Don't Sleep on the Arizona Cardinals! | NFL Podcast

yeah there's a lot I like about this team and I mean I this might be like we're not sleeping on the Cardinals like I think this is the team I mean I I think we're we're in agreement we are not sleep like the one team we are not sleeping on in the NFL this year is the Arizona C which sounds crazy to say because three years ago four years ago I mean Kyler was an MVP favorite yeah and that kind of just more proves our Point that's it's like yeah they've had a rough a rough go at it here lately but I mean Kyler is still Kyler and then everything you just said about Jonathan Ganon I mean everybody knows the little the the the sound bites and the clips of him being ridiculous but I mean this team is it doesn't work unless it works yeah Jonathan ganet he he showed pretty convincingly last year that these guys bought in do you have fire in your gut okay we're here for a reason to win games so if you didn't have that fire in your gut you better you better light the fire pretty fast to the Arizona Cardinals and first and foremost uh want to apologize to Arizona Cardinals fans we wanted a guess for this week uh we're not able to find an Arizona Arizona guest so we apologize for that so but we love I'm very concerned for Cardinals fans that you guys do not have enough of a sports blog presence because cuz it I could only find a handful of people and they were all busy uh let us save the day here for you yeah we were very excited to talk it we are very excited to talk itone Cardinals football because there is stuff to be excited about yeah we we like we like this team we like Kyler I think I like Kyler I I think I like Kyler I was really hot on Kyler a couple years ago but I still like Kyler a lot can I tell you what was weird about watching K some of Kyler's tape yeah Kyler has never since since he got to A&M been in an offense that he wasn't familiar with right and you could kind of see it in some of his tape last year that he was in a new offense that he wasn't just like he was hesitant with stuff he was he was a little gun shy here and there to pull the trigger cuz he wasn't as sure about it which was just I think it goes away with reps like I don't think there's any reason to be concerned about it but it was like it was a little different than what I was used to seeing from him it was just kind of like that that pause in moments of like having to think about it yeah Keller's K's supremely supremely talented I mean he showed it time and time again uh the questions I guess come more off the field and his commitment and dedication to to the game which I think are a little overblown at times mhm and but you look at you look at way they're building this team uh I really like their head coach a lot and then I go out and draft a guy like Marin Harrison Jr who is incredible I think the the distance between Marvin Harrison Jr and like the next best like wide receiver Pro Prospect we've seen or not even in this draft just in recent history is pretty big I mean I think Marvin Harrison Jr is one of the best wide receivers we've seen come out since Megatron as far as expectations coming into the league yeah it's probably up there like I think he is I I didn't think he was that far ahead of Odun or Neighbors From a potential standpoint but from a what I know they are standpoint he shoulders ahead of them and he's looked incredible so far obviously I mean he'd be heard not to this early on in the process I mean he is he just he looks like how he should look which is always promising uh what did Kevin L white looked like when he got to Chicago a lot of hype a lot of hype there I don't know he had a broken chin then oh yeah you never yeah there's never any any hype it was just like oh well this sucks he he could still be an all pro one day hey his brother plays for the Cardinals which one Kaiser Kaiser white the linebacker kazir W is a Kevin's brother yeah oh little bro little bro a lot better than big bro he a lot more money yeah but yeah I I really like this receiver room uh I like them Bringing In Jonah Williams uh Paris Johnson that they signed or that they drafted last year I think they're building this team well uh Kyler is paid so James Conor just somehow keeps looking good every time you think James Connor is not good he just keeps being good and then Trey Benson uh coming coming out was that fourth round pick I liked him a lot so I mean I really really like what this offense is doing and I think Jonathan ganon's going to have this defense rolling Ganon might be one of the most creative defensive coordinators in the NFL or defensive play callers I guess or defensive coaches some of the stuff he was doing last year was really interesting really cool like he was working with nothing don't get me wrong this defense was bottom of the NFL and just about everything but he was getting more out of the talent than he had yeah like and now they've gotten a little bit better not a ton better on defense but better I think B Nichols helps him out in the interior and Justin Jones I mean and Murphy Bunton neither guy neither Nicholls or Jones are starting caliber players in the NFL but like they're still better than what they had last year which says something yeah and I think I think Bunton coming over is going to help him out a lot um yeah there's a lot I like about this team and I mean I this might be like we're not sleeping on the Cardinals like I think this is the team I mean I I think we're we're in we are not sleep like the one team we are not sleeping on in the NFL this year is the Arizona Cardinals which sounds crazy to say because three years ago four years ago I mean Kyler was an MVP favorite yeah and that kind of just more proves our Point that's like yeah they've had a rough a rough go at it here lately but I mean Kyler is still Kyler and then everything you just said about Jonathan Ganon I mean everybody knows the little the the the sound bites clips of him being ridiculous but I mean this team is hey it doesn't work unless it works yeah Jonathan ganet he he showed pretty convincingly last year that these guys bought it yeah and yeah everybody that everybody in Philly that talks about him too talks about how great he was how much they liked him so and I mean petting is at OC was really creative and really found ways to get guys producing to work towards guys strength which was really impressive yeah and they got the steal of the draft from Taylor Dem Taylor demerson at 104 yeah rabbit yeah no serious I I really like him for the scheme and for what they want to do he he's he's a guy who play true center field and play a bunch of different roles at the same time like he's I'm not sure how they're going to deploy him with Jaylen Thompson Buddha baker their safe room probably being one of the biggest strengths on this team but like they're going to find ways to get him on the field and if he gets on the field and he plays at a high level that the dude has crazy crazy potential yeah now let's let's let's get to some positions like I mean James Conor I I was impressed by his tape from last year I was I'm always impressed by him but I just every time I watch him I just don't understand how and he just keeps doing it he just he he gets bigger every year I swear like he just keeps getting bigger Michael Carter I mean I thought this guy was going to be a top back in the league when he was he show some nice stuff for them last year I'm not sure where he's going to rank on the step chart but he was Fu I just feel like he hasn't really had a chance to establish himself anywhere but I mean I I don't you talk about potential he's in his what fourth fifth year now so it's like yeah but I love he avered six yards a carry last year yeah carries but it's one of those things where it's like every time he like I just I just keep thinking he's going to be able to bust out but yeah I mean DJ Dallas Tony Jones uh Trey Benson another fla State guy I was real high on a lot of fla State uh guys coming out of this draft but yeah James Conor can can just keep doing what he's doing with Trey Benson uh give him a little bit of relief there then they really only need uh de Mardo or a Carter Jones DJ Dallas one of these other guys just to kind of spell in for a little bit but I think it's really going to be Conor and Vincent more than anybody yeah and I mean at receiver getting mhj is so huge and Michael Carter showed you some good stuff last Michael Wilson yeah and now that he's a true to um and then Greg dorch I mean the big question with Wilson will be we're talking about a guy who never stayed healthy one season in college can he stay healthy for two seasons in the NFL yeah sometimes it's just different it might be just different it's just it'll be interesting to see yeah and then Greg dorch man everyone loves Greg dorch dorcher chamber wait what the DOR chamber yeah the DOR chamber I got you now it took me a second I was like the what uh yeah everyone loves Greg dorch I mean I'm I'm not even sure how like how limited he is into like a gadget role but he's such a fun player like his numbers are just like everyone loves his numbers everyone speaks so highly of him I'm not sure he'll ever live up to how highly people speak of him but I think he's a really good football player to have on your roster can you really live up to a name like Greg gorch I don't think you can yeah that's just that's just oversight by his parents but then we look at this tight end room Trey McBride he's basically like a Tyler Higby like no he's much better think he's much better yeah he's different he's solid Tyler Higg is more your two-way like block and receiver like doing both but Trey MCB is a much better receiver than Tyler Higby what do you like what what do you think about tip Raymond out of Illinois Big T yeah you mean the former walk-on at Illinois oh walkon at illino like a 9.9 relative Athletic score he he's a freak man he's put right in he's limited like he's he's a blocker first he doesn't have to be physically just like experience-wise he probably needs to be to to grow into more of a receiving role but he's an animal like he will kill you yeah and I I like Elijah Higgins too a converted wide receiver I believe but I think Higgins can offer you value too like for this wide receiver room is lacking in depth for sure but I think this tight end room can bring that up a little bit especially once you think about how much petting has schemed stuff up in the Run game and how they can play off that kind of the way Ben Johnson does stuff in Detroit I think there's opportunity there for this offense absolutely yeah a lot to like about this offense like this like this team a lot uh then going to the defense side of the ball or offensive line Paris Johnson we both loved him last year coming out of the draft play pretty well as a rookie that the last few weeks of the Season he start he was looking awesome man I mean the running Lanes he was opening up as a polar as a mover was really impressive his ability in space I thought I thought his Bend as an offensive lineman his ability to uh adjust his body positioning in space was so impressive and it showed up at the NFL level like there's I think dude's going to be a stud for years to come and then Jonah Williams supposed to start on the right side I think that's an improvement I mean so Paris Johnson moving over the left side um I I believe it was was it Kelvin beum thing had at left tackle I forget who it was they had last year at left tackle but you have Jonah Williams on the right side this time which I think is an upgrade for the overall offensive line um I think Williams is fine I think he's an NFL starter I'm not sure he's a good starter but he's he's an upgrade over what they had out there last year um at guard you got will Hernandez out there who's really kind of revived his career the last few years um really started to show some of the promise that made him a second round pick out of I think it was UTEP uh but big powerful blocker he's cleaned up some of the pass blocking um his run blocking is still a little suspect but like he's powerful he's a power blocker he's gonna miss guys sometimes but when he when he gets his hands on you he's free and open a lane big time um and then at Center this one of the weaker spots for them I think his Al Thro hold not quite up to par like his stats are but his tape I I I thought he was pretty susceptible at times to getting beat especially to power which you can say about a lot of centers in the league but I felt like his was a little more than you'd want to see and then also starting a guard is Isaiah Adams I believe Isaiah Adams is slayed to start rookie out of Illinois third round pick guy who I I liked in the draft I think I had a fourth round grade on him but um I think he played tackle right tackle last year at Illinois out of out of necess he doesn't have the foot speed to play tackle he got beat a lot at tackle and pushed him down the draft board I think if he stayed at guard he might have been drafted a little higher last year it's all it's that's projection that's if maybe's buts but yeah that's that's what I saw on tape I thought he he projects really well to guard and he should have been playing guard last year but he the team needed him at tackle so he played tackle and got beat now the depth here they got a lot of names it's okay I mean it they have some NFL names here but I don't feel great about their depth I just think the scheme is going to find ways to get it done like I believe in what Drew ping is doing there to to make it work and I I think that there is enough Talent here to make the offensive line work yeah absolutely yeah I mean and then you talked about will Hernandez for a second yeah I think I think he's coming on strong I know you said that uh not great was he a UTSA was it UTSA or UTF it was one of the two one of the two for sure definitely uh one of the one of the Texas schools but yeah definitely uh I thought he looked a lot better last year than he looked early on in his career yeah no he definitely did he he's really kind of turned around since getting out of New York then on the defensive side I mean this is the black eye on the roster that D tackle room like I like Dante Stills in the draft last year I think Dante Stills did some nice stuff for them but I think he's a rotational player at best I think Bal Nichols is a rotational player I think Justin Jones is a rotational player so your three starting defensive tackles are all rotational guys yeah that's that's weak you know that you're gonna have a hard time with that you're you're gonna have a bad time like that's the way about this that interior Rams that interior of the Rams offensive line that we just talked about too yeah I I don't think they're going to be able to mess a lot with that interior like I don't think they're going to be able to stuff the run up too much with it I mean even Roy Lopez and kyus Tonga big thick defensive tackles but like they're not there's a reason they've bounced around you know they're not the most reliable football players they're not the most talented I think they can offer you some run stuffing but I Tonga truly he's probably more of a a pass rushing nose tackle than which is not really what you're looking for in a nose tackle but it's it has some use and I think gan's going to find ways to scheme this this defense up but the way they had schemed up is going to be to protect the defensive tackle room not the other one the defensive tackle room isn't protecting anything on this roster yeah not a whole lot to La about this interior D line but looking on the looking on their Edge I mean I don't I don't hate their Edge room I don't I mean I think Collins has some upside D Collins uh converted linebacker I think he has the athleticism to pull off that switch and I think he did some nice stuff last year I think Dennis gck is just like a caveman who goes out there and bashes heads like what do what do you think about um darus Robinson I think Darius Robinson is a defensive tackle so that could be good that that could help them actually I forgot about while I was talking defensive tackle but I think Darius Robinson he's the type of versatile Defender who who Ganon can really utilize I'm not sure his role will be it it'll be like a f fourte five tech role like a Brandon Graham kind of um yeah kind somewhat like that's like a five tech so like I'm thinking like anywhere from a three to a five makes sense for for Darius Robinson because I think he has some unique traits like more of a three four end than anything um is kind of where my head's at for him but he's just a unique player like he does not look like he's 300 PB but he is and it he can't bend the way and that you want out of an edge rusher especially in a in a more versatile front where you want the guys to really get wide on their Edge Rush which makes me think he's handed the dirt more than not more often than not and this is just a little off topic but coming out of missou uh if if you're a b man get on Theo now because they're gonna I might win the SEC I love mizou man I love mizou this year uh BJ oari is like the polar opposite of Dar Darius Robinson white bendy Edge rusher who can play a little coverage like and oari is he's a buyin guy he's a locker room guy he's a he's a guy who he you know he wore the what was it number 14 at LSU that's like the historic number like Seven's the number the seven the number at LSU okay then he wore seven that's like the Honeybadger and Clayborn to basically every every big big time player yeah so oari War seven at LSU that tells you a lot about who he is and what he means as far as a locker room guy um and I I do think they have some pieces in this Edge room that they can make really interesting and they used well last year like I'm I can't wait to watch what gon's goingon to do with this def man like I don't think they're extremely talented I think they're going to be extremely creative help help cover the talent Gap don't sleep on them cards baby don't sleep on the Cardinals dirty birds linebacker Chris Barnes flash some on tape especially uh with with some big run stuffs I'm not sure how consistent he is with it but like he he's explosive and Kaiser white is like the definition of fine at linebacker across across the league just like who's available oh Kaiser white we'll get him yeah that'll be fine like that that's kind of how it feels every time I see him every year uh and then Mack Wilson been a solid coverage linebacker in this league for years he he'll probably play some some Sam linebacker role for them and Owen is his name Mac or McCorkle Mac it is Mac he's not a McCorkle is that confirmed I mean is he he's mccor senior if he's mccal he mcal Jun M Jon's daddy um Owen Papo super interesting player coming out of Auburn super athletic super like versatile freaky weird player uh didn't really doesn't really have a position doesn't really have great football instincts but like if there's one defense that's going to use him in an interesting way it's probably Jonathan ganon's defense so like it's again it's it's just all these weird Gadget guys for a defensive coordinator who loves to get weird and gadgety and that just feels fun then at corner there another another kind of black eye on it but they're they're they've got some young Talent here I think Sean Murphy butting is one of the most underrated guys in the last three or four years at corner so I feel like that's a pretty good signing for him just I mean I guess yeah he's going to uh probably be in the spotlight more uh on a defense like this as being one of the better guys on the defense but but still I thought that was a really really good starting for him yeah no I mean I think he's a he's he's a strong nickel Corner in the league and like it it'll be interesting to see how they deploy their nickel defense and their dime defense like they're going to get weird with it and I just I just don't know exactly what role they're going to play him in but I'm sure it's going to be fun another another strange thing about this this rookie class that they brought in they would they have eight picks and they didn't have a fifth round pick something like that all their picks were I think in the top 120 yeah yeah all but one of their picks were in the top 104 yeah so you got I mean or but two two of of it let's just say you hit at a decent rate like this could be a great rookie class for the Arizona Cardinals well I mean I liked Garrett Williams out of Syracuse last year and I love Max Melton this year like I Max Melton was probably one of my bigger like my guys in the draft because the Dude is just absolute dog he's going to get in your face he's going to ruffle your feathers he had no no fear no fear taking on Marvin Harrison Jr against Ohio State and he plays for ruers like yeah yeah and then you look at the the safety room Baker's uh Buddha Baker still good I just see the name Buddha Baker and I'm like oh dude's a dog he's fun like he's he's he's not a great coverage player he's good enough in coverage but he's more he's he's the safe he's the the mold of safety who's better moving forwards than backwards so he just stays moving forwards at all times like he's just an Energizer buddy but like much as we as much as we've talked about Jonathan Ganon with Daran Taylor Denon coming out of Texas Tech if you're not familiar with this guy he he's just a freak and if anybody can figure this man out it's Jonathan Ganon yeah well I mean he's he's also got that Energizer Bunny energy of like yeah just he's always moving but he in the opposite where I think he plays fairly like well enough moving backwards and there's enough on his tape to think he's going to get better at it but also he's he can play a nickel role and that's why I was more hesitant on Shaw Murphy bu CU I wonder where they're going to put Taylor demerson in this I wonder how much they're going to get him involved in the nickel spot as well put him put him at Edge let him rush the passer yeah he can do it all and Jaylen Thompson has been a solid safety for the Cardinals for for a few years now like there's there's more here this year and I just I really think this coaching staff is going to get a lot out of these guys and like I said especially like looking at this rookie class I mean they got they're bringing in so much young Talent so much young talent that I mean I I wouldn't be surprised if this team shocks people young Talent that's buying in like that that is a dangerous combination it's what we see in Detroit the last two years young Talent buying in with a quarterback that at one point in time was considered a top end top end quarterback yeah it's still Kyler Murray like I I feel like he gets more disrespect than anybody on this roster yeah from does from like the outside either him or uh James Conor all right let's see let's see what their schedule looks like here Cliff kingsberry Revenge game in week four yeah we both we both like the Cardinals in that so we both I have the Cardinal starting out 0 and three you have them starting out one and three we have't losing the 49ers two and three two and four oh yeah yeah two and two yeah I so I have them starting at 0 and three no you have them starting one and three or one and two I mean one and two that's that's what threw me off okay um but then I have the Cardinals making a huge run stting uh week six going through week 12 you win in Miami yeah interesting that that heat's not going to bother them they're in the desert I feel like that's Miami's biggest biggest thing about HomeField is people coming in not I mean the humidity might might get to them yeah but they're not gonna the heat's not going to be a a huge factor I guess so for them and doesn't that just seem like a Miami game to lose it does like overlooked yeah and then we have the the Vikings still in one late in the season but yeah I mean we we both like this team a lot we have 49ers sweeping which if they win one they might get week 18 uh depending on on what's going on there dude I have the Cardinals doing so well at home yeah let me see I want to see what what actual record I have for them at home I have them yeah I'm losing the Patriots at home six and three yeah that's just I had to the Patriots some wins yeah um so overall you've got them at 10 and seven I've got them at or wait no I'm sorry that's Rams got them at nine and eight I've got them at seven and 10 and actually I want to give them another give them that Patriots when the Patriots aren't beating them in Arizona that late in the season well I don't know that might that might make the Patriots negative wins yeah like they're going to win some games give them give them 49ers last game of the season oh yeah all right so I've got him at eight and nine nine and eight yeah I mean I think this is a team that's going to be running the running the cusp with 10 wins with a lot to look forward to and I mean I think I think if this team wins nine eight nine or 10 games I mean that is a huge success you have so much faith in this offense and Jonathan Ganon and this defense moving forward that if if you if you show that you can win 8 to 10 games in this division in a year like this I mean I think this is a team that's trending that's on the rise and yeah we're definitely not sleeping on the Cardinals the Arizona Cardinals were nine and eight against the spread last year at home they were five and three against the spread yeah and and they they have the ability to to keep up with anybody so I mean if this defense can get nasty yeah we're you're goingon to you're going to really see some some things out of this team I think yeah you play to win the game hello you play to win the game you don't play to just play it