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Red scenes rising up.
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A'mready, I'm one hundred percent ready.
I'm telling you abready, and Ron wolf Sleep.
It doesn't get any better than that.
Leash the fjord.
One week from tonight, the twoenty twenty three NFL schedule comes out. But we don't need no stinking schedule around here to tell us that we're the original Thursday Night Football. It is the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford
and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul Calvic, Ron Wolfley soon to be joined by network level NFL insider Steve Whitch, who will join us on this one as we talk all about last Thursday night and beyond the NFL Draft that was and everything that was forecasted and spoke into existence when Jonathan Gannon said it a week before that I can't wait to see maniasin Ford work the phones man.
He wasn't kidding, I mean that was foreshadowing. Because Ron Wolfley, your immediate reaction, my immediate reaction, thanks for asking a draft night, would be as follows. If these rookie players can execute as well as the rookie GM did under pressure during draft weekend, then guess what this will be a worthwhile twenty twenty three draft class.
No, you're right about that, Pauly. Honestly, I was really really impressed with maniasin Fort and his manipulation and the machinations back and forth all over this draft. And it wasn't just the first round poly as you well known, it was through the entire draft Day one, Day two, in Day three. Day one was just a harbinger of things to come. For the most part in this draft, I was so impressed with maniasin Fort and his ability
to maneuver. But you know me, on this Polly, these rookies and now it's time to play.
Rook no doubt. You know, they come out with the draft grades. It's just laughable. Nobody really knows. Maniasin Ford didn't really know how everything would stack up. He said right after the draft, told the media, you know what, it was everything I expected and more, I meaning, just you know how intense it was. In fact, after the entirety of the draft, That's what he said. It was intense.
And look when you trade down from three to twelve and then come back up to number six, think about the fact there hadn't been a draft night trade in the top nine picks in the last four years, and so you were define history and you were doing it as a first time GM the decision maker in that war room. And on the most recent addition to the Day Pash podcast, mantiasa Fort sat down with the voice of the Cardinal's Day Pash, and he kind of gave us all a window as to how those trades came to be.
I wanted to go into Thursday with parameters of what was going to happen. I didn't want a cold call to come out of the blue, and number three and us start from ground zero. So when number two did come off the board, you know, there were some teams that weren't interested anymore. And coming up to number three, there were some teams that were still interested in coming
to number three, but we weren't starting from zero. We kind of had a ballpark of what we were trying to do, and you know, ultimately we were able to work through and come up with a deal that worked.
And so those conversations and other interviews Manias Aboard said really started at the combine where he went around the combine. Wolfe said, you know, we might pick a number three, but we might not. Would you be interested in discussing the parameters of a trade if you were willing to come up to number three, And so obviously you better have the framework of a deal in place, because when that clock is ticking, you have ten minutes in counting. Pretty tough to put together a deal from scratch.
Yeah, Paully, no doubt about it. And to move back from number three all the way to number twelve and get the hall that he did right there, and then move back up and get the best offensive lineman, at least to me in this draft, I man, that is just some great maneuvering by Moni once again, and it's something that will certainly benefit the Arizona Cardinals going forward if they've got a general manager who knows how to swing a deal. This had to be orchestrated Pully. It
had to be almost simultaneously pulled off. He had to know that he had in his back pocket the ability to come back up to number six and get Paris Johnson Junior High. It just it was masterful.
For Houston to go from twelve to three. The Cardinals ended up with a twelfth pick. They ended up with a thirty third pick in this draft. They ended up with a twenty twenty four round one pick, ding and then the round three picks. So think about that right here. Right now, as we stand, the Cardinals have six picks in the first three rounds of the twenty twenty four draft, which is already considered by all the experts to be
a stronger draft than this year's edition. You think about a Houston Texans team that has won a grand total of eleven games over the last three years, and if they're starting rookie c. J. Stroud, I mean, Demiko Ryans great, but what are the odds that that could easily be a top five pick for the Cardinals.
Yeah, no, you're right about that, Poli. That could be a top five, that could be the number one pick overall. I'm just saying it could be that, and that makes it so valuable obviously to the Arizona Cardinals going forward. Can I also just say this, Polly, right now, my favorite trade of the draft was Manty austen Ford taking pick number ninety six and trading it for picks one, two, one thirty nine, and one sixty eight. Right now, listen, I consider mid round picks three to five, you know,
the third round, the fourth round, the fifth round. I consider those to be mid round picks right there. So you had one mid round pick at number ninety six, and you got that traded for three mid round picks. I love that move right there because it recognizes the fact, especially in this draft, which many people believe wasn't as talented as as you said, PAULI next year's draft is going to be And now, all of a sudden, though, you get three mid round picks for one mid round
pick at ninety six. That to me is value.
Yeah.
Specifically, you take that late third rounder and it becomes John Gains in the fourth round, the guard out of UCLA who can also play some center. It becomes the quarterback out of Houston Clayton Tune round five, and then it becomes Owen Papo, the linebacker, super athletic out of Auburn round five. So to your point, you took that one late third round, you turn into three players in rounds four and five combined. But again the headliner is
number six overall. That would be Paris Johnson, Junior, the highest drafted offensive tackle lot of Ohio State since Orlando Pace went number one overall in nineteen ninety seven. He brings a lot of different aspects, including positional flexibility. Two years ago, as sophomore year, start all thirteen games at right guard. Last year he was a starting left tackle, second team All Americans. So Jonathan Gannon was asked, where do you think Paris Johnson might play?
He's obviously played outside and inside. You know, we just got to get him on the grass and see where he kind of fits in with the other guys. I'm very comfortable, you know what he's put on tape of playing a lot of different spots on that offensive line. So we'll put the best guys out there and hopefully move people in the run game and keep the quarterback up right in the past game.
Well, if no member in the media watches more of the offensive line drills than you, So that being the case, you play fantasy GM. Right here, fantasy head coach, where do you think Paris Johnson lines up this season?
Yeah, that is a great question right there, Pauly. But for me personally, I'm going to take him and I'm going to stick him at left guard. That's what I'm going to do. Number One, he's on the left side of the line of scrimmage. I see him being a left tackle at some point in time, Paris Johnson Junior being a franchise left tackle. So put him on on the left side of the offensive line at left guard.
Put him there at the left guard tradition, Pauly, the old saying amongst offensive line coaches, the left guard gets more help and gives more help than any other NFL offensive lineman. He gets more help and gives more help. And the reason being, of course, because so much of the time a right handed quarterback, you want to attack him with a right defensive end. Meaning if you're looking at the defense, it's really over the left tackle, as
we all know, your best pass rusher. But if you're looking at it from the defenses perspective, it's a right defensive end. That left tackle matchup right there. You want obviously your best offensive lineman because of the blind side of a right handed quarterback like Kyler Murray. So eventually you could see that. You could see Paris Johnson Junior being the left tackle, why not put him at left guard? Right now? Will Hernandez is a great fit at right guard,
Calvin Beacham at right tackle. I love that right there, those those four offensive lineman, Paulie, I still think they have some work to do at center. Yet at the same time, those four guys right there, I love that.
What'd you think of Paris Johnson Junior's interview on The Red Sea Report this week, including the exchange where we asked him what do you like on game day and he immediately replied violent, that was his response, and then he went on to say he doesn't fear the smoke of a Nick Bosa or a Micah Parsons. He mentioned Devin White on his own wants to test himself against some of the best in the NFL. He actually wants that challenge now that he's in the NFL.
Yeah, you know, Polly, I'm sorry, but you know I'm skeptical of rookiees. I love Paris jo I love this guy. This guy, to me, was the best offensive lineman in the draft. I just the time of talking is over. It really is. Right now, it's all about doing. I think he's got I had a great chance of coming in here and making a real impact for the Arizona Cardinals actually starting I think from day one, I think
Paris Johnson Junior is gonna be that guy. But right now, be careful what you wish for Paris, because those guys are really really good.
Yeah, he has a little bit of dj hmpresent him. He's got a great personality, big personality, big smile off the field, but then on game day, look out, he is ultra serious. Least that's the word. That's the way he describes his own personality and the difference between the rest of the week and game day. You can hear more about Paris Johnson Junior, the entire Draft class, and the Day of Pash podcast featuring Cardinals Jim Money Austin Ford available now wherever you gear podcasts and on Twitter
via at pash pod. We talk about the rest of this draft, what other picks stand out to Wolf, and what exactly does this mean for next season. Remember Steve Weich coming up as well on this edition of The Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert.
Feel really good about how he came out of the draft with the nine draft picks and the ten free agents. That was my first time sitting in a room the entire time and not gonna lie. I was a little nervous when we're on the clock with like two minutes left and he had three teams that he was talking to, So it was really cool to see that.
Yeah, hence the Moniker Monty Hall haul. It was sort of a game show, right, the pressures on the clock is ticking. What are you gonna do with the spotlight on you, You're working the phones, You're pulling multiple trades, and everything came together just like on a game show or you know Kevin Costner's style in the movies. And so the Cardinals come away with the draft class and they're set up right now looking at eleven picks in next year's twenty twenty four draft. It is the Big Red
Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul kelvc Ron wollfully soon to be joined by NFL Networks Steve Witch. But for this draft and beyond the first round pick, Paris Johnson Junior Wolf, who are what stands out to you about this year's edition?
Well, let's go what first of all? Okay, and just say this, Paul, did they not have seven picks coming into this draft? They did have seven picks? Correct?
Yes?
Okay? And they came out with nine players. Paul, you tell me how that is. You go in with seven, you come out with nine. And how many picks do the Arizona Cardinals have next year? Eleven?
Yep?
That is an incredible job once again by Monti asen for it. That's my first thought, PAULI number two, I really love bj Ojulari, the edge player from LSU. I love him because this is a guy that has an incredible motor. He is a football player. He's got great football character and not only that, he was a two time captain at LSU. I love this guy. I love the pick mostly because this guy's going to give you everything. He's got and he's gonna do it on a consistent basis.
Yeah, first team All SEC. Right in the stat was since twenty twenty the only player in college football with more quarterback pressures Will Anderson. So you know what's intriguing though, because look, you you left some players on the board when you went forty one overall. Bgo Jalai out of LSU. And you know we got into this little bit Danny Sirek and Darren Urban not Cardinals underground when I pointed out that Keon White was there and he went five
picks later to New England. Now he's a bigger defensive end. Sixty five two eighty something. You had Wisconsin center Joe Tipman on the board. He went two picks later to the Jets. He's considering an instant plug and play type center. We know the Cardinals need there. But ultimately, in the NFL, it's still about quarterback and getting to the quarterback, is it not?
Yes, it is, Polly And once again I also think too when you look at Hassan Reddick and what he did for the Eagles, when you look at their defense in Philadelphia, I think bj Oljalari is very much like a Hassan Reddick. I think he's got a little bit more butt maybe to him, but I think he's a
little bit like Hassan Reddick as well. And because of that, I think that was one of the reasons why Manti ausen Ford and JG probably said, Hey, you know what, at number forty one, this guy checks all the boxes for us. Let's go there and.
Look, there are conflicting reports. How he holds up against the run, We'll find out. We'll find out in camp. How stout is he at the point of attack? And Kenny set that edge? We'll see. Round three, the Cardinals go for corner, another area position group of dire need. Garrett Williams out of Syracuse torn acl in October after eight games. They say he was tracking to be you know, maybe even a Day one pick if he had stayed
healthy all year long. What'd you think about that? What'd you think about another round three pick, Michael Wilson, the big receiver out of Stanford who also has an injury history.
Well, Paul, since you went there, I've got to say, hey, listen, the Arizona Cardinals drafted for need. Can I just say that right there? They drafted need, or at least it certainly looks that way. When you take in the first round and offensive lineman, that's an area of need coming into this draft. When you take an edge player, that was an area of need coming into the draft, when
you take a corner and a wide receiver. The only thing that they didn't take at least high was a defensive lineman, and they addressed that in round six with pick two hundred and thirteen with Dante Stills from It's West Virginia. It's West Virginia, So don't get me started on that one, Paul, You know what I think of that pick. I love our sixth round pick at two
hundred and thirteen Dante Stills, of course. But to me, they drafted for need, and they went and got four guys that I think are going to contribute immediately as rookies. Now to what degree are they going to contribute, I don't know, Paully, But to me, that was my biggest takeaway is they were drafting for need.
No doubt. And then in round four they got John Gains, the guard out of UCL who was also played some center. He's played all over the offensive line. In fact, in twenty and twenty one. He started five games at center last year, all thirteen games of right guard for UCLA. I'm guessing he's going to be given every single shot to make an impression from day one. Here's many Austin for a the GM from the Day Pash podcast on the line of scrimmage.
I think line of scrimmage players are always going to be important to us, you know, I think the game starts up there, you know with John played mainly guard at UCLA, but also saw time at center. So you know, those interior guys that have that versatility to play multiple positions, that's always going to be intriguing. John did an extremely
good job with our coaches on the Zoom. Just liked his makeup and his intellect and his ability to handle the center position, to handle the guard position, you know, so that was attractive about adding John to our group.
Yeah.
There he was the East West game he played left guard, playing center that he said, he got up on the board and he was just a savant, I mean the football IQ and he had the fastest short shuttle of any offensive lineman. He played in forty five games, started thirty so he has experience. So you know what I mean, I don't know what's gonna happen at center, but whether it's a John Gains, whether it's Alcidas Smith, I have
no idea. But I think if you're an offensive lineman looking for playing time, the Cardinals are your team.
Yeah, now you're right about that. First of all, let us all rejoice that Manti asen Ford believes in the line of scrimmage. Can I just say thank you very much? MANI. I believe the blood sport is truly coming back to Arizona, and I think Monti asen Ford and his philosophy in JG's philosophy as well. I think it's about the line of scrimmage. And you heard him say it right there. That's where it all starts. It's one thing to say it, poly but then you've got to believe it, right, You
have to believe it. If you truly believe that, that means you're gonna go and you're gonna run physical schemes. You're gonna use schemes that allow football players, whether it's offense or defensive lineman, to be physical at the point of attack. You're going to run an offense that is going to be physical at the point of attack. And then what do you do. You go get players that play in a very physical kind of way and enjoy
that part of the game. So it starts with the thought, Paul, then it moves into the realm of actually speaking that thought, and then you've got to go execute it. So for me, I love the fact that Mani was talking about the line of scrimmage. It's one thing to give it lip service, Pauli. It's another thing to actually do it.
And once again the stat the last fifteen drafts, the cardinalsen invested too, just two first or second round picks an offensive lineman and defensive lineman over the last fifteen drafts. Think about that and then think about building from the inside out. It's not just some sort of marketing mantra, No, it really is their philosophy. So we name names. But then there they were in round five. Give me a quick thought, I'm going quarterback out of Houston with Dorian
Thompson Robinson on the board. In fact, go on the very next pick to Cleveland. But they took Clayton Tune out of Houston six three, two twenty, and he calls himself quote the best QB in this class.
Yeah, PAULI, First of all, I don't know anything about Clayton Tune. I really do not. I don't know how many games you saw him play, Paully, I did not see.
Claytony yeah, zero, okay, yeah, okay.
You know, I pull for every rookie because I remember what it was like to be a rookie right now, but you know me, paul I'm adopting a prove it rookie mentality and I always will. Right now, John Gain sounds really really confident. But he sounds almost too confident to me, and it's one of the reasons why I can't wait to see this young guy play, to see if he speaks a little bit differently once he actually gets a taste of the NFL and what the NFL is all about. You'd love a guy to be confident.
But some of the stuff that Clayton Tune was talking about for me, Paulie, I don't know if Tom Brady would say, paul yeah.
Yeah, just wait till Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson are jumping the passing lanes, right so, I mean, you know, I mean, maybe he was looking at his own scouter report. He had the best passing grade according to Pro Football Focus and all of college football had the highest on target percentage of any QB in the class. So some of the stats, some of the analytics, would support his case, but still he went fifth round pick number one, thirty
nine to the Arizona Cardinals. All right, look it's and speaking of quarterbacks, look at the Cardinals' schedule coming up this year. Not only get the Niners, Rams, and Seahawks, you get the Cowboys, you get the Bengals and Joe Burrow and the Falcons, the Ravens and Lamar Jackson, Daniel Jones and the Giants. For your Cardinal season tickets, go to Azycardinals dot com, slash tickets. Steve Whitch NFL Network. He's gonna join us next and give us his thoughts
on the Cardinals draft class from a national perspective. As we continue the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert.
Without further ado, I'd like to bring Paris Johnson Junior, the newest member of the Arizona Cardinals, to the stage.
My Top thirty visit. I got some food here walking through look around the corner, I see him. I give him a head and I'm trying to fall cool, you know what I mean. I'm not trying to at a fan boy, you know what I mean. I'm like, you know, it was good. And then he's like, hey, Pete, come here. I'm like, yo, you know, sorry thing. So I'm walking over. I'll show you. I'm walking over. I'm texting my teammate Luke Wickpler. I'm like, dude, col Mar, you.
Knows what I am. You know what I mean.
So so I'm acting all cooon texting him and I was like, yo, soup. He said, Paris. You know I've seen you play if senior protas seeing all this and he's like, I like, love what I see. I see how hard you played, the tenacity to finish, and I would love for you to block for me. And I think is coming from a franchise guy. He said it before I had a chance to say to be an
honor to play for him. He said it first, come out of his mouth first, and that's huge, Like that's an honor, you know, And I respect.
That Johnson junior, big man with a big personality, gonna be a big key in that Cardinals offensive line. And it was a big happening on draft Night. Wolf, you know Cardinals go from three down to twelve and then back up to six. Do you realize, Ron Wolfley, that there had not been a Draft night trade in the top nine picks in the last four years.
I did not know that, bully.
And that was executed by rookie Jim Monty ausen Ford. So when Jonathan Gannon said, going into the draft quote, I can't wait to see Monty work the phones on Thursday night, man, he wasn't kidding. And because Wolf You're sick of my opinion and I'm sick of your opinion, We're gonna go out to the phone lines. We're gonna bring on NFL Network's chief national reporter Steve Weisch, joins us here on the Big Red Rage, brought to you by Santan Ford in Gilbert, Steve, what'd you think of
the Cardinals Draft Night? In fact, the nickname was Monty Hall, as in the old seventies game show host Haul. How did it play at NFL Network headquarters?
And for you, hey, maybe Monty Ball. I mean, I mean, look, look the way you know and thanks for having me on, guys,
I mean I love the way that look. Everyone knew going into this draft that Arizona was gonna have a ton of picks and a lot of opportunity, and frankly, you know, they could have kept the blindfold off and played pin the tail on the donkey and put that thing anywhere because there's so many positions that needed to be addressed, and to be able to trade back, trade up still get Paris Johnson at six, I mean that
was huge. I mean, we know that they have not really addressed the offensive line in years there and to get one of the best offensive linemen in this draft,
someone Kyler Murray liked. Then you know, to go back and get b j O Jalari off the edge, you know, they just addressed key positions that you know, they just have not been able to do effectively wide receiver, corner, you know, for years, and then to be able to garner the draft picks that they got it twenty twenty four, I mean clearly, you know, you look at the draft and you say, they got some good guys this year to help lay a foundation, and then for next year,
they really got some incredible draft equity to do whatever it is they need to do to move up high in the draft, to possibly move back and to get some more young players. So they've got like just a two year foundation of incredible talent to to really, you know, to really get back to where they were a couple of years ago.
Steve I was totally blown away by all of Moni's machinations on draft day. Did you have a favorite did you have a favorite move of his?
And then coming back up to six, yeah, I mean because you know, you looked where, you know, because when Seattle, you know, went with Devin Witherspoint in five, You're like, okay, Detroit. You know, Detroit's trying to get back, right now. Okay, you just knew that they were trying to get back, and so who was going to come up? Because you know, at the time, you know, was someone gonna come up for Will Levis? Everyone thought that everyone's coming up with
a quarterback and three were off the board. So you're like, man, when Arizona moved up, You're like, they are going a line or they are going to edge right here, and they went on line. And I love the move because again, they have not really a d I mean, I can't even think going back to when Kurt Warner was playing, when wisnot was coaching, where they really invested this heavily with this type of talent you know in Paris Johnson on the along the offensive line, and it's long overdue.
So I salute that move, the aggressiveness and just the intentionality to really give this offensive line together and to get the key player to.
Do so well.
That's a smart observation because the stat was over the previous fifteen drafts for the years on the Cardinals in round one or round two, they had only taken two offensive linemen in DJ Humphreys and then Jonathan Cooper who had that injury early in his rookie year and was never the same. So right, You're right, there's a different philosoph in town in Manti Austin for Jonathan Gannon. And we're on board with NFL Network's chief national reporter Steve Weisch.
Maybe the best thing I heard all night, guys was I came home after Round one and I'm watching the NFL Network recap show. Mark Ross was on your set, former front office guy and now NFL Network analysts. He said an I quote, I thought Houston gave up way too much. I'm like, nice, that's because because Steve isn't the thinking that the twenty twenty four draft is already
going to be stronger than this year's draft. And the Cardinals ended a round one pick from Houston, which could easily be top five, around three pick from Houston, and then around three pick from Tennessee. That could be three extra picks in the top eighty, could.
Be three extra picks, or you could package you know, one of your thirds with another third to get up to the second. You know, there's just so many things that they can do. I mean, you knew when when Houston made this move, like wow, you know, to come from twelve to three like that. I think Peter King should brilliantly in his Monday column that is franchise quarterback type of trade value, right that. I mean, it's like wow, and Arizona got it. Now they took a little start
out of it by moving back up to six. Not much, not much, because again they could have two high picks next year, or at least have two first round picks to be able to maneuver. Right. This is something like what the Dolphins did a couple of years ago. Now, there could be some short term pain, and I think that's what everyone's expecting. Kyler Murray probably gonna be out for a large chunk of the season and things like this. They could be competitive, but you know, it's the expectation
isn't really there, so to speak. And you could see so many of the move they again, the moves they made to stock up on twenty twenty four picks. So I think that's kind of the thinking. You know, that's the tea leaves that you're seeing with the Cardinals as well. So let's get a foundation here this year, Let's add foundation and talent next year, and then we'll be ready to rock and roll.
Steve, did you think that Paris Johnson Junior was the best offense of Winneman in the draft?
You know, I'm not I'm not a draft nick, so it's hard for me to sit there and evaluate. I just don't watch enough college football, so I it'd be unfair for me to answer this question. But I know people you know who I spoke with thought he was one of them. I think, you know, so much of it a scheme fit, you know, and what they want to do. And you know that the that the Cardinals are going to be that stretched Stone Skimes scheme stuff that that Kyle Shanahan type of stuff to some degree,
you know, not not necessarily like the Niners. So you've got to have an athletic guy. But you know, Paris is a man. Now that's a big that's a big slice of dude.
He's the highest drafted tackle from Ohio State since Orlando Pace.
How about that?
Yeah?
How about that? And you know what Ohio State has done, and you know he's had to go up against great edge rushers. So and that's what you want because that that never ceases. You know, in the NFL, You're you're not going to get a playoff without somebody coming off the edge. Who's who's got the Pro Bowl type of potential. So you know, this was a heck of a pick. And again the fact that I was like, finally, finally they've addressed this offensive line in the first round.
NFL Network Chief national reporter Steve Weish our guest here on the Big Red Rage, brought to you by santan Ford and Gilbert. How much interaction did you have the last couple of years with Jonathan Gannon as a decordinator of the Eagles And what's I don't know, so your thumbnail on the Cardinals new head coach, Well.
Not much, you know, since since he was in Philly, we've got reporters on that side of the country. When he came this way, I just did not have much interaction. However, over the past few months, Jonathan and I have had some conversations. I did a sit down with him at the recent league meetings at the Arizona Biltmore very engaging with me, you know. I mean, you see some stuff coming out in Philly and this and that, but he's
very engaging, very friendly. Really, he's one of these guys, I mean, mind you a little bit of Brandons daily with a charge. When when you ask him a question, sometimes he's incredibly detailed, like bang bang bang bang bang, and you go, okay, this this check check, check, check, and so you know, we'll see. You know, this is the era of you know, the the offensive minded coaches, but you're starting to see more defensive coaches get get hired now because they've got to counter some of this
offensive stuff. And so you know, we'll see. You know, the jury clearly is out on Jonathan. This is his first time, but you know, a couple of years ago, Houston was really hot after him. He's been you know, a head coach candidate for a while. So, you know, I think this is one where everyone's just going to kind of wait and see exactly what the plan is because it's going to be hard to implement what this team is going to look like with Kyler Murray injured.
You know, you really aren't going to know what the identity is with so many holes to fill on defense. So I think it's going to take a while to really know the things. Like we saw in Miami for tool was healthy. Some things we saw recently in Atlanta and Carolina where they're trying to build foundations before you can really see and sometimes that takes two full draft classes, you know, and some and some free agent money to go out there and really put some piece to place.
Steve, I am really surprised at DeAndre Hopkins is still an Arizona Cardinal after the draft right now. Your take on the whole d hop situation.
Yeah, I was kind of surprised for Himerson who said I wanted to leave and I didn't you say that you didn't need to adjust your contract. Didn't you say that you didn't want to play in a couple places and you would play in a couple places. I am surprised. I thought he would be a draft weekend trade, you know, for a team that wanted to get a player for Arizona to add more draft picks, but to kind of get you know, look, now that we're post drafted, what
did I just talk about. Seems like Arizona would not mind getting more draft capital for twenty twenty four. So this could be something where going in a training camp, you know, they work out a deal for him, and the Cardinals get to twenty twenty four draft pick, and d Hop you know, gets to land, you know, someplace where he might he might have an opportunity to be
a little bit closer to a championhip right now. I don't think, you know, that conversation of those talks are going to continue to stop, you know, especially once in team see maybe what they have out of their young receivers and say, well, you know, let's go ahead and make a move for d Hop now because these guys aren't quite ready yet.
Am I overestimating what d Hop might mean to a contender? For example, Buffalo, last we saw them in the playoff loss to Cincinnati, it was Stefan Diggs and nobody else. Casey obviously suffered some losses at the receiver spot. The Giants just came up for the Tennessee receiver. He might already be wide receiver one right in a third round rookie. I mean to me, I see d Hop is a pivotal piece and a contender, especially in the AFC potentially.
Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more. I mean there's look, the AFC is now the conference quarterbacks, and so you've got to get you know, you've got to get wide receivers. I mean, you know you see some of the also, I mean it's also the conference. It's like a lot of Pro Bowl caliber secondaries. So you get someone like d Hop, you know. And I look with some of these teams, especially in the AFC East you mentioned Buffalo.
You know, I'm looking at the Jets as well. You know, if they get a player like him, when you've got to go up against Jalen Ramsey and Xavian Howard and all those guys twice a year, you know that division is going to be super, super tough. And then you look at the AFC North, which from top to bottom is just really really tough. Cleveland, this is a team we have not talked about enough about being a potential
playoff team. You know, with Deshaun Watson having a full season now into that system and some of the moves that they've made, they could really use a player like him, you know, going up against some of the teams that they have in that division. So I think there's there's definitely some teams that could use him. Do those teams want to give up whatever and pay him the nineteen
million he's owed? That's the big question. The salary is probably the big sticking point to move him, and you know a lot of teams just don't want to pay that kind of money.
Steve, what is the state of football as you see it right now in twenty twenty three.
Well, I mean it's clearly so the king. I mean, you look at you look at the TV ratings numbers. I mean, you can't you cannot deny it, especially compared to other sports, the way internationally, the way it's grown. You know, the offensive rules, We've been talking about it for years, they're great. I think the AFC again, with all of these quarterbacks this year, especially Aaron Rodgers going through the Jets, it's gonna be very interesting, you know.
And well, if you know this as someone who used to play. Has changed so much. It's just such a name of geometry and space and angles. So the athleticism is insane. I mean, look at look at the athletes you know coming out. Look at the quarterbacks that we just saw. Come about Anthony Richardson, Let's take him number four. We don't know if he can play, but he's a great athlete and we're gonna run him if we have to.
Teams weren't even saying that two or three years ago. Yeah, right, And so you know, I think these are some things. I think coaching has really evolved. They've taken so many of these things out of legs in high school and you know, the seven on seven stuff and incorporated at into the play can which is made it very exciting. Unfortunately for players like yourself, a fullback is.
Becoming if they're still they still have about half the league has a fullback on their roster.
Was there a fullback draft of this year because there'd only been two in the last four drafts?
No?
Okay, sorry, but but Steve, Steve, this is what I'm talking about, honestly, because you know what four I want to say about four or five years ago, that pendulum was swinging towards the New Age offense.
Everything was going to be new about football, and I think it's coming back a little bit more to the middle. I think the physicality of the game is going to come back a little bit more. I think a blending of the old and the new is coming back. Your thoughts on that.
I'm so glad you said that, because what did you notice in this draft? Not a ton of downhill linebackers were drafted high, but probably more than the past couple years, like Jack Campbell going sixteen to the Detroit Lions. Right, You're because teams now are like, Okay, we're gonna spread you out and now we're just gonna pound you up the middle if we see a light box, right. And so I'm with you. Look at the attention Paige to guards you know in draft and free agency, right, they're
they're in right tackles. So I do think some of that is coming into the game. I'm with you. I am all day give me twenty one, twenty two, whatever personnel, but give me a fullback, you know, even if it's Kyle yustcheck because I think there's so much you know now now the Philadelphia Eagles. They just use eleven guys and do it right. You know, on the goal line they just go ahead and make their little cocoon and
push everything. But I do think the physicality in the middle of the field is starting to show up a little bit more. I don't know if we're ever going to completely get there, but it is cyclical in a way, you know, especially now with these runs quarterbacks and you have to in the math usually tilted, you know, you didn't have to account for the quarterbacks, and defenses were playing eleven on ten. Now they're playing eleven on eleven because so many of these guys are hoping.
All right, So as we say goodbye here, Steve Whitche, NFL Network chief national reporter and native of Saint Louis, did you here's the softball on our way out? Did you have a Ron Wolfley poster in your room growing up?
You know? And Wolf knows this and I have to apogize him. No, but I did have Wayne Morris before me.
Oh, Steve, thank you so much, buddy.
See that's tough.
That's tough on Wolf, Wayne Morris before him, Adrian Wilson after him. Tough deal, Steve, thank you.
Thanks for having me on. Guys.
There you go. Steve why Nnefel Network chief national reporter here on the Big Red Rage, brought to you by santan Ford and Gilbert. As we continue talking Cardinals here the week after the draft, snapped h Murray short set and throw his left side of the end zone, boom handed catch for a touchdown by DeAndre Hopkins. Oh my goodness.
He stabbed that out of the air with his left hand, pulled it in for a huge cardinal scorn. Fantastic chemistry between Kyler Murray at de Andre Hopkins.
That you talk about it.
Those daggers, those stealing knives. Stabbed the pig with his left hand out of the air.
I said, everybody telling me to stay? Who said I want to go?
Who said I wanted to leave? My head working?
Baby?
All right?
That is DeAndre Hopkins. Earlier this week on social media quick video, he posted him working out here in the az Look, de Hopkins still play. The question is where where is he going to play? He's still an Arizona Cardinal, but for how long?
It is?
The Big Red Rage presented by sandtan Ford and Gilbert. We are saying tan Ford special thanks Steve White, senior NFL network reporter, Paul Kelv c Ron Wolfley, and Wolf Look as he actually said that he's leaving Arizona. No, but he did post back on January eleventh on Instagram
a picture with the inscription forever grateful. He's also had Des Bryan and Von Miller as his hype men, respectively for Dallas and Buffalo, and then of course he did the video podcast where they were thrown out possible destinations and trade partners, and he was making faces to approve or disapprove. So he's been a willing participant in some of the trade chatter out there at the very least.
Yeah, he has, PAULI no doubt about that, and I am surprised. I don't know about you, Paul, but I am surprised that he is still an Arizona Cardinal. After the draft, I thought, going into the draft, many would want to clear that up. I thought going in the day of the draft. The morning of the draft, I thought maybe that first round he'd be moved, and then I thought, Okay, if it didn't happen, then maybe it's going to happen on day two before the draft. Day two, Well,
that did not happen. I think the draft came, it went, of course, and now you've got you've got DeAndre Hopkins still on this team. I am surprised having said that, Paul, I don't expect him to be on the team when they go to training camp. If he is, Paully, can I tell you right now, I'm going to take that as a positive and hope that DeAndre Hopkins is going to come in here and model the culture that Jag and Maniassin for want.
So now that you're pass the draft, you have the big question to d Hop and Buddha Baker. They have one thing in common. Neither player reportedly has any guaranteed money left on their deal, and both might be in player at least the subject of trade rumors and reports. So on the Day Pash podcast, here's many Assin Ford on Buddha and d Hop.
The key to both those situations is communication, and both d Hop and Buddha have been great with communicating with me back and forth with their you know, their representation. So I think you know understanding that that players have opinions and ideas and things that go through their head. Hey, that's that's human nature. We all have that that that happens for all of us. But I think just continuing to have those conversations and it's it's exciting here right now.
There's a there's a good energy in the building, and we're just going to continue to keep those lines of communication open.
And then another decision was made this week on the future of Isaiah Simmons where the Cardinals decline to pick up the option, the fifth year option that would have guaranteed him twelve point seven million dollars in salary for twenty twenty four, which means that the draft class of twenty twenty where Isaiah was the number eight pick overall, has easily set a mark for the fewest fifth year options picked up across the league. That's just a hallmark
of that class, but in particular with Isaiah Simmons. Give us your thoughts there.
Both, Yeah, Paul, you know, I think it's all the uncertainty of how Isaiah Simmons is going to fit into the schemes that Nick Rowlis of course, and Jag Jonathan Gannon want to actually run. PAULI so to me, I look at that situation and think it was the uncertainty that was the reason why they did it, they still can actually sign him. Of course, if suddenly you put him out on the edge and he starts producing a Paulie, you can always approach him and say, hey, we're ready
to extend you. Are you ready to do it? Now. That's a risk, of course, because Isaiah may say, Hey, I'm going to continue to do what I do. I'm going to finish this season, become a free agent, and then we'll talk. Maybe that's what he's going to do. We'll have to wait and see. But either way, I would have done exactly what the Arizona Cardinals did because you don't know how he's going to fit in your scheme.
Here's the analogy I used to me, Isaiah Simmons is the NFL equivalent of an ink blot test. What do you see when you look at Isaiah Simmons? Yeah, where do you see him lining up? Do you see him on the edge. Do you see him a weak side inside as an inside backer. Do you see him in the slot where he played the majority of a snaps? Do you see him more as a deep center field safety. We've seen him in that role as well. I mean, where exactly does he fit in this defense? It's it's
like a rorshack, you know. I mean, what are we seeing here?
No, you're right, Paul, that's the difficulty right now for me. I think they're going to take him and stick him at the edge. That's what I think they're gonna do. Stick them there and tell them this is what we need from you on the edge. Can you do it? Give him that opportunity to see if you can.
Well, think about it. They've moved Zavian Collins out to the edge at least based on the voluntary veteran mini camp. He was working with the outside linebackers, and we know they've signed a number of veteran inside linebackers and they just drafted one in the fifth round as well. So intriguing we'll see indeed. Special thanks as always Jim Amhundro, Mitch Barreldas, Steve Weisch, Thank you senior NFL Network reporter joining us as we broke down the Cardinals draft class
twenty twenty three. And by the way, a reminder, Season six, episode three Cardinals play plans streaming now via the Cardinals YouTube page. All about the uniforms behind the scenes or behind the scenes in this case, YouTube dot Com slash Azcardinals. Thanks for joining us on the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert. Number one Til.
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