July 8, 2025 • 45 mins
In two weeks, the Arizona Cardinals will report to State Farm Stadium for the start of training camp and will, unofficially, kick off the start of the football season. Craig Grialou, Zach Gershman and Rob Fredrickson look ahead to camp and what adding more friction, as Jonathan Gannon has alluded to, will look like. Plus, the guys discuss Josh Sweat cracking the NFL's Top 100 Players list and what other Cardinals might show up later, what a successful Cardinals offense should look like in 2025 and how Dadrion "Rabbit" Taylor-Demerson can make a jump in his second season while playing behind Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This podcast is presented by All Copy Products, proud partner
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Speaker 2 (00:11):
So the fifteen to the ten per He's gonna score touchdown.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Welcome to the Cardinals Red Sea Report.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Swam to the ground by Budda Baker like a torpedo.
He came flying into the backfield Connor to the ten,
to the five, and then to the ends off of
the touchdown.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
The Cardinals Red Sea Report is brought to you by
Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals dot com Slash podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Here we go, one handed catching a touchdown?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Oh baby, how's that fail?
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Here's Craig griolhu Zach Gershman, and nine year NFL veteran
Rob Frederickson.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
So we are now two weeks away from when players
report to State Farm Stadium. The first practice open to
the public Thursday, July twenty fourth. So these these last
few days, Rob, as a former player, do you dread
do you take these twenty four hours at a time,
these days before you got to go back to the
(01:10):
state of Arizona unless you live here already and you're like, okay,
well it's just right around the corner, or is the
body you're trying to think, Okay, what do I need
to do to get ready for that first practice?
Speaker 5 (01:21):
Well, it's too late for that. If if that's your
thought process, if you if you're it's like cramming for
an exam in high school. You know, you're you're you're cooked.
If that, if that's really your mindset. But I think
right now, most guys, their mindset is things tend to
get a little more quiet around the house, Uh, get
a little more irritable. You know, you're you're you're about
(01:41):
to embark on a on a journey for a lot
of guys, a roster position, and so there's a lot
of expectations, there's a lot of pressure on a lot
of these guys, and and uh, you know, you just
tend to you tend to get a little more intense
in the last couple of weeks leading end up training camp.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
And I think Zach maybe a little bit more pressure
going into this particular training camp because of what we've
been talking about all off season, since free agency, since
the draft, as far as the competition at a number
of different position rooms. Because you've got some tough decisions
to make at least as we see it here on
paper now. Sometimes things tend to work themselves out once
(02:23):
you get out of the football field. But offense defense,
you've got rooms in which you got to whittle down
from ninety to fifty three and then figure out, right,
can you massage some of that as far as if
you hope not to lose someone but there's no room
on the active roster, can you sneak them through waivers
and onto the practice squad.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Yeah, it's going to be a numbers game in a
lot of ways. And I think in the previous two
seasons you were able to pencil in at least fifty
of the fifty three and you could start to guess
and expect who is ultimately going to be making the
fifty three man roster this year because of the competition
and especially the depth now on the defensive side of
the ball, we are gonna have a lot of different
(03:03):
conversations these training camp battles, especially on the defensive line,
outside linebacker, cornerback room. The defense particularly is gonna have
a lot of those battles where we're gonna start to
think about how many defensive linemen do you keep versus
outside linebackers. Are there any hybrids? These are all gonna
be things that we're gonna have plenty of time over
these next few weeks to discuss.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
As a front office, as a coaching staff, you want
those tough decisions. Maybe as a player, they'll rob You're like,
wait a second, my spot sometimes going into training camp
is secure and you're just looking to get ready, get healthy,
stay healthy for week one. Now it's I can't really
let up during a rep a practice because all of
(03:44):
a sudden that depth chart might change day to day.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
I never had that mindset of my spot is secure
going into training camp or even in training camp, I
always felt like my job was on the line and
I needed to play like that every play, every rep
against my own team, if we if we practice against
other teams, every rep had to be maximum effort, maximum uh,
(04:08):
just correct and every respect. So that's the mindset that
I think these players need to have, is you know,
not so much worry about their roster spot or worry
about how many guys are at their position, but just
focus on the next play, focus on the next snap,
and and do your best and the chips will fall
(04:29):
where they may.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
The evaluation process has already begun. I mean it began
once these players hit the weight room on the practice
field for OTA's and mini camp. But when you get
to training camp, that's when you can really figure out
who's who. When the lights come on, who who stands
out and maybe who shrinks a little bit. Head coach
Jonathan Gannon, before this team broke for the summer, asked
(04:53):
how excited he is to see this team in pads.
Speaker 7 (04:57):
Excited?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
That'll be good.
Speaker 7 (05:01):
That was one of the things that we kind of
tweaked going into camp, and the players know this, have
a little more friction, you know what I mean. So
during camp, so in a safe way, but I want
to get on the paths a little bit and play football.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
You hear that word friction to you, Rob, What does
that mean? What do you foresee it meaning when it
comes to these one on one reps, nine on seven,
eleven on eleven with pads and then sometimes you know
not with pads.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
Well, when they have the pads on, that's the only
way you can truly evaluate offensive linemen, defensive linemen, tight ends, linebackers.
You know those guys that are kind of in the
in the grind there. That's the only way to truly
evaluate them, and so you got to have friction, You
got to have the mentality of it's on today, even
though it's practice and it's a nine on seven drill
(05:55):
where it's just the interior offensive linemen and the defensive
linemen and linebackers, but it's on, you know. And that's
really I think over the last several years with the
CBA and what they've done to kind of mitigate injuries
or try to mitigate injuries and peel back a little
in terms of the amount of contact that they can
(06:16):
have and practices, it's kind of eroded some of that friction.
It just naturally has and guys are okay with that
for the most part, especially guys that are secure and
are going to make the roster, they're fine with that.
But it's the guys that are really fighting for a
roster spot that they need that friction and they need
to show what they have and you know, and it
(06:39):
sounds like Jonathan Gannon is all on board for that.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
There is some friction when you're out on the field
during the off season, but it's T shirts in shorts.
Maybe there's a little bit a little bit more intensity
when it's the wide receiver, cornerbacks going up against one
another much more difficult.
Speaker 5 (06:57):
As rob alluded to though.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
When you're in the line of scrimmage and you can't
have any contact whatsoever. How do you evaluate an offensive lineman, Yeah,
they're big, but how strong? How are they set up?
How do they hold up against that pass rush? And
then a defensive lineman, how do you shed a block
when you're just kind of going through the motions for
the most part during the offseason.
Speaker 6 (07:20):
Of course, I remember during the rookie Mini camp and
then during mandatory mini camp last year where all attention
was on Marvin Harrison Junior for the obvious reasons, and
you start to see a little a little bit of
that when they weren't wearing the pads. But Darius Robinson
flashed the most out of any player once the pads
came on on the fifth day of training camp during
the twenty twenty fourth training camp at State Farm Stadium,
(07:42):
because you got to see him in these one on
one drills with the pads on. How does he look
lining up across from another offensive lineman, And that's when
he really put on display what he could bring to
the table. Obviously, the injury derailed what that rookie season
was hoping to be. But I'm encouraged because you got
to have that glimpse of how good he can be.
And the same question now comes to Walter andn Nolan
(08:03):
Id the Cardinals first round pick in twenty twenty five,
We have that same appearance seeing him in the defensive
line room with a bunch of new faces there, Kalais Campbell,
Dalvin Tomlinson, a healthy Darius Robinson. But how will he
look when the pads come on? That'll be the position
group I'm looking at the most rod because the pads
come on with the Cardinals this year, that's the group
(08:23):
you need to see the best.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
Well, that's certainly been the position group that's got the
most attention in the offseason is the defensive line, and
I'd even throw in the edge outside linebacker position. So
that really was an emphasis by the Cardinals front office
to bolster that that position group, and it needed it right.
The Cardinals were horrible and rush defense and we weren't
(08:46):
getting a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks. So it
will be fun to watch that position group battle it
out against the offensive line, which is also another interesting
group in my opinion, especially at right guard. I think
that's that's going to be an interesting position to really
evaluate and look at when you look at Isaiah Adams
(09:06):
and you know, is he going to be able to
make that sophomore leap from last year to really solidify
his stake at that position and really solidify this offensive line.
Speaker 6 (09:17):
Rob how do you balance that the desire for friction
and physicality with not getting too chippy, because at the
end of the day, these are the same guys that
you share a locker room with.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
Yeah, I mean, this is a training camp and guys
know that, and guys are fighting for positions. They're fighting
for hierarchy and the depth chart, and some guys are
fighting for roster spots. So it's going to be chippy,
and you want that As a coach. I think you
want it to the echo of the whistle. You don't
want any fights, you don't want anybody to break their
hand on a face mask doing something stupid. But you
(09:50):
want it to be chippy. You want it to have
that edge. You want to be so sick of going
against your own teammates that you can't wait for week one,
You can't wait to actually play another opponent.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
When Bruce arians was the head coach here in Arizona,
he always talked about there are ninety individuals in training camp.
You're not the Cardinals just yet. That doesn't happen until
the end of camp, right before week one, when you
whittle that number from ninety to fifty three. So again,
more friction, what does that mean? Recently on the Big
Red Rage, former Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds asked what
(10:24):
he thinks more friction means this year.
Speaker 8 (10:28):
To me, that that strings one thing, and I think
that's games that he wants, more competition. I think he's
he wants to really light a fire under his guys,
really get after each other, you know, get in a
safe way. Obviously, you never want to get any big
time injuries during a training camp. You want to take
care of each other. But at the same time as
well to really get yourself ready and primed up for
the season. And you know, when you're looking at full speed,
(10:49):
when the bullets are really fast and when the real
he definitely probably is speaking on just more competitive edge
and more competition with one another to really see, you know,
who's gonna step up when we need the most, Who's
gonna step up, you know, when it gets fire and
the bliskt hot.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
Obviously when the pads come on. That's one way to
add a little bit more competition as Chase reference there.
But then within the individual drills when you're going one
on one or even maybe there are some different drills
that we haven't seen yet, Zach, as far as how
do we create competition within these position rooms or within
the defense versus offense vice versa to try to help
(11:25):
us evaluate who we want to keep.
Speaker 6 (11:27):
Yeah, I know this staff tries to make everything a competition.
Even at some community service events, they've done offense versus
defense competitions just to have that competitive fire. And I
think that that's something that is super important. And we
know this staff tries to be very innovative with the
different things that they do. I mean, we had a
thirty minute discussion I felt like with Jonathan Gan about
Level three work and band work because this is a
(11:49):
group of these are a group of coaches on the
staff that truly wants to maximize whatever the sports science provides,
whatever that competitive edge desires, they want to try to
bring it out on the foot ball field. And I
think this year we could potentially expect to see something
very different because of just how much improved this defense is.
But then again, Rob, there are so many new faces
(12:10):
that still have to learn what this scheme is really
going to be.
Speaker 5 (12:13):
Yeah, there are, and you know, you hope you absorb
some of that through mini camps and OTAs. But when
it gets to training camp, it's all about the physicality
number one and number two, it's about getting it right
in terms of what we've implemented in the playbook.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
No wontter how much we might see competition off the field.
In the hotel room when guys are just kind of
hanging in, there's that natural back and forth in the
trash talking again, trying to form a bond with your.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
Teammates, playing Gin Rummy or what are they playing here?
Speaker 4 (12:42):
I don't know, pop a shot, I mean yeah, maybe
some pool, ping pong anything.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Which game would you win?
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Then probably none of the above. Just don't play Kyler
Murray in chess. If you ask, take a hard pass, yea,
Kyler's very good at that game. You know who's also
very good, Josh Schwitt. We'll talk about the Cardinals' newest
addition to that outside linebacker room as we continue. It's
the Cardinals Red Sea report here on the Arizona Cardinals
Radio network.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
The hand on, I'm first down, locked up on the backfield.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Sweat got there.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
First, had a loss of two back to throw again,
steps away for pressure, but not the next one. As
he gets dropped. Josh Sweat gets home and Mayfield somehow
hold out of that ball. Joe's got a moment, didn't
release it. He's sacked, get sat the twenty five Josh Swett.
Speaker 6 (13:33):
Lawrence a truckle and he is shot.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Josh Sweat with.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
The sat Lawrence si as he throws.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
That was Josh Sweat who got a portion of Lawrence's
arm and he.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Was under pressure again.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Swung down Turney nine yard line. Josh Sweat, Stafford step.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Back, some much tray of that as Josh.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Sweat sacks Backew Stafford.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
Here is Harris again and he gets watched, gets nowhere
to go.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Josh Sweat was there Jehan's.
Speaker 9 (14:02):
Pressure right away the whole Yes, Josh Swett gets home,
got home a lot last season, eight times in the
regular season, two and a half times in the postseason
the Super Bowl, specifically.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
Talking about Josh Swetz and his ten and a half
sacks last year. Now and Arizona Cardinal as we say,
welcome back into the Cardinals Red Sea report. Greg reel
Lozach Gershman, and Rob Fridrickson looking at the addition of
Josh what certainly the biggest free agent addition, the biggest
splash of free agency. The contract, the years, and the
(14:38):
dollars certainly equate to that. But now you look at
what potentially, not even potentially, but the expectations act on
you bring in someone with that resume, with that pedigree,
not only what he can do individually, but perhaps uplift
everyone else.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
Of course, and this is the time of year now,
it's as the summer starts to wind down, you start
to look at head to what the twenty twenty five
season is going to end up becoming. In the NFL,
the players all vote on who is going to be
in their top one hundred, and Josh Swett, during his
time in Philadelphia was just ranked the ninety fifth player
out of the top one hundred. And I'm expecting and
(15:14):
we'll discuss in a little bit about what other Cardinals
we think could potentially be making the list, but Josh
Swett's going to be that prize free agency acquisition that
you're coming in. Even during the twenty twenty four season,
you knew Josh Swett was likely going to hit the market,
and automatically because of his relationship with Johnathan Gannon, he
was linked to the Arizona Cardinals. Free agency comes around
(15:35):
and he ultimately ends up putting pen to paper, and
I think that he is going to be the face
of what this Cardinals rebrand is hoping to become. Especially
on the defensive.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
Side of the ball.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
You had a lot of players now were able to
produce that overperformed. Do you think about on the defensive
side of the ball, especially in that defensive front seven
guys like Dante Stills, a sixth round pick, what he
was able to do ultimately starting a handful of games
for the Arizona Cardinals, and then other players Xavier Thomas
flashed a little bit coming off the edge at different
points throughout his rookie season, but rob when it comes
(16:06):
to Josh Sweat, he is a player that is disruptive,
could set the run, but also definitely has the freedom
to go rush the passer.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Yeah, he's a difference maker. He's a magnet or really
a guy that draws attention from the offense, and he's
he's gonna be a guy I think that. You know,
you can you can just pencil him in for double
digit sacks and he's gonna elevate the game of everybody
else along that defensive front as well, even the others
aside to edge rushers, I think, but having Josh Sweat,
(16:34):
he's gonna get his share of reps out there. He's
gonna be He's a he can be a third, a
three down guy, So it's good. It's gonna be an
interesting rotation on the other side of who the Cardinals
put out there as b j Oljulari. Is he able
to come off of that devastating knee injury and and
get back to form where we all thought he was
gonna be the impact player you mentioned Xavier Xavier Thomas,
(16:58):
you know, I think he can do some good things.
Baron Browning, you know, I think he flashed last year
as well, so he's able to do some things. And
then you know, kind of still got to find a
carve out a spot for Xavin Collins, and you know
what does that look like for him? Is he more
of a rundown guy or does he get some some
passing down reps as well? But just see, I mean
(17:20):
the addition of Josh Sweat to me really changes and
elevates the pass rush for the Cardinals.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
Zavin led the team or led outside linebackers with five sacks.
So you bring in someone who almost doubled that if
you and it did double it if you include the
Super Bowl run in the playoff performance of Josh Wet.
And it's interesting, Rob because you mentioned right, Josh Weed
is on one side. Now the question is, okay, do
you rotate the other side to give it an offense
(17:47):
a different look. If you think it's a rundown, maybe
that's Savin Collins. You can set the edge, she can
also drop. Maybe he's a little bit more versatile than
someone else that you would pencil in over there. You
added Jordan Birch, third round pick out of Oregon into
that may and all of a sudden, it's okay, you've
got Josh Wett. We know he can do what he
can do. Figure out that other side and maybe their
(18:07):
games get elevated.
Speaker 5 (18:08):
Yeah, and it's gonna be it's look training camp, it's
going to be an interesting situation there to just to
evaluate these guys and see how they do with some
friction as Jonathan gnnets the air. So you know, I'm
looking forward to it. I'm looking at there's several position
battles that will be interesting to see during training camp,
(18:29):
and and that that edge rusher opposite of Josh Sweat
is one of them.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
We talked about what we think Josh Wett brings to
the defense. Well, his defensive coordinator, Nick ralis, what does
he see out of Josh Wett within this defensive scheme.
Speaker 10 (18:43):
I love Sweat. He's he's a phenomenal person, phenomenal teammate,
but the player that he's going to bring violence in
the run game. And that's ever since I've been with him.
I put on the tape when we got to Philly
of the year before and I said, Holy Kyle, this
guy consent an edge and then on top of that,
he can get after the passer. So that's ultimately what
you want out of that position. You want a guy
(19:03):
that collaps edges in the run game and gets after
the passer and.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Never has to leave the field at three down linebacker.
As you mentioned, Zach, Josh Wett checking in at number
ninety five on the NFL's Top one hundred players of
twenty twenty five. If you go to NFL dot com,
they are through eighty seven. They are what unveiling two
at a time to kind of drum up some interest
ahead of training camp. So Josh Wet, even though he's
(19:28):
a Philadelphia Eagle, the ride up is all about what
he did with the Eagles. But he's got that Cardinals
logo next to his name. So looking at the rest
of the list, the unveiling some teammates of Josh Wett
that we I would think hope.
Speaker 6 (19:41):
To be on this list the last season, Buddha Baker
clock down number eighty nine, if I'm not mistaken. So
he we've already passed where that point in the list
is because of how he finished with the most amount
of tackles by a safety, second most in the NFL.
I'm expecting to also see him on this list. And
Trey McBride. You don't become the highest paid tight end
in the NFL for a cup of coffee if you
(20:04):
aren't going to be in that top one hundred list.
I know Sam Laporta, I'm pretty sure was at ninety four,
somewhere in the nineties range. So he's also a very
young tight end that is starting to rise up the
ranks in terms of the respect he's starting to get.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
So a port of.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
Being that low is something that I have my eye on.
But I also think guy like James Connor deserves the
honor and the recognition because to have back to back
seasons of a thousand plus or rushing yards, had a
career high this past season the fifteen games that he played.
I mean, I think that James Connor is a player
that should make this list. Now, will he I'm not sure.
We don't have it, but what I do know is
(20:40):
that he is a player that I believe has the
respect of those people that are in the league.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
To me, Trey McBride's and no brainer and what he
accomplished and basically his first full season as tight end
number one and all of a sudden breaking franchise records
for that position, and then just well he was the
number one pass catcher on the team last year as
far as receptions and receiving yards. So Trey McBride, now
(21:08):
you can argue, where is he a top fifty, top sixty,
I mean you're talking about every single position, but he's
certainly a monkst tight ends to me, Rob he is
top five, if not top three.
Speaker 5 (21:19):
Oh, he's definitely top three tight end. And yeah, he
will be on this list. And who just a quick question,
who votes for this or is players? Okay, there's a
couple others that I think will be on it. For
the Arizona Cardinals, they're dark horses, but I think if
it's a true evaluation of talent and what they've done
thus far, they should be on the list. And that's
(21:40):
Paris Johnson. Paris Johnson Junior. This rookie season, he played
every snap offensive snap for the Arizona Cardinals and he's
really kind of crafting his game and turning into one
of the elite left tackles in this league. So I
look for him to be somewhere on this list. And
then Garrett Williams. I know that's a that's a really
(22:01):
dark horse, but he and he's not getting the attention
or the accolades that he deserves. But that always takes
an extra year or two for everybody to kind of
catch up to where you're at in your game. And
Garrett Williams game is elite, and so he I think
he certainly deserves to be on it list. Whether it
is or not, I don't know.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
I think Paris too just to go off of that.
I mean, this is going to be his first time
in his career practicing at the same position, spending an
offseason at the same position back to back season, something
he hasn't done since high school. So for some reason,
Paris is not on the list, and I believe that
he should be on the list. He might not have
the since the players they're given a piece of paper
right around week fifteen, week sixteen of the season, and
(22:43):
they're all going to put down their list of their
top thirty. If I'm not mistaken, because if you do
one hundred, that's going to take I'm not sure if
the player rob would you have wanted to list one
hundred players they thought would make it.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
So I think, can you name one hundred players at
that point?
Speaker 5 (22:55):
There's got to be an incentive somewhere Potentially.
Speaker 6 (22:58):
I think the incentive is and you respect, you get
the respect from your peers. So if Paris is not
on the list this year, it wouldn't surprise me. Now
that he's going to have a full offseason under his belt.
He said that he's fully healthy. Obviously, he left after
the game against the New England Patriots in Week fifteen
and missed the latter half of the season, those last
three games. I expect for him, if not on the
(23:18):
list this year, to be on in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
I think those are two great names, Paris Johnson Junior
Garrett Williams. Whether it's this year, definitely hope to see
them all on the list next year based off what
they've accomplished so far and their very young careers. Join
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Cardinals at the Dallas Cowboys Monday Night Football we continue
(24:06):
It's the Cardinals Red Sew Report. You're on the Arizona Cardinals.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
Radio Network.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Thurn and go on the one Murray takes. They run
it up the middle, touchdown James Conner. The Cardinals blew
a hole in the Patriot defense information and Connor scores
from her yard out.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
You give me a ground pounder in three dirt wickers
and moveing it in every.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Time, setting up deep in the pocket, looking launching farside
into the end zone, and Harrison laying out for it.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
He got it.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Touchdown water Cats, Carvin Harrison Junior, big time. Now a
lot near side for mccride in the corner. Mix the
Cats for the touchdown.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Ah, that was greasy good right there from Kyler Murray.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
So how about this last season? For all, only the
fifth time in franchise history, the Cardinals had a three
thousand yard passer, one thousand yard rusher, and one thousand
yard receiver in the same season. So the offense, yes,
individuals succeeded, had very good seasons. Can it be better?
(25:20):
I think that's what we're all hoping for when we
talk about this offense. How much better can it be?
When you look rob at the offseason additions for that
side of the ball. Not much. I mean you could
argue the biggest offseason addition is someone that we hope
to never see on the field this season, and that's
your backup quarterback in Jacobi Prissett. Other than that, it's
(25:42):
kind of additions along the offensive lines and wide receiver depth.
But by and large, they are running it back in
year three under Drew Petsing. So we ask, what in
year three does a Cardinals offense look like compared to
the first two years.
Speaker 5 (25:58):
Yeah, you're exactly right. They're run it back essentially with
the same offense as last year. And I think what
they're saying is one of two things is you know,
players have to execute better and play better, and there
can be some adjustments to the play calling. There could
be some adjustments to the scheme. Those are the only
two areas where you know effectively they're going to change
(26:20):
any outcomes because it's essentially the same players. So yeah,
there's room for improvement. I think, you know, when you
look at the wide receiver room, you expect Marvin Harrison
Junior to make a big jump in a sophomore season.
You know, I think it was last year. It was
it was difficult to have those expectations of being a
(26:41):
wide receiver one on a rookie coming in. But you know,
I think he played well enough his rookie year that
he's in a position right now, both physically and mentally
to really make a leap. And but it's it's other
wide receivers too that need to come along. I know,
Michael Wilson, you need tontinue to see him progress, and
(27:02):
you know there's different guys. Greg Dortsch. I feel like
he kind of, you know, went away a little bit
last year. He wasn't as big of a focus and
he had a really good chemistry with Kyler and then
that kind of eroded. So I think the wide receiver room, obviously,
the offensive line is going to be a huge indicator
to the success of this offense. And getting Trey Benson
(27:25):
I think more involved in the running game will take
a little pressure off of that running game and hopefully
create some balance for the Cardinals.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
The numbers last season for this offense zach twelfth in scoring,
seventeenth in the red zone. And again, when you bring
back the same personnel and you're just looking for improvements
within that personnel and improvements in those numbers or those
rankings that I just mentioned, and then I think about, Okay,
how can you be more efficient? Less ten plus drives
(27:54):
because the more plays you run, the more times potential
mistakes might happen, whether that's a penalty or a turnover,
or just a ball hits the ground and all of
a sudden, it's third and twelve as opposed to third
and five.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
So can you be more.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
Efficient and take advantage of those individuals that you are
bringing back and just elevate everyone's game.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
Efficiency and consistency are the two things that matter the
most with this Arizona Cardinals offense because they showed at
moments last year you're in the driver's seat to win
the division and to be in the playoffs, and you
showed that your offense really has the talent. Kyler Murray
was in the MVP conversation going into the week eleven
bye after the game against the New York Jets, that's
how good this offense really was. And then after the
(28:39):
buy everything started to kind of fade away a little bit.
And I know Jonathan Gannon says he's not really a
believer in momentum and you just expect for it to continue.
But whatever momentum was there, and I'll be the one
to say that there was, momentum started to really fade
away after that week eleven bye. I look at the numbers,
do we mention the red zone numbers, which are all
right middle of the pack, But I think about the
(29:00):
goal to go situations. They started sixteen of sixteen to
begin the year and then went into the buy first
game in Seattle and they had to settle for field goals.
The next week against the Minnesota Vikings, you settled for
field goals twice when you got into the red zone
may or when you got into those go to goal situations.
You lose both those games by one score. And that
is really what separates in all three games that the
(29:21):
Cardinals were nine to thirteen in goal to go situations,
and each time that they did not convert and score
a touchdown, they lost that game by at least one score.
That is something that really is going to stand out
when it comes to this year because when you are
in the red zone when you do need to score
one more point than the opponent, are you settling for
three or you're settling for six?
Speaker 5 (29:38):
Yeah, And it's criminal that Trey McBride only had one
receiving two two receiving touchdown. Well, it came at the
end of the season. That's criminal. That is borderline criminal
to have arguably one of the best top three tight
ends in the league not have an impact in terms
of scoring. And you mentioned a number of possessions. I
(30:01):
think about it, think about it this way, like the
the elasticity of those those possessions and when they happen.
So like you want to be explosive early on, and
you want to you want to go down and hit
some explosion plays, hit some of those explosives that Jonathan
Gannon talks about, and score some points. But then when
you need to kill the clock, when you need to
(30:23):
limit possessions, have the ability to to you know, get
those first downs, have the ability to move the chains
and be consistent in that I think is as important
as being you know, being that that explosive offense when
you really want it.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
Do you have that four minute offense or you're trying
to run some clock, gain a couple of extra first
downs to keep the opposing offense off the field, whether
you're a head by a score or trailing by a score,
but you want that ball in your possession to be
the last offense on the football field. Speaking of the offense,
Chase Edmonds, former Cardinals running back recently on The Big Red,
(31:00):
Rage asked what he believes the key is for the
Cardinals this season on offense.
Speaker 8 (31:06):
I think it's all about opening up the pass game
for Trade McBride, and as a tied end in the NFL,
nothing opens up the pass game for them boys better
than play action, and I think that that's something that
can continue to kind of be built off of a
K one strength, just opening the game for him, really
kind of lessening the load on his shoulders, having the
run game established, using that to actually get some of
(31:28):
the receivers opened down the field, but more importantly, really
get Trade McBride down the field where you know he's
going to be kle with number one option this year.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
Play action, rolling Kyler Murray out of the pocket, giving
him a little bit more space to work with. And
we hear a lot speaking of Trey McBride. It was
Trey who first brought it up, potentially some more pre
stat motion this season year three under Drew Petsing, Let's
hear from Trey McBride on what he believes the offense
(31:56):
will look like this season.
Speaker 11 (31:58):
It's not as fundamentals, not as basic. They're adding a
lot of motions and a lot of you know, sauce
is what I call it, just putting a little, you know,
extra flavor on the same plays that we have, maybe
motion guys to it, running different guys in different things.
So trying to stick to our main you know, concepts
that we have, but dressing them up in different ways.
Whether you know, one guy's running a motion or some
(32:19):
guy's doing a route, but it's all kind of the
same concepts, just different ways to get to it. So, Yeah,
this offense can be very complex. And the way that
Drew and these guys have changed throughout the offseason and
continue to build it, it's it's been a lot of
fun and I'm excited to you know, see us in
action here.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
As a defensive player, Rob, how do you confuse the
defense before the ball is snap? You're running the same
play three times in a row, but it looks different
because there's a guy moving from left to right, there's
a guy coming into the backfield. Simple basic plays, but
it's how you get to that ball being snapped that
(32:54):
once that defense starts thinking and all of a sudden,
you're a half step slower and now potentially a big
play for the offense.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
Yeah, that's just that you want to get the defense thinking, well,
in actuality, they're getting to the same plays, but just
out of different formations, out of different personnel groups. But
ultimately they get to the same play at the snap
of the ball. And so from the defensive perspective, you
just got to look at it, big pitcher and realize
that things are going to change when they come out
(33:22):
of the huddle. Things are going to move around, but
ultimately it's predicated on what happens at the snap, where
has everybody aligned. And you know, these guys watch a
lot of film, right, these defensive players, they watch a
lot of film. But anything the Cardinals can do, I
think a lot of the motion and shifting and changing
has to do with getting these wide receivers or tight
(33:44):
ends on the move a little bit, not allowing them
to get held up at the line of scrimmage. Because
everything in this league is predicated on timing. And you know,
if you have Kyler Murray going through a play action
and when he hits that backs that he needs to
be throwing the ball. It needs to be coming out,
and if the receiver or tight end is somehow hung up,
(34:07):
you know that that that complicates it. Now, all of
a sudden, you got a broken play. Now, all of
a sudden, Kyler's scrambling. And that's when you know good
things can happen. But you you wanna, you really want to,
you know, make your steady diet out of having things
work with the timing and within that timing of the
play structure.
Speaker 6 (34:25):
I think it was one of the reasons why it
was such a big deal for Marvin Harrison Junior to
gain the weight and gain that strength was because he
kept getting jammed at the line of scrimmage. Now, and
you need your wide receivers to be to out physical
those defensive backs because those first five yards matter a lot.
That was that pre snat motion will open that up
for them.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
You want to see this Cardinals offense and action be
part of the Red Sea Arizona Cardinals single game tickets
on sale now. Tickets are available online by visiting Azcardinals
dot com forward slash by tickets. That's Asycardinals dot com
forward slash by tickets. When we come, I'm back here
on the Cardinals red to report our final segment and
(35:04):
we flip it from the offense to the defense and
the last line of defense the safety room where you've
got two very good players and Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson.
But there's another player in that room that's trying to
get down the field a little bit more. We'll discuss
next here on the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Cardinals rushed by and trobl Smith steps up, sacked by
Buddha Baker.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
What's coming?
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Rodgers has no chance? Sacked by Booda Baker.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
Baker came off the edge, Cleague and Aaron Rodgers got
his Backwax.
Speaker 5 (35:39):
He's a heck of a player for us.
Speaker 10 (35:41):
He's just constantly hitting the ball. Leadership to the roof,
motor and violence to the roof gets us in the
right calls on the back end. He kind of plays
a lot of roles for us at very high level.
Speaker 4 (35:53):
Team captain, pro bowler, just an all around great guy.
Bhuda Baker some calls from this past season, and his
defensive coordinator, Nick Rawlis on what he likes about Buddha
Baker on the last line of defense in that secondary
in the safety room. As we say, welcome back to
his Cardinals Red Sea report. Craig Reel, lou Zach Kersman
(36:15):
and Rob Frederickson and Buddha Baker. It's one of those
players Rob that if you had more of them at
all three levels of the defense, you'd feel a lot
better about what you have as far as personnel. But
that is one player that you can do a number
of different things. It's not like he's out there just
waiting for the ball to come his way. This Cardinals
(36:37):
defensive coaching staff, and we've seen this since Buddha Baker
has been in the league. Is you're going to see
him in that second level, you're gonna see him on
that first level up near the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (36:47):
Really the heart and soul of this team, Buddha Baker.
He has been really, i think effectively since he got here,
and a couple of years ago it felt like he
kind of was lost in the defense in terms of
where they had him playing deep middle a lot and
just just really deep zone guy, and he wasn't really
(37:08):
up in the action. He wasn't really around the ball
as much. Not his not any fault of his own,
but just kind of out of position. They're not not
really taking advantage of his God given talents, and and
you know, just when you get him around the ball.
He's he's electric. He just does not miss tackles. He's
a vacuum. And so they realize that and they changed
(37:30):
some things with Buddha Baker and and with the defense
and just in terms of the complexity and moving around
and positionless secondary almost at times with three safeties at
times out there. You know, it's it's really fun to
watch and to see Buddha Baker really thrive and shine.
Speaker 4 (37:48):
Before we get your comments, Zach, how about we hear
from the man himself, Buddha Baker. He was a guest
on the Mina Chaim Show featuring Lenny and he was
asked why he likes this defensive.
Speaker 12 (37:59):
Scheme gives me the ability to kind of be everywhere.
I always know each and every week I'm probably going
to be that red dot that opposing offenses are going
to see. And this defense, he is kind of very
hard to know where I'm going.
Speaker 13 (38:16):
So it's definitely exciting. We're going to create more one
on ones and more opportunities for other guys to get
to the QB or get tap of for losses, get interceptions.
Speaker 5 (38:28):
So I'm very excited.
Speaker 4 (38:30):
This coaching staff has given Buddha freedom within the scheme
within that particular play call. But if Buddha see something,
he has the ability to act on it, and then
it's up to the other ten guys to know. Right
number three is not where we think he's going to be,
but we know he's going to be around the football.
Speaker 6 (38:48):
That's a large part because of his career and what
he's been able to put on tape and how he
is the one player when opposing offenses are planning out
their their game plan against Arizona Cardinals defense, it's where's
numbers three at? And this defense because of all the
different formations and disguises that Nick Rolis d ploys and
sends his guys out there to do, especially with the
(39:09):
edge rushers on the defensive line, and then you start
having the safety creeping in into the boxing. You're starting
to question, wait a minute, what is Buddha Baker doing
and he might drop back into coverage, he might go
blitz you obviously heard in the clip Dave Pash broadcasting
about how he got that first sack against Aaron Rodgers
and brought him down in that game against the New
York Jets. Buddha Baker is a talented player and He's
also a great mentor for some of those other guys
(39:30):
in the room, Buddha.
Speaker 4 (39:31):
Baker, Jalen Thompson. And then sometimes as you reference Rob,
sometimes there's this third safety. Well that third safety is
Robert Taylor Demerson. We saw him on the field for
all seventeen games last season, started two of those games.
But what's next for him? We talk about the year
one to year two lead for a lot of these players,
Well what is that for Rabbit.
Speaker 14 (39:53):
Going into year two? You know, the expectation that you
know that they brought you in for. It really is
time to you know, put on a table. So for me,
coming on the same mindset I came in last time.
I talked to you guys when I first came in,
you know, having that same mindset going into this year
making everything slow down. So yeah, it's all starting to
slow down. And then now that I've been in this league,
(40:13):
I'm starting to learn the ins and out, you know,
just talking to a lot of the offensive guys. And
then obviously we got two the greatest mentors in my room,
So listening to those guys getting my game to elevate
to the high level.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
There is no question that Rabbit can learn from those
two players. Talking about Buddha and j T. You get
at the same time, Rob it becomes difficult for Rabbit
to get on the field because of how good the
players are ahead of them. But it goes back to
Nick Rowlins. How do you orchestrate how do you get
the best eleven regardless of position to attack that particular play.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
Yeah, already one of the best safety rooms in the
entire NFL, and then you add Rabbit Taylor Demerson, and
now all of a sudden, you got something because I
think this guy is a budding star and the only
thing hold them back, as you said, is his reps
and the ability to get on the field. When he's
on special teams, he makes plays. He's a great special
(41:08):
teams player. When he gets opportunities to get out on
the field to play defense, he's electric, he's around the football,
he makes plays. That's a good problem to have for
the Arizona Cardinals in terms of getting him on the field.
But this, this safety room is one of the best
in the leagues and having Rabbit Rabbit Taylor Demerson added
(41:28):
to it, I think is only going to increase it.
And you know, his sophomore season we all talk about it,
how players really leap from rookie season to second season.
I expect to see a big, big jump for Rabbit.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
And when we heard from Rabbit a couple of weeks back, Zach,
that question was asked about, Okay, you're limited in the
number of reps because of who is ahead of you.
But the mindset that Rabbit has, and he very well
aware of his situation yet at least publicly, doesn't seem
to be bothered by. Yeah, sure you're disappointing. Everyone wants
(42:01):
to play more, but it's what is going to make
us successful. And I think Rabbit understands again, team first,
and then all play when my number gets called.
Speaker 6 (42:12):
But that's the exact makeup that Jonathan Gannon and Mani
Austin before we're looking for. Is they want somebody that
absolutely loves ball in his team first.
Speaker 5 (42:19):
That's Rabbit.
Speaker 6 (42:20):
Taylor Demerson. Because you could be bitter, you could say,
I know I deliver every single time on the field.
I'm a staple on special teams. Now give me my
reps and my snaps on the defensive side of the ball.
That didn't happen in the beginning half of the season.
He filled in for Jalen Thompson when JT was injured
in the game against the Jets, and then the following
week against the Seattle Seahawks. Played really well. After Week thirteen,
(42:41):
in every single game they start to give him more snaps.
He had double digit snaps and every single game he
played following Week thirteen, So the coaching staff has been
very optimistic and thrilled with his progression. I know Rabbit
Taylor Denverson is one of those players that when we
think about that year one to year or two jump,
He's not the first player that we mentioned, or the
second or the third, because we know what you already
(43:01):
have there in Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson. But if
you have another player that you have the confidence of
sliding into that role just like they had in week ten.
In Week twelve when JT was out, Rabbit Taylor Denvererson
could very well be that guy.
Speaker 4 (43:15):
And I think Rabbit has something that is hard to teach.
It's just the instincts knowing where the ball is going
to be before it even is thrown, or the handed
off to a ball carrier. It's just the football IQ.
Speaker 5 (43:30):
Do you hear it?
Speaker 4 (43:31):
All the time, Robin, how do you pinpoint it? How
does it show up on a piece of paper? And
it doesn't. You just watch the film. It's like, Okay,
there's another play that Rabbit is either making or assisting
in making. Because he's always around the football.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Yeah, you either have it or you don't. And he
has it. He has the football IQ. He has the
ability to get to the ball and diagnose the play
and make plays. And he does it. And he's demonstrated
that both on special teams and when he gets opportunities
to get out there on defense. So yeah, again, it's
a good problem to have for Arizona Cardinals in terms
of just an abundance of talent at the safety position.
(44:08):
And look, guys, guys get injured, and it's a long
season and they need breaks. And so Taylor's I mean,
Taylor Emerson is an exceptional guy to come in off
the bench and come in and get those reps. Because
for me, he's got great two great leaders and teachers
in Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson.
Speaker 4 (44:30):
And then you look at the rest of the room,
Joey Blunt, a veteran great special teams player, and then
you add late round draft pick Keaton Crawford, who has
played a number of special teams snaps, albeit in college.
So going back full circle, well, we began this conversation
on the Red Sea Report. Position battles, certain position room,
Zach Okay, pay attention when we get to training camp
(44:51):
in two weeks time.
Speaker 6 (44:52):
One ten career snaps for Key and Crawford during his
five year collegiate career on special teams. But once again,
it's what do you do once the pads come on?
Clock's ticking, Craig.
Speaker 4 (45:03):
Two weeks players report the first practice two weeks from
this Thursday special. Thanks those behind the scenes, Jim Mamahundro,
Cody Fincher, Ryan Sacora for Rod Frederickson, Zat Gershman. I'm
Kreig Rialou. We'll talk to you in one week's time.
It's the Cardinals Red Sea Report on the Arizona Cardinals
Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
You've been listening to the Cardinals Red Sea Report.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
It is caught by McBride. Hey, it's a touchdown foot
a Baker with the sacked strip the ball where he's
gonna score touchdown?
Speaker 3 (45:34):
Oh baby.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
The Cardinals Red Sea Report is brought to you by
the Arizona Cardinals mobile app, visit Azycardinals dot com, slash app.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
Touchdown Cardinals whim.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals
football Club
This podcast is presented by All Copy Products, proud partner
of the Arizona Cardinals. Learn more at Allcopyproducts dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
So the fifteen to the ten per He's gonna score touchdown.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Welcome to the Cardinals Red Sea Report.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Swam to the ground by Budda Baker like a torpedo.
He came flying into the backfield Connor to the ten,
to the five, and then to the ends off of
the touchdown.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
The Cardinals Red Sea Report is brought to you by
Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals dot com Slash podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Here we go, one handed catching a touchdown?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Oh baby, how's that fail?
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Here's Craig griolhu Zach Gershman, and nine year NFL veteran
Rob Frederickson.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
So we are now two weeks away from when players
report to State Farm Stadium. The first practice open to
the public Thursday, July twenty fourth. So these these last
few days, Rob, as a former player, do you dread
do you take these twenty four hours at a time,
these days before you got to go back to the
(01:10):
state of Arizona unless you live here already and you're like, okay,
well it's just right around the corner, or is the
body you're trying to think, Okay, what do I need
to do to get ready for that first practice?
Speaker 5 (01:21):
Well, it's too late for that. If if that's your
thought process, if you if you're it's like cramming for
an exam in high school. You know, you're you're you're cooked.
If that, if that's really your mindset. But I think
right now, most guys, their mindset is things tend to
get a little more quiet around the house, Uh, get
a little more irritable. You know, you're you're you're about
(01:41):
to embark on a on a journey for a lot
of guys, a roster position, and so there's a lot
of expectations, there's a lot of pressure on a lot
of these guys, and and uh, you know, you just
tend to you tend to get a little more intense
in the last couple of weeks leading end up training camp.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
And I think Zach maybe a little bit more pressure
going into this particular training camp because of what we've
been talking about all off season, since free agency, since
the draft, as far as the competition at a number
of different position rooms. Because you've got some tough decisions
to make at least as we see it here on
paper now. Sometimes things tend to work themselves out once
(02:23):
you get out of the football field. But offense defense,
you've got rooms in which you got to whittle down
from ninety to fifty three and then figure out, right,
can you massage some of that as far as if
you hope not to lose someone but there's no room
on the active roster, can you sneak them through waivers
and onto the practice squad.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Yeah, it's going to be a numbers game in a
lot of ways. And I think in the previous two
seasons you were able to pencil in at least fifty
of the fifty three and you could start to guess
and expect who is ultimately going to be making the
fifty three man roster this year because of the competition
and especially the depth now on the defensive side of
the ball, we are gonna have a lot of different
(03:03):
conversations these training camp battles, especially on the defensive line,
outside linebacker, cornerback room. The defense particularly is gonna have
a lot of those battles where we're gonna start to
think about how many defensive linemen do you keep versus
outside linebackers. Are there any hybrids? These are all gonna
be things that we're gonna have plenty of time over
these next few weeks to discuss.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
As a front office, as a coaching staff, you want
those tough decisions. Maybe as a player, they'll rob You're like,
wait a second, my spot sometimes going into training camp
is secure and you're just looking to get ready, get healthy,
stay healthy for week one. Now it's I can't really
let up during a rep a practice because all of
(03:44):
a sudden that depth chart might change day to day.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
I never had that mindset of my spot is secure
going into training camp or even in training camp, I
always felt like my job was on the line and
I needed to play like that every play, every rep
against my own team, if we if we practice against
other teams, every rep had to be maximum effort, maximum uh,
(04:08):
just correct and every respect. So that's the mindset that
I think these players need to have, is you know,
not so much worry about their roster spot or worry
about how many guys are at their position, but just
focus on the next play, focus on the next snap,
and and do your best and the chips will fall
(04:29):
where they may.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
The evaluation process has already begun. I mean it began
once these players hit the weight room on the practice
field for OTA's and mini camp. But when you get
to training camp, that's when you can really figure out
who's who. When the lights come on, who who stands
out and maybe who shrinks a little bit. Head coach
Jonathan Gannon, before this team broke for the summer, asked
(04:53):
how excited he is to see this team in pads.
Speaker 7 (04:57):
Excited?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
That'll be good.
Speaker 7 (05:01):
That was one of the things that we kind of
tweaked going into camp, and the players know this, have
a little more friction, you know what I mean. So
during camp, so in a safe way, but I want
to get on the paths a little bit and play football.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
You hear that word friction to you, Rob, What does
that mean? What do you foresee it meaning when it
comes to these one on one reps, nine on seven,
eleven on eleven with pads and then sometimes you know
not with pads.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
Well, when they have the pads on, that's the only
way you can truly evaluate offensive linemen, defensive linemen, tight ends, linebackers.
You know those guys that are kind of in the
in the grind there. That's the only way to truly
evaluate them, and so you got to have friction, You
got to have the mentality of it's on today, even
though it's practice and it's a nine on seven drill
(05:55):
where it's just the interior offensive linemen and the defensive
linemen and linebackers, but it's on, you know. And that's
really I think over the last several years with the
CBA and what they've done to kind of mitigate injuries
or try to mitigate injuries and peel back a little
in terms of the amount of contact that they can
(06:16):
have and practices, it's kind of eroded some of that friction.
It just naturally has and guys are okay with that
for the most part, especially guys that are secure and
are going to make the roster, they're fine with that.
But it's the guys that are really fighting for a
roster spot that they need that friction and they need
to show what they have and you know, and it
(06:39):
sounds like Jonathan Gannon is all on board for that.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
There is some friction when you're out on the field
during the off season, but it's T shirts in shorts.
Maybe there's a little bit a little bit more intensity
when it's the wide receiver, cornerbacks going up against one
another much more difficult.
Speaker 5 (06:57):
As rob alluded to though.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
When you're in the line of scrimmage and you can't
have any contact whatsoever. How do you evaluate an offensive lineman, Yeah,
they're big, but how strong? How are they set up?
How do they hold up against that pass rush? And
then a defensive lineman, how do you shed a block
when you're just kind of going through the motions for
the most part during the offseason.
Speaker 6 (07:20):
Of course, I remember during the rookie Mini camp and
then during mandatory mini camp last year where all attention
was on Marvin Harrison Junior for the obvious reasons, and
you start to see a little a little bit of
that when they weren't wearing the pads. But Darius Robinson
flashed the most out of any player once the pads
came on on the fifth day of training camp during
the twenty twenty fourth training camp at State Farm Stadium,
(07:42):
because you got to see him in these one on
one drills with the pads on. How does he look
lining up across from another offensive lineman, And that's when
he really put on display what he could bring to
the table. Obviously, the injury derailed what that rookie season
was hoping to be. But I'm encouraged because you got
to have that glimpse of how good he can be.
And the same question now comes to Walter andn Nolan
(08:03):
Id the Cardinals first round pick in twenty twenty five,
We have that same appearance seeing him in the defensive
line room with a bunch of new faces there, Kalais Campbell,
Dalvin Tomlinson, a healthy Darius Robinson. But how will he
look when the pads come on? That'll be the position
group I'm looking at the most rod because the pads
come on with the Cardinals this year, that's the group
(08:23):
you need to see the best.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
Well, that's certainly been the position group that's got the
most attention in the offseason is the defensive line, and
I'd even throw in the edge outside linebacker position. So
that really was an emphasis by the Cardinals front office
to bolster that that position group, and it needed it right.
The Cardinals were horrible and rush defense and we weren't
(08:46):
getting a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks. So it
will be fun to watch that position group battle it
out against the offensive line, which is also another interesting
group in my opinion, especially at right guard. I think
that's that's going to be an interesting position to really
evaluate and look at when you look at Isaiah Adams
(09:06):
and you know, is he going to be able to
make that sophomore leap from last year to really solidify
his stake at that position and really solidify this offensive line.
Speaker 6 (09:17):
Rob how do you balance that the desire for friction
and physicality with not getting too chippy, because at the
end of the day, these are the same guys that
you share a locker room with.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
Yeah, I mean, this is a training camp and guys
know that, and guys are fighting for positions. They're fighting
for hierarchy and the depth chart, and some guys are
fighting for roster spots. So it's going to be chippy,
and you want that As a coach. I think you
want it to the echo of the whistle. You don't
want any fights, you don't want anybody to break their
hand on a face mask doing something stupid. But you
(09:50):
want it to be chippy. You want it to have
that edge. You want to be so sick of going
against your own teammates that you can't wait for week one,
You can't wait to actually play another opponent.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
When Bruce arians was the head coach here in Arizona,
he always talked about there are ninety individuals in training camp.
You're not the Cardinals just yet. That doesn't happen until
the end of camp, right before week one, when you
whittle that number from ninety to fifty three. So again,
more friction, what does that mean? Recently on the Big
Red Rage, former Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds asked what
(10:24):
he thinks more friction means this year.
Speaker 8 (10:28):
To me, that that strings one thing, and I think
that's games that he wants, more competition. I think he's
he wants to really light a fire under his guys,
really get after each other, you know, get in a
safe way. Obviously, you never want to get any big
time injuries during a training camp. You want to take
care of each other. But at the same time as
well to really get yourself ready and primed up for
the season. And you know, when you're looking at full speed,
(10:49):
when the bullets are really fast and when the real
he definitely probably is speaking on just more competitive edge
and more competition with one another to really see, you know,
who's gonna step up when we need the most, Who's
gonna step up, you know, when it gets fire and
the bliskt hot.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
Obviously when the pads come on. That's one way to
add a little bit more competition as Chase reference there.
But then within the individual drills when you're going one
on one or even maybe there are some different drills
that we haven't seen yet, Zach, as far as how
do we create competition within these position rooms or within
the defense versus offense vice versa to try to help
(11:25):
us evaluate who we want to keep.
Speaker 6 (11:27):
Yeah, I know this staff tries to make everything a competition.
Even at some community service events, they've done offense versus
defense competitions just to have that competitive fire. And I
think that that's something that is super important. And we
know this staff tries to be very innovative with the
different things that they do. I mean, we had a
thirty minute discussion I felt like with Jonathan Gan about
Level three work and band work because this is a
(11:49):
group of these are a group of coaches on the
staff that truly wants to maximize whatever the sports science provides,
whatever that competitive edge desires, they want to try to
bring it out on the foot ball field. And I
think this year we could potentially expect to see something
very different because of just how much improved this defense is.
But then again, Rob, there are so many new faces
(12:10):
that still have to learn what this scheme is really
going to be.
Speaker 5 (12:13):
Yeah, there are, and you know, you hope you absorb
some of that through mini camps and OTAs. But when
it gets to training camp, it's all about the physicality
number one and number two, it's about getting it right
in terms of what we've implemented in the playbook.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
No wontter how much we might see competition off the field.
In the hotel room when guys are just kind of
hanging in, there's that natural back and forth in the
trash talking again, trying to form a bond with your.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
Teammates, playing Gin Rummy or what are they playing here?
Speaker 4 (12:42):
I don't know, pop a shot, I mean yeah, maybe
some pool, ping pong anything.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Which game would you win?
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Then probably none of the above. Just don't play Kyler
Murray in chess. If you ask, take a hard pass, yea,
Kyler's very good at that game. You know who's also
very good, Josh Schwitt. We'll talk about the Cardinals' newest
addition to that outside linebacker room as we continue. It's
the Cardinals Red Sea report here on the Arizona Cardinals
Radio network.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
The hand on, I'm first down, locked up on the backfield.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Sweat got there.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
First, had a loss of two back to throw again,
steps away for pressure, but not the next one. As
he gets dropped. Josh Sweat gets home and Mayfield somehow
hold out of that ball. Joe's got a moment, didn't
release it. He's sacked, get sat the twenty five Josh Swett.
Speaker 6 (13:33):
Lawrence a truckle and he is shot.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Josh Sweat with.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
The sat Lawrence si as he throws.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
That was Josh Sweat who got a portion of Lawrence's
arm and he.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Was under pressure again.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Swung down Turney nine yard line. Josh Sweat, Stafford step.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Back, some much tray of that as Josh.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Sweat sacks Backew Stafford.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
Here is Harris again and he gets watched, gets nowhere
to go.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Josh Sweat was there Jehan's.
Speaker 9 (14:02):
Pressure right away the whole Yes, Josh Swett gets home,
got home a lot last season, eight times in the
regular season, two and a half times in the postseason
the Super Bowl, specifically.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
Talking about Josh Swetz and his ten and a half
sacks last year. Now and Arizona Cardinal as we say,
welcome back into the Cardinals Red Sea report. Greg reel
Lozach Gershman, and Rob Fridrickson looking at the addition of
Josh what certainly the biggest free agent addition, the biggest
splash of free agency. The contract, the years, and the
(14:38):
dollars certainly equate to that. But now you look at
what potentially, not even potentially, but the expectations act on
you bring in someone with that resume, with that pedigree,
not only what he can do individually, but perhaps uplift
everyone else.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
Of course, and this is the time of year now,
it's as the summer starts to wind down, you start
to look at head to what the twenty twenty five
season is going to end up becoming. In the NFL,
the players all vote on who is going to be
in their top one hundred, and Josh Swett, during his
time in Philadelphia was just ranked the ninety fifth player
out of the top one hundred. And I'm expecting and
(15:14):
we'll discuss in a little bit about what other Cardinals
we think could potentially be making the list, but Josh
Swett's going to be that prize free agency acquisition that
you're coming in. Even during the twenty twenty four season,
you knew Josh Swett was likely going to hit the market,
and automatically because of his relationship with Johnathan Gannon, he
was linked to the Arizona Cardinals. Free agency comes around
(15:35):
and he ultimately ends up putting pen to paper, and
I think that he is going to be the face
of what this Cardinals rebrand is hoping to become. Especially
on the defensive.
Speaker 5 (15:43):
Side of the ball.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
You had a lot of players now were able to
produce that overperformed. Do you think about on the defensive
side of the ball, especially in that defensive front seven
guys like Dante Stills, a sixth round pick, what he
was able to do ultimately starting a handful of games
for the Arizona Cardinals, and then other players Xavier Thomas
flashed a little bit coming off the edge at different
points throughout his rookie season, but rob when it comes
(16:06):
to Josh Sweat, he is a player that is disruptive,
could set the run, but also definitely has the freedom
to go rush the passer.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Yeah, he's a difference maker. He's a magnet or really
a guy that draws attention from the offense, and he's
he's gonna be a guy I think that. You know,
you can you can just pencil him in for double
digit sacks and he's gonna elevate the game of everybody
else along that defensive front as well, even the others
aside to edge rushers, I think, but having Josh Sweat,
(16:34):
he's gonna get his share of reps out there. He's
gonna be He's a he can be a third, a
three down guy, So it's good. It's gonna be an
interesting rotation on the other side of who the Cardinals
put out there as b j Oljulari. Is he able
to come off of that devastating knee injury and and
get back to form where we all thought he was
gonna be the impact player you mentioned Xavier Xavier Thomas,
(16:58):
you know, I think he can do some good things.
Baron Browning, you know, I think he flashed last year
as well, so he's able to do some things. And
then you know, kind of still got to find a
carve out a spot for Xavin Collins, and you know
what does that look like for him? Is he more
of a rundown guy or does he get some some
passing down reps as well? But just see, I mean
(17:20):
the addition of Josh Sweat to me really changes and
elevates the pass rush for the Cardinals.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
Zavin led the team or led outside linebackers with five sacks.
So you bring in someone who almost doubled that if
you and it did double it if you include the
Super Bowl run in the playoff performance of Josh Wet.
And it's interesting, Rob because you mentioned right, Josh Weed
is on one side. Now the question is, okay, do
you rotate the other side to give it an offense
(17:47):
a different look. If you think it's a rundown, maybe
that's Savin Collins. You can set the edge, she can
also drop. Maybe he's a little bit more versatile than
someone else that you would pencil in over there. You
added Jordan Birch, third round pick out of Oregon into
that may and all of a sudden, it's okay, you've
got Josh Wett. We know he can do what he
can do. Figure out that other side and maybe their
(18:07):
games get elevated.
Speaker 5 (18:08):
Yeah, and it's gonna be it's look training camp, it's
going to be an interesting situation there to just to
evaluate these guys and see how they do with some
friction as Jonathan gnnets the air. So you know, I'm
looking forward to it. I'm looking at there's several position
battles that will be interesting to see during training camp,
(18:29):
and and that that edge rusher opposite of Josh Sweat
is one of them.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
We talked about what we think Josh Wett brings to
the defense. Well, his defensive coordinator, Nick ralis, what does
he see out of Josh Wett within this defensive scheme.
Speaker 10 (18:43):
I love Sweat. He's he's a phenomenal person, phenomenal teammate,
but the player that he's going to bring violence in
the run game. And that's ever since I've been with him.
I put on the tape when we got to Philly
of the year before and I said, Holy Kyle, this
guy consent an edge and then on top of that,
he can get after the passer. So that's ultimately what
you want out of that position. You want a guy
(19:03):
that collaps edges in the run game and gets after
the passer and.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Never has to leave the field at three down linebacker.
As you mentioned, Zach, Josh Wett checking in at number
ninety five on the NFL's Top one hundred players of
twenty twenty five. If you go to NFL dot com,
they are through eighty seven. They are what unveiling two
at a time to kind of drum up some interest
ahead of training camp. So Josh Wet, even though he's
(19:28):
a Philadelphia Eagle, the ride up is all about what
he did with the Eagles. But he's got that Cardinals
logo next to his name. So looking at the rest
of the list, the unveiling some teammates of Josh Wett
that we I would think hope.
Speaker 6 (19:41):
To be on this list the last season, Buddha Baker
clock down number eighty nine, if I'm not mistaken. So
he we've already passed where that point in the list
is because of how he finished with the most amount
of tackles by a safety, second most in the NFL.
I'm expecting to also see him on this list. And
Trey McBride. You don't become the highest paid tight end
in the NFL for a cup of coffee if you
(20:04):
aren't going to be in that top one hundred list.
I know Sam Laporta, I'm pretty sure was at ninety four,
somewhere in the nineties range. So he's also a very
young tight end that is starting to rise up the
ranks in terms of the respect he's starting to get.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
So a port of.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
Being that low is something that I have my eye on.
But I also think guy like James Connor deserves the
honor and the recognition because to have back to back
seasons of a thousand plus or rushing yards, had a
career high this past season the fifteen games that he played.
I mean, I think that James Connor is a player
that should make this list. Now, will he I'm not sure.
We don't have it, but what I do know is
(20:40):
that he is a player that I believe has the
respect of those people that are in the league.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
To me, Trey McBride's and no brainer and what he
accomplished and basically his first full season as tight end
number one and all of a sudden breaking franchise records
for that position, and then just well he was the
number one pass catcher on the team last year as
far as receptions and receiving yards. So Trey McBride, now
(21:08):
you can argue, where is he a top fifty, top sixty,
I mean you're talking about every single position, but he's
certainly a monkst tight ends to me, Rob he is
top five, if not top three.
Speaker 5 (21:19):
Oh, he's definitely top three tight end. And yeah, he
will be on this list. And who just a quick question,
who votes for this or is players? Okay, there's a
couple others that I think will be on it. For
the Arizona Cardinals, they're dark horses, but I think if
it's a true evaluation of talent and what they've done
thus far, they should be on the list. And that's
(21:40):
Paris Johnson. Paris Johnson Junior. This rookie season, he played
every snap offensive snap for the Arizona Cardinals and he's
really kind of crafting his game and turning into one
of the elite left tackles in this league. So I
look for him to be somewhere on this list. And
then Garrett Williams. I know that's a that's a really
(22:01):
dark horse, but he and he's not getting the attention
or the accolades that he deserves. But that always takes
an extra year or two for everybody to kind of
catch up to where you're at in your game. And
Garrett Williams game is elite, and so he I think
he certainly deserves to be on it list. Whether it
is or not, I don't know.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
I think Paris too just to go off of that.
I mean, this is going to be his first time
in his career practicing at the same position, spending an
offseason at the same position back to back season, something
he hasn't done since high school. So for some reason,
Paris is not on the list, and I believe that
he should be on the list. He might not have
the since the players they're given a piece of paper
right around week fifteen, week sixteen of the season, and
(22:43):
they're all going to put down their list of their
top thirty. If I'm not mistaken, because if you do
one hundred, that's going to take I'm not sure if
the player rob would you have wanted to list one
hundred players they thought would make it.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
So I think, can you name one hundred players at
that point?
Speaker 5 (22:55):
There's got to be an incentive somewhere Potentially.
Speaker 6 (22:58):
I think the incentive is and you respect, you get
the respect from your peers. So if Paris is not
on the list this year, it wouldn't surprise me. Now
that he's going to have a full offseason under his belt.
He said that he's fully healthy. Obviously, he left after
the game against the New England Patriots in Week fifteen
and missed the latter half of the season, those last
three games. I expect for him, if not on the
(23:18):
list this year, to be on in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
I think those are two great names, Paris Johnson Junior
Garrett Williams. Whether it's this year, definitely hope to see
them all on the list next year based off what
they've accomplished so far and their very young careers. Join
the Bird Gang and Dallas for Monday Night Football through
Cardinals Premiere Travel hosted by Cardinals Legends, maybe even Rob Friderckson.
(23:41):
Travel packages will include a chartered flights on the Cardinals plane,
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Placed at two hundred and fifty dollars per party to
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Cardinals at the Dallas Cowboys Monday Night Football we continue
(24:06):
It's the Cardinals Red Sew Report. You're on the Arizona Cardinals.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
Radio Network.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Thurn and go on the one Murray takes. They run
it up the middle, touchdown James Conner. The Cardinals blew
a hole in the Patriot defense information and Connor scores
from her yard out.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
You give me a ground pounder in three dirt wickers
and moveing it in every.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Time, setting up deep in the pocket, looking launching farside
into the end zone, and Harrison laying out for it.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
He got it.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Touchdown water Cats, Carvin Harrison Junior, big time. Now a
lot near side for mccride in the corner. Mix the
Cats for the touchdown.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Ah, that was greasy good right there from Kyler Murray.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
So how about this last season? For all, only the
fifth time in franchise history, the Cardinals had a three
thousand yard passer, one thousand yard rusher, and one thousand
yard receiver in the same season. So the offense, yes,
individuals succeeded, had very good seasons. Can it be better?
(25:20):
I think that's what we're all hoping for when we
talk about this offense. How much better can it be?
When you look rob at the offseason additions for that
side of the ball. Not much. I mean you could
argue the biggest offseason addition is someone that we hope
to never see on the field this season, and that's
your backup quarterback in Jacobi Prissett. Other than that, it's
(25:42):
kind of additions along the offensive lines and wide receiver depth.
But by and large, they are running it back in
year three under Drew Petsing. So we ask, what in
year three does a Cardinals offense look like compared to
the first two years.
Speaker 5 (25:58):
Yeah, you're exactly right. They're run it back essentially with
the same offense as last year. And I think what
they're saying is one of two things is you know,
players have to execute better and play better, and there
can be some adjustments to the play calling. There could
be some adjustments to the scheme. Those are the only
two areas where you know effectively they're going to change
(26:20):
any outcomes because it's essentially the same players. So yeah,
there's room for improvement. I think, you know, when you
look at the wide receiver room, you expect Marvin Harrison
Junior to make a big jump in a sophomore season.
You know, I think it was last year. It was
it was difficult to have those expectations of being a
(26:41):
wide receiver one on a rookie coming in. But you know,
I think he played well enough his rookie year that
he's in a position right now, both physically and mentally
to really make a leap. And but it's it's other
wide receivers too that need to come along. I know,
Michael Wilson, you need tontinue to see him progress, and
(27:02):
you know there's different guys. Greg Dortsch. I feel like
he kind of, you know, went away a little bit
last year. He wasn't as big of a focus and
he had a really good chemistry with Kyler and then
that kind of eroded. So I think the wide receiver room, obviously,
the offensive line is going to be a huge indicator
to the success of this offense. And getting Trey Benson
(27:25):
I think more involved in the running game will take
a little pressure off of that running game and hopefully
create some balance for the Cardinals.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
The numbers last season for this offense zach twelfth in scoring,
seventeenth in the red zone. And again, when you bring
back the same personnel and you're just looking for improvements
within that personnel and improvements in those numbers or those
rankings that I just mentioned, and then I think about, Okay,
how can you be more efficient? Less ten plus drives
(27:54):
because the more plays you run, the more times potential
mistakes might happen, whether that's a penalty or a turnover,
or just a ball hits the ground and all of
a sudden, it's third and twelve as opposed to third
and five.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
So can you be more.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
Efficient and take advantage of those individuals that you are
bringing back and just elevate everyone's game.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
Efficiency and consistency are the two things that matter the
most with this Arizona Cardinals offense because they showed at
moments last year you're in the driver's seat to win
the division and to be in the playoffs, and you
showed that your offense really has the talent. Kyler Murray
was in the MVP conversation going into the week eleven
bye after the game against the New York Jets, that's
how good this offense really was. And then after the
(28:39):
buy everything started to kind of fade away a little bit.
And I know Jonathan Gannon says he's not really a
believer in momentum and you just expect for it to continue.
But whatever momentum was there, and I'll be the one
to say that there was, momentum started to really fade
away after that week eleven bye. I look at the numbers,
do we mention the red zone numbers, which are all
right middle of the pack, But I think about the
(29:00):
goal to go situations. They started sixteen of sixteen to
begin the year and then went into the buy first
game in Seattle and they had to settle for field goals.
The next week against the Minnesota Vikings, you settled for
field goals twice when you got into the red zone
may or when you got into those go to goal situations.
You lose both those games by one score. And that
is really what separates in all three games that the
(29:21):
Cardinals were nine to thirteen in goal to go situations,
and each time that they did not convert and score
a touchdown, they lost that game by at least one score.
That is something that really is going to stand out
when it comes to this year because when you are
in the red zone when you do need to score
one more point than the opponent, are you settling for
three or you're settling for six?
Speaker 5 (29:38):
Yeah, And it's criminal that Trey McBride only had one
receiving two two receiving touchdown. Well, it came at the
end of the season. That's criminal. That is borderline criminal
to have arguably one of the best top three tight
ends in the league not have an impact in terms
of scoring. And you mentioned a number of possessions. I
(30:01):
think about it, think about it this way, like the
the elasticity of those those possessions and when they happen.
So like you want to be explosive early on, and
you want to you want to go down and hit
some explosion plays, hit some of those explosives that Jonathan
Gannon talks about, and score some points. But then when
you need to kill the clock, when you need to
(30:23):
limit possessions, have the ability to to you know, get
those first downs, have the ability to move the chains
and be consistent in that I think is as important
as being you know, being that that explosive offense when
you really want it.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
Do you have that four minute offense or you're trying
to run some clock, gain a couple of extra first
downs to keep the opposing offense off the field, whether
you're a head by a score or trailing by a score,
but you want that ball in your possession to be
the last offense on the football field. Speaking of the offense,
Chase Edmonds, former Cardinals running back recently on The Big Red,
(31:00):
Rage asked what he believes the key is for the
Cardinals this season on offense.
Speaker 8 (31:06):
I think it's all about opening up the pass game
for Trade McBride, and as a tied end in the NFL,
nothing opens up the pass game for them boys better
than play action, and I think that that's something that
can continue to kind of be built off of a
K one strength, just opening the game for him, really
kind of lessening the load on his shoulders, having the
run game established, using that to actually get some of
(31:28):
the receivers opened down the field, but more importantly, really
get Trade McBride down the field where you know he's
going to be kle with number one option this year.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
Play action, rolling Kyler Murray out of the pocket, giving
him a little bit more space to work with. And
we hear a lot speaking of Trey McBride. It was
Trey who first brought it up, potentially some more pre
stat motion this season year three under Drew Petsing, Let's
hear from Trey McBride on what he believes the offense
(31:56):
will look like this season.
Speaker 11 (31:58):
It's not as fundamentals, not as basic. They're adding a
lot of motions and a lot of you know, sauce
is what I call it, just putting a little, you know,
extra flavor on the same plays that we have, maybe
motion guys to it, running different guys in different things.
So trying to stick to our main you know, concepts
that we have, but dressing them up in different ways.
Whether you know, one guy's running a motion or some
(32:19):
guy's doing a route, but it's all kind of the
same concepts, just different ways to get to it. So, Yeah,
this offense can be very complex. And the way that
Drew and these guys have changed throughout the offseason and
continue to build it, it's it's been a lot of
fun and I'm excited to you know, see us in
action here.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
As a defensive player, Rob, how do you confuse the
defense before the ball is snap? You're running the same
play three times in a row, but it looks different
because there's a guy moving from left to right, there's
a guy coming into the backfield. Simple basic plays, but
it's how you get to that ball being snapped that
(32:54):
once that defense starts thinking and all of a sudden,
you're a half step slower and now potentially a big
play for the offense.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
Yeah, that's just that you want to get the defense thinking, well,
in actuality, they're getting to the same plays, but just
out of different formations, out of different personnel groups. But
ultimately they get to the same play at the snap
of the ball. And so from the defensive perspective, you
just got to look at it, big pitcher and realize
that things are going to change when they come out
(33:22):
of the huddle. Things are going to move around, but
ultimately it's predicated on what happens at the snap, where
has everybody aligned. And you know, these guys watch a
lot of film, right, these defensive players, they watch a
lot of film. But anything the Cardinals can do, I
think a lot of the motion and shifting and changing
has to do with getting these wide receivers or tight
(33:44):
ends on the move a little bit, not allowing them
to get held up at the line of scrimmage. Because
everything in this league is predicated on timing. And you know,
if you have Kyler Murray going through a play action
and when he hits that backs that he needs to
be throwing the ball. It needs to be coming out,
and if the receiver or tight end is somehow hung up,
(34:07):
you know that that that complicates it. Now, all of
a sudden, you got a broken play. Now, all of
a sudden, Kyler's scrambling. And that's when you know good
things can happen. But you you wanna, you really want to,
you know, make your steady diet out of having things
work with the timing and within that timing of the
play structure.
Speaker 6 (34:25):
I think it was one of the reasons why it
was such a big deal for Marvin Harrison Junior to
gain the weight and gain that strength was because he
kept getting jammed at the line of scrimmage. Now, and
you need your wide receivers to be to out physical
those defensive backs because those first five yards matter a lot.
That was that pre snat motion will open that up
for them.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
You want to see this Cardinals offense and action be
part of the Red Sea Arizona Cardinals single game tickets
on sale now. Tickets are available online by visiting Azcardinals
dot com forward slash by tickets. That's Asycardinals dot com
forward slash by tickets. When we come, I'm back here
on the Cardinals red to report our final segment and
(35:04):
we flip it from the offense to the defense and
the last line of defense the safety room where you've
got two very good players and Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson.
But there's another player in that room that's trying to
get down the field a little bit more. We'll discuss
next here on the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Cardinals rushed by and trobl Smith steps up, sacked by
Buddha Baker.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
What's coming?
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Rodgers has no chance? Sacked by Booda Baker.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
Baker came off the edge, Cleague and Aaron Rodgers got
his Backwax.
Speaker 5 (35:39):
He's a heck of a player for us.
Speaker 10 (35:41):
He's just constantly hitting the ball. Leadership to the roof,
motor and violence to the roof gets us in the
right calls on the back end. He kind of plays
a lot of roles for us at very high level.
Speaker 4 (35:53):
Team captain, pro bowler, just an all around great guy.
Bhuda Baker some calls from this past season, and his
defensive coordinator, Nick Rawlis on what he likes about Buddha
Baker on the last line of defense in that secondary
in the safety room. As we say, welcome back to
his Cardinals Red Sea report. Craig Reel, lou Zach Kersman
(36:15):
and Rob Frederickson and Buddha Baker. It's one of those
players Rob that if you had more of them at
all three levels of the defense, you'd feel a lot
better about what you have as far as personnel. But
that is one player that you can do a number
of different things. It's not like he's out there just
waiting for the ball to come his way. This Cardinals
(36:37):
defensive coaching staff, and we've seen this since Buddha Baker
has been in the league. Is you're going to see
him in that second level, you're gonna see him on
that first level up near the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (36:47):
Really the heart and soul of this team, Buddha Baker.
He has been really, i think effectively since he got here,
and a couple of years ago it felt like he
kind of was lost in the defense in terms of
where they had him playing deep middle a lot and
just just really deep zone guy, and he wasn't really
(37:08):
up in the action. He wasn't really around the ball
as much. Not his not any fault of his own,
but just kind of out of position. They're not not
really taking advantage of his God given talents, and and
you know, just when you get him around the ball.
He's he's electric. He just does not miss tackles. He's
a vacuum. And so they realize that and they changed
(37:30):
some things with Buddha Baker and and with the defense
and just in terms of the complexity and moving around
and positionless secondary almost at times with three safeties at
times out there. You know, it's it's really fun to
watch and to see Buddha Baker really thrive and shine.
Speaker 4 (37:48):
Before we get your comments, Zach, how about we hear
from the man himself, Buddha Baker. He was a guest
on the Mina Chaim Show featuring Lenny and he was
asked why he likes this defensive.
Speaker 12 (37:59):
Scheme gives me the ability to kind of be everywhere.
I always know each and every week I'm probably going
to be that red dot that opposing offenses are going
to see. And this defense, he is kind of very
hard to know where I'm going.
Speaker 13 (38:16):
So it's definitely exciting. We're going to create more one
on ones and more opportunities for other guys to get
to the QB or get tap of for losses, get interceptions.
Speaker 5 (38:28):
So I'm very excited.
Speaker 4 (38:30):
This coaching staff has given Buddha freedom within the scheme
within that particular play call. But if Buddha see something,
he has the ability to act on it, and then
it's up to the other ten guys to know. Right
number three is not where we think he's going to be,
but we know he's going to be around the football.
Speaker 6 (38:48):
That's a large part because of his career and what
he's been able to put on tape and how he
is the one player when opposing offenses are planning out
their their game plan against Arizona Cardinals defense, it's where's
numbers three at? And this defense because of all the
different formations and disguises that Nick Rolis d ploys and
sends his guys out there to do, especially with the
(39:09):
edge rushers on the defensive line, and then you start
having the safety creeping in into the boxing. You're starting
to question, wait a minute, what is Buddha Baker doing
and he might drop back into coverage, he might go
blitz you obviously heard in the clip Dave Pash broadcasting
about how he got that first sack against Aaron Rodgers
and brought him down in that game against the New
York Jets. Buddha Baker is a talented player and He's
also a great mentor for some of those other guys
(39:30):
in the room, Buddha.
Speaker 4 (39:31):
Baker, Jalen Thompson. And then sometimes as you reference Rob,
sometimes there's this third safety. Well that third safety is
Robert Taylor Demerson. We saw him on the field for
all seventeen games last season, started two of those games.
But what's next for him? We talk about the year
one to year two lead for a lot of these players,
Well what is that for Rabbit.
Speaker 14 (39:53):
Going into year two? You know, the expectation that you
know that they brought you in for. It really is
time to you know, put on a table. So for me,
coming on the same mindset I came in last time.
I talked to you guys when I first came in,
you know, having that same mindset going into this year
making everything slow down. So yeah, it's all starting to
slow down. And then now that I've been in this league,
(40:13):
I'm starting to learn the ins and out, you know,
just talking to a lot of the offensive guys. And
then obviously we got two the greatest mentors in my room,
So listening to those guys getting my game to elevate
to the high level.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
There is no question that Rabbit can learn from those
two players. Talking about Buddha and j T. You get
at the same time, Rob it becomes difficult for Rabbit
to get on the field because of how good the
players are ahead of them. But it goes back to
Nick Rowlins. How do you orchestrate how do you get
the best eleven regardless of position to attack that particular play.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
Yeah, already one of the best safety rooms in the
entire NFL, and then you add Rabbit Taylor Demerson, and
now all of a sudden, you got something because I
think this guy is a budding star and the only
thing hold them back, as you said, is his reps
and the ability to get on the field. When he's
on special teams, he makes plays. He's a great special
(41:08):
teams player. When he gets opportunities to get out on
the field to play defense, he's electric, he's around the football,
he makes plays. That's a good problem to have for
the Arizona Cardinals in terms of getting him on the field.
But this, this safety room is one of the best
in the leagues and having Rabbit Rabbit Taylor Demerson added
(41:28):
to it, I think is only going to increase it.
And you know, his sophomore season we all talk about it,
how players really leap from rookie season to second season.
I expect to see a big, big jump for Rabbit.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
And when we heard from Rabbit a couple of weeks back, Zach,
that question was asked about, Okay, you're limited in the
number of reps because of who is ahead of you.
But the mindset that Rabbit has, and he very well
aware of his situation yet at least publicly, doesn't seem
to be bothered by. Yeah, sure you're disappointing. Everyone wants
(42:01):
to play more, but it's what is going to make
us successful. And I think Rabbit understands again, team first,
and then all play when my number gets called.
Speaker 6 (42:12):
But that's the exact makeup that Jonathan Gannon and Mani
Austin before we're looking for. Is they want somebody that
absolutely loves ball in his team first.
Speaker 5 (42:19):
That's Rabbit.
Speaker 6 (42:20):
Taylor Demerson. Because you could be bitter, you could say,
I know I deliver every single time on the field.
I'm a staple on special teams. Now give me my
reps and my snaps on the defensive side of the ball.
That didn't happen in the beginning half of the season.
He filled in for Jalen Thompson when JT was injured
in the game against the Jets, and then the following
week against the Seattle Seahawks. Played really well. After Week thirteen,
(42:41):
in every single game they start to give him more snaps.
He had double digit snaps and every single game he
played following Week thirteen, So the coaching staff has been
very optimistic and thrilled with his progression. I know Rabbit
Taylor Denverson is one of those players that when we
think about that year one to year or two jump,
He's not the first player that we mentioned, or the
second or the third, because we know what you already
(43:01):
have there in Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson. But if
you have another player that you have the confidence of
sliding into that role just like they had in week ten.
In Week twelve when JT was out, Rabbit Taylor Denvererson
could very well be that guy.
Speaker 4 (43:15):
And I think Rabbit has something that is hard to teach.
It's just the instincts knowing where the ball is going
to be before it even is thrown, or the handed
off to a ball carrier. It's just the football IQ.
Speaker 5 (43:30):
Do you hear it?
Speaker 4 (43:31):
All the time, Robin, how do you pinpoint it? How
does it show up on a piece of paper? And
it doesn't. You just watch the film. It's like, Okay,
there's another play that Rabbit is either making or assisting
in making. Because he's always around the football.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Yeah, you either have it or you don't. And he
has it. He has the football IQ. He has the
ability to get to the ball and diagnose the play
and make plays. And he does it. And he's demonstrated
that both on special teams and when he gets opportunities
to get out there on defense. So yeah, again, it's
a good problem to have for Arizona Cardinals in terms
of just an abundance of talent at the safety position.
(44:08):
And look, guys, guys get injured, and it's a long
season and they need breaks. And so Taylor's I mean,
Taylor Emerson is an exceptional guy to come in off
the bench and come in and get those reps. Because
for me, he's got great two great leaders and teachers
in Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson.
Speaker 4 (44:30):
And then you look at the rest of the room,
Joey Blunt, a veteran great special teams player, and then
you add late round draft pick Keaton Crawford, who has
played a number of special teams snaps, albeit in college.
So going back full circle, well, we began this conversation
on the Red Sea Report. Position battles, certain position room,
Zach Okay, pay attention when we get to training camp
(44:51):
in two weeks time.
Speaker 6 (44:52):
One ten career snaps for Key and Crawford during his
five year collegiate career on special teams. But once again,
it's what do you do once the pads come on?
Clock's ticking, Craig.
Speaker 4 (45:03):
Two weeks players report the first practice two weeks from
this Thursday special. Thanks those behind the scenes, Jim Mamahundro,
Cody Fincher, Ryan Sacora for Rod Frederickson, Zat Gershman. I'm
Kreig Rialou. We'll talk to you in one week's time.
It's the Cardinals Red Sea Report on the Arizona Cardinals
Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
You've been listening to the Cardinals Red Sea Report.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
It is caught by McBride. Hey, it's a touchdown foot
a Baker with the sacked strip the ball where he's
gonna score touchdown?
Speaker 3 (45:34):
Oh baby.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
The Cardinals Red Sea Report is brought to you by
the Arizona Cardinals mobile app, visit Azycardinals dot com, slash app.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
Touchdown Cardinals whim.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals
football Club
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