Big Red Rage - Talking Center With A.Q. Shipley

Talk to an agent today at eight hundred State Farm, And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts visit acy Cardinals dot Com, Slash Podcasts, The Rods Rising ar 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. The weather is changing, is it not? Football weather is coming?

Tick talk? I mean we're talking from the big heat to haboobs to blowing mud and monsoons now and then boom before you know it, link of boltal lightning. It's gonna be football season. And that's why we're here fifty two weeks a year. Are we not on the Big Red Rage? Presentibus santan Ford in Gilbert. We are santan Ford Paul CALVC and an upgrade, a big upgrade on the Big Red Rage. Especially he's not here to defend himself. No,

Ron Wolfleyho's on his summer sabbatical. Instead, we are pleased to welcome Rob Frederickson, former cardinal and former first round pick to the Big Red Rage. Rob, how you doing? And did just survive the low visibility driving in? How can I be anything other than fantastic? I get the co host the Big Red Rage with polypig skin and I'm good ball. Yeah, good thing. The light detector is not so for your own sake over there, So man, this gonna be a good one. We got a Q

Shipley coming. M So you say you might have a question mark at center? Who better to ask than Rodney Hudson himself? You know what? How about a Q Shipley, the long time center, former cardinal recently retired back in the a Z I believe and AQ was going to join us in a little while here on this edition the Big Red Ragent speaking a little visibility Rob, I mean, think about it. I've been half joking all week, last couple of weeks that HBO Hard Knocks might have picked

the wrong half of the season the feature. If you're looking for true reality TV and you're looking for drama and storylines, I mean you want little visibility. How about when the Cardinals report to camp, do we have any clarity on the Kyler contract situation, the center and Rodney Hudson? How about cornerback after the tragic death of Jeff Gladney edge rusher? How the Cardinals set there? Not middle linebacker Xavin Collins? I mean, no DAP for the first six games?

Rob Where are you starting? How many question marks are out there? I mean, where does your attention go to? Off the top? Yeah, certainly a lot of storylines this offseason for the Arizona Cardinals. Pauli and you talk about visibility, The biggest cloud, the biggest haboob out there right now for me is really still the Kyler Murray situation and then on top of that, recently the Rodney Hudson situation. So for me, those are the two biggest things kind

of hanging over this team. Obviously, you got DeAndre Hopkins out for six games. That's going to be an issue. What's the offense going to look like? The first six games of the season. What's it gonna look like when he comes back? And you mentioned the question Mark said on defense, just the edge rush, So somebody, somebody out there opposite of Marcus Golden who's going to provide that that consistent pass rush. And what are the inside linebackers.

I'll put Isaiah Simmons in there too, with Zavan Collins. How are those two gonna look when they fully have the reins this year for the Arizona Cardinals defense. Yeah, we'll get in depth in the linebacker question, especially since you know this that front seven is an area of expertise for you, So we'll get into that a little bit later. Do you expect a Kime time sign? What

do you think at this point? Do you think at one of those positions you just listed there is a need to bring in a proven veteran and there's going to be someone, especially now at ten million dollars in available cap space, supposedly after Jordan Phillips the June first that kicked in. So do you think Steve Kime goes into action. I think he's always looking, He's always looking to improve the roster. I've always said that you can never have enough offensive tackles, you can never have enough

defensive cornerbacks. And those are two positions I think where especially at cornerback, I think the Arizona Cardinals are always looking to upgrade and to bring in additional bodies just to the roster. But I wouldn't be surprised, Polly, and we can get into this later in the future segment, but I wouldn't be supplies surprised if we'd bring in some help in the interior defensive tackle position that really,

really to help out those inside linebackers. Yeah. I told Kyle Vannibosh on the Red Sea Report this week, you know what, it's you. It's your job right now, big guy, your former teammate and Dominic and Sue with Detroit. You got to make that call. You got to make that happen. Get him in here on a one year deal and Dominic and Sue a defensive tackle. I think everybody would

welcome that. But you wonder, is all this being held up, perhaps potentially a kime time sign of any sort, until they nailed down the numbers on a Kyler Murray contract extension, Because it has been the off season of Kyler in so many ways and Justin Pugh was on the Dave Pass podcast recently fact it's the latest Dave Pass podcasting and download that where every year podcast. He had some great insights on Kyler and you know, including hit zoom out what Kyler's just done for the franchise in his

three years. Kyler's in his third year in the NFL. And when I was in New York, Eli Manning was not a vocal leader. He was the first one in, he was the last one out. He did everything right. Kyler comes in, he is everything we has them to do. I was here four years ago and we didn't have Kyler Murray. I remember that team and I've seen a lot of quarterbacks come through the store. Justin in twenty one years, we had the worst offense and I think NFL history. So when Kyler got here, a light went

back on. Irrelevance came back on. We started playing primetime games again. We've been in the playoffs, We've been relevant. Our family has something to look forward to every year. There's something to be said about that. Yeah, Justin pe was in line right there in twenty eighteen with Josh Rosen and company, Sam Bradford, that offense wasn't just bad,

it was historically bad. So if you're saying, Okay, you can't put a price on relevance and the Cardinals primetime games, etc. This year, Okay, well that's what Team Kyler is trying to do. They're trying to put a number to that sort of relevance. And you gotta wonder exactly when it's gonna happen. I mean, Rob, it's gonna happen, right, The contractor extension is just a matter of when and how much. Oh, it has to I don't see a scenario where it

doesn't happen, because that would be apocalypse. Now that that certainly would would be devastating to this organization in this season. So yeah, yeah, of course, Paul, it's gonna happen. It has to happen, and it can happen. There's no reason it can't. Um you just look to the West a little bit for us, for the at the La Rams

and what they've done this offseason. If you want to get this done, it can It can get done because you know, Dan Leloski can put out these lists all he wants, like he did earlier this week, Top five quarterbacks, twenty five or younger and number one was Joe Burrow. Number two was Lamar Jackson. Number three Justin Herbert Okay, number four Trevor Lawrence, number five Mac Jones. He did not include Kyler Murray. Now, look, maybe if he puts Kyler on this list, nobody really pays attention to the

list because it's kind of predictable. But you can't tell me there's one defensive coordinator at there, rob who would rather gain plan against Trevor Lawrence or mac Jones versus Kyler Murray. Yeah, I know that's that's garbage, that's clickbait. Um, Look, Kyler Murray, there's there's one, maybe two other quarterbacks in this league that have the similar skill sets as him, and and he's probably the best of those three in terms of just a combination of arm strength and armed

talent and the ability to run with the football. So, um, Kyler is a unique breed and he's he's a rarefied air. So you know, those guys don't come around every draft class every year. They just don't. And if you have one, you gotta keep them. You don't let franchise quarterbacks. You don't let quarterbacks of that talent, even sniff free agency, and I don't think the Cardinals won't do that. We're just kind of speculating here, but um, it's gonna happen,

you know. And Kyler certainly is a top top five quarterback under twenty five years old. In fact, they also put on another list today just the most games with sixty five plus percent completion percentage last season. Mac Jones is actually number one with thirteen. And then in the second slot, Tom Brady, Joe Barrow, Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott. But to your point, who's the guy who can maybe be the best athlete on the field out of that group?

So and then there's other analytics to say Kyle Murray through the best deep ball, the most accurate deep ball last year. Okay, but that still begs a question what happened at the end of last year to the Cardinals offense, including Kyler and zach Ertz. In another moment on the day Pash podcast gave his theory as to what plagued

the offense down the stretch. We were just such a better team on first and second down earlier in the season than we were at the end of the season, and then the season we're freaking facing the second and fifteens, third and twelves, and it's just so hard as an NFL team to face that consistently and put points on the board. And then Rob listen to Justin Pugh, he gave his theory to day Pass on the podcast about the Cardinals for this second straight year fading down the stretch.

We have to be better in the biggest situations. We have to do all the little things right because that is what loses you those big games. We were able to get by a lot of times last year just being more talented than everyone we were on the field with. When you get late in the season, guys are dinged up, you're not as healthy as you want to be. It's a little place. It's doing the little things right where no one even knows you're supposed to make that block,

or you're supposed to, you know, make that check. Things like that. That's what wins those games. And that's where we have to get better. And if we don't take those steps, it's gonna be the same result. If the majority of NFL games are decided by a touchdown or less, and that is the stat over the last fifteen twenty years, are you a believer that those little things and lacking attention thereof down the stretch can cost you those games.

Those little things are huge, Paul. How many times did we sit there and watch and see false start after false start and all of a sudden, it's it's second and twenty. You know, I think zach Ertz is right. It got into some situations where they're just behind the sticks and it's just hard to convert those first downs and it's hard to get any momentum going when you're going the opposite direction. Yeah, and I think, you know, I think those offense became predictable the second half of

the season. It really did it. Cliff Kingsbury has done a great job of in the offseason coming up with unique plays, unique game plans and really taking this league by storm early in the season. But you know, we have to I think we have to evolve. We have to evolve this offense continuously, and you'll put defenses on the heels, Whereas I think it was the second half of last season and the season before a lot of times this offense was on their heels and they were

they were really taking the body blows. Yeah, and a lot of it had to do with the run game or lack there up down the stretch, not setting the tone, the inability to really establish that ground game. You heard some some comments from players that, you know, the objective and focus this year on offense, trying to be you know, trying to be a little less predictable in terms of run or pass. Hence the emphasis on tight ends. Hence the second round pick of a Trey McBride who's a

dual tight end. So you can see maybe how they self scouted and some of the adjustments that might be coming down the pike. Here as you get in August Day, episode thirty two of the Day pash pod cast featuring Justin Pugh. Also zach Ertz is up there. It's wherever you get your podcast. Get the latest updates via Twitter at pashpot a Q Shipley, former Cardinals center over a decade in the NFL, you got questions about the quarterback

of the offensive line of where this might be tracking. Oh, we need answers to make Q next the Big Red Rage presented by satan Ford in Gilbert under centers, Palmer takes hands it off, Ellington straight ahead stood up at the one trying to fall forward to get into the end zone and he starts a touchdown Rodrey Ellington as the Cardinals extend there late at thirteen three Rod love it eight two Shipley. That was a great job. I ate two Shipley at the point of attack. Yeah, Shipley

thrilled the linebacker. That is football. And that is just a precursor of our next guest here on the Big Red Rage presented by satan Ford in Gilbert. We are satan Ford, Paul kelvc or Rob Frederickson in for Ron Wolfley. And it's a good thing Aq that wolf isn't here, because he'd probably cite your brief career as a fullback in the NFL and he'd go into his whole fullback club stuff and all that malarkey. How are you doing, Aq, I'm doing great. Yeah, we'll be talking for hours about

fullback place. I'm glad we're not doing that. I saw recently on a podcast You're still a little sort You were wide open on a pass route out of the backfield once upon a time and Carson just flat ignored you. Is that you're still a little raw about that? Yeah? I think I'll remind Carson of that until the day I'd die. I mean that was I just don't understand that I was wide open. I don't understand it. I

still done. All right, here's my first question, Rob, I'll go first, my first legitimate question, sort of have you been contacted by Steve Kime? Are you still in shape a Q Shipley with the uncertainty around Rodney Hudson. I have not. I'm in great shape. I just my days are over. My days are over. Paul. I wish, I wish I still had something in me, but I don't. Um. Yeah,

it's gonna be an interesting deal. I don't know. I don't know what's going over Rodney, but I mean I've obviously read a little bit about it, and center is a big position, so it'll be interesting to kind of see the way this whole thing shakes out. Hey, Q, I got you know, assuming Rodney Hudson, let's just let's just assume the worst. Let's assume that he's not in the immediate picture. How difficult is it for an offensive lineman, say a guard, to move over there and play center.

How how difficult of a transition is that, you know, I imagine going from center to guard it's a little easier, But how difficult is it for an offensive lineman who's who's really not had a lot of experience playing center

to make that move. I say this all the time, and you know, my little brief career coaching last year, I sat there and I had these conversations with scouts, with other coaches, and you know, it was always kind of like the running joke of like, you know, I think people look at it so often like the center's uncovered in the four three scheme, and oh, he doesn't

have to block somebody on every play. So it's like anytime in my last you know, a couple of years where I saw like a coach be like, oh, I don't know if he can make it as a guard, maybe we'll trime at center. I'm like, wait, wait, hold on, Like we think it's gonna be easier to play center.

So you know, it was it was always kind of interesting to me because I think it's it's so funny to me to sit there and think that it's gonna be easier when you got one hand between your legs, you got to make all the all the mental calls, you got to get everybody on the right page. Sometimes, you know, if the quarterbacks got is played full with

knowing all the pass game stuff. Now you're in charge all the run checks, and you know there's so many different nuances that the center has to be able to help out, not only amongst the offensive line, but amongst the whole group. And so you know, it's it's definitely

a difficult thing. You know, you hope, you hope that the guy can make the transition, but it all comes down to, you know, just being comfortable and when you've never really had your hand between your legs trying to block, you know, Vita Veaway in three eighty, right, and you know you had to make all the calls beforehand, and this, that and the other. I mean, and so if somebody's

done that, I don't. I don't think it's as easy some people may think, well, I think Justin Pue has the utmost respect for the position, just based on a few of the reps he took in the offseason. Because listen to him talking about potentially playing center this year on the Day Pass podcast. Justin Peue, I've never played center before in my career, but I've seen guys play center latent to their careers. Center mentally is is so much tougher, and in our offense, the center makes a

lot of the calls. That's why we've prioritized that position every offseason. You've seen we had a Q Shipley, then Mason Cole that went out and got Rodney Hudson. We clearly value that position. So to get some reps at center and see how that shakes out, it's interesting, it's fun, it makes you break a mental sweat. And look, you played with Justin Peue. I think we can all agree he's an a high IQ guy football and otherwise. So I am a little shocked to hear him say that, AQ,

I really am. I mean, a guy who's got a decade in the league for him to say it's such a mental challenge to play center? What makes it so tough? You know, it's funny. I got a textual us to

Rid after Rid, after that mad caamp. You know, whe are still really good friends, and you know he was like, hey, this thing, h was a little harder than maybe I thought it once, right, So you know, I guess to answer that question, right, like, I think the biggest thing is until you're actually out there with live bullets flying, with live reps going, and you know, you're out there and all of a sudden, they're switching from a two they're disguising a two high to a one high, and

now they're rolling back, rocking down on the weak side, and you got to change the call and then set hot ball snapped. Right. You don't realize it when you're sitting there drawing it up on paper. You're like, oh, yeah,

I got this, I got this. But then when you actually see it in live action and how quick these things are happening, and how disguises, and you get up and you think this guy's the mic, and then you know, you go on the double count, and then all of a sudden, this guy rocks down a week and they're coming with will free safety and we got to get the things switched immediately, and maybe the quarterbacks doesn't see it,

and now he's already rolling into his cadences. I mean, it's it ends up becoming, you know, quite an interesting situation. And I think those are the biggest things, right. I think you can sit there in a classroom and you can understand it to the full suxtent, but then you get out there and a walk through and you're like, oh, yeah, this is this isn't so bad, and then you get out there and now it's live Situationally, it's it's a whole different scenario because you just got to see so

many different things so fast. It happens so fast. So I think that's the biggest thing mentally. Yeah, A last we were talking last segment about the Cardinals last season, the second half of the season and how they kind of sputtered going down the end. M Well, when it's just any offense in general, when when that happens, When when just things aren't clicking, they're just everything seems to be stale, nothing seems to be working. What needs to be done? Is it? Is it as simple as as

one play, one big play in one game? Or is it? Is it a mindset? M? Is it schematic? What what is one thing that can really turn around the fortunes of a team and get them off of that losing streak or kind of out of that funk. You know,

that's that's a great question. I mean, I think it's probably a combination of a couple of different things, right, But I think if you have an identity and you can kind of rely on that identity when things start to go south, let's say it's let's say your identity's your run game, and now things whatever you do, something happen. And now you start, you start to look back and you self scout a little bit. And now we really haven't been hammering the run game, and you got a

veteran group up front. Even if you can just kind of control the clock and rely and just kind of just lean on that run game a little bit more vice versa. Right, maybe it's your passing game, maybe it's your quick game, maybe it's your RPO, get whatever it is, right, if you can have that identity, I think, and then you get some veteran guys that are just like, hey, guys, everybody just got to do their job and kind of make a play, and like I said, go back to

lean on that identity just a tad more. Maybe then you have you know, obviously offense is evolved throughout the season, but if we can just kind of find that one bread and butter, right that we can kind of just lean on that just a little bit more. And now you get the veteran guys in the locker room pulling all the younger guys up hein, guys, everybody do your job. Everybody, you know, one guy, everybody just make one play. One

play will lead to two plays. Two plays a lead to three and then that that might be the difference to kind of get you off that skid. But you know, it's that's the whole psychological aspect of any professional sports, right, Like, who knows why any of these things happen, but you do got to hope that you're a veteran leadership and kind of some of the things that you can lean

on with your identity, you can kind of pull you through. Yeah, with ba it was twenty two and twenty three double right, that run play, you guys would always go back to and basically tell a defense. Here it comes, see if you can stop it, right, So no question. Yeah, A Q. Shipley is our guest former Cardinal Center. You mentioned culture and leadership, So let me ask about Kyler Murray. You're with him his rookie year. You went to Tampa. You

want a ring. I've heard it said about a Buccaneers team that what went twelve straight years without even making the playoffs? Tom Brady shows up, you guys win the Lombardi Trophy. I've heard it said that Tom Brady was the culture of the Bucks. In your pinion and from your experience, how vital is that Brinny franchise quarter back to be that guy and the culture in the locker room per se? You see it, you know, time and

time again. I mean in any sport, right, I mean I don't I don't think anybody can sit here and say that the Golden State Warriors were the best team. But there's a guy named Steph Curry that kind of just brought everybody's play up around him, right, and that team just kind of took off, right, And you could say that with any professional sports team, and that that that obviously goes back to the guy in any on any team, right, And most of the time that's that quarterback, right,

So it is everything. Kyler's phenomenal. He's grown as a player year in and year out since I've left, and you know, he's obviously, you know, taking that next step as a as a player and as a leader, and so you know, I think the next step for him is just kind of just really being able to grab everybody around him, whether it's you just need one play and whatever it is, and everybody's gonna, you know, just look to him. And that's what it comes down to

and down in Tampa. I've never seen anything like it with Tom. I mean, it was unbelievable what he was able to do, what he was able to bring to that locker room, but he was able to bring to that team and just the focus, right, I mean, nobody wanted to let him down, just the way that he carried himself, the way that he held everybody else accountable. So when you have a guy like that, you don't want to let him down when it means so much, when you watch what it means to him every second

of every day. When it's Sunday morning, you got to one o'clock came and he's grabbing the skill guys and meeting with them in the back room, going over you know, four and five final, you know details that maybe he thought of the night before, and you know all those things. Everybody wants to just go out and just do a little bit more. And when everybody else wants to do a little bit more, and the guy that you're counting on is already doing that, he brings everybody else up.

And that's kind of what Tom was able to do. And hopefully Kyler can get to that. And I mean He's obviously continued to grow year after year, and you know he's that that's going to be the next step for him to take this group to the next level. That's great at Q. Hey, you know you were a fan favorite when you were playing here for the Cardinals. Um. I think they all want to know. I want to know, what's what's keeping you busy? Now it's football aside. What

what's what's kind of keeping you busy? What are you doing? Where are you at right now? Yeah? So we we we loved our time here in Arizona. We made we made it full time. We live in Arcadia. Um. Love it out here. I mean just love everything about it. Um. Just had our third kid. Um, finally got a boy. So I got a four year old and a two year old girl, and then we got an eight week old boy. Um. And you know, last year I gave coaching to try and thought that was kind of gonna

be my my ticket. And I was so grateful for Bruce Arians and that whole group kind of giving me that opportunity to step from playing right into coaching, which not many people get that opportunity. And I loved every second of it. It's just I had a hard time fathom and the fact that I wasn't seeing my kids, and so we had bought a house here when I played for the Cardinals and right before I signed with Tampa, So you know, I have to talk it over with

my wife. We decided to come back here, make home here, and just kind of figure it out. I don't know what's next, but for right now, I've just kind of been enjoying playing dad and developed a really good relationship with the backup center for the Buccaneers. The name is Robert Hanzy. We drafted him out of Notre Dame last year and he came out and worked out with me for four or five weeks. I trained him for five weeks in the spring, and then I got him again

right now leading up into training camp. So that's what's kind of keeping me busy right now and then kind of figure it out from there. What about as a hard rock fan, are you working in mosh pits? Are you still going to concert? Take you? I love my concerts. Yeah, I stay away from the mosh pits. It's funny, yes, said, I literally post up in the back right corner of any even you I go to just kind of stay away from all the all the action. I had enough contact in my day, So just enjoy the music and

get out of the house. Get away from three screaming kids. Everyone's stay away from the pickle ball too. You know Fits and Drew stand those guys are killers in the pickleball court. Okay, Hey, Drew's trying to get me in every every one. So I always wants to go. At five am. I'm like, all right, if we can, if I need a little bit of sleep, we can push this back a little bit. I'll go with us. Ay, Q Man, we really enjoyed it. Great insight and great to hear you're back in the AC Man. Congrats to

you in the family. Hey, I appreciate it. I I hope to see you guys. Absolutely a Q Shipley, former Cardinals center. I mean it's interesting stuff. Rob about what he said heard the center position, and man, that is huge the future of Rodney Hudson. And if not Rodney Hudson, then who and how feasible is it if Justin Pugh is the guy will kick that around and then your area of expertise, linebacker. I want to hear what you have

to say about Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins. When we continue the big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert, we are satan Ford second and eleven under centers. Prescotty Tanks dropping back and throwing to drop ball, steps up and he gets away from a car right no runs, Ford fum them all the forty and the Cardinals jump on it at the forty four yard line. Dak coughed it off and it's recovered by Arizona Off Dennis Gardak has the ball. Isaiah Simmons popped it out, recovered by Gardak.

A huge play by Isaiah Simmons who came on the flints and then missed the tackle attempt. Would continued to follow Dad Prescott downfield and punched the pig out. What a play by number nine. The athleticism is undeniable. Even Jordan Hicks last year and said he there were times he would look at Isaiah Simmons and Zavin Collins in the linebacker room and just say, we got a couple of unicorns right here. The question is what position are

Zavin Collins and Isaiah Simmons gonna play this year? And maybe Rob Fredericks is gonna help us out with that filling in for Ron Wolfley here on the Big Red Rage presented by Satan Ford and Gilbert We are Satan Or Special. Thanks Rob a Q. Shipley, former Cardinals center. Some great insights on center on Kyler on Tom Brady. I loved how he sighted three hundred eighty pound Vita Vea. You forget about that some of the dudes at nose

tackle that centers have to go against. I mean, he said, when you're playing center and you're playing against him four or three defense, you don't have anyone directly on you. If I'm playing center, I'm praying for that man. I one Vita Vea, Right, I'm right two inches from my helmet at the snap man No way, all right, So we know that position is a mental challenge. What about this whole future of Isaiah Simmons and Zavin Collins, last

two first round picks. We saw Isaiah Simmons working more with the safeties during the open media portions of offseason work. And then Zaven Collins, we don't know exactly whether he's going to be the mic linebacker calling this defense. Just give us a sense as to what's realistic. Rob Considering that Zaven Collins a Prittyo didn't get a lot of snaps at mike linebacker last year. I mean, where should he be? Where can he be in time for the

season opener against Casey? Well, you know, I think advance Joseph and in these defensive coaches, they're they're gonna they're gonna put the best players out there that give them the best opportunity to be successful as a defense. UM And and you saw that last year, you saw it the year before with Isaiah Simmons. You know, if if they're not ready, Zaven Collins last year, if they if they're not ready, if they're injured, you can't play. You can't put them out there. You can't play him in

that middle linebacker area. And that in that alignment because you know, like Rodney Hudson is, is that valuable to the offense. He's basically the quarterback of the offensive line, calling the protections, calling UM the run blocks and where everyone needs to be lined up. UM. The middle linebacker does that for the defense. He's calling the coverages, he's calling any changes based on motions and and shifts. The middle linebacker has to be so plugged in to what's

happening pre snap. UM and then post snap obviously um that that there's no absolute zero room for mental errors. And when you have young guys. Isaiah Simmons really didn't play a lot of linebacker in Clemson. He was more kind of a slot corner and a deep safety, but he did have some some opportunities where he was up closer to the line of scrimmage. But then you try to put him into that middle linebacker or inside outside, inside kind of week side linebacker position, that's a different animal.

And I think it was a different animal for Xavin Collins last year. And I'll give them that learning curve. I'll give him that year. But your number one draft picks on defense have to be solid starters. They have to be solid contributors, and they need to be playing. Quite honestly, seventy five to eighty plus percent of the defensive snaps for the entire season. Was vance Joe Sevast recently about his pair of young inside linebackers. Yes, he was.

And here's what the defensive coordinator had to say about Zavin Collins and Isaiah Simmons. It's their time. You know, Isaiah's going into his third years, Avan's going into a second year. The first round picks to have to help us, you know, And it's heading that way. You know. I've been proud of the Zaven how much time he's put in. Isaiah has always been a good worker, you know. It's it's the next step for him. Obviously watching him last year, he made plays, you know, but now he has to

make consistent plays and not give what plays. You know. That's that's this next challenge, and for Zavan to stand healthy and keep learning. But both guys are physically gifted, you know, so we have to get those guys ready to play because we need him. Wolf and I argued about this a little bit, and you can go ahead and you tell me if I'm off base. For me, if both guys are on the field, I'm good with that.

I don't necessarily need Zaven Collins to be the quarterback of the defense and calling the plays and making the checks. And I don't necessarily need Isaiah Simmons to be the weak side inside linebacker. I just need those guys on the field, two of the eleven and being able to go sideline to sideline using their size and athleticism to make plays. What's your take on that? You know, I

agree with you. With Isaiah, I think it's a little easier to find a position for him if it's not that that week side inside linebacker because he has played so many multiple positions in college. Um, he can easily transition to something else. Um. The difference is Zaven Collins, I'm not really sure where to put him if it's not that middle linebacker position. I don't necessarily see him as an outside pass rush guy. So if it's not that, I really don't know where you would put him. Now,

there are some capable linebackers in that room. Picking up Nick Vigil I think I think that was a great pick up Dennis Gardak coming off that knee surgery the year before, coming off the last season. UM, you know, Tanner Vallejo has been very effective when he's been gotten opportunities get in there and get reps. And you have Zeke Turner as well, So there's some other players that can play those inside linebacker positions. I still think Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons can do it and can do

it very well. And that's kind of going back to my one of my opening statements on the show, PAULI, when I said I wouldn't be surprised if we're starting to you know, time time looking at some defensive tackle help. The more you can keep those offensive linemen off of those linebackers and allow them to be free runners and use their athleticism. Man, that's a great defense. You know that, That is what a great defense really needs. You know

you hear about um. You know Tony Saragosa rest in peace yesterday what he did for Ray Lewis and that Baltimore Ravens defense. Ye man, I mean that you can't you can't you know, understate that. You can't overstate that it really it is the one of the most important positions is to have those interior defensive linemen stout and chewing up those offensive linemen and allowing athletic linebackers like

we have, allowing them free reign to run. Hey, think about we just talked about Tampa with a Q Shipley. Think about their Super Bowl winning sea and two years ago and those two inside linebackers just flying around, especially in the playoffs. So you have guys like Vita Vea and and Dominican Sue keep an offensive linemen off those two inside backers and they flew around and you can't tell me. That's not one of the reasons the Arizona Cardinals took in Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins. Right, if

it's a copycat league. You saw what a Devin White and company did for Tampa and that defense. Now Zavin Collins, obviously the challenge here is mentally, and he was pretty honest with the media and said, yes, it has been a process. Obviously, you know, last year didn't go as you know everyone would want. But that's that's part of life, just learning from those mistakes, applying them to now and

trying to get better, which I have. I think that I've done a really good job in some of the areas that I've messed up as far as you know, mental errors or you know, stuff like that. I just wonder, Okay, we're gonna get to the reggor. He's not going to see very much in the preseason in terms of advanced schemes. Nobody's showing anything offensively. Those reps is going to be valuable, sure, but only to a certain degree. So he's not truly

going to be playing NFL football until Week one. How risky is it to put him out there at mike linebacker to what degree. Do you think Vans Joseph's is willing to let his young middle linebacker learn on the job, because I haven't seen much appetite for that from Vance. You know, a guy like Zavian Collins, what he really needs, he needs reps. I think Isaiah Simmons does too, especially if they're gonna try to play them at those inside linebacker positions. They need reps, and so they need all

the preseason reps they can get. Um, you're right, it's gonna be rather vanilla. There's not gonna be a lot of exotic formations and shifts and motions and and things like that in the preseason. At least he wouldn't expect it. So he's not going to get all those presnap you know, change of change of strength, motions, changing the coverages on a fly. He's not going to get a lot of that, I wouldn't think, because they're gonna want to keep things

vanilla defensively as well in the preseason. But yet he's gonna be able to see things. He's going to be able to distinguish if those offensive alignemen are setting up for run or versus pass, what do those blocks look like? What does the flow of the running back. Look like he's gonna be able to see that. He needs to see as many of those reps as he can so that he can kind of just make that second nature for him and so we won't really have to think

out there. I think that's one of the things that maybe kind of slowing these guys down in terms of their maturation process is just overanalyzing, overthinking things versus just reacting and going and trusting your instincts. Rob Frederickson in

Forron Woefully, long time outside linebacker in the NFL. So give me a quick thought on where you think the Cardinals are right now at that position, because a month ago we would have said, okay, you know, before the tragic death of Jeff Gladney, now the Rodney Hudson situation, if there was going to be a kind time sign, most likely it would be an edge guy. Where do you think the Cardinals are right now? With Marcus Golden, then opposite him a Devon Kinard, a Dennis Gardeck, and

then pair around three rookies. Yeah, I look at these rookies. They're interesting. You know that Cameron Thomas and and my g Sanders. Uh, you know Cameron Thomas, He's he's got some size to him. And and I think if um, he's got the ability he was he was pretty productive in college, so he's got the he's got the ability to to really make an impact I think early on. And and Sanders he's got some speed coming off the edge. He's a little raw. Um, I think he's somebody that

that might take a little bit more time. But um, you know, I kind of think it's going to be, you know, like it was two years ago. It kind of when you know, when Chandler Jones went down with the bicep injury, it was it was kind of a it was kind of a sack by committee operation, and you saw what Dennis Gardeck was able to do back then when he was healthy and kind of caught some people by surprise. Um, you know, you may see some

of that, you know, advanced. Joseph is certainly good at coming up with schemes and finding ways to apply pressure. But anytime you do that, anytime you bring more than four defenders on a pass rush, you're really putting an onus on your secondary, on your linebackers in terms of coverage, and that's where everybody's going to be on the same page, and everybody's got to really understand what their roles and

responsibilities are. If if those five guys can't get home, it's really putting a lot of pressure on on those back end guys. And you're right. Two twenty, Chandler Jones went down Week five at the Jets. Cardinals still ended up top five in sacks as a defense, and you know, Vance Joseph has been there and done that. There were eighteen different players who had at least one sack in two twenty for the arison our Cardinals, and there were a dozen guys who had at least two sacks. Think

about that. And Kyle Vanabosh was on earlier, a guy who made his living rushing the passer. Just saying how different all the Cardinals edge rushers are opposite Marcus Golden mother Stevan Kannard, or a Dennis Gardeck who's more of a pit bull the size and power of a Cameron Thomas, long lean athletic my j Sanders. So maybe you just keep changing it up on that tackle out the course of a game. Hey, a reminder, Cardinal season tickets are

available now. Go to Easy Cardinals Dot com slash season for more info, Hollywood Brown, what can Brown do for

you in this offense? We'll talk about that next. It is the Big Red Rage Rob Frederickson in from Ron Wolfley and all presented by Santan four angle brush shout of downs on the OEU twenty five yard line, Murray on play action going dufour, Hollywood on touchdown centers seventy five yards to a past this guy on the fields, Kyler's Heisman campaign to one of his best friends, Hollywood Brown. And yes, Dave Pash was on the call for ESPN's twenty years plus as the voice of the Cardinals, so

Dave has been there and done that. When it comes to this new combo between Kyler and Hollywood Brown, it is the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert. We are Satan forward, Paul Calvc or Rob Frederickson pinch hitting for Ron Wolfley and Rob. It was hard not to notice throughout OTAs number one thrown to number two, and it was just the chemistry they already have. When Cliff Thingsbury talks about how they can already make eye

contact and make adjustments, hand signals already exist. I mean, look We've talked about this. You can go get a first round Rickey receiver and he can be as talented as anything, but there's gonna be that learning curve for any rookie receiver. And this is about as plug and play as it gets for a brand new player into your offense. Oh, it's it's cheating. It's almost cheated. It's like you looking over my shoulder in math class, Paully,

and trying to, you know, get my answers. But well, I'd rather have your Michigan State tutor actually than you, but because we know your tutor did all your homework anyway, But go ahead, okay, all right, yeah, Cal, I'm sorry,

your academic assistant. I'm sorry, Yeah, my academic assistant. That's right. Yes, Look, obviously, the first six games you're gonna be without DeAndre Hopkins and to have Hollywood Brown and someone that has a familiarity with Kyler and and just that bond that they've they've had for years at Oklahoma, and for him to to for the Cardinals to make that move to bring in Hollywood Brown, knowing that this was coming down the pike for DeAndre Hopkins, I think that it was a

it was an unbelievable move by the Cardinals, and to pick up a talent as young as Hollywood Brown is um and he really you know, you think about it and look at look at him statistically, he doesn't have a lot of wear on those tires. Um. You know, it's it's it's basically like him coming in and being a rookie all over again. I mean, think about that Baltimore offense, right, Greg Roman's offense, it was it was

run first, second, and third. Uh. The fourth option was a tight end, The fifth option was Lamar Jackson, the sixth option was a tight end again, and then it was Hollywood Brown. Right. I mean, I think that's why the Cardinals feel they can they can still unlock a lot of potential out of Hollywood Brown. In fact, here's Cliff Kingsbury just on Marcus Brown's big playability. He can stretch the defense. There's no doubt vertically. I mean, he can really roll. He had a bunch of big plays

last year, could have had more. I felt like, um, that's an aspect you know, hav An aj Rondo him, Guys that can can stretch the field from all angles is going to be good for us because Rob you know this Christian Kirk Okay, he maybe wasn't quite as fast as Hollywood Brown, but he's still had wheels, but he wasn't that effective as an outside receiver. He was much better in the slot, whereas Hollywood Brown is legit X receiver in this offense. Yeah, Hollywood's going to be outside.

Even when DeAndre Hopkins comes back, Hollywood's still going to be outside, and that's really where he belongs. And and you're right to have a to have a wide receiver that could stretch that field consistently and and with the with the long throwing ability and accuracy. If Kyler Murray as you talked about earlier, um to have that that threat there and consistently have that threat there, that's going to open up so many things underneath for Deandrey Hopkins,

for Zach Ertz, Trey McBride, Rondell Moore. We haven't talked about Rondell Moore yet, but you know, finding a role maybe in the slot receiver position for Rondell Moore I think is really gonna help him and this offense tremendously this year, especially if we can believe Sean Jefferson what he told us a couple months ago on the Big Red Rage and Cliff Kingsbury that they're definitely gonna get Rondelle more more targets downfield. And I see those two

guys pushing each other. I see that dynamic, right, Both burners both sort of similar size and they're competitive in that way. So I think that's a good dynamic. Here's the other thing too, is you know, Hollywood Brown was always the number one receiver for the Baltimore Ravens. He was the guy who got doubled. He was the guy who got that bracket coverage. Well, when d hop comes back, he's gonna get a lot of single coverage. Look Out.

This offense is stacked with talent on the outside. Really now talent, it's a tight end position, running back position, the skill positions on his offense. It's stacked, and so really, I think that the challenge will be finding ways to spread that ball around number one and ensuring that this offense doesn't become predictable. You know, a couple of years ago, we became rather predictable going to DeAndre Hopkins on the

left side, he basically ran three different routes. We can't allow that to kind of creep back in to this offense because there are so many talented players. We have to find a way to really keep defense on their heels and and really not be predictable, move the ball around and get it into the hands of your playmakers

and let them do their thing. And you know, we got into that a little bit with Drew Stanton on the Red Sea Report last month and just talked about how the last two seasons down the stretch the offense bogged down and wasn't because of a predictability, and he said a couple of things. He said, you know what, when the Cardinals offense bogged down last season, they couldn't run the ball nearly as effective as they did the

first half of the season. Absolutely, But then he added about the tight ends, and now the tight ends allow you that much more versatility in your play calling, and the tight ends won't show your hand as much. Hence the emphasis on that position in the offseason. Well, think about Trey McBride bringing him in as a second round pick. He won the Mackey Award ball as the nation's best

tight end. He's pretty darn good. He can pass block, he can run block, and he can he can get the ball down the field he can receive, so I'm excited to see what he does. Of course, we know what zach Ertz can do, and hopefully getting Max Williams back from the surgery last year. All right, Hey, a reminder of Cardinals single game tickets are available now at Acy Cardinals dot com Slash tickets to secure your seats today. Special thanks a Q. Shipley, former Cardinals Center joining us

on this edition. Special thanks Jim Alma Hundre, Senior Broadcast Manager and producer Technical Director Cody Fincher for Rob Fredickson, who overcame his Michigan State education to do great things with his life. Filling in for Ron Wall play off ball Cus. Thanks joining us on The Big Red Rage 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.