Category: Arizona Cardinals offseason

Cardinals have multiple lower-cost options available on roster for RT job in 2020

Five players currently on the roster could be in the mix. Some will be free agents but could be re-signed and it won’t cost much.

Believe it or not, the Arizona Cardinals were pleased with the play of their offensive line in 2019. Yes, they allowed 50 sacks but multiple metrics show they were a solid unit. One is the fact they were a top-10 rushing offense and No. 2 in the league in yards per attempt. They also rank highly as a unit in a key pass-blocking metric.

It is known the team would like to re-sign left tackle D.J. Humphries and center A.Q. Shipley. Their starting guards of Justin Pugh and J.R. Sweezy are under contract for 2020.

The one position they viably could address is right tackle. It was the one position there were questions about. They could address the position in free agency but they don’t necessarily have to go out and be big spenders. They have multiple players they could bring back for the job in 2020.

None will cost much.

Marcus Gilbert

Cardinals Training Camp

Gilbert is the most talented of the group by far. However, he never played a down, tearing his ACL in practice before the first game. He will be an unrestricted free agent. The Cardinals could re-sign him and because of his age and injury history, he won’t command much money. However, it would be foolish for the Cardinals to just count on him to be the starter.

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Report: Cardinals to interview former Browns DL coach Tosh Lupoi

Lupoi is the former defensive coordinator at Alabama and has one year of NFL coaching experience.

The Arizona Cardinals have not announced any changes to the coaching staff but five coaches from the 2019 staff are not included on the coaching roster on the official team site. One reported firing was defensive line coach Chris Achuff.

The Cardinals have begun to looking at candidates to replace Achuff, according to SiriusXM’s Alex Marvez.

The Cardinals will interview former Cleveland Browns defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi. Lupoi has been in the NFL coaching ranks one year.

Previously, he was defensive coordinator and coached linebackers for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He also spent time in college with California and Washington as a defensive line coach.

He does not appear to have any previous connection with Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury or defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

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. 255

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Ep. 254

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PODCAST: Playoffs, Metcalf vs. Isabella, Wade Phillips, coaching changes and O-line analytics

Listen to the lastest edition of the podcast.

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The latest edition of the podcast has dropped and it is a little less Cardinals-centric than usual. In this edition of the show, Revenge of the Birds’ Seth Cox and I talk about the results of wild-card weekend, debate whether the Cardinals made the wrong pick passing on D.K. Metcalf for Andy Isabella, discuss the possibility of Wade Phillips joining the Cardinals’ defensive staff, react to the coaching changes around the NFL and decide whether the offensive line was good with the revelation of some analytics.

Enjoy the show, subscribe to it on your favorite podcast platform and give it a five-star rating.

Here are the topics and approximate timestamps.

(2:13) Playoff reactions

(27:55) Did the Cardinals mess up in drafting Andy Isabella instead of D.K. Metcalf?

(39:30) Could Wade Phillips possibly join the Cardinals’ staff?

(50:00) Reactions to NFL coaching hires

(1:06:13) Is the Cardinals O-line good or bad?

Ep. 255

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Ep. 254

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5 Cardinals coaches no longer listed on official team site

Chris Achuff and others have either been fired or did not have their contracts renewed.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury would not comment on any changes to the coaching staff when he addressed the media the day after the season ended for the team. A report came out stating two coaches had been let go with other changes coming.

The team has not made any official announcements about Kingsbury’s staff but it appears that they have moved on from five assistants from 2019.

Either they were let go, their contracts were not renewed or the coaches themselves decided to get out of their deals.

Five of Kingsbury’s staff are no longer listed on the official team site as part of the coaching roster.

Who are they?

  • Defensive line coach Chris Achuff
  • Defensive assistant Chris Wilson
  • Assistant wide receivers coach Peter Badovinac
  • Assistant special teams coach Randall McCray
  • Assistant strength and conditioning coach Vernon Stephens

Achuff and McCray were the two reported firings.

Achuff, McCray and Stephens were holdovers from the 2018 coaching staff under Steve Wilks. Badovinac and Wilson were brought in this year.

As the offseason progresses, it will be interesting to see how the staff is filled out and how many will have been connected previously to Kingsbury at some point.

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. 254

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Cardinals given average grade for 2019 performance

They receive a perfectly acceptable C for 2019.

The Arizona Cardinals improved in many ways in 2019. After a disastrous 2018 when they went 3-13 and were historically bad offensively and plain bad defensively, they improved to be a solid offense and won five games. The defense has a lot of work to do, but there is optimism for their play down the stretch.

So how should the Cardinals be graded?

Touchdown Wire’s Barry Werner graded every NFL team’s season and the Cardinals were a solid but unspectacular C.

The Cardinals wound up 5-10-1 after having the first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Kyler Murray appears to have star potential. Chandler Jones is a sack guru. Kenyan Drake was a smart pickup. Before anyone gets too excited, this is a team coached by Kliff Kingsbury, who hasn’t had a plus-.500 season in a while. Grade: C

The offense improved. The running game was surprisingly good. Kyler Murray met all expectations. Kingsbury looks like a smart coach.

However, the defense was bad. They had several games they should have won that they lost late in the game.

After an undeniable failure of a year in 2018, this is probably as good a grade as one could expect for the Cardinals. It wasn’t good, but neither was it bad.

They were a little better than their record and the grade reflects that.

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. 254

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D.K. Metcalf’s big season and playoff game overshadow Cardinals’ selection of Andy Isabella

Will the Cardinals ultimately lament passing on Metcalf?

The Arizona Cardinals selected receiver Andy Isabella in the second round of the 2019 draft. He was selected with the pick the Cardinals received from the Miami Dolphins for quarterback Josh Rosen.

He was highly touted by the team because of his production in college, his speed and his work ethic.

However, his rookie campaign was a dud, as he had only nine catches all season and didn’t see much playing time.

Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks selected receiver D.K. Metcalf two picks later. He had a big rookie season with 58 catches for 900 yards and seven scores. His seven catches for 160 yards and touchdown in the Seahawks’ playoff win over the weekend were huge.

The Cardinals needed receivers last year when they selected Isabella and then Hakeem Butler and KeeSean Johnson. It appears they missed big time with Metcalf and it haunts many fans and has drawn criticism by analysts.

It is obvious that after one year it looks like the Cardinals made a mistake.

However, it is important to note some things.

The Cardinals viewed Isabella as a potential big-time slot receiver. He didn’t play much in the slot in college. He got hurt in the preseason and the Cardinals already had Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk to play in the slot. He was moved around between the slot and outside, which slowed his development.

Metcalf plays outside. The Cardinals needed an outside receiver as well but chose Isabella.

After one season, it looks like a disaster. It is something to watch over the next couple of years. If Isabella develops as the team expects, all will be well, but if Metcalf continues to improve and becomes a stud receiver, unfortunately, the only way the Cardinals don’t look bad is if Isabella himself becomes a star.

Isabella needs to make huge strides in the seasons to come. If he doesn’t, the Cardinals will lament passing on Metcalf, a player who had familial ties to the franchise, and having to see him dominate with a division rival.

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. 254

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A.Q. Shipley, Cardinals O-line among league’s best in pass-blocking metric

Bet you are like many others and believed the Cardinals’ O-line was terrible. They weren’t.

Depending on the source, the Arizona Cardinals’ offensive line is either terrible or solid. They did give up 50 sacks but the running game was one of the best in the league.

However, despite the notably bad sack numbers, the Cardinals and one of their linemen come up big in an important pass-blocking metric.

ESPN created a stat about pass blocking called “pass block win rate,” or how often a line or a player sustains blocks for at least 2.5 seconds.

According to ESPN, the Cardinals’ line as a unit was No. 10 in the league, sustaining blocks for at least 2.5 seconds 62% of the time. The Green Bay Packers were No. 1 at 72%.

Individually, center A.Q. Shipley had a great year in pass blocking. He ranked fifth among centers in the league with a pass block win rate of 96%.

With a mobile quarterback in Kyler Murray, many of those 50 sacks came from him holding onto the ball too long. His mobility also avoided many sacks, but this stat does make something clear.

The offensive line was not nearly as bad as many believe it was and it is for this reason the team is actively trying to bring back Shipley and left tackle D.J. Humphries. This year’s successes are something to build upon.

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. 254

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Rams decide to move on from DC Wade Phillips

It seems very unlikely, but he could fit on the Cardinals’ defensive staff as DL coach.

The Los Angeles Rams did not make the playoffs for the first time in three years and it appears their defensive coordinator is the fall guy. Rams DC Wade Phillips announced via social media his contract is not being renewed, making him a free agent this offseason.

He was defensive coordinator for Los Angeles for three seasons.

The Rams’ defense actually improved in terms of league ranking last year. In three years, Los Angeles finished 19th, 19th and 13th in total defense and 12th, 20th and 17th in points. They were a top-10 team in takeaways each season.

Phillips has been coaching in the NFL since 1976, and has been either a defensive coordinator or head coach since 1981.

In his post on social media, he noted his desire to continue coaching.

This won’t necessarily affect the Cardinals, as he will likely seek a coordinator position elsewhere. However, it is important to note that Cardinals DC Vance Joseph runs a Wade Phillips defense and believes in his system. The Cardinals reportedly have moved on from defensive line coach Chris Achuff, so there is potentially a position coach vacancy.

If Phillips does not find a coordinator position, he could be a fit on Joseph’s defensive staff. Phillips was a defensive line coach for four seasons before getting a DC job.

Should the Cardinals pursue him as a position coach?

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. 254

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4 positions for the Cardinals that don’t need much attention in 2020

The Cardinals need to upgrade at several positions. These four are probably good the way they are.

The Arizona Cardinals have several positions they must attend to in the offseason. They need upgrades.

However, there are some positions that don’t need much attention. With the player they already have, they probably are good the way they are.

What positions are they?

Quarterback

 Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Obviously, Kyler Murray is the guy. They will need a backup in 2020 but Brett Hundley worked out just fine. They don’t need to address the position significantly.

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Cardinals, A.Q. Shipley in contract talks; vet thinks he has multiple years left

He wants to finish career with the Cardinals.

The Arizona Cardinals have more than one decision to make on the offensive line. The biggest is dealing with left tackle D.J. Humphries, who is scheduled to become a free agent.

However, Humphries isn’t the only lineman who will be a free agent. The other is starting center A.Q. Shipley.

Shipley started every game and played over 99 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in 2019. He was very good as a leader and as a pass blocker. According to ESPN’s stats for pass-blocking win rate, he was the fifth-best center in the league, winning 96% of his pass-blocking matchups.

He has been in the league 10 years and will turn 33 this year but he doesn’t think he is done.

“I still think I’ve got a few more years (left),” he told reporters the final week of the season, according to Kyler Odegard of the official team site. Missing 2018 with an ACL tear helped his body, he said.

He would like to finish his career in Arizona. Of course, the team has two young centers already under contract. Mason Cole is a player Kliff Kingsbury trusts and who started all 16 games as a rookie in 2018, and they drafted Lamont Gaillard in 2019 as well.

But the team apparently would like to have him back.

Shipley and the team have begun contract talks, according to The Athletic’s Scott Bordow.

If his contract is extended, it would give the Cardinals their offensive interior at least one more year together to protect Kyler Murray and drive the running game.

How much will it take to agree to a deal? A two-year extension worth $4 million, with $1 million up front should do the trick nicely.

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. 254

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