Trying to write a mailbag on Monday as free agency begins is a challenge to be sure. Answering questions with one eye on the internet probably isn't the most efficient process, but here we are. As of this posting, the Cardinals are adding pass rusher Josh Sweat, so they have that going for them in the ever-changing NFL landscape of this week.
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 Zack Clifford:
"All the talk is about improving the trenches (which I agree with) but nobody seems to be speaking about BJ Ojulari. He was all the rage last offseason heading in to Season 2 before his injury. He isn't even mentioned in the discussion of the defense at all. Is there something we don't know happening with him, or is it more of out-of-sight, out-of-mind?"
I wouldn't say no one has mentioned Ojulari. And this is what Gannon had to say about him at combine.
"I really like where his game was trending coming out of 2023 and I like where he was at camp," Gannon said. "He looks good in there, he's in there every day. ... I have a high expectation for BJ to come back and when he is healthy, help us win games."
Now that Sweat is incoming, and assuming Ojulari health -- which you should -- it makes the top of the Cardinals' OLB room those two with Zaven Collins and the agreed-to-return Baron Browning. That's a solid group. There are high hopes to what Browning is becoming. Not that he all of a sudden is going to get 12 sacks a season, but believe he was trending up in this defense by year's end. Obviously, this is a big year for Ojulari after losing his second season. That's just a fact.
From Ray Corde:
"Darren, I had an epiphany. Tell me if this tracks. The Cardinals are intentionally waiting to re-sign Trey McBride so they can make him the highest-paid tight end. There are several other free-agent tight ends who are due up, including Mike Gesicki who just signed a nice deal with Cincinnati. Initially I said 'What the heck, McBride only gets more expensive the longer you wait' but then it occurred to me that maybe that's the goal? 'See world, Arizona rewards its players too.'"
Sorry Ray. For me that doesn't track. It would actually be bad business to wait around just to watch the market get higher (see Parsons, Micah). Here's the deal with McBride, from my perspective (and without knowing what the team is thinking). They want a deal done. There really is no rush in terms of whether this is done in March or June or even mid-August. The talks are going to happen, I believe the deal is going to happen, and I believe that whatever McBride gets he will be very happy with, regardless if he is TE1 or not (although I can see that happening.) The Cardinals have shown it rewards players. Over the years, Kyler, Conner, Budda, Chandler Jones, Humphries, there have been more than a few. Right now, I think the focus is on free agency. Maybe an extension conversation ramps up later this month but there are more pressing issues at the moment.
From John C:
"I saw a pretty short but cool piece about Ryan Gold on lnstagram. Can we get more content like that? Just 30 seconds of someone in the Cardinals organization talking about the job?"
We can work on getting other content like that. I don't know if they all are as charismatic as Goldy, who selflessly narrated our Emmy-winning Flight Plan episode of a couple years ago. But we can look into other things like this.
From James C:
"I saw the Cam Skattebo question in the mailbag (last week) and have to ask: How are you as low you are on him? Haven't you gone to some ASU games? Unless he shows up at his pro day running a 4.7 there's no chance he's available when the Cardinals pick at 78. None. He might have to tear his ACL for him to fall to Day 3. A lot of people have him as the RB3 or RB4 in this class after the combine, and some as the best after Jeanty. If he manages to run in the 4.4's, he's likely getting into the first round. That's the reason why the Cardinals can't afford to take him, because they need their first two picks on the O and D lines. If we want a player from Arizona, what do you think about Jonah Savaiinaea on Day 2?"
I don't think I am low on Skattebo at all. If the Cardinals didn't already re-sign Conner and draft Benson, it'd be a different situation than this. If he ran in the 4.4s, maybe he would be in the first round. That's moot. Here's the deal: 1) Running backs, despite Saquon and, to a lesser extent, Derrick Henry, are still mostly seen as guys you can get later; 2) That breakaway speed is one of the main things that *does* move a guy up in the draft; and 3) it's a deep RB class. After I saw your question I looked up four post-combine draft rankings. Skattebo was the fourth RB in one, but he was the 91st player overall. In the other three, he was No. 8, No. 9 and No. 9 among running backs.
I want as much as anyone for Skattebo to have success in the league, and to be drafted highly. But it doesn't blind me to reality. Might he go before No. 78? Sure. It only takes one team. But I am going to guess with the number of backs out there, that many will slide because teams know they can afford to wait. I was told similar things about Eno Benjamin in 2020 when he was coming out, with fans upset the Cardinals passed on him in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds. And he was still there in the seventh. Not saying Skattebo lasts like that -- he won't -- but it's something to keep in mind.
As for Savaiinaea, I could see it. It seems likely he would kick inside to guard, which definitely would help he Cardinals. It'd be cool if he could last until the third round.
From Matthew C:
"I just finished watching another pro day up in Washington, and read an article saying 27 scouts attended the WSU/EWU Pro Day. Is there a way to find which five teams skipped out on that? Seems negligent, and I hope it wasn't us. Maybe a receiver saturated team wasn't interested in Kyle Williams and Easton Chism, but they missed out on OT Esa Pole. Dude killed it at the East-West Shrine bowl, but did not get a combine invite. I dug a bit deeper and found he allowed 0 sacks all year (started all 13 games). How does a guy like this not getting any attention? I'd never heard of him until I saw him."
Here's the deal: Every team knows about this Esa Pole, especially if he was at the Shrine game. In fact, if that's the guy you care about at that pro day, and you did work on him at the Shrine -- where every team was -- what's the difference if you go to the pro day? I can't confirm the no sacks thing, but he is projecting as a late Day 3 guy. Bigger picture, all teams know about all these guys. Maybe they aren't at a pro day, but they will have made campus visits, they go to games like the Shrine, and the tape has been watched.
From John T:
"Why not Skattebo in the third round? I watched him play every snap this past season. He is a guaranteed touchdown inside the 10-yard line. He will take 5 to 10 snaps per game and totally tire out the opposing defense. He can catch and throw opening up the red-zone offense. If Kyler is the guy then let's protect him. Let Kyler catch a TD pass? Cam could cause havoc and not replace Conner and Benson could fill in for Conner for rest."
Well, if you saw every snap of Skattebo, you must be an ASU fan, and that's fine -- I am too -- but until you watch every snap of the other draft-eligible backs, how do you know how he stacks up? (This is what all the NFL teams will do, in case you weren't sure.) I'm not going to go over my Skattebo-in-the-draft reasoning again. See above for that. But this team needs a lot of stuff besides a luxury pick of a running back in the third round.
From Barry Poehl:
"Hi Darren. I'm hoping this is one of those 'Something happened between me writing this and a week from now when you respond' type situations, but it's always irked me (this time of season) when I see good players getting traded from team-to-team for pittance. Pro Bowl WR Deebo Samuel to the Commanders for a fifth. Pro Bowl guard Jonah Jackson to the Bears for a sixth. What are the Cardinals doing, Darren? Go get somebody!"
In the two specific cases you cite, you are talking about players who have had trouble staying healthy (and the same goes for Christian Kirk, who also was traded for a low pick). Monti Ossenfort has pretty much made clear he's trying to find guys who are available as veterans. (Doesn't always work out, as Justin Jones and Nichols proved, but the intent was there.) Meanwhile, for one year of Jackson, it'll cost $17M and then you have to extend him. Kirk is about $15.5M and an extension. Samuel's contract is better but he too needs an extension. Every player is vetted I'm sure. (Not sure Samuel, the way the last couple years have gone, fits into a Gannon locker room either.) Also, noteworthy that while you call them "Pro Bowlers" they certainly were not that last year -- so much so that their former teams wanted to move them. Let's say you wanted Cooper Kupp. I bet you could get him for a seventh. But he makes $20M this season. So ...
From Chad D:
"I have you quoted describing cap casualties as 'This player might still help us, but isn't worth the money he is scheduled to make' rather than 'We have to clear cap space.' Why would teams, or the Cards, do this? If we have extra cap space anyways, why make cuts when these players have potential to be useful? Even an expensive backup is more valuable than literally nothing whatsoever. Is this owners being cheap at the possible expense of their team's success?"
You are assuming the players who are released are still to a level that much higher than a replacement might be. There is nuance here. For instance, the Commanders moved on from DT Jonathan Allen. He probably could still help. But he's eight years in, he was making more than $20M, and he was coming off a serious injury. And they probably would rather redistribute the cap space elsewhere. The Rams probably could still use Cooper Kupp. But not for $20M. I guess you can say it's to "clear cap space," but here's the deal: If a player is good enough, they will find other players to save the cap space, they won't risk losing a player they really want to keep. That rarely happens anymore.
From Jack Hendrychs:
"Why won't the team powers get a decent QB? Take a look at the win-lose record you will understand my concerns. Thank you."
Curious to know your definition of a "decent" QB, Jack.
From Rob S:
"How much does it cost and how much time does it take to renovate a locker room? A training facility I get could take more time. This seems like such low hanging fruit I don't know why it wasn't addressed."
The locker room has already been renovated once, and if they are going to construct a brand-new building -- relatively soon -- it seems foolish to dump a bunch of money for a one- or two-year fix when you're just going to tear it down anyway. (Also, part of the issue is space, and that's what the new build will help.)
From Mason Nuzman:
"Hey Darren, a salary cap/contract question for you. Sometimes you will hear phrasing along the lines of 'if X team releases Y player, the team will save X amount of money against the salary cap but will take on X amount of dead money.' What is the difference between salary cap money and 'dead' money? And how do they contribute to a teams financial status during a given year? Thanks!"
They are essentially the same; cap savings is what the team brings off the cap with a cut; the dead money is the cap money that remains on the cap because of the player's contract even though the player is no longer on the roster (which is why it's called dead money.)
A quick, very basic example: Player Jones signs a four-year contract with a $16 million signing bonus and salaries of $2M, $7M, $10M and $12M. In this case, Jones' cap numbers are, in order from Year 1, $6M, $11M, $14M and $16M (because the bonus is pro-rated across the four years of the deal.). His team decides to cut him after Year 2. He was supposed to have a $14M cap number in Year 3. Cutting him eliminates the $10M salary, but he still has $8M of pro-rated bonus left. So the team would save $6M on the cap (14-8=6) and still have $8M of dead money remaining.
From Jerry B:
"Hi Darren. I have a question about the Cardinals offense. The Cards play a lot of 12 personnel – one running back and two tight ends. Doesn't that mean that they will only have two wide receivers on the field? I assume that means no slot receiver on those plays. So the slot receiver becomes the offensive equivalent of a third-down edge rusher who only plays on obvious passing downs. Is that how it works? And doesn't that make the slot receiver less valuable to the offense?"
Yes and no. If you are playing 12, yes, that means two wideouts. But depending on the game and the opponent, you never know how much you may want to turn to three receivers. Or if there is an injury, how much you'd want that slot guy to upgrade to WR2. There is no question, however, in roster construction with the way the Cardinals play, the slot guy -- if that's what we want to call him -- doesn't carry as much importance as, for instance, in Sean McVay's offense.
