For the first time in a long time, Darren Urban has decided to take a vacation. Before he went wheels up, he made a call to the pen to bring in the big guns, Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman. So yes, we know this is the mailbag you've all been waiting for… until next week when Darren is back and providing coverage from the combine. Questions have been edited for length and clarity. Don't forget to send a question for a future mailbag with at least a first name and last initial.
From Michael T:
"Hello Craig/Zach. Building a championship team is not an easy endeavor. It appears that Monti's strategy is the long view through the draft sprinkled with free agents with particular focus on the line of scrimmage. So with that in mind do you think the Cards should draft OL in round one and DL in round two? Or do you think they should surprise and shock and draft a dynamic speedster at WR to further accelerate our offense?"
Craig: When it comes to the draft, Michael, I agree with our colleague Rob Fredrickson who said very early in the offseason -- and repeats it often -- that if he were the general manager, then he would only draft players who played with their hand in the dirt, meaning any player on the line of scrimmage. We saw how important the O-line and D-line were to the team that made the playoffs, and even more valuable to those teams that had successful runs in the postseason.
From Drew Brightman:
"Sup boys, you're getting the CC question because I know Darren is tired of it: you think we bring back CC in free agency? Guy is still a great player. Had 5 sacks as a down-lineman, we need that. And he's beloved. It's not like he will be expensive or anything. Plus, I think he'd be the perfect mentor for fellow big man Darius Robinson. Can we please just manifest this to happen?"
Craig: So, as a frequent reader of the mailbag, Drew, I know the 'CC' you're talking about is Calais Campbell. Would I be opposed to seeing Calais in a Cardinals uniform in 2025? Absolutely not. What we don't know right now is what Calais thinks. Does he want to play an 18th season? Does he want to uproot his family one more time? Calais certainly showed last season he has a lot to offer a team both on and off the field.
From Jeff Wallace:
"What seems to be the most realistic take or understanding of how actually good Darius Robinson may be? He missed a lot I know but in the few snaps he got, did he impress any of you or any of the coaching staff? I know second year there is hope for big improvement, but is there truly real hope here? I'm hoping there is. Our need to improve the DL seems to be rather huge at this point."
Zach: During training camp last year, Darius Robinson told me that his personal goal was to be the 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year. The D-Rob we saw before his injury prior to Week 1 could've certainly been in that conversation. What he went through is unimaginable, and even while facing adversity, he managed to come back and put together performances that received praise from the staff, regardless of the story the stat sheet told. Let it also be known that Robinson was a limited participant in every practice between Week 12 and the end of the season. Knowing Robinson's work ethic and hearing how optimistic the staff makes me believe the hope is real.
Craig: Since Zach brought up training camp, let me share this. There was no player more dominant than Darius, especially during 1-on-1 pass-rush drills. What he showed, albeit in practice, impressed a lot of people. Now, there's a difference between a practice in August versus a game in September, and we only saw Darius play six games once he returned from injury. Still, like Zach, I'm bullish on the type of impact Darius can make on the defense, specifically the front seven.
From Sam L:
"We all are excited to see Trey Benson and what he can be, but if JC is around, how do the Cardinals really do that? Does Benson get enough reps to pay off as a third-round pick? I also want to know why they picked Emari instead of Carter. I get that Emari is talented, but it just seemed they could use more of a guy like Carter."
Craig: Remember, Sam, one season does not define the success of a draft pick. And if Benson hadn't missed four games, he would've approached 100 rushing attempts for the season. The Cardinals are a run-first offense, so I do believe there are enough carries to go around, even with Conner has your bell cow. And why Emari over Carter? The coaches rave about Emari's pass blocking, and he has found a nice role for himself on third down. It will be interesting to see what happens in 2025 because the entire running back room is coming back this season, and we have seen how effective Carter is when his number has been called.
Zach: To add a bit more to Craig's take, Trey Benson is a better running back because he shares a room with James Conner. He progressed from the beginning of the season until his injury. That's a plus. In regard to it being enough reps to pay off as a third-round pick, I believe the Cardinals couldn't let a potentially a long-term running back slip away when he has the opportunity to learn from a great in James Conner.
From Leighton Lewis:
"The Cardinals still need a shutdown cornerback. I know they drafted a bunch of guys last year and like them, but we need a Pat P or a Richard Sherman, don't we? Did the Cardinals make a mistake by not taking DeJean in the draft?"
Zach: I think it's worth going back to the second day of the draft to answer your second question. The Cardinals traded down from 35 to 43 and ended up selecting Max Melton. Cooper DeJean was taken at pick 40. Even if DeJean was available, who is to say Nick Rallis would have deployed him like the Eagles did? The Cardinals already have their slot cornerback in Garrett Williams. Also, I was really pleased with Melton's rookie campaign. The same leap Williams took from his first to second season is one I'd hope to see from Melton. Every team is looking for a lockdown corner, and the Cardinals are no exception. But if Melton takes that jump, I'd keep my eye on him.
From Chris P:
"We've gotten Darren's opinion on this but what do you guys think about the Cardinals maybe playing in Germany? And what do you think of international games overall? I just don't understand why they can't just play all their games in NFL cities. I guess I can live with regular games. They better not put a Super Bowl outside the U.S."
Zach: A trip overseas? Sign me up. As a son of immigrants, I appreciate that the NFL has taken the game across the globe. It opens up the door and introduces the sport to those who might not have ever considered watching a game. The NFL is a business, and expanding the game beyond the United States is a great way to grow the sport. It's safe to say that I don't expect a Super Bowl to be played outside of the United States any time soon.
Craig: Count me in, too, Chris. I do think we'll get to the point where there is at least one international game each week. But as far as the Super Bowl played outside the U.S.? That I can't see happening unless the NFL expands and places a franchise in an international market.
From Wyatt M:
"Hey guys. Good to hear Darren gets a break, but I'm looking forward to a different perspective. The Cardinals had a bunch of guys on IR and I was wondering what you think the team will get out of some of them like Hernandez, Gardecky, Jones and Nichols?"
Craig: Well, for starters, Wyatt, Will Hernandez and Dennis Gardeck are scheduled to be free agents, so we'll see about their futures in Arizona. I am on record saying I would like to see Will return. He brings a mean streak and a physicality to the football field that, I think, fits the offensive identity. And when it comes to Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols, I'm guessing each is anxious to show why the Cardinals made the investment in the two of them last offseason. They played a combined nine games in 2024, and that, quite frankly, isn't good enough.
Zach: To jump in here, I'm very interested in seeing what cornerback Elijah Jones brings to the table. After injuring his ankle in the preseason, we never got a chance to see what the third-rounder could do. Looking at Jones and Nichols, one would hope to see a bounce back similar to L.J. Collier this past season.
From Jason F:
"The hockey tournament was awesome and they did it instead of the NHL all star game. Way better than the NBA all star game. Wonder what you think about the Pro Bowl how they do it now and if you'd make changes?"
Zach: If I was Commissioner for a day (this is the part where Darren says "thankfully you're not"), I'd change some of the skills challenges in the Pro Bowl, but not the Punt Perfect challenge because that was electric. I would add an Elam Ending to the flag football game because the game dragged a bit towards the end. It'll add some competition to the game. With that being said, as we get closer to flag football being in the 2028 Olympics, these players will use any chance they get to familiarize themselves with the sport as they hope to represent their country.
From Sarah H:
"Hello Zach and Craig. If you didn't work for the Cardinals, who would you root for when you watched football?"
Craig: I always want to see the local teams do well, so nothing changes for me. I'm guessing Zach will have a different response. LOL.
Zach: I can picture Craig chuckling as he wrote out his response. If you know me, you know I can't go more than a few hours (generous?) without mentioning I'm from Philadelphia, so it'd be the Eagles. But I'm grateful that I get to cover the Cardinals on a daily basis and be on this ride with the Bird Gang.
