Category: Arizona Cardinals offseason

What happens at RB if the Cardinals can’t re-sign Kenyan Drake?

Some speculation about what could happen if the expected events of the offseason don’t happen.

It feels like a forgone conclusion that two things will happen this offseason for the Arizona Cardinals at running back. One is that they will re-sign Kenyan Drake to a multi-year contract. The other is that they will trade David Johnson.

It makes sense, as Johnson played little down the stretch, including getting no snaps in the season finale, while Drake played very well and earned the praise of coach Kliff Kingsbury and teammates. General manager Steve Keim has said publicly he wants Drake back.

However, Drake could be seeking more than the Cardinals wish to pay and could test the free agent market in March.

Should that happen, things would change.

Another free agent?

If Drake were to leave elsewhere, the market at running back isn’t great. There are some big names like Derrick Henry and Melvin Ingram. They will come at a premium price. The other options would either be older than ideal, come from other offenses or are unproven or simply not that great.

If they were to sign someone they view as a starter, Johnson would likely still be traded.

Keep Johnson?

Should Drake go elsewhere, what is most likely to happen is the Cardinals keep Johnson. As it is, they very possibly will have to eat some of his salary to move his contract.

It is true that Kliff Kingsbury appeared to lose trust in Johnson and Johnson appears to be unhappy, but he was fairly productive in the first six weeks of the season. At that point, he was 10th in the league in yards from scrimmage.

However, if they were to retain Johnson, priorities would change for the draft. They would almost have to draft a running back on Day 1 or Day 2.

The relationship looks broken. Johnson probably needs a fresh start. While no one in the organization has said anything critical of him, he is unhappy and he clearly lost the trust of the coaches to get on the field.

However, if he somehow remained on the roster and showed he can be a dynamic player again, it wouldn’t take much to forget the problems of 2019.

That said, clearly the best scenario for the Cardinals at running back is to bring back Drake and move on from Johnson.

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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. 256

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Ep. 255

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Breakdown of how Cardinals’ opponents attacked them in the running game

The Cardinals faced more up-the-middle runs than any team in the NFL in 2019.

The Arizona Cardinals were not a good defensive team in 2019. However, they did improve in one area over their 2018 season. They were better at defending the run. After being the worst team in the NFL in 2018 at defending the run, they were 24th, giving up 120.1 yards per game and 4.4 yards per attempt, which was 20th.

In 2018, they gave up 154.9 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry.

It was an improvement.

How did their opponents attack them in the running game? They went right after them.

The Cardinals faced 425 rushing attempts in 2019. 202 of them were runs up the middle — 47.5% of the rushing attempts their opponents had. No other team in the NFL defended more runs up the middle.

The Cardinals allowed 4.1 yards per rush up the middle, which was 18th in the league.

Every other direction of opponent rushes were fairly even, between 31 and 43 attempts.

Opponents ran 39 times (27th-most attempts) over left end, averaging 7.0 yards per rush. That was 30th in the league.

Over left tackle, opponents ran the ball 35 times (No. 29 in the league), gaining an average of 4.63 yards per rush. That was 19th in the league.

Over left guard, opponents ran the ball 37 times (23rd) for an average of 4.51 yards. The Cardinals ranked 23rd in yards per attempt allowed over left guard.

The Cardinals faced 31 runs over right end, the third-fewest number in the league, allowing 4.97 yards per rush, which was 15th in the league.

They faced the 17th-most rushes over right tackle with 43 and were sixth in yards allowed per attempt in that direction, giving up only 3.47 yards.

Over right guard, they faced the 23rd-most rushes with 38 and ranked dead last in rushing average allowed in that direction, giving up 5.08 yards per rush.

The Cardinals hope to shore up their defense overall in 2020. They improved their run defense by more than 30 yards per game. If they improve by that much again, they would have a top-five run defense.

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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. 256

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Ep. 255

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Cardinals offseason positional outlook: QB

What are the burning questions surrounding the quarterback position this offseason?

The Arizona Cardinals are working on their offseason plans for 2020, hoping to take a big step after a 5-10-1 2019 season. Over the next few days, we will look at each position group and where the Cardinals stand, looking ahead to what could happen in the offseason.

We begin with the quarterback position.

Looking back at 2019

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

2019 was all about Kyler Murray. Selected first overall in the 2019 draft, he entered the season as the starter and played almost every snap, coming out of only two games.

He set all sorts of team rookie records — passing yards, passing attempts, touchdown passes, wins and more. He set league rookie records. He set a franchise record for rushing yards by a quarterback. He became only the second rookie to pass for at least 3,500 yards and rush for at least 500 more. He had the eighth-highest single-season total in passing yards in team history. He had one of the lowest interception percentages in team history.

Entering the year with high expectations, he more than met every single one.

Backup Brett Hundley played very well in the preseason and made plays in the second half of the Cardinals’ win over the Seattle Seahawks when Murray left with a hamstring injury.

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2019 redraft still has Kyler Murray going to Cardinals

See who they get instead of Byron Murphy.

Almost a year after the 2019 NFL draft we can look back and consider whether the selections made were a good initial fit. ESPN put together a redraft of the first two rounds of the 2019 draft. For the Arizona Cardinals, one pick stayed the same.

With the first pick in the draft, it is still quarterback, which makes sense. The Cardinals are incredibly excited about the future with their franchise quarterback. They wouldn’t have changed a thing.

With their second-round pick, things change. Instead of taking cornerback Byron Muphy, they land receiver N’Keal Harry.

Harry was selected one pick before by the New England Patriots in the actual draft and Cardinals fans were disappointed.

However, even with Harry on the board, based on what we know about the Cardinals’ draft board, they would have still taken Murphy. They had him as their No. 5 player in the draft.

Would they make the same decision today? Harry ended up missing most of the season with an injury and showed flashes.

In this redraft, Murphy doesn’t get taken until the 61st pick by the Kanas City Chiefs.

The Cardinals also took receiver Andy Isabella in the actual draft with the 62nd pick, the pick they received from the Miami Dolphins for Josh Rosen.

In the redraft, the New Orleans make the pick instead and take Rashan Gary. Isabella would not have gone in the first round.

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Ep. 256

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Ep. 255

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Larry Fitzgerald has ownership stake in NBA’s Suns

He will serve in an advisory capacity for the moment.

Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald is an franchise icon. He now is getting involved with another team in town. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski, Fitzgerald has an ownership stake in the Phoenix Suns.

He becomes the second NFL active player to have an ownership stake in an NBA team. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks.

Fitzgerald is close with Suns owner Robert Sarver.

“It’s an investment in something I have supported since I’ve been in Arizona,” he told NFL.com by phone, according to Jim Trotter. “It gives me another connection in the community I love and always will live in. It’s a long-term commitment I wanted to make for life after football.”

Sarver apparently first offered Fitzgerald the opportunity two years ago when he first began to contemplate retirement.

Fitzgerald’s role for now will be in an advisory capacity. Once he retires from the NFL, it could develop into something more.

Ep. 256

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Ep. 255

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Jim Dray’s reported addition to coaching staff means shifting on offensive staff

As Dray is expected to be offensive quality control coach, Spencer Whipple likely replaces Petr Badovinac as assistant receivers coach.

Nothing has been made official with the coaching staff for the Arizona Cardinals, but five members of the staff have either been let go or moved on following the 2019 season. Through a pair of reports, we know the Cardinals are adding Derius Swinton to the staff as assistant special teams coach and former Cardinals tight end Jim Dray to the staff.

Initially, it was not known what role Dray would have.

According to Adam Caplan, Dray will have a similar role to what he had with the Cleveland Browns in 2019. He was Cleveland’s offensive quality control coach.

If he is to be the Cardinals’ new offensive quality control coach, it means there will be some shifting on the staff. Spencer Whipple, who is still on the coaching staff, according to the team site, has been the offensive quality control coach.

If Dray will take on that role, it is quite possible that Whipple becomes the assistant wide receivers coach. Peter Badovinac, the team’s assistant receivers coach in 2019, was among the five who no longer are on the staff. Whipple was a receivers coach for three seasons at the University of Massachusetts.

That would fill the offensive staff. With Dray and Swinton coming on board, there remain a pair of vacancies on defense and one in strength and conditioning.

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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. 256

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Ep. 255

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Report: Cardinals add Jim Dray to coaching staff

The former Cardinals tight end spent 2018 with the Cleveland Browns under Freddie Kitchens.

The Arizona Cardinals have not announced any firings or additions to their coaching staff but one name is being reported as joining Kliff Kingsbury’s staff for 2020. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, Jim Dray has been hired by the Cardinals.

Dray, a former tight end who was drafted by the Cardinals and played four years for them, was offensive quality control coach for the Cleveland Browns under head coach Freddie Kitchens, who was let go after one season. It was Dray’s first season as a coach.

Dray was not retained but apparently returns to Arizona.

Five coaches on Kingsbury’s were not brought back for 2020. Dray could be replacing Randall McCray as assistant special teams coach. Dray was a solid special teams player for the Cardinals in his career. The Cardinals also have a vacancy as assistant wide receivers coach, assistant strength and conditioning coach and two defensive slots.

Dray played in the NFL from 2010-2017. He was a seventh-round pick of the Cardinals in 2010. He played four years for Arizona, two for the Browns and then split time between the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers in 2016, appearing in only six games.

He returned to the Cardinals for one game in 2017.

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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. 255

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Ep. 254

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2 Cardinals make ESPN’s top-50 free agent list

Kenyan Drake and D.J. Humphries will be coveted free agents if the Cardinals don’t re-sign them.

The NFL is still more than a month away from the beginning of free agency. The Arizona Cardinals are expected to be big players as they have more salary cap space than in recent years.

Of course, they have some players of their own they would like to bring back and re-sign before free agency begins.

Two show up on ESPN’s list of the top 50 free agents for this year.

Coming in at No. 44 is tackle D.J. Humphries.

Humphries is one of the most intriguing candidates for the open market. His age and position will attract plenty of NFL teams. But Humphries, a 2015 first-round draft pick, struggled to stay on the field until his contract year. Is he past those issues?

Humphries played well last season, allowing only two sacks all year. Re-signing him is important for the Cardinals as well because he would be the first of general manager Steve Keim’s first-round picks to make it to a second contract.

Cracking the top 20 on the list is running back Kenyan Drake, who comes in at No. 19.

Drake was wildly productive after arriving from the Dolphins via trade. In eight games, he rushed for eight touchdowns and combined for 814 yards rushing and receiving. Drake’s age and receiving ability make him a rare valuable commodity at his position in free agency.

How much he will cost to re-sign is a big question for the offseason. Already burdened by David Johnson’s deal, do they want to invest more at a position many feel is interchangeable?

If the Cardinals don’t re-sign him, he will certainly get paid elsewhere.

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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. 255

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Ep. 254

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Why the Cardinals can’t exactly follow 49ers’ model for running game success

The 49ers offensive line is one of the highest-rated run-blocking lines in the league.

The San Francisco 49ers made it to the Super Bowl with a 37-20 win over the Green Bay Packers. They did it without almost nothing from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who only attempted eight passes.

They ran the ball 42 times, led by Raheem Mostert’s 220 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries.

Mostert, a former undrafted free agent, began the year as the team’s third-string running back.

With the 49ers’ success, there has been talk about how the Arizona Cardinals should follow the 49ers in how they have approached the running game. Essentially, there is no need to invest much at running back. That would lead to unloading David Johnson and letting Kenyan Drake leave in free agency if the price gets too high.

That sounds good, but the logic is slightly flawed.

First, the 49ers did invest in the position. They gave Jerick McKinnon a four-year, $30 million deal and he has not played a down for them in two years. They signed Tevin Coleman for two years and $8.5 million.

Here’s the thing. The 49ers’ success in the running game can be attributed to, in part, the play of their offensive line. They have a very good run-blocking line. According to Football Outsiders, they have the No. 8-rated run-blocking line. The success starts there. They rank No. 5 in RB yards.

The Cardinals, who had the No. 9 rushing attack in the league and were No. 2 in rushing average, were rated 21st in run blocking as an offensive line. They rank eighth in RB yards.

The great discrepancy suggests the Cardinals need greater talent at running back for success in the running game.

A team with a great run-blocking line can plug in more or less any back and have success. Others need more talent at running back.

As things stand now, it appears the Cardinals will probably stay mostly the same on the offensive line, perhaps getting a new right tackle. If their run-blocking rating is roughly what it was in 2019, if they are going to be a great rushing offense, they need more than just any running back.

That isn’t to say they should give Drake a David Johnson-like contract, but if the offensive line personnel is going to stay more or less the same, then they need equivalent talent at running back.

San Francisco might go into the Super Bowl with three undrafted running backs. They have done a fantastic job of scouting backs who fit their system and letting them have success.

It would be great to see the Cardinals do that in addition to having a dynamic Kyler Murray. However, to do that, they have to do more than simply stick to undrafted backs and avoiding big contracts at the position.

They have to have the infrastructure in place for those types of players to succeed.

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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. 255

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Ep. 254

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Cardinals hold tryouts for pair of CFL players

They brought in CB Tre Roberson and QB Chris Streveler.

The Arizona Cardinals are working on adding talent to their offseason roster. They are reportedly looking at more than just NFL players. According to Howard Balzer, the Cardinals brought in a pair of Canadian Football League players.

One was cornerback Tre Roberson and the other was quarterback Chris Streveler.

In 2019, Streveler completed 66.7% of his passes for 1,564 yards, eight touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also had 733 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. According to Balzer, it was his second workout with the Cardinals.

Roberson is listed at 6-0 and 190 pounds. He had seven interceptions in 2019, one he returned for a touchdown, and 41 tackles for Calgary.

Bruggman is a local kid who is from Phoenix. He played 11 games for Montana State in 2016, had 888 passing yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions. He also was at Texas A&M in 2017 but didn’t play.

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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