Category: Arizona Cardinals offseason

Jordan Phillips’ 2019 performance was historic — here’s why

His 9.5 sacks were the most by any 340-pound player in NFL history.

The Arizona Cardinals’ biggest free agent signing this offseason has been defensive lineman Jordan Phillips. He joined the Cardinals on a three-year, $30 million contract. It was coming off his best season in the NFL in 2019.

Last season with the Buffalo Bills, he had 9.5 sacks, 31 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits.

That pass-rushing production was historic.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 341 pounds, he had more sacks than any other player weighing at least 340 pounds in NFL history has had.

Since sacks have been a stat, a player weighing at least 340 pounds has had at least eight sacks in a season only five times.

Former No. 1 overall pick Dan Wilkinson had eight sacks in both 1995 for the Cincinnati Bengals and 1999 for the Washington Redskins.

Grady Jackson had eight for the Oakland Raiders in 2000. Akiem Hicks, at 352 pounds, had 8.5 in 2017 for the Chicago Bears.

Phillips’ 9.5 in 2019 was the first time anyone of his size had had even nine sacks in a season.

If we take the weight down to 330 pounds, it still is historic. Only Marcel Dareus, at 331 pounds, had more with 10 sacks — also for the Bills — in 2014.

Phillips is tied for the second-highest single-season sack total for players at least 330 pounds with Chester McGlockton, who also had 9.5 sacks in 1994.

In all, even for players weighing at least 330 pounds, there have only been eight instances of at least eight sacks in a season.

Phillips wants everyone to believe that his 2019 production was not a fluke and that he is “the real deal.”

He now gets to play alongside Chandler Jones, the most prolific sack artist since he entered the league in 2012.

Considering the historic nature of his production last season, it would probably be unfair to expect him to match his sack numbers.

Even six sacks would be a lot, as there have only been 27 instances and 16 players in the NFL of a player weighing at least 330 pounds to have at least six sacks in a season.

That would prove Phillips is more than just a one-season wonder.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 262

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Ep. 261

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Contract details for Cardinals DL Jonathan Bullard

He will make more than $1 million this season but counts less than $900K against the salary cap.

Defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard is one of the 12 players the Arizona Cardinals tagged or re-signed this offseason. We now have the details of his one-year contract.

The Cardinals structured the deal to use the veteran salary benefit, which makes his contract count less against the salary cap than it is worth.

According to Over the Cap and the NFLPA site, he will make $910,000 in salary. He gets a signing bonus of $137,500, for a total value of nearly $1.05 million.

Because of the veteran salary benefit, his contract will count only $887,500 against the cap, saving the team $160,000 in cap space.

It is the same salary and bonus as backup quarterback Brett Hundley, with one exception. Hundley has $750,000 of his salary guaranteed.

Bullard was acquired last season after the preseason on a waiver claim. He appeared in nine games last season, starting six. He had a career-high 1.5 sacks to go with 22 total tackles, four tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 262

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Ep. 261

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5 things to know about new Cardinals DL Jordan Phillips

He has an MVP daughter and he will probably beat you at bowling.

New Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Jordan Phillips was introduced to the Arizona media via video conference on Monday. There were a few things we learned in that call.

Some are football-related. Some are not.

He’s out to prove he’s the ‘real deal’

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Already detailed in a story, Phillips is out to prove in Arizona that his big numbers in 2019 are something he can continue. He had 9.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits at 13 tackles for loss last season. Some believe it was a fluke or it was him playing for a contract.

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New Cardinals DL Jordan Phillips out to prove he is ‘real deal’ in Arizona

“I was made for this,” he said. “I was built for this. Just to let everybody in Arizona know that they got the real deal.”

The Arizona Cardinals’ biggest move in free agency was to sign defensive lineman Jordan Phillips. They inked him to a three-year, $30 million contract, paying him more than any defensive lineman on the team since Calais Campbell.

It comes after Phillips had a career year with the Buffalo Bills in 2019. He had 9.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits and 13 tackles for loss. In his previous four years, he had a combined 5.5 sacks, 17 quarterbacks hits and 14 tackles for loss.

What changed? Many will say he was playing for a contract or that it was simply a fluke. He disagrees.

“Nothing really changed for me,” he told media members in a video press conference.  “I just had more of an opportunity. It was the first time in my career being on the third-down group. I had a lot of opportunities to get more sacks and be more productive. Buffalo did a real good job of utilizing my talents and they reaped the benefits of it last year.”

He is looking to prove last season was more than a fluke.

One of the reasons why he signed with the Cardinals was the chance to play next to Cardinals All-Pro linebacker Chandler Jones, who has more sacks than anyone in the league since he entered the league in 2012, including 19 last season.

“I wanted an elite pass rusher next to me so we could try and cause some havoc,” he said.

Jones should give Phillips more chances to get to opposing quarterbacks and, in turn, help Jones as well.

“Selfishly, it’s going to take double teams away from me and help me get free,” Phillips said about playing next to Jones. “Also, when you have somebody like that who has averaged more than 15 sacks the last few years, you don’t seem like a concern. So all the focus is on him and I get to do my thing, but also I get to open lanes for him so he can go do his thing.

“Hopefully we can be a dynamic tandem.”

The defense the Cardinals play with an attacking defensive front suits his skills, he explained, although it is the first time he is in a 3-4 defense.

“You’re doing the same things,” he said. “You’re getting after the guy in front of him and rushing the passer, and that’s what I do well.”

What goals does he have?

“Mainly just to show everybody it wasn’t a one-year thing,” he said. “I was made for this. I was built for this. Just to let everybody in Arizona know that they got the real deal and the defense is going to get back to where it needs to be.”

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 262

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Ep. 261

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Larry Fitzgerald, Chandler Jones, Patrick Peterson make NFL All-Decade team

Larry Fitzgerald, Chandler Jones and Patrick Peterson all made the cut as some of the best from the last decade.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the NFL’s All-Decade team for the years 2010-2019. Three Arizona Cardinals players made the list. All should be no surprise.

They include receiver Larry Fitzgerald, cornerback Patrick Peterson and linebacker Chandler Jones.

It also includes three former Cardinals — Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell, Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu and Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson

Larry Fitzgerald

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Fitzgerald’s greatness is undeniable. He has the second-most receptions and receiving yards in NFL history. He has been an NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year. He won the first-ever “Anything But Ordinary” award.

He had seven Pro Bowl selections in the last decade, more than any other receiver. He had three 100-reception seasons last decade, all in consecutive seasons, and led the NFL in receptions in 2016.

From 2010-2019, Fitzgerald had 855 receptions for 10,016 receiving yards and 61 touchdowns.

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Check out the contract details for Cardinals S Chris Banjo

His contract qualifies for the veteran salary benefit against the salary cap.

The Arizona Cardinals re-signed 12 players from the 2019 season. One was safety Chris Banjo, who was signed early in the season and became a core special teams player.

The details for his contract are in. His base salary is $1.05 million. According to Over the Cap, he received a signing bonus of $137,500 and has $162,500 of his salary fully guaranteed. In all, he is guaranteed $300,000 this season, even if he does not make the team.

However, his cap hit will be lower than the nearly $1.19 million he will make this season. Because of how the contract is structured, his contract qualifies for the veteran salary benefit against the cap. The Cardinals get $300,000 in cap relief. Banjo’s contract will count only $887,500 against the salary cap in 2020.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 262

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Ep. 261

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Bill O’Brien says DeAndre Hopkins trade ‘in best interest’ of Texans as team

“Any decision that’s made is made with the team in mind. Capital T, Capital E, Capital A, Capital M in mind,” he said.

The Arizona Cardinals acquired receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans in a trade that has caused Texans coach and general manager Bill O’Brien to be mocked nationally. The Cardinals gave up running back David Johnson and his albatross of a contract and a second-round pick for an All-Pro receiver.

It has been called a steal of a trade for the Cardinals.

O’Brien defended the deal on a conference call with media members.

“It was in the best interest of our team,” O’Brien said, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “DeAndre Hopkins was a great football player. We loved DeAndre Hopkins. He had three years left on his deal, and he wanted a raise.”

The report that Hopkins was seeking a big raise to be compensated like the top receivers in the game was true. Houston did not want that headache so they dealt him.

O’Brien also spoke highly of Johnson, whom he called “hungry” and “humble”

He insisted that the trade was best for the Texans as an organization.

“Any decision that’s made is made with the team in mind. Capital T, Capital E, Capital A, Capital M in mind,” he said.

The deal has been announced by both the Cardinals and the Texans. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, because physicals have not been given yet, the deals have not yet been processed. However, it would appear that the Texans have no remorse about dealing away arguably their best player for relatively little.

Was it in the best interest of the team? If the Texans replace him with a productive receiver in the draft, maybe so. However, losing the top weapon for quarterback Deshaun Watson, it won’t look like it. Of course, perhaps the Texans know they won’t be able to pay Hopkins more and give Watson the contract he will command soon.

O’Brien can emphasize team all he wants. It is hard to believe that the Texans are better off without one of the best offensive players in the entire league.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 262

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Ep. 261

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Cardinals’ Kyler Murray considered one of best values in league at QB

He comes in No. 6 in the league.

It is well known that the key to having a successful team in the NFL is to have a great quarterback. It is even better when that quarterback is on a rookie contract. There is great value in that because he is cost controlled for four seasons and money can be used to put talent around him.

That is where the Arizona Cardinals are with Kyler Murray. Murray had great production as a rookie and also projects to be a great quarterback.

That is how he landed in the top 10 of Greg Rosenthal’s QB value rankings for NFL.com.

Murray comes in at No. 6.

If there’s nothing more valuable to a team than a star quarterback on a rookie deal, then the Cardinals have it made. Murray checked every box in his first season to foster belief that he’ll join the ranks of the players above. He’ll enter his second season with a cap figure less than Marcus Mariota and virtually the same as Ryan Fitzpatrick. General manager Steve Keim knows he shouldn’t wait to maximize the first window of the Murray era and he showed it with the acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins. Combinations like Murray and coach Kliff Kingsbury are where the NFL is headed.

With what Murray did as a rookie, there are few quarterbacks I would prefer to have right now. Obviously, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson have already proven themselves.

It seems unfair to expect Murray to have a meteoric leap in 2020 like Patrick Mahomes and Jackson had in their second season, but that is the hope.

The Cardinals know they have a three-year window to try and maximize talent around Murray before they have to pay him like a top quarterback.

If Murray improves in Year 2, the Cardinals might be in a situation where they would prefer to have Murray than any other in the league.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 262

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Ep. 261

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Michael Bidwill pleased with Cardinals’ offseason thus far

“There are a few more steps, but I like on paper how it’s come together,” he said last week.

The Arizona Cardinals were fairly aggressive to begin the offseason. They pulled off a trade for receiver DeAndre Hopkins, largely considering around the league as quite lopsided. They added defensive starters and re-signed a bunch of players who were with the team in 2019.

It has left a good impression on Michael Bidwill the team’s chairman and president.

“I feel very good,” he said in a video press conference recently. “There’s obviously a lot more work to be done. The draft will be an important part of our addition player talent.”

The Cardinals have six picks in the draft and then will add undrafted rookies to the roster. He also anticipates other free agent additions of veteran players.

“It always seems like after the draft there are late signings as we get closer to camp,” he said.

General manager Steve Keim has often added starters to the roster near to or after the start of training camp.

“There are a few more steps, but I like on paper how it’s come together,” he added. “Not just the players with how they perform on the field but also the things we have heard about them with what kind of teammates they are, what kind of leaders they are in the locker room and their commitment to the game.”

All of this was done while having limited access to team headquarters with the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m really proud of the work that has been done under some difficult situations by our personnel folks.”

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 262

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Ep. 261

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LB Jordan Hicks excited about Cardinals’ additions, says team ‘eerily similar’ to Eagles before championship

The Eagles had a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback one year before winning the Super Bowl.

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Jordan Hicks played for the Philadelphia Eagles when they won the Super Bowl after the 2017 season. He sees some parallels between that Eagles team and the Cardinals.

Philly won seven games the season before and then went 13-3 en route to a championship.

“It’s eerily similar of a situation that we’re going into,” Hicks said in a video conference call with the media on Thursday. “The year before I won the Super Bowl in Philadelphia, we had a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback. We had our highs and our lows. As a defense, we didn’t know what our identity was. Very similar, but we got better as the season went along, very similar to what you saw with us this last season.”

For the Eagles, it was coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Carson Wentz. For the Cardinals, Kliff Kingsbury was in his first season as an NFL head coach and Kyler Murray was the first overall pick like Wentz was in 2016.

The Eagles figured things out defensively. The Cardinals improved over the final month of the season defensively.

They rode the momentum of winning close games and then their confidence grew.

Hicks isn’t anywhere close to predicting a Super Bowl win for the Cardinals. He just sees the similarities.

“It doesn’t just happen,” he said. “You have to will it into existence.”

The Cardinals are doing their part in making improvements, trading for DeAndre Hopkins, re-signing Kenyan Drake, Larry Fitzgerald and D.J. Humphries, as well as adding defensive starters Jordan Phillips, Devon Kennard and De’Vondre Campbell.

The additions of Kennard, Campbell and Phillips “improved tremendously” the team’s defensive front seven.

“It’s exciting,” he said. “It’s wild because it gives you that itch to come back and get to work. When you see moves like that, you realize the potential that you have. You realize the excitement. I said it last year, the reason I came here was because you could tell the direction the team was going.”

The team can’t work out together yet but Hicks is rearing to go.

“When you put pieces together that are exciting like that, it’s fun,” he said.

He understands the work and the discipline that its required. He has been part of it.

“There’s a jump and a lot of work that needs to be done between now and Game 1,” he said. “We’re going to be a different team.

“Making additions in the offseason, making big-time moves, showing that we’re trying win now means a lot.”

Hopefully, those moves are the catalysts to better effort, better production and many more wins in 2020.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 262

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Ep. 261

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