May 12, 2025 • 45 mins
Ep. 883 - Rookies. Veterans. The entire team is together for the first time. That’s what Monday signaled, the next step in the offseason. (By the way, shout-out GM Monti Ossenfort, the architect of said team; he delivered the commencement address at his alma mater on Saturday.) After giving Monti his due, Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi discuss rookie minicamp; why Hayden Conner may be an early candidate for Paul’s breakout player of camp; wonder if a move is needed in the wide receiver room; and then look ahead to Wednesday’s schedule release. The Cardinals are playing the NFC South, AFC South and third place teams from the NFC North (Packers), NFC East (Cowboys) and AFC North (Bengals).
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
One big, happy family. Welcome bird Gang. On today's show,
Paul Calvic joins me and today is today. The entire
team is together. That's rookies, that's veterans for the first time.
Also this week the schedule gets released. Some things to
look forward to and is a move needed in the
wide receiver room. It's Cardinals Cover two, Episode eight eighty three,
(00:24):
and it starts now.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Welcome to Cardinals Cover two.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Who to Baker? What Heart? What rent? This guy's unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Cardinals Cover two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of
the Arizona Cardinals and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals
dot Com slash podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
He's at the ten half of five. He's it again.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Some more Hurry magic.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Whow Here's Craigcriola.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
No one had a great weekend a belated happy Mother's
Day as well, Paul. The everything goes smooth for you
over the weekend.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, there's nothing really that I can do to compensate
for being married to me for twenty five plus years.
So you know, there's only so much one man can do.
There's only so many gift ideas I really have left
in me. Craig five gifts a year every year for
a quarter century. You know, I'm just one man. So
hopefully it was well received. Still not sure as of
yet just how well received it may or may not
(01:30):
have been.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I would argue, this isn't every day a gift? Being
married to Paul Calvic and being Paul as the father,
the head of the household.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Can somebody rip that? Give me that clip I'm going
to send that. You can argue that. I can't argue that.
What's much feasibility? Put it that way?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
How people spend their weekends? Did you see this?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Paul?
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Courtesy of Mark Dalton, the VP of Media Relations with
the Arizona Cardinals. I did not know this until just
moments ago, but GM on Austin, for it was not
in town over the weekend. Instead, on Saturday, he delivered
the commencement address at his alma mater, the University of Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Morris outstand ding. How about that? That's pretty Did he
tell all the graduates, my job is to replace every
one of you.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
That is that what we need? We need a copy
of that speech?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
That's right? Is there audio out there that's right? The
real world, real life is ready to replace you at
a moment's notice. So you better bring the production. You
better maximize your five buckets. Did you go with JG's
five buckets? I'm curious what exactly. Maybe we can get
a copy of that speech. We'll have to talk to
Money a little bit later.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
That's when you know you've made it big. When you graduate,
you get that degree, you get that diploma, and then
years later you've accomplished so much they invite you back
to give the commencement address, something that I can say
has not happened yet for me. So again, big props
to Money.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Yeah, you know what, I was trying to remember who
delivered our commencement speech. Turns out there was no campus
wide commencement speaker for like a twenty year span at Cow.
But I did years earlier go to My mother went
back and got her graduate degree, and a young Steve
Wozniak was actually the commencement speaker, co founder of Apple,
(03:20):
and so that was an interesting speech. And let's just
say Steve Wosnick hasn't really needed do anything he doesn't
want to do for about forty years now.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Just for argument's sake, in case everyone was wondering, you're
probably not Steve Croft, longtime CBS correspondent anchor, sixty minutes
delivered the commencement address at Syracuse for my graduating.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I see another one of those, or wherever Syracuse broadcasting.
I mean, come on, you can't swing a Syracuse graduate
out running into a national network anchor of some sort.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You work with one every single Sunday on game day.
They pash up in the move. Yeah, just can't get
rid of.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Us some of the text messages he gets, you know,
Oh yeah, yeah, Bob Costas just checked in stuff like that. Okay,
that's enough with the name dropping, Dave.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
We get it. By the way, if Money was delivering
the commencement address on Saturday, that means he was not
here in the building for Rookie Mini Camp. So again,
I'm guessing he got enough of the footage, enough film,
So right now he's doing that in his office breaking
down Rookie Mini Camp. Now, again, as we saw on Friday, Pad,
there wasn't a lot to see during the twenty twenty
(04:26):
five minutes we were out there. But again, Rookie Mini
caamp is in the rearview mirror and now out on
that field behind you, not only do you have the rookies,
but the veterans together for the first time as this
week kicks off with everyone all ninety players, and what
do we say on Friday?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
And I see that Darren included this in his story
Azycardinals dot Com. In fact, I think it was his lead.
I mean, it was just five ten years ago. Will
were we not reminiscing out there on Friday about man?
Is this different? Man? Has this changed? It wasn't that
long ago. There were three dozen and plus guys out
here going hard, that there were actual helmets being worn,
(05:05):
that there was actual eleven on eleven, two sides of
the ball lining up against each other, going at it.
And you could tell, I mean, you could definitely tell
who belonged who didn't belong, you know, which one of
the twenty undrafted rookie free agent invities even had a
sliver of a chance. This the athleticism. And I remember
(05:28):
we used to, you know, we used to sort of,
you know, write down, Okay, who do you expect to
actually make it an invite into mandatory mini camp, you know, June,
much less July. And there was usually one or two
guys who came out there and they shined, and they
made it all the way through. You know, Tony Jefferson
for example, way back in the day was one of
those guys, but radically different. Now, how many how many
(05:49):
you could count?
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Thirteen? Thirteen you had your seven player draft and then
six undrafted rookies. Yeah, so thirteen and at least what
we saw essentially con stretching. We saw a little bit
of Walter Nolan hitting the sled, but it was strictly
technique work. It really was just getting I mean literally,
they're working on hand placement in your stance. They are
(06:11):
starting from day one, a pop Worner. That's where they're starting.
What you are taught in high school college maybe is
different than what we'll be taught here with the Cardinals
because offensively and defensively, they want specific things. Your feet
have to be a certain way. You got to get
off your break a certain way, especially offensively when it's
a lot of timing. And then hey, in the NFL,
(06:33):
you place your hands here, your feet have to be
here because you need to be more balanced. Everyone was
outstanding in college coming into the NFL, but now you're
you know, no, no longer that big fish. You're You're
in a sea of everyone that's basically equal. You're here
for a reason. So, yeah, it was a lot of details,
and that war gets thrown out a lot, but it
was a lot of detailed work, not only on the field,
(06:54):
but in the classroom as well well.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I think that was the takeaway Michael Wilson when he
met the media in the off season about a month
or so ago, and soone asked them, so, what have
you learned about the NFL in your two years? And
that was his answer. The details, how much they matter?
How much you can get ninety eight ninety nine percent
of something right, it's the one percent that will separate
whether that play is successful, whether you make a play,
(07:18):
whether the opponent makes the play. And so look in
the NFL, everyone is incredibly talented. They have the size,
the speed. Usually it just comes down to those little things.
It comes down to your ability to process, read, and react.
And that's what they're getting an idea of right now.
The coaches, all right, who's able to assimilate? Who is
already a professional? Based on what's your demeanor in the meetings?
(07:43):
Are you taking notes, are you retaining information? How much
of this playbook can you digest and then actually take
out on the field, and really that's the essence of
rookie minicamp, to make sure you're not floundering around out
there once the veterans show up, that it can actually
be a productive session. You don't have those third teen
guys holding everyone else back.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
You can step foot on that field right now and
not be a liability, meaning we're in the right place
at the right time, and you're not playing catch up.
That's what rookie mini caamp has become under Jonathan Gannon.
I'm gonna go out on a limb though for you, Paul,
so I know you always have your breakout player camp
or that player that you're gonna pay attention to. You've
kind of already mentioned him a couple of times over
(08:23):
the last couple of weeks since he was drafted. But
I'm gonna go on on a limb and say your
favorite player amongst those thirteen new faces is sixth round
offensive lineman Hayden Connor. Because of what we heard from
him on Friday, I've always wanted to go into space,
and now all of a sudden, Paul has a new
favorite person to talk to in the locker room. Now,
(08:46):
the question is the follow up question is you got
to ask do you believe in aliens? Because you've had
this conversation before with one Josh Dobbs.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Don't make me tweet it out again. Don't make me
tweet out the Q and a Josh Dobbs where we
asked him the question, all right, there's only two kinds
of people in the aerospace industry, those who believe in
those who do not. Which one are you? And he
gave this two minute, unbelievably detailed and complex answer. At
the very end he said, I do not. I am
not a believer in an extraterrestrial life out there. And
(09:17):
so you're right. I was about this close to foind
up with Hayden Connor, but I'm like, you know what,
Paul pace yourself. It's day one, it's rookie mini caamp.
You know. Let him sort of assimilate, and I didn't
want to throw him off. You know, maybe even I'll
sort of preface the question when we get to know
him a little bit better. But yeah, he's entertaining. I mean, Craig,
I don't want to give away a secret recipe right now,
(09:37):
but if I was running things around here, and I'm
most definitely not and I'm most definitely not. I would
immediately get a camera and or a podcast into the
offensive line room. The number of personalities in the old line.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Room is ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Open mic night, I mean absolutely, it's just it's insight full,
it's entertaining. There's a lot of jack assery, but there's
also a lot of common sense. I mean, these guys
and you can just go through almost every single guy
in the room is a great interview. And so if
there's something we can do here in the off season
(10:16):
to win the off season to carry into the regular season,
we got to figure out a way to devise a
podcast that revolves around the offensive lineman.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
And I do think it starts with the offensive line
coach from Ohio State, Justin Frod because we also heard
that there is a golden rule in that offensive line room,
don't be an a hole. Yeah, and that's basically what
we learned. Okay, now we've got the baseline for what
you need to do in that offensive line room.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
You know, I was gonna go, don't be a bleep,
but Craig went there, Okay, I guess it's a Tell
the Family show. It's it's a tell the truth Monday
edition of Cardinals cover too, although I will say one
of the local TV stations ran that cut and didn't
bleep anything out.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Oh wow, Okay, well, Day and Age, where are we?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
The SEC has been gutted, so maybe it doesn't matter anymore.
I really don't know, but I was on my couch.
I mean, all right, NSFW around here when you're watching
the local.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
News, Yeah, that's I'm I did not see that. But
now it leaves me, uh, I'm wondering what's going on
with the local news channels here around these parts with
certain soundbites. But yeah, Hayden Connor is going to be
someone fun to talk to, fun to watch on the
football fold and I just liked. I liked his demeanor
and listening to him and the self awareness. And we
(11:34):
heard that buzzword from a couple of other different players,
Denzel Burke as well, like, yeah, everyone is confident in there.
But Hayden specifically said quote, I'm humble enough to realize
that I'm not going to go out and dominate. I'm
going to lose some, but I'm going to win some
and I'm going to learn. And I think that has
to be the mentality for not just a Hayden Connor.
But everyone in that locker room you're a new face.
(11:58):
You don't know anything right now. You have to go
in with that mindset. I don't know anything, even though
you've played this sport maybe since you were wee high
in Pop Warner, but you're coming into a brand new
environment and things are a lot different in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
But you know this much. And by the way, I
didn't want to throw anybody under the bus. I will say,
you know, the person who ran that SoundBite on the
local news was neither Richard Signs, nor Mark mcclun nor Camcox.
Those guys have a lot of other issues to worry about.
That use of elimination here, Paul, what are you doing?
We can detail what those guys need to work on
a little bit later. As for Hayden Connor, I'll say
this much. What you do know is you have competed
(12:37):
the last three years against some of the highest defensive
line draft picks in the land. That you went out
there and you put really good film out against Mason
Graham and Kenneth Grant of Michigan, that you bawled against Kentucky.
And it's interesting he mentioned Kentucky because we asked him
about that. Just the level of competition. That's what Dave
(12:57):
Sears told us on The Big Red Rage. You go
watch the Kentucky game film because they had dudes in
their defensive line room that he had to go against,
the Georgia's, the Alabama's. I mean, go back. Did he
go against Dallas Turner? Did he go against you know,
Will Anderson.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
He's more of an interior offensive lineman. Those guys are
edge players, But it just speaks to the level of competition.
Some of the best defensive linemen up and coming in
the game today were guys he went against in college.
So you would think he comes in with at least
a foundation of confidence. He's certainly not cowering in the moment.
He's not too wide eyed. I mean if Walter Nolan
is over him or Darius Robinson, oh yeah, I went
(13:34):
against this guy in twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three,
so at least with that to get back to the
breakout player at camp, I mean, he's most definitely on
the watch list.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Greig.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I just think that interior offensive lineman, if you're not
gonna add a veteran between now and the start of camp,
and I think if you are gonna add anyone between
now in the start of Cardinals camp, it's either receiver
or interior lineman, guard in particular, then I think, I hate.
I think a Cody Simon two Day three picks will
(14:04):
get an opportunity to compete, compete for a starting job.
And I saw the stat the other day a year
ago there were eleven eleven out of one hundred and
fifty seven Day three picks ended up starting eight or
more games. Seattle had one. Tyree Knight, the linebacker, had
a really nice season. He was a fourth round pick
out of Texas Tech, I believe.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
And so.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
That is a situation where, look, other rookies have come
in from day one and they've been starters, even going
back to key Trell Clark two years ago, a six
round rookie. I mean he earned that in week one
in the eyes of the coaches. So Jonathan Gannon as
a proven track record. If you can play, you.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Will play early. And I know it's a little bit
more difficult as a Day three pick when you're a
sixth round selection, but you brought it up. The quality
of competition playing at a Power five school like Texas
to where every single Saturday you are going up against
NFL soon to be NFL caliber players, And as odd
as it might sound to say, all right, yeah, he
(15:03):
can be your Day one starter at right guard, just
look to your left guard, Evan Brown undrafted and is
still playing and starting in the NFL. So it can
be done now. Is gonna be done in September or
is it mid season or next season? But just because
you are a Day three pick, yeah, maybe it's a
(15:25):
steeper climb for you. But I do think based off
what we've seen, especially this draft class, the number of
Power five schools, everyone but Keaton Crawford, who did start
at Texas before moving and transferring to Nevada, every single
draft pick was a power came from a Power five conference.
Based off the competition, and if you succeed at that level,
(15:46):
then all of a sudden, yeah, you have a better
chance at least on paper, to succeed at the next
level here in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
In these rookies today, all right, have you ever seen
rookies anymore prepared for an NFL regular season than today's rookies?
For example, Hayden Connor started all sixteen games. A year ago,
Denzel's Burke started all sixteen games for Ohio State. Cody
Simon sixteen games for Ohio State. There ain't no stinking
rookie wall. I mean, they're playing almost an NFL season
(16:17):
in the college game. If you advance through the playoffs
all the way to the National Championship game, then you
are playing an NFL season. And guess what, you don't
have to worry about coursework. What Hayden Connor say he
took some geospatial awareness physics class or whatever, and he
said he was swimming from the get go. Now now
he says he got an A in that class, even
though he didn't know what he was doing early on
(16:39):
in the semester. But when you're all ball all the
time and you have to worry about a lot of
the other stuff, when this is truly your profession in
your career, then okay. I just think today's rookie is
more equipped than ever to navigate an NFL regular season,
despite the Factice now seventeen games without hitting that rookie wall.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
The biggest adjustments, yeah, there's several, but as far as
on field might be just earning that way onto the
football field meeting playing special teams. How many of these
guys have been a part of field goal protection or
field goal block. Now all of a sudden, hey we
need you on game day, but you're in a reserve
role right now. If you want a jersey, you want
to be able to suit up, you're gonna have to
(17:22):
figure out where on special teams can I play. That's
why I kind of joke late last week that the
first rookie we actually see on the football field could
very well be Keaton Crawford because of his one thousand
special team snaps over his college career. Now at what
is that kickoff or kickoff return? But again, that's I
think where a lot of these rookies were. It becomes
(17:43):
all right, what is that next step? How do I
get on that football field? And I remember talking with
Trey Benson a couple of a year ago, going into
his first season, It's okay, how good are you at
pass protection? Are you a liability? Amario de mccaid was
still on this roster because of how good he is
on third down, So that it's the biggest adjustment as
far as Okay, what can I do or what do
(18:04):
I need? To do to be trusted by the coaching staff.
And it's not just so much oh, catch a pass,
find a whole whatever, run through it. It's okay. Going
back to the word details pass protection, where's my pad level?
That I think is what is going to be taking place,
not only this week but all off season as we
get ready for training camp.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, that's a good point about it. Mario de Mercado
two years ago, undrafted rookie, we didn't give him much
of a chance. Last year, I think we gained less
of a chance because you had Trey Benson and there
he was, and he was even a little banked up
in camp and you're thinking he's behind now. Not in
the eyes of the coaches. He's instrumental as a third
down back. As for guys on special teams, Keaton Crawford
(18:45):
obviously is a natural more than a thousand snaps on
special teams. That got Wolfe's attention right away. He's like,
wait say that again, four time Pro Bowl around wolf
He's like, he played over one thousand snaps in college
on special teams. That's remarkable. The other guy who I'm
guessing and get a huge role is Jordan Birch right.
When you can run like Jordan Birch and you are
(19:06):
that size, Jeff Rogers is gonna find a place for you,
especially as a rookie on special teams. I mean, that's
that's someone who can be of great use and can
be deployed in so many different ways. Remember his forty
was just a tick a hundredth of a second behind
Cam Skataboo. Big man can run. And so by the way,
(19:26):
I love Cam Scataboo and what he told the giants
in the New York media, he's already handling the New
York Oh.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Yeah, they're gonna love him. They're gonna love him.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
And I just love the fact that he said, you
know what, you know what I've done at this level?
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Zero?
Speaker 3 (19:37):
And he went on to have some you know, he said,
how many snaps in the NFL have you seen me play?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Zero?
Speaker 3 (19:43):
I've proved nothing. That's that's just a great mantra to
live by if you're any rookie in any round in
the NFL.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
That's what I think you would hope everyone has that
mentality coming into the NFL, because nothing gets handed to you. Yeah,
you might be here because of your talent, but you're
not going to stay here if you're not successful of
the right attitude, especially with Jonathan Gannon and what he's
looking for out of players, which leads me to this
because you brought up wide receiver and I know there's
(20:10):
been a lot of talk about Okay, do you make
a move within that room? Do you need to? Do
you to use your phrasing, do you want to or
do you need to? And right now as we speak
here in the middle of May, I don't see that
move being made maybe ever until we get to training
camp to see what you really have within that room
(20:32):
and the names that are not household names. You're not
Marvin Harrison, you're not Michael Wilson, you're not great Doors.
But someone else can't surprise and maybe get that find
that role that you have on game day because I
know the names that are out there. But it goes
back to the person, the player and the role, and
(20:53):
there are guys out there George Pickens, for example, just
doesn't fit the person for this locker room. And then
you figure, all right, well, if you are the if
you're the good person, the good player, then what kind
of role can you run block? Can you be effective
in the ground game? Otherwise you're a tell hey, look
so and says on the field must be a pass play.
(21:14):
And that's not what any offensive coordinator wants.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
So if we're gonna play the latest game show need
or want, I'm not gonna name a certain player as
a need. I will say this, though, the chunk pass
is in need. You had the stat the Cardinals are
bottom third in the NFL and explosive pass plays, top
five in explosive run plays, bottom third and explosive pass play.
(21:41):
So I would say the explosive deep ball is in
need in this offense. I would also say that better
third down conversions, a reliable receiver and third and gotta
have it that is also in need. Now the question
is can Marvin Harrison check both boxes in year two?
(22:03):
We all know he's talented enough, Kenny, will he do it?
Based on I always winning the off season? If he
said to himself, I got I have to win those
contested catches more and how do I do that? I
get stronger, I get more physical. I'm able to match
up against grown men. You know the Jalen Ramsey's, the
Jalen Johnson's of the world. You know the Devin Witherspoon,
(22:26):
I'm gonna play twice a year. Every year Niners have corners.
So if he decided, all right, you know that's the key.
If Michael Wilson all of a sudden can be more
of a third down reliability guy a Greg Dortch. Maybe
I'm not necessarily I don't necessarily see the speed receiver
take the top off, stretch the field as big a
(22:46):
need as a lot of other people do. I just
you gotta find a figure out a way to get
more chunk pass plays, and you have to figure out
a way to get a more reliable third down target
beyond Trey McBride for Kyler Murray.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Make those poss essions, those drives not ten to eleven,
twelve plays, but five, six and seven plays, because the
less plays, the less chances for mistakes. So, yes, you
want chunk throws, you want chunk receptions, and can that
be someone already on your roster? The other thing with
bringing in someone new, I know Gabe Davis, according to reports,
(23:19):
was visiting the forty nine ers this week. Recently released
by the Jaguars. He's got a great age right there,
twenty six years old, health concerns, but you have someone, Okay,
are they any better than what you currently have on
the roster? And that's why right now, I don't think
you can answer that, because at least in this offseason,
(23:40):
not enough has been shown on the field. If you're
the general manager of the head coach, hey, no, wait,
we do need that possession receiver who's got some hype,
maybe even some speed. Perhaps they're already on the roster
and we'll kind of let it play out through training
camp and preseason.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
The other name that's been out there is Amari Cooper,
and a lot of people had him going to Dallas.
Well not any longer, not after Dallas made the trade.
So Mary Cooper, who played for Drew Petsing in twenty
twenty two and played with Jacoby Brissette in Cleveland, I'm
presuming they have really good knowledge now whether he's a
(24:17):
guy they think fits this team, well don't know. We
do know. The Buffalo GM Brandon Bean was none too
happy about the assessment of his receiver room, and one
of the points he made was, guess what, they didn't
get a lot out of Mariy Cooper the last five
games of last year, and it didn't really matter. They
were still scoring thirty points a game. So translation, we
(24:39):
didn't need him to be a dynamic offense. Do the
Cardinals need him? Could they use him? Are there other
teams that are in need of wide receiver two? Yes,
the Jets, I mean name is single receiver beyond Garrett
Wilson on the Jets roster. There are definitely teams that
are also in need of wide receiver two who I
think will probably end up paying him more than the
Cardinals would be willing to. The longer he hangs out there,
(25:01):
the less interest I presume teams have. And maybe just
maybe that's something where Drew Petsing and then Mania support,
they old combo block and they get in on Amari Cooper.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Now you wait to see and then is there enough
money to convince you to get off the couch? And
again it's what kind of role? Because within this offense,
I would argue, even if you are a wide receiver too,
you are really the fifth best offensive option because in
no particular order, you've got Marvin, You've got Trey, you
(25:33):
got James Connor, and I include Kyler Murray in that.
So now all of a sudden, you're the fifth option. Really,
as far as what I do with the football, and
is that enticing? You know, Yes, you want someone that
would occupy the defense and the defense has to worry
about you. But if you're on the outside looking in,
what kind of role would I really be having within
(25:55):
this offense?
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Yeah? I tend to agree. And you know what if
Trey Benson as a breakout year, I'm bullish on Trey Benson.
You know, I think he's gonna get a lot of
touches this year. I just think that's going to happen.
But you're right. I mean, how many teams really have
two dynamic receivers? Even the forty nine ers Juwan Jennings
are talking about being wide receiver one over Brandon Ayuk. Interesting. Okay,
(26:20):
I know the Rams now have that dynamic, right DeVante
Adams and Pooka Nakua. I get it. But the Rams
don't have the Cardinals running back room, and they certainly
don't have a tight end like the Arizona Cardinals have.
So I could see it either way. I mean, once again,
I don't see a player in particular as a need,
but I do see those areas in the offense chunk
(26:42):
throws and third and gotta have it reliable target other
than Trey McBride as a need this year, and that's
something I presume Drew Petsy's been working on one.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Of those teams that does have that dynamic wide receiver
one and two. Spend a lot of money this offseason
to make sure they would remain in the full Cincinnati Bengals.
We'll see how that goes as far as how they
succeed or fail here in twenty twenty five. By the way,
Cardinals fans, you will see Cincinnati coming up this season.
(27:12):
The question is when you go to Cincinnati. Schedule gets
released on Wednesday, five pm, Arizona time. Pay attention, Cardinals.
There's some excitements within the building. And what's schedule wise,
I'll just say that what's about to what the boat's
about to be released? As far as the order of opponents.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
What's the old saying in the media business content is
king two words, tick talk, Just be aware, be ready,
be poised, bird gang, All right, Red Sea, it's coming.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Paul, Are you ready for a potential trip to Cincinnati?
And I went back and looked at the away trips
and you're lucky. Actually, you got a good solid you
got a good solid road schedule a little only two
outdoor games for you, Cincinnati and Tampa BA Tampa, Okay,
because you've got the Rams, yep, forty nine ers. See,
(28:06):
I don't, I don't. I don't. Okay, I don't count
the NFCS because you got to go either way. I mean,
so they're talking about road opponents that are not within
the NFC WES.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
Although let's not forget Week five last year it was
one to eleven on the sideline Santa.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Clara eighty nine degrees. The game book said eighty nine.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Which which was as a result, it results, it resulted
in our powerpol of incompetence, just based on the eighty
nine degree high temperature reading in that game book.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
All right, so outside of the NFC WES, because you
can't do anything about those trips. It's every year Indianapolis, Houston,
Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Dallas, Cincinnati. Again, I'll take it
every time. I'll take it as a sideline reporter.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
And really we just base our you know, we we
based the opponents every year, just based there's only two
kinds of games, indoor or outdoor. Those are the only
two kinds of game right, climate controlled or not even
I'll boil down into more bare bones roof or no
roof because the Rams have a roof, but there's no
climate control. Yeah, there have been times that Cardinals have
(29:07):
gone to so far and week two, week three, and
it's been like, dang near one hundred degrees in that building.
Now there's a roof and you're not gonna get much
rain in.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
We've established there's a roof at State Farm Stadium and
can still get rained on. That's true. That's true.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
So I figured out, wait a minute, you can just
take five steps back, Paul. You dated a face and
you're not gonna get rained on. Here's why you want
to play Cincinnati early. It's not just self serving because
you know any possible weather at the end of the
year in Ohio. Zach Taylor as head coach of the
Bengals in his first month of the season. His record
is seven fourteen and one. Last year, the Bengals started
(29:44):
one and four. They won their final five, just missed
the playoffs. The year before, twenty twenty three, the Bengals
started one in three. Bengals are notoriously slow starters, maybe
the worst in the league.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
That two stat two start Cincinnati consistently. It seems like
is on that soul stat line.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
If you can go to Cincinnati. We're onto Cincinnati in September.
That's a win. I mean, that's a plus at least
based on the history. Now asked for Tampa. Yeah, please
know Tampa. You know the Friz factor is off the
charts in September, so you know, we'll see exactly what
Tampa though. I do. I am intrigued by four hundred
and sixty four pound Desmond Watson, the undrafted rookie d
(30:27):
lineman out of Florida and his home area. So he's
playing for his hometime Buccaneers. They say he's already lost
twenty pounds since the combine and he's learning from Vita Veya,
another extremely large human being. But Desmond Watson, and we love.
Todd Bowles, the former Cardinals defensive coordinary, said, hey, we
just didn't get him for the Tush push. We got
(30:49):
him because we really think he can play. Okay, all right,
we'll see, but it is intriguing and he's getting a
lot of pub right now. Desmond Watson six foot six,
three hundred and sixty alright, four hundred and sixty four
pounds at the combine. So as far as Cincinnati and
Tampa Bay, whether it's September, October or December, January, November, December,
(31:12):
I mean the humidity, mugginess, rain. I mean, Cincinnati does snow,
but you're not gonna it's not like your Chicago, or
you'd be freezing on the sideline. I don't think it's happened.
It has definitely happened, But yeah, those are the only
two to look out. Seattle, Okay, Seattle, you never quite know.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
You never know.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
I mean it could be September, it could be a
downpour in Seattle. You're never quite sure. But I will
say this, Craig and looking at the opponents real quick.
There are teams you want to play early in the year,
and there are teams you want to play late. For example,
not only do you want to play Cincinnati early because
of their their woes Zach Taylor and they can never
come out of the gates. I think you want to
play New Orleans early, just based on the quarterback situation. Yeah,
(31:54):
Tyler Shook, right, Spencer Ratler, Jake Hayner, I mean you
want to I think you want to play Jazz Xonville early,
just because they have a first time head coach, Liam Cohen,
first time coordinators. You know, they got this twenty nine
year old OC who three years ago was an assistant
to the head coach special projects in Minnesota. I'm ridiculous
(32:17):
rise through the ranks. I would say, you want to
play Tennessee early with cam Ward. So like last year,
the Cardinals went against the top three quarterbacks, right, you
want to play those guys as early as possible. Now,
the Jane Daniels Week four game didn't go the way
you anticipated, but Jane Daniels pretty much did that to everybody,
even the Dallas Stinking Cowboys under first year head coach
(32:38):
Brian Schottenheimer. You know the thing is, you don't want
to play Dallas on a Thursday. They've won seven straight
Thursday games, including Thanksgimming games. Are the Cardinals going to
Dallas for Thanksgiving? That's a big question. That's a big question. Now,
we do know that there will not be an international game.
According to reports, the Colts going to Germany. That was
the one opponent that was left on the schedule that
(32:59):
put potentially the Cardinals could play internationally. But according to reports,
it's going to be the Atlanta Falcons and the Indianapolis Colts.
So no international game. Now the question is can you
get that Thursday game against the Dallas Cowboys, who, by
the way, are the Week one opponent of the Super
Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles that has been made official here
(33:20):
on this Monday. So how many primetime games do the
Cardinals get? There was one last year ESPN Monday Night Football.
It was ESPN Plus, which didn't sit well with a
lot of fans. They didn't really consider that a full
primetime game. And then, of course, you know, when.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
When is the bye week? You know, is it middle
of the season, is it after five weeks or is
it later in the season? Week fourteen, I think is
the latest that you have a bye week? Possible sometime
there in mid to late November. But that's I think
what everyone pays attention to is primetime bye week. And
then okay, you're gonna play these teams, now, just what's
(33:59):
the order?
Speaker 3 (34:00):
And you know, speaking of the fans, they.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Got treated last year to a six.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
And three home record, and I thought that was sort
of a low key critical improvement in last year. Not
only did you double your win total from four to eight,
not only were you leading the division going into the buy.
But you're able to win five year last six at
home and to go six and three at State Farm
Stadium to reclaim a legit home field advantage, to play
(34:29):
some of your best ball at home, which had not
happened for a couple of years. I think that was
critical and you can only hope obviously that carries over
that's here to stay in twenty twenty five and beyond.
So there's that beyond. I did not I was not
aware of the international game. So that's been decided or
at least reportedly with Berlin. Beyond that, yeah, what are
(34:50):
the cards for example, Kyler Murray going back to Dallas.
I mean that's a huge storyline.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
Undefeated at at and T Stadium.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I mean, you've got to imagine the networks with love that.
Fox would love that. On Thanksgiving Day. By the way,
speaking of Fox, what's the last thing anyone needed in
media was yet another streaming app? And did you see
where Fox is launching their own streaming app where they're
gonna have all their content news, sports programming. Fox won
(35:18):
so in addition to Peacock and Paramount, which is CBS, right,
I mean, so now, and you're Smart TV. You're gonna
have yet another app and yet another monthly subscription if
you want to. Now, they're not gonna take it off Cable.
They're not gonna take it off the regular providers. You're
still going to be able to get NFL games on
Fox like you always have, but you watch, they'll put
(35:40):
some exclusive content on there related to the NFL.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
At some point you are going to need Peacock. However,
in week seventeen, also announced on Monday Saturday Night game.
Don't know the opponents, don't know the teams, but NBC
has announced that Week seventeen, Saturday Nights will probably will
be two or three games that day Week seventeen, and
that primetime game exclusively on Peacock.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
I would also think that the NFC West games are
gonna get a lot of play. I mean, if you're
looking to put games into primetime Cardinals and Rams after
last year Cardinals in forty nine ers, I just think
you know Cardinals and Seahawks. With whether whether it's Sam Darnold,
I don't know how long he's gonna last behind that
Yankee offensive line. I do expect to see Jalen Milroe.
(36:29):
I'd much rather play Seattle early than later if they
come up with an effective package with Jalen Milroe, who's
already creating a little bit of buzz up there, not
unlike a former third round quarterback some fifteen years ago
in Seattle camp will beat out the highly paid free
agent Russell Wilson, beating out Matt Flynn. Why because the
(36:51):
locker room believing in Russell Wilson and knew he was
a superior quarterback athlete and leader to Matt Flynn. I'm
really curious of Jalen Milroe continues to impress in Seattle
if that underminds Sam Darnold in any way, if the
locker room gets divided, if there's a factional locker room
that bleevese wait a minute, we need to roll. Let's
(37:12):
ride with Jalen Milroe. Look at the upside on that kid.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
It's an impressive individual. To listen to his answers to
the media, how he carries himself.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
He is much like Russell Wilson did.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
He certainly sounds like someone that is ahead of the
game to where maybe again, maybe he becomes a starter
at some point this season. The question is when you
brought up Cam Moore, the Cardinals will see him at
State Farm Stadium. Also, we'll see Travis Hunter at State
Farmer Stadium. So if you're looking for excitement as far
as your opponents and individuals, there was no more talked
(37:44):
about player than Travis Hunter last year, and he and
the Jaguars making only their second visit. The Jaguars and
Titans Paul have only been to State Farm Stadium once
and each will be in State Farm Stadium in twenty
twenty five for their second ever visits.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
When Travis Hunter comes to State Farm Stadium, he needs
to look up and see the name Roy Green. You
need to have Roy Green down on that field. So
it's sort of like there were games when Larry was
in his prime and Jerry Rice would just happen to
be on the sideline as Larry was nearing some of
Jerry's records, and you know, Roy Green meeting Travis Hunter
would be a great, great pregame moment. And from all accounts,
(38:26):
Travis Hunter is a really good, just human being. You
see that on social media over the weekend. That graduated
on the flight back back, Yeah, there was there was.
There was a lady, she's not a sports fan, had
no idea who he was. She just posted, Oh, such
a nice young man sitting next to me, offered to
help me, you know, with my bags in the overhead
and buying it.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
It was Travis Hunter, really well done. So where she
everyone walking by said congratulations, good luck, and to point
where she looked like, who are you? What do you do?
Who are you? And they had a nice conversation and
snapped his selfie. And now you got not only do
you have a Travis Hunter fan for life, but now,
all of a sudden, maybe the Jaguars with a fan.
(39:06):
And that's the fan engagement that you hope, not just
Travis Hunter, but every professional athlete understands because you reach
one all of a sudden, it's word of mouth. Hey
we're talking about Travis Hunter. Hey, good guy. I'm gonna
root for him, except for when he plays the Cardinals.
Speaker 3 (39:22):
It's sort of like, you know, and you don't see
it too often, you really don't. But when the quality
is there, the quantity doesn't necessarily matter. I'm talking about
a trade. If you can get a franchise quarterback, how
much is that worth? Can you truly overpay if you
find that guy at that position? Well, every once in
a while there's a generational player that's not a quarterback.
(39:45):
If Travis Hunter ends up being that guy, that's gonna
be a steal Cleveland trading out and trading down and
giving that number two pick overall to Jacksonville, especially since
Travis Hunter is from that area. I'll go back to
our own Arizona. If if they could ever have gotten
their hands in Austin Matthews, one of the best players
(40:06):
in the league, star center for the Leafs Scottsdale kid,
if they ever could, I swear that would have saved
the franchise. I would have traded. I would have gone
Mike Dicka and the Saints and traded every single pick
in my draft that year for Austin Matthews and just
hit the reset button on the franchise. Didn't happen, probably
(40:27):
because the league didn't want it to happen. And well,
look at where the Coyoties are now in Utah. I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
It's a sidebarer. It's very well but excellent points. And yes,
it's hard to argue against if you get that guy.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
It's just you can't overpay, I mean almost literally, you
know what does that worse? So we'll see. It's interesting
they're starting him on offense. Maybe that's because of the
playbook and they want to get him acclimated. But if
you're thinking, okay, where can he have a greater impact,
maybe offense is the future for Travis Hunter. Now, if
(41:02):
he's at shutdown corner, you can always throw to the
other side, right, you can always go away from a
Travis Hunter. And so like Pat p when he's at
his best, he might get one or two targets a game.
It's almost like he wasn't out there. Now he neutralized
the other team's best receiver. But if you really want
to make sure that your guy's impacting the game and
sparking the crowd and firing up, you know, making plays
(41:24):
another guy's feed off that, then maybe the future is
for Travis Hunter receiver.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Question is when will we see Travis Hunter at State
Farm Stadium again? The schedule gets released on Wednesday, Cardinals
playing the NFC South, AFC South, and third place teams
out of the NFC North which is Green Bay, NFC
East which is the Cowboys, and AFC North which are
the Bengals. And I'll leave you with this, Paul. Based
(41:50):
on opponents twenty twenty four records, Cardinals have the fifth
easiest schedule, tied with the Panthers. And again that's much
has changed from twenty twenty four to twenty twenty five
as far as free agency in the draft. But if
you're just looking at records from last year, Cardinals have
the fifth easiest schedule, which, again when we get to
(42:11):
week one, means absolutely nothing, but it's a great talking
point ahead of schedule.
Speaker 3 (42:15):
Lease, Yeah, it's amazing. You know how bereft of credibility
that stat has once you get midway through a season
and you realize that the NFL every year since the
merger has put at least four new playoff teams into
the postseason. So things changed quickly in the NFL. But
when you're playing the AFC South in the NFC South, yeah,
it's kind of expected. Here's the thing, though, the other
(42:38):
three teams in your division are playing those same two divisions. Now,
they're playing different teams within the division based on finish.
I get it. But as easy knock on wood as
the win loss record from last year says, the Cardinals
schedule is this year, I think the NFC West is
going to be that tough I mean, you look at
what the Rams did closely already beating and the Eagles.
(43:00):
The Rams are definitely better. The Niners have a track
record of rebounding from poor seasons. Kyle Shannan and John
Lynch have done that for years. Seattle. They like to
think that they filled in the holes necessary. Nobody really
believes in the trenches for Seattle, but they definitely have
talent at a lot of skill positions and so and
they have a really bright young head coach and Mike McDonald.
(43:23):
I just think the NFC West is going to be
a slog and a slugfest like we haven't seen in
a while.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Wednesday, May fourteenth schedule release, and as we teased off
the top, you're not gonna want to miss and you'll
be interested in what happens at five pm Arizona time
when the schedule does get released. Programming notes myself, Paul
Danny Sirek will have a instant reaction when the schedule
(43:49):
comes out. Yes, we know the opponents and we know where,
it's just when and the order of things, and then
we start planning for week one. Because Paul likes to
say it's never too early to look at that Week
one opponent. No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
We're gonna start game planning immediately. And I want to
know when the Cardinals go to Seattle, because this time
they're going with Kaleis Campbell again. And so the sign guy,
the heckler dude who hangs over the rail coming out
of the visitors locker room and down the tunnel, guess
what I want Kalais Campbell at six foot eight to
reenact what he did about twelve years ago. He reached
up and he just shredded that sign from the guy
(44:24):
because he didn't realize the reach of Kalais as he
was looking left and Clayis was coming from the right.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Good things happening on Wednesday's schedule release, saying yes, some
content as well. And on that note, we'll put a
lit on. This edition of Cardinals. Cover two, presented by Hyundai,
proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals, has always special thanks
to our executive producer Jim Momre, our associate producer Coddy Fincher.
For Paul Calvic, I'm Craig ral Lou. We'll talk to
you next time here on Cardinals Cover two,
One big, happy family. Welcome bird Gang. On today's show,
Paul Calvic joins me and today is today. The entire
team is together. That's rookies, that's veterans for the first time.
Also this week the schedule gets released. Some things to
look forward to and is a move needed in the
wide receiver room. It's Cardinals Cover two, Episode eight eighty three,
(00:24):
and it starts now.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Welcome to Cardinals Cover two.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Who to Baker? What Heart? What rent? This guy's unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Cardinals Cover two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of
the Arizona Cardinals and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals
dot Com slash podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
He's at the ten half of five. He's it again.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Some more Hurry magic.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Whow Here's Craigcriola.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
No one had a great weekend a belated happy Mother's
Day as well, Paul. The everything goes smooth for you
over the weekend.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, there's nothing really that I can do to compensate
for being married to me for twenty five plus years.
So you know, there's only so much one man can do.
There's only so many gift ideas I really have left
in me. Craig five gifts a year every year for
a quarter century. You know, I'm just one man. So
hopefully it was well received. Still not sure as of
yet just how well received it may or may not
(01:30):
have been.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I would argue, this isn't every day a gift? Being
married to Paul Calvic and being Paul as the father,
the head of the household.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Can somebody rip that? Give me that clip I'm going
to send that. You can argue that. I can't argue that.
What's much feasibility? Put it that way?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
How people spend their weekends? Did you see this?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Paul?
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Courtesy of Mark Dalton, the VP of Media Relations with
the Arizona Cardinals. I did not know this until just
moments ago, but GM on Austin, for it was not
in town over the weekend. Instead, on Saturday, he delivered
the commencement address at his alma mater, the University of Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Morris outstand ding. How about that? That's pretty Did he
tell all the graduates, my job is to replace every
one of you.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
That is that what we need? We need a copy
of that speech?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
That's right? Is there audio out there that's right? The
real world, real life is ready to replace you at
a moment's notice. So you better bring the production. You
better maximize your five buckets. Did you go with JG's
five buckets? I'm curious what exactly. Maybe we can get
a copy of that speech. We'll have to talk to
Money a little bit later.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
That's when you know you've made it big. When you graduate,
you get that degree, you get that diploma, and then
years later you've accomplished so much they invite you back
to give the commencement address, something that I can say
has not happened yet for me. So again, big props
to Money.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Yeah, you know what, I was trying to remember who
delivered our commencement speech. Turns out there was no campus
wide commencement speaker for like a twenty year span at Cow.
But I did years earlier go to My mother went
back and got her graduate degree, and a young Steve
Wozniak was actually the commencement speaker, co founder of Apple,
(03:20):
and so that was an interesting speech. And let's just
say Steve Wosnick hasn't really needed do anything he doesn't
want to do for about forty years now.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Just for argument's sake, in case everyone was wondering, you're
probably not Steve Croft, longtime CBS correspondent anchor, sixty minutes
delivered the commencement address at Syracuse for my graduating.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I see another one of those, or wherever Syracuse broadcasting.
I mean, come on, you can't swing a Syracuse graduate
out running into a national network anchor of some sort.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You work with one every single Sunday on game day.
They pash up in the move. Yeah, just can't get
rid of.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Us some of the text messages he gets, you know,
Oh yeah, yeah, Bob Costas just checked in stuff like that. Okay,
that's enough with the name dropping, Dave.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
We get it. By the way, if Money was delivering
the commencement address on Saturday, that means he was not
here in the building for Rookie Mini Camp. So again,
I'm guessing he got enough of the footage, enough film,
So right now he's doing that in his office breaking
down Rookie Mini Camp. Now, again, as we saw on Friday, Pad,
there wasn't a lot to see during the twenty twenty
(04:26):
five minutes we were out there. But again, Rookie Mini
caamp is in the rearview mirror and now out on
that field behind you, not only do you have the rookies,
but the veterans together for the first time as this
week kicks off with everyone all ninety players, and what
do we say on Friday?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
And I see that Darren included this in his story
Azycardinals dot Com. In fact, I think it was his lead.
I mean, it was just five ten years ago. Will
were we not reminiscing out there on Friday about man?
Is this different? Man? Has this changed? It wasn't that
long ago. There were three dozen and plus guys out
here going hard, that there were actual helmets being worn,
(05:05):
that there was actual eleven on eleven, two sides of
the ball lining up against each other, going at it.
And you could tell, I mean, you could definitely tell
who belonged who didn't belong, you know, which one of
the twenty undrafted rookie free agent invities even had a
sliver of a chance. This the athleticism. And I remember
(05:28):
we used to, you know, we used to sort of,
you know, write down, Okay, who do you expect to
actually make it an invite into mandatory mini camp, you know, June,
much less July. And there was usually one or two
guys who came out there and they shined, and they
made it all the way through. You know, Tony Jefferson
for example, way back in the day was one of
those guys, but radically different. Now, how many how many
(05:49):
you could count?
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Thirteen? Thirteen you had your seven player draft and then
six undrafted rookies. Yeah, so thirteen and at least what
we saw essentially con stretching. We saw a little bit
of Walter Nolan hitting the sled, but it was strictly
technique work. It really was just getting I mean literally,
they're working on hand placement in your stance. They are
(06:11):
starting from day one, a pop Worner. That's where they're starting.
What you are taught in high school college maybe is
different than what we'll be taught here with the Cardinals
because offensively and defensively, they want specific things. Your feet
have to be a certain way. You got to get
off your break a certain way, especially offensively when it's
a lot of timing. And then hey, in the NFL,
(06:33):
you place your hands here, your feet have to be
here because you need to be more balanced. Everyone was
outstanding in college coming into the NFL, but now you're
you know, no, no longer that big fish. You're You're
in a sea of everyone that's basically equal. You're here
for a reason. So, yeah, it was a lot of details,
and that war gets thrown out a lot, but it
was a lot of detailed work, not only on the field,
(06:54):
but in the classroom as well well.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I think that was the takeaway Michael Wilson when he
met the media in the off season about a month
or so ago, and soone asked them, so, what have
you learned about the NFL in your two years? And
that was his answer. The details, how much they matter?
How much you can get ninety eight ninety nine percent
of something right, it's the one percent that will separate
whether that play is successful, whether you make a play,
(07:18):
whether the opponent makes the play. And so look in
the NFL, everyone is incredibly talented. They have the size,
the speed. Usually it just comes down to those little things.
It comes down to your ability to process, read, and react.
And that's what they're getting an idea of right now.
The coaches, all right, who's able to assimilate? Who is
already a professional? Based on what's your demeanor in the meetings?
(07:43):
Are you taking notes, are you retaining information? How much
of this playbook can you digest and then actually take
out on the field, and really that's the essence of
rookie minicamp, to make sure you're not floundering around out
there once the veterans show up, that it can actually
be a productive session. You don't have those third teen
guys holding everyone else back.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
You can step foot on that field right now and
not be a liability, meaning we're in the right place
at the right time, and you're not playing catch up.
That's what rookie mini caamp has become under Jonathan Gannon.
I'm gonna go out on a limb though for you, Paul,
so I know you always have your breakout player camp
or that player that you're gonna pay attention to. You've
kind of already mentioned him a couple of times over
(08:23):
the last couple of weeks since he was drafted. But
I'm gonna go on on a limb and say your
favorite player amongst those thirteen new faces is sixth round
offensive lineman Hayden Connor. Because of what we heard from
him on Friday, I've always wanted to go into space,
and now all of a sudden, Paul has a new
favorite person to talk to in the locker room. Now,
(08:46):
the question is the follow up question is you got
to ask do you believe in aliens? Because you've had
this conversation before with one Josh Dobbs.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Don't make me tweet it out again. Don't make me
tweet out the Q and a Josh Dobbs where we
asked him the question, all right, there's only two kinds
of people in the aerospace industry, those who believe in
those who do not. Which one are you? And he
gave this two minute, unbelievably detailed and complex answer. At
the very end he said, I do not. I am
not a believer in an extraterrestrial life out there. And
(09:17):
so you're right. I was about this close to foind
up with Hayden Connor, but I'm like, you know what,
Paul pace yourself. It's day one, it's rookie mini caamp.
You know. Let him sort of assimilate, and I didn't
want to throw him off. You know, maybe even I'll
sort of preface the question when we get to know
him a little bit better. But yeah, he's entertaining. I mean, Craig,
I don't want to give away a secret recipe right now,
(09:37):
but if I was running things around here, and I'm
most definitely not and I'm most definitely not. I would
immediately get a camera and or a podcast into the
offensive line room. The number of personalities in the old line.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Room is ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Open mic night, I mean absolutely, it's just it's insight full,
it's entertaining. There's a lot of jack assery, but there's
also a lot of common sense. I mean, these guys
and you can just go through almost every single guy
in the room is a great interview. And so if
there's something we can do here in the off season
(10:16):
to win the off season to carry into the regular season,
we got to figure out a way to devise a
podcast that revolves around the offensive lineman.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
And I do think it starts with the offensive line
coach from Ohio State, Justin Frod because we also heard
that there is a golden rule in that offensive line room,
don't be an a hole. Yeah, and that's basically what
we learned. Okay, now we've got the baseline for what
you need to do in that offensive line room.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
You know, I was gonna go, don't be a bleep,
but Craig went there, Okay, I guess it's a Tell
the Family show. It's it's a tell the truth Monday
edition of Cardinals cover too, although I will say one
of the local TV stations ran that cut and didn't
bleep anything out.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Oh wow, Okay, well, Day and Age, where are we?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
The SEC has been gutted, so maybe it doesn't matter anymore.
I really don't know, but I was on my couch.
I mean, all right, NSFW around here when you're watching
the local.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
News, Yeah, that's I'm I did not see that. But
now it leaves me, uh, I'm wondering what's going on
with the local news channels here around these parts with
certain soundbites. But yeah, Hayden Connor is going to be
someone fun to talk to, fun to watch on the
football fold and I just liked. I liked his demeanor
and listening to him and the self awareness. And we
(11:34):
heard that buzzword from a couple of other different players,
Denzel Burke as well, like, yeah, everyone is confident in there.
But Hayden specifically said quote, I'm humble enough to realize
that I'm not going to go out and dominate. I'm
going to lose some, but I'm going to win some
and I'm going to learn. And I think that has
to be the mentality for not just a Hayden Connor.
But everyone in that locker room you're a new face.
(11:58):
You don't know anything right now. You have to go
in with that mindset. I don't know anything, even though
you've played this sport maybe since you were wee high
in Pop Warner, but you're coming into a brand new
environment and things are a lot different in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
But you know this much. And by the way, I
didn't want to throw anybody under the bus. I will say,
you know, the person who ran that SoundBite on the
local news was neither Richard Signs, nor Mark mcclun nor Camcox.
Those guys have a lot of other issues to worry about.
That use of elimination here, Paul, what are you doing?
We can detail what those guys need to work on
a little bit later. As for Hayden Connor, I'll say
this much. What you do know is you have competed
(12:37):
the last three years against some of the highest defensive
line draft picks in the land. That you went out
there and you put really good film out against Mason
Graham and Kenneth Grant of Michigan, that you bawled against Kentucky.
And it's interesting he mentioned Kentucky because we asked him
about that. Just the level of competition. That's what Dave
(12:57):
Sears told us on The Big Red Rage. You go
watch the Kentucky game film because they had dudes in
their defensive line room that he had to go against,
the Georgia's, the Alabama's. I mean, go back. Did he
go against Dallas Turner? Did he go against you know,
Will Anderson.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
He's more of an interior offensive lineman. Those guys are
edge players, But it just speaks to the level of competition.
Some of the best defensive linemen up and coming in
the game today were guys he went against in college.
So you would think he comes in with at least
a foundation of confidence. He's certainly not cowering in the moment.
He's not too wide eyed. I mean if Walter Nolan
is over him or Darius Robinson, oh yeah, I went
(13:34):
against this guy in twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three,
so at least with that to get back to the
breakout player at camp, I mean, he's most definitely on
the watch list.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Greig.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I just think that interior offensive lineman, if you're not
gonna add a veteran between now and the start of camp,
and I think if you are gonna add anyone between
now in the start of Cardinals camp, it's either receiver
or interior lineman, guard in particular, then I think, I hate.
I think a Cody Simon two Day three picks will
(14:04):
get an opportunity to compete, compete for a starting job.
And I saw the stat the other day a year
ago there were eleven eleven out of one hundred and
fifty seven Day three picks ended up starting eight or
more games. Seattle had one. Tyree Knight, the linebacker, had
a really nice season. He was a fourth round pick
out of Texas Tech, I believe.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
And so.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
That is a situation where, look, other rookies have come
in from day one and they've been starters, even going
back to key Trell Clark two years ago, a six
round rookie. I mean he earned that in week one
in the eyes of the coaches. So Jonathan Gannon as
a proven track record. If you can play, you.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Will play early. And I know it's a little bit
more difficult as a Day three pick when you're a
sixth round selection, but you brought it up. The quality
of competition playing at a Power five school like Texas
to where every single Saturday you are going up against
NFL soon to be NFL caliber players, And as odd
as it might sound to say, all right, yeah, he
(15:03):
can be your Day one starter at right guard, just
look to your left guard, Evan Brown undrafted and is
still playing and starting in the NFL. So it can
be done now. Is gonna be done in September or
is it mid season or next season? But just because
you are a Day three pick, yeah, maybe it's a
(15:25):
steeper climb for you. But I do think based off
what we've seen, especially this draft class, the number of
Power five schools, everyone but Keaton Crawford, who did start
at Texas before moving and transferring to Nevada, every single
draft pick was a power came from a Power five conference.
Based off the competition, and if you succeed at that level,
(15:46):
then all of a sudden, yeah, you have a better
chance at least on paper, to succeed at the next
level here in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
In these rookies today, all right, have you ever seen
rookies anymore prepared for an NFL regular season than today's rookies?
For example, Hayden Connor started all sixteen games. A year ago,
Denzel's Burke started all sixteen games for Ohio State. Cody
Simon sixteen games for Ohio State. There ain't no stinking
rookie wall. I mean, they're playing almost an NFL season
(16:17):
in the college game. If you advance through the playoffs
all the way to the National Championship game, then you
are playing an NFL season. And guess what, you don't
have to worry about coursework. What Hayden Connor say he
took some geospatial awareness physics class or whatever, and he
said he was swimming from the get go. Now now
he says he got an A in that class, even
though he didn't know what he was doing early on
(16:39):
in the semester. But when you're all ball all the
time and you have to worry about a lot of
the other stuff, when this is truly your profession in
your career, then okay. I just think today's rookie is
more equipped than ever to navigate an NFL regular season,
despite the Factice now seventeen games without hitting that rookie wall.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
The biggest adjustments, yeah, there's several, but as far as
on field might be just earning that way onto the
football field meeting playing special teams. How many of these
guys have been a part of field goal protection or
field goal block. Now all of a sudden, hey we
need you on game day, but you're in a reserve
role right now. If you want a jersey, you want
to be able to suit up, you're gonna have to
(17:22):
figure out where on special teams can I play. That's
why I kind of joke late last week that the
first rookie we actually see on the football field could
very well be Keaton Crawford because of his one thousand
special team snaps over his college career. Now at what
is that kickoff or kickoff return? But again, that's I
think where a lot of these rookies were. It becomes
(17:43):
all right, what is that next step? How do I
get on that football field? And I remember talking with
Trey Benson a couple of a year ago, going into
his first season, It's okay, how good are you at
pass protection? Are you a liability? Amario de mccaid was
still on this roster because of how good he is
on third down, So that it's the biggest adjustment as
far as Okay, what can I do or what do
(18:04):
I need? To do to be trusted by the coaching staff.
And it's not just so much oh, catch a pass,
find a whole whatever, run through it. It's okay. Going
back to the word details pass protection, where's my pad level?
That I think is what is going to be taking place,
not only this week but all off season as we
get ready for training camp.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, that's a good point about it. Mario de Mercado
two years ago, undrafted rookie, we didn't give him much
of a chance. Last year, I think we gained less
of a chance because you had Trey Benson and there
he was, and he was even a little banked up
in camp and you're thinking he's behind now. Not in
the eyes of the coaches. He's instrumental as a third
down back. As for guys on special teams, Keaton Crawford
(18:45):
obviously is a natural more than a thousand snaps on
special teams. That got Wolfe's attention right away. He's like,
wait say that again, four time Pro Bowl around wolf
He's like, he played over one thousand snaps in college
on special teams. That's remarkable. The other guy who I'm
guessing and get a huge role is Jordan Birch right.
When you can run like Jordan Birch and you are
(19:06):
that size, Jeff Rogers is gonna find a place for you,
especially as a rookie on special teams. I mean, that's
that's someone who can be of great use and can
be deployed in so many different ways. Remember his forty
was just a tick a hundredth of a second behind
Cam Skataboo. Big man can run. And so by the way,
(19:26):
I love Cam Scataboo and what he told the giants
in the New York media, he's already handling the New
York Oh.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Yeah, they're gonna love him. They're gonna love him.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
And I just love the fact that he said, you
know what, you know what I've done at this level?
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Zero?
Speaker 3 (19:37):
And he went on to have some you know, he said,
how many snaps in the NFL have you seen me play?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Zero?
Speaker 3 (19:43):
I've proved nothing. That's that's just a great mantra to
live by if you're any rookie in any round in
the NFL.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
That's what I think you would hope everyone has that
mentality coming into the NFL, because nothing gets handed to you. Yeah,
you might be here because of your talent, but you're
not going to stay here if you're not successful of
the right attitude, especially with Jonathan Gannon and what he's
looking for out of players, which leads me to this
because you brought up wide receiver and I know there's
(20:10):
been a lot of talk about Okay, do you make
a move within that room? Do you need to? Do
you to use your phrasing, do you want to or
do you need to? And right now as we speak
here in the middle of May, I don't see that
move being made maybe ever until we get to training
camp to see what you really have within that room
(20:32):
and the names that are not household names. You're not
Marvin Harrison, you're not Michael Wilson, you're not great Doors.
But someone else can't surprise and maybe get that find
that role that you have on game day because I
know the names that are out there. But it goes
back to the person, the player and the role, and
(20:53):
there are guys out there George Pickens, for example, just
doesn't fit the person for this locker room. And then
you figure, all right, well, if you are the if
you're the good person, the good player, then what kind
of role can you run block? Can you be effective
in the ground game? Otherwise you're a tell hey, look
so and says on the field must be a pass play.
(21:14):
And that's not what any offensive coordinator wants.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
So if we're gonna play the latest game show need
or want, I'm not gonna name a certain player as
a need. I will say this, though, the chunk pass
is in need. You had the stat the Cardinals are
bottom third in the NFL and explosive pass plays, top
five in explosive run plays, bottom third and explosive pass play.
(21:41):
So I would say the explosive deep ball is in
need in this offense. I would also say that better
third down conversions, a reliable receiver and third and gotta
have it that is also in need. Now the question
is can Marvin Harrison check both boxes in year two?
(22:03):
We all know he's talented enough, Kenny, will he do it?
Based on I always winning the off season? If he
said to himself, I got I have to win those
contested catches more and how do I do that? I
get stronger, I get more physical. I'm able to match
up against grown men. You know the Jalen Ramsey's, the
Jalen Johnson's of the world. You know the Devin Witherspoon,
(22:26):
I'm gonna play twice a year. Every year Niners have corners.
So if he decided, all right, you know that's the key.
If Michael Wilson all of a sudden can be more
of a third down reliability guy a Greg Dortch. Maybe
I'm not necessarily I don't necessarily see the speed receiver
take the top off, stretch the field as big a
(22:46):
need as a lot of other people do. I just
you gotta find a figure out a way to get
more chunk pass plays, and you have to figure out
a way to get a more reliable third down target
beyond Trey McBride for Kyler Murray.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Make those poss essions, those drives not ten to eleven,
twelve plays, but five, six and seven plays, because the
less plays, the less chances for mistakes. So, yes, you
want chunk throws, you want chunk receptions, and can that
be someone already on your roster? The other thing with
bringing in someone new, I know Gabe Davis, according to reports,
(23:19):
was visiting the forty nine ers this week. Recently released
by the Jaguars. He's got a great age right there,
twenty six years old, health concerns, but you have someone, Okay,
are they any better than what you currently have on
the roster? And that's why right now, I don't think
you can answer that, because at least in this offseason,
(23:40):
not enough has been shown on the field. If you're
the general manager of the head coach, hey, no, wait,
we do need that possession receiver who's got some hype,
maybe even some speed. Perhaps they're already on the roster
and we'll kind of let it play out through training
camp and preseason.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
The other name that's been out there is Amari Cooper,
and a lot of people had him going to Dallas.
Well not any longer, not after Dallas made the trade.
So Mary Cooper, who played for Drew Petsing in twenty
twenty two and played with Jacoby Brissette in Cleveland, I'm
presuming they have really good knowledge now whether he's a
(24:17):
guy they think fits this team, well don't know. We
do know. The Buffalo GM Brandon Bean was none too
happy about the assessment of his receiver room, and one
of the points he made was, guess what, they didn't
get a lot out of Mariy Cooper the last five
games of last year, and it didn't really matter. They
were still scoring thirty points a game. So translation, we
(24:39):
didn't need him to be a dynamic offense. Do the
Cardinals need him? Could they use him? Are there other
teams that are in need of wide receiver two? Yes,
the Jets, I mean name is single receiver beyond Garrett
Wilson on the Jets roster. There are definitely teams that
are also in need of wide receiver two who I
think will probably end up paying him more than the
Cardinals would be willing to. The longer he hangs out there,
(25:01):
the less interest I presume teams have. And maybe just
maybe that's something where Drew Petsing and then Mania support,
they old combo block and they get in on Amari Cooper.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Now you wait to see and then is there enough
money to convince you to get off the couch? And
again it's what kind of role? Because within this offense,
I would argue, even if you are a wide receiver too,
you are really the fifth best offensive option because in
no particular order, you've got Marvin, You've got Trey, you
(25:33):
got James Connor, and I include Kyler Murray in that.
So now all of a sudden, you're the fifth option. Really,
as far as what I do with the football, and
is that enticing? You know, Yes, you want someone that
would occupy the defense and the defense has to worry
about you. But if you're on the outside looking in,
what kind of role would I really be having within
(25:55):
this offense?
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Yeah? I tend to agree. And you know what if
Trey Benson as a breakout year, I'm bullish on Trey Benson.
You know, I think he's gonna get a lot of
touches this year. I just think that's going to happen.
But you're right. I mean, how many teams really have
two dynamic receivers? Even the forty nine ers Juwan Jennings
are talking about being wide receiver one over Brandon Ayuk. Interesting. Okay,
(26:20):
I know the Rams now have that dynamic, right DeVante
Adams and Pooka Nakua. I get it. But the Rams
don't have the Cardinals running back room, and they certainly
don't have a tight end like the Arizona Cardinals have.
So I could see it either way. I mean, once again,
I don't see a player in particular as a need,
but I do see those areas in the offense chunk
(26:42):
throws and third and gotta have it reliable target other
than Trey McBride as a need this year, and that's
something I presume Drew Petsy's been working on one.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Of those teams that does have that dynamic wide receiver
one and two. Spend a lot of money this offseason
to make sure they would remain in the full Cincinnati Bengals.
We'll see how that goes as far as how they
succeed or fail here in twenty twenty five. By the way,
Cardinals fans, you will see Cincinnati coming up this season.
(27:12):
The question is when you go to Cincinnati. Schedule gets
released on Wednesday, five pm, Arizona time. Pay attention, Cardinals.
There's some excitements within the building. And what's schedule wise,
I'll just say that what's about to what the boat's
about to be released? As far as the order of opponents.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
What's the old saying in the media business content is
king two words, tick talk, Just be aware, be ready,
be poised, bird gang, All right, Red Sea, it's coming.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Paul, Are you ready for a potential trip to Cincinnati?
And I went back and looked at the away trips
and you're lucky. Actually, you got a good solid you
got a good solid road schedule a little only two
outdoor games for you, Cincinnati and Tampa BA Tampa, Okay,
because you've got the Rams, yep, forty nine ers. See,
(28:06):
I don't, I don't. I don't. Okay, I don't count
the NFCS because you got to go either way. I mean,
so they're talking about road opponents that are not within
the NFC WES.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
Although let's not forget Week five last year it was
one to eleven on the sideline Santa.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Clara eighty nine degrees. The game book said eighty nine.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Which which was as a result, it results, it resulted
in our powerpol of incompetence, just based on the eighty
nine degree high temperature reading in that game book.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
All right, so outside of the NFC WES, because you
can't do anything about those trips. It's every year Indianapolis, Houston,
Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Dallas, Cincinnati. Again, I'll take it
every time. I'll take it as a sideline reporter.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
And really we just base our you know, we we
based the opponents every year, just based there's only two
kinds of games, indoor or outdoor. Those are the only
two kinds of game right, climate controlled or not even
I'll boil down into more bare bones roof or no
roof because the Rams have a roof, but there's no
climate control. Yeah, there have been times that Cardinals have
(29:07):
gone to so far and week two, week three, and
it's been like, dang near one hundred degrees in that building.
Now there's a roof and you're not gonna get much
rain in.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
We've established there's a roof at State Farm Stadium and
can still get rained on. That's true. That's true.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
So I figured out, wait a minute, you can just
take five steps back, Paul. You dated a face and
you're not gonna get rained on. Here's why you want
to play Cincinnati early. It's not just self serving because
you know any possible weather at the end of the
year in Ohio. Zach Taylor as head coach of the
Bengals in his first month of the season. His record
is seven fourteen and one. Last year, the Bengals started
(29:44):
one and four. They won their final five, just missed
the playoffs. The year before, twenty twenty three, the Bengals
started one in three. Bengals are notoriously slow starters, maybe
the worst in the league.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
That two stat two start Cincinnati consistently. It seems like
is on that soul stat line.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
If you can go to Cincinnati. We're onto Cincinnati in September.
That's a win. I mean, that's a plus at least
based on the history. Now asked for Tampa. Yeah, please
know Tampa. You know the Friz factor is off the
charts in September, so you know, we'll see exactly what
Tampa though. I do. I am intrigued by four hundred
and sixty four pound Desmond Watson, the undrafted rookie d
(30:27):
lineman out of Florida and his home area. So he's
playing for his hometime Buccaneers. They say he's already lost
twenty pounds since the combine and he's learning from Vita Veya,
another extremely large human being. But Desmond Watson, and we love.
Todd Bowles, the former Cardinals defensive coordinary, said, hey, we
just didn't get him for the Tush push. We got
(30:49):
him because we really think he can play. Okay, all right,
we'll see, but it is intriguing and he's getting a
lot of pub right now. Desmond Watson six foot six,
three hundred and sixty alright, four hundred and sixty four
pounds at the combine. So as far as Cincinnati and
Tampa Bay, whether it's September, October or December, January, November, December,
(31:12):
I mean the humidity, mugginess, rain. I mean, Cincinnati does snow,
but you're not gonna it's not like your Chicago, or
you'd be freezing on the sideline. I don't think it's happened.
It has definitely happened, But yeah, those are the only
two to look out. Seattle, Okay, Seattle, you never quite know.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
You never know.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
I mean it could be September, it could be a
downpour in Seattle. You're never quite sure. But I will
say this, Craig and looking at the opponents real quick.
There are teams you want to play early in the year,
and there are teams you want to play late. For example,
not only do you want to play Cincinnati early because
of their their woes Zach Taylor and they can never
come out of the gates. I think you want to
play New Orleans early, just based on the quarterback situation. Yeah,
(31:54):
Tyler Shook, right, Spencer Ratler, Jake Hayner, I mean you
want to I think you want to play Jazz Xonville early,
just because they have a first time head coach, Liam Cohen,
first time coordinators. You know, they got this twenty nine
year old OC who three years ago was an assistant
to the head coach special projects in Minnesota. I'm ridiculous
(32:17):
rise through the ranks. I would say, you want to
play Tennessee early with cam Ward. So like last year,
the Cardinals went against the top three quarterbacks, right, you
want to play those guys as early as possible. Now,
the Jane Daniels Week four game didn't go the way
you anticipated, but Jane Daniels pretty much did that to everybody,
even the Dallas Stinking Cowboys under first year head coach
(32:38):
Brian Schottenheimer. You know the thing is, you don't want
to play Dallas on a Thursday. They've won seven straight
Thursday games, including Thanksgimming games. Are the Cardinals going to
Dallas for Thanksgiving? That's a big question. That's a big question. Now,
we do know that there will not be an international game.
According to reports, the Colts going to Germany. That was
the one opponent that was left on the schedule that
(32:59):
put potentially the Cardinals could play internationally. But according to reports,
it's going to be the Atlanta Falcons and the Indianapolis Colts.
So no international game. Now the question is can you
get that Thursday game against the Dallas Cowboys, who, by
the way, are the Week one opponent of the Super
Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles that has been made official here
(33:20):
on this Monday. So how many primetime games do the
Cardinals get? There was one last year ESPN Monday Night Football.
It was ESPN Plus, which didn't sit well with a
lot of fans. They didn't really consider that a full
primetime game. And then, of course, you know, when.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
When is the bye week? You know, is it middle
of the season, is it after five weeks or is
it later in the season? Week fourteen, I think is
the latest that you have a bye week? Possible sometime
there in mid to late November. But that's I think
what everyone pays attention to is primetime bye week. And
then okay, you're gonna play these teams, now, just what's
(33:59):
the order?
Speaker 3 (34:00):
And you know, speaking of the fans, they.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Got treated last year to a six.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
And three home record, and I thought that was sort
of a low key critical improvement in last year. Not
only did you double your win total from four to eight,
not only were you leading the division going into the buy.
But you're able to win five year last six at
home and to go six and three at State Farm
Stadium to reclaim a legit home field advantage, to play
(34:29):
some of your best ball at home, which had not
happened for a couple of years. I think that was
critical and you can only hope obviously that carries over
that's here to stay in twenty twenty five and beyond.
So there's that beyond. I did not I was not
aware of the international game. So that's been decided or
at least reportedly with Berlin. Beyond that, yeah, what are
(34:50):
the cards for example, Kyler Murray going back to Dallas.
I mean that's a huge storyline.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
Undefeated at at and T Stadium.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I mean, you've got to imagine the networks with love that.
Fox would love that. On Thanksgiving Day. By the way,
speaking of Fox, what's the last thing anyone needed in
media was yet another streaming app? And did you see
where Fox is launching their own streaming app where they're
gonna have all their content news, sports programming. Fox won
(35:18):
so in addition to Peacock and Paramount, which is CBS, right,
I mean, so now, and you're Smart TV. You're gonna
have yet another app and yet another monthly subscription if
you want to. Now, they're not gonna take it off Cable.
They're not gonna take it off the regular providers. You're
still going to be able to get NFL games on
Fox like you always have, but you watch, they'll put
(35:40):
some exclusive content on there related to the NFL.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
At some point you are going to need Peacock. However,
in week seventeen, also announced on Monday Saturday Night game.
Don't know the opponents, don't know the teams, but NBC
has announced that Week seventeen, Saturday Nights will probably will
be two or three games that day Week seventeen, and
that primetime game exclusively on Peacock.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
I would also think that the NFC West games are
gonna get a lot of play. I mean, if you're
looking to put games into primetime Cardinals and Rams after
last year Cardinals in forty nine ers, I just think
you know Cardinals and Seahawks. With whether whether it's Sam Darnold,
I don't know how long he's gonna last behind that
Yankee offensive line. I do expect to see Jalen Milroe.
(36:29):
I'd much rather play Seattle early than later if they
come up with an effective package with Jalen Milroe, who's
already creating a little bit of buzz up there, not
unlike a former third round quarterback some fifteen years ago
in Seattle camp will beat out the highly paid free
agent Russell Wilson, beating out Matt Flynn. Why because the
(36:51):
locker room believing in Russell Wilson and knew he was
a superior quarterback athlete and leader to Matt Flynn. I'm
really curious of Jalen Milroe continues to impress in Seattle
if that underminds Sam Darnold in any way, if the
locker room gets divided, if there's a factional locker room
that bleevese wait a minute, we need to roll. Let's
(37:12):
ride with Jalen Milroe. Look at the upside on that kid.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
It's an impressive individual. To listen to his answers to
the media, how he carries himself.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
He is much like Russell Wilson did.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
He certainly sounds like someone that is ahead of the
game to where maybe again, maybe he becomes a starter
at some point this season. The question is when you
brought up Cam Moore, the Cardinals will see him at
State Farm Stadium. Also, we'll see Travis Hunter at State
Farmer Stadium. So if you're looking for excitement as far
as your opponents and individuals, there was no more talked
(37:44):
about player than Travis Hunter last year, and he and
the Jaguars making only their second visit. The Jaguars and
Titans Paul have only been to State Farm Stadium once
and each will be in State Farm Stadium in twenty
twenty five for their second ever visits.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
When Travis Hunter comes to State Farm Stadium, he needs
to look up and see the name Roy Green. You
need to have Roy Green down on that field. So
it's sort of like there were games when Larry was
in his prime and Jerry Rice would just happen to
be on the sideline as Larry was nearing some of
Jerry's records, and you know, Roy Green meeting Travis Hunter
would be a great, great pregame moment. And from all accounts,
(38:26):
Travis Hunter is a really good, just human being. You
see that on social media over the weekend. That graduated
on the flight back back, Yeah, there was there was.
There was a lady, she's not a sports fan, had
no idea who he was. She just posted, Oh, such
a nice young man sitting next to me, offered to
help me, you know, with my bags in the overhead
and buying it.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
It was Travis Hunter, really well done. So where she
everyone walking by said congratulations, good luck, and to point
where she looked like, who are you? What do you do?
Who are you? And they had a nice conversation and
snapped his selfie. And now you got not only do
you have a Travis Hunter fan for life, but now,
all of a sudden, maybe the Jaguars with a fan.
(39:06):
And that's the fan engagement that you hope, not just
Travis Hunter, but every professional athlete understands because you reach
one all of a sudden, it's word of mouth. Hey
we're talking about Travis Hunter. Hey, good guy. I'm gonna
root for him, except for when he plays the Cardinals.
Speaker 3 (39:22):
It's sort of like, you know, and you don't see
it too often, you really don't. But when the quality
is there, the quantity doesn't necessarily matter. I'm talking about
a trade. If you can get a franchise quarterback, how
much is that worth? Can you truly overpay if you
find that guy at that position? Well, every once in
a while there's a generational player that's not a quarterback.
(39:45):
If Travis Hunter ends up being that guy, that's gonna
be a steal Cleveland trading out and trading down and
giving that number two pick overall to Jacksonville, especially since
Travis Hunter is from that area. I'll go back to
our own Arizona. If if they could ever have gotten
their hands in Austin Matthews, one of the best players
(40:06):
in the league, star center for the Leafs Scottsdale kid,
if they ever could, I swear that would have saved
the franchise. I would have traded. I would have gone
Mike Dicka and the Saints and traded every single pick
in my draft that year for Austin Matthews and just
hit the reset button on the franchise. Didn't happen, probably
(40:27):
because the league didn't want it to happen. And well,
look at where the Coyoties are now in Utah. I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
It's a sidebarer. It's very well but excellent points. And yes,
it's hard to argue against if you get that guy.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
It's just you can't overpay, I mean almost literally, you
know what does that worse? So we'll see. It's interesting
they're starting him on offense. Maybe that's because of the
playbook and they want to get him acclimated. But if
you're thinking, okay, where can he have a greater impact,
maybe offense is the future for Travis Hunter. Now, if
(41:02):
he's at shutdown corner, you can always throw to the
other side, right, you can always go away from a
Travis Hunter. And so like Pat p when he's at
his best, he might get one or two targets a game.
It's almost like he wasn't out there. Now he neutralized
the other team's best receiver. But if you really want
to make sure that your guy's impacting the game and
sparking the crowd and firing up, you know, making plays
(41:24):
another guy's feed off that, then maybe the future is
for Travis Hunter receiver.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Question is when will we see Travis Hunter at State
Farm Stadium again? The schedule gets released on Wednesday, Cardinals
playing the NFC South, AFC South, and third place teams
out of the NFC North which is Green Bay, NFC
East which is the Cowboys, and AFC North which are
the Bengals. And I'll leave you with this, Paul. Based
(41:50):
on opponents twenty twenty four records, Cardinals have the fifth
easiest schedule, tied with the Panthers. And again that's much
has changed from twenty twenty four to twenty twenty five
as far as free agency in the draft. But if
you're just looking at records from last year, Cardinals have
the fifth easiest schedule, which, again when we get to
(42:11):
week one, means absolutely nothing, but it's a great talking
point ahead of schedule.
Speaker 3 (42:15):
Lease, Yeah, it's amazing. You know how bereft of credibility
that stat has once you get midway through a season
and you realize that the NFL every year since the
merger has put at least four new playoff teams into
the postseason. So things changed quickly in the NFL. But
when you're playing the AFC South in the NFC South, yeah,
it's kind of expected. Here's the thing, though, the other
(42:38):
three teams in your division are playing those same two divisions. Now,
they're playing different teams within the division based on finish.
I get it. But as easy knock on wood as
the win loss record from last year says, the Cardinals
schedule is this year, I think the NFC West is
going to be that tough I mean, you look at
what the Rams did closely already beating and the Eagles.
(43:00):
The Rams are definitely better. The Niners have a track
record of rebounding from poor seasons. Kyle Shannan and John
Lynch have done that for years. Seattle. They like to
think that they filled in the holes necessary. Nobody really
believes in the trenches for Seattle, but they definitely have
talent at a lot of skill positions and so and
they have a really bright young head coach and Mike McDonald.
(43:23):
I just think the NFC West is going to be
a slog and a slugfest like we haven't seen in
a while.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Wednesday, May fourteenth schedule release, and as we teased off
the top, you're not gonna want to miss and you'll
be interested in what happens at five pm Arizona time
when the schedule does get released. Programming notes myself, Paul
Danny Sirek will have a instant reaction when the schedule
(43:49):
comes out. Yes, we know the opponents and we know where,
it's just when and the order of things, and then
we start planning for week one. Because Paul likes to
say it's never too early to look at that Week
one opponent. No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
We're gonna start game planning immediately. And I want to
know when the Cardinals go to Seattle, because this time
they're going with Kaleis Campbell again. And so the sign guy,
the heckler dude who hangs over the rail coming out
of the visitors locker room and down the tunnel, guess
what I want Kalais Campbell at six foot eight to
reenact what he did about twelve years ago. He reached
up and he just shredded that sign from the guy
(44:24):
because he didn't realize the reach of Kalais as he
was looking left and Clayis was coming from the right.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Good things happening on Wednesday's schedule release, saying yes, some
content as well. And on that note, we'll put a
lit on. This edition of Cardinals. Cover two, presented by Hyundai,
proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals, has always special thanks
to our executive producer Jim Momre, our associate producer Coddy Fincher.
For Paul Calvic, I'm Craig ral Lou. We'll talk to
you next time here on Cardinals Cover two,
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