Big Red Rage - Talking NFL Draft With Rashad Johnson

And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit Hacy Cardinals dot com, Slash Podcasts, The rod scene, rising ud, temperaturizing vision, flurring rage, take it over. Here's Paul KELVC. Get the popcorn ready. It's gonna be a show, and Ron will flee if it doesn't get any better than that. Unleash the far. You know, since we're on a Wednesday, let's call roll right off the top, just to be sure, Ron Wolfley present. Okay, now that we have that, yours truly, Polly Pencilneck has

a question, true or false? In your day you frequented many a dive bar. You know what that's actually that's a rhetorical question. I didn't see that coming. Polly that's a rhetorical question. You may have been earhold, but you know the answer. Of course you did so with that in mind. And that said, did you or did you not advise J? J. Watt? I mean, were you the

mastermind of that game plan? Ron Wolfley, the idea man behind the three time NFL defensive player that you're mingling with the people out and about at a local tavern this past weekend, throwing down Bruski's and I don't know, schooling the unwashed masses and golden tea No Polly had definitely was not me. Um. I made as many enemies on the sideline, even at home games, as I did

on the road. Paul, you work your way through college actually in a dive bar, but that I mean honestly, well if you you know, I don't know what your major was in, but your miner was in dive bars. Let's be honest. Come on, somebody hand me the poole cube please. This guy's talking way too much. That's right, Hey, we did our we did our pole. You know what's the best dive bar game? And I said, well, there

are two. Number one is darts, anything anytime you can throw something that'll kill a guy that's number one, and then pool anytime you can swing something that kills a guy that's number two. So you know, you know what number three is, Polly knuckles. Have you ever heard of knuckles? Polly? Where? Yeah? Card game? Yeah, the knuckles said, their card games? And you know what they do, right, The miners would sit around, they'd whip these cards at their knuckles, just in little cuts.

These micro yeah, carry microscopic cots, Polly. They would they would callous over and form this hard metallic it was called knuckles, Paul. They'd sit there and just throw cards, playing cards that eat the other guy's knuckles. Think about that bad? Well, I can say this. April nineteenth is the official start date for the Arizoner Cardinals offseason strength and conditioning program. And I'm guessing, Buddy Morris, you're raining NFL Strength Coach of the Year, does not have knuckles

as part of the regiment five. Polly. If you ask him, Buddy will know knuckles. He'll know the game knuckles. Well, he used his arms. Walk in your out balls, right, I'm surprised you guys get along. He see's kind of a Pittsburgh guy. You know, you and you and you and buddy, but you find a way, you find a way to connect. That's good. That's good. So yes, the the offseason dates have been finalized, the mini camps and

OTAs they're upcoming. But first we're gonna have the NFL Draft right before these guys are really hitting the field. In earnest we are team minus three weeks in one day away from the first round of the draft. In fact, on this addition to the Big Red Rage presented by

santan Ford in Gilbert, we are santan Ford. How about Rashaw Johnson, the former Arison A Cardinal, standout safety and current member of the Alabama broadcast crew and that football program, because you can't talk the draft without talking some of Obama top recruits and the SEC as well, Because Wolf, I mean, think of how many mock drafts have somebody

a playmaker from the SEC going to your Arizona Cardinals. Yeah, no, that's gonna be great, just the fact we get to talk to Rashad Johnson about that, Paul, I mean, there there are some guys out there. Jordan Davis just comes to mind immediately, the defensive tackle from Georgia. I don't know, Paul, if I've ever seen anybody like this. Honestly, I'm trying to think. Listen. I mean, there's the Jets left tackle from two years ago, McKay Beckton, and they call him

Mount Beckton. Yes, but Mount Beckton ain't running No. Fort seven eight. No, he's not running for seven eight, Paul, do you know how fast that is for a man that's three hundred and forty one pounds to be running a sub forty eight. It's it's like impossible that I've never heard of somebody running a four seven eight that weighed three hundred and forty pounds. Yeah. I played with some guys, PAULI, that were really, really nimble on their feet.

Derek Kennard weighed three hundred and forty pounds, but he had the butt the size of Jupiter in it. It. Honestly, it slowed him down and anchored him a little bit. That way. He wouldn't run an O four seven eight. But off the ball quickness wise, oh my goodness, he was. He was terrified. And you're a man who survived getting slimmed by the fridge, William the refrigerator, Perry, so he don't see six three three eighty five. He was quick as a cat, but he could only do it for

one playball. Then he had to go over and suck it up a little. So will Jordan Davis or somebody else being Cardinals rookie mini camp which will be mid May, and then of course you're gonna have the official OTAs

you're gonna have the mini camp. And Drew Stanton, longtime NFL quarterback, former Cardinals quarterback, was on the re See You Report this week and the simple question from Greg Greeleu was just, Okay, what is the value exactly of these off season workouts and mini camps when you kind of start to crawl before you walk, walk before you run, that whole process of the build up the training camp for a lot of these guys because they haven't had

that luxury. And now you can sit there and you can ask questions, you can be able to dive deeper into what's going on. They can sit there and see themselves on film. Why did you do this? You can diagnose things, So it's such a valuable asset and tool if you approach it that way. There you go, Drew stand on the Red Sea Report. In your mind, well, is there a certain position group that will benefit most.

I mean certain players or areas where you think the Cardinals can make that next step based on some of the off season procedures. Yeah, you know, I've said for the longest time, Paulie, the further you get away from the football, the better your rods are of actually getting better in the off season. Seriously, and yeah, Steve Breston truly changed my mind on that, Pollie. Steve, do you remember that off season that he had Paul from one season to the next, that off season where he was

really really absorbing the offense. He was making plays, he was learning how to get off the press. He just was. He grew so much in the off season and then came back and had that a thousand yard season where he was part of the greatest show on turf, if

you know what I mean. And you too, yes, and you saw it from your angle and I heard it from the sideline his rookie year and how many times he got aired out by Kurt Warner the offensive coaches for just the mental mistakes, the failure to adapt or adjust to a route and read coverage, but because you know how critical that is for all the receivers obviously, and so he made that that leap just mentally from year one to year two. And dare I say that

there were too many times? It was too often? It was too frequent a year ago where Kyler Murray was not on the same page with a lot of his receivers. Yeah, and you know aj green Yeah, how many times can you think of? And it wasn't just the faithful failure to turn around against Green Bay. There were other times where they just learned on the same page. If Rondale Moore truly wants to be wide receiver too, or at least be that downfield threat, he's gonna have to get

that chemistry with Kyler Murray, right, Paul. And here's the other thing too. Once again, honestly, we had this belief as players back when I was playing in You gotta remember that was nineteen eighty five. When I came into the league, nineteen eighty five, Paul, it was a brutal, physical game. Everybody was running the same offense for the most part, everybody ran the same place. It was just

how much more brutal could you possibly be? So when you've got that mindset and you're in the off season and you're not putting the pads on. You're running around in shorts and a helmet, Paul, Nobody respected anything that you were doing because we all knew it's not football until you put the mouth guard in and start leveling somebody, right, And there are still some positions where I think that

might be true, Paul. And of course it's the offensive line, and I think the defensive line, we'd look at that closely. But a guy like Zaven Collins by way of example, Oh my goodness, this is going to be a critical off season for Zaven Collins, Paul. If he gets it down mentally, if he gets his eyes adjusted where they need to be, I think we can expect an awful lot out of this dude. Yeah. Can he call the defense? Can he wear the green dot? Can he communicate it

to a defense? Can he make those adjustments based on what the offense is doing once they break the huddle? Yes, these are all things where you can make progress in the off season. In fact, that that was the next question. And Drew stand former Cardinals quarterback on the Red Sea Report. Certain guys that I worked with, they run routes, even it might be the same route, but how they run it on the right side is vastly different than how

they run on the left side. If they break down, when they drop their weight, how they come out of their cut? You know, is this a speed cut? Is this a breakdown and come out of the cut? Is this the right angle that you're at? Is this the right coverage we're seeing? So yes, this allows you to do those things, much like on the defensive side of the ball, that secondary has to com unison they're disguising

of coverages. How much do we do and how active we are at the line of scrimmage with our safeties, rocking and rolling them, trying to hold it the last second. If every NFL game comes down to a handful of place, maybe even one or two place, yeah, and that play is decided by a matter of inches, then those are the sort of things that can make a difference, a

big difference in the outcome of games. Yes, And of course I didn't hear the whole conversation, which your standing, but man, it's interesting to hear them talking about receivers and trying to get some type of chemistry with receivers whether they're on the right side or the left side, and defensive backs as well. You know, I really believe still that's where you can improve the most. But knowing

what to do is so critical, so important. Any position where you know what to do, they're going to be able to go out and execute better. Think about it. The game winning driving the Super Bowl was Cooper cop and Matthew Stafford and that was it. They were four for four, connect down the field where no other weapons really healthier on the floor at that point. And it goes back to their all season workouts and getting there at six am. You know who knows about that, Rashaw Johnson,

the former Cardinals safety. He joins us, we're talking draft. Next. The Big Red Rage presented by Santan four in Gilbert. We knew it was a big story because I was like the guy made T shirts that saying that he got nine more fingers. The question was asked like, hey man, you know you lost a portion of your finger, you lost a finger, you know, like, what are you gonna do? I got nine more? And everybody warred under their shoulder path for the rest of the year and all of that.

Nine more is a mindset, you know, like do I focus on the one I? Do? I focus on what I have? So I think it's just a shift in life. It's what I do, you know, on a daily basis, It's what's gotten me through the transition post my career. It's like, do you focus on not playing football? No more? Are on the beauty of your wife and the beautiful

girls that you have. It's a voice of Rashaw Johnson from Cardinals Folk Tales Wolf It was it was debuted this football season of great acclaim and these were Cardinals documentaries and in particular, this was the tale, the story of how the Cardinals lost a game in New Orleans. Rashad Johnson lost more than a football game. He I mean, he didn't just give a finger to the Saints, right, He gave a fingertip literally in New Orleans. That's what

he gave is part of that game. And all I remember is Patrick Peterson saying, how oh boy, look, his glove is leaking like a fawcet. And that is part of the story. That is a part of his career. Rashad Johnson, who joins us now on the Big Red Rage all presented by santan Ford and Gilbert And it's always a treat to hook up with a former Cardinal's safety.

Seven years with the Cardinals, sixteen career picks and a wealth of knowledge, especially when it comes to the SEC and Alabama, where he is currently one of the radio broadcasters are shot. How we doing doing well, Paul Wolf, How you guys doing man? We're doing great. Man. Honestly, I called my brother and let him know that you were coming on, because he played twelve years in the NFL. We sit around and tell that story about you losing your fingertip, and we just speak of you in reverend terms.

How you doing, bro, I'm doing good, Man, doing good Man. That's a crazy story. I'm still and you know, living with that, but it's working out well in my favor. My little girl asks about it all the time, so it's pretty cool. By the way, you can see the video, the documentary itself, YouTube dot com, slash az Cardinals or the podcast that we put together with Jim Amhndro Cardinals Folk Tales. Just search that wherever you get your podcasts.

Here's the here's the football stat though, because those who are not familiar with Rashad Johnson's story, all right, forget about the fingertip for a minute. We're talking Wolf and you know this a walk on running back from a tiny one a high school in state in Alabama. You know if this is accurate as zero star recruit who ended up first team All SEC as a safety for Nick Saban and one of the only two time team captains in Bama history. Man, I mean you want reverence,

how about that story? And here's a stat for you guys. I don't even know if you know this rashod that last season the NFL sixteen former Alabama defensive backs played at least one game in the NFL in twenty twenty one. Wow, that's a time, man, um And I guess you know I can sell it was a tribute to that the beginning class, No cook Sabans first year and no one was drafted, and the next year he was able to get three or four guys out and I was one of the lone dbs so able to start that class

of a lot of great guys behind us. Man, there's so much talent that comes out of that out of that stadium. I'm just, you know, lucky, like I said, to be a part of it, and its built my legacy there. But it's been a lot of fun being back now, Man, being on the radio and talking about you guys know how exciting it is to stay close to the game. Yeah, no doubt about it. Jot. How does this draft class for l Obama compare two years past. Yeah, it's a good one. You know, I don't think it's

as strong as some of the year's past. Um, you know, I think we have some some some great talent. Evan Neil obviously, Um, you know Jamison Williams as well. Um, you know John Metchie just thinking to some of the guys initially right now, Uh, you know, possible first rounders obviously, Evan Neil's gonna be first round and Jamison Williams as well. Um, but I think they, you know, have some strong talent

in there. But man, if you look back at some of the earlier years and still here recently, you know, the top picks that we've had from Jalen Waddle to the Vante Smith to you know, Jerry Judy, you know, guys all in the same room together. You know, uh, four or five draft picks in the first round that we've done in some of these drafts. So, I mean

this is a strong one for us. Probably not our best, but I mean still a lot of talent with some of these guys that's coming out, I'm excited to see, you know, just how they start their careers and then what they do with it. Man Or Johnson is our guest on the Big Red Rage. It's All about You, presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert all Right, let's get into it. The Cardinals definitely have a need for a

wide receiver too. Jamison Williams. Some mock drafts have him lasting until twenty three overall just because of the torn ACL in the championship game. First off, how fast is he do you think? Because when you watched his highlight reel, man does he separate against sec dbs? He ended up First team All American. Yeah, I mean it's unbelievable. I mean he's blink of an eye, beat beat, you know,

running past you, and it's long strides. He's a tall guy, you know, six one six two are taller, and I mean he is, you know, literally running past guys the whole time. And the thing about it, he's one of those guys that you know he's running a deep route. You know he's going to give you a post, you know, a run to go on you. And it's nothing that you can do about it. But what I love about him is that you know, he's verse to though he

doesn't only just run those routes. He's good and out of his breaks um in other situations where he needs to run come back third and longs and making separations there. But the biggest thing that I loved about Jamison Williams this year was how tough he was and how competitive he was. I mean, he was a guy that was running down on punt you know, as a gunner, making tackles, got kicked out of a game actually for you know,

a helmet to helmet hit. So I mean those type of people at ryde receiver normally you don't see that. I mean, and he that lets you know, like he's just a different breed of player. And I think, you know, losing him ultimately, you know, it was a big loss for us late in the season in that championship game. But I think whoever picks him up late in this draft in his first round is getting the steal of a player. Yeah, no, I'm with you on that shot.

I think that Jamison Williams is big time man. Um. Let me ask you about some of the other guys out there, Who's the one guy. Nobody's talking enough about it as far as you're concerned, Who is that one guy that's really good? I think just looking at that at that group obviously, you know, like I said, Evan and Jamison Williams are getting a lot of the buzz. Um. I like a kid who who hasn't he hasn't played a whole lot um due to injuries. Um, but he has all the twos. He may end up being a

late round round pick, or he may even be free agent. UM. But Jalen Armor Davis Um, you know this season, you know, was playing well. I was leading the team at one point interceptions. And I've watched him, man, he has he has great footwork, He's very athletic, competitive, will come up and tackle you. But he's just been plagued by the injury bug. And when we all know some of those guys that you know had talent and some way another

Jay just stay off the field. I mean he got hurt in warmups one year, you know, with like a messed up shoulder and was out for the rest of the season. So this year was getting a chance to get rolling um and showed that he had the ability to make plays and do it you know, consistently. Um so I was excited to watch him playing, and obviously he went down, and you know, we had to play

some younger guys. So I'm looking at Jaalen armor Davis as a you know, late round free agent, a guy it may be able to make a buzz if he can stay healthy. You know, I jotted his name down. He's a corner. The Cardinals have a need of that position. A lot of people think they might even target corner in the first round. But yeah, that's a guy absolutely. You know, he's described as long, fast, talented, but just a one year starter, six one nearly two hundred pounds.

What about someone you mentioned earlier, John Metchi. You know they lost Christian Kirk five eleven, a buck eighty seven, not a burner, but good quickness, and I mean he's had a lot of experience. He was second team All SEC. What about a John Mechi as an NFL slot receiver. Yeah, I like that for John m because he doesn't, necessarily, like you said, have that long speed, you know, like

a Jamison Williams of Jalen Waddle. He's not gonna pull away from anybody and make that seventy eighty yard run, especially at the professional level, but he has a savness and a unique competitiveness about him. He's stocking his bill so he can fit in there and play in the run game and get a little bit rough in there

if he has to um. But then I think he has that ability within the short area quickness is where he's at his best to separate on you know, those third and five, third and threes when we got to make a play, and we need someone that can make that initial separation may not be to run away from him once he catches the ball, but all we need to do is move the chains. And I think he's a guy you know, could that could definitely do that and play a good role for a team in that factor.

And then another guy that you know can play on special teams and you know, so him several times run down the field and make plays and be physical about it. So I mean, you gotta love that in the player as well. And then you know a guy that was able to wait his turn, you know, and then still be humble about it when he got another guy that came in and was better to him. So I think

that slot position is a great role for him. Okay, honestly right now, I mean we know about Trey Von Walker or the headliner that is of course for Georgia. I have to ask you about Jordan Davis and what you have seen from this guy. I shot, I've never seen a man who was three hundred forty one pounds run a four seven eight. I have never seen that.

Tell me what you know about Jordan Davis. Yeah, I mean, I mean we all saw him at the combine, but just having a chance to watch him up close and personal, man, you know, leading up to the SEC Championship, and then again for the National championship. Just man, just a physical specimen with his size, but just the rare like we saw speed obviously straight line speed, but just the niftiness

to him. Man, that he gets off the ball. I know, we remember a guy by the name of Darnell Docket that had a great get off the ball, great get off, but then he has like a slenderness to him, like Calais class is so slender when he gets into that that past mode situation in the interior rush. I mean,

that's that's special. When you got a guy in the interior that can rush the pastor especially nowadays with these you know quarterbacks that can get out of the pocket and use their leg if we can, you know, keep him contain on the outside and you got a Jordan Davis inside who can win. I mean that takes you to an elite level, you know, as we saw with the Rams and Aaron donald S. But you know, definitely that's a quick tag to give him. But he has a lot of tools and a lot of ability to

direct the shop up front like that too. They were Sean Johnson, our guests on The Big Red Rage, former Cardinals safety, member of that Alabama broadcast team. So if I'm seeing this correctly, Trey Lion Burks, the wide receiver out of Arkansas six two two twenty five, you want tough. He has described his tough play the game with a cast on one hand. This year as a receiver of four five five forty and against Bama this year he had eight catches of bucks seventy nine receiving in two touchdowns.

Tell us about Trey Lion Burks because a lot of mock drafts have the Arkansas receiver going to the Cardinals man physical specimen, and then he was physical about his play like he was one of the guys you know in that game. Early on, you know, you could see him winning in his matchups, but it was like quick games. It was like tall sweeps to him. And then he was just running through tackles, you know, from from the cornerback of the line packer in fighting for those extra

yards you know, on plays of that nature. It wasn't like it was a post or a goal. He was catching the slants and catching digs and catching quick game and then making the plays after the catch. Um. And that's always specially unique from that ride receiver position. It's one thing to separate, you know and make the play, but can you make guys miss you know, and then make even bigger play That just makes you elite. And

I think you know, Trey l and Burt's is elite. Um. I think he's that you know one two between him and Jamison. What are you looking for? Um? He made you know, have him because he has that physical statue to him that that's gonna wear dB out if he doesn't, you know, scrap his chin strap up all games. Mishod. Once again, I want to go back to Georgia right here in Jordan Davis because Devonte Wyatt is also a defensive tackle for Georgia. Their entire defensive line is good

that much. We do know who would you take Jordan Davis or Devonte Wyatt first? Who would you take? Man? That's a great um. I like Wyatt Um in the two games you know, watching it Bama, it just seems like he has a little bit more arranged to him. Um, about the same size, but in terms of just sideline and sideline and the games that we're playing, Um, he was able to sustain a little bit better than Jordan

Davis was. If you go back to the SEC Championship, it seems as though he got tired, um, a little bit fatigued. So that maybe something that you may worry about, you know, in a season, you know, not playing twelve games. Now we're playing, you know, seventeen games, you know, much longer season, playoffs, things of that nature. You know, who's gonna be able to sustain with that size and that weight that Jordan Davis has. Obviously you know he's an

elite player, we know that. But just in that one game when I saw him, you know, not be able to finish it, and you know, it seems as though he was, you know, tired and not being able to make it. It made me question, you know, in a longer NFL season, how is he going to be a sustaining and even as he can do it for one year, can he do it for five and six years? So I'm gonna have to place bed. I'm gonna place it on Wyatt. Do you have an opinion on the top

corner in this draft? Because we saw Derek Stingley LSU work out today and he had his forty in between four four flat and a four four four, I mean his vertical thirty eight and a half. They say his freshman season twenty nineteen was just ridiculous in turn, like Patrick Peterson esque at the college level. But then of course you have Sauce Gardner from Cincinnati and Andrew Booth from Clemson. And I don't know if you how many of these guys you saw in person or if you

had an opinion on the top corner in this draft. Yeah, yeah, obviously got a chance to see Stingley in person, saying with soft Gardener as well, and with those two guys, Man, if it's me and I'm the defensive back guy, I'm all about consistency. M I understand upside and you know, potential, and I know people want to talk about those things, but for me, like show me the consistency. I'm gonna bet on that one hundred percent of the time because that's what excels at the next level. You know, it's

being consistent. I don't want a guy that can, you know, stop him on this down and then give up a big play later on in the game because he's cheating with his eyes. That's not my type of dB UM. But I think there steely Um does have all the twos. You know, in twenty nineteen, like you said, he had a tremendous year. I got a chance to see it in person, but then I saw the following years not as consistent. You know, had a few injuries here and there.

Um a Sauce Gardner, no touchdown Um, just consistent in and out. Maybe they can say the play was a little bit less than the different league. But for me, someone that can play on the island and do it as consistent as you know Gardner did. Um, he has to be your top guy. And you know he didn't he perform well in the combine. So if it's me, I'm taking the sauce Um And you know, and I'm gonna double down on it, make it very spicy. That's all right, man. So much respect for you, Bro, so

much respect. Thank for you guys, for you and the person you are in the player you were, and the analysts you are. Of course, thank you so much for joining us, Bro anytime, man, anytime. Looking forward to doing in a person next time I'm out that way. Yeah, that would be great. Absolutely, Thank you for Shot. I appreciate I teld your story to a couple of fifteen year olds I dropped off at a baseball game earlier today, just about how you went from walk on a two

time team captain in your NFL career. So inspirational in so many different ways, and we always enjoy it. Thanks for Shot. Anytime, Paul, I can do anything for those guys, tell them Holly at mean, you got my number, We'll do We'll do. There you go. That's great stuff. Man. We're gonna break that down and we're gonna get into which positions would be most NFL ready for the Cardinals

in the draft this year. The Big Red Rage continues right after this second down and goal well for the Chargers on the eagle too, Herbert under center Kelly the tale, but Anderson the full back in the eye rolling to the light as Herbert, He's got Anderson of the goal line touchdown. He's done a lot of the dirty work for this Charger team, a lot of blocking. He's played some fullback. He's lined up at fullback on this one.

Great play baked by Justin Herbert's rolling to the right, and it was a race between Anderson and the linebacker t J. Edwards, and Anderson won. Ron Wolfley. This is about as close as you'll get to a fullback on a Cliff Kingsbury roster. You realize that the tight end Steven Anderson, former receiver in the Pack twelve tight end with the Chargers, five years in the league at six three two thirty and really closer to six two two thirty, and a guy who has a hybrid or an h

back has been in the backfield quite a bit. You know, I'm not sure if that's what Cliff Kingsbury has in mind. I'm just saying that's about as close as you're gonna get fulfilling your wish of a fullback in this offense. No, you're right about that, PAULI. I was glad to see it once again, because I do think it continues to point in arrow towards a more physical offense, a more traditional offense to some degree. And I don't say that is oh boy, look they're going to be running Kyler

Murray under center. Forty snaps again that this is not what I'm talking about. But Paul, if you look across the league, and in particular, I would say, look at the Tennessee Titans, the team the Arizona Cardinals are actually going to travel to and hold training camp practices with. Look at their offense. A lot of it is eleven personnel, and a lot of it is shotgun, and a lot of it is here comes the RPO, and here comes his zonn read of course, with Ryan Tannehill as their quarterback.

And then they mix it, Paul, with twelve personnel and look, everybody, there's King Henry. His toes are at seven. What do you say we let him attack the line of scrimmage. They'll do it out of a zone scheme, and they'll do it out of a gap scheme, which is a power scheme, which means you basically pull the uncovered lineman down blocks by offensive lineman and then pull the uncover word lineman for kickouts. It's a power scheme. It's very

very physical. I think when you look at Steven Anderson, that's exactly an arrow that continues to point towards a more physical offense. Baul, Yeah, he gets a one year deal around one million dollars reportedly and drew standing on the Red Sea Report, Cardinal's former quarterback thirteen years in the league. You know, just talked about maybe the flexibility that some of these signees, right, some of the free agents and the guys they brought back, and what it

does to maybe create an advantage on offense. You give yourself flexibility within personnel group. We say say, hey, we gain an advantage here because we really like the fact that we can get him on the field versus him, or we want this type of defensive personnel on the field because they're gonna match. They're gonna stay in nickel even if we're in twelve personnel, so they get an advantage there, or they stay in base or whatever it is.

So we gained a passive advantage. So it becomes one of these things where you just give yourself freedom to go down different pass when the time comes. So two quick thoughts Number one, maybe the Cardinals is the same. We don't want to substitute as much that we want to keep some of the same players but be able to run a lot of different things out of that. Maybe just maybe they realize that, you know, this second half fate that our offense has suffered the last couple

of years. Maybe just maybe we were we were showing a little too much. It was a little too predictable based on some of our personnel groups. You mentioned this significance of losing a Max Williams, and when Max is on the field, you don't truly know are they going to run it? Are they gonna throw it? Because he's a dual tight end. So maybe just maybe that's something they've identified and they don't want to substitute as much

because it's too much of a tell. Polly, I'm telling you right now, honestly, you're right on it, and it's one of the reasons why again the Tennessee Titans are burtle in rundown situation because of all the twelve personnel, one back and two tight ends. I think the Arizona Cardinals are going to do the same thing. I don't know that for a fact, I suspect that's where what they're going to do. Brandon Staley. You know Brandon Staley

is correct Charger's head coach from a Ram's de coordinator. Yeah, ding Ding Dinging. You nailed it, Polly, right here, he said this. You can't have enough tight ends for me because gaps and vertical threats make you a lot more challenging to defend. So we're always going to be looking for that position. I really value tight ends. I feel like from a defensive standpoint, the teams that can play with two tight ends and make it look like a bunch of other things, that makes it really tough on you.

So we're always going to be looking for that position because I think it gives you an advantage structurally. Polly, when you hear Brandon Staley, this defensive savant, when you hear him talk about gaps and vertical threats, what he's talking about is running the ball in between the tackles and then using play action to throw the ball vertically, especially over the middle of the field. That's what he's

talking about. So I think at also, once again, when you look at all the pieces that Steve Kim and the Arizona Cardinals have gone out and signed bringing them back at all points towards that could I also point towards Kyle Shanahan, George Kittle and Kyle use check and using right and a similar type fashion. And now Mike McDaniel is going to adopt some of that with the Dolphins. He went out and he snagged a fullback that he's going to use sort of in that h back spot

as well. So absolutely, now here's the question, Okay, if you've checked that box at tight end, what are you going to do at receiver? And I want to revisit some of what Rasha Johnson told us about a couple of those rookie receivers who have been mocked to the Cardinals. But first here's Drew stan red Sea report again just why it's challenging to make that sort of impact that

teams want for some of these rookie receivers. As far as wide receiver, that's another tough position to come into because you have to be able to identify coverage and cliff system. You have to be able to dentify hots and sights and all these different aspects that we see some of these guys that we've drafted high in the past not be able to make that jump right away, and some of them are still on the roster. So Rondel Moore, you're looking for more from him, and he

Isabella is still on the roster right now. Guys that you would love to see kind of step up to the plate because it is hard. It's something that's asked of you, and it's a thinking portion of it, but then there's the physical portion of it. And then when

those don't align correctly, you're going to struggle. And then your conference starts the waiver your reaction to that Wolf because I hear that, and I think, you know what, the Cardinals have to sign another proven, better receiver or two, even if they get one of the top guys in round one. It's just so uncertain during a rookie receiver's initial year. Yeah, now you're right about that, PAULI. It

really is. We've talked about this. We've had this conversation about how difficult it is for a wide receiver to walk in to an NFL room and suddenly go out and make a difference the Jamar Chases of the world. Those are exceptions, Paul Ye Okay, Justin Jeffersons, those are once a year. That is, that is not really the rule right there at wide receivers. So yeah, you'd love

to see that, you know what, Polly. Honestly, I wonder about a trade right now, especially right now free agency and the free agent frenzy is over for the most part, and here comes the other still point. Here comes the NFL Draft where these two things free agent friends, free agent frenzy, and then the draft. Polly, they make things happen. Have you noticed this that suddenly they force it in

certain situations? And I think right now there could be a possible trade that Steve Kimes something Steve Kime has done very very well with using trades. Is it possible that he's eyeballing some of these guys across the league? It is definitely possible. Just don't tell me you're giving up a round two pick for Brandon Cooks. It's out there. I know it's out there. I know what the Texans want. Don't give it to him. Don't give up a number

two pick, a round two pick for Brandon Cooks. And then you're gonna have to give him the Mondo contract because he's going into the final year of his deal. You're not going to trade for a guy unless you get him under a big contract extension. To me, that is just too much. I would rather take my chances in a round two type situation on a receiver, because have you noticed how exorbitant the price is on receivers to get a guy right now on a rookie contract.

I mean you think a tank of gas is expensive. I mean you talk about inflation. Stefan Diggs just got four years, ninety six million, seventy million in total guarantees Stefon Diggs, and that's after the Tyreek kill and Davante Adam steals. Yeah, PAULI, it is shocking to me that you don't like Brandon Cooks. I like him. I just don't like to give a round two pick and the contract. Well okay, yeah, I understand that, but but like how much money? He's not a one. He's not a number

one receiver, Brandon Cooks. He's a number two, maybe a one eight if you want to call him that. I don't think you a number one. Now. If he's gonna want unbelievable money, then I'm with you on that one. I got no problem. Do you think you can actually get Tyler Lockett? For a second round pick. What do you think about that one? Now? You're think the Seattle Seahawks would be willing to say, well, you know what,

I let's let by gones be by gones. And you know what, that number two pick looks really really good because I'll tell you right now, Tyler Lockett over the top of DeAndre Hopkins, and I'm sure that the Seattle Seahawks are thinking, well, listen, we're not gonna win for another three four years, so um yeah, maybe we'll take that second round pick and use it. Is that a possibility?

I doubt it? But but you know what, after what Rashad Johnson just told us right the former Cardinal safety and Alabama broadcaster earlier here in the Big Red Rage brought you by Santan Ford and Gilbert on Treylon Burkes. By the way, you know that Arkansas receiver six to twenty five first team All SEC when he's saying they're throwing him slants and digs and short underneath stuff and he's just making guys miss out Alabama defenders or running through an over him and makes me think of a

Deebo Samuel. It makes me think of an AJ Brown. He's built that way, yes, or when he told us Jamison Williams, who is a flat out flyer, This guy is just a burner. If you watch the film making sec dbs look slow, and he's told us that he's tough, he's competitive. Yeah, he's a dog, he's a gunner. He got thrown out of a game for getting into it with someone, and he has a good versatile roud tree. If you're telling me Jamison Williams is all that. Plus

he's a burner, I know, Polly. I mean honestly, I hear everything you're saying right there. There's just one problem. How many times have we seen wide receivers not pan out? Ye in the NFL. I mean that's the problem. They all came out with this kind of pedigree, in this kind of oh my goodness, look at this guy. Look at this guy play? Um you know I beware, man, That's all I'm saying. Beware when you look at a rookie and start to depend on him to actually come

through in order for you to win games. Hey, I'm an upcoming addition to the big Red Rage day Pass will join us. He's seen a lot of these guys called a lot of their games and you can catch up on past episodes of The Day Pash Podcast via your preferred podcast provider. Get us the latest updates via Twitter at Pash pod. All right, we gotta finish it up the b NBA standing for blooper or blunder. Next on the Big Red Rage with the new CBA. You wan't get so much time to practice, and we're not

gonna waste to stretching. Like I told him, if the Dobeoman jumped out of the car with a gun, your ass wouldn't be stretching. Give me you're running. I think some of the defensive guys were holding onto their ass. You know what are you doing? Coaches? I was taught a long time ago, coach him hard and hug him later. Rip a guy's ass out there. Just football. There's nothing personal. You're just all much football stinks. You're a pretty good guy. Thank for y'all for coming to my house. I hope

you get home set. Oh man, that was a great tone. That was a great era of Bruce arians head coach, the Arizona Cardinal's little best to be a clip there from our Jim Amhundro out of his fast archives and just the one liners and the dead pans and the laughs and Wolf I did not realize to about to start the show. You had a chance to reconnect with Bruce Arians, who is now retired former NFL head coach. Yeah, Polly, he's doing really, really well. Had the opportunity to speak

to Bruce today. He said he lost fifty pounds. You could see it at the press conference, could you, Polly. I did not see that. No, Yeah, he lost a lot of weight. You could see it in his face. I mean he's still not good looking at all, but you can see in his face he lost an awful lot of way, Polly. And by the way, I asked him at the end of the conversation if he still would have cut me, and he said yes. And you

know it. So you probably didn't have time to get into how he asked you to speak to the rookies his first year and we were never invited back. In fact, we don't have time to get into that. But you did ask about Larry Fitzgerald. What was the headline from the fitz Angle. Yeah, you know, I just said, hey, listen, um, did you try to get Larry Fitzgerald to go and play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and we're both laughing

and he said yes. He said. There was a little pause and he said yeah, and why not when you think about it. The guys were retired, you know, supposedly at Lace. You know, he's not playing football. He picked up the phone. He said, I had to call him just to see if he was interested in possibly doing it. And he said that Larry told him that he had he couldn't run two plays back to back or something

like that. That's what he told me. So speaking to the phone and Bruce Arians Drew Stanton, here's his story from the Red Sea Report for your former head coach, Bruce Arians announcing that he was going to step down and Todd Boles is now the head coach. The Buccaneers surprised her. Do you know things that maybe the rest of us don't know? No, I was completely surprised. How much time do we have here? So make sure I don't go over it because I had a complete blunder

of like why you don't text in a hurry? And I'm I'm okay sharing this because obviously Bea and are close, but I had no idea and I'm walking out the door and I missed a call from AQ Shipley and I text them back. I was like, Hey, what's going on in Tampa. I was like, I'm headed to my son's baseball game. I saw BA retired. I was like, Tom didn't force this, did he? And I go to the baseball game. After the game, I get a text from BA and he said, hey kid, it's me. Now.

He didn't force it. He's like, I just wanted to do in my own terms. And I was like, oh, man, you talk about day Blunder, I said, be a text on retirement saying did Tom force you to retire? Not quite? Well, Belichick to Brian Flores. But but I mean Drew Stanton thought he was texting Aq Shipley with just a straightforward did Tom oust him? And instead he was sending that to Bruce Arians himself. Yeah? Awkward, old man, that is awkward right there, Paul, No God about him. Man, That

is good stuff from Drew. Drew stand but Paul, it was. It was awesome to catch up with him. He's doing very very well. You know what else is awesome. I'll just stuck this in before we wrap with this edition of The Big Red Rage. You see the headline at NFL Dot com today and I quote strongest position group in the draft question mark, and the answer is edge defender. Edge. That's true, man, if that's true, or you can admit they say there's like fifteen twenty guys that can come

off the edge in this draft. I mean we started with a rhetorical question, we'll end with one. Do the Arizona Cardinals are on wipefully need an edge rusher? You know what, Paul, Yes, this is the great thing about it. But I would say this, man, if there's a wide receiver there, Paul at number twenty three that you really really like, Oh, that's not a bad way to go. Maybe even a corner at twenty three, that's not a bad way to go, Paul. You could get that edge

guy in the second round. If there's that many guys, that many guys that could come off the edge and advanced Joe of defense. Oh yeah, man, I'm dealing with that, Paul. I'll go wide receiver first, and that edge you know my guy you want to hear my guy mayage rusher you're gonna get in round two? Yeah, Nick Benito, Oklahoma, you know I heard about this guy. Man, he's been mocked out to the Cardinals a couple of times. Right now, What do you know about him, Paul Well, His Pro

Football Focus grates are off the chart. His pass rush win rate was number one in two twenty one of any pass rusher, and it's the highest marksin's two nineteen, and if you go back to two thou sixteen, he's top five. The other guys are Miles Garrett and the Bosa brothers. It's ridiculous his production and just how he grates out. We could call him Nick Finito. Oh I love that. Okay, here we go. Special thanks for Shan Johnson. At least one of us does for Sean Johnson. Thank you,

Jim Almahandro, Lauren Coble, Ron Wolfield, Paul calBC. This has been a Big Red Rage number. You've been listening to The Big Red Rage presented by Santanford in Gilda 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