We delve deeper into the playoffs and deeper into the Cardinals offseason. I believe there will be no more NFL games this season at State Farm Stadium, but we will see. Mailbag time. 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 Slade B:
"Hi Darren, what are you most excited about as we look forward to next season? Outside of added experience for a young roster, is there anything specific fans should feel optimistic for? Also, how much easier is your job when you have positive PR to write about? (Like your owner sending planes to help a division rival in need.) How much does your job change with the good and bad stories you have to report on?"
I suppose if I had to say what I am most excited about is just the build toward Year 3 with Monti and JG. In a perfect world the Cardinals would have hit this season, but 2025 has been -- given the teardown of the roster -- probably the ideal target date for their plan to land. I know that's big picture. Drawing in for more of a close-up, I am a believer in the rookie-to-Year-2 jump, and I believe that is going to be noticable for Marvin Harrison Jr.
As far as positive v negative? Yes, usually positive things are a little easier. Certainly when the team is winning, people are more open to talk, there are good things to hit upon from a game (or whatever the situation.) But in this case it's tough to feel good about much, regardless of how much the organization might be helping, given the circumstances that led to it being necessary in the first place. I found myself being overwhelmed by the scenes and the realization of what has happened in southern California.
From Samuel Lopez:
"So this is the first season Murray has spent with this coaching stuff if I'm correct. It feels like to me that the Cardinals run on momentum and only play well when they are playing good teams or supposedly good ones. Does this have something to do with Kyler Murray's confidence, or is this a coaching problem? I just feel like, as a team, we have so much potential but someone or something is holding us back."
It's funny you say you think the Cardinals run on momentum when that's not something Jonathan Gannon puts much stock in as a guy about the process and keeping things steady each week win or lose. I will disagree with your premise -- Kyler played well against the Niners early in the season, and the Vikings, but also did well against the Bears and Jets. The game that disappointed was the Panthers' outcome, and even that went to overtime. I am not a fan of pinning any issues on one thing specifically, because in all the years I have covered the NFL, it rarely is one thing. I am sure JG sees the potential not met either. They need consistent play from Kyler. I am sure the coaches want to have more consistency of themselves too. Would that solve everything? Probably not. There are a lot more details involved. I know people get irritated when I answer like that, but that doesn't change the reality.
(Quick aside: This was Kyler's second season with the coaching staff. It was his first full season on the field after coming back from his ACL injury. But he was there from the day JG and Drew Petzing got into the building.)
From Chris Pritchett:
"Hey Darren. Thanks so much for the mailbag, and all you guys do as a media team. It'd be near impossible to keep up to date here in the UK without you all! The locker room clearout was an insightful and thought provoking article. It must prompt some deep reflection for players and support staff alike. It got me thinking about Dennis Gardeck. How is his ACL rehab going? He's a guy that's so easy to cheer for and I really hope it's going well for him. Can you please remind me how long he is under contract for? All the best from England."
Gardeck will be a free agent in March. As far as his rehab, I haven't had a chance to talk with him since he got hurt, but knowing Gardeck -- who unfortunately has been through this before in his career -- he will attack it like he attacks everything else and will be in position to be ready for 2025. We will see if that is in Arizona or elsewhere.
From John M:
"I know Chicago interviewed Drew Petzing for their head coaching position. Have you heard any rumors about any of the other Cardinal coaches that other teams may be looking at either for a HC or offensive/defensive coordinator position?"
I haven't seen anyone else pop up as a head coaching possibility. As far as coordinators, we won't hear about any of those rumors until head coaches are hired and they start to put together their respective staffs.
From Stevie Saranoc:
"Hey Darren. For this week's edition of 'What happened with ...' I wanted ask about Tyrann. From what I remember: Gets the big contract in 2016, gets hurt and misses part of 2016. Plays the entire 2017. Preseason 2018 Cards ask him to take a paycut, he declines and is released. I guess that's the point of confusion. Why did the team ask him for a paycut? He was healthy for all of 2017 and had a good year. What details am I missing? Just like Budda appears to be an Arizona lifer, maybe Tyrann could've been an Arizona lifer as well."
Generally, you're not missing any details really. What's funny is that Mathieu reportedly would've made more with the Cardinals in 2018 than what he got for one season in Houston. But Tyrann bet on himself, had a big year with the Texans, and parlayed that into a big free-agent contract and has been the picture of health since he left Arizona. The problem was, at the time, the Cardinals a) had a player who had torn up his knee twice in short order and b) was a smaller defensive back at the same time the Cardinals had also drafted Budda. Personally I wish he could've stayed. One of my all-time favorites to watch play and to cover. But the Cardinals made a business decision.
From Lane Kidd:
"Several players were signed to 'futures' contracts, immediately after the season ended, among them Bernhard Seikovits and Andre Baccellia. Both have been on the roster for several years, but rarely get playing time. What's the rationale behind getting these futures contracts signed so early?"
Well, if they weren't done early they wouldn't be futures contracts, would they? Essentially, it gives the team -- in this case, the Cardinals -- further clarification of what their 90-man roster will look like come mid-March. For the player, it locks them in to have a job, at least when we get to March. You're right on Seikovits and Baccellia, who don't get to play much (or in Seiko's case, at all up to this point). Seiko is around because teams get that international exemption, so he actually is the 91st player when it comes to numbers. Baccellia is close with Kyler and is reliable in the role he plays. They both know the system. Helpful when it comes to the offseason.
From Jayson W:
"With the Vikings at Rams game being moved to State Farm and the possibility it not selling out, how do the Rams recoup the lost revenue of a home game? Does NFL reimburse lost revenue? It was great of Michael Bidwill to step up and offering his plane so family members can attend the game, but what about the accommodations, travel to and from game, food, etc. Do families have to provide their own expenses? Thanks again for the mailbag, and podcast with Dani and Paul."
The game has come and gone, and it was officially a sellout. But there are mechanisms in place to help with the financial side of things. The NFL has a lot of money. They can make it work. As for the other stuff, most of that is taken care of, when it comes to hotels and transportation. With everything going on, the Rams were going to help where they could. (For instance, the wife of Rams QB Matthew Stafford was one of the leaders when it came to trying to find buses to transport Rams season ticket holders from LA to Arizona for the game. It's a short enough trip that you could leave in the morning Monday and leave after the game to go home.)
From Ted Beck:
"Now that we can look back over the season, if you were the head coach, which loss would be the one that would most likely keep you awake at night?"
If I was the head coach -- and I am imagining Jonathan Gannon shaking his head and saying a few choice words at that idea -- it would probably be the Vikings loss. The Cardinals were in control of that game the whole way. They were the better team in that game. Even with some mistakes, they still could've won. And I think a win that game changes the dynamic heading into the following week's home game against the Seahawks.
From Ken Davenport:
"So my question is why do you think it took so long to work Greg Dortch into the offense? Barely a target or used in more than half the season. Speed, good hands, and Kyler says he gets open. But silence during the first half of the season."
I don't know if I have a good answer for that. To be honest, had Michael Wilson been healthy for the finale, I don't know if Dortch is featured there. There is probably a reason two coaching staffs have now never gone all-in with Dortch. I like his drive and his play, but I don't pretend to know everything that might go into the equation.
From Donald C:
"With the Raiders firing their GM, many expect Maxx Crosby to be on the trading block, and he seems like exactly the kind of personality that Monti and Gannon love. I've heard rumors about Myles Garrett as well, a similar player. If one of these players were to be traded, what kind of draft compensation would that require?"
I don't know if Crosby or Garrett will be traded. I know those are the kind of guys teams are usually loathe to surrender in the first place because they are so hard to come by. I would be surprised if those teams wouldn't want at least a first-round pick, and probably more. They also might be looking for contract adjustments/extensions if they are moved. Let's put it this way: I don't think either one could be had for a package similar to a 2 and Jonathan Cooper.
From Matthew Stroh:
"Hey Darren, thank you for the mailbag. In the past mailbags I said we should give Kyler Murray one more year to see if Monti wants to keep him or move on. But I see people are saying to get a vet QB to give him competition next year. I don't agree. How would that help the team? If the Chiefs win the Super Bowl, would you be happy for D.J. Humphries and the other two former Cardinals players?"
The "other" two are DeAndre Hopkins and Hollywood Brown. And don't forget about RB Keontay Ingram, who remains on their practice squad. I would definitely be happy for Hump, and really those other guys too -- Hollywood and Hop always were easy to work with. As far as the QB situation, they are going to need to sign another QB or two in the offseason. I don't know who it will be but it will be interesting to see their pedigree.
From Dave Beers:
"I was reading your article about the year-end awards voting and I want to ask why the vote for L.J. Collier for the beyond-the-stats award? I like the guy but I'm not so sure I noticed him once this season and I'm not so sure I expect him back next year depending on if defensive line is a draft priority. For what it's worth I would've voted for Kelvin Beachum, who is about as steady of a backup swing tackle as there is in this league."
I appreciate your thoughts. I voted for Collier because a) I did notice him this season, b) I thought he did a good job as a veteran in the locker room in terms of being steady and a spokesman, especially when things got sideways and c) he held a position together that was ravaged by injuries. (I considered Roy Lopez too, for all the same reasons.) Beachum would've been a good choice, and he was in my thought process as well, in addition to linebacker Mack Wilson Sr.
