1
00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:06,960
Speaker 1: We've got four months until the start of the season,

2
00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:09,240
Speaker 1: so of course we've got to ask what will the

3
00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:12,440
Speaker 1: defense look like? Welcome Bird Gang. On today's show, Paul

4
00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,440
Speaker 1: calvc joins me and joins me for a way too

5
00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,200
Speaker 1: early conversation about the defense. But that's what you talk

6
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,960
Speaker 1: about in early May. It's Cardinals Cover two, episode eight eighty,

7
00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:23,479
Speaker 1: and it starts now.

8
00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:28,440
Speaker 2: Welcome to Cardinals Cover two.

9
00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,600
Speaker 3: Buda Baker, What Heart?

10
00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:31,480
Speaker 1: What rent?

11
00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:33,040
Speaker 4: This guy's unbelievable.

12
00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,559
Speaker 2: Cardinals Cover two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of

13
00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:43,600
Speaker 2: the Arizona Cardinals, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals

14
00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:45,400
Speaker 2: dot Com slash podcast.

15
00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:47,800
Speaker 3: He's at the ten half of five. He's it again

16
00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:52,720
Speaker 3: some more Hurry magic whow Here's Craigcriolo.

17
00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,120
Speaker 1: I'm so glad we were able to pull Paul away

18
00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,200
Speaker 1: from his sink go to Mio celebrations because I believe

19
00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,680
Speaker 1: it's just one after another after another after another.

20
00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,039
Speaker 3: Is that correct? Really? I need to check my schedule.

21
00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,120
Speaker 3: Maybe there were some late invitations that I missed. Not

22
00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,279
Speaker 3: really sure. I'm usually the last one to know anything

23
00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,160
Speaker 3: around here, so that would sort of make sense. Craig

24
00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:22,360
Speaker 3: knock it off. It does remind me of our analogy

25
00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:24,720
Speaker 3: before the draft. Craig, do you remember when we said

26
00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,160
Speaker 3: there are bartenders in the NFL and there are mixologists.

27
00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,760
Speaker 3: I'm talking about general managers. Look, anybody can go through

28
00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,600
Speaker 3: and they can make draft picks. Okay, I mean, I

29
00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:38,119
Speaker 3: don't want to diminish the skill set of a bartender.

30
00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:43,080
Speaker 3: But next level is a mixologist, someone who quote knows

31
00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:47,320
Speaker 3: this significance behind each ingredient in a drink and understands

32
00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,640
Speaker 3: the impact of each mixing technique. So if you're really

33
00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,080
Speaker 3: a master at your job as a general manager, you

34
00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,680
Speaker 3: are a mixologist. It's not just throwing draft picks at

35
00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,800
Speaker 3: a wall and seeing what sticks. No, it's having a plan,

36
00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:04,240
Speaker 3: drafting a position or a player for a particular reason,

37
00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,920
Speaker 3: a personality, and then bringing them together. A mixologist veterans,

38
00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:10,520
Speaker 3: rookies and everything in between.

39
00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:12,720
Speaker 1: So where would you fall on that? Would you be

40
00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:16,560
Speaker 1: bartender or mixologists? Because I know exactly where I fall

41
00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:17,440
Speaker 1: I would be.

42
00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,640
Speaker 3: One notch below all of the above. I would be

43
00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,600
Speaker 3: failed Fantasy football GM. That's what I would be, which

44
00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:23,639
Speaker 3: is the lowest of the lull.

45
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,880
Speaker 1: All right, can we take a guess then that Dave

46
00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:32,760
Speaker 1: Sears assistant general manager would fall under the category of mixologists.

47
00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,160
Speaker 1: He's gonna love this, by the way, But based off

48
00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,560
Speaker 1: what you explained as far as how you gather a

49
00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:43,640
Speaker 1: roster together, Dave Sears part of that front office just

50
00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,000
Speaker 1: below Monty Austin Ford on that pecking charts. My guess is,

51
00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,880
Speaker 1: at some time and then not two distant future, Dave

52
00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,720
Speaker 1: Sears is going to have the assistant removed and will

53
00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:59,120
Speaker 1: be general manager of a franchise in the National Football League.

54
00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,400
Speaker 3: You know, I hadn't really thought that far ahead, but

55
00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,920
Speaker 3: you're absolutely right. If you in three drafts, if you

56
00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,040
Speaker 3: take the Arizona Cardinals from a four win team to

57
00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:15,680
Speaker 3: the playoffs in three drafts, if you go from roster,

58
00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,919
Speaker 3: let's face, it needed reconstruction, not just reload. You need

59
00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:24,880
Speaker 3: to reconstruct and reset from the ground up. How many

60
00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,680
Speaker 3: draft picks are left from the three from the four

61
00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,040
Speaker 3: draft class. I believe it's just three. It's three, right,

62
00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:34,160
Speaker 3: it's Kyler Murray, it's Zaven Collins, and it's Trey McBrien,

63
00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,560
Speaker 3: Trey McBride, thank you. So yeah, two first rounders and

64
00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,440
Speaker 3: a fairly high second rounder. So right there, Guess what

65
00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,760
Speaker 3: that'll garner a lot of attention, a lot of respect,

66
00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,760
Speaker 3: deservedly so around the rest of the league based on

67
00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,400
Speaker 3: what happens the end of this season. And I'm with you.

68
00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:53,600
Speaker 3: I'm with you teams that are looking for the next

69
00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:58,480
Speaker 3: decision maker, the next mixologist, if you will, on a

70
00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:00,240
Speaker 3: holiday by the way, where I think the Red is

71
00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,880
Speaker 3: buying both Dave Sears and Manios and for drinks at

72
00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:04,640
Speaker 3: the bar, they're drinking for free right now.

73
00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,720
Speaker 1: Look, we would love to see it because that means,

74
00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,880
Speaker 1: to your point, Paul, the Cardinals are playing well. Another

75
00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,440
Speaker 1: franchise is look and not to pluck from that successful franchise.

76
00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:17,560
Speaker 1: We see it all the time. Now it would be

77
00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,920
Speaker 1: a tremendous loss because what would happen is we would

78
00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,839
Speaker 1: not get the annual tradition of Dave Sears here in

79
00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,159
Speaker 1: studio on the Big Red Rage, which you had a

80
00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,279
Speaker 1: chance to talk with him late last week. By the way,

81
00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,360
Speaker 1: highly recommend if you haven't already go to the podcast

82
00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:38,359
Speaker 1: archives download it. It's also available on the Arizona Cardinals

83
00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:43,839
Speaker 1: official YouTube page. But Dave Sears is knowledgeable about not

84
00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,080
Speaker 1: just the seven draft picks that the Cardinals made or

85
00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:51,080
Speaker 1: the ninety players currently on the roster, but detailed about

86
00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:55,000
Speaker 1: every single draft prospect. But there were a number of

87
00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,119
Speaker 1: points during that interview paul I wanted to discuss here

88
00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,080
Speaker 1: on Cardinals cover two presented by Day probably partner of

89
00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:06,000
Speaker 1: the Arizona Cardinals, and the time since the draft, as

90
00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,640
Speaker 1: more and more people are dissecting the draft classes around

91
00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,800
Speaker 1: the league and these individual players. The one narrative that

92
00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,200
Speaker 1: has come to mind with the Cardinals is the first

93
00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:21,360
Speaker 1: two picks Walter Nolan IID and Will Johnson boom or bust,

94
00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:26,400
Speaker 1: And that seems to be the consensus opinion amount around

95
00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:31,160
Speaker 1: most people locally nationally because of what was talked about

96
00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,040
Speaker 1: those players going into the draft.

97
00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:34,040
Speaker 3: How true is it?

98
00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:38,320
Speaker 1: Who knows character concerns, injury concerns, and all of a sudden,

99
00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:39,960
Speaker 1: those are two players.

100
00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:41,320
Speaker 3: That the Cardinals have on their roster.

101
00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:42,120
Speaker 4: But in your.

102
00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:47,160
Speaker 1: Conversation didn't seem like either whether it was the character

103
00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:52,000
Speaker 1: issues perceived for Walter or the injury issues for Will Johnson,

104
00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:56,240
Speaker 1: neither really a concern for the Arizona Cardinals because if

105
00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:59,600
Speaker 1: they were, I can pretty much guarantee neither would be

106
00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:01,599
Speaker 1: on the right. Is certainly not with the first or

107
00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,360
Speaker 1: second round picks respectfully.

108
00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,120
Speaker 3: Even to start this week, Craig, you pointed out the

109
00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:10,040
Speaker 3: NFL dot com story where they ranked everyone's draft class.

110
00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,279
Speaker 3: You know, one through thirty two, Cardinals were top ten.

111
00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,600
Speaker 3: They were ranked tenth. But in the summary the Cardinals

112
00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:19,800
Speaker 3: draft I'm quoting now NFL dot Com, Manni Ostenford took

113
00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:24,279
Speaker 3: big swings on pedigree talent early, then later in the

114
00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:28,159
Speaker 3: analysis Austin Ford swung from the heels on Thursday and

115
00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,080
Speaker 3: Friday night. That's not the way the Cardinals draft room

116
00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:34,000
Speaker 3: sees it. That's not the way MANI and JG and

117
00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,720
Speaker 3: Dave Sears see it. And that was essentially the genesis

118
00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,000
Speaker 3: of the question that I put to Dave Sears was,

119
00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,440
Speaker 3: you know, the national narrative is as I just quoted,

120
00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,760
Speaker 3: and his response was, well, a lot of disbelief. I think,

121
00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,440
Speaker 3: you know, a lot of confusion by the Cardinals draft

122
00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:56,159
Speaker 3: room what they call media misinformation. And so that's the

123
00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:00,360
Speaker 3: intriguing part about this. And when Manni and Dave Sears say, hey,

124
00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,640
Speaker 3: there are thirty two different boards, Hey, they're not kidding

125
00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,480
Speaker 3: b In this case, there really is a disparity. There

126
00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:08,800
Speaker 3: really is a disconnect between what a lot of other

127
00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:12,160
Speaker 3: teams and how they viewed and assessed a Walter Nolan

128
00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,760
Speaker 3: the third and a Will Johnson even draft Knight itself.

129
00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,720
Speaker 3: Ian Rappoport put out that a lot of NFL teams

130
00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:23,880
Speaker 3: see quote longevity issues end quote with the knee of

131
00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:27,600
Speaker 3: Will Johnson. Will Johnson scoffed when he met the media,

132
00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,320
Speaker 3: So that hasn't been an issue for nearly two years.

133
00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,120
Speaker 3: So who's right? How is this going to play out?

134
00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,040
Speaker 3: It's you know, it's it's why the draft is so

135
00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:40,200
Speaker 3: intriguing and why it's the original reality TV. Nobody really knows.

136
00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:44,480
Speaker 3: Everyone reads it differently. There are different medical evaluations, different

137
00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:50,040
Speaker 3: personality assessments on both players around the league. So hey,

138
00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,760
Speaker 3: if the Cardinals are accurate in their assessments, there's no

139
00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,240
Speaker 3: doubt they got a pair of guys who talent wise,

140
00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:57,320
Speaker 3: are both top fifteen.

141
00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,400
Speaker 1: Everyone's got their own opinion, and opinions vary across the

142
00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,840
Speaker 1: league to the point where, Okay, one team sees Walter

143
00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,000
Speaker 1: Nolan as they can't miss. The other one says, you

144
00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,080
Speaker 1: know what, that's not a chance we're willing to take

145
00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:13,480
Speaker 1: same thing with a Will Johnson. So again, it falls

146
00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:19,120
Speaker 1: now on the players themselves to prove themselves right and

147
00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:24,240
Speaker 1: say no, those narratives that were attached to us don't belong.

148
00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,920
Speaker 1: And all it takes is one report or one talking

149
00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,040
Speaker 1: head to say something. But the difference is what we

150
00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,480
Speaker 1: see on film, but what player of what teams have

151
00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,360
Speaker 1: over others. During this pre draft process, Paul is getting

152
00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:42,160
Speaker 1: to talk to these individuals one on one, spend quality time,

153
00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,560
Speaker 1: not just a random interaction if you will, or a

154
00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,360
Speaker 1: five minute meeting, and then diving into the medicals where

155
00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:54,640
Speaker 1: everything gets scrutinized and you do deep in depth analysis

156
00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:58,120
Speaker 1: on not only the person, but certainly the body as

157
00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,120
Speaker 1: well as far as can you hang in the NFL?

158
00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,280
Speaker 1: And what does longevity mean? Is that a second contract?

159
00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:05,880
Speaker 1: Is that four years?

160
00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:06,880
Speaker 3: Is that five years?

161
00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,720
Speaker 1: The life of an NFL player is what just over

162
00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,520
Speaker 1: three years on average or not even three years? So

163
00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:17,200
Speaker 1: what does that mean? If the Cardinals can get seven

164
00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,400
Speaker 1: eight years out of Will Johnson, to me.

165
00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,880
Speaker 3: That's success. Well, think about it. Their first three picks

166
00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:27,920
Speaker 3: were all elite coming out of high school elite. Walter

167
00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:33,200
Speaker 3: Nolan coming out was rated ahead of Travis Hunter as

168
00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:37,680
Speaker 3: ESPN's number one overall prospect in the twenty twenty two

169
00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:43,520
Speaker 3: recruiting class, Will Johnson was top twenty nationally. Jordan Birch,

170
00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:47,200
Speaker 3: I saw one ranking coming out, was the fourth rated

171
00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:54,320
Speaker 3: prospect overall in his recruiting class Georgia Alabama LSU. Everyone

172
00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:58,680
Speaker 3: wanted Jordan Birch. So if you assess that the person

173
00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,600
Speaker 3: is a quality person and someone at what's the first filter?

174
00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,720
Speaker 3: JG always uses, do we want this guy in our building?

175
00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,439
Speaker 3: So if you've decided yes, there's no disputing the talent.

176
00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,280
Speaker 3: Those top three guys they drafted have some freakish measurables.

177
00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:20,960
Speaker 3: They have some really good football difference maker, game changer

178
00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:25,959
Speaker 3: ability on film, proven over a even like Walter Nolan

179
00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,120
Speaker 3: and Drew stand made this point with us on the

180
00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,480
Speaker 3: Red Sea Report. Okay, it's great. You know, you got

181
00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,640
Speaker 3: a guy who's gonna get to the quarterback and all

182
00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,120
Speaker 3: that and a disruptive three technique, but it starts with

183
00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,240
Speaker 3: stopping the run. And if you look back at his

184
00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,240
Speaker 3: Pro Football Focus run stopper grade, it was number two

185
00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,640
Speaker 3: in the country at his position, behind only Mason Graham

186
00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:46,280
Speaker 3: who went top five.

187
00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:48,319
Speaker 4: So there's a.

188
00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:50,440
Speaker 3: Lot to like in every one of these guys. If

189
00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,840
Speaker 3: indeed you like the person and you like the Medical

190
00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,200
Speaker 3: and the Cardinals. There was a double thumbs up on

191
00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,480
Speaker 3: both on all those guys. So now let's roll and

192
00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:58,080
Speaker 3: see what you have.

193
00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:02,560
Speaker 1: Pro Football Focus has Walter Nolan as their seventh ranked

194
00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:06,720
Speaker 1: prospects period, and that again goes to the talent all

195
00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,320
Speaker 1: of a sudden slipping to sixteen, and Will Johnson, the

196
00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:14,440
Speaker 1: talent certainly a top ten, top fifteen talent, sliding.

197
00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:14,920
Speaker 3: To forty seven.

198
00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,679
Speaker 1: So it goes back to, all right, who's right, who's wrong?

199
00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,680
Speaker 1: We will have it play out in front of us

200
00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:23,920
Speaker 1: each and every week once we get to September. But again,

201
00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,319
Speaker 1: on paper, you certainly like what the Cardinals did addressing

202
00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:31,240
Speaker 1: all three levels of their defense with each of their

203
00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:32,800
Speaker 1: first three draft picks.

204
00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,160
Speaker 3: I mean, for example, look, I don't want to go

205
00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,200
Speaker 3: all hot take here and get over my skis with

206
00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,280
Speaker 3: expectations and how you see these guys impacting the Cardinals defense.

207
00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,600
Speaker 3: But if Walter Nolan played an inordan amount of snaps,

208
00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,400
Speaker 3: like he played almost the entire game for ole Miss,

209
00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:49,679
Speaker 3: and you come in and now he's gonna get thirty

210
00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,880
Speaker 3: to thirty five snaps, I mean, and he's able to

211
00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,400
Speaker 3: let it rip over those three dozen snaps, He's going

212
00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,560
Speaker 3: to get in a game that's gonna be something to

213
00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,360
Speaker 3: behold potentially. And then a Will Johnson if he had

214
00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,000
Speaker 3: come out a year earlier after he was the defensive

215
00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,079
Speaker 3: MVP of the National Title Game, where would he have

216
00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,160
Speaker 3: been drafted? So, if you're telling me Will Johnson is

217
00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,880
Speaker 3: going to come in from day one if he can

218
00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:17,080
Speaker 3: master the defense schematically and Nick Ross JG Can trust

219
00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,679
Speaker 3: him mentally, are you telling me he's not going to

220
00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,880
Speaker 3: make a run against Starling Thomas, against Sean Murphy Bunting.

221
00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:28,840
Speaker 3: I easily see him coming in and making a run

222
00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,719
Speaker 3: at a starting gig from day one. And as much

223
00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,280
Speaker 3: as this coaching staff loves to have these guys earn

224
00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:36,559
Speaker 3: it and I get it, there are certain talents who

225
00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:39,640
Speaker 3: have been starters ever since they were drafted, Paris Johnson

226
00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:44,160
Speaker 3: Junior for example. So I figure these guys to me

227
00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:45,280
Speaker 3: will be factors.

228
00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,920
Speaker 1: Right away you mentioned schematically, and that's kind of where

229
00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,840
Speaker 1: I want to take this conversation now. Is what we

230
00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,160
Speaker 1: expect this defense to look like personnel wise?

231
00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:55,440
Speaker 3: Paul?

232
00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,160
Speaker 1: It is complete overhaul as far as the talent that

233
00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,079
Speaker 1: has been added to the defensive line, to the outside

234
00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,120
Speaker 1: linebacker room. And we know that the strength on paper,

235
00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:08,840
Speaker 1: at least last year was the secondary. But I'm of

236
00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,040
Speaker 1: the opinion that this defense is gonna look a lot different,

237
00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:16,160
Speaker 1: meaning how many defensive linemen are on the field. Is

238
00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,320
Speaker 1: it a four to three, which is what Jonathan Gannon

239
00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:24,920
Speaker 1: was quote unquote raised under. As far as his NFL background,

240
00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,000
Speaker 1: all the defensive coordinators, he learned from four to three.

241
00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,280
Speaker 1: It wasn't until he got to Philadelphia that he kind

242
00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,720
Speaker 1: of dabbled and learned more about the three to four.

243
00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:37,560
Speaker 1: He inherited a three to four here based off the

244
00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,080
Speaker 1: roster with the Arizona Cardinals. But you add depth to

245
00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,880
Speaker 1: the defensive line. You've drafted two defensive linemen in each

246
00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,880
Speaker 1: of the past two first rounds and Darius Robinson and

247
00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:52,359
Speaker 1: Walter Nolan. You resign LJ. Collier, you bring in Dalvin Tomlinson,

248
00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:55,720
Speaker 1: you bring in Kaleis Campbell, not to mention quote unquote

249
00:13:55,720 --> 00:14:00,080
Speaker 1: hopefully a healthy Justin Jones and Balaon Nichols. That's a

250
00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,600
Speaker 1: loaded room where if you're gonna play a three four

251
00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,880
Speaker 1: and keep six, you're gonna keep someone out of that

252
00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:09,719
Speaker 1: room to where I think you're gonna have more of

253
00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:11,559
Speaker 1: a rotation. That's why I kind of see more of

254
00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:16,040
Speaker 1: a seven or eight man defensive line room, which would

255
00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:20,760
Speaker 1: mean more d lineman on game day, every single snap.

256
00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,920
Speaker 3: It's a valid observation, there's no doubt. I mean, I

257
00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:26,960
Speaker 3: think you're astute to look at it that way. It's

258
00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,240
Speaker 3: one of the reasons I asked Dave Sears. Now, wait

259
00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:31,920
Speaker 3: a minute, refresh our memory. How many defensive linemen did

260
00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:33,920
Speaker 3: the Cardinals come out of camp with the last two years.

261
00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,560
Speaker 3: The answer was six. But you tell me who's going

262
00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:41,840
Speaker 3: when you have eight legit defensive linemen. Darius Robinson, Walter Nolan,

263
00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:46,480
Speaker 3: Dallan Thompson, Tomlinson, Kalais Campbell, Justin Jones, Ball Nichols both

264
00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:48,680
Speaker 3: back from injury, Dante Still's LJ.

265
00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:49,160
Speaker 4: Collier.

266
00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:52,880
Speaker 3: That's eight, and then Ben Stilly, who got some reps.

267
00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,920
Speaker 3: But no longer are these the days, with all due respect,

268
00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:57,560
Speaker 3: that you have to go back on into the stream,

269
00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:00,360
Speaker 3: bring back guys that you cut guys off the practice squad.

270
00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:02,800
Speaker 3: There's no more walking down on the Sideline'm like, wait

271
00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,720
Speaker 3: a minute, Hoskins, who's Phil Hoskins. Wait, he's in uniform

272
00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,200
Speaker 3: this week? You know, a Nakwon Jones, a Kyrie's Tonga

273
00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,520
Speaker 3: I mean, you have some really proven, talented, highly thought

274
00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:15,520
Speaker 3: of defensive linemen right now. So what does that mean?

275
00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,920
Speaker 3: I tell you this much. I mean it's going to

276
00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,400
Speaker 3: be a totally different training camp. I think the vibe,

277
00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:26,080
Speaker 3: just the intensity, the urgency, the compete level at camp

278
00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,040
Speaker 3: this year. I mean, let's be honest, last few years,

279
00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,520
Speaker 3: how many spots really up for grabs? Two or three?

280
00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,880
Speaker 3: I mean legit. Now, look you've got a dozen corners

281
00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,520
Speaker 3: on this roster, and then look at the outside linebacker,

282
00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:44,920
Speaker 3: the edge room, and so it's really intriguing. And if

283
00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:46,520
Speaker 3: you want to get the best out of your roster,

284
00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:49,400
Speaker 3: raise the compete level because that's the one way to

285
00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,520
Speaker 3: motivate in the NFL and Professional Sports Job Security Week eighteen.

286
00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:59,880
Speaker 1: The two deep defensive line Dante Stills, Roy Lopez, LJ Collier,

287
00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,080
Speaker 1: the backups nay Kwon Jones, Kyrie's Tonga, Darius Robinson.

288
00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:05,320
Speaker 4: Yeah.

289
00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:10,000
Speaker 3: So, and look, it was, you know it was sometimes

290
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:13,920
Speaker 3: it was going with four and five defensive linemen at

291
00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,400
Speaker 3: times just had a necessity to stop the run. You

292
00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,160
Speaker 3: had to throw bodies in there, a body in every gap.

293
00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:22,920
Speaker 3: But now, if you have the ability in terms of

294
00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,920
Speaker 3: the talent level with these defensive linemen at Dalvin Thomlinson

295
00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,120
Speaker 3: talking about a proven run stuffer. You know Kalaiis Campbell's

296
00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,280
Speaker 3: ability to do that. Justin Jones Ball Nichols when they

297
00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,840
Speaker 3: were signed a year ago, that was their mantra was

298
00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,360
Speaker 3: stopping the run because the Cardinals had had such issues

299
00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,560
Speaker 3: in twenty twenty three. So to me in a division

300
00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,200
Speaker 3: where the Seahawks want to run the ball, and we

301
00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,240
Speaker 3: know Christian McCaffrey's going to be back, we know what

302
00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,920
Speaker 3: Kien Williams has done, and the Cardinals did a much

303
00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,160
Speaker 3: better job last year than they did the year previous

304
00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:52,520
Speaker 3: Kien Williams in that Rams run game. But you know,

305
00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:55,080
Speaker 3: Sean McVay still wants his stuff in between the tackles

306
00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,760
Speaker 3: as much you know, publicity as he gets for throwing

307
00:16:57,800 --> 00:16:59,800
Speaker 3: the ball down the field. So that is a mustiness

308
00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:04,040
Speaker 3: of Cardinals are much more equipped to stop the run

309
00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:07,680
Speaker 3: right now. And then with some you know Darius Robinson

310
00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:09,880
Speaker 3: or Walter Nolan, these kind of guys you know, being

311
00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,200
Speaker 3: really disruptive from the inside out, it's going to be intriguing.

312
00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:17,520
Speaker 1: You play these division opponents twice. So how much of

313
00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:21,679
Speaker 1: what we're seeing relies or looks at Okay, what do

314
00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,520
Speaker 1: we need to do talking about the Arizona Cardinals to

315
00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,160
Speaker 1: make the playoffs, Well, the easiest path is to win

316
00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,480
Speaker 1: your division. How do we win the division? To your point, Paul,

317
00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:32,640
Speaker 1: every defensive coordinator says it starts with stopping the run.

318
00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:36,119
Speaker 1: But with the Cardinals equipped to stop the run in

319
00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,160
Speaker 1: year one, got a little bit better in year two,

320
00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:42,080
Speaker 1: but now year three, the emphasis on that front seven

321
00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:46,080
Speaker 1: to stop each and every opponent within the NFC West,

322
00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:48,760
Speaker 1: And I think that's where this is going to. Where

323
00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:54,960
Speaker 1: you're going to see four defensive linemen, maybe three, but

324
00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,320
Speaker 1: more guys up to the line of scrimmage and give

325
00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:01,680
Speaker 1: the back end a little bit more help, meaning the

326
00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,040
Speaker 1: quarterback's not gonna have as much time to throw the football.

327
00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,480
Speaker 3: What did we learn from Drew stan last month? The

328
00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:10,080
Speaker 3: term Santa claus that's what quarterbacks call it when an

329
00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,120
Speaker 3: interior defensive lineman ends up in your lap.

330
00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:15,000
Speaker 4: So what's the best.

331
00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:18,160
Speaker 3: Way to really go against Matthew Stafford? Mister, I get

332
00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:20,680
Speaker 3: rid of the ball in one point seven seconds, right,

333
00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:24,439
Speaker 3: It's to be really disruptive in the interior of the

334
00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:26,359
Speaker 3: offensive line, sort of like what the Eagles did to

335
00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:29,400
Speaker 3: him in the playoff game, even though they still kept

336
00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:30,920
Speaker 3: that a one score game all the way to the

337
00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,640
Speaker 3: very end in the snow. But that's I mean, that's

338
00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:35,480
Speaker 3: really the only way you get to Matthew Stafford. Are

339
00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,760
Speaker 3: you coming off the edge and getting to Matthew Stafford?

340
00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:40,159
Speaker 3: Not too often, just because he gets rid of the

341
00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:42,960
Speaker 3: ball so quickly. He's such a really good decision maker

342
00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,879
Speaker 3: at age thirty seven. Okay, now let's look at Sam Donald.

343
00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,159
Speaker 3: Where did Sam Donald struggle big time last year and

344
00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,399
Speaker 3: those last two games Detroit? And then what did the

345
00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,440
Speaker 3: Rams do in that that playoff game? They got to him,

346
00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,000
Speaker 3: and they got to him quick, and he was deer

347
00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,480
Speaker 3: in the headlights and he got sacked what seven one

348
00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:02,919
Speaker 3: game and nine in the other Sam Darnold, So if

349
00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,280
Speaker 3: he's going to be the Seahawks starting quarterback, that's the

350
00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:07,719
Speaker 3: best way to go against that. And then brock Purty.

351
00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:11,520
Speaker 3: We've seen brock purty sneaky athleticism when you're able to

352
00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:13,480
Speaker 3: crash from the edges and he's able to extend a

353
00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,440
Speaker 3: play and get rid of the ball. But once again,

354
00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,439
Speaker 3: brock Purty, you get that penetration up the middle. So

355
00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,320
Speaker 3: again you're building from the inside out. I think you're

356
00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,640
Speaker 3: going to be playing defense from the inside out. It's

357
00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:26,520
Speaker 3: the reason why the Cardinals spend number sixteen on an

358
00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,960
Speaker 3: interior defensive line in that disruptive presence. And if you

359
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:31,760
Speaker 3: want to go back to JG with the Eagles, what

360
00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,879
Speaker 3: did he have Fletcher Cox? And what did Adrian Wilson

361
00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,720
Speaker 3: tell us? He really Walter Nolan reminds him in a

362
00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,080
Speaker 3: big way of a Fletcher Cox in terms of what

363
00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:44,359
Speaker 3: he'll do for the scheme overall. And that's perhaps what

364
00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,880
Speaker 3: Jonathan again and Nick Rolis were thinking. Let's go back

365
00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,119
Speaker 3: to the Philadelphia days. And oh, by the way, that

366
00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,760
Speaker 3: Eagles defense just hoisted a Lombardi Trophy as well.

367
00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:53,640
Speaker 1: I just went back and looked it up. The Cardinals

368
00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:58,280
Speaker 1: in year one against the run defensively dead. Last last

369
00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:03,400
Speaker 1: year they ranked twenty against the run. So, again, what

370
00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:06,520
Speaker 1: is this team doing in the offseason to get better?

371
00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:11,360
Speaker 1: It begins defensively, because we keep talking about and we're

372
00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,679
Speaker 1: gonna talk about it a lot. They're running it back offensively.

373
00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,320
Speaker 1: There is not gonna be anything that we see that

374
00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,680
Speaker 1: is any different. There might be a couple of wrinkles,

375
00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,399
Speaker 1: but as far as personnel wise, outside of right guard,

376
00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:26,680
Speaker 1: everyone is back. It's defensively that has done as you

377
00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:30,480
Speaker 1: like to say, the Home Improvement or Home Makeover.

378
00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,080
Speaker 3: Edition Stream Makeover Craig HGTV.

379
00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:36,240
Speaker 1: I mean you watch, I don't as far as what

380
00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:40,000
Speaker 1: this defense is going to look like. And another conversation

381
00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:42,480
Speaker 1: that you had with Dave Sears a comment about because

382
00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,640
Speaker 1: he was the one that mentioned when you were talking

383
00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,280
Speaker 1: about Jordan Birch, she said any three to four defense

384
00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:48,920
Speaker 1: and I heard that and is like, Okay, maybe I'm

385
00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:51,320
Speaker 1: completely off base when I think maybe it's going to

386
00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:53,240
Speaker 1: be a four to three, but he mentioned he sorry, Craig,

387
00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,080
Speaker 1: any three for Hey, I'm gonna believe it until I

388
00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,720
Speaker 1: see differently, it's right, any three to four defense. The

389
00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:02,520
Speaker 1: outside linebacker is position is basically the engine that runs

390
00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,480
Speaker 1: the thing. And again, what did we see Josh wet

391
00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,640
Speaker 1: Big Free Agent edition home run out of the gate

392
00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,679
Speaker 1: and then Jordan Birch on day two added to a

393
00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:17,280
Speaker 1: room that a year ago at this time, Paul, the

394
00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,200
Speaker 1: only addition was Xavier Thomas. And you look at who's

395
00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:23,639
Speaker 1: in that room now, and Xavier might have a hard

396
00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:26,680
Speaker 1: time making this roster. Not to say that it won't

397
00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:28,120
Speaker 1: be on the team. But as far as if you're

398
00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:32,000
Speaker 1: looking to project who you're keeping four or five, there

399
00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,720
Speaker 1: are going to be a numbers crunch along that front seven.

400
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,080
Speaker 3: And don't forget how effective mac Wilson Senior was in

401
00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,360
Speaker 3: some of those packages last year and actually second half

402
00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:42,320
Speaker 3: of the year. Really he was more of an outside

403
00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,560
Speaker 3: linebacker for the most part than an inside linebacker. Just

404
00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:50,280
Speaker 3: got a necessity, So you're right, Josh Sweat, Okay Zavi

405
00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:54,280
Speaker 3: and Collins who was used in so many different ways,

406
00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:57,720
Speaker 3: the baron a pass rush, Baron Browning who was never

407
00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,320
Speaker 3: quite totally healthy a year ago, and then he was

408
00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,280
Speaker 3: re signed a former third round pick himself, bg O

409
00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:09,520
Speaker 3: Jelari complete sleeper at this point, I include myself. I

410
00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,119
Speaker 3: keep forgetting b Joe Jelari and as good as he

411
00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:15,080
Speaker 3: looked before he went down with a knee injury, you

412
00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:17,280
Speaker 3: have no idea how last year would have played out

413
00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,919
Speaker 3: in his second year in the league. What is in

414
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:22,840
Speaker 3: store there? We don't know. We know Jordan Birch has

415
00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:26,280
Speaker 3: ridiculous measurables and talent and a lot of even though

416
00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:28,359
Speaker 3: we had a lot of production last year at Oregon.

417
00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,000
Speaker 3: For everything that he is athletically and his measurables. He

418
00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:33,040
Speaker 3: did have quite a bit of good production last year

419
00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,720
Speaker 3: for Oregon, so that is very intriguing. And then Mac

420
00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,720
Speaker 3: Wilson Sr. And then from what I've been hearing about

421
00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,880
Speaker 3: Xavier Thomas, he's been winning the off season. He's definitely

422
00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,959
Speaker 3: put on some muscle mass Xavier Thomas. So, Okay, to

423
00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:50,640
Speaker 3: your point, it's a much more competitive outside linebacker edge room.

424
00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:54,280
Speaker 3: I mean, the compete level there is huge. And once again,

425
00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:56,880
Speaker 3: just like the D line room, is there a room

426
00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:59,560
Speaker 3: for every name we just listed? And if there isn't,

427
00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,720
Speaker 3: there's gonna be a guy cut who's gonna be snapped

428
00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:04,639
Speaker 3: up by another team. And you do not see that

429
00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:05,560
Speaker 3: the first two years.

430
00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:09,479
Speaker 1: And that's that's what you want to see happen because

431
00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:13,639
Speaker 1: it's a signal that the front office their decisions on

432
00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:17,800
Speaker 1: who they're bringing in, they're bringing in quality players to

433
00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:22,280
Speaker 1: ramp up the competition. Because to your point, if you're cutting,

434
00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:25,320
Speaker 1: however many players and none of those are landing anywhere

435
00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,720
Speaker 1: else or getting claimed on those final cuts, then do

436
00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:31,080
Speaker 1: you question why you brought them in? And to begin with,

437
00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:34,000
Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, there are scheme fits and stuff like that.

438
00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,680
Speaker 1: What you want to do offense and defense. But if

439
00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:40,639
Speaker 1: you're Manty Austin Ford, it's going to be you're gonna

440
00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:42,840
Speaker 1: have a lot of sleepless nights. As far as all right,

441
00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,920
Speaker 1: and again, I realize we're talking here first week in May.

442
00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:48,760
Speaker 1: You don't have those conversations if you're the front office

443
00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,880
Speaker 1: until late August. But it's what we talk about now

444
00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:53,880
Speaker 1: because it's what we have to talk about.

445
00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:54,600
Speaker 3: As far as all.

446
00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:58,840
Speaker 1: Right, we release this player, we're not gonna see them,

447
00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:01,800
Speaker 1: We're not gonna be able to bring them back because

448
00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:06,879
Speaker 1: they've played so well, or it's another team is going

449
00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:09,000
Speaker 1: to snatch them up because we have a hole now

450
00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:11,000
Speaker 1: because you guys took all the available talent.

451
00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:13,879
Speaker 3: It's always interesting Labor Day weekend, right, Nobody does this,

452
00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:16,800
Speaker 3: including myself because you know we're enjoying Labor Day weekend.

453
00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,080
Speaker 3: But if you really want to get an assessment of

454
00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:22,919
Speaker 3: how talented your NFL team's roster really is, take a

455
00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,119
Speaker 3: look at their cuts and whether anybody else pursues the

456
00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,879
Speaker 3: guys that hit the street. And if one team all

457
00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:31,879
Speaker 3: of a sudden has a number of players who are

458
00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:35,480
Speaker 3: snapped up immediately by other teams, it's a tell. It

459
00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,040
Speaker 3: is a tell. Like, Wow, Okay, that team is talented

460
00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:43,080
Speaker 3: and that roster is deeper than maybe because there's very

461
00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:46,120
Speaker 3: little that gets past NFL evaluators. I mean, if somebody

462
00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,520
Speaker 3: hits the street and they can play, they will play

463
00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:53,600
Speaker 3: for someone. And that's not even including whether Maria Support

464
00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:57,000
Speaker 3: makes another signing a free agent who's still out there.

465
00:24:57,720 --> 00:24:59,920
Speaker 3: I mean, I'll just throw out names and it's nothing.

466
00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:02,879
Speaker 3: It's not newsworthy. I'm not reporting anything. But if you're

467
00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:05,520
Speaker 3: going for a veteran receiver and Amari Cooper's still out there,

468
00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:07,800
Speaker 3: if you're going for another veteran guard to bring in,

469
00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:11,359
Speaker 3: there's a couple of guys still out there, what exactly

470
00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:15,480
Speaker 3: you know, maybe maybe at another safety or inside linebacker,

471
00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:17,760
Speaker 3: if there's a veteran out there and approve it deal.

472
00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:23,960
Speaker 3: Who knows. But once again, as currently constructed, I would

473
00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,160
Speaker 3: not be shocked if there's one, two or three more

474
00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,520
Speaker 3: free agents, veteran guys who are brought in between now

475
00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:31,359
Speaker 3: and the starter camp. Then might even bolster at the

476
00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:35,639
Speaker 3: compete level. Defensively, though you think I'm probably not in

477
00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:40,919
Speaker 3: the front seven, maybe maybe a veteran Mike linebacker might

478
00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:43,639
Speaker 3: still be out there, and I might be just completely

479
00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,080
Speaker 3: you know, blowing smoke right here, because I haven't looked

480
00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:48,399
Speaker 3: at who's still available. But I think it is a

481
00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:52,600
Speaker 3: legitimate question who's still out there at inside linebacker. And

482
00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,200
Speaker 3: the only reason I say that is I fully expect

483
00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,680
Speaker 3: the Cardinals to go into rookie Minuti camp and they'll

484
00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,960
Speaker 3: get their first assessment on Cody Simon. Is he swimming?

485
00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,160
Speaker 3: Is he handling this playbook? How does he look out there?

486
00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:07,320
Speaker 3: Can he command a defense? Can he truly do it?

487
00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:11,359
Speaker 3: I asked Dave sears Hey, how big a jump do

488
00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,920
Speaker 3: you consider green Dot in college, especially at a high

489
00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,280
Speaker 3: level at Ohio State, all the way through the national

490
00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,600
Speaker 3: title game where he's the defense of MVP to the

491
00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:22,880
Speaker 3: NFL and now all of a sudden, you're calling a defense,

492
00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:24,840
Speaker 3: but the guy calling the players on the other side

493
00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:29,000
Speaker 3: is Sean McVay Kyle shanahan. Right from the outside looking in,

494
00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:32,760
Speaker 3: that seems like a huge leap. But to Drew Stand's point,

495
00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:36,280
Speaker 3: if you're playing a more simple defense because you can

496
00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:38,879
Speaker 3: keep it a little more simple because you have dudes

497
00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,320
Speaker 3: now like you didn't have two years ago, and it's

498
00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:44,159
Speaker 3: not all exotic you have to scheme everything up. Okay,

499
00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,760
Speaker 3: maybe it is easier as a rookie to call that defense.

500
00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:50,159
Speaker 3: Maybe Buddha Baker steps in helps out a little bit

501
00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:52,080
Speaker 3: in a mac Wilson senior who knows with some of

502
00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:54,840
Speaker 3: the adjustments in the audibles and reacting to when a

503
00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,320
Speaker 3: defense starts doing something crazy when they break the huddle.

504
00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,720
Speaker 3: But to me once again, like let's just say Cody

505
00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:03,480
Speaker 3: Simon is swimming as a rookie, and now you might

506
00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:06,600
Speaker 3: be more app did the free agent market. Maybe you

507
00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:09,800
Speaker 3: are in the market for more veteran inside linebacker you

508
00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:12,919
Speaker 3: feel more comfortable with initially, and you give Cody Simon

509
00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:14,880
Speaker 3: as a rookie a bit more of a learning curve

510
00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:15,480
Speaker 3: going forward.

511
00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:19,400
Speaker 1: The conversation that you had with Dave Sears as far

512
00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:22,639
Speaker 1: as what he mentioned about Cody Simon, and sometimes you know,

513
00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,280
Speaker 1: you listen to it or you watch it and something

514
00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:27,480
Speaker 1: slips through the cracks and you have to listen to

515
00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,880
Speaker 1: it again. And I listened to it again over the weekend,

516
00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:33,560
Speaker 1: and your conversation about Cody Simon. Dave Sears did mention

517
00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,840
Speaker 1: that they have a quote path for him to make

518
00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:40,359
Speaker 1: the team. Now he's going to make the team. But

519
00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,320
Speaker 1: I read that or I listened to that, and I'm like, okay,

520
00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,360
Speaker 1: there's a path, all right. Can he be a Day

521
00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,720
Speaker 1: one starter? Can you have a Day three pick be

522
00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:53,560
Speaker 1: a Day one starter at a position that a couple

523
00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:55,680
Speaker 1: of years back they wanted to do it with Zavon

524
00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:59,600
Speaker 1: Collins not quite ready now. Quality of competition that Zave

525
00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:03,760
Speaker 1: and Fai versus Cody at Ohio State. And I mentioned

526
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,400
Speaker 1: this late last week was Zach Kerspin when he would

527
00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:09,879
Speaker 1: join me here on Cardinals cover two, because I remember

528
00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:14,280
Speaker 1: the conversation about zab and Collins. We had Lorenzo Alexander

529
00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:18,040
Speaker 1: and he brought up the name Tremaine Edwins Edmunds, who

530
00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:22,280
Speaker 1: was a first round pick, Day one starter with that

531
00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:25,000
Speaker 1: green dot in twenty eighteen with the Buffalo Bills. So

532
00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,439
Speaker 1: it can be done. But to your point, Paul, it

533
00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:32,159
Speaker 1: is a giant leap from college, regardless if you're a

534
00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:35,280
Speaker 1: Power five or a Power four these days. It is

535
00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:38,000
Speaker 1: something that I think the Cardinals see. But is it

536
00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:40,720
Speaker 1: right out of the gate in September or is it

537
00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:44,240
Speaker 1: going to take a little time to where Okay, maybe

538
00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:47,600
Speaker 1: it's Mac doing most of that and Cody they can

539
00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:51,040
Speaker 1: kind of bring along slowly. But just listening to the

540
00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,000
Speaker 1: conversation what Dave was saying about Cody Simon. It doesn't

541
00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,160
Speaker 1: sound like they project him to be someone that's going

542
00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:00,560
Speaker 1: to take a little time to get to where that

543
00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,840
Speaker 1: green dot becomes comfortable and he can command the ten

544
00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:04,880
Speaker 1: of the guys on the field.

545
00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,680
Speaker 3: I mean, he played in fifty eight games at Ohio State,

546
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:12,080
Speaker 3: thirty starts, four time academic All Big Ten. So he

547
00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,880
Speaker 3: has a mental acuity and capacity to handle it. It's

548
00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,240
Speaker 3: just the learning curve how much how soon can he

549
00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:22,280
Speaker 3: command it? And actually, you know, the key is during

550
00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:24,600
Speaker 3: the trust, not only the trust of the coaches, but

551
00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:26,640
Speaker 3: the trust of the other ten guys out there that

552
00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:28,920
Speaker 3: you can handle it. I remember when Kaizer White came in,

553
00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:32,240
Speaker 3: and it was a big transition. The year prior, Zavin

554
00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,520
Speaker 3: Collins as a rookie had done a lot of that,

555
00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,360
Speaker 3: and guys raved Kaizer White came in and he had

556
00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:38,960
Speaker 3: four or five years in the league. He'd been a

557
00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,160
Speaker 3: middle linebacker where the charges earlier before the Eagles and

558
00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,520
Speaker 3: guys like oh Man, he's spinning out the calls immediately,

559
00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,640
Speaker 3: he's making the checks immediately. That helps that extra split

560
00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,800
Speaker 3: second that you have to actually know what's coming and

561
00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:53,360
Speaker 3: to get in position can be huge. It can be huge,

562
00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:55,560
Speaker 3: especially when teams are breaking the huddle, getting up with

563
00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:57,400
Speaker 3: the ball trying to snap it. They'll do different things

564
00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:59,720
Speaker 3: to mess with your timing and your ability to call

565
00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:02,600
Speaker 3: a D fence and adjust. So a Cody Simon, if

566
00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,800
Speaker 3: if he's able to be that guy, and I'm guessing

567
00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,200
Speaker 3: because he had multiple meetings with Jonathan Gannon and Manti

568
00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:13,600
Speaker 3: acid Ford that they probably peppered him. They probably got to,

569
00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:16,240
Speaker 3: you know, okay, how much can this guy handle? How

570
00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:20,000
Speaker 3: soon we like it? The football IQ is there, and

571
00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:22,560
Speaker 3: then all the other leadership aspects of being a team

572
00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:25,560
Speaker 3: captain and the block o jersey and everything else, and

573
00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:29,760
Speaker 3: you know, and then here's the last thing on inside linebacker,

574
00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,800
Speaker 3: and I firmly believe this, and that is John Campbell

575
00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:35,719
Speaker 3: ran a four to five to one. Cody sam Simon

576
00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:39,160
Speaker 3: ran a four point six flat. Is there a significant

577
00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:42,000
Speaker 3: difference there? Yes, that can be sideline to sideline, But

578
00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:43,760
Speaker 3: you know what, you know what can make up for

579
00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,480
Speaker 3: that difference instincts is an inside linebacker. You can bring

580
00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:49,040
Speaker 3: a guy in there who runs the four to four,

581
00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:51,400
Speaker 3: but if he's a little hesitant or he's a little

582
00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,440
Speaker 3: step slow and read and react. He's not playing like

583
00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:56,880
Speaker 3: he runs a four to four as opposed to a

584
00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,800
Speaker 3: guy as really excellent and superior instincts and can read

585
00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,640
Speaker 3: and react and seek and destroy immediately. Now it looks

586
00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:06,120
Speaker 3: like he's a four point six guy like Cody Simon

587
00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:08,280
Speaker 3: could appear to be playing at like a four point

588
00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:11,000
Speaker 3: four speed. And that was always Tyron Matthew ran the

589
00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:14,560
Speaker 3: four to five, had the character concerns fell to the

590
00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:16,320
Speaker 3: third round. As soon as you got him out on

591
00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:19,840
Speaker 3: the field, You're like, oh man, this dude is so instinctive.

592
00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:22,080
Speaker 3: He plays like he runs a four to three. If

593
00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:25,280
Speaker 3: that could be Cody Simon just based on his his

594
00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:29,520
Speaker 3: superior experience at Ohio State, then yeah, if he can

595
00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:31,000
Speaker 3: master it and he can spit it out, he can

596
00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:33,040
Speaker 3: lead a defense. There's no doubt in my mind he

597
00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:35,000
Speaker 3: could be a Day one starter a four to five.

598
00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:38,560
Speaker 1: But your instincts, you're already a step ahead because you're

599
00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:42,280
Speaker 1: you're anticipating what you know is going to happen. And

600
00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:44,720
Speaker 1: speaking of speed, the last player that I want to

601
00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:47,600
Speaker 1: bring up here, based off your conversation on The Big

602
00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:50,520
Speaker 1: Red Rage with Dave Sears as Denzel Burke, who ran

603
00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:52,920
Speaker 1: a four, four eight forty, So he's got the speed,

604
00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:56,440
Speaker 1: but it's the quality of competition. Again, this is a

605
00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:59,960
Speaker 1: Day three selection, but you referenced that article on NFL

606
00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:03,440
Speaker 1: as far as the Cardinals' draft grade and how they

607
00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:07,440
Speaker 1: ranked among the other thirty two teams. On this article,

608
00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:10,920
Speaker 1: they listed Denzel Burke as a sleeper pick based off

609
00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:15,080
Speaker 1: his fifty one career starts and his level of experience

610
00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:18,640
Speaker 1: against quality competition, not so much on game day. But

611
00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:24,320
Speaker 1: it's what Sears said during practice. Denzel Burke practiced against

612
00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:28,800
Speaker 1: five first round wide receivers the last couple of years

613
00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:34,840
Speaker 1: Monday through Friday, to where Saturday became quote unquote easy

614
00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:39,160
Speaker 1: or easier because he wasn't facing a first round draft

615
00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:42,040
Speaker 1: pick across from him on game day, but during the

616
00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:46,760
Speaker 1: week he got it every single day, every single rep.

617
00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:49,280
Speaker 3: You know what's amazing. There was a stat about him.

618
00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:52,680
Speaker 3: He's the first true freshman Buckeye to start a season

619
00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:57,600
Speaker 3: opener on defense since Andy Katzenmoyer in nineteen ninety six.

620
00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:00,600
Speaker 3: We're old enough to remember that name, and you know

621
00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:02,480
Speaker 3: what I mean, think about I can't wait to get

622
00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:04,520
Speaker 3: him in here and actually talk to him, and I'm

623
00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:06,600
Speaker 3: going to go Allen Iverson. I'm gonna talk to him

624
00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,560
Speaker 3: about practice, man, and I'm gonna ask him. I think

625
00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:13,920
Speaker 3: the number is six. Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Marvin Arson Junior,

626
00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:17,400
Speaker 3: Jackson Smith, and Jigba a mecho Abuca. That's five. The

627
00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,360
Speaker 3: question is did he go against Jamison Williams who is

628
00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:22,840
Speaker 3: at Ohio State and then transfer to Alabama and was

629
00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:24,840
Speaker 3: a first round pick? And I think he did so.

630
00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:28,800
Speaker 3: I think it's a half dozen different first round receivers

631
00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,240
Speaker 3: that he won against. So are you telling me he's

632
00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:34,760
Speaker 3: gonna if let's say he makes a run in a

633
00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:39,280
Speaker 3: starting spot. Let's just say because he started fifty one

634
00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,760
Speaker 3: games at Ohio State, he comes in, you think he's

635
00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,040
Speaker 3: gonna be wide eyed going against an NFL receiver. No,

636
00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:48,840
Speaker 3: all he has to do is is flashback in his

637
00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:52,840
Speaker 3: own mind going against first rounders all four years of

638
00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:57,280
Speaker 3: his college career at Ohio State. So I'm really curious

639
00:33:57,320 --> 00:34:00,680
Speaker 3: to see as a fifth rounder what he he looks like.

640
00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:03,520
Speaker 3: You know how works creg at Cardinals camp. The SEC

641
00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:07,640
Speaker 3: guys always look a little different, right, They just they're

642
00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:09,920
Speaker 3: not wide eyed. And then someone like Denzel Burke with

643
00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:12,360
Speaker 3: all that experience going all the way through national title

644
00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,040
Speaker 3: games and everything he had to deal with, and he

645
00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:17,080
Speaker 3: had a roller coaster ride at Ohio State. You go

646
00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:19,120
Speaker 3: through his career, Buckeye fans will tell you there were

647
00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:22,200
Speaker 3: times where he was persona on grado with a fan

648
00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:24,080
Speaker 3: base like he had some tough games. He had a

649
00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:27,080
Speaker 3: tough game against Oregon that was out there for everyone

650
00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:30,240
Speaker 3: to see. But he's a fighter and he's a baller

651
00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:33,320
Speaker 3: and he has a lot of those intangibles that you

652
00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:33,719
Speaker 3: look for.

653
00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,200
Speaker 1: Had a very good college playoff as far as his

654
00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:41,319
Speaker 1: coverage ability, and Pro Football Focus had Burke as one

655
00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:44,960
Speaker 1: of the best zone coverage cornerbacks in the draft class,

656
00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:47,719
Speaker 1: and we know that is kind of what defensively we

657
00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:51,520
Speaker 1: see a lot is zone scheme in that secondary. So

658
00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:54,359
Speaker 1: could you have someone who is a fifth round pick

659
00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:57,759
Speaker 1: come in and competes in what is a loaded cornerback

660
00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:01,120
Speaker 1: room and make a push, Again, going back to our

661
00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:04,360
Speaker 1: initial conversation, it's something to discuss here in May. We

662
00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:06,759
Speaker 1: won't know until we get to training camp to really

663
00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:10,239
Speaker 1: know who's out there and not swimming. As far as

664
00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:12,799
Speaker 1: you know, you can kind of look in their face

665
00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:15,160
Speaker 1: and they're thinking a little.

666
00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:16,160
Speaker 3: Bit too much out there.

667
00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:19,040
Speaker 1: But the fact that you've got Ohio State guys, the

668
00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:24,360
Speaker 1: fact that you've got Texas guys, Michigan guys, SEC guys.

669
00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,359
Speaker 1: How much better are they going to be as far

670
00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,120
Speaker 1: as the quality of competition to where those first one

671
00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:33,840
Speaker 1: on one matchups at State Farm Stadium and training camp,

672
00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:37,879
Speaker 1: they're not wide eyed. It's okay. I can harken back

673
00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:41,080
Speaker 1: to my days on a Wednesday afternoon in Anna Arbor.

674
00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:42,200
Speaker 3: All right, let's go.

675
00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:42,880
Speaker 1: I'm ready.

676
00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:44,759
Speaker 3: And here's the other thing that jumps out from his

677
00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:49,360
Speaker 3: scounter report. He's fierce and run support and tackles with

678
00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:52,400
Speaker 3: good technique and does not shy away from ball carriers.

679
00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:55,200
Speaker 3: That's a must with Jonathan Gennit, it's an absolute must.

680
00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:58,440
Speaker 3: You better defend the run if you're a corner. And

681
00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:01,600
Speaker 3: then when he was meeting the media, Denzel Burke also

682
00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:04,439
Speaker 3: mentioned and I have the loose quote here. He said,

683
00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:07,359
Speaker 3: you know what I'm all about proving everyone wrong who

684
00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:10,640
Speaker 3: didn't take a chance on me? What did Will Johnson say?

685
00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:11,359
Speaker 4: Oh?

686
00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:14,920
Speaker 3: Will Johnson was triggered, he was hot, he was not

687
00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,560
Speaker 3: happy that he felt around too. If you're looking for

688
00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:20,160
Speaker 3: two rookies to come into camp with the old chip

689
00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:23,319
Speaker 3: on the shoulder pad, if you will, you're looking at

690
00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:26,240
Speaker 3: those two corners, and then you're looking at Max Melton,

691
00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:30,400
Speaker 3: high second round pick a year ago, Sean Murphy Bunting,

692
00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:36,360
Speaker 3: highly paid free agent Starling Thomas, who has started most

693
00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:38,919
Speaker 3: of his first two years in the league, has over

694
00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:41,880
Speaker 3: twenty starts in two years as an undrafted rookie free agent.

695
00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:45,560
Speaker 3: He is no foreigner to fighting and competing. I mean,

696
00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:48,319
Speaker 3: it's like so on in that cornerback room. And then

697
00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:51,280
Speaker 3: Garrett Williams, who's already a made man after two years.

698
00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:54,120
Speaker 3: I mean he's in. Garrett Williams is in now the

699
00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:57,640
Speaker 3: other two and I'm going with three corners, and I'm

700
00:36:57,680 --> 00:36:59,480
Speaker 3: listening garat Williams' starter and Nick.

701
00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:01,920
Speaker 1: He almost doesn't count because you can count him and

702
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:03,239
Speaker 1: look at everyone else.

703
00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:07,560
Speaker 3: Yeah, Buddha and Garrett Williams. Okay, Jalen Thompson. We presume

704
00:37:08,120 --> 00:37:10,440
Speaker 3: although Rabbit is a sleeper, I think in this training

705
00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:13,240
Speaker 3: camp there's no doubt about that now that he's mastered

706
00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:16,160
Speaker 3: the defense. And it was a process, very radically different

707
00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,120
Speaker 3: scheme than he played at Texas Tech. But you saw

708
00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:20,600
Speaker 3: him in December and January, and every time he's on.

709
00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:23,080
Speaker 4: The field man. You know he's on the field rabbit,

710
00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:28,000
Speaker 4: but those that cornerback spot, both spots, you could argue

711
00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:31,440
Speaker 4: that could be the most competitive position battle on this team.

712
00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:36,080
Speaker 1: Elijah Jones is another name to watch because you invested

713
00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:38,640
Speaker 1: a third round pick in him a year ago. He

714
00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:42,600
Speaker 1: didn't see the field, hartly saw any practice. Now all

715
00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:45,040
Speaker 1: of a sudden, I mean, if you're him, is it

716
00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:48,560
Speaker 1: You're just like one of those unfortunate situations to where

717
00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:53,000
Speaker 1: it's gonna be hard to stand out among the rest.

718
00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:56,000
Speaker 3: Here's what I would say on Elijah Jones. He's still

719
00:37:56,160 --> 00:38:00,799
Speaker 3: like the football character, great dude, highly competitive. If he's

720
00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:03,560
Speaker 3: six two, I mean he is long. He has some

721
00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:08,000
Speaker 3: really good measurables, but he's behind the learning curve because

722
00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:10,320
Speaker 3: he did not get out on the field as a rookie.

723
00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,000
Speaker 3: So you know that hole making the jump from year

724
00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,399
Speaker 3: one to year two, Well, he hasn't even had year

725
00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:17,759
Speaker 3: one to make that jump to year two because he

726
00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:20,000
Speaker 3: really has no foundation from year one because he was

727
00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:24,640
Speaker 3: just riddled with injuries and he just even on the

728
00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:26,720
Speaker 3: practice field, he wasn't able to be like a scout

729
00:38:26,719 --> 00:38:29,320
Speaker 3: team corner a lot of last season and compete against

730
00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:33,560
Speaker 3: the Cardinals ones his starters. So what does that mean. Now,

731
00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:35,440
Speaker 3: we got a lot of experience in Boston College and

732
00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:37,120
Speaker 3: he's an older guy. Can he make up for that

733
00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:40,760
Speaker 3: with some of that maturity That remains to be seen.

734
00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:44,080
Speaker 1: By the way, the rookies will be in later this week.

735
00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:47,160
Speaker 1: Rookie Miniicamp is this weekend. But as we speak here

736
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:50,040
Speaker 1: on this Monday, there is action and activity on the

737
00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:54,359
Speaker 1: football fields behind us here in studio. Phase two of

738
00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:58,160
Speaker 1: offseason workouts has begun. Now there's not much of a

739
00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:01,880
Speaker 1: difference between Phase one and Phase two. The biggest changes

740
00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:05,600
Speaker 1: coaches can now be on the field. Now you're still

741
00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:09,319
Speaker 1: in T shirts and shorts, no helmets, but you add

742
00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:12,719
Speaker 1: the element of okay, we've worked in the classroom. Now

743
00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:14,600
Speaker 1: let's go out on the football field and you're not

744
00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:17,120
Speaker 1: going full speed, but now you have the coaches that

745
00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:20,600
Speaker 1: can guide or hey. In terms of the offense, we're

746
00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:23,880
Speaker 1: hitting the ground running because there's not a ton of difference,

747
00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:28,240
Speaker 1: barely any difference between last year's offense and this year's offense.

748
00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:31,040
Speaker 1: As far as again the personnel and the players that

749
00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:32,400
Speaker 1: are out on that football field.

750
00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:34,640
Speaker 3: And you know what, we haven't had a chance to

751
00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:37,760
Speaker 3: watch it, but coaches watch everything and they are allowed

752
00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:41,160
Speaker 3: out there now right two And are you gonna win

753
00:39:41,200 --> 00:39:44,879
Speaker 3: a job? No, No, you're not winning a job in May.

754
00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:49,000
Speaker 3: But you can tell if a guy is behind. You

755
00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:52,200
Speaker 3: can tell if a guy is getting absolutely roasted or

756
00:39:53,320 --> 00:39:55,600
Speaker 3: not up to snuff with the other guys out on

757
00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:58,080
Speaker 3: the field. We've seen that at rookie mini camps over

758
00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:00,439
Speaker 3: the years. Guys have come in and I know, okay,

759
00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:02,120
Speaker 3: a nice show, and that's great, but you gotta wait

760
00:40:02,120 --> 00:40:04,319
Speaker 3: for the veterans. But if you're lagging behind the rest

761
00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:08,600
Speaker 3: of the rookies, that's usually a bad sign. So it's

762
00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:11,319
Speaker 3: the first indicator as to who needs to pick it

763
00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:15,120
Speaker 3: up and or you know, who might have been overdrafted,

764
00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:17,840
Speaker 3: and or who doesn't even belong on the field. In

765
00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:20,080
Speaker 3: terms of some of the undrafted rookies, you can usually

766
00:40:20,120 --> 00:40:23,000
Speaker 3: tell right away, right the guys who are brought out,

767
00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:28,480
Speaker 3: And so it is telling. It is every single session

768
00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:29,560
Speaker 3: is a competition.

769
00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:34,680
Speaker 1: Who is taking off season work seriously and who isn't.

770
00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:37,200
Speaker 1: Everyone goes back to, all right, can you win a job?

771
00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:37,319
Speaker 3: No?

772
00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:39,120
Speaker 1: But can you really stand out? And the one that

773
00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:42,040
Speaker 1: comes to mind this is a while back, but Steve

774
00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:46,480
Speaker 1: Preston used off season workouts to become the third wide

775
00:40:46,520 --> 00:40:50,759
Speaker 1: receiver and have a thousand receiving yards on that Cardinals team.

776
00:40:50,840 --> 00:40:55,160
Speaker 1: So yeah, you can make a jump even though you're practicing.

777
00:40:55,360 --> 00:40:58,359
Speaker 1: As BA would always say, T shirts and shorts, you're

778
00:40:58,360 --> 00:40:59,480
Speaker 1: playing soccer out there.

779
00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:03,200
Speaker 3: But guys that take it seriously get rewarded. So if

780
00:41:03,239 --> 00:41:05,040
Speaker 3: you go to Asycardinals dot com and you go through

781
00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:07,319
Speaker 3: some of the photos of the off season, you can

782
00:41:07,320 --> 00:41:10,120
Speaker 3: see Marvin Arrison Junior, right, I mean he's he's definitely

783
00:41:10,239 --> 00:41:13,560
Speaker 3: yoked up a little bit. Looks like you, Paul Xavier Thomas.

784
00:41:13,719 --> 00:41:16,040
Speaker 3: I gotta hit the gym, I really do. And then

785
00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:17,960
Speaker 3: you know the one I want to see though, Does

786
00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:21,520
Speaker 3: anybody have any intel on Isaiah Adams? Has he been

787
00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:23,839
Speaker 3: winning the off season? What does Isaiah Adams look like?

788
00:41:24,760 --> 00:41:28,080
Speaker 3: That's the sleeper to me, the third round pick out Illinois.

789
00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:31,000
Speaker 3: He had some really good skills, you had some really

790
00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:33,839
Speaker 3: good technique. Need to get a little stronger, put on

791
00:41:33,880 --> 00:41:36,920
Speaker 3: some good weight. Is he crushing the off season like

792
00:41:37,040 --> 00:41:40,200
Speaker 3: Zach Allen did years ago from year one to year two?

793
00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:46,239
Speaker 3: And if so, if so, that might explain why they

794
00:41:46,280 --> 00:41:50,440
Speaker 3: haven't invested more into offensive line a veteran guard and

795
00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:53,120
Speaker 3: free agency for example, dot dot dot. I don't know,

796
00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:56,200
Speaker 3: but I am intrigued to see what does Isaiah Adams

797
00:41:56,280 --> 00:41:58,800
Speaker 3: look like and is it noticeable kinning for those of

798
00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:00,640
Speaker 3: us who haven't seen him in mon do you walk?

799
00:42:00,719 --> 00:42:00,880
Speaker 2: We go?

800
00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:04,680
Speaker 3: Oh? Okay, Hello, Yeah, you've been living in the gym.

801
00:42:05,560 --> 00:42:06,520
Speaker 3: So that's the visual.

802
00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:08,680
Speaker 1: I want to see that jump from year one to

803
00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:11,239
Speaker 1: year two where you have a full off season to

804
00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:14,719
Speaker 1: dedicate yourself and you're not preparing for the combine or

805
00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:18,080
Speaker 1: going on the banquet circuit because you can actually focus

806
00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:21,080
Speaker 1: on your job. So yeah, some things to look forward

807
00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:23,239
Speaker 1: to in the days and weeks to come. Now as

808
00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:25,839
Speaker 1: we bring it full circle here on Cardinals cover too,

809
00:42:25,880 --> 00:42:30,120
Speaker 1: I mentioned Sinco to mile. Yeah, Paul's got plans. But today,

810
00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:34,719
Speaker 1: on this Monday, is also James Connor's birthday. Oh he

811
00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:38,920
Speaker 1: is thirty years young. And I stress young, okay, because

812
00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:41,560
Speaker 1: I know that's a magic number thirty when it hits

813
00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:44,720
Speaker 1: the running backs, especially with the running backs. But James

814
00:42:44,719 --> 00:42:49,239
Speaker 1: Connor has shown no signs of slowing down. Have not

815
00:42:49,280 --> 00:42:52,799
Speaker 1: seen him this offseason, but that's one player I have

816
00:42:53,239 --> 00:42:57,880
Speaker 1: zero concerns about being ready or taking care of his body.

817
00:42:57,920 --> 00:43:00,439
Speaker 3: What was the Jacoby Brussett comment when he was meeting

818
00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:02,600
Speaker 3: the media for the first time and New England came

819
00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,799
Speaker 3: to town week fifteen, and he's like, James Connor, dude looks

820
00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:08,000
Speaker 3: like he's aging backwards. That was one of the great

821
00:43:08,040 --> 00:43:10,839
Speaker 3: quotes of the off season. But you're right, Craig, I'm

822
00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:12,359
Speaker 3: not going to be the one who's gonna ask James

823
00:43:12,440 --> 00:43:15,560
Speaker 3: Connor about his thirtieth birthday. Okay, don't ask women the

824
00:43:15,640 --> 00:43:18,200
Speaker 3: rage and don't ask thirty old running backs their age.

825
00:43:18,239 --> 00:43:20,520
Speaker 3: So there's two things you just don't do as a

826
00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:21,400
Speaker 3: matter of decorum.

827
00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:24,640
Speaker 1: Just celebrate the fact that the Cardinals have James Connor

828
00:43:25,120 --> 00:43:25,800
Speaker 1: on their roster.

829
00:43:26,080 --> 00:43:29,719
Speaker 3: Yes, And you know what, Trey Benson. I saw him

830
00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:32,480
Speaker 3: out at the draft party. He was out there with

831
00:43:32,680 --> 00:43:35,600
Speaker 3: Paris Johnson Junior. That you know, there were different tandems

832
00:43:35,600 --> 00:43:38,440
Speaker 3: signing autographs and so I saw those two guys together

833
00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:43,720
Speaker 3: and Trey Benson looks great. And let's not forget Trey

834
00:43:43,719 --> 00:43:46,640
Speaker 3: Benson started to look like James Connor for about a

835
00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:48,879
Speaker 3: three game stretch before he dealt with some injuries over

836
00:43:48,920 --> 00:43:50,640
Speaker 3: the final month month and a half of the season.

837
00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:53,239
Speaker 3: But if you're looking for a guy to take that

838
00:43:53,400 --> 00:43:55,640
Speaker 3: year one to year two leap. I know we're talking

839
00:43:55,640 --> 00:43:58,640
Speaker 3: to about Marvin Erson Junior, you know, a Max Melton,

840
00:43:58,760 --> 00:44:01,319
Speaker 3: But don't forget about Trey Benson, the one of the

841
00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:06,160
Speaker 3: other Round three picks who started to adopt that James

842
00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:11,560
Speaker 3: Connor mentality and with his size and then his breakaway speed.

843
00:44:12,400 --> 00:44:14,719
Speaker 3: What do you ran? He was he was triggered this

844
00:44:14,760 --> 00:44:16,279
Speaker 3: time a year ago when he came in. That was

845
00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:18,640
Speaker 3: still one of the great quotes. What did he run?

846
00:44:18,680 --> 00:44:20,359
Speaker 3: And what did he say he should have ran? Because

847
00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:22,400
Speaker 3: he was not happy with his forty time a year.

848
00:44:22,719 --> 00:44:26,440
Speaker 1: Remember what Let's see he ran at the scouting combine.

849
00:44:26,480 --> 00:44:26,880
Speaker 3: I look at it.

850
00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:30,480
Speaker 1: He ran a four to three nine, third fastest among

851
00:44:30,640 --> 00:44:32,960
Speaker 1: running backs. But when we had him in here in studio,

852
00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:34,799
Speaker 1: he's like, oh, could have been faster? Yeah, I was

853
00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:38,080
Speaker 1: like nine, He ran a sub four four, could have

854
00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:39,160
Speaker 1: been faster, should have been faster.

855
00:44:39,239 --> 00:44:43,200
Speaker 3: He wanted low four threes. So I mean and once again,

856
00:44:43,640 --> 00:44:46,399
Speaker 3: and and and Jonathan again it said this a couple

857
00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:49,960
Speaker 3: of times on his TV show last year. You're waiting

858
00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:53,560
Speaker 3: for Trey Benson to get to the second level, get

859
00:44:53,560 --> 00:44:56,399
Speaker 3: to the third level, and then here gone, because as

860
00:44:56,400 --> 00:44:58,879
Speaker 3: soon as he gets that lane, there aren't many guys

861
00:44:58,880 --> 00:45:01,279
Speaker 3: who are gonna be able to catch Benson. And it's

862
00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:03,239
Speaker 3: gonna happen this year. I think he's going to house

863
00:45:03,280 --> 00:45:06,440
Speaker 3: one from forty or fifty yards out. Once you know,

864
00:45:06,600 --> 00:45:09,839
Speaker 3: they spring him free and he finds that lane, you're

865
00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:12,200
Speaker 3: gonna have to get a really good angle on Trey

866
00:45:12,239 --> 00:45:14,120
Speaker 3: Benson or else he's taken at the distance.

867
00:45:14,520 --> 00:45:17,000
Speaker 1: Can't wait to see that. Paul can't wait for the

868
00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:20,239
Speaker 1: Sinko to Miyo celebrations. So well, here's the beverage cart

869
00:45:20,280 --> 00:45:24,040
Speaker 1: coming by anytime soon. All tender mixologists, where are we right?

870
00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:25,080
Speaker 1: Where is the mixologist?

871
00:45:25,120 --> 00:45:26,839
Speaker 3: Well, if you're a mixologist, we got to go to

872
00:45:26,920 --> 00:45:29,200
Speaker 3: the mixologist. They don't come to you. That's the way

873
00:45:29,239 --> 00:45:32,720
Speaker 3: that works their status, rightfully. So we go to the mixologists.

874
00:45:32,800 --> 00:45:37,279
Speaker 3: So if anybody's around over here, please, yes, we get

875
00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:39,920
Speaker 3: some you know, table service. I'm not quite at Craigs

876
00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:43,440
Speaker 3: level for table service, but I could use a use

877
00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:45,520
Speaker 3: someone over here to bring us a beverage. At this

878
00:45:45,560 --> 00:45:47,160
Speaker 3: point with lunch, it's Sinko to my own.

879
00:45:47,239 --> 00:45:50,600
Speaker 1: As they say, it's five o'clock somewhere, so enjoy it.

880
00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:53,080
Speaker 1: On that note, we'll put a lit on this edition

881
00:45:53,280 --> 00:45:55,960
Speaker 1: of Cardinals Cover two presented by Hyundai, proud partner of

882
00:45:55,960 --> 00:45:59,000
Speaker 1: the Arizona Cardinals. As always, special thanks to our executive

883
00:45:59,000 --> 00:46:02,080
Speaker 1: producer Jim I'm on hunder our associate producer Coddie Fincher.

884
00:46:02,120 --> 00:46:04,400
Speaker 1: For Paul Calvic, I'm praig Reylu. We'll talk to you

885
00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:06,279
Speaker 1: next time here on Cardinals Cover two