is gonna arrive eventually, you know, just like the holiday card that had the checks in it for the kids. So the young punks their bag finally arrived three months late. Okay, Polly, there you go. Where are

you going with all of this? Paul? All right? I know I interrupted you a couple of times, but where exactly are you going with that we got plenty of news, do we not. We're waiting. We're waiting for the official start of everything to arrive, and you know, and it's gonna take a little bit longer perhaps, and everyone anticipates, and there's some players maybe a little more anxious than others and impatient than others. But we're starting to get the news, are we not. We're starting to get some

of these maneuvers. And here on the Big Red Rage in a moment, it will be starring Rob Frederickson, right, longtime NFL linebacker, Cardinal's analyst. He's going to join us here for a couple of segments on the Big Red Rage, presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert. We'll get into all this, But how about some headlines right off the top? Roun willfully, how about some news to get this week started? When

we got the news that Jordan Hicks was released your role? Yeah, you know what, Honestly, Polly, I think you could see this coming a mile away. You know, I know you feel this way as well about Jordan Hicks. There's not a guy in that locker room that I respect more than Jordan Hicks in what he actually went through last year. It's been well documented. We all understand it. At the same time, you could see it coming a mile away.

For the most part, not only because you're gonna save six and a half million dollars off the cap, of course, but also because it is time for Zaven Collins. It's his time having a whole off season actually getting in some field work out there, Polly and then in the classroom as well. This offseason is a major grosberg for Zaven Collins. You can see this coming a mile away.

It's zavn or bust. And what we talk about last month, the reality this situation is, at least in my opinion, if you would have brought Jordan Hicks back, guess what happens. Exactly what happened last training camp. He beats out Saving Collins.

So you can't have that. You just can't have him on the roster because just based on his football IQ alone and his ability to call that defense and the trust factor that I'm sure exists with the coaches, and the fact they can send him out there and based on an offense is doing, Jordan Hicks can immediately check into a subcall two or three different audibles that comes

off the original based defensive call. You know what, you got a sink or swim if you're saving Collins and you're not going to learn how to play that position unless you're actually playing the position. Yeah, and you know what too, Poli, I think they wanted to send that message right now to Zavan Collins. Send that message it's time for you to take charge as the mic linebacker of this team. It's time for you we evolve into

being a mic linebacker in the National Football League. I think again this postseason they wanted to set that precedent early. It's not only again the fact that it's six and a half million dollars off the cap. That's a big deal right there, but also jes Zavian Collins has got to take the reins and understand that the responsibility is on him to get himself ready to play in twenty twenty two. In Paulli, I think he's going to be

able to do it. I do again, with another off season, with all of the classroom time he's gonna get, with all of the tape that he's gonna watch, Paully, we know he's a smart kid. We know that he's a smart kid. So because of that, let all that athletic goodness take over and start it right from the very beginning. And I think that's the message that the the Cardinals wanted a son. Yeah, he has every skill set. You're right, he has these measurables. He has the athleticism, he has

the IQ. There's no doubt about it. He's about to fill some really big shoes. You're talking about a middle linebacker with one hundred sixteen tackles, number two on the team to Jayalen Thompson. He played ninety seven percent of the defensive snaps, most of anybody on the defense, So you know it's a big deal. He was voted to captain by his peers. Yeah, obviously called the defense. So okay, all eyes, to your point, are gonna be on Zavin

Collins when the offseason practices begin. There's no doubt about it. Devon Knard, he was scheduled have a cap hit of nine million plus. He has risk structured reportedly and according to his own social media, so boom, Devon Knard is back on board. But there's some more cap savings and you see how they're maneuvering and trying to create room. Right, Yeah, no, you're you're right. About that, PAULI that's exactly what they're

trying to do. It does help that the cap is going up, what twenty six million dollars, Paul, is a twenty seven or yeah, it's it's gonna end up right about two oh eight and change. Okay, there you go, two oh eight and change twenty six twenty seven million dollars increase. That's gonna be huge for the Arizona Cardinals. I'm sure that Steve Kim is going to appreciate that. But you know, this is what happens every year. You

go ahead and you've got to restructure these contracts. At some point in time, we're gonna have to pay the piper. But Steve Kim was actually talking about that very thing. But I think right now you've got to go ahead, look at your roster. What can you possibly do to free up some cap space? It's that time of year, Paul. And then we got the big news, big big news out of the NFC West as Russell Wilson is heading to the AFC West, as Denver pulls off the deal, and it was a big deal to me. I'm shocked

that Seattle actually agreed to the deal. I don't care how many picks if you're going to rebuild that thing, I would have kept the quarterback and gotten rid of everyone else, And they went the exact opposite direction. Your reaction to Russell Wilson leaving the division, Yeah, baby, I mean, honestly, Paula, you know the law. I love the NFC West because it's the beating heart of the football universe. It was

the beating heart it was of the football universe. I thought it was the best football you could possibly play in the universe as human beings. The highest level our species can generate was found in the NFC West. Now, all of a sudden, that no longer is going to be the case going forward, And look no further than the quarterback room. Yes, you've got Matthew Stafford still there in LA, but Trey Lance is taking over the reins in San Francisco. Hold onto your butts right there. Russell

Wilson is no longer playing for the Seattle Seahawks. That is huge. You're gonna tell me right now that Kyler Murray, if in fact everything is copasetic and everything happens the way we think it's probably going to happen, where he is going to be extended this offseason. Kyler Murray is going to be the longest tendered quarterback in the nf C West. We could do a whole show, I think on our mutual respect for Russell Wilson, right just watching him over the entirety of his career twice a year.

Everything he didn an offensive line minus playmakers at times, at times with an average defense. There was one reason, and one reason only many years the Seahawks weren't a six win team, and that was because of Russell Wilson. So you have that he's out of the NFC's into the AFC West. We'll get into that more a little bit later in the show. Aaron Rodgers staying in Green Bay. And then the big headline today, just when he thought baseball was going to steal all the headlines, guess what.

Khalil Mack delta the Chargers from the Bears. Just hey, if the other teams are gonna load up at quarterback in the FC West, the Chargers say, we're gonna get after the quarterback. We're pairing up Khalil Mack with Joey bo Yeah, and the ding ding ding ding dang man. That is it. Thunder and lightning out in La. Once again. Hey joined the Airs on a Cardinal season ticket priority lists with a twenty twenty two season. I mean check

out the schedule. Not only the nfcust you got the Buccaneers, you got the Saints, the Chiefs, Chargers, Patriots, and Eagles. At Zacy Cardinals dot com slash priority list for more information. Rob Frederickson on deck, we'll talk about all this. We'll talk about that linebacker position for the Cardinals. Was someone

who played that position. Next on the big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert hands it off, no running room off the right side and back of loss up two on the play, Zaban Collins the first guy there, and that is a big man coming down from the week's side, shooting the gap. Saban Collins again throws over the middle, tipped into the air and then complained he was going for his tight end. Path was off the mark. Xaban Collins at coverage that time and it's fourth down.

Saban Collins bats that fall into the air with all of that use check in motion. It is a quarterback drop the middle. Lance's head drives the legs forward, gonna be close. The forty nine ers are short Saban Collins with the tackle. Saban Collins, the rookie at two sixty playing downhill, came in and laid some lumber, baby, And you're not kidding, Wolf, I mean I remember vividly rookie Mini Camp a year ago standing next to him in

the sideline of life. This dude's a middle linebacker six five, two sixty and our Jim al mondro into his archives. So a little highlight montage there. We'll see if that's the launching path, right, We'll see if that's just the start of a long, productive career in the NFL. Heck, we remember his very first snap as an Arizona Cardinal in August in the preseason where he shot the gap on the first snap from scrimmage and it was a TfL,

a tackle for loss against Dallas. Remember that in the preseason. Is his very first play as a pro. Yeah, no doubt about it, Bully, I do remember that, and that's something he's got to do a little bit more, no doubt about it. So let's see what's in store for Zamon Collins. And then we'll let's zoom out around beyond

the linebacker room and the entire Cardinals defense. How about longtime NFL linebacker, former Cardinal, former Raiders first round pick Rob Frederickson on the Big Red Rate presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert Freddie. How are we doing tonight, Hey, Paul Wolf, how are you guys doing. I'm doing great, We're doing great, Buddy doing great. Man, Just thinking about that inside linebacker room right now? What are your thoughts right now as it stands with the news of Jordan Hicks,

of course, what are your thoughts on that room right now? Well, obviously, Jordan Hicks was kind of the glue that kept that defense together last year, and just I mean, aside from his play on the field, he's such a great leader in the locker room. He's going to be missed. But when you use your two first round picks the last two years on inside linebackers, those guys got to play and they have to step up and and now is

the time? Are they inside linebackers? Isaiah Simmons we saw him again this year, you know, used in a really versatile way. He was in the slot quite a bit, he was on the edge quite a bit, and then Zavian coms to get him on the field and the latter half of the season, he was on the edge. Now at the combine, Steve Kimes said, no, no no, no, we're keeping him inside linebacker, middle linebacker spot. But I mean, what did you see out of them and where do

you think their ideal positions are? Well? I think Isaiah Simmons really as big as asset is his versatility and his ability to play multiple positions. But at the end of the day, I think he's going to spend the majority of his time in that inside linebacker position. He does have the ability to rush off the edge, he has ability to play a deep safety, play a slot corner. He's that versatile, he's that good, he's that talented, But you know they are going to need him in that

inside mynebacker position. Versely, Zaven Collins, he is an inside linebacker. He is a prototypical middle linebacker, bigger than probably anyone in the NFL. But you know, and he struggled at times last year a lot. He struggled a lot. So did Isaiah Simmons in his first year. But the biggest growth really comes in that transition from the first year to the second year. And now is the time for these guys to learn from their mistakes last year, absorb

the defense. They have another year under their belts. It's time for them to make that natural next level step. Freddie, did you think that Isaiah Simmons hit a wall last year? At some point? Do you think he hit that rookie wall, because I thought he trailed off the last maybe four or five games Isaiah Simmons. Yes, yeah, you know, I do. I think he did. I think teams, you know, figured out that, you know, this guy is so athletic, let's

let's run the ball right at him. And he struggled quite honestly at times, just with the physicality, the physicalness of that rushing attack. When you know, if you run the ball to the outside as an offense, that's playing right into Isaiah Simmons game, he will run you down and he will be effective. But coming right off at him, I think is difficult for him. He's an undersized guy. He's he's a little light. He will come up and

hit you. But coming up and hitting a running back or a wide receiver is different than coming up and hitting a three hundred and twenty pound offensive lineman that's coming Scott Free off at you. Yeah, And Freddie, I said the rookie wall I did not mean that, obviously because his second year right there, but he seemed to hit a wall. That's what I meant. He seemed to understood, and I think he did. You know, he's again he's playing a position that is still somewhat foreign to him.

He didn't spend the majority of his time in college at Clemson playing an inside linebacker position. They moved him all over. I think he probably spent the majority of his snaps in college playing a safety position or a smart corner. So this is still fairly new to him, and things happen a lot quicker when you're in the inside linebacker position. You know, when you say about teams

going straight at Isaiah Simmons, that reminds me. Guys, So the first couple of years of Daryl Washington when he was a two hundred and twenty pound linebacker and they just go right after him because he was still good sideline to sideline. Now, he obviously evolved and he adapted and he became really effective until his career flamed out. But you know, I wonder if he can make that same sort of evolution. And we're on board with Rob

Fredericks and former Cardinals linebacker. Let me go back to Zaman Collins when you said he had his rookie struggles and Isaiah Simmons had some as well, and then obviously he blossom last year in a lot of ways. Specifically, where do you think Zaman Collins needs to improve the most.

The NFL game is so much more complex versus college, right, And when offenses in the NFL are so much more complex, when they start shifting motioning guys, oftentimes the coverage will change with that motion or with that shift, the blitz

will change, the front will change. You have to reprogram and reset within a split second your mind as to what are now my responsibilities within this new defense that just was created because of a motion or a shift, and you know, and then the ball snapped and you have to react and you have to identify is it a run, is it a pass? What are my responsibilities? What are my run gap responsibilities? What are my pass drop responsibilities? And the defense changed within the motion. Things

happen so fast that it can be overwhelming. And that's when you see mental errors or you see indecision. And when there's indecision, especially in the run game or pass game, quite quite Honestly, that's when you see mistakes and teams offenses quarterbacks are so good at pinpointing that and exploiting those weaknesses or those missteps. Guys, I'm telling you right now,

I am really, really jacked. I'm excited about the inside linebacker room because of Zaven Collins and because of Isaiah Simmons, because I do believe the off season they're going to get exactly what it is they need. Think of Isaiah Simmons, Guys, right now, in his two off seasons, the pandemic off seasons, stop and think of Isaiah Simmons. Yeah, this kid man, I'll tell you what. I think this offseason is going to do him a world of good. And I say

the exact same thing for Zaven Collins. Isaiah Simmons took a huge step forward in year or two from his rookie year, and again the off seasons that he's had right here where you learn so much and you grow Freddie so much. I expect Zaven Collins is going to benefit greatly from this offseason and Isaiah Simmons as well to actually have a normal off season a year three.

I think they will wolf one thing that I think could also benefit them and could also help them is focusing and from everything that I've heard and read and seen, it's not really a major focus. But if you if you as a Cardinals focused on the interior defensive line. I know we talk about the need for the outside pass rushers and cornerbacks, but that interior defensive line because

the Cardinals were getting gashed last year. Let's be honest in the run game, that would benefit these two guys immensely. To get just a run plug and stuff and defensive interior defensive linemen in there that is consistent, that can stay healthy. That would free up the athletic ability of a Zavan Collins Isaiah Simmons and allow them to run and to fill those gaps and to not have these big offensive linemen in their face time. I think something

like that to me would be ideal. And free agency or the draft, I mean, I mean think back to the forty nine ers and a couple of years ago when Fred Warner, a third round pick, came out and was an All Pro, right, I mean, but think of the defensive lineman who were in front of him. He had three or four first round picks along that forty nine Ers defensive front, and he was just able to

go almost untouched sideline to sidelines. So you're right, if Jordan Phillips, for example, had been every bit the player they thought they had signed two years ago in free agency, how far that would have gone because Rob, you know, and this goes into Chandler Jones as well. I mean, it wasn't often where the Cardinals interior defensive line was collapsing that pocket from the inside out, was it. I mean, he Chandler Jones and the edge rushers didn't benefit very

much from that either. Now exactly right, Paul. You have to you have to apply pressure from the outside and you have to get pressure and get movement from the interior to force that quarterback to make a decision. You know, is that quarterback going to spin out and try scramble or is he going to step up in the pocket. Well, if he can't step up in the pocket, that helps out the defense, that helps out the edge rush immensally. So you know, the Cardinals interior defensive line for me

last year was just inconsistent. And some of that A lot of that was due to injuries. Guys you know, just couldn't stay healthy and so there was a kind of a short rotation of healthy guys in that interior defensive line, and I think that should be a focus

for the Cardinals going forward. So real quick to both of you, if number twenty three comes around in the April draft and we're all talking guys like me talking about edge, Russia and maybe receivering cornerback, I mean, both of you guys, starting with you, Rob, if a stud defensive tackle is there at number twenty three, do you go that direction? I mean a lot of factors will we'll play into this ball and it depends. But I like the luxury of just drafting the best available player.

And everybody always says that, But there are if you look at this roster, there are certain needs. There are areas. There's cornerback, there's there's a number two wide receiver. You need to solidify that position, the interior offensive line, interior defensive line. So there's a variety of positions where there is a need. But you know, if it makes sense, I would love to see a stud into your defensive line depicted at twenty three. Yeah, that's once again, I

think offensive guard. For me, cornerback is huge, A wide receiver, edge player, I think they've got a lot of needs. Just take the best avaluable player, the highest rated player on your board at one of those positions, right there, Kenyan Green, the kid from Texas A and M Man if he's there at number twenty three, the guard from Texas A and M. I love that. I love that. I realize that an offensive lineman, a rookie offensive lineman, is going to go through a lot of growing pains.

Yet at the same time, man, knowing that you've got some really good players that play defensive tackle and a free technique in the NFC West, I would like to see the Cardinals invest in protecting Kyler Murray well. And a lot of it will depend on free agency and what is really the Cardinal's focus in free agency that will dictate I think in large part the direction and the philosophy that they've taken in terms of the draft.

And the Cardinals have been very good in free agency lately, and so this is the time for them to make a splash. And you're right, You try and go into the draft and you try and fill those needs and check those boxes. So it's not so obvious where you might go with your draft pick, right that you don't have to draft from a need perspective. But all told is, you head into this offseason free agency, in the draft combined, what is the number one priority, presuming you're going to

lose Chandler Jones? Do you start with the edge If it's all about the quarterback and getting to the quarterback, especially in today's NFL rop, I think number one priority is solidifying that quarterback position. I'd say I think getting Kyler in a good spot mentally, whether that is extending him or if it's whatever it needs to be. You need to have your leader of your team in a good space. That's number one priority. Number two, there's certainly

there are needs. We talked about them. I think cornerback, getting a lockdown cornerback is a top priority. Getting a wider number two wide receiver to help out d Hop take some pressure off of Kyler. I agree with Wolf and interior offensive lineman. I think a guard is important, very important, especially if this run game is going to really blossom, and help Kyler take some pressure off of him. And then I also I still think an interior defensive lineman.

To me, you build a team from the inside out, so you start it inside. You start with the interior, both lines, and you work your way out for me. Paula, I could just tell you right now, it is all about Kyler Murray. Assuming Kyler Murray, of course is going to be here, and I think we all do assume that you gotta protect Kyler Murray and you got to give Kyler Murray weapons. The strength of this team is going to be the offense. As long as Kyler Murray

is your quarterback. You gotta protect Kyler Murray and you got to give him options to throw too. So if that means wide receiver, offensive guard, prioritize those two positions specifically. Yeah, there are many reasons why the urgency is there right why they're targeting this coming season. We know Tampa wanted all when they hosted the Super Bowl. The Rams did

the same. But think about Tom Brady went to the Bucks and won it his first year, Matthew Stafford did it, and now maybe Russell Wilson is thinking, I'm going to the Broncos and I'm gonna win a ring my first year with that team. We'll talk about the rest of the league as we continue with Rob Ferdickson on the Big Red rage A Seattam. We got him do go Hawks, Go Hawks. But I'm gonna see y'all in the morning.

Finally you can go to see on the morning smoke stacks of sacks make the big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. Maybe one last time we'll see somebody in Denver already took that clip. The last time Russell Wilson n C hard did a contract extension when they announced it around midnight from their master bedroom h and they dubbed in some Broncos talk into that. So just to recreate it, do a dramatic reenactment, except in

the Denver perspective. So there you go, Russell Wilson going from the NFC West to the a f C West. Rob Frederickson is our guest, and simply plot is that what the AFC West firmly in the number one position of the division power poll in the NFL ROP. Well, you look at the offensive firepower in that division. You got a Herbert with the Chargers and Mahomes of course, and Derek Carr with the Raiders and Al Russell Wilson. I mean there's a that's an unbelievable group of quarterbacks

right there, and the AVC West. He saw what the Chargers did today and bringing in Khalil Mack, they're trying to solidify their defense because every week in that division there's there's offensive firepower for as far as you can see. Remember when the Chargers had Kelvin Ingram of course, and Joey Bosa as well, coming off those two edges right there. I think they want to get back to that right there.

It's going to be interesting to see if Khalil Mack can actually fulfill that promise right there, because he didn't have a great couple of years. That's true. No, you're right, you know, the last because until the last couple of years, the only player whose numbers even compared to Cleiol Mack was Chandler Jones, you know, and sax Per attempts, sax Per snap, et cetera. So we'll see how that goes,

especially with Joey Bosa on the other side. You know, you talk about the halves and the have knots guys, so Seattle firmly goes from the have to the have knots when it comes to quarterback. Think about Denver. They had started ten different quarterbacks since Peyton Manning left after Super Bowl fifty Each of the last five years, they had started a different quarterback on their opener Indianapolis. This year will start a different quarterback for this sixth straight year.

Washington has started twelve different quarterbacks since they acquired Alex Smith from Casey in two eighteen. So it's the halves and the have knots, and I think as more time passes, we're gonna learn more as to what led to the departure of Russell Wilson. Here's Colin Cowherd on his radio show, Greg Olson, the former Seahawks tight end and al a Fox analyst, and the question was about whether it's Seattle's offense was anequated. I never thought they had a personnel issue.

The conversations that I would have with the coaches and the amount of pushback and the amount of questions that I would get in return saying you know, we're not sure if we can do this. I'm not sure if we can protect this, and I'd sit there scratching my head. It was like we were playing with a JV roster. It was like we were playing with a rookie, undrafted quarterback.

Like it was very interesting to me. I just think the ideology there was always defense first, kicking, game punk the ball, field position, forced turnovers, defensive lad and then they'd hand the ball to Russ at the end of the game and say, go be magic. I just think it was part of Russell's frustration. I think it's why Russ said, I want to go somewhere where this is going to be an offensive quarterback driven team every Sunday with the ball in my hand like Aaron Rodgers, like

the Stars. How about that? That's illuminating, isn't it that that rob Maybe Seattle didn't let him, didn't let Russ cook enough, and it led to his departure. Well, I mean, Pete Carroll is a defensive minded coach, and that's always been the cornerstone of the Seahawks is play great defense, great special teams, and run the football. But you know, I really can't speak to whether their offense was antiquated.

I will say this, given the amount that Denver had to give up to get Russell Wilson, you look around the league and it's as clear as day to me that there's no other position in professional sports that's more important than having a franchise quarterback. Yeah, it's virtually impossible to win in this league without solidifying that position, without having that quarterback that you can rely on on on and that if you know you need to make a play, he will make it. And that to me is the

most important position in professional sports. There's no data bought it. And once again you have to wonder. Right now, Nathaniel Hackett is the new head coach of the Denver Broncos, coming from the Green Bay Packers. The Packers, of course, what do they do. They go ahead, they line up, they put Aaron Rodgers under center, a lot, they run the tackle zone. They run the five plays that come off the tackle zone, whether it's a bootleg, whether it's a waggle, whether it's play action. They do it an

awful lot. Guess what, That's exactly what Russell Wilson used to do with the Seattle Seahawks offense, and in Pete Carroll's offense, they're gonna do the exact same thing in Denver. That's one of the reasons why I think they targeted Russell Wilson. They're going to see him rolling out a lot more because of it. I think they're gonna run that kind of offense right there in Rundown situation. Yeah, Denver is already has third best odds to win the AFC.

Think about that, because they do have a lot of other parts, and they do have a roster that's pretty loaded. Beyond that, what do you think of Bobby Wagner, Because think about it. You go back to the twenty twelve draft. Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner were drafted one round a part art and they they were the cornerstone of the offense and defense for the last decade. About Bobby Wagner leaving Seattle, and we think his market's going to be Rob Well, I think there's definitely gonna be a market

for him. He's he's yeah, he might not be the player that he once was, but he's still young. He's a perennial All Pro inside linebacker. Um. I just I look at Seattle and they're they're in full rebuild mode. So they're blowing that thing up and they're clearing cap space. So you know, look, there's obviously going to be a market for Bobby Wagner. He is a stud inside linebacker. He's gonna have no problem. He's going to find a

new home real quick. Um. But you know it's he started out with Seattle, and um, you know, he's it's been a pleasure to watch him for all these years. Hopefully he doesn't go somewhere else in the NFC West, or NFC for that matter. But you know, I respect him a ton and he's a great player. Man. I'll tell you what. It's the end of an era in Seattle. It is Russell Wilson. They're best player on the offense, Bobby Wagner their best player on defense, No doubt about it.

It is an end of an era right now. I part of me still believes Pete Carroll's gonna walk out of that facility building and hit the lights and walk out himself and say I'm done. I have a hard time believing they're gonna go through a rebuild with a seventy one year old coach. He's gonna be seventy one in September. I'm surprised that this is happening. Bobby Wagner and I just say, Paulie, we actually got an indicator that things were amiss when we went up there to Seattle.

We are talking to some of the analysts and they were saying, man, he does not look like Bobby Wagner. He's not going about he's not taking it on blocks, he's not going about his business the way that he always has. They thought he was playing for his next team by not actually engaging interesting And then a real quick if don't you think you know, you talk about Pete Carroll being seventy one and entering a rebuild mode.

He's got the energy of being thirty one, and this is something that might just energize him even more to start over, to scrap it and totally rebuild it. I don't think there's a question of his energy if anyone, I think he's got the energy more than younger coaches in this league. I wonder if they have something up their sleep. GM John Schneider said, you know what, I

really like this Malik Willis kid. And now we have the number nine pick in the draft after they saw the combine or maybe just maybe they have designs on bringing to Shaun Watson into the NFC West. Yeah, I wonder if now you look at the rest of the roster and it doesn't exactly scream contender. And even with Russell Wilson last year, they're the last place Seahawks right for the first time in like fifteen years and Wolf,

we're up there. Remember the thing I remember most about up there, along with Bobby Wagner or something, was the fact that twelves we're raining booze. Yeah, team for the first time. That was a tough environment. Yeah, that that was pably. That was definitely a little weird right there. You know again, Um, I think a lot of people when they talk about the schemes being antiquated, Listen, the National Football League is a blending of the old and

the new. That that's where this game is headed. That's where every team has got to go. You got to be able to be an offense that can do both. You can actually blend the old schemes with the new schemes coming up. And that's why I'm a little surprised, because I do believe Pete Carroll is more old school, more traditional than he is blending that new scheme, so to speak. And because of that, that's where I thought

he might hit the lights and walk out. Well, and keep in mind, you can rebuild very quick, and Seattle has a boatload of picks now draft picks. Now, you think back twenty five thirty years ago, what the Dallas Cowboys were able to do. I'm off the heels of that herschel Walker trade and the draft capital of that they got and what they were able to do getting Troy Aikman, getting Michael Irvin, Emmett Smith. You can rebuild,

and you can build quickly in this league. Yeah, no doubt. Well, Colin Kaepernick sent out a video today of him working out. You know, he's still only thirty four, Colin Kaepernick, and he looked pretty dang athletic. Of course, he hasn't played NFL football since Week seventeen of the twenty sixteen season. But Rob, were you the one reporting that Tom Brady's going to the forty nine ers? Were you the one

reporting that? No, I wasn't reporting that, But I do have something to report, Paul, Michigan State just beat Maryland and the basketball tournament I lose. I told Jim I'm under producer, that I would get us through without any mention of Michigan State, and I lost. So there we got. Thank you, Thanks Rob, Thanks guys, appreciate you. Yeah, there

you go. March Matty. We gotta let him go. He's got to get ready for Tom Iszzo's run, an run in March Madness there former Michigan States Partan in first round pick. We'll come back, we'll talk more about the division. It zoom out around the NFL as we continue the Big Red Rage presented by Santan four in Gilbert second and five of the eighteen shotgun formation. Again, three receivers, two month, one right snapped, the garoppolo drops back to throw and Trouble steps up and gets hit, and down

he goes. Chandler Jones was leading the way. They give Chandler Jones a full sack. He's the record holder. Chandler Jones, the all time sack king for the Arizona Cardinals. You should have seen the locker room when we announced that. They went crazy. Now the all time sack leader in the history. There's in the car. He's the guy who brings joy every day. You know, he's always smiling, he's always into it. And what a phenomenal run he's at here,

no doubt, Cliff Kingsbury. After that win against the forty nine ers, down goes Jimmy g and there goes Chandler Jones into the position as all time leader franchise leader in sacks, passing your former teammate the late grate Freddie Joe un Wolf. And you remember he pulled up his jersey, had that T shirt honoring Freddie Joe Nunn after he sacked Jimmy g and that got a lot of run for the right reasons. And then of course he got fine ten grand by the NFL for a uniform violation

hashtag week sauce. But but Chandler did the right thing there after, making a great play and what a great weight on her Freddie Joan. Yeah, then he absolutely poly. Freddie Joe was such a great guy. And to see Chan do that, that was class act. But you know what that's been Chan, That's been Chandler Jones since he's been here. Class act. You show me how many guys signed that big money contract and actually get better. That's

what Chan did. And we've had the pleasure of having him on the Big Red Rage over the years several times. He's great. I mean he is so good in front of the audience, so good on air, as Kingsbury said, so great in the locker room. So for all those reasons and more. This is what Steve Kime said when asked about Chandler Jones and then your future when he was at the combine. He's one of the twenty one

that we would obviously like to have back. You know, I think we all know that market dictates that, and we'll have you know, certainly conversations with his representatives as well. And look, well, we vividly remember life before Chandler Jones. What would we say this time of year. We would always say the Cardinals need they need a pass rusher that the opposing offensive coordinator has to account for, has

to game plan for. And if Chandler signs in the line of his daughter with another team for big money, which is the expectation that Cardinals got to fill that that area, I mean, that is a definite need. Yeah, it is, Paul. And it's been so great to have Chan actually be the edge guy here for the Arizona Cardinals over the last five years where you didn't have to really worry about, well, who's going to come off the edge, you know, and just knowing that Chan was

going to be that guy. Paul. But let me just say this, I when you talk about free agency and the Arizona Cardinals getting a free agent that is going to make a difference. Can I start with James Connor? Can I start there, paul you know that is my wish list. I'm sorry that guy changed the Arizona Cardinal's offense. I think he changed a lot of the locker room. I think he changed a lot of the perception of

the Arizona Cardinals not being a very physical team. James Connor is a guy that I would love to have back. And then after that, when you start looking around the league, if you're gonna lose chan because you're probably not going to be able to pay him seventeen eighteen million dollars a year, which I think he's going to get from another team, maybe Hassan Reddick come home, son, it's time

for you to come home. Maybe Hassan Reddick is a name that pops up, and maybe he doesn't have quite the juice of a Chandler Jones, So maybe you could actually sign him to oh, I don't know, twelve thirteen million dollar contract. Maybe that's wishful thanking Paulie, but I'd love to have Hassan. Yeah, I mean, and there aren't a lot of names out there, Hassan Reddick is one of them. Harold Landry was just signed to a big deal by Tennessee. He's not going to hit the market,

maybe Emmanuel Ogba from Miami who's been up and coming. Otherwise, you gotta look at maybe a Randy Gregory who's been wildly inconsistent and has a serious checkered past. I mean, you know, you can shoot for the sky with von Miller if he doesn't go to Denver, But it sounds like he's lobbying and pining to go back to the Denver Broncos. Yes, but I'm with you on the James Connor. The other position too, where you'd really like to see the Cardinals retain their own guy would be a tight end,

whether it's zach Ertz and or Max Williams. I mean, right now, you have zero quality tight ends under contract, and so if there's some way, somehow they could get zach Ertz and Max Williams coming off the knee injury, maybe his market value is suppressed because of that. If they could those two guys in man, would that be a good way to start the ausic. Yeah, Paulia, I'm with you on that one right there also too, if in fact we're dreaming, Okay, can I dream, Paula, Can

I go ahead and actually have a wish list? Guy can I do that? How about j C. Jackson? Okay, from the Patriots. J C. Jackson, Um, listen, I think he's going to get paid. Can we have one guy that we could wish you could land one big fish? J C. Jackson the corner of course, from the Patriots six one, two hundred pounds almost two hundred pounds. A guy that can play that press man, cover that vance Joseph loves so much. Man, that those three corners right there.

When you think about it, if in fact you were able to get even if Stefan Gilmore, if you were able to get Gilmore ball, can I dream on that one right there? That might be more realistic? Because jac Jackson wants like Jalen Ramsey, money, doesn't he So I don't know about but it doesn't mean you can give it to a Let's get back to your James Connor and then my zach Ertz, because here's both of them talking about, you know, this upcoming period where their futures

are hanging in the balance. You know, just what easy opportunity they gave me, you know, and just relationships I built there, you know, we'd love to continue out there. But yeah, free agents. So I'm excited to see what's next. You know, a man of faith, so I know it all work out for me. I've loved my time here in Arizona. I would love the opportunity to continue here.

There's a lot of things out of my control. Got a lot of good players at our free agents as well, so it may not be even up to me, but I still feel like we have unfinished business as a team. I would love to be a part of it. There you go, Snack Hurts right after the season ended. That was James Connor from the Pro Bowl, you know, and they're not the only ones. How about receiver Christian Kirk.

And you saw NFL Network this morning saying I know he could get anywhere from twelve to fifteen million on the open market per year. Yeah. I don't think Christian Kirk. I honestly, I don't think the Arizona Cardinals are going to be able to match what he's going to get out there. And I say good for Christian Kirk. Way

to go, Christian. But you know what Max Williams is in a Max Williams and James Connor, Max Williams and James Connor, Paully, you go back and you look at the Arizona Cardinal's offense when Max Williams and James Connor were running rampant. Those two guys made a difference in rundown situation first and ten, second and one to six. If Max Williams is healthy again, I'd love to see him sign Max Williams and James Connor. And well, you know this better than anyone, that physical style. Both guys

play with it just it lifts the entire sideline. Defensive guys get off the bench when James Connor jack stomps a defender, when they notice that defenders are turning down the tackle. You're right. It just it's a different mentality and you need that, especially in this division. A special thanks for Rob Frederickson for joining us, Jim Almahendro, Cody Fincher for Ron Wolfley on Paul Calvc. It all starts on Monday in the negotiating, it becomes official on Wednesday,

free agency right around the corner. And we had you covered here on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan four and Gilbert Jaw number one. You've been listening to the Big Red Rage presented by Santanford in gildall 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 Arizona Cardinals Football Club.