Darren is back from vacation and yet I somehow got roped into doing his work by answering this week's mailbag? Fishy, fishy ... Either way, I'm eager to answer the questions submitted as we approach the start of training camp. Darren should be back to answering the mailbag next week but at this rate, who knows? As always, make sure you send in your questions for a future mailbag with at least a first name and last initial.
From Juli S:
"Do you think they will use Marvin Harrison Jr. more of a slot receiver and also down the field? He doesn't seem to have that breakaway speed. Thanks."
I do see coach Mike LaFleur utilizing Marvin Harrison Jr. in the slot more than we've seen in the past. Harrison's time in the slot dropped drastically last season but you could attribute that to receiver injuries, QB changes, etc. as the offense tried to create consistency and matchup advantages. Most of his time has been out wide and while LaFleur believes Harrison has the typical build of an 'X' receiver, LaFleur also noted recently that his system allows receivers to move outside to inside "on a whim."
Breakaway speed might not be what makes Harrison stand out, but there's more than one way to beat a defender out wide: creating space, having good hands, route timing, winning contested catches, all of which Harrison has proven capable. I expect to see Harrison in the slot more than last year, but I don't expect him to have near as many routes inside as he will outside with the addition of Kendrick Bourne.
From Julian Johnson:
"Full disclosure, I'm an absolute draft sicko. I look at draft projections two to three years in advance. Not particularly for players, since fortunes rise and fall greatly during the CFB season, but I look at position concentrations. For example:
- 2027 draft: Strong at QB, pass rusher and CB. Weak at LB
- 2028 draft: Strong at QB, WR, and OT. Weak at pass rusher and CB
- 2029 draft: Strong at QB and OT. Weak at pass rusher and CB
There's a lot of talk about 'we must find out if Beck is the guy in 2026 because there are good QBs in 2027.' There are good QBs in the next three drafts. At least 3 'top 10' guys in each. That tells me we don't need to be in a rush. Same goes for OT. I understand why Monti Ossenfort did not draft a high-round OT in 2026. There is a good supply of blue-chip OTs in the next three drafts. My question is is that realistic? Because I'm also aware GMs are in win-now mode always. They might not care about the 2028-2029 draft given they might not be around for it unless they win now."
It seems you answered your own question because teams (general managers, coaches, players and owners) want to win now. This league is built on urgency and for better or worse, gone are the days of allowing a young quarterback 3-4 years of development before criticisms and conclusions are made. Teams are looking roughly two years ahead when it comes to evaluations, correct. But it's not always as simple as passing on a good player or position of need and assuming someone better will be at your disposal the following year. This year's draft is a great example of not having as many projected blue-chip quarterbacks, pass rushers or offensive tackles in the top 10 as years past.
The team won't play rookie quarterback Carson Beck before he's ready, which will likely take longer than many fans would like to admit. Being a third-round pick means the team sees potential, but the urgency to start early isn't there the way it is for a first-rounder. Remember, there's a reason the team kept Jacoby Brissett and brought in Gardner Minshew II. In regards to drafting a QB in 2027, even if Beck plays a handful of games this year and looks good, if the Cardinals end up with a top draft pick and like a quarterback enough, there's probably not much Beck could realistically show for the Cards to pass on that opportunity (i.e. Josh Rosen/Kyler Murray circa 2019). Doesn't mean there isn't value in seeing what Beck can offer if the situation to play is right. The Cardinals are looking for a long-term answer at quarterback and it's better to make a sound decision rather than rush into one.
From Gary Muller:
"I live in Chicagoland, and I've been a Big Red fan since birth in 1960. I'm very curious, with Jon Gruden's recent comments about QB hand clapping, why it's probably never been discussed in this forum that Kyler Murray used hand claps almost exclusively as a Cardinals QB. Wasn't it a huge advantage to defenses watching and waiting for his hand claps to time their pass rush? Also I'm excited about our direction this year and think we can make a playoff run in spite of all the naysayers. Go Big Red!"
I joined the staff three years into Kyler Murray's career, but I did find this article from Darren citing how the Cardinals wanted to use hand claps under Kliff Kingsbury in 2019. You're correct, cadence can be used as a weapon to draw a defense offside much more than an expected hand clap. It's likely that when this coaching staff focused on pre-snap responsibilities during rookie minicamp this was a topic discussed with Carson Beck, who mostly relied on hand claps in college. Beck has said that moving towards a verbal snap count hasn't been a difficult adjustment. Zach Gershman spoke with Jon Gruden about hand claps, specifically regarding Beck, earlier this offseason.
(Side note from Darren: The Cardinals had basically gone away from hand claps by the time Kyler's rookie season started.)
From Darren Parson:
"Which not-well-known young player has been catching your eye, and do you believe they can help this upcoming season and possibly in years to come?"
I was going back and forth between two young players but ultimately landed on cornerback Denzel Burke. Last year he saw the field every game, playing on defense and special teams 15 games each (the two games he didn't play on special teams had him see almost 100 percent of the snaps of defense). Burke wasn't fazed by the bright lights in big moments. Despite limited defensive reps for the first half of the season, he racked up 11 passes defensed and led the team with three interceptions. Burke is high up in the competition to be a starting outside cornerback, one of the more intriguing position battles heading into training camp. Honorable mention: rookie wide receiver Reggie Virgil.
This could be a fun question to answer more in depth on this week's Cardinals Underground podcast with Darren and Craig. Stay tuned.
From Garth Short:
"Craig/Dani/Darren, thanks for considering my question. Just about ALL the experts have said that the Cardinals have had a bad offseason, and while I disagree I realize they might be correct. I'm wondering if teams track how these experts did a year ago? For instance, take the teams that made the playoffs, all the way to the Super Bowl. Where did the experts have them ranked at this time last year? Would be nice to know how expert the 'experts' really are."
No, teams don't track how experts rank offseason moves or expected wins outside of maybe seeing a post while scrolling social media. Players and coaches aren't concerned about offseason projections, nor should they be given how the league can flip on a dime any given Sunday. Last year most experts had the Cardinals winning roughly six to eight games and ranked them in the mid-to low-20's. Those preseason predictions were prior to injuries to the team's starting quarterback, running backs, blocking tight end, first-round draft pick on the defensive line, etc. Proof that those lists will be obsolete come Week 1.
From Tim Sherman:
"I have seen the Jacoby Brissett situation going on. I was wondering based on what you have seen, does Carson Beck have a chance to start Week 1 over Brissett or Minshew?"
No. That's the largely abridged answer but it's what's realistic. I understand fans see hope/potential in Carson Beck, but he's still a rookie and we're not talking about a first-round pick here. The Cardinals will play the quarterback that can best help them win and Week 1 that hierarchy is Jacoby Brissett then Gardner Minshew and then Beck. Good college quarterbacks still need time to adjust to the speed of the game, playcalls, and new styles of play in the NFL. That doesn't happen overnight, regardless of the desire from the fanbase. Players and coaches want to win to keep their jobs and hit contract incentives, and it's a quick way to lose a locker room by playing any player that isn't ready or the best fit to win games simply because of their draft selection.
We haven't seen Beck throw with pads on or under pressure, so it's still too early to tell what he could look like. I could see a scenario where Beck plays a few games late in the year once he's ready and if the Cardinals are in a position where it's time to look towards the future and what they have, but starting Beck immediately simply because he was a draft pick or the fans are intrigued is not how coaches and personnel decision-makers operate.
From Robert Malicki:
"Players and staff are reporting to camp soon. My question zeros in on how those relationships will develop. Coach LaFleur is our division's sole rookie HC and he will be facing formidable opponents twice each this season. I see his hiring coach/advisors in addition to OC and DC and position coaches as an astute move. I do not buy the national media's narrative which denigrates our team at every turn. LaFleur has some savvy of his own and will build a potent offense. It's the defense which must keep up in every game and compete for four quarters. How do things appear from your perch?"
Truthfully, we won't know how these changes will shake out until a few weeks into the season when the dust settles, which is why so much of this down time is filled with rankings and projections. The best way to change the national narrative is to win games – it's that simple.
This is the time of year where it's exciting to see the positives, hope and potential, but the time to perform is on the horizon where it's on the players and coaches to prove why they were brought here. The Cardinals have to be more competitive within the NFC West than they've been in years past. It's intriguing that Mike LaFleur has experience coaching under two of the three rival coaches in Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, two teams, and offenses in particular, that have been consistently successful.
The Cards added new faces to the defensive line and hardly elsewhere on that side of the ball, which tells me there's confidence in who they have on the roster. It's time for those players to elevate their play and dominate in arguably the toughest division in football.
From Mark Bailey:
"Thanks to your whole team! Do the Cardinals have any idea who will become the commentators for the games yet? Can you remind me who were the color commentators from, say, 1995 thru 1999? I can't remember. I do remember they were awesome. Living in Pinetop at the time when the games were broadcast free. Now my message to fans: LET'S GO Big Red! Please quit all your crying about what was and started thinking what can be. New year and anything is possible!"
Lucky for you, Mark, we have an in-house memory bank of everything Cardinals-related in the form of our director of radio and audio content, Jim Omohundro, who kindly helped with this one. John Mistler, a former ASU and New York Giants wide receiver, worked with Dave Pasch from 2002-2004 until Ron Wolfley joined the broadcast in 2005. Mistler worked with the Cardinals from the mid-90s, including the playoff run to the NFC Divisional round in 1998.
There's no official word yet on who will take over for Pasch after 24 years in the radio booth. I speak for our group in saying it's bittersweet seeing Pasch sign a well-deserved contract for an expanded role with ESPN, while selfishly knowing how much we will miss his presence and calls from the booth. Regardless of who joins our group, I'm eager to work on our gameday broadcasts with our talented crew.
