July 14, 2025 • 39 mins
Ep. 899 - They may be the one team in the division with the least amount of question marks - at least as we speak right now. They are the Los Angeles Rams. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman continue their annual offseason tradition of looking around the rest of the NFC West. Final stop: Los Angeles. Craig and Zach are joined by TheRams.com senior staff writer Stu Jackson. Among the topics the guys discuss: the addition of wide receiver Davante Adams and what his presence means for an offense led by quarterback Matthew Stafford and anchored by running back Kyren Williams. Meanwhile on defense, a handful of young players have helped fill the void left by Aaron Donald.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
They are maybe the one team in the division with
the least amount of question marks, at least as we
speak right now, they are the Los Angeles Rams. God
Zach Gershman with me will be joined by Stu Jackson,
senior staff writer for the Rams dot Com. We continue
our off season tradition taking a look around the rest
of the NFC West. It's Cardinals Cover two, Episode eight
(00:25):
ninety nine, and it starts now.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Welcome to Cardinals Cover two.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Boda Baker, What Heart? What rent? This guy's unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
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 3 (00:49):
He's at the ten half of five. He's it again.
Some more hurry magic.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Whow here's Craigcriol.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
So I'm not sure if you notice Sack, and let's
be honest, you probably didn't.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Why do you always doubt me?
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Okay, all right, let's see now.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Okay, now, let's scare. Now the pressure's on.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Did you know? Did you notice Chargers? Los Angeles Chargers
training camp is open. Rookies reported over the weekend Veterans
reports on Wednesday. They are the first team to quote
unquote officially begin training camp.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Is that because of the Hall of Fame game?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yes, so you are kind of somewhat paying attention.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
This is the part where I take my bow and
I say thank you for dubting me, Craig Greelou. I
will add you to the list of my haters and detractors.
But guess what I did know that You don't want
to know how I knew that because we have an
open seating concept that I saw you googling it.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Very fair, very very very good move on your point.
By the way, Cardinals all players reports now week next Tuesday,
with the first open practice on that Thursday. Forty nine
Ers and Seahawks. The rookies report Tuesday, meaning tomorrow, And
if you missed our conversations about those two teams, check
(02:13):
out the archives. Last week we talked all things San
Francisco forty nine Ers with Matt Barrows. This week, our
final stop on our tour of the NFC West, the
Los Angeles Rams. Stu Jackson, senior staff rider for the
Los Angeles Rams. The Rams dot Com will join us
here momentarily. You can follow Stu at STU Jay Rams
(02:33):
Rams by the way report on the twenty second, just
like the Cardinals. But this is a Rams team, and
I'm gonna bring up a subject that is near and
dear to your heart, Zach. But the Rams very very
easily could have been playing in the super Bowl instead
of the Philadelphia Eagles if not for potentially some weather
(02:53):
conditions over there in Philly. That was a good Rams
team that took the Eagles all the way down to
the end.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Yeah, well, smile speak you got me on that one.
But then again, it's not like the Eagles practice in
the snow. They're just used to the cold. Okay, they
have a bubble, but see, this is where the bubble,
just like the Arizona Cardinals, and this is where you
win enough games in the regular season home field advantage.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
It's an advantage.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Which we talk about when you look back at the
rules that were trying to be changed. Wasn't it the
Detroit Lions that proposed something about how seating resonated or
based off the division. At the end of the day
that the result happened. And what I care more about
is hopefully that the Arizona Cardinals are playing in a
playoff game at State Farm Stadium, as opposed to the
(03:46):
Los Angeles Rams playing at a playoff game at State
Farm Stadium.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Rams went ten and seven last season, won the division.
And this was a team that, much like twenty twenty
three when they started three and six, still made the playoffs.
Last year in four still made the playoffs. Notoriously slow
starters at least the last couple of seasons, but they
always find a way, and in large part because who
(04:10):
they have at quarterback in Matthew Stafford year seventeen, year
five with the Rams, and as they say, if you
have a quarterback, you have a chance. In Matthew Stafford
is one of the best in the game.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
He definitely is. And there's a reason why we'll talk
about it in a bit with stew about how the headline, Yes,
you brought in DeVante Adams, but if you don't have
Matthew Stafford coming back, who's throwing him the rock is
very it's going to be a very different conversation over there,
and we get to talk about what Matthew Stafford means
to not just the Rams on the field, but off
(04:44):
the field. He is a leader in that community and
you saw that with the Wildfires. You saw it during
their trip to Malley, which we'll discuss in just a
few moments. Matthew Stafford is a Hall of Fame caliber
dude from what he's been able to do with the
Los Angeles Rams and how he's been able to transchange
his career in the trajectory of his career after his
(05:05):
time in Detroit going over to LA Then again, though,
when all is said and done, Matthew Stafford is a
great quarterback, but the Cardinals have gotten the best of
him a handful of times. Now just a matter of
trying to get him again.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And to see how Matthew Stafford works with DeVonta Adams
as opposed to Cooper Cup which is the big change
on offense. And then, as we mentioned in our conversation
with Stu, on just that defense and specifically when you're
talking about Jared Vers, Braden Fisk year one going into
year two, Byron Young, who is a young veteran that
(05:43):
is a stout defensive front even without Aaron Donald. It's
not like you replace one player and all of a
sudden it's a better defense. But they've got young pieces
along that front seven, which which should make the Rams
a formidable opponent for years to come.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Which is something that the Cardinals saw first hand in
both times that they played the against the Arizona Cardinals
versus the La Rams. They have no problems trying to
get to the backfield. They are a very stout, strong,
young and explosive defensive front seven headlined and anchored by
Jared Vers, and you start to question, maybe before the
(06:23):
year began, we discussed about how it's a team that
probably has the least amount of question marks in the division.
The biggest question mark in twenty twenty four was about
that defensive front and how it was going to look
post Aaron Donald era. And it seems like there has
been zero drop off. Ap Rookie of the Year, Defense
Rookie of the Year and Jared Vers and then Brandon
Fisk was also a finalist for that category. They have
(06:45):
a lot of good ballplayers and that they're gonna be
the ones that lead the NFC West for years down
the line, just as Aaron Donald did. But the Cardinals
are definitely no slouches either.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Matthew Stafford, Devonte Adams, that Rams defense, Let's talk about
all of it. Here's our conversation with Stu. So the
first question is an obvious one, Stu, how was Maui.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Maui was wonderful. I gotta tell you it's it's nice
to work for an organization kind of like a tweezer.
I mentioned when the trip was happening. Uh, you know
that does outside the box kinds of things like that.
And so I certainly enjoyed what felt like hosting training
camp on the island of Maui for two and a
half days, but really enjoyable experience and a lot of fun.
(07:32):
The coaches and players really had a great time Tam
as well.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
All Right, So for those that might not understand or
know what we're talking about here, and I might even
include you, Zac, but uh, we're.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Talking about I know what's going on.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
We got the rundown we were We're not talking about
mini camp. It was Maui camp. That's what I kept
reading from you on the rams dot Comsto. So, yeah,
the uh, the Arizona Cardinals did their mandatory mini camp
outside in one hundred drig weather while Stu in the
Rams Zach were in Hawaii enjoying sun and sir.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
We have Cards Camp, they have Mali Camp. I'm not
gonna say, because we work for the Cardinals that Cards
Camp sounds better. But a little trip to Mali I
want to be complaining.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah, just how much work was actually done there, Stu.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
I mean, ramside coach Doot mc bay said it. You
know that the expectation going in is like, look, there's
it's gonna be tough to accomplish, you know, some things
from a football standpoint, or trying to get anything done
from a football standpoint. The expectation of that, you know,
it was pretty low. But you know it was really
about just you know, connecting with people on the island
(08:42):
of Maui and you know, helping with some of the
efforts in the community because you know they weren't they
were impacted by wildfires not too long ago themselves. The
two year anniversary of that's coming up here in early August,
and so you know, just engaging with fans at those
practices which you know we're really you know, walk through
(09:03):
case and things like that. It was it was mainly
just you know about engaging with fans, engaging in the community,
and you know, the crowd seemed really happy to have
players and coaches there and get a chance to see
those guys in action. So yeah, not not too much
done from a football standpoint, but in terms of really
engaging with fans and the community, there was a lot
(09:26):
that got accomplished.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
So I'm glad you brought up the community aspect of
it because reading on the Rams dot com on the
number of appearances and the work with kids, it does Again, Yes,
football is what we're all interested in. We got the
season right around the corner. But a good move by
the Rams to go to Mali for a few days.
And one more question for me on that trip, Puka
(09:48):
Nakua said, practicing there quote feels like home. Just how
popular was he during your stay on the island.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Well, I'll tell you this, I asked him in his
press conference after I think it was the first or
second day in mini camp. Whenever he spoke, I was like,
you know what was behind you know, switching numbers because
him and a handful of other players of his teammates,
you know, wore different practice more different practicers he's out,
or different practicers he numbers out. That's I think it
(10:18):
was that second day. But anyway, he thought that maybe
people wouldn't notice if he wore a different number, and
so he ran out there wearing Kyrine Williams number. But
I mean that guy smile, the you know, the signature
hairdo like, he was hard to miss, and so you know,
people recognized him still right away when he when he
came out into the field to warm up for practice,
there are a lot of cheers, you know, a line
(10:40):
of kids, you know, giving high fives to all the players.
But obviously they got really excited when he walked out there.
And so it's a place that means a lot to him.
And you know, everybody was there from you know, the
the teams and the kids who participated in in some
of the clinics and and and drills that they did
after those practices, to you know, the fans that were
(11:01):
there for the practice that Wednesday. They were all super
excited to see him and it was really cool to witness.
I mean, his popularity there is unmistakable. And that's even
with you know, some of the big names that the
Rams already have on the roster.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Well, it looked pretty awesome on social media. Stu, I
want to go back a little bit before we look
ahead to twenty twenty five. I want to look back
at twenty twenty four. It seems like in the Cardinals case,
they saw two different Rams teams in the game against
in Week two at State Farm Stadium. Cardinals obviously had
that big forty one ten victory, and then week seventeen
they go to State they go to SOFI Stadium and
(11:36):
it's the opposite result. The Los Angeles Rams win that game,
ultimately propelling them to the division crown and making that
postseason birth. At what point in the season did you
think you saw the switch flip that ultimately allowed the
Rams to take hold of the division.
Speaker 5 (11:53):
It's a great question. I think it would probably be
around mid season. I want to say, like week eight nine.
It was around that time when the pass rush in
particular really started to find its stride. Now, some of
that had to do, I'm sure, with you know, a
little bit of the level of competition they were facing
with some of those teams, but at the same time,
(12:14):
that confidence that that group gained from learning how to
rush off of one another and knowing when their ops were,
you know, that was a really big piece to the
to the defense, you know, discovering itself and really fixing
some of the things that ailed them early in the
season and so backed by that and just having a
healthier at the time, once Kouka and Akua got healthy
(12:38):
and once Cooper Cup got healthy, having them both back,
both back on the field at the same time also
made a big difference to offensively, and so you put
both of those things together, and not to mention just
the health and stabilization of the offensive line, because again
going back to training camp, I mean that was such
a huge story last year, just how injury riddled back
(13:00):
group was. You know, Once the offensive line stabilized and
found the right combination, that played a huge part too,
in addition to the health of Puka and Cooper and
helping Matthew Stafford play his best football and in turn
the offense being able to compliment the defense with some
of those performances they were able to put together.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
You mentioned something about just the defense started to find
their footing, especially with the pass rush. It was also
the first season without Aaron Donald. How do you think
the defense adjusted to not having number ninety nine on
the field.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Yeah, I think it was, you know, a learning experience
that took some time. Kind of like I mentioned, I mean, again,
when you're used to just one guy commanding double and
triple teams regularly, and that naturally creating opportunities for everybody
else to go from that to Again, you don't replace
the player like that, but trying to make up for
(13:53):
that loss in the aggregate with the number of guys
you got in the draft over the last two classes. Really,
I should say in the twenty three and twenty four classes,
you knew there was going to be a little bit
of a learning curve, but kind of like I mentioned,
you know, once they kind of figured out how what
each person's past rush style was and better understood their assignments,
(14:16):
and when those opportunities were, you know, that's when things
really took off, and when they kind of figured out
how to truly play without him, if you will.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Let's stick with the defense and we'll get to Devanta
Adams and the offense here. But since the topic has
been broached, it is, at least for me, one of
the things from a cardinal's perspective, that is very scary
when you look at the Rams, considering Jared Verse, Bryden
Fisk bowing young, all these young pieces, whether guys that
were rookies or second year players, and now going into
(14:48):
year two or year three. But something Jared Verse said,
he told you and others there that as well as
he played last season, remember he was he led all
rookies last season in quarterback kits, pressures, hurries. His eleven
tackles for loss were second most, four and a half
sacks fifth most. But he mentioned that there's a couple
(15:10):
of things I could have done better. What more could
Jared Verse had done last year in his first year.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Yeah, that's another great question, Craig, because I mean, again,
when you look at what he put on tape and
just the numbers, even if it was only you know,
four and a half sacks just from a pressure standpoint,
and you know the attention that he was able to
command really on his own. By the end of the season,
it was a really impressive and remarkable rookie season. He's
(15:43):
talked a little bit about just making sure that he's
not it's really about just the pats of the quarterback
in the pursuit of that and basically not playing so
fast that you missed those opportunities, because that was one
thing he talked about early in his rookie years. Actually,
when you play against quarterbacks like Kyler Murray twice a
year in the division, and you know other quarterbacks with
(16:06):
that skill set, who can you know, escape the pocket
and escape contain and pick up those extra yards with
their legs. You know, one one false step that's gonna
could lead to you know, nine to ten yard game,
maybe more, you know, depending on you know, how the
second level of the defense is shaped up to contain it.
(16:27):
So even even just something as simple as that is
probably what he's referring to, because I think he told
it was on I want to say it was ESPN's
Adam Schefter's podcast that he felt like he could have
had like ten facts last season or something, or he
just kind of speaking to the missed opportunities he had.
And so I'm really excited to see what he can
(16:48):
do in year two and and how he sort of
learned from those those missed opportunities in year one, because again,
like when you consider what he was still able to
do even as he was kind of learning as a rookie,
it was pretty impressive. Correig.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
I mean, we think about it that touchdown in Week
two against where he found Kyler Murray, found Elijah Higgins
at the back of the end zone. He got away
from Jared Vers twice Kyler Murray did so he brings
him down that we have a very different discussion about
how that game could have ended up going. But Stu,
speaking about Jared Verse, I also want to touch on
with Braiden Fisk as well. I wrote an article on
Azycardinals dot com about the Ohio State brotherhood here and
(17:26):
how it seems like how it seems like maniacin fort
the Cardinals GM just keeps going to Columbus to bring
in those talents in this case with Braiden Fisk and
Jared Verse to Florida State guys. Do you think that
that played a role in the defensive front's success and
especially both of their successes.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
I think, Zach, it certainly helps when you've got two
guys who, again, as I've talked about quite a bit
in our conversation already, when you have two guys who
know how to rush off of one another and have
that natural chemistry already, and just that work ethic of
constantly challenging each other and wanting to bring the best
out of the other, that's something that can only benefit
(18:07):
a team. And again, not every combination like this turns
out as well as it does I mean again, it's
you know this, and you know, I'm sure the you
know Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase connection in Cincinnati are
two of the more notable examples in recent years. You know,
it doesn't always work out when you reunite college teammates,
(18:28):
but you know, in an example like this, it's something
that paid huge dividends for the Rams in particular. You know,
these are guys that like you know, they have they
had I remember asking them about this not long after
they got drafted, like it, when they were at Florida
Sty they knew by their chemistry got so far that
(18:51):
they all took essentially was a simple head nod to
know exactly what stunt they wanted to run or how
they wanted to attack an offensive line a certain way.
And so when you have that shared understanding and chemistry
like that, in addition to the character and background to
two guys like that, it's something that can be a huge,
huge benefit to a team.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
The one knock on the Rams defensively last season was
the struggle against the run. So you go out and
add Puna Ford, what does he do? How does another
big body along that defensive front maybe shift things for
the Rams to where they're not getting gashed like they
were on occasion against running teams.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Yeah, Pune Afford great out really well as a run
stopper in recent years, and so if you're having trouble
defending the run, getting one of the best run stockers
available in free agency is certainly an easy way to
solve that problem. But even beyond that too, I know
that defensive coordinator Chris Shule toward the end of the
off season program mentioned that they really feel like he's
(19:54):
got some really good upside as a pass rusher too,
and showing them more in that area than maybe they
even realized. And so, you know, stopping and run first
and foremost is going to be, you know, his calling card,
but that's not the only thing that he's capable of,
based on what this staff has seen, even in just
(20:17):
the again that Ota shorts and T shirt workout setting.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
See now flipping over to the offensive side. For all
the talk we could have about the defense, it seems
like the offense was very much in the topic of
conversation throughout the offseason, especially with quarterback Matthew Stafford and
his contract. And I know you wrote about on the
Rams dot Com about how he said twenty twenty four
was a bit of a unique year for him, dealing
with all the contracts and then throughout all the offseason work.
(20:41):
But now that he is returning, what does his return
mean for this Rams team?
Speaker 5 (20:47):
Well, I mean, as you guys know, I mean, when
you have an experienced quarterback, you know under center, that
solves a lot of problems offensively and mitigates quite a
bit it And so you know, going into year seventeen
and having someone who has had, you know, just that experience,
accumulation of experience, that wealth of knowledge, that's going to
(21:10):
be huge for this offense. Again, experience at the quarterback
position will always give you a really strong chance to
win every every week in the NFL, and having someone
like Matthew Stafford at the helmet makes that no different.
And so I've written about this before, but he takes
(21:30):
a lot on his plates and making easier for teammates
in terms of, you know, just giving guys an understanding
of knowing knowing what where they're where they're supposed to be,
what their assignment is, and you know, having patients to
be able to do that and work with everybody regardless
of their level of experience in the offense. So just
(21:53):
between that and just the respect he has as a teammate,
as a as a captain. UH can't underestimate the importance
of having him back and what that means.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
How strange do was it watching Stafford throw to DeVante Adams,
who's now wearing a RAMS uniform.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
You know, I will admit it was a little bit different.
But man, I'll tell you what, Davante still got some juice.
I mean that's something that the coaches have said throughout
throughout the spring, but I mean I see that even
just from you know, watching him in the open Ota practices,
just you know, the body control, the tempo and the
route running all those things. I mean again, it's you know,
(22:36):
not the same. The pads are not in all those things.
Different rules for okas and spring workerouts obviously compared to
training camp once we eventually get there. But he's someone
that I think can be, you know, a real difference
maker for this team. And by no means has has
he lost the step.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
There were clips that were swirling around with Davante Adams
seeming like he was helping out Pooka Nakua. He obvious
he went from having Cooper Cupp a great in his
own right to now another great Indavante Adams. Speaking of Puka,
in what ways do you think those he has learned from,
like Davante, like Cooper Cupp can help elevate his game.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
Yeah, that's a great question. I think. You know, with
with with Cooper, you know, just the precision and the
route running and what it takes to take care of
your body and be available, like those are things that
were probably some of the most important, you know, pieces
of advice that he gathered from him. You know, Cooper
(23:36):
was one of the smartest players on the team, might
even might have even right up there, as I would
say with with Stafford, just in terms of football IQ
and things like that, just with his knowledge of the
offense and the way every single part worked. And that's
something else that I would say that you know, Cooper
taught him and parted onto him. And then with Devonte
(23:58):
you know a lot of the same things, just you know,
teaching in different things about leverage. That was one of
the things that Puka mentioned and also just you know,
very varying temple with routes and whatnot. Just all the
things that everybody is seeing Davonte do. He's just been
very willing to share and that's something that I think
(24:21):
will certainly help Puka. But both of those guys have
been tremendous resources, and you'd be hard pressed to find
anybody else who's had that. I would say as much,
kind of like I was talking before, wealth of knowledge,
wealth of experience to learn from their first two or
three seasons in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
The running game for the Rams. Kyen Williams going into
the final year of his rookie contract. I know there's
been talks of an extension, but he's been around and
I think that's important for guys to be around, even
though maybe they are still looking for that new deal
or an extension of a deal, but him part of
this offense now with DeVante Adams. Do you see Kyen's
(25:03):
role changing at all or expanding or just basically more
of the same.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
Yeah, I think it'll be more of the same. I
don't I don't see anything really changing with Kyen's role
at this point, at which I mean, I don't think
that should be taken as a negative. He's had back
to back years with double digit rushing touchdowns in over
one thousand rushing yards. So you know, he's been very
(25:30):
productive in the role he's had over the last two years,
and so you know, I think if if if he
gives the Rams that production again this year, that's something
that they would certainly be happy about.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
It seems like Sean McVay and all the behind the
scenes clips I saw during the draft process, was very
pumped up to get Terrence Ferguson in the building. What
do you have you seen from the Oregon tight end
and how do you think he's gonna mesh in that offense?
Speaker 5 (25:57):
Yeah, just kind of like what you know McVeigh and
offensive coordinator Mike L. Flora mentioned, just somebody who you
know is really mature for a rookie, has brought a
steady demeanor and just doesn't seem like any the game
is too big for him, you know, like like all
all rookies still learning, and you know has had some
(26:19):
promising moments again in those open O TA practices that
we've been able to watch. But you know somebody that,
uh McVeigh said on his uh you know mini camp
recap show with our play by play voice JB. Long,
that's you know, he they expect him to have a role,
but it's a role that he's gonna and they expected
to contribute, but that's a role that he's going to
(26:40):
have to earn, just like the rest of the rookies
on the roster as well. So similar to Jared, just
really excited to see what he can do in training
camp and and and how he continues to to develop
here over the summer and into the fall.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
My last question for you, Stu concerns the offensive line.
A lot of continuity there, even bring back Coleman Shelton,
who after one season in Chicago is back in Los Angeles.
But you got the question mark of Alric Jackson. DJ
Humphries has been signed former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman, So
DJ goes while he was, according to his agency, at
(27:18):
least a part of the forty nine ers for a
little while, but now he's with the Rams. Just the
health of the offensive line overall, and maybe DJ's role
on that offensive line this season.
Speaker 5 (27:31):
Yeah, I think I think that role for DJs to
be determined. It was more McVeigh kind of mentioned us
more about just kind of having contingency plans and getting
their dutchs in a row, if you will. Between you know,
Rob Henstein's shoulder procedure, you know, keeping him sideline at
(27:51):
least no from practices for mini camp. And you know
McVeigh had said in the spring or earlier in the
offseason that the while he would be sidelined for the
off season program, he should be good to go for
training camp. But they also signed did Questenberry, who was
I believe most recently with the Vikings and then before
(28:13):
that the Titans. But it's more just about having having
that plan in place just in case, because again, kind
of like I talked about earlier in our conversation together,
when you look think back to the situation with all
the injuries in the offensive line, especially early in camp
last year, and trying to find those bodies and bring
(28:34):
them in in the middle of all that makes a
lot more challenging. And so if you can address that
or be proactive about it in the spring obviously instead
of that first week of training camp or second or
whatever it may be, it puts you in a better
position to be prepared should that situation change at all.
And so again, well we'll see what that means for
(28:56):
Dja's role, but I would say that's to be determined
as a right now so there's more clarity when players
and coaches report to training camp on those best situations.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Yeah, as there are gonna be a lot of time
between now and when the Cardinals first see the Rams,
not until weeks fourteen and eighteen, so we'll have to
see where things stand between these two teams. Do kind
of later in the regular season, but always good to
catch up here in the offseason. Jealous of your time
and Mali, but a job well done.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
Hey, thanks Craig, appreciate you and Zach for having me on.
Enjoyed our conversation. And who knows, maybe there can be
a joint practice between the Rams and the Cardinals or
something out there on the island down the road.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
The only thing I know is it's going to be
hot regardless.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
That's right, speak it into existence, Sue, appreciate.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
It, Thank you guys. Thanks for the time.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
Yes, it would be nice if the Cardinals and Rams
held a joint practice. Not gonna happen. Doesn't happen with it?
Speaker 4 (29:58):
I mean, let's be real, won't it.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Won't you just want to go to Mali?
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Of course? I would you wear like a Hawaiian, like
a flowery T shirt with the Cardinals logo on it. Sure, Okay,
I'm just because I will hold you to that because
the Arizona Cardinals beat typically on the last day of
Cardinals training camp, all wears Hawaiian T shirts. Correct, last year,
you weren't wearing one.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
We weren't in Mali.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
We weren't in Mali. So if you squint, State Farm
Stadium looks.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Like it, Yeah, not gonna happen. Teams within the division
just don't do that. But again, it's something it's nice
to think about and perhaps hopefully again it's what the
Rams did, and as Stu brought up and you can
read it on the Rams dot com, it was not
(30:48):
all about football. It was about community and trying to
get some sense of normalcy back for those people. And
then again, this is where sports can have that positive
impact and kind of give you a little bit of
a break and a chance to just kind of think
about something else for a little while.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
A few weeks ago, when I was filling in for
Darren Urban on the Cardinal's mailbag, somebody asked me about
the pros and cons of players having social media, and
I think one of the pros was just the avenue
of being able to connect with some of these people
through the people of Maui on the island. Getting to
watch somebody like Puka Nakua representing you know, the island
(31:27):
and just their their heritage and their lineage on the
biggest stage possible in the NFL. They feel that connection.
So when they got to Maui and they touched down
and they were doing all the efforts in the community,
that's when you could really start to sense the impact
that sports has. These are talented individuals on the football field,
but they are also people, and I think when you
(31:49):
get to have these sort of one on one interactions,
you get to see that human element of it. It's
pretty special.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
The biggest takeaway I took from our conversation with Stu
was how well he talked or how much he talked
about what DeVante Adams looked like. Again, they're talking about
OTA's mini camp. You're in T shirt, shorts, you're not
in full pads. But it does seem like that move
from the East Coast to the West Coast, and we
(32:16):
heard from Devonte Adams mentioned that signing was quote exactly
what I needed, And it does seem that it's kind
of given him a second or now case a third
lease on life in the NFL and maybe kind of
give him a little bit of a jump start to
his career tail towards the tail end of his.
Speaker 4 (32:34):
Cur This would be his fourteen because he had the Raiders,
that's right, Jets and now and now his time in
Los Angeles. Obviously he kicked off his career with the
Green Bay Packers. I think what people were expecting when
DeVante Adams got to the New York Jets was for
him to look like the Green Bay DeVante Adams that
have that rapport with Aaron Rodgers. But as we saw
with Aaron Rodgers, it wasn't the same. And it's gonna
(32:55):
be very interesting to see what, you know, his next
season in Pittsburgh is gonna end up looking like. But
we're obviously gonna be focusing a lot more on what
DeVante Adams look like in the Blue and Gold, because
it's gonna be a very interesting player that the Cardinals
are gonna have to line up against. You lined up
across from Cooper Cup, a triple Crown winner in twenty
twenty one, you knew the stud that he was out there.
(33:16):
Pokinnakua burst on the scene and everyone's like, wow, look
at this guy. Cooper cup leaves to go to Seattle,
and what do you have? You have an incredible replacement
in Devonte Adams. I'm pretty sure the quote was that
he felt rejuvenated to be playing with Sean McVay and
Matthew Stafford, and it's that's great if you're a fan
of the sport. It's something that the Cardinals are definitely
(33:36):
gonna have to keep an eye out on. But when
they play him in week fourteen and week eighteen, you're
gonna have a very long season until you get to
that point. So it could look very different to two out.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Well is back as well in that receiver's room for
the Rams, and as we speak here in July, we're
not gonna see the Rams, as you mentioned, until the
back half of the regular season. So who's the same
that things are going well for the Rams or what
the Rams might even look as far as the personnel
(34:06):
on the field offense and defense. But again, just to
kind of catch up on what they've what they have
done so far this offseason, at least to me, it's
maybe the as I mentioned, maybe the least amount of
question marks. Yeah, there are new faces. But when you
have your quarterback and you have a young defense, then
you're just kind of plugging pieces around those you.
Speaker 4 (34:26):
Mentioned too too out well, and that's not somebody we
really had a chance to discuss about with Stu. But
I saw a quote from Sean McVay who kind of
put his hand up and said, I haven't fully used
to to out well all that well. And I think
that's gonna be a player that you know, you know
what you're gonna have in Puka Nakua and Devonte Adams,
or at least you expect to see with Davante Adams,
(34:47):
especially if he lives up to the hype and the
way that Stu was talking about him in But if
the Rams start to use because we know how much
Sean McVay likes pre snap motions and doing things of
that nature, when you get to see another player, other
card added to the deck, that's gonna be something that's
gonna be very interesting, Just another weapon for Matthew Stafford
to have for a team that was playoff bound and
(35:09):
made the playoffs and could have gone even further than that.
As you kicked off Cardinals Cover two, discussing they are
a very talented team, the more weapons they have, and
of course Terrence Ferguson who asked about the tight end
that they draft in the second round out of Oregon,
It's going to be a very explosive Rams offense. We
already discussed how explosive the defensive front is going to be.
(35:29):
The Cardinals and the Rams are the two teams in
my mind that are going to be fighting for the
top of the division. I know that there's a lot
of hype surrounding the San Francisco forty nine ers now
that you have Christian McCaffrey coming back Seattle. Obviously we
are expecting to have a little bit of a learning
curve with Sam Darnold. But I do believe that this
division comes down to what that Week eighteen game is
going to look like between the Rams and the Cardinals.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Let's hope that's the case. And look, the Rams are
the measuring stick. They're the champs until they are no
longer the champs, and that's what you have to go
in if you want to make the playoffs. The easiest
way is to win the division, capture that NFC West crown,
and you're invited to that seven team postseason party. And
to me right now, it's the Rams until they're not
(36:14):
until there's some other team, and hopefully it is the
Cardinals atop the standings.
Speaker 4 (36:18):
But then again, you don't win the division in July.
You don't win the division in September, October. It's what
happens in January. And you mentioned the start that the
Rams have had. They've been a team that is notoriously
started slow and then they start when adversity strikes. For
a lot of teams, it seems like the Rams are
always that one squad that just somehow manages to push
(36:38):
through and persevere and hoptifully find themselves put in postseason contention.
I'm expecting to see that be the case again. But
with the Cardinals, we know that they've struggled post by
back to back seasons, and that's been a common trend
that you hope to shake this coming year. The buys
earlier than in the past, and Week eight and then
you go Week nine, Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys.
(37:01):
That back end of the season is going to be
when you need to see the Cardinals in that full
fource similar to what you've seen in the past with
the Los Angeles Rams.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
So we had stops in Seattle, San Francisco, and now
Los Angeles. Next stop State Farm Stadium, and we can
put all of our attention on the Arizona Car.
Speaker 4 (37:18):
The best stop. And I'm excited to see what the
guys look like once they throw the pads on how
much they've been able to do since June when they
had mandatory mini camp. It's going to be a very
exciting time, Craig, and we get to cover it all
here on Cardinals Cover too.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
And by the way, before I forget an excellent job
filling in for Darren on the mailbag.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Thank you. I survived. But I appreciate all the questions
a lot because you decided to bring up Philly. I'm
just I'm from Philadelphia. Let's put that out there. A
lot of questions about East Coast bias. I put a
I mentioned something in Cardinals Underground when I was also
filling in for Darren Irvan about how the ESPN released
(37:57):
that All quarter century team. I'm pretty sure sure and
they left fits out off of it. Pretty sure Aaron
Donald was on the list, which he should be on
the list, but so should Larry Fitzgerald. Even though it's
been like an hour month. Still pretty hot about it.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
It should be all Cardinals fans should be. But again
now it's looking forward to twenty twenty five. In a
successful twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
What I'm most excited about we've obviously had the chance
that we're gonna have the chance to speak with a
lot of people. You know, a lot of those national pundits.
We've heard them over the last two seasons since Shan
again and has come to town. Now going into year
number three, very interested to see what those national experts
have to say about the twenty twenty five hours on
the Cardinals.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
We've been talking about it for a long time. Training
camp literally right around the corner a goo the Azcardinals
dot com for all the information as far as training
camp dates, open practices, and yes, admission is free, parking
is free, but we asked you to sign up for
digital tickets so we can make sure and accommodate everyone
(38:59):
who wants to be at State Farm Stadium to see
the twenty twenty five Arizona Cardinals. And on that notes,
we'll put a lit on this edition of Cardinals Cover
two presented by Hundai, probably partner of the Arizona Cardinals
as always, special thanks to our executive producer Jim Mamahudre
our associate producer Coddy Fincher. For Zach Kershman, I'm Fregrial Lou.
We'll talk to you next time you're on Cardinals. Cover
(39:19):
two
They are maybe the one team in the division with
the least amount of question marks, at least as we
speak right now, they are the Los Angeles Rams. God
Zach Gershman with me will be joined by Stu Jackson,
senior staff writer for the Rams dot Com. We continue
our off season tradition taking a look around the rest
of the NFC West. It's Cardinals Cover two, Episode eight
(00:25):
ninety nine, and it starts now.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Welcome to Cardinals Cover two.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Boda Baker, What Heart? What rent? This guy's unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
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 3 (00:49):
He's at the ten half of five. He's it again.
Some more hurry magic.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Whow here's Craigcriol.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
So I'm not sure if you notice Sack, and let's
be honest, you probably didn't.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Why do you always doubt me?
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Okay, all right, let's see now.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Okay, now, let's scare. Now the pressure's on.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Did you know? Did you notice Chargers? Los Angeles Chargers
training camp is open. Rookies reported over the weekend Veterans
reports on Wednesday. They are the first team to quote
unquote officially begin training camp.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Is that because of the Hall of Fame game?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yes, so you are kind of somewhat paying attention.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
This is the part where I take my bow and
I say thank you for dubting me, Craig Greelou. I
will add you to the list of my haters and detractors.
But guess what I did know that You don't want
to know how I knew that because we have an
open seating concept that I saw you googling it.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Very fair, very very very good move on your point.
By the way, Cardinals all players reports now week next Tuesday,
with the first open practice on that Thursday. Forty nine
Ers and Seahawks. The rookies report Tuesday, meaning tomorrow, And
if you missed our conversations about those two teams, check
(02:13):
out the archives. Last week we talked all things San
Francisco forty nine Ers with Matt Barrows. This week, our
final stop on our tour of the NFC West, the
Los Angeles Rams. Stu Jackson, senior staff rider for the
Los Angeles Rams. The Rams dot Com will join us
here momentarily. You can follow Stu at STU Jay Rams
(02:33):
Rams by the way report on the twenty second, just
like the Cardinals. But this is a Rams team, and
I'm gonna bring up a subject that is near and
dear to your heart, Zach. But the Rams very very
easily could have been playing in the super Bowl instead
of the Philadelphia Eagles if not for potentially some weather
(02:53):
conditions over there in Philly. That was a good Rams
team that took the Eagles all the way down to
the end.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Yeah, well, smile speak you got me on that one.
But then again, it's not like the Eagles practice in
the snow. They're just used to the cold. Okay, they
have a bubble, but see, this is where the bubble,
just like the Arizona Cardinals, and this is where you
win enough games in the regular season home field advantage.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
It's an advantage.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Which we talk about when you look back at the
rules that were trying to be changed. Wasn't it the
Detroit Lions that proposed something about how seating resonated or
based off the division. At the end of the day
that the result happened. And what I care more about
is hopefully that the Arizona Cardinals are playing in a
playoff game at State Farm Stadium, as opposed to the
(03:46):
Los Angeles Rams playing at a playoff game at State
Farm Stadium.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Rams went ten and seven last season, won the division.
And this was a team that, much like twenty twenty
three when they started three and six, still made the playoffs.
Last year in four still made the playoffs. Notoriously slow
starters at least the last couple of seasons, but they
always find a way, and in large part because who
(04:10):
they have at quarterback in Matthew Stafford year seventeen, year
five with the Rams, and as they say, if you
have a quarterback, you have a chance. In Matthew Stafford
is one of the best in the game.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
He definitely is. And there's a reason why we'll talk
about it in a bit with stew about how the headline, Yes,
you brought in DeVante Adams, but if you don't have
Matthew Stafford coming back, who's throwing him the rock is
very it's going to be a very different conversation over there,
and we get to talk about what Matthew Stafford means
to not just the Rams on the field, but off
(04:44):
the field. He is a leader in that community and
you saw that with the Wildfires. You saw it during
their trip to Malley, which we'll discuss in just a
few moments. Matthew Stafford is a Hall of Fame caliber
dude from what he's been able to do with the
Los Angeles Rams and how he's been able to transchange
his career in the trajectory of his career after his
(05:05):
time in Detroit going over to LA Then again, though,
when all is said and done, Matthew Stafford is a
great quarterback, but the Cardinals have gotten the best of
him a handful of times. Now just a matter of
trying to get him again.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And to see how Matthew Stafford works with DeVonta Adams
as opposed to Cooper Cup which is the big change
on offense. And then, as we mentioned in our conversation
with Stu, on just that defense and specifically when you're
talking about Jared Vers, Braden Fisk year one going into
year two, Byron Young, who is a young veteran that
(05:43):
is a stout defensive front even without Aaron Donald. It's
not like you replace one player and all of a
sudden it's a better defense. But they've got young pieces
along that front seven, which which should make the Rams
a formidable opponent for years to come.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Which is something that the Cardinals saw first hand in
both times that they played the against the Arizona Cardinals
versus the La Rams. They have no problems trying to
get to the backfield. They are a very stout, strong,
young and explosive defensive front seven headlined and anchored by
Jared Vers, and you start to question, maybe before the
(06:23):
year began, we discussed about how it's a team that
probably has the least amount of question marks in the division.
The biggest question mark in twenty twenty four was about
that defensive front and how it was going to look
post Aaron Donald era. And it seems like there has
been zero drop off. Ap Rookie of the Year, Defense
Rookie of the Year and Jared Vers and then Brandon
Fisk was also a finalist for that category. They have
(06:45):
a lot of good ballplayers and that they're gonna be
the ones that lead the NFC West for years down
the line, just as Aaron Donald did. But the Cardinals
are definitely no slouches either.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Matthew Stafford, Devonte Adams, that Rams defense, Let's talk about
all of it. Here's our conversation with Stu. So the
first question is an obvious one, Stu, how was Maui.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Maui was wonderful. I gotta tell you it's it's nice
to work for an organization kind of like a tweezer.
I mentioned when the trip was happening. Uh, you know
that does outside the box kinds of things like that.
And so I certainly enjoyed what felt like hosting training
camp on the island of Maui for two and a
half days, but really enjoyable experience and a lot of fun.
(07:32):
The coaches and players really had a great time Tam
as well.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
All Right, So for those that might not understand or
know what we're talking about here, and I might even
include you, Zac, but uh, we're.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Talking about I know what's going on.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
We got the rundown we were We're not talking about
mini camp. It was Maui camp. That's what I kept
reading from you on the rams dot Comsto. So, yeah,
the uh, the Arizona Cardinals did their mandatory mini camp
outside in one hundred drig weather while Stu in the
Rams Zach were in Hawaii enjoying sun and sir.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
We have Cards Camp, they have Mali Camp. I'm not
gonna say, because we work for the Cardinals that Cards
Camp sounds better. But a little trip to Mali I
want to be complaining.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah, just how much work was actually done there, Stu.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
I mean, ramside coach Doot mc bay said it. You
know that the expectation going in is like, look, there's
it's gonna be tough to accomplish, you know, some things
from a football standpoint, or trying to get anything done
from a football standpoint. The expectation of that, you know,
it was pretty low. But you know it was really
about just you know, connecting with people on the island
(08:42):
of Maui and you know, helping with some of the
efforts in the community because you know they weren't they
were impacted by wildfires not too long ago themselves. The
two year anniversary of that's coming up here in early August,
and so you know, just engaging with fans at those
practices which you know we're really you know, walk through
(09:03):
case and things like that. It was it was mainly
just you know about engaging with fans, engaging in the community,
and you know, the crowd seemed really happy to have
players and coaches there and get a chance to see
those guys in action. So yeah, not not too much
done from a football standpoint, but in terms of really
engaging with fans and the community, there was a lot
(09:26):
that got accomplished.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
So I'm glad you brought up the community aspect of
it because reading on the Rams dot com on the
number of appearances and the work with kids, it does Again, Yes,
football is what we're all interested in. We got the
season right around the corner. But a good move by
the Rams to go to Mali for a few days.
And one more question for me on that trip, Puka
(09:48):
Nakua said, practicing there quote feels like home. Just how
popular was he during your stay on the island.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Well, I'll tell you this, I asked him in his
press conference after I think it was the first or
second day in mini camp. Whenever he spoke, I was like,
you know what was behind you know, switching numbers because
him and a handful of other players of his teammates,
you know, wore different practice more different practicers he's out,
or different practicers he numbers out. That's I think it
(10:18):
was that second day. But anyway, he thought that maybe
people wouldn't notice if he wore a different number, and
so he ran out there wearing Kyrine Williams number. But
I mean that guy smile, the you know, the signature
hairdo like, he was hard to miss, and so you know,
people recognized him still right away when he when he
came out into the field to warm up for practice,
there are a lot of cheers, you know, a line
(10:40):
of kids, you know, giving high fives to all the players.
But obviously they got really excited when he walked out there.
And so it's a place that means a lot to him.
And you know, everybody was there from you know, the
the teams and the kids who participated in in some
of the clinics and and and drills that they did
after those practices, to you know, the fans that were
(11:01):
there for the practice that Wednesday. They were all super
excited to see him and it was really cool to witness.
I mean, his popularity there is unmistakable. And that's even
with you know, some of the big names that the
Rams already have on the roster.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Well, it looked pretty awesome on social media. Stu, I
want to go back a little bit before we look
ahead to twenty twenty five. I want to look back
at twenty twenty four. It seems like in the Cardinals case,
they saw two different Rams teams in the game against
in Week two at State Farm Stadium. Cardinals obviously had
that big forty one ten victory, and then week seventeen
they go to State they go to SOFI Stadium and
(11:36):
it's the opposite result. The Los Angeles Rams win that game,
ultimately propelling them to the division crown and making that
postseason birth. At what point in the season did you
think you saw the switch flip that ultimately allowed the
Rams to take hold of the division.
Speaker 5 (11:53):
It's a great question. I think it would probably be
around mid season. I want to say, like week eight nine.
It was around that time when the pass rush in
particular really started to find its stride. Now, some of
that had to do, I'm sure, with you know, a
little bit of the level of competition they were facing
with some of those teams, but at the same time,
(12:14):
that confidence that that group gained from learning how to
rush off of one another and knowing when their ops were,
you know, that was a really big piece to the
to the defense, you know, discovering itself and really fixing
some of the things that ailed them early in the
season and so backed by that and just having a
healthier at the time, once Kouka and Akua got healthy
(12:38):
and once Cooper Cup got healthy, having them both back,
both back on the field at the same time also
made a big difference to offensively, and so you put
both of those things together, and not to mention just
the health and stabilization of the offensive line, because again
going back to training camp, I mean that was such
a huge story last year, just how injury riddled back
(13:00):
group was. You know, Once the offensive line stabilized and
found the right combination, that played a huge part too,
in addition to the health of Puka and Cooper and
helping Matthew Stafford play his best football and in turn
the offense being able to compliment the defense with some
of those performances they were able to put together.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
You mentioned something about just the defense started to find
their footing, especially with the pass rush. It was also
the first season without Aaron Donald. How do you think
the defense adjusted to not having number ninety nine on
the field.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Yeah, I think it was, you know, a learning experience
that took some time. Kind of like I mentioned, I mean, again,
when you're used to just one guy commanding double and
triple teams regularly, and that naturally creating opportunities for everybody
else to go from that to Again, you don't replace
the player like that, but trying to make up for
(13:53):
that loss in the aggregate with the number of guys
you got in the draft over the last two classes. Really,
I should say in the twenty three and twenty four classes,
you knew there was going to be a little bit
of a learning curve, but kind of like I mentioned,
you know, once they kind of figured out how what
each person's past rush style was and better understood their assignments,
(14:16):
and when those opportunities were, you know, that's when things
really took off, and when they kind of figured out
how to truly play without him, if you will.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Let's stick with the defense and we'll get to Devanta
Adams and the offense here. But since the topic has
been broached, it is, at least for me, one of
the things from a cardinal's perspective, that is very scary
when you look at the Rams, considering Jared Verse, Bryden
Fisk bowing young, all these young pieces, whether guys that
were rookies or second year players, and now going into
(14:48):
year two or year three. But something Jared Verse said,
he told you and others there that as well as
he played last season, remember he was he led all
rookies last season in quarterback kits, pressures, hurries. His eleven
tackles for loss were second most, four and a half
sacks fifth most. But he mentioned that there's a couple
(15:10):
of things I could have done better. What more could
Jared Verse had done last year in his first year.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Yeah, that's another great question, Craig, because I mean, again,
when you look at what he put on tape and
just the numbers, even if it was only you know,
four and a half sacks just from a pressure standpoint,
and you know the attention that he was able to
command really on his own. By the end of the season,
it was a really impressive and remarkable rookie season. He's
(15:43):
talked a little bit about just making sure that he's
not it's really about just the pats of the quarterback
in the pursuit of that and basically not playing so
fast that you missed those opportunities, because that was one
thing he talked about early in his rookie years. Actually,
when you play against quarterbacks like Kyler Murray twice a
year in the division, and you know other quarterbacks with
(16:06):
that skill set, who can you know, escape the pocket
and escape contain and pick up those extra yards with
their legs. You know, one one false step that's gonna
could lead to you know, nine to ten yard game,
maybe more, you know, depending on you know, how the
second level of the defense is shaped up to contain it.
(16:27):
So even even just something as simple as that is
probably what he's referring to, because I think he told
it was on I want to say it was ESPN's
Adam Schefter's podcast that he felt like he could have
had like ten facts last season or something, or he
just kind of speaking to the missed opportunities he had.
And so I'm really excited to see what he can
(16:48):
do in year two and and how he sort of
learned from those those missed opportunities in year one, because again,
like when you consider what he was still able to
do even as he was kind of learning as a rookie,
it was pretty impressive. Correig.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
I mean, we think about it that touchdown in Week
two against where he found Kyler Murray, found Elijah Higgins
at the back of the end zone. He got away
from Jared Vers twice Kyler Murray did so he brings
him down that we have a very different discussion about
how that game could have ended up going. But Stu,
speaking about Jared Verse, I also want to touch on
with Braiden Fisk as well. I wrote an article on
Azycardinals dot com about the Ohio State brotherhood here and
(17:26):
how it seems like how it seems like maniacin fort
the Cardinals GM just keeps going to Columbus to bring
in those talents in this case with Braiden Fisk and
Jared Verse to Florida State guys. Do you think that
that played a role in the defensive front's success and
especially both of their successes.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
I think, Zach, it certainly helps when you've got two
guys who, again, as I've talked about quite a bit
in our conversation already, when you have two guys who
know how to rush off of one another and have
that natural chemistry already, and just that work ethic of
constantly challenging each other and wanting to bring the best
out of the other, that's something that can only benefit
(18:07):
a team. And again, not every combination like this turns
out as well as it does I mean again, it's
you know this, and you know, I'm sure the you
know Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase connection in Cincinnati are
two of the more notable examples in recent years. You know,
it doesn't always work out when you reunite college teammates,
(18:28):
but you know, in an example like this, it's something
that paid huge dividends for the Rams in particular. You know,
these are guys that like you know, they have they
had I remember asking them about this not long after
they got drafted, like it, when they were at Florida
Sty they knew by their chemistry got so far that
(18:51):
they all took essentially was a simple head nod to
know exactly what stunt they wanted to run or how
they wanted to attack an offensive line a certain way.
And so when you have that shared understanding and chemistry
like that, in addition to the character and background to
two guys like that, it's something that can be a huge,
huge benefit to a team.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
The one knock on the Rams defensively last season was
the struggle against the run. So you go out and
add Puna Ford, what does he do? How does another
big body along that defensive front maybe shift things for
the Rams to where they're not getting gashed like they
were on occasion against running teams.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Yeah, Pune Afford great out really well as a run
stopper in recent years, and so if you're having trouble
defending the run, getting one of the best run stockers
available in free agency is certainly an easy way to
solve that problem. But even beyond that too, I know
that defensive coordinator Chris Shule toward the end of the
off season program mentioned that they really feel like he's
(19:54):
got some really good upside as a pass rusher too,
and showing them more in that area than maybe they
even realized. And so, you know, stopping and run first
and foremost is going to be, you know, his calling card,
but that's not the only thing that he's capable of,
based on what this staff has seen, even in just
(20:17):
the again that Ota shorts and T shirt workout setting.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
See now flipping over to the offensive side. For all
the talk we could have about the defense, it seems
like the offense was very much in the topic of
conversation throughout the offseason, especially with quarterback Matthew Stafford and
his contract. And I know you wrote about on the
Rams dot Com about how he said twenty twenty four
was a bit of a unique year for him, dealing
with all the contracts and then throughout all the offseason work.
(20:41):
But now that he is returning, what does his return
mean for this Rams team?
Speaker 5 (20:47):
Well, I mean, as you guys know, I mean, when
you have an experienced quarterback, you know under center, that
solves a lot of problems offensively and mitigates quite a
bit it And so you know, going into year seventeen
and having someone who has had, you know, just that experience,
accumulation of experience, that wealth of knowledge, that's going to
(21:10):
be huge for this offense. Again, experience at the quarterback
position will always give you a really strong chance to
win every every week in the NFL, and having someone
like Matthew Stafford at the helmet makes that no different.
And so I've written about this before, but he takes
(21:30):
a lot on his plates and making easier for teammates
in terms of, you know, just giving guys an understanding
of knowing knowing what where they're where they're supposed to be,
what their assignment is, and you know, having patients to
be able to do that and work with everybody regardless
of their level of experience in the offense. So just
(21:53):
between that and just the respect he has as a teammate,
as a as a captain. UH can't underestimate the importance
of having him back and what that means.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
How strange do was it watching Stafford throw to DeVante Adams,
who's now wearing a RAMS uniform.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
You know, I will admit it was a little bit different.
But man, I'll tell you what, Davante still got some juice.
I mean that's something that the coaches have said throughout
throughout the spring, but I mean I see that even
just from you know, watching him in the open Ota practices,
just you know, the body control, the tempo and the
route running all those things. I mean again, it's you know,
(22:36):
not the same. The pads are not in all those things.
Different rules for okas and spring workerouts obviously compared to
training camp once we eventually get there. But he's someone
that I think can be, you know, a real difference
maker for this team. And by no means has has
he lost the step.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
There were clips that were swirling around with Davante Adams
seeming like he was helping out Pooka Nakua. He obvious
he went from having Cooper Cupp a great in his
own right to now another great Indavante Adams. Speaking of Puka,
in what ways do you think those he has learned from,
like Davante, like Cooper Cupp can help elevate his game.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
Yeah, that's a great question. I think. You know, with
with with Cooper, you know, just the precision and the
route running and what it takes to take care of
your body and be available, like those are things that
were probably some of the most important, you know, pieces
of advice that he gathered from him. You know, Cooper
(23:36):
was one of the smartest players on the team, might
even might have even right up there, as I would
say with with Stafford, just in terms of football IQ
and things like that, just with his knowledge of the
offense and the way every single part worked. And that's
something else that I would say that you know, Cooper
taught him and parted onto him. And then with Devonte
(23:58):
you know a lot of the same things, just you know,
teaching in different things about leverage. That was one of
the things that Puka mentioned and also just you know,
very varying temple with routes and whatnot. Just all the
things that everybody is seeing Davonte do. He's just been
very willing to share and that's something that I think
(24:21):
will certainly help Puka. But both of those guys have
been tremendous resources, and you'd be hard pressed to find
anybody else who's had that. I would say as much,
kind of like I was talking before, wealth of knowledge,
wealth of experience to learn from their first two or
three seasons in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
The running game for the Rams. Kyen Williams going into
the final year of his rookie contract. I know there's
been talks of an extension, but he's been around and
I think that's important for guys to be around, even
though maybe they are still looking for that new deal
or an extension of a deal, but him part of
this offense now with DeVante Adams. Do you see Kyen's
(25:03):
role changing at all or expanding or just basically more
of the same.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
Yeah, I think it'll be more of the same. I
don't I don't see anything really changing with Kyen's role
at this point, at which I mean, I don't think
that should be taken as a negative. He's had back
to back years with double digit rushing touchdowns in over
one thousand rushing yards. So you know, he's been very
(25:30):
productive in the role he's had over the last two years,
and so you know, I think if if if he
gives the Rams that production again this year, that's something
that they would certainly be happy about.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
It seems like Sean McVay and all the behind the
scenes clips I saw during the draft process, was very
pumped up to get Terrence Ferguson in the building. What
do you have you seen from the Oregon tight end
and how do you think he's gonna mesh in that offense?
Speaker 5 (25:57):
Yeah, just kind of like what you know McVeigh and
offensive coordinator Mike L. Flora mentioned, just somebody who you
know is really mature for a rookie, has brought a
steady demeanor and just doesn't seem like any the game
is too big for him, you know, like like all
all rookies still learning, and you know has had some
(26:19):
promising moments again in those open O TA practices that
we've been able to watch. But you know somebody that,
uh McVeigh said on his uh you know mini camp
recap show with our play by play voice JB. Long,
that's you know, he they expect him to have a role,
but it's a role that he's gonna and they expected
to contribute, but that's a role that he's going to
(26:40):
have to earn, just like the rest of the rookies
on the roster as well. So similar to Jared, just
really excited to see what he can do in training
camp and and and how he continues to to develop
here over the summer and into the fall.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
My last question for you, Stu concerns the offensive line.
A lot of continuity there, even bring back Coleman Shelton,
who after one season in Chicago is back in Los Angeles.
But you got the question mark of Alric Jackson. DJ
Humphries has been signed former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman, So
DJ goes while he was, according to his agency, at
(27:18):
least a part of the forty nine ers for a
little while, but now he's with the Rams. Just the
health of the offensive line overall, and maybe DJ's role
on that offensive line this season.
Speaker 5 (27:31):
Yeah, I think I think that role for DJs to
be determined. It was more McVeigh kind of mentioned us
more about just kind of having contingency plans and getting
their dutchs in a row, if you will. Between you know,
Rob Henstein's shoulder procedure, you know, keeping him sideline at
(27:51):
least no from practices for mini camp. And you know
McVeigh had said in the spring or earlier in the
offseason that the while he would be sidelined for the
off season program, he should be good to go for
training camp. But they also signed did Questenberry, who was
I believe most recently with the Vikings and then before
(28:13):
that the Titans. But it's more just about having having
that plan in place just in case, because again, kind
of like I talked about earlier in our conversation together,
when you look think back to the situation with all
the injuries in the offensive line, especially early in camp
last year, and trying to find those bodies and bring
(28:34):
them in in the middle of all that makes a
lot more challenging. And so if you can address that
or be proactive about it in the spring obviously instead
of that first week of training camp or second or
whatever it may be, it puts you in a better
position to be prepared should that situation change at all.
And so again, well we'll see what that means for
(28:56):
Dja's role, but I would say that's to be determined
as a right now so there's more clarity when players
and coaches report to training camp on those best situations.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Yeah, as there are gonna be a lot of time
between now and when the Cardinals first see the Rams,
not until weeks fourteen and eighteen, so we'll have to
see where things stand between these two teams. Do kind
of later in the regular season, but always good to
catch up here in the offseason. Jealous of your time
and Mali, but a job well done.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
Hey, thanks Craig, appreciate you and Zach for having me on.
Enjoyed our conversation. And who knows, maybe there can be
a joint practice between the Rams and the Cardinals or
something out there on the island down the road.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
The only thing I know is it's going to be
hot regardless.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
That's right, speak it into existence, Sue, appreciate.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
It, Thank you guys. Thanks for the time.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
Yes, it would be nice if the Cardinals and Rams
held a joint practice. Not gonna happen. Doesn't happen with it?
Speaker 4 (29:58):
I mean, let's be real, won't it.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Won't you just want to go to Mali?
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Of course? I would you wear like a Hawaiian, like
a flowery T shirt with the Cardinals logo on it. Sure, Okay,
I'm just because I will hold you to that because
the Arizona Cardinals beat typically on the last day of
Cardinals training camp, all wears Hawaiian T shirts. Correct, last year,
you weren't wearing one.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
We weren't in Mali.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
We weren't in Mali. So if you squint, State Farm
Stadium looks.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Like it, Yeah, not gonna happen. Teams within the division
just don't do that. But again, it's something it's nice
to think about and perhaps hopefully again it's what the
Rams did, and as Stu brought up and you can
read it on the Rams dot com, it was not
(30:48):
all about football. It was about community and trying to
get some sense of normalcy back for those people. And
then again, this is where sports can have that positive
impact and kind of give you a little bit of
a break and a chance to just kind of think
about something else for a little while.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
A few weeks ago, when I was filling in for
Darren Urban on the Cardinal's mailbag, somebody asked me about
the pros and cons of players having social media, and
I think one of the pros was just the avenue
of being able to connect with some of these people
through the people of Maui on the island. Getting to
watch somebody like Puka Nakua representing you know, the island
(31:27):
and just their their heritage and their lineage on the
biggest stage possible in the NFL. They feel that connection.
So when they got to Maui and they touched down
and they were doing all the efforts in the community,
that's when you could really start to sense the impact
that sports has. These are talented individuals on the football field,
but they are also people, and I think when you
(31:49):
get to have these sort of one on one interactions,
you get to see that human element of it. It's
pretty special.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
The biggest takeaway I took from our conversation with Stu
was how well he talked or how much he talked
about what DeVante Adams looked like. Again, they're talking about
OTA's mini camp. You're in T shirt, shorts, you're not
in full pads. But it does seem like that move
from the East Coast to the West Coast, and we
(32:16):
heard from Devonte Adams mentioned that signing was quote exactly
what I needed, And it does seem that it's kind
of given him a second or now case a third
lease on life in the NFL and maybe kind of
give him a little bit of a jump start to
his career tail towards the tail end of his.
Speaker 4 (32:34):
Cur This would be his fourteen because he had the Raiders,
that's right, Jets and now and now his time in
Los Angeles. Obviously he kicked off his career with the
Green Bay Packers. I think what people were expecting when
DeVante Adams got to the New York Jets was for
him to look like the Green Bay DeVante Adams that
have that rapport with Aaron Rodgers. But as we saw
with Aaron Rodgers, it wasn't the same. And it's gonna
(32:55):
be very interesting to see what, you know, his next
season in Pittsburgh is gonna end up looking like. But
we're obviously gonna be focusing a lot more on what
DeVante Adams look like in the Blue and Gold, because
it's gonna be a very interesting player that the Cardinals
are gonna have to line up against. You lined up
across from Cooper Cup, a triple Crown winner in twenty
twenty one, you knew the stud that he was out there.
(33:16):
Pokinnakua burst on the scene and everyone's like, wow, look
at this guy. Cooper cup leaves to go to Seattle,
and what do you have? You have an incredible replacement
in Devonte Adams. I'm pretty sure the quote was that
he felt rejuvenated to be playing with Sean McVay and
Matthew Stafford, and it's that's great if you're a fan
of the sport. It's something that the Cardinals are definitely
(33:36):
gonna have to keep an eye out on. But when
they play him in week fourteen and week eighteen, you're
gonna have a very long season until you get to
that point. So it could look very different to two out.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Well is back as well in that receiver's room for
the Rams, and as we speak here in July, we're
not gonna see the Rams, as you mentioned, until the
back half of the regular season. So who's the same
that things are going well for the Rams or what
the Rams might even look as far as the personnel
(34:06):
on the field offense and defense. But again, just to
kind of catch up on what they've what they have
done so far this offseason, at least to me, it's
maybe the as I mentioned, maybe the least amount of
question marks. Yeah, there are new faces. But when you
have your quarterback and you have a young defense, then
you're just kind of plugging pieces around those you.
Speaker 4 (34:26):
Mentioned too too out well, and that's not somebody we
really had a chance to discuss about with Stu. But
I saw a quote from Sean McVay who kind of
put his hand up and said, I haven't fully used
to to out well all that well. And I think
that's gonna be a player that you know, you know
what you're gonna have in Puka Nakua and Devonte Adams,
or at least you expect to see with Davante Adams,
(34:47):
especially if he lives up to the hype and the
way that Stu was talking about him in But if
the Rams start to use because we know how much
Sean McVay likes pre snap motions and doing things of
that nature, when you get to see another player, other
card added to the deck, that's gonna be something that's
gonna be very interesting, Just another weapon for Matthew Stafford
to have for a team that was playoff bound and
(35:09):
made the playoffs and could have gone even further than that.
As you kicked off Cardinals Cover two, discussing they are
a very talented team, the more weapons they have, and
of course Terrence Ferguson who asked about the tight end
that they draft in the second round out of Oregon,
It's going to be a very explosive Rams offense. We
already discussed how explosive the defensive front is going to be.
(35:29):
The Cardinals and the Rams are the two teams in
my mind that are going to be fighting for the
top of the division. I know that there's a lot
of hype surrounding the San Francisco forty nine ers now
that you have Christian McCaffrey coming back Seattle. Obviously we
are expecting to have a little bit of a learning
curve with Sam Darnold. But I do believe that this
division comes down to what that Week eighteen game is
going to look like between the Rams and the Cardinals.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Let's hope that's the case. And look, the Rams are
the measuring stick. They're the champs until they are no
longer the champs, and that's what you have to go
in if you want to make the playoffs. The easiest
way is to win the division, capture that NFC West crown,
and you're invited to that seven team postseason party. And
to me right now, it's the Rams until they're not
(36:14):
until there's some other team, and hopefully it is the
Cardinals atop the standings.
Speaker 4 (36:18):
But then again, you don't win the division in July.
You don't win the division in September, October. It's what
happens in January. And you mentioned the start that the
Rams have had. They've been a team that is notoriously
started slow and then they start when adversity strikes. For
a lot of teams, it seems like the Rams are
always that one squad that just somehow manages to push
(36:38):
through and persevere and hoptifully find themselves put in postseason contention.
I'm expecting to see that be the case again. But
with the Cardinals, we know that they've struggled post by
back to back seasons, and that's been a common trend
that you hope to shake this coming year. The buys
earlier than in the past, and Week eight and then
you go Week nine, Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys.
(37:01):
That back end of the season is going to be
when you need to see the Cardinals in that full
fource similar to what you've seen in the past with
the Los Angeles Rams.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
So we had stops in Seattle, San Francisco, and now
Los Angeles. Next stop State Farm Stadium, and we can
put all of our attention on the Arizona Car.
Speaker 4 (37:18):
The best stop. And I'm excited to see what the
guys look like once they throw the pads on how
much they've been able to do since June when they
had mandatory mini camp. It's going to be a very
exciting time, Craig, and we get to cover it all
here on Cardinals Cover too.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
And by the way, before I forget an excellent job
filling in for Darren on the mailbag.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Thank you. I survived. But I appreciate all the questions
a lot because you decided to bring up Philly. I'm
just I'm from Philadelphia. Let's put that out there. A
lot of questions about East Coast bias. I put a
I mentioned something in Cardinals Underground when I was also
filling in for Darren Irvan about how the ESPN released
(37:57):
that All quarter century team. I'm pretty sure sure and
they left fits out off of it. Pretty sure Aaron
Donald was on the list, which he should be on
the list, but so should Larry Fitzgerald. Even though it's
been like an hour month. Still pretty hot about it.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
It should be all Cardinals fans should be. But again
now it's looking forward to twenty twenty five. In a
successful twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
What I'm most excited about we've obviously had the chance
that we're gonna have the chance to speak with a
lot of people. You know, a lot of those national pundits.
We've heard them over the last two seasons since Shan
again and has come to town. Now going into year
number three, very interested to see what those national experts
have to say about the twenty twenty five hours on
the Cardinals.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
We've been talking about it for a long time. Training
camp literally right around the corner a goo the Azcardinals
dot com for all the information as far as training
camp dates, open practices, and yes, admission is free, parking
is free, but we asked you to sign up for
digital tickets so we can make sure and accommodate everyone
(38:59):
who wants to be at State Farm Stadium to see
the twenty twenty five Arizona Cardinals. And on that notes,
we'll put a lit on this edition of Cardinals Cover
two presented by Hundai, probably partner of the Arizona Cardinals
as always, special thanks to our executive producer Jim Mamahudre
our associate producer Coddy Fincher. For Zach Kershman, I'm Fregrial Lou.
We'll talk to you next time you're on Cardinals. Cover
(39:19):
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