Ep. 719 - Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas V sat down with Paul Calvisi to chat about his unique offseason workouts, what teams have learned about him after two years in the NFL, and how he’s now one of the more experienced players in his group. He also shared his thoughts on how the front seven has looked during the first few weeks of organized team activities (OTAs). Plus, Ron Wolfley and Calvisi talked about why quarterback Kyler Murray and the offense need to be better at making plays when things break down, how the offense might get more complex this season, and the flexibility Zaven Collins brings to the defense. They also discussed who might step up at middle linebacker now that Kyzir White is gone, and how competitive things are at both wide receiver and cornerback.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Strap on the boots and scrape up the knuckles on ahead.
He got jacked.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
This is the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford
and Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Terry's gonna score touchdown slim to the ground by Buddha
Baker like a torpedo. He came flying into the backfield.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
The rage is brought to you by santan Ford and
Gilbert right on the Price, right on the corner of
the Santan two to two Freeway in.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Valves Wata Crab by Trey McBride.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
That was spectacular and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals
dot Com Slash podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
All Red Sea, Its Rising Uard, Timper You, Rising Vision,
Flurry Rage, Take it Ober.
Speaker 5 (00:50):
Here's Paul CALVICI I'm ready. I'm one hundred percent ready.
I'm telling you I'm ready.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
And Ron Woolfley, it doesn't get any better than that film.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
You know football season is near when Jag is openly
talking about adding more what to Cardinals camp. What we'll
get to that. You know football is near, Ron Wolfley,
When Trey McBride and Nick Ross are barking at each
other out on the backfields, when every other Cardinals young
(01:23):
guy looks like he needs nner the World's Strongest Man contest.
I mean, it's magnus ver Marvinson. At this point, you
know football is near.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
Wait for it.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
When Aaron Rodgers finally decides to show up for something
more than the Pat McAfee show, Well we're waiting, but
never fear. The original Thursday Night Football is here, fifty
two weeks a year, Tonight, featuring one of our favorites,
the precocious, the talented, the affable, Starling Thomas the Fifth.
(01:55):
Paul Calvic here, Ron Wolfy there on the Big Red Rage,
presented by and tan Ford and Gilbert We are santan Ford.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
You know, Paul, you bring up Starling Thomas the Fifth,
of course, and this guy was really a surprise last year.
I'm sorry, I'm sure it wasn't a surprise to star
how well he played, but for me, at least as
the analyst watching him play out there and watching how
effectively he assimilated into the secondary. I gotta tell you, man,
(02:25):
Star Thomas is a player.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
And look, Wolf we're gonna ask him about that Week
three starting assignment against Oh, I don't know, the Detroit
Lions team that had caught him a year earlier. Oh
how good did that feel? Because we know I don't
know if he knows this, but coaches told us that
Lions coaches were pointing to Starling Thomas pregame and saying, yeah,
that was a regret mistake. We let that guy hit
(02:49):
the street. Less than twenty four hours later, he was
an Arizona Cardinal. The dude ran a four to eight
at his pro day. So we're going to talk about
Starling Thomas. We're going to talk to Starling Thomas all
about this Cardinals, what he's seen so far, where this
defense can go. And you're talking about OTA's here wolf
where you know what? Look the eyeball test so far,
(03:10):
a lot of guys are passing it, including Darius Robinson.
Did you not ask d rob what his weight was
earlier this week? What did you find out?
Speaker 1 (03:18):
As a matter of fact, Paully, I did. I looked
him dead in the eye and I said, Darius, you
gotta tell me what's your weight at right now? And
are you where you want to be? And he said
two hundred and ninety pounds. Oh, Danny, he said yes.
Paul I was like, wait a minute, are you telling
me you can still actually go out you can play
a seven technique. You could play the wide nine on
(03:38):
the edge. You could actually go out there at two
hundred ninety pounds and play the wine nine. Are you
telling me you could do that, Darius? He said, yes,
two hundred and ninety pound edge.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Listen. If that does happen, look out, baby, that's gonna
be a good thing.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
We like to call it eleven card pickup. Nick rawlis
getting crazy with all eleven guys. Where are they going
to be? Where are they coming from? How is he
going to deploy them? Zavion Collins will talk a little
bit later on this edition of The Big Red Rage
about how he can be over the nose, he can
be deep center field. So a little bit of everything
makes them really unpredictable. On defense, what's interesting is we
(04:17):
haven't had a whole bunch of time to talk about
the offense this offseason because the Cardinals, you know, the
new and improved defense, the extreme makeover. Trey McBride finally
had a chance to speak up and be after the
offense this week, and here's what he had to say
about building that foundation in OTAs.
Speaker 6 (04:33):
This is a you know, the foundation of how you
start the season, you get the timing, you get the
offensive lineman, you know, working on these blocks together, combination blocks,
you get the timing with Kyler and just being out
there and seeing the defense and running routes again and
catching the ball from Kyler everything. It just kind of
get that gelback, get that you know, flow everything. But
(04:53):
I'm excited to see where this offense can go.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
There you go, Trey McBride, your Pro Bowl tight end,
you know.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
Jonathan Gannon this week will talking about how he wanted
to see improvement on offense with quote efficiency. Yeah, care
to translate that in your opinion? What do you think
the head coach means by better efficiency on offense?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yeah? For me, Pauly, it's more consistency. That's what he's
really looking for, to go out and perform well in
a much more consistent basis. I think that's on all
phases of offensive football. But also too, when you're talking
about efficiency, you're talking about Okay, Kyler Murray and Marvin
Harrison Junior and how many times when they throw the
(05:32):
ball on the nine route, on the fade, on a
deep throw down the field, how many times does Kyler
put that ball on the money, giving Marvin Harrison Junior
an opportunity to actually go up and make a play,
even if it's contested, go up and make a play
down the field. That to me, they need to do
that a lot more efficiently going forward. But to me
(05:54):
they go overall too. He's talking about consistency and how
they play.
Speaker 5 (05:59):
And we'll take a deep a little bit later in
this edition of The Big Red Rage presented by Santan
Ford in Gilbert on the whole dynamic of broken plays
and now with the Kyler Murray at quarterback and the
ninety nine score on athleticism that can benefit the Cardinals.
All you know is talking to Jacoby Brissett in this
studio earlier this week Wolf. He was talking about Drew Petsing,
(06:20):
who was the quarterbacks coach twenty twenty two for Cleveland
when Jacoby Brissett started eleven games or drew in the
Cleveland Browns. He just talked about one of the great
aspects of DREWF. Petsing as an offensive coordinator is he'll
run any play at any time and it's not about
him and his play sheet. It's about the players. And
you know what, You know this better than anyone ten
(06:41):
years in the NFL, ego is a real thing, not
only with players but with coaches, and so if Drew
Petsing is willing to adapt and put guys in the
best position to make plays based on the talent he has. Okay,
what does that mean year three in the system? What
does it mean year three going into camp? Interesting? Because
woll if we want you to tran from football ease
(07:02):
to English, from coach speak to English. Here's what Jonathan
Gannon said he's been about changing with this year's off
season workouts.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
I wanted more friction in off season so training camp really,
so we're just going to schedule a little bit different way.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
More friction, he said, more friction training camp really? Yes, Okay,
So to me, PAULI, more friction is more contact. I
don't think that. You know, did you really need a
ten year veteran in the NFL to actually translate that, Paulie,
I don't think so. I think he's talking about more physicality,
(07:39):
of course, and he's talking about the pads going on,
and he's talking about training camp and that that friction
is going to turn into intensity. The only thing I
would add to that is coach are you going to
change your policy if it gets too contested and there's
too much friction that is out on the field and
(08:00):
somebody says, what are you doing jigging me in the eye. Well,
I'm going to go ahead and hammer you for that.
You know, what are you going to do when that happens?
Speaker 5 (08:08):
If you've been scoring at home? Correct me if I'm wrong.
There's been one fight that have got players kicked out
each of the first two training camps under Jonathan Gannon.
There were two players who went at in year one.
There were two players who went at in year two.
Both had the walk of shame, had to have the
long walk, the entire one hundred yards down shame. It
is when you're kicked out of camp, when you're kicked
(08:31):
out of practice.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
I'm not going to call it the walk of shame.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
You already feel shame at that point. Well, this is.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Where you know what poly Seriously, you know how much
I love JG and how much in line.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
Well, if this got you in trouble with don't say it.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Don't say it still, Paul, it is it is okay.
I won't say okay, but you know how I feel
about it, and so does JG.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
And here's why I asked the question off the top,
and I know you thought it was a rhetorical question.
Why am I asking him means more physicality? Are we
sure it means more physicality, because in this day and
age where starters hardly play in the month of August,
maybe it just means more compete. Maybe it just means
more one on ones, not necessarily rooting in a two
and here's a four arm shiver to your neck. No,
(09:16):
maybe it just means, Okay, we're gonna get more contested
practices one oh yeah against ones.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
I think that, honestly, that could be the case. But
once again, Paul, if you're talking about that, if you're
talking about competition and ramping up competition, what do you
think puts the blood on the boil? That's exactly what
it puts. Competition. When you're all jacked up, fired up,
and suddenly you think you've been wrong, you you kind
of you're playing so hard in the game of football,
(09:45):
you kind of lose your mind. Friction can be competitive,
no doubt about it. If that's what he's talking about,
I think it's physicality, and I think it is competition
as well. But you put those two things together, and man,
look out.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
See I already think as a default setting going into
this camp this year, it's going to be more competitive
than ever. You know why because they are going to
be legitimate NFL players who don't make the final fifty three.
Oh yeah, Paul, each of the last two years. I mean,
come on, you sort of knew the final fifty three
save maybe one two three spots. Now you need two
hands to count how many spots will legitimately open. There's
(10:25):
going to be a really good defensive lineman, a really
good corner at least who don't make this final fifty three.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
No doubt about it, PAULI in right now the OTAs.
What's going on right now with the OTAs, Man, this
is where it begins. It really is. If he's talking
about friction and really talking about that friction, that competitiveness
in training camp. Of course, it starts in the OTAs
right now. Rookies and newcomers. This is an important time
of year, Paul. For rookies and newcomers. They got to
(10:52):
learn the skit, the schemes, they got to learn the
system right here. They have to prepare themselves so that
when they go to training camp. They know the offense.
They can play fast, they can go out there and
hammer people and lower the plow and hit the gas.
Veterans getting used to new coaches, the dynamic like we
have in the defensive line room. By way of example,
(11:16):
that is so important for veterans and newcomers to this
team and rookies that training camp. You're one hundred percent
when you're going into training camp, and the only way
to be one hundred percent doing that is the OTAs.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
Hey, Greg Derge told us this week Will Johnson round
two rookie looks really really good, just like he looked
at Michigan. Hey, join the berg Ganga Dallas Monday Night Football.
It's Cardinals Premier Travel hosted by Cardinals Legend Travel Packages.
You gotta check it out azcardstravel dot com, azcardstravel dot Com.
Starling Thomas is next as we talk to the corner
(11:56):
on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Yash on the left side of the end zone and
it is incomplete. Starling Thomas had good coverage.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
It's one on one on the outside and that is
excellent coverage by Starling Thomas fires.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Right sideline Thomas knocks it down. Good play by Thomas
who is on Dobbs that time.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Excellent coverage right there by Starling Thomas.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
Deep ball near side and incomplete.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
What a job by star Thomas in cover John Gibson
at the twenty yard line. He turned around to defend
the ball and broke up the pass.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
It is just so heads off by Thomas. This young
guy is developing and has been.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
All season long.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Right, here's a fun fact for you. Which NFL player
has the most starts among all NFL players who entered
as rookie free agents since twenty twenty three? How about
the guy who grew up going to do Carlos Dansby
football camps in Birmingham, Alabama, where the star also stands
(13:07):
for star ur Starling. Thomas is our guest and the
Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We
are santan Ford Starling. How we doing, man?
Speaker 7 (13:15):
I'm doing great man. Happy to be here man.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
We had John last season. And among the other fun
facts we learned Starling is how many generations? How many generations?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Back?
Speaker 5 (13:26):
Does that go? The name itself?
Speaker 7 (13:27):
I'm the fifth, so go four generations? Man? That is okay,
I give me a six one day.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
All right. So here we are, year three, okay, and
and everyone talks about, all right, the jump from year
one to year two. We wait a minute, what about
a jump from year two to year three? How are
you feeling? How is it tracking so far?
Speaker 7 (13:48):
I'm feeling great.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Man.
Speaker 7 (13:49):
The games there is slowing down day by day. I'm
learning the defense more of the ins and outs of it,
and I'm just having fun with the game. Just seeing
the progress that I made from like you said, year two,
year three, Man, I'm so excited for this season.
Speaker 5 (14:01):
We had Jalen Thompson in the studio recently. He's just
talking about you know what when you know it? As
JG says, are you at that point now with this defense?
Speaker 7 (14:08):
I definitely think that I'm at that point right now.
And I feel like the coaches have that trusted me in.
My team has have that trusted me that I know
know it and they feel good when I'm out there.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
You do anything unconventional, you know in training methods this offseason?
What are you doing like hot yoga?
Speaker 7 (14:23):
You know, the pilates, you know, I started I started
davving into the pilates and the yoga man, But I
have become a big fan of goda. A lot of
people may not know about that, but I do not.
So let me explain. Goda is like reconstructing your body
to move as a baby moves.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Really, yes, and how does one go about doing that?
Speaker 7 (14:45):
You do a lot of work this on your toes
and working on bowls as they call him. It's called boweing,
bowing into the hips and to your corners.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
So and what does that do for you out in
the field? Have you noticed the difference?
Speaker 7 (14:59):
Yes, I feel way more explosive. I feel like I
get out of my cuts way bro, because all I'm
staying on my toes more and not being as flat footed.
You know, every workout that you do now is always
flat footed. And but go to like reconstructs as and
you are on your toes more.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
You learn something. Even an old guy like me learn
something every day that's outstanding. Starling Thomas is our guest
here on the Big Red Rage, presented by Santan forty
and Gilbert. Do you still hang around Buddha.
Speaker 7 (15:24):
Man, Yeah, it's my guy. Like as I next right
next to each other, families know each other now, man,
it's like my best friend right now.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
I mean not everyone gets invited to Buddha Baker's house
for Thanksgiving dinner? Right, So, what do you think if
the young guys came up to you because you're no
longer the youngest helping young guys, right, I mean, that's
got to be a little bit different, just that vibe
right there, right.
Speaker 7 (15:48):
Yeah, because you're so used to being the young guy
hang around Buddha and JT all the time, and being
a young guy to that group now is like, Okay,
you gotta step into a bigger role, Like you're not
the young guy anymore. You're You're one of the vets now.
So I've been excited and I've just been embracing it. Honestly.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
I hear all of the other dbs talk about how
when it comes to the meeting rooms, they want to
sit next to Buddha and JT. It's like they're the
cool kids in class. What do you guys learn through osmosis?
What do you think you've learned the most from those two.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
Just being able to watch film, understand concepts, and just
being a pro send right next to Boodo, you can
see how his notes are, you can ask him questions
and he thinks as a coach things, you know, he's
able to go out there and explain what everybody does.
So just being around him, just finding out how the
defense works, makes you play fast by knowing where everybody
(16:36):
everyone is.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
And then when you have the head coach who's area
of expertise is cornerback, what's the luck to play for
Johnathan Gannet Because if there is one position group that
he knows cold, it's your room.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Is he more demanding because of that? Because of just
his background?
Speaker 7 (16:52):
I feel like he is. He's on the corners super hard.
I mean, and as a corner in the NFL, you
have to be able to withstand the pressure. So he
puts pressures on us any different techniques. So he's on
us pretty hard. But everybody in that room, we all
embraced that fact and that's why we played corner and
that's why the Cardinals have us.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
So twenty two starts after you an undrafted rookie free agent,
what did you know about yourself, Starling Thomas that the
NFL found out once you entered the league.
Speaker 7 (17:19):
I just knew that I belonged here, regardless of draft status,
regardless of what people may think or whatever. I knew
that I belong Like you said, you wouldn't have twenty
two starts in two years without being belonging here. So
just you know, just proving myself right and everybody else
that believed in me right.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
Honestly, how good did it feel? Come on, now we're
in the trust tree? Okay, the next season? How good
did it feel Week three last year and you're a
starter against the team that cut you good to Detroit Lions.
Speaker 7 (17:46):
Man, it felt amazing. Man. It was a lot of emotions.
But I was so happy to be out there, man,
And even the guys over there on their team, Man,
they was happy to see me, man, And it was
just it was a surreal moment.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Man.
Speaker 7 (17:57):
But I went out there and just played played all
knew that I belonged there, and you know, made them
wish that I was still over there.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
For everyone who missed your appearance in the Big Red
Rage last year. Are there similarities between Dan Campbell and
Jonathan Gannett, especially when it comes to the energy.
Speaker 7 (18:13):
Yes, both both people are hot energy guys and they
make you want to play for them. Like, I haven't
been around coaches like that in a minute, So I'm
glad that I was able to play on them, both
of them, But JG and Dan Campbelly are very hot
energy and you know they make you want to put
your neck out there for them.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
I look at this cornerback room, even minus Sean Murphy bunting,
you know, done for the year unfortunately with injury. Still
I look at this at as the most competitive room.
You got eleven corners in there. What's it been like
out on the field here during Ota?
Speaker 7 (18:44):
Some it's been competitive. All of us are just trying to,
you know, push each other, And I feel like that's
the best thing about it. When you have a competitive room,
everybody's play is going to go go up. So that's
been the best thing about it. And everybody in the
room has been pushing one another's no you know, mad
about this or that. Everybody just want to see each
other do good.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Where are you better? How are you better versus your
rookie year here? Now in year three as a player.
Speaker 7 (19:08):
I am more comfortable. I know what to do. I'm
comfortable in myself, my teammates are comfortable in me, and
now I just I just go out there and play
my game. I know my game, I know what I'm
good at you know, I know the things that I
work on, and you know, I'm just ready to go
out there and continue to make plays like I do.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
We had Paris Johnson junior in right, he was he
was your draft class, and we talked about all the
elite pass rushers he faced his rookie year, Aaron Donald,
TJ Watt, Miles Garrett, Micah Parsons. You can kind of
have a rollodex now. Yeah, dudes, You've gone against right,
Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill. Tell me about some of the
battles you've had one on one the last couple of years.
Speaker 7 (19:42):
I have some grip, good battles. DK Metcalf, Tara mcclaurin.
I'll say Brandon I has been was good, like he said,
Justin Jefferson, who else, DeVante Adams, Garrett Wilson, yeah, Jaylen Wattle,
Tyreek Hill, of course? Uh? DJ Moore? Wow?
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
So what does that do for your confidence?
Speaker 7 (20:02):
Now here in your three I'm just knowing, like you,
I went against the best guys in the league already,
and I held my own weekend week out. So I'm
going into this year not wor everybody think I'm just
going into this year knowing that I've already played against
the best guys, and I know what, I'm one of
the best guys too.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
This defense invested heavily in the front seven in the offseason.
What does that do for a defensive secondary?
Speaker 7 (20:27):
Oh, we love that. Everybody has miles. We can feel
the difference of the passwords right now in OTA's man,
so better pastors come, work picks.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
You can feel it already.
Speaker 7 (20:37):
We can feel it already.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
We so explain that to us football one on one.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
Ah, man, you know we can just feel that. You
feel that the rushers are getting there. Everything's getting there,
like we feel good about it. We love it. We
watch it on film. Everybody's working, man. We love the
how the front seven is looking and.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
When you can hit and harass and pressure quarterbacks more picks.
Even the great Patrick Mahomes. That's how the Eagles won
the Super Bowl? Right, Yeah? Who stands out so far?
Give me who's who's Maybe I don't know, a young guy,
a newcomer, players, no players, Is there anyone who's caught
your eye out there so far? Either side of the ball,
any position group?
Speaker 7 (21:13):
This young guy on a defensive and uh, they say
Wats has been pretty good, and den Zale has been
pretty good. Max has been playing good. Will like all
the guys who brought in, Like, everybody's been playing good.
Cody's been playing good. Even Bug we call him Cante.
(21:33):
This is his name, so seventh rounder. Yeah, he's been
playing good. Man, everybody's been playing good.
Speaker 5 (21:39):
What was your action when you saw the muscle mass
that Marvin Harrison Junior put on lining up?
Speaker 4 (21:44):
Agains me?
Speaker 7 (21:44):
Like, yo, man, did you did you grow a few?
Speaker 5 (21:47):
Greg Dorsch was in here, He's like, he talked about,
you know what, now corners are going to face going
against Marvin Harrison Junior, and he paused, he said, yeah,
good luck with that. What what what is going to
make Marvin a challenge? Especially with the added strength? What
does that do for him? And when he's battling corners
one on one?
Speaker 7 (22:04):
I feel like it's just give him more strength at
the top of his wraps. Marvin's already pretty good route runner,
he got great hands, good speed. I just felt like
he just added another layer on how good he's going
to be in his league. Honestly, he just keep adding
on to it. So I'm excited to see what he does.
I'm glad I get to go against him every day
and practice because it makes me better myself.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
So, yeah, are there do you guys help each other out? Like,
okay after a rep or after a practice or maybe periodically,
do you tell each other Okay, I tried this, you know,
maybe you do that?
Speaker 8 (22:31):
Do you?
Speaker 5 (22:32):
You guys saw Yeah, paradogs like that.
Speaker 7 (22:33):
Yeah, definitely, because I was always good to see what
a receiver is seeing from a dB and what are
they're thinking and vice versas so, and we're teammates at
the end of the day, and we all want to
see each other do good and we all want to
win games. So if that's gonna be a way for
me to help him win games and me win, that's
a plus for us.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
Starling Thomas the Fifth is our guest here in the
Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert Jalen
Thompson confirmed for us. So, when you guys are watching
film the last couple of months, so last season, you
started seeing your schemes being replicated by other teams.
Speaker 7 (23:04):
Yeah, that was crazy.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
That's Good's a heck of a compliment, isn't it is?
Speaker 7 (23:08):
Though? It is? It is. It was like, bro, are
they running the same thing? And we were running but
they didn't run it right there? Run it like us?
Speaker 5 (23:18):
So, I mean, tell us about Nick Ross. What does
it like to play for such an innovative defensive coordinator?
Speaker 7 (23:23):
Oh? Man, I love it. So many different schemes, so
many different techniques. He's always making a quarterback in the
offensive coordinator rethink you know, have them on an edge.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Man.
Speaker 7 (23:32):
I love Nick. He's He's also a high energy guy.
Who do you want to play for? He talks a lot,
you know, man, so we always want to back up
our decordinator. Man, So I love playing from Nick.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
Trey McBride admitted he goes right after Nick Ross if
he ever makes a catch.
Speaker 7 (23:47):
He does every time Trey cass theball, he looks right
at Nick.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
And then Jacoby Brissett was in there and he's like,
oh yeah, I'm a trash talker. And you know, nobody
even has to start it with me. I'll started Jacoby.
That's the thing.
Speaker 7 (24:00):
About this scene right now. Everybody's just so competitive.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Man.
Speaker 7 (24:04):
We love it and it's bringing the best out of everyone.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
That's good.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
You know. During camp, Chris Stapleton, Country Music Superstar is
gonna be across the street. You're gonna take Buddha over
to a Chris Stapleton concert.
Speaker 7 (24:15):
I have to is a must. I'm drag him out.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
Have you helped him develop a little bit of an
affinity for country music?
Speaker 7 (24:22):
He has grown? He has grown. He has grown. When
he goes golfing, he listens to it. Now, have you
taken up golfing? He's taking me, He's taking me?
Speaker 5 (24:33):
All right, that's great, darling.
Speaker 7 (24:35):
We really enjoyed it, have you, man?
Speaker 5 (24:37):
We look forward to it. I mean twenty two starts
in two years. Think about that. Think about the depth
in the cornerback room. Think about what a loaded defensive
front is going to do for the secondary. We can't wait.
We continue. It is a big red rage presented by
santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Play action of boot to the right. Murray looking downfield
now loves it deep heresigned Harrison count it looks funny.
Ten the ten. Parrison dies to the end zone.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
He's in Touchdowwn step to Murray looking left now in trouble,
spins left now steps up running left.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Murray breaks a tackle looking end zone, firing.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Left side, a sliding tuch for a touchdown and it's Higgins.
Kyler Murray does it again for Murray Magic.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Kyler Murray staying alive with it looked like he was
gonna be sacked.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Kyler Murray, who takes the shotgun step backs up, looks
left everybody covered. Murray spins to his left, now running
being chased by Young at the five yard line, and
Murray hoists it deep in near side. Harrison Clottet had
a fifty yard line and he's tackled there. An incredible
play by Kyler Murray to keep that play alive.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
I don't know how many human beings make that play that.
Kyler Murray just played the mighty Kyler Murray.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
No doubt when he's at his best. The Cardinals are
at their best, and they're one of the best offenses
in the NFL. It is the Big Red Rage presented
by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul
calvec Ron Wolfley. We're going to get into Kyler in
the offense, but special thanks to Starling Thomas once again
his off season training addition where he's replicating baby steps
(26:22):
in not so many words. I think that went way
above my head. He says it's working though for him
out on the field, So we'll take his word for
it on that one. How about the fact that he confirmed,
just like Jalen Thompson, the teams did steal the Cardinals
defensive schemes at the end of last year, except as
Starling told us, yeah, they really weren't doing it right.
They weren't doing it for the caliber Nick Rowlis wanted
(26:42):
it in the way he designed it, Okay, and then
Wolf he can already tell even out during OTAs that
the pass rush has been elevated, that the Cardinals front seven,
all the investments are going to pay off. They're already
paying off. He can already tell the way they're going
to be able to affect the quarterback this year. I mean,
you talk about tick talk. We all look forward to that.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
No doubt about it, Paul. I mean, think about it.
As a quarterback. You love the dynamic where you know
your offensive protection is really really good, and it's not
just the offensive line, it's everybody. The receivers are going
to run their right route, the offensive line is going
to protect there, your running back is going to pick
up litz Is. If you can actually have that kind
of confidence in your protection. It makes a quarterback that
(27:25):
much better when that protection breaks down, when he can't
count on being protected. Oh man, that's a big advantage
to the defense.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
And then there are a handful of quarterbacks that when
the production breaks down, it doesn't matter because they have
the athleticism to get out and make a defense pay.
Kyler Murray is most definitely one of those quarterbacks. Talking
to Jacoby Brissett QB two this week, Wolf, he said,
you know the difference between me and Kyler is I
have a six yard run and for Kyler that's a
touchdown run. He said, that's just one of the many differences.
(27:56):
He had some self deprecating humor on that one. But seriously, though,
Kyler Murray this offseason. In fact, back in April, Cardinals
Corner Arizona Sports in April, talking to Tyler Drake, he
broke down, Okay, what happens when plays break down and
how I can produce more.
Speaker 8 (28:13):
I think where we could be better as a unit
in myself as extending plays in scrambled drill, because I mean,
you go, look, you look at Josh, you look at Lamar,
like a lot of things that they do the sexy
plays come from outside of the pocket and when things
break down. That's something that me is you and Drew
have talked about, is guys have to confinue to move,
Guys have to continue stay active when play breaks down,
because you know that's gonna happen with a guy like myself,
(28:35):
you know, being quarterbacks. So I think that's a big area.
Aphysis is make it things happen whatever plays breakdown.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
You know, he mentioned Josh Allen Lamar Jackson more than once.
It's almost like he was sitting around watching the AFC
playoffs and sort of had an epiphany, said, you know
what I can do that Maybe I need to get
back to doing that. Because Wolf, if you go back
to the first half of twenty twenty one when he
was a legitimate MVP candidate, he was doing a lot
that wasn't.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
He Yeah, No, he was Paully, no doubt about that.
And this is the great conversation that we have had
over the years with Kyler Murray. This, Polly is a
great example. It's a great soundcut because to me, this
is what I want to see from Kyler Murray. This
is when I want Kyler Murray to run the ball.
I don't want a lot of called runs for Kyler Murray,
(29:22):
Polly every now and then, is it a bad idea
to go ahead and have a quarterback sweep or go
ahead with the you know, the read option. Of course
you can do all of these things. But Paul to
me once again, you want the defense to know, oh, yeah,
we will run him. You don't think we're gonna run him.
We will. You better pay attention to that. But man,
(29:43):
more than anything, when it breaks down, when he has
got to go out there and create, that's when I
want him to use his legs, not just to run,
not just to always run the ball, but to extend
the play like we have seen him do famously over
the first seven years of his career.
Speaker 5 (30:03):
No doubt. And look, especially in the red zone. To
your point, you know, okay, a design run here, they're
absolutely warranted, really effective when he's trying to beat someone
to the pylon.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I get it.
Speaker 5 (30:14):
But even Kyler Murray said over the years he'd much
rather have it be organic that when he sees open
green or he sees a defense with their backs to him,
and then he takes off and we all know how
backbreaking and demoralizing it is when it's third and fourteen
to the quarterback runs for fifteen. So there's that and
then there's another aspect of how this offense is evolving,
(30:34):
and that's something that Trey McBride talked about this week, saying,
you know what, more sauce please.
Speaker 6 (30:40):
It's not as fundamental, it's 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
(31:00):
guys 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 been a lot of fun
and I'm excited to see us in action area.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
You know, Drew Petsing likes to use the word multiple.
We can do multiple things out of the same personnel group.
Multiple things out of the same formation. I tend to think,
just because they're in the Cardinals division, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVeigh,
how many times maybe are they running a similar play,
but it's not a totally different personnel or a different formation.
At least that's what defensive players have said over the years,
(31:34):
and it can make it really hard to predict, really
hard to decipher what's coming when. And so now that
some of these guys have another year under their belt
of this system, it would make sense, wouldn't it that
the football IQ goes up and now the offensive cornera
can dial up a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
No doubt about it, Belly, right now, this is the
next step for Kyler Murray and this offense. It's year
three and Drew Petsing's offense now they have definitely got
to step it up. Pauli, There's no doubt about that.
I think we're going to see that Sauce, as Trey
McBride is talking about right now. But for me, the
(32:12):
broken plays once again, Bali, they got to be able
to capitalize on that first and foremost. I think the
chemistry with Marvin Harrison Junior that has got to be
number one, Paulli number two. It's improving in these broken
plays for me. But yeah, the sauce is moving around
(32:32):
this offensive front and getting some type of motion where
defenses are constantly making checks on what you're doing. I
know why Drew Petsing didn't make it complicated. I know
why he did last year, and that was because he
wanted Marvin Harrison Junior and Kyler Murray to be really,
really base and try to build some type of foundation
(32:53):
for chemistry. That's what he wanted more than anything else. Paully.
Now they can build on that foundation and from last year.
But to me, that's why he didn't do a lot
of movement. He didn't want it to be complicated for
Kyler or for Marvin Harrison Junior. Now it's time to
take that next step together.
Speaker 5 (33:13):
And the one play that both Kyler and Drew Petsen
have cited over and over his evidence was week to
touchdown number two against the Rams, the sixty yarder, Oh yeah,
where Kyler bought time and pointed and there was Marvin
Harrison Junior going to a vacated space in the defense.
It was basically backyard football and then Kyler boom hits
(33:34):
him in stride and then Marvin Harrison does the rest
and he houses it all the way to the pylon.
That's the kind of thing that you know, Kyler has
talked about, and I think rightfully so receivers cannot give
up on a play, keep running because you never know
your quarterback is going to extend a play for a
stupid amount of time. I mean, yes, the receivers have
to stay active, don't they.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Yeah, no, they have to, you know. And that really
is that when you hear him say the scram drill
when you're Kyler talking about it as well, and some
other cuts that we have played throughout the years. When
he's talking about that, they do that over and over
and over again in practice. The scramble drill is real
and it's alive, and it's something that's got to become
(34:16):
a significant part of what the Arizona Cardinals are going
to do because it is the wild card. And one
other thing too, Bali. While we're talking about all of this,
but man, and you already touched on it a little bit,
but when a play breaks down because the opposing defense
is getting pressure and getting after Kyler Murray and he
(34:37):
breaks out of that pressure, and you've got man covered
down the field and suddenly he converts a third and
thirteen like Russell Wilson used to do when he was
up in Seattle. It just breaks the defensive coordinator's heart.
It sucks the life out of a defense who has
(34:59):
done every right on first down, everything right on second down,
got you into a third and thirteen, and suddenly that
quarterback converts with his legs. It is demoralizing, Paul.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
You can sense it, just the vibe, the body language,
the slump shoulders on the sideline. It really is demoralizing, deflating.
So we heard from Trey McBride there. We talked about
Marvin Errison Junior. I want to know who's the third
receiving option in this offense. When we come back, I'm
gonna talk about position battles, where is it most competitive,
(35:31):
Who exactly is the quarterback of the defense. We're gonna
get into all that next. Hey, get ready for the
upcoming season with the latest gear from the Cardinals team shop.
Get your hands in the hottest items, including the recently
dropped Speaking of Marvin Irrison Junior, Jersey, I saw it
out at the draft party. Oh Man, Mui Bueno you know,
visit Azycardinals dot com slash shop Azcardinals dot com slash shop.
(35:53):
This is the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford
in Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
To Gino drops back, the pass gets hit, the ball
comes out, and it's recovered by Smith that the forty
one Zaven Collins in the backfield.
Speaker 4 (36:11):
Boys, he having a day.
Speaker 9 (36:12):
I still do a lot of crazy stuff. I got'ta
line up in the hay gap and still drop Nick
likes to stretch the limits of how hard can we
make this?
Speaker 1 (36:24):
This drob Nick rawl is doing a great job disguising
what he's going to do.
Speaker 9 (36:30):
They make it very simple for you know, guys to
be able to be in that defense, especially a bigger
body guy that has to drop and what they ask
of us. They're very cognizant of what they want us
to do and how they want us to do it.
Speaker 5 (36:41):
Well, remember the win in Miami last year and I
think we all did a double take. Wait a minute,
is that Zabon Collins at nearly six five to seventy
something running straight down the middle of the field one
on one with Tyreek Hill And it was a definitive yes,
as he confirm last season, right here actually on the
(37:01):
Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert. He
was elaborating on that a little bit more this week
in meeting the media, And so when Starlin Thomas on
this episode confirms it, yes, other teams are replicating Nick
Rollis's schemes. I don't know if that's one of them,
having you know, a guy who is the starting middle
linebackers now edge player actually covered the likes of a
(37:22):
Tyreek killed downfield. But yeah, sometimes it can get pretty
dang innovative, can it not.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Yeah, there's no doubt about it. Bully and what they
have done with Zavan Collins lining them up in that
A gap, Paul. A lot of the times they're playing
Tampa too, and that's when you have two safeties high
and that Mike backer is running down the middle of
the field. But rarely are you ever going to put
that Mike backer in the A gap and drop him
(37:49):
into the middle of the field, hunting up the number
two receiver typically towards the strength of the formation that
is Tampa too. It's been around a long time, but man,
there's a lot of different ways you can get to
Tampa to and execute.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
It, all right, let's talk about middle linebacker. It used
to be the position for Zamon Collins. For a few
days in the offseason, had a hot take that maybe
Zamon Collins was going back to mike backer. That's a
definitive no. Thanks KLVC for wasting our time on that one.
It is going to either be from what we can tell,
Michael Walker, a Keen Davis Gaither or the rookie Cody
(38:24):
Simon Wolf. How would you handicap thinks? How wide open
is this battle to be the quarterback of the defense
now that team captain Kaizer White, from all appearances, will
not be back.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Yeah, I know, Paully. I think a Keen Davis Gaither
is the guy that actually has the inside hand, so
to speak, on this. I think he's got the best
opportunity to be your starter. I will say that Cody
Simon is fascinating to me. He really is. I think
he's smart enough to actually do it. Now. I don't
(38:56):
think he's smart enough to actually go out and have
the green dot, but I do believe he's smart enough
to actually line up and play inside linebacker, play the
mike backer position in the National Football League. Now, man,
that is a that is a tall, tall order right
there to actually fill because it's very difficult. You've got
(39:17):
to know everything. You have got to understand what an
offense is doing, what schemes are doing. And the thing
he lacks the most is the experience of playing in
an NFL box, not a college box, an NFL box.
And that's the one reason why I pause and hesitate,
because I think Cody Simon has the physical abilities to
(39:40):
do that job and do it very very well, and
the mentality, but he just lacks the experience. And it's
the reason why I would say that Davis Gaither is
probably in the lead.
Speaker 5 (39:53):
And what's really interesting, because we talked to him earlier
this week, is that he really had a mac Wilson
senior finish to twenty twenty four for the Cincinnati Bengals.
What mac Wilson senior did in December and January for
the Patriots, which got him paid by the Cardinals a
keen Davis Gath almost replicated that. He went from a
special team's assassin special teams captain to a starting inside linebacker.
(40:16):
He had a thirteen tackle game at Pittsburgh. He had
a twelve tackle game against Tennessee. He had another twelve
tackle game in the rematch against Pittsburgh in the season.
I mean, he ended the year as a tackling machine.
And I think he put film out there Wolf you
tell me where JG and MONTIOSIV were like, wait a minute,
maybe this guy is ready for more. Maybe this guy
can wear the green dot and call our defense.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
Yeah, Paul, I mean he averaged nine point seven tackles
per game. You know, that's pretty dog on good right there. Again,
for a guy that came in under the auspices in
which he did, being a special teams player and then
getting the start over the last six games for the Bengals,
that really is a nice little sample size. Yet at
(40:59):
the same time, time, man, you gotta be careful. He's
going to have to come in here, I think, and
I think he's going to have to win that job.
I think that's going to be an open competition right there,
don't you, Paul.
Speaker 5 (41:10):
I do you know? And he's the son of a coach,
right as his father is an assistant at Virginia, And
he said sometimes he'll even get feedback on his phone
at halftime from his dad. So he has a high
football at QUB by all accounts, I want to ask
you real quick. We teased it wide receiver two and
three after Marvin Arson Junior, after training Bride at tight
end your top two targets. But wait a minute, isn't
(41:32):
the room for someone to establish themselves, especially as wide
receiver two on this roster?
Speaker 1 (41:37):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, there's no doubt about it. I mean,
Greg Derch, I think once again is going to be
one of your starters in eleven personnel. I think Michael
Wilson is going to have the opportunity to go out
there and prove that he is not the guy. I
think he is going to be the guy because I
believe in Michael Wilson. I think he's going to continue
(41:59):
to take that next step. But yeah, there's some interesting
guys they have PAULI that are out there that could
make a run at him.
Speaker 5 (42:06):
Even Zay Jones, who sort of had a pretty solid
finish in week seventeen and eighteen when he finally got
in rhythm, got some targets. He could be an intriguing
Guy's had some huge seasons in the NFL. He told
us this week he feels really good. So there's that,
and then there's corner. I mean even minus Sean Murphy
Bunting done for the year with injury. I consider that
(42:27):
pretty wide open, including the rookie Will Johnson, who I
think is gonna be given every opportunity to be a
starting corner man.
Speaker 1 (42:34):
That's gonna be fascinating to watch. Are you really going
to take Will Johnson and stick him out there on
an island? Are you gonna do that? Week one? Are
you gonna do that? Are you gonna run him out there?
And he's gonna be the starter coming out of training camp? Yes,
is my answer to that. I think the kids got
everything that he needs. And what I love about this
(42:58):
the vetting process with JG of course, and Manti asen
Fort and every kid they bring onto this roster right now.
They have a great way of vetting this guy and
whether or not he's got the mentality, whether or not
he's got the intellect to actually come on and play
the position and do it well as a young guy man.
(43:18):
To me, they're really really high on Will Johnson in
regard to his brain and in regard to his physical gifts.
And because of that, I think, Paul, this is just
it's not even a hot take, is it. But Will
Johnson's your starter week one.
Speaker 5 (43:34):
How many times Jonathan Gannon called him a quote perfect
scheme fit. Yeah, Drew Standon told us on the Red
Sea Report, Wink Martindale, the defensive coordinator from Michigan runs
an NFL caliber defense, very complex, very complicated, very exotic
at times. If Will Johnson can master that defense in
one year, then he's equipped for the NFL. So I
thought that was really intriguing. And then if he truly
(43:56):
is an elite corner think about the fact that Patrick Sir,
Tam Sauce Gardner, Derek Stingley Junior, they have started every
single game of their NFL career. The moment they were drafted,
they were starters, not unlike Marvin Arrison Junior, not unlike
Paris Johnson Junior. I mean, if he's that dude, if
he's that good, if he's a legitimate top fifteen player
(44:17):
in this draft, win healthy, and the only reason he
fell is because of some erroneous claims about his knee,
then I agree with you. He easily could be cornerback
one when they break camp in August.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
And Paul, that is a jammed room now cornerback, which
is amazing right now because it was a going into
last season. We thought it was a weakness. It didn't
turn out to be a weakness. Now it's a jam
pack room.
Speaker 5 (44:39):
No doubt. Maximelon looked really good at the end of
last year. Starling Thomas our guest tonight. He started twenty
two games in two years, so it is going to
be highly competitive. Not to mention Garrett Williams, you're starting
nickel corner, one of the highest graded corners in the
entire league. Yeah, last season, ay be part of the
Red Sea Cardinals. Single game tickets on sale now. Tickets
(44:59):
are a available online go to Azycardinals dot com slash
buy tickets, Azycardinals dot com slash by ticket special Thanks
to Darling Thomas, Jim Omohundro, Cody Fincher, Matt Lazarus, Barron
Wolfley On, Paul Kelvic. This has been the Big Red
Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
You've been listening to the Big Red Rage presented by
santan Ford and Gilbert right on the Price, right on
the corner of the Santan two oh two Freeway in Valvista.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
The rage is.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
Brought to you by Arizona Cardinals podcast. Visit Azycardinals dot
com slash podcast.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
We're gonna see a little big red rage football right here.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals
Football Club.
Strap on the boots and scrape up the knuckles on ahead.
He got jacked.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
This is the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford
and Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Terry's gonna score touchdown slim to the ground by Buddha
Baker like a torpedo. He came flying into the backfield.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
The rage is brought to you by santan Ford and
Gilbert right on the Price, right on the corner of
the Santan two to two Freeway in.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Valves Wata Crab by Trey McBride.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
That was spectacular and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals
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All Red Sea, Its Rising Uard, Timper You, Rising Vision,
Flurry Rage, Take it Ober.
Speaker 5 (00:50):
Here's Paul CALVICI I'm ready. I'm one hundred percent ready.
I'm telling you I'm ready.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
And Ron Woolfley, it doesn't get any better than that film.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
You know football season is near when Jag is openly
talking about adding more what to Cardinals camp. What we'll
get to that. You know football is near, Ron Wolfley,
When Trey McBride and Nick Ross are barking at each
other out on the backfields, when every other Cardinals young
(01:23):
guy looks like he needs nner the World's Strongest Man contest.
I mean, it's magnus ver Marvinson. At this point, you
know football is near.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
Wait for it.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
When Aaron Rodgers finally decides to show up for something
more than the Pat McAfee show, Well we're waiting, but
never fear. The original Thursday Night Football is here, fifty
two weeks a year, Tonight, featuring one of our favorites,
the precocious, the talented, the affable, Starling Thomas the Fifth.
(01:55):
Paul Calvic here, Ron Wolfy there on the Big Red Rage,
presented by and tan Ford and Gilbert We are santan Ford.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
You know, Paul, you bring up Starling Thomas the Fifth,
of course, and this guy was really a surprise last year.
I'm sorry, I'm sure it wasn't a surprise to star
how well he played, but for me, at least as
the analyst watching him play out there and watching how
effectively he assimilated into the secondary. I gotta tell you, man,
(02:25):
Star Thomas is a player.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
And look, Wolf we're gonna ask him about that Week
three starting assignment against Oh, I don't know, the Detroit
Lions team that had caught him a year earlier. Oh
how good did that feel? Because we know I don't
know if he knows this, but coaches told us that
Lions coaches were pointing to Starling Thomas pregame and saying, yeah,
that was a regret mistake. We let that guy hit
(02:49):
the street. Less than twenty four hours later, he was
an Arizona Cardinal. The dude ran a four to eight
at his pro day. So we're going to talk about
Starling Thomas. We're going to talk to Starling Thomas all
about this Cardinals, what he's seen so far, where this
defense can go. And you're talking about OTA's here wolf
where you know what? Look the eyeball test so far,
(03:10):
a lot of guys are passing it, including Darius Robinson.
Did you not ask d rob what his weight was
earlier this week? What did you find out?
Speaker 1 (03:18):
As a matter of fact, Paully, I did. I looked
him dead in the eye and I said, Darius, you
gotta tell me what's your weight at right now? And
are you where you want to be? And he said
two hundred and ninety pounds. Oh, Danny, he said yes.
Paul I was like, wait a minute, are you telling
me you can still actually go out you can play
a seven technique. You could play the wide nine on
(03:38):
the edge. You could actually go out there at two
hundred ninety pounds and play the wine nine. Are you
telling me you could do that, Darius? He said, yes,
two hundred and ninety pound edge.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Listen. If that does happen, look out, baby, that's gonna
be a good thing.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
We like to call it eleven card pickup. Nick rawlis
getting crazy with all eleven guys. Where are they going
to be? Where are they coming from? How is he
going to deploy them? Zavion Collins will talk a little
bit later on this edition of The Big Red Rage
about how he can be over the nose, he can
be deep center field. So a little bit of everything
makes them really unpredictable. On defense, what's interesting is we
(04:17):
haven't had a whole bunch of time to talk about
the offense this offseason because the Cardinals, you know, the
new and improved defense, the extreme makeover. Trey McBride finally
had a chance to speak up and be after the
offense this week, and here's what he had to say
about building that foundation in OTAs.
Speaker 6 (04:33):
This is a you know, the foundation of how you
start the season, you get the timing, you get the
offensive lineman, you know, working on these blocks together, combination blocks,
you get the timing with Kyler and just being out
there and seeing the defense and running routes again and
catching the ball from Kyler everything. It just kind of
get that gelback, get that you know, flow everything. But
(04:53):
I'm excited to see where this offense can go.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
There you go, Trey McBride, your Pro Bowl tight end,
you know.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
Jonathan Gannon this week will talking about how he wanted
to see improvement on offense with quote efficiency. Yeah, care
to translate that in your opinion? What do you think
the head coach means by better efficiency on offense?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yeah? For me, Pauly, it's more consistency. That's what he's
really looking for, to go out and perform well in
a much more consistent basis. I think that's on all
phases of offensive football. But also too, when you're talking
about efficiency, you're talking about Okay, Kyler Murray and Marvin
Harrison Junior and how many times when they throw the
(05:32):
ball on the nine route, on the fade, on a
deep throw down the field, how many times does Kyler
put that ball on the money, giving Marvin Harrison Junior
an opportunity to actually go up and make a play,
even if it's contested, go up and make a play
down the field. That to me, they need to do
that a lot more efficiently going forward. But to me
(05:54):
they go overall too. He's talking about consistency and how
they play.
Speaker 5 (05:59):
And we'll take a deep a little bit later in
this edition of The Big Red Rage presented by Santan
Ford in Gilbert on the whole dynamic of broken plays
and now with the Kyler Murray at quarterback and the
ninety nine score on athleticism that can benefit the Cardinals.
All you know is talking to Jacoby Brissett in this
studio earlier this week Wolf. He was talking about Drew Petsing,
(06:20):
who was the quarterbacks coach twenty twenty two for Cleveland
when Jacoby Brissett started eleven games or drew in the
Cleveland Browns. He just talked about one of the great
aspects of DREWF. Petsing as an offensive coordinator is he'll
run any play at any time and it's not about
him and his play sheet. It's about the players. And
you know what, You know this better than anyone ten
(06:41):
years in the NFL, ego is a real thing, not
only with players but with coaches, and so if Drew
Petsing is willing to adapt and put guys in the
best position to make plays based on the talent he has. Okay,
what does that mean year three in the system? What
does it mean year three going into camp? Interesting? Because
woll if we want you to tran from football ease
(07:02):
to English, from coach speak to English. Here's what Jonathan
Gannon said he's been about changing with this year's off
season workouts.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
I wanted more friction in off season so training camp really,
so we're just going to schedule a little bit different way.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
More friction, he said, more friction training camp really? Yes, Okay,
So to me, PAULI, more friction is more contact. I
don't think that. You know, did you really need a
ten year veteran in the NFL to actually translate that, Paulie,
I don't think so. I think he's talking about more physicality,
(07:39):
of course, and he's talking about the pads going on,
and he's talking about training camp and that that friction
is going to turn into intensity. The only thing I
would add to that is coach are you going to
change your policy if it gets too contested and there's
too much friction that is out on the field and
(08:00):
somebody says, what are you doing jigging me in the eye. Well,
I'm going to go ahead and hammer you for that.
You know, what are you going to do when that happens?
Speaker 5 (08:08):
If you've been scoring at home? Correct me if I'm wrong.
There's been one fight that have got players kicked out
each of the first two training camps under Jonathan Gannon.
There were two players who went at in year one.
There were two players who went at in year two.
Both had the walk of shame, had to have the
long walk, the entire one hundred yards down shame. It
is when you're kicked out of camp, when you're kicked
(08:31):
out of practice.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
I'm not going to call it the walk of shame.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
You already feel shame at that point. Well, this is.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Where you know what poly Seriously, you know how much
I love JG and how much in line.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
Well, if this got you in trouble with don't say it.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Don't say it still, Paul, it is it is okay.
I won't say okay, but you know how I feel
about it, and so does JG.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
And here's why I asked the question off the top,
and I know you thought it was a rhetorical question.
Why am I asking him means more physicality? Are we
sure it means more physicality, because in this day and
age where starters hardly play in the month of August,
maybe it just means more compete. Maybe it just means
more one on ones, not necessarily rooting in a two
and here's a four arm shiver to your neck. No,
(09:16):
maybe it just means, Okay, we're gonna get more contested
practices one oh yeah against ones.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
I think that, honestly, that could be the case. But
once again, Paul, if you're talking about that, if you're
talking about competition and ramping up competition, what do you
think puts the blood on the boil? That's exactly what
it puts. Competition. When you're all jacked up, fired up,
and suddenly you think you've been wrong, you you kind
of you're playing so hard in the game of football,
(09:45):
you kind of lose your mind. Friction can be competitive,
no doubt about it. If that's what he's talking about,
I think it's physicality, and I think it is competition
as well. But you put those two things together, and man,
look out.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
See I already think as a default setting going into
this camp this year, it's going to be more competitive
than ever. You know why because they are going to
be legitimate NFL players who don't make the final fifty three.
Oh yeah, Paul, each of the last two years. I mean,
come on, you sort of knew the final fifty three
save maybe one two three spots. Now you need two
hands to count how many spots will legitimately open. There's
(10:25):
going to be a really good defensive lineman, a really
good corner at least who don't make this final fifty three.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
No doubt about it, PAULI in right now the OTAs.
What's going on right now with the OTAs, Man, this
is where it begins. It really is. If he's talking
about friction and really talking about that friction, that competitiveness
in training camp. Of course, it starts in the OTAs
right now. Rookies and newcomers. This is an important time
of year, Paul. For rookies and newcomers. They got to
(10:52):
learn the skit, the schemes, they got to learn the
system right here. They have to prepare themselves so that
when they go to training camp. They know the offense.
They can play fast, they can go out there and
hammer people and lower the plow and hit the gas.
Veterans getting used to new coaches, the dynamic like we
have in the defensive line room. By way of example,
(11:16):
that is so important for veterans and newcomers to this
team and rookies that training camp. You're one hundred percent
when you're going into training camp, and the only way
to be one hundred percent doing that is the OTAs.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
Hey, Greg Derge told us this week Will Johnson round
two rookie looks really really good, just like he looked
at Michigan. Hey, join the berg Ganga Dallas Monday Night Football.
It's Cardinals Premier Travel hosted by Cardinals Legend Travel Packages.
You gotta check it out azcardstravel dot com, azcardstravel dot Com.
Starling Thomas is next as we talk to the corner
(11:56):
on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Yash on the left side of the end zone and
it is incomplete. Starling Thomas had good coverage.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
It's one on one on the outside and that is
excellent coverage by Starling Thomas fires.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Right sideline Thomas knocks it down. Good play by Thomas
who is on Dobbs that time.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Excellent coverage right there by Starling Thomas.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
Deep ball near side and incomplete.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
What a job by star Thomas in cover John Gibson
at the twenty yard line. He turned around to defend
the ball and broke up the pass.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
It is just so heads off by Thomas. This young
guy is developing and has been.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
All season long.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Right, here's a fun fact for you. Which NFL player
has the most starts among all NFL players who entered
as rookie free agents since twenty twenty three? How about
the guy who grew up going to do Carlos Dansby
football camps in Birmingham, Alabama, where the star also stands
(13:07):
for star ur Starling. Thomas is our guest and the
Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We
are santan Ford Starling. How we doing, man?
Speaker 7 (13:15):
I'm doing great man. Happy to be here man.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
We had John last season. And among the other fun
facts we learned Starling is how many generations? How many generations?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Back?
Speaker 5 (13:26):
Does that go? The name itself?
Speaker 7 (13:27):
I'm the fifth, so go four generations? Man? That is okay,
I give me a six one day.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
All right. So here we are, year three, okay, and
and everyone talks about, all right, the jump from year
one to year two. We wait a minute, what about
a jump from year two to year three? How are
you feeling? How is it tracking so far?
Speaker 7 (13:48):
I'm feeling great.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Man.
Speaker 7 (13:49):
The games there is slowing down day by day. I'm
learning the defense more of the ins and outs of it,
and I'm just having fun with the game. Just seeing
the progress that I made from like you said, year two,
year three, Man, I'm so excited for this season.
Speaker 5 (14:01):
We had Jalen Thompson in the studio recently. He's just
talking about you know what when you know it? As
JG says, are you at that point now with this defense?
Speaker 7 (14:08):
I definitely think that I'm at that point right now.
And I feel like the coaches have that trusted me in.
My team has have that trusted me that I know
know it and they feel good when I'm out there.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
You do anything unconventional, you know in training methods this offseason?
What are you doing like hot yoga?
Speaker 7 (14:23):
You know, the pilates, you know, I started I started
davving into the pilates and the yoga man, But I
have become a big fan of goda. A lot of
people may not know about that, but I do not.
So let me explain. Goda is like reconstructing your body
to move as a baby moves.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Really, yes, and how does one go about doing that?
Speaker 7 (14:45):
You do a lot of work this on your toes
and working on bowls as they call him. It's called boweing,
bowing into the hips and to your corners.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
So and what does that do for you out in
the field? Have you noticed the difference?
Speaker 7 (14:59):
Yes, I feel way more explosive. I feel like I
get out of my cuts way bro, because all I'm
staying on my toes more and not being as flat footed.
You know, every workout that you do now is always
flat footed. And but go to like reconstructs as and
you are on your toes more.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
You learn something. Even an old guy like me learn
something every day that's outstanding. Starling Thomas is our guest
here on the Big Red Rage, presented by Santan forty
and Gilbert. Do you still hang around Buddha.
Speaker 7 (15:24):
Man, Yeah, it's my guy. Like as I next right
next to each other, families know each other now, man,
it's like my best friend right now.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
I mean not everyone gets invited to Buddha Baker's house
for Thanksgiving dinner? Right, So, what do you think if
the young guys came up to you because you're no
longer the youngest helping young guys, right, I mean, that's
got to be a little bit different, just that vibe
right there, right.
Speaker 7 (15:48):
Yeah, because you're so used to being the young guy
hang around Buddha and JT all the time, and being
a young guy to that group now is like, Okay,
you gotta step into a bigger role, Like you're not
the young guy anymore. You're You're one of the vets now.
So I've been excited and I've just been embracing it. Honestly.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
I hear all of the other dbs talk about how
when it comes to the meeting rooms, they want to
sit next to Buddha and JT. It's like they're the
cool kids in class. What do you guys learn through osmosis?
What do you think you've learned the most from those two.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
Just being able to watch film, understand concepts, and just
being a pro send right next to Boodo, you can
see how his notes are, you can ask him questions
and he thinks as a coach things, you know, he's
able to go out there and explain what everybody does.
So just being around him, just finding out how the
defense works, makes you play fast by knowing where everybody
(16:36):
everyone is.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
And then when you have the head coach who's area
of expertise is cornerback, what's the luck to play for
Johnathan Gannet Because if there is one position group that
he knows cold, it's your room.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Is he more demanding because of that? Because of just
his background?
Speaker 7 (16:52):
I feel like he is. He's on the corners super hard.
I mean, and as a corner in the NFL, you
have to be able to withstand the pressure. So he
puts pressures on us any different techniques. So he's on
us pretty hard. But everybody in that room, we all
embraced that fact and that's why we played corner and
that's why the Cardinals have us.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
So twenty two starts after you an undrafted rookie free agent,
what did you know about yourself, Starling Thomas that the
NFL found out once you entered the league.
Speaker 7 (17:19):
I just knew that I belonged here, regardless of draft status,
regardless of what people may think or whatever. I knew
that I belong Like you said, you wouldn't have twenty
two starts in two years without being belonging here. So
just you know, just proving myself right and everybody else
that believed in me right.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
Honestly, how good did it feel? Come on, now we're
in the trust tree? Okay, the next season? How good
did it feel Week three last year and you're a
starter against the team that cut you good to Detroit Lions.
Speaker 7 (17:46):
Man, it felt amazing. Man. It was a lot of emotions.
But I was so happy to be out there, man,
And even the guys over there on their team, Man,
they was happy to see me, man, And it was
just it was a surreal moment.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Man.
Speaker 7 (17:57):
But I went out there and just played played all
knew that I belonged there, and you know, made them
wish that I was still over there.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
For everyone who missed your appearance in the Big Red
Rage last year. Are there similarities between Dan Campbell and
Jonathan Gannett, especially when it comes to the energy.
Speaker 7 (18:13):
Yes, both both people are hot energy guys and they
make you want to play for them. Like, I haven't
been around coaches like that in a minute, So I'm
glad that I was able to play on them, both
of them, But JG and Dan Campbelly are very hot
energy and you know they make you want to put
your neck out there for them.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
I look at this cornerback room, even minus Sean Murphy bunting,
you know, done for the year unfortunately with injury. Still
I look at this at as the most competitive room.
You got eleven corners in there. What's it been like
out on the field here during Ota?
Speaker 7 (18:44):
Some it's been competitive. All of us are just trying to,
you know, push each other, And I feel like that's
the best thing about it. When you have a competitive room,
everybody's play is going to go go up. So that's
been the best thing about it. And everybody in the
room has been pushing one another's no you know, mad
about this or that. Everybody just want to see each
other do good.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Where are you better? How are you better versus your
rookie year here? Now in year three as a player.
Speaker 7 (19:08):
I am more comfortable. I know what to do. I'm
comfortable in myself, my teammates are comfortable in me, and
now I just I just go out there and play
my game. I know my game, I know what I'm
good at you know, I know the things that I
work on, and you know, I'm just ready to go
out there and continue to make plays like I do.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
We had Paris Johnson junior in right, he was he
was your draft class, and we talked about all the
elite pass rushers he faced his rookie year, Aaron Donald,
TJ Watt, Miles Garrett, Micah Parsons. You can kind of
have a rollodex now. Yeah, dudes, You've gone against right,
Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill. Tell me about some of the
battles you've had one on one the last couple of years.
Speaker 7 (19:42):
I have some grip, good battles. DK Metcalf, Tara mcclaurin.
I'll say Brandon I has been was good, like he said,
Justin Jefferson, who else, DeVante Adams, Garrett Wilson, yeah, Jaylen Wattle,
Tyreek Hill, of course? Uh? DJ Moore? Wow?
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
So what does that do for your confidence?
Speaker 7 (20:02):
Now here in your three I'm just knowing, like you,
I went against the best guys in the league already,
and I held my own weekend week out. So I'm
going into this year not wor everybody think I'm just
going into this year knowing that I've already played against
the best guys, and I know what, I'm one of
the best guys too.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
This defense invested heavily in the front seven in the offseason.
What does that do for a defensive secondary?
Speaker 7 (20:27):
Oh, we love that. Everybody has miles. We can feel
the difference of the passwords right now in OTA's man,
so better pastors come, work picks.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
You can feel it already.
Speaker 7 (20:37):
We can feel it already.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
We so explain that to us football one on one.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
Ah, man, you know we can just feel that. You
feel that the rushers are getting there. Everything's getting there,
like we feel good about it. We love it. We
watch it on film. Everybody's working, man. We love the
how the front seven is looking and.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
When you can hit and harass and pressure quarterbacks more picks.
Even the great Patrick Mahomes. That's how the Eagles won
the Super Bowl? Right, Yeah? Who stands out so far?
Give me who's who's Maybe I don't know, a young guy,
a newcomer, players, no players, Is there anyone who's caught
your eye out there so far? Either side of the ball,
any position group?
Speaker 7 (21:13):
This young guy on a defensive and uh, they say
Wats has been pretty good, and den Zale has been
pretty good. Max has been playing good. Will like all
the guys who brought in, Like, everybody's been playing good.
Cody's been playing good. Even Bug we call him Cante.
(21:33):
This is his name, so seventh rounder. Yeah, he's been
playing good. Man, everybody's been playing good.
Speaker 5 (21:39):
What was your action when you saw the muscle mass
that Marvin Harrison Junior put on lining up?
Speaker 4 (21:44):
Agains me?
Speaker 7 (21:44):
Like, yo, man, did you did you grow a few?
Speaker 5 (21:47):
Greg Dorsch was in here, He's like, he talked about,
you know what, now corners are going to face going
against Marvin Harrison Junior, and he paused, he said, yeah,
good luck with that. What what what is going to
make Marvin a challenge? Especially with the added strength? What
does that do for him? And when he's battling corners
one on one?
Speaker 7 (22:04):
I feel like it's just give him more strength at
the top of his wraps. Marvin's already pretty good route runner,
he got great hands, good speed. I just felt like
he just added another layer on how good he's going
to be in his league. Honestly, he just keep adding
on to it. So I'm excited to see what he does.
I'm glad I get to go against him every day
and practice because it makes me better myself.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
So, yeah, are there do you guys help each other out? Like,
okay after a rep or after a practice or maybe periodically,
do you tell each other Okay, I tried this, you know,
maybe you do that?
Speaker 8 (22:31):
Do you?
Speaker 5 (22:32):
You guys saw Yeah, paradogs like that.
Speaker 7 (22:33):
Yeah, definitely, because I was always good to see what
a receiver is seeing from a dB and what are
they're thinking and vice versas so, and we're teammates at
the end of the day, and we all want to
see each other do good and we all want to
win games. So if that's gonna be a way for
me to help him win games and me win, that's
a plus for us.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
Starling Thomas the Fifth is our guest here in the
Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert Jalen
Thompson confirmed for us. So, when you guys are watching
film the last couple of months, so last season, you
started seeing your schemes being replicated by other teams.
Speaker 7 (23:04):
Yeah, that was crazy.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
That's Good's a heck of a compliment, isn't it is?
Speaker 7 (23:08):
Though? It is? It is. It was like, bro, are
they running the same thing? And we were running but
they didn't run it right there? Run it like us?
Speaker 5 (23:18):
So, I mean, tell us about Nick Ross. What does
it like to play for such an innovative defensive coordinator?
Speaker 7 (23:23):
Oh? Man, I love it. So many different schemes, so
many different techniques. He's always making a quarterback in the
offensive coordinator rethink you know, have them on an edge.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Man.
Speaker 7 (23:32):
I love Nick. He's He's also a high energy guy.
Who do you want to play for? He talks a lot,
you know, man, so we always want to back up
our decordinator. Man, So I love playing from Nick.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
Trey McBride admitted he goes right after Nick Ross if
he ever makes a catch.
Speaker 7 (23:47):
He does every time Trey cass theball, he looks right
at Nick.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
And then Jacoby Brissett was in there and he's like,
oh yeah, I'm a trash talker. And you know, nobody
even has to start it with me. I'll started Jacoby.
That's the thing.
Speaker 7 (24:00):
About this scene right now. Everybody's just so competitive.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Man.
Speaker 7 (24:04):
We love it and it's bringing the best out of everyone.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
That's good.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
You know. During camp, Chris Stapleton, Country Music Superstar is
gonna be across the street. You're gonna take Buddha over
to a Chris Stapleton concert.
Speaker 7 (24:15):
I have to is a must. I'm drag him out.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
Have you helped him develop a little bit of an
affinity for country music?
Speaker 7 (24:22):
He has grown? He has grown. He has grown. When
he goes golfing, he listens to it. Now, have you
taken up golfing? He's taking me, He's taking me?
Speaker 5 (24:33):
All right, that's great, darling.
Speaker 7 (24:35):
We really enjoyed it, have you, man?
Speaker 5 (24:37):
We look forward to it. I mean twenty two starts
in two years. Think about that. Think about the depth
in the cornerback room. Think about what a loaded defensive
front is going to do for the secondary. We can't wait.
We continue. It is a big red rage presented by
santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Play action of boot to the right. Murray looking downfield
now loves it deep heresigned Harrison count it looks funny.
Ten the ten. Parrison dies to the end zone.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
He's in Touchdowwn step to Murray looking left now in trouble,
spins left now steps up running left.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Murray breaks a tackle looking end zone, firing.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Left side, a sliding tuch for a touchdown and it's Higgins.
Kyler Murray does it again for Murray Magic.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Kyler Murray staying alive with it looked like he was
gonna be sacked.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Kyler Murray, who takes the shotgun step backs up, looks
left everybody covered. Murray spins to his left, now running
being chased by Young at the five yard line, and
Murray hoists it deep in near side. Harrison Clottet had
a fifty yard line and he's tackled there. An incredible
play by Kyler Murray to keep that play alive.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
I don't know how many human beings make that play that.
Kyler Murray just played the mighty Kyler Murray.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
No doubt when he's at his best. The Cardinals are
at their best, and they're one of the best offenses
in the NFL. It is the Big Red Rage presented
by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul
calvec Ron Wolfley. We're going to get into Kyler in
the offense, but special thanks to Starling Thomas once again
his off season training addition where he's replicating baby steps
(26:22):
in not so many words. I think that went way
above my head. He says it's working though for him
out on the field, So we'll take his word for
it on that one. How about the fact that he confirmed,
just like Jalen Thompson, the teams did steal the Cardinals
defensive schemes at the end of last year, except as
Starling told us, yeah, they really weren't doing it right.
They weren't doing it for the caliber Nick Rowlis wanted
(26:42):
it in the way he designed it, Okay, and then
Wolf he can already tell even out during OTAs that
the pass rush has been elevated, that the Cardinals front seven,
all the investments are going to pay off. They're already
paying off. He can already tell the way they're going
to be able to affect the quarterback this year. I mean,
you talk about tick talk. We all look forward to that.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
No doubt about it, Paul. I mean, think about it.
As a quarterback. You love the dynamic where you know
your offensive protection is really really good, and it's not
just the offensive line, it's everybody. The receivers are going
to run their right route, the offensive line is going
to protect there, your running back is going to pick
up litz Is. If you can actually have that kind
of confidence in your protection. It makes a quarterback that
(27:25):
much better when that protection breaks down, when he can't
count on being protected. Oh man, that's a big advantage
to the defense.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
And then there are a handful of quarterbacks that when
the production breaks down, it doesn't matter because they have
the athleticism to get out and make a defense pay.
Kyler Murray is most definitely one of those quarterbacks. Talking
to Jacoby Brissett QB two this week, Wolf, he said,
you know the difference between me and Kyler is I
have a six yard run and for Kyler that's a
touchdown run. He said, that's just one of the many differences.
(27:56):
He had some self deprecating humor on that one. But seriously, though,
Kyler Murray this offseason. In fact, back in April, Cardinals
Corner Arizona Sports in April, talking to Tyler Drake, he
broke down, Okay, what happens when plays break down and
how I can produce more.
Speaker 8 (28:13):
I think where we could be better as a unit
in myself as extending plays in scrambled drill, because I mean,
you go, look, you look at Josh, you look at Lamar,
like a lot of things that they do the sexy
plays come from outside of the pocket and when things
break down. That's something that me is you and Drew
have talked about, is guys have to confinue to move,
Guys have to continue stay active when play breaks down,
because you know that's gonna happen with a guy like myself,
(28:35):
you know, being quarterbacks. So I think that's a big area.
Aphysis is make it things happen whatever plays breakdown.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
You know, he mentioned Josh Allen Lamar Jackson more than once.
It's almost like he was sitting around watching the AFC
playoffs and sort of had an epiphany, said, you know
what I can do that Maybe I need to get
back to doing that. Because Wolf, if you go back
to the first half of twenty twenty one when he
was a legitimate MVP candidate, he was doing a lot
that wasn't.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
He Yeah, No, he was Paully, no doubt about that.
And this is the great conversation that we have had
over the years with Kyler Murray. This, Polly is a
great example. It's a great soundcut because to me, this
is what I want to see from Kyler Murray. This
is when I want Kyler Murray to run the ball.
I don't want a lot of called runs for Kyler Murray,
(29:22):
Polly every now and then, is it a bad idea
to go ahead and have a quarterback sweep or go
ahead with the you know, the read option. Of course
you can do all of these things. But Paul to
me once again, you want the defense to know, oh, yeah,
we will run him. You don't think we're gonna run him.
We will. You better pay attention to that. But man,
(29:43):
more than anything, when it breaks down, when he has
got to go out there and create, that's when I
want him to use his legs, not just to run,
not just to always run the ball, but to extend
the play like we have seen him do famously over
the first seven years of his career.
Speaker 5 (30:03):
No doubt. And look, especially in the red zone. To
your point, you know, okay, a design run here, they're
absolutely warranted, really effective when he's trying to beat someone
to the pylon.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I get it.
Speaker 5 (30:14):
But even Kyler Murray said over the years he'd much
rather have it be organic that when he sees open
green or he sees a defense with their backs to him,
and then he takes off and we all know how
backbreaking and demoralizing it is when it's third and fourteen
to the quarterback runs for fifteen. So there's that and
then there's another aspect of how this offense is evolving,
(30:34):
and that's something that Trey McBride talked about this week, saying,
you know what, more sauce please.
Speaker 6 (30:40):
It's not as fundamental, it's 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
(31:00):
guys 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 been a lot of fun
and I'm excited to see us in action area.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
You know, Drew Petsing likes to use the word multiple.
We can do multiple things out of the same personnel group.
Multiple things out of the same formation. I tend to think,
just because they're in the Cardinals division, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVeigh,
how many times maybe are they running a similar play,
but it's not a totally different personnel or a different formation.
At least that's what defensive players have said over the years,
(31:34):
and it can make it really hard to predict, really
hard to decipher what's coming when. And so now that
some of these guys have another year under their belt
of this system, it would make sense, wouldn't it that
the football IQ goes up and now the offensive cornera
can dial up a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
No doubt about it, Belly, right now, this is the
next step for Kyler Murray and this offense. It's year
three and Drew Petsing's offense now they have definitely got
to step it up. Pauli, There's no doubt about that.
I think we're going to see that Sauce, as Trey
McBride is talking about right now. But for me, the
(32:12):
broken plays once again, Bali, they got to be able
to capitalize on that first and foremost. I think the
chemistry with Marvin Harrison Junior that has got to be
number one, Paulli number two. It's improving in these broken
plays for me. But yeah, the sauce is moving around
(32:32):
this offensive front and getting some type of motion where
defenses are constantly making checks on what you're doing. I
know why Drew Petsing didn't make it complicated. I know
why he did last year, and that was because he
wanted Marvin Harrison Junior and Kyler Murray to be really,
really base and try to build some type of foundation
(32:53):
for chemistry. That's what he wanted more than anything else. Paully.
Now they can build on that foundation and from last year.
But to me, that's why he didn't do a lot
of movement. He didn't want it to be complicated for
Kyler or for Marvin Harrison Junior. Now it's time to
take that next step together.
Speaker 5 (33:13):
And the one play that both Kyler and Drew Petsen
have cited over and over his evidence was week to
touchdown number two against the Rams, the sixty yarder, Oh yeah,
where Kyler bought time and pointed and there was Marvin
Harrison Junior going to a vacated space in the defense.
It was basically backyard football and then Kyler boom hits
(33:34):
him in stride and then Marvin Harrison does the rest
and he houses it all the way to the pylon.
That's the kind of thing that you know, Kyler has
talked about, and I think rightfully so receivers cannot give
up on a play, keep running because you never know
your quarterback is going to extend a play for a
stupid amount of time. I mean, yes, the receivers have
to stay active, don't they.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Yeah, no, they have to, you know. And that really
is that when you hear him say the scram drill
when you're Kyler talking about it as well, and some
other cuts that we have played throughout the years. When
he's talking about that, they do that over and over
and over again in practice. The scramble drill is real
and it's alive, and it's something that's got to become
(34:16):
a significant part of what the Arizona Cardinals are going
to do because it is the wild card. And one
other thing too, Bali. While we're talking about all of this,
but man, and you already touched on it a little bit,
but when a play breaks down because the opposing defense
is getting pressure and getting after Kyler Murray and he
(34:37):
breaks out of that pressure, and you've got man covered
down the field and suddenly he converts a third and
thirteen like Russell Wilson used to do when he was
up in Seattle. It just breaks the defensive coordinator's heart.
It sucks the life out of a defense who has
(34:59):
done every right on first down, everything right on second down,
got you into a third and thirteen, and suddenly that
quarterback converts with his legs. It is demoralizing, Paul.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
You can sense it, just the vibe, the body language,
the slump shoulders on the sideline. It really is demoralizing, deflating.
So we heard from Trey McBride there. We talked about
Marvin Errison Junior. I want to know who's the third
receiving option in this offense. When we come back, I'm
gonna talk about position battles, where is it most competitive,
(35:31):
Who exactly is the quarterback of the defense. We're gonna
get into all that next. Hey, get ready for the
upcoming season with the latest gear from the Cardinals team shop.
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(35:53):
This is the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford
in Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
To Gino drops back, the pass gets hit, the ball
comes out, and it's recovered by Smith that the forty
one Zaven Collins in the backfield.
Speaker 4 (36:11):
Boys, he having a day.
Speaker 9 (36:12):
I still do a lot of crazy stuff. I got'ta
line up in the hay gap and still drop Nick
likes to stretch the limits of how hard can we
make this?
Speaker 1 (36:24):
This drob Nick rawl is doing a great job disguising
what he's going to do.
Speaker 9 (36:30):
They make it very simple for you know, guys to
be able to be in that defense, especially a bigger
body guy that has to drop and what they ask
of us. They're very cognizant of what they want us
to do and how they want us to do it.
Speaker 5 (36:41):
Well, remember the win in Miami last year and I
think we all did a double take. Wait a minute,
is that Zabon Collins at nearly six five to seventy
something running straight down the middle of the field one
on one with Tyreek Hill And it was a definitive yes,
as he confirm last season, right here actually on the
(37:01):
Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert. He
was elaborating on that a little bit more this week
in meeting the media, And so when Starlin Thomas on
this episode confirms it, yes, other teams are replicating Nick
Rollis's schemes. I don't know if that's one of them,
having you know, a guy who is the starting middle
linebackers now edge player actually covered the likes of a
(37:22):
Tyreek killed downfield. But yeah, sometimes it can get pretty
dang innovative, can it not.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Yeah, there's no doubt about it. Bully and what they
have done with Zavan Collins lining them up in that
A gap, Paul. A lot of the times they're playing
Tampa too, and that's when you have two safeties high
and that Mike backer is running down the middle of
the field. But rarely are you ever going to put
that Mike backer in the A gap and drop him
(37:49):
into the middle of the field, hunting up the number
two receiver typically towards the strength of the formation that
is Tampa too. It's been around a long time, but man,
there's a lot of different ways you can get to
Tampa to and execute.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
It, all right, let's talk about middle linebacker. It used
to be the position for Zamon Collins. For a few
days in the offseason, had a hot take that maybe
Zamon Collins was going back to mike backer. That's a
definitive no. Thanks KLVC for wasting our time on that one.
It is going to either be from what we can tell,
Michael Walker, a Keen Davis Gaither or the rookie Cody
(38:24):
Simon Wolf. How would you handicap thinks? How wide open
is this battle to be the quarterback of the defense
now that team captain Kaizer White, from all appearances, will
not be back.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Yeah, I know, Paully. I think a Keen Davis Gaither
is the guy that actually has the inside hand, so
to speak, on this. I think he's got the best
opportunity to be your starter. I will say that Cody
Simon is fascinating to me. He really is. I think
he's smart enough to actually do it. Now. I don't
(38:56):
think he's smart enough to actually go out and have
the green dot, but I do believe he's smart enough
to actually line up and play inside linebacker, play the
mike backer position in the National Football League. Now, man,
that is a that is a tall, tall order right
there to actually fill because it's very difficult. You've got
(39:17):
to know everything. You have got to understand what an
offense is doing, what schemes are doing. And the thing
he lacks the most is the experience of playing in
an NFL box, not a college box, an NFL box.
And that's the one reason why I pause and hesitate,
because I think Cody Simon has the physical abilities to
(39:40):
do that job and do it very very well, and
the mentality, but he just lacks the experience. And it's
the reason why I would say that Davis Gaither is
probably in the lead.
Speaker 5 (39:53):
And what's really interesting, because we talked to him earlier
this week, is that he really had a mac Wilson
senior finish to twenty twenty four for the Cincinnati Bengals.
What mac Wilson senior did in December and January for
the Patriots, which got him paid by the Cardinals a
keen Davis Gath almost replicated that. He went from a
special team's assassin special teams captain to a starting inside linebacker.
(40:16):
He had a thirteen tackle game at Pittsburgh. He had
a twelve tackle game against Tennessee. He had another twelve
tackle game in the rematch against Pittsburgh in the season.
I mean, he ended the year as a tackling machine.
And I think he put film out there Wolf you
tell me where JG and MONTIOSIV were like, wait a minute,
maybe this guy is ready for more. Maybe this guy
can wear the green dot and call our defense.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
Yeah, Paul, I mean he averaged nine point seven tackles
per game. You know, that's pretty dog on good right there. Again,
for a guy that came in under the auspices in
which he did, being a special teams player and then
getting the start over the last six games for the Bengals,
that really is a nice little sample size. Yet at
(40:59):
the same time, time, man, you gotta be careful. He's
going to have to come in here, I think, and
I think he's going to have to win that job.
I think that's going to be an open competition right there,
don't you, Paul.
Speaker 5 (41:10):
I do you know? And he's the son of a coach,
right as his father is an assistant at Virginia, And
he said sometimes he'll even get feedback on his phone
at halftime from his dad. So he has a high
football at QUB by all accounts, I want to ask
you real quick. We teased it wide receiver two and
three after Marvin Arson Junior, after training Bride at tight
end your top two targets. But wait a minute, isn't
(41:32):
the room for someone to establish themselves, especially as wide
receiver two on this roster?
Speaker 1 (41:37):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, there's no doubt about it. I mean,
Greg Derch, I think once again is going to be
one of your starters in eleven personnel. I think Michael
Wilson is going to have the opportunity to go out
there and prove that he is not the guy. I
think he is going to be the guy because I
believe in Michael Wilson. I think he's going to continue
(41:59):
to take that next step. But yeah, there's some interesting
guys they have PAULI that are out there that could
make a run at him.
Speaker 5 (42:06):
Even Zay Jones, who sort of had a pretty solid
finish in week seventeen and eighteen when he finally got
in rhythm, got some targets. He could be an intriguing
Guy's had some huge seasons in the NFL. He told
us this week he feels really good. So there's that,
and then there's corner. I mean even minus Sean Murphy
Bunting done for the year with injury. I consider that
(42:27):
pretty wide open, including the rookie Will Johnson, who I
think is gonna be given every opportunity to be a
starting corner man.
Speaker 1 (42:34):
That's gonna be fascinating to watch. Are you really going
to take Will Johnson and stick him out there on
an island? Are you gonna do that? Week one? Are
you gonna do that? Are you gonna run him out there?
And he's gonna be the starter coming out of training camp? Yes,
is my answer to that. I think the kids got
everything that he needs. And what I love about this
(42:58):
the vetting process with JG of course, and Manti asen
Fort and every kid they bring onto this roster right now.
They have a great way of vetting this guy and
whether or not he's got the mentality, whether or not
he's got the intellect to actually come on and play
the position and do it well as a young guy man.
(43:18):
To me, they're really really high on Will Johnson in
regard to his brain and in regard to his physical gifts.
And because of that, I think, Paul, this is just
it's not even a hot take, is it. But Will
Johnson's your starter week one.
Speaker 5 (43:34):
How many times Jonathan Gannon called him a quote perfect
scheme fit. Yeah, Drew Standon told us on the Red
Sea Report, Wink Martindale, the defensive coordinator from Michigan runs
an NFL caliber defense, very complex, very complicated, very exotic
at times. If Will Johnson can master that defense in
one year, then he's equipped for the NFL. So I
thought that was really intriguing. And then if he truly
(43:56):
is an elite corner think about the fact that Patrick Sir,
Tam Sauce Gardner, Derek Stingley Junior, they have started every
single game of their NFL career. The moment they were drafted,
they were starters, not unlike Marvin Arrison Junior, not unlike
Paris Johnson Junior. I mean, if he's that dude, if
he's that good, if he's a legitimate top fifteen player
(44:17):
in this draft, win healthy, and the only reason he
fell is because of some erroneous claims about his knee,
then I agree with you. He easily could be cornerback
one when they break camp in August.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
And Paul, that is a jammed room now cornerback, which
is amazing right now because it was a going into
last season. We thought it was a weakness. It didn't
turn out to be a weakness. Now it's a jam
pack room.
Speaker 5 (44:39):
No doubt. Maximelon looked really good at the end of
last year. Starling Thomas our guest tonight. He started twenty
two games in two years, so it is going to
be highly competitive. Not to mention Garrett Williams, you're starting
nickel corner, one of the highest graded corners in the
entire league. Yeah, last season, ay be part of the
Red Sea Cardinals. Single game tickets on sale now. Tickets
(44:59):
are a available online go to Azycardinals dot com slash
buy tickets, Azycardinals dot com slash by ticket special Thanks
to Darling Thomas, Jim Omohundro, Cody Fincher, Matt Lazarus, Barron
Wolfley On, Paul Kelvic. This has been the Big Red
Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
You've been listening to the Big Red Rage presented by
santan Ford and Gilbert right on the Price, right on
the corner of the Santan two oh two Freeway in Valvista.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
The rage is.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
Brought to you by Arizona Cardinals podcast. Visit Azycardinals dot
com slash podcast.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
We're gonna see a little big red rage football right here.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals
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