The Cardinals get back into the NFC West this week to take on the first-place Rams, and do so hosting a bunch of former players at the game and other events around the weekend. Let's do a mailbag first. Don't forget to send a question for a future mailbag with at least a first name and last initial.

From Jim Carrol:

"A retired pro on the ESPN said Arizona should keep Michael Wilson at WR1 and put Marvin at WR2 when he's healthy. Not only has Michael handled the WR1 duties flawlessly, but he said it's the best thing possible for Marvin, not a punishment or anything. Marvin Sr. had Reggie Wayne to lean on. The goal is Marvin's LONG-TERM development. If that means growing in the WR2 role for now, what's the harm?"

This came in before Sunday's game, when Harrison remained WR1. I guess I understand the sentiment, but a) MHJ looked just fine playing out there and did a nice job in Tampa. Clearly his return impacted the workload of Wilson, but that was going to happen. More importantly, while I get the idea of WR1 and WR2, WR1 is still the second pass catcher on this team. Trey McBride is PC1. To me it needs to be about who is open, and how the plays are designed, and I don't see -- when all three are healthy -- it changing much. Now that Harrison has a heel issue, it may be a moot point short-term.

From Sebas Quiros:

"Was doing some thinking and I came to a realization. Do you believe that it's better to have an offensive-minded head coach? If you think about it, most really good teams or teams with a solid record have an offensive-minded head coach (Sean McVay, Andy Reid, Shane Steichen, Ben Johnson, Matt Lafleur, Nick Sirianni, Sean Payton, to name a few.) I realize there are some exceptions, but it seems like for the most part having an offensive-minded head coach seems like a recipe for success."

I don't think it's that cut and dried. A good head coach is a good head coach. Part of the reason there are so many successful offensive head coaches right now is because those are the coaches all getting HC opportunities. There have been plenty of offensive head coaches who have failed too. It's an offensive league. But finding the best guy regardless of background still is the most important.

From Mitch Lasandra:

"Hey Darren,

1. The question was raised - will Michael Wilson remain WR1 once Marvin returned. I watched the game and actually have no idea. Who was WR1 vs Tampa? And If it was Marvin, did we ever ask JG about Marvin being WR2, for the good of Marvin? (I still think Mike1/Marvin2 would be great for both guys).
2. We saw Marvin hobbling around the field with a heel injury. At some point you must ask is a hurt Marvin better than the healthy backup? Just put in Weaver, rather than Marvin risking injuring himself further, no?
3. Garrett Williams has regressed this year. He's frankly having a bad season, and the question is do you think his knee injury is playing a factor?
4. Why do our punt return guys field the ball at the 4? Is there not a Pop Warner rule that says 'plant your feet on the 10, if it goes over your head let it go?'
5. We got a new holder and now FGs are being missed. Coincidence? Why the heck did we cut our last punter anyways?"

Hey.

1. Again, Harrison looked like WR1, per se.
2. I don't know the specifics of what MHJ was doing to feel OK on the sideline, but that's an in the moment thing. They didn't keep him out there. But it makes sense to try if you're up for it. I know they aren't putting anyone back out there if there is a chance it'll get worse.
3. I'm not sure why you think Williams is playing poorly. I'm not sure he's at the level he reached last season, but, for instance, Pro Football Focus ranks his grade 36th out of 108 cornerbacks. He's not having a bad season. And no, I don't think the knee is an issue.
4. I don't know of any specific Cardinals examples, but I do agree that in today's NFL and college, too many times return men are catching the ball inside the 10 and I don't really understand it. (As I write this, Marcus Jones of the Patriots hauls in a punt at his own 6 -- and returns it 94 yards. So ...)
5. Yes, coincidence. Chad Ryland has made that clear. The holds have not been a problem. And they changed punters because Matt Haack is better at punting.

From Chris Pritchett:

"Greetings from the growing NFL fan base in the UK! Thanks for your Larry Fitzgerald HOF update article. It prompted some reflection on 'the good old days' when Carson Palmer was in town. How exactly did he come to leave the Bengals and land in Arizona? With all the QB chat recently I find the 'whys and wherefores' (did they need apostrophes?) of teams letting QBs walk an interesting cognitive exercise! (£5 says you 'correct' my spelling of exercise)!"

Well, look here, I get $6.60 because I didn't change anything. Not sure why I would -- that's the right spelling of exercise. It's not like you used the word labor or color with your wacky extra "u." (And no, no apostrophes. Good call.)

In any case, Carson Palmer's journey. You left out a team. So Palmer played for the Bengals and essentially got so fed up with the organization and their lack of winning. He requested a trade after 2010 or said he'd retire. The Bengals didn't want to lose him, but Palmer held firm. He was finally traded to the Raiders nine weeks into the 2011 season. After the 2012 season, the Raiders were ready to move on, and the Cardinals, who had just hired Bruce Arians and had just signed QB Drew Stanton, decided to trade for him for 6th- and 7th-round picks and make him the starter. Worked out pretty well.

From Guy Mitchell:

"Happy to see that OT Christian Jones is practicing again (limited). That's big news. I don't know why you say he hasn't played well when he did play. Have you see our starting right tackles? The bar isn't high. CJ is a young guy, with a ton of talent, just needs reps. Have some faith in him."

Hey, it'd be great if Jones can return and turn into a solid tackle. They would love that. He has a ways to go at this point.

From Tom Leubin:

"Any chance we can get Xavier Thomas back on the practice squad? Really like the guy, brings good juice."

I don't expect it. If the Cardinals want a guy on the practice squad, they often cut them Monday or Tuesday so they are around all week. A release on a Friday usually is a permanent move. They already have two OLBs on the practice squad. (UPDATE: Thomas signed with the Texans practice squad.)

From Al Morehead:

"Hey Darren, Zach posted a well-written article about the dynamic duo Budda and Jalen, which is a nice feel-good piece, but honestly, since being a supplemental draft pick, Jalen has carved out a nice career for himself. But he's currently the third-highest paid member of the team; and his contributions fall short of justifying that number. He's a FA this offseason and its time to move on. Budda is everything you want in a football player and I strongly believe he will be in the ROH someday. However Budda is not everything you want in a safety. He has eight career interceptions. It's time to move on. We MUST get a safety duo who generates turnovers."

I don't know what is going to happen with Thompson and free agency, but Budda isn't going anywhere. The Cardinals need to generate more turnovers period, but I don't think that's a safety-only thing. The Cardinals don't generate a lot of interceptions with the defensive backs overall. That needs to improve.

From Dale Hatfield:

"Hi Darren. It goes without saying that the mailbag is much appreciated. But I'll say it anyway. You do a great job. I have a statement of opinion about Kyler Murray, and then a question. Kliff Kingsbury ruined Kyler Murray. You do not get to be a first-round draft pick in both football and baseball unless you are damn good. The first two years under Kingsbury, with Murray at quarterback, the Cardinals were 19-14. Then Steve Keim and Kingsbury embarrassed Murray with that contract clause, and Murray went to being a 19-38 quarterback. Now my question, how can the NFL call a drug test random when they regularly target players who have had a breakout game? And what does the NFLPA say about those un-random, random drug tests?"

Dale, that whole thing gave me whiplash. I guess I'll start with the second part first. I'd love to see how you know they "regularly target" players who have a breakout game? A handful of social media anecdotes doesn't means every guy has a big game; I'd guess it's a small percentage and yes, a coincidence. A bunch of guys are tested at the same time. It's not one guy at a time.

Now with the Murray analysis, I'm confused about the 19-14, 19-38 thing. That math doesn't work as a total, it doesn't work on the timeline (Murray and the Cardinals were 5-10-1 when he was a rookie and went 8-8 the next year, those were the first two years.) The marriage between Kliff and Kyler didn't work out, that's OK. But if you are going to say they "ruined" Kyler, that means Murray has no chance to have much of a career left, and that's foolish. Kyler certainly isn't saying that.

From Michael H:

"Why is Michael Carter not permanently on an NFL roster? He is clearly at least a backup caliber RB. If he's fresh, I'm taking him over all but maybe 20 running backs in this league. Did you see the tackles he broke? Is the NFL too obsessed with physical measurable like size and speed? Especially at the RB position? I can't help but think about Cam Skattebo who everyone (even non-ASU fans) in Arizona knew would be better than a third-round pick."

Skattebo was a fourth-round pick. So there's that. As for Carter, I like him -- he's one of my favorite interviews in that locker room -- and he's been productive every time we've seen him. However, he has spent considerable time on the practice squad the last two seasons, and no one has scooped him up. So whatever the reason, the entire league disagrees with your sentiment. I feel confident that wouldn't have happened if teams -- one team -- believed he was a top-25 running back. That's not a knock on Carter, and I think the Cardinals have been lucky to have him. Injuries have hurt, but when healthy I think an RB room of Conner/Benson/Emari/Knight/Carter is incredibly deep. (And one might have to be on the PS. That's been Carter.)

From Bob Kitsos:

"Why was there no defensive back within 20 yards of OL Tristan Wirfs on Tampa Bay's first touchdown?"

Gannon said simply it was a bust. You had an eligible receiver and they just failed to account for him.

From Jay Schubert:

"Darren, I have read a few people in your mailbag bashing Kyler and praying that the Cardinals move on and find another quarterback. Kyler is a good quarterback, and I am convinced several teams will jump at the opportunity to secure his talents for their organization. If you take the quarterback out of the picture, what is lacking on offense that would allow any good quarterback from thriving here? Seems to me we have two good quarterbacks on this team under contract, so we have time to fix the lacking needs rather than search for another QB. Your thoughts please?"

I think there are/will be a lot of factors that go into what the Cardinals do and analyze at quarterback in the offseason. One is the players at the position itself. But yes, there are other offensive factors that have to be evaluated, from coaching to offensive line to health at running back. The whole "it takes 11" feels cliche but it is cliche because it is absolutely true. The idea that anyone would blame only the quarterback, whomever it is, for inconsistencies, is disingenuous. Frankly, it's come from all sides in the quarterback discussion.

From Matt H:

"I like Jonathan Gannon. He built a good culture in Arizona. But that's all. He hasn't brought anything that made Philly elite, like a working tush-push. What is going to happen with him? Also, thanks for dealing with distraught fans year after year. I'm usually with you on the 'the season isn't over until it's over' thing, but we might have different definitions of 'over.' As soon as we are mathematically eliminated from the postseason, I start looking at next year. I'm confident many other diehard fans (and all the fair-weather fans) feel similarly."

I think it's funny that the tush push is now a symbol of success, when few teams run it well. (And it might be illegal sooner rather than later anyway.) But in any case, I am a believer that the analysis from this owner has always come after the season. I get that people get emotional and want immediate change when things aren't great, but that usually a) means nothing in terms of results and b) feels quick trigger.

As for it being "over," everyone can look at things the way they want. There are always stories to tell regardless of record. And in terms of looking to next year, for me, it's more about I will have plenty of time for that as soon as the games end. I totally see the thing about looking forward. If this wasn't my job, I might be the same. But January through April is a long time if you go through all the storylines before December ends.

From Lorna Green:

"Thanks for this forum, Darren, to get questions answered. Much appreciated. I was just wondering if the Cardinals would be able to use two quarterbacks during games, not just for an occasional specific play. Both Kyler and Jacoby have different skillsets and if alternated during a game, it could leave the defense guessing."

There is an old saying, mostly used in the college game. "If you have two quarterbacks, you have none." And I fully subscribe to that. The slight advantage you might get leaning into two different skillsets is buried in an avalanche of issues it would bring -- consistency from play to play, leadership in the huddle and in the locker room, telegraphing types of plays based on the guy out there, and I could go on -- and it just doesn't make sense to me. Not at that position. One guy is better. Now, how you judge "better" can move somewhat, but to have one who is superior sitting to put in one that isn't as good doesn't make sense at the game's most important spot.

From Chris Mateo:

"This started off as a simple 'whatcha think about the Suns' question and just evolved into a pretty good discussion. What are your thoughts on this Suns team? Might not be contenders but they are fun to watch. It's funny that certain players like Grayson Allen, Dillion Brooks, Jae Crowder, are considered goons you hate until they're on your team and suddenly they are integral to our culture and toughness. I do feel the Cardinals are missing that Dillion Brooks. Too many nice guys on this team. Look at the OL. Athletes, but no violence. I don't like Richie Incognito, but it feels like we need one. Look at the WR position. Marvin, Michael, Zay. Not a diva in the bunch. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but the NFL HOF is chock full of diva WRs for a reason. Larry is the exception to the rule. I recall Anquan Boldin blowing up at Todd on the sidelines in the playoffs. You need that fire."

I am going to disagree on the violence on the OL, particularly with Will Hernandez and Paris Johnson Jr. I'm not messing with most of them on game days. But when it comes to the wide receivers, I'm going to argue this -- if you are a diva, you better be a good player. Good players get away with being divas. Diva-ness doesn't make you good, and being a diva without being good gets you cut. Michael Crabtree was a good example here in 2019. Also, Anquan wasn't a diva. Ripping into Haley wasn't about being a diva. It was about having fire. And I see fire from Michael Wilson, or Trey McBride. What you are asking for, it seems, is an instigator. I'm not sure I agree. Most football coaches frown heavily on a guy who may or may not piss off an opponent but also may or may not get a 15-yard flag at a terrible time.

From John Tharp:

"A non-football question that matches the time of year. In your time with the Cardinals what are a few things that the team has done off the field that has most impressed you or made you proud to be part of the Cardinal organization? Do you know if Michael Bidwill and family have any favorite moments of off-field activities they feel most proud of and honored to be affiliated with?"

The first thing that comes to mind, because it is so recent, is Cardinals Climb to raise money and awareness for special needs. It's important anyway, and close to home for a number of higher-ups here who have family members with autism. I know the Bidwill family feels like the Feed The Hungry event each year is important and get out there around Thanksgiving. But for me, and it's not necessarily charity per se, I am a huge fan of when players -- especially the bigger "names" -- make the little extra effort to say hi to a kid on the sideline pregame, or in the stands, or throw a pair of gloves or take a quick selfie. That happens a lot, but even at my age, the few times I had an interaction like that with a pro athlete, it is next level. That stuff gets remembered forever.