Padded practices are underway. Football is really here. The Red-White practice is Saturday. The mailbag is today. Questions have been edited for length and clarity. Don't forget to send a question for a future mailbag with at least a first name and last initial.
From Dan M:
"How is it possible we had a first-round defensive lineman injure his calf before the season for a second straight year? What does this mean for Walter Nolen? I know the Cardinals have a lot of defensive linemen but it's not a good sign when your top draft pick misses training camp."
Calves, as Darius Robinson and Kevin Durant have shown, are a tricky bunch. They can turn into a lingering or even a much worse injury. Calais Campbell said the only advice he'd have for Walt is to get totally healthy. When that will be is TBD, but with who the Cardinals have right now healthy on the defensive line, they can afford to wait. It stinks. You hope he doesn't have as many bumps in the road as Robinson did last year. But waiting is the only option.
From Mike L:
"There has been so much talk about the Cards needing a receiver who can stretch the field. Can Xavier Weaver be that guy? I have to follow camp from afar. (I am in Texas). But I remember a lot of hype around him during camp last year. It seemed like he was consistently making tough and amazing catches downfield. Then he only got into two games without even one target. It seemed like in the SF game he was consistently open and leading his defender, but still not a single target. In many ways, he reminds me of Greg Dortch as someone who just needs the chance to play with the lights on. Does he stick with the team and finally get the chance to make an impact?"
I like that Weaver has put on a little weight, because he was straight skinny as a rookie. But there are rungs for him to climb to make the 53-man roster. Unless he's a return man, which right now he is not slotted to be, I'm not sure how much special teams he can play, and I don't see him surpassing Zay Jones or Greg Dortch at the moment. It could change, and maybe he is another Dortch. But he still has much to show.
From Ken Moroney:
"Each preseason game, it seems like fewer and fewer starting skill guys play. I understand the worry over injuries. Do you think in the future we might some day see preseason flag football games so skilled personnel can compete with a greatly reduced chance of injuries? I would think having your best receiver matched up versus the best corner or safety in preseason would be beneficial. Thanks sir."
No, there will not be flag football in the NFL. You can still mess up your ACL in flag football playing at top speed. If you play tackle football there are going to be injury risks. That's just the deal. I don't see the league ever going back to preseason the way it was; too many coaches don't see the benefit. I do think players need to play some; not having any game action until it counts doesn't pay off in my opinion. But plenty of coaches feel otherwise.
From Nathan Mills:
"Hi Darren, long-time reader, first-time asker. I have a handful of questions for you.
- The comment was made that Walter Nolen was hurt 'training.' That's interesting wording. What exactly does that mean?
- With the loss of Star, do you expect the addition of a veteran CB (I'm partial to Stephon Gilmore).
- How has DRob looked so far? He was on a tear last camp, hoping he picks up again, now healthy.
- What's the timeline on BJ Ojulari's return? And is Sweat/Browning our starting guys currently?
- Has Calais Campbell's return seemed a little unceremonious to you? We've been talking about CCs return FOREVER. Next up D-Wash and Donovan. But Calais, there's not much fanfare. I don't know what I expected, but maybe he'd be more vocal, more interviews. It's just been underwhelming after such a big buildup. It's he intentionally taking a backseat so as not to step on the toes of young leaders like Paris?"
I appreciate you taking part. Here are a handful of answers.
- I don't know specifics, but given the wording and timing -- he was hurt before camp started -- I am guessing he got hurt working out prior to camp. Since he wasn't put on the non-football-injured list, I would guess he was working out as the Cardinals had prescribed.
- They did sign a Gilmore. Is that OK? I don't anticipate, at this point, them signing a vet who would challenge for a lot of playing time. They want to see what all these draft picks can do.
- I think Robinson has looked sharp early on. Let's see the next week or two.
- No timeline we have heard on Ojulari. Right now, generally it is Sweat and Zaven Collins. Browning is going to be in the rotation.
- I don't know if there was supposed to be that big of a Campbell echo when he came back. It's not like we have ignored him. There will be more as the season goes on. Trust me, no one is ignoring Calais.
From Jack B:
Hi Darren, I was born and have lived in Scotland all my life but been a big fan of the Cards since I first watched them in Super Bowl XLIII. Although we enjoyed a brief period in the sun (pardon the pun) in the Arians years, it feels as though we're largely a team in transition. Do you think we have real playoff potential this year? Or should I settle again for another season that's more rebuilding than results?"
This team has the ability to reach the postseason. It's hard not to think they haven't built to that at this point. But Kyler Murray noted they have to perform on the field. A lot goes into making the playoffs. I can say this; I think they have a better chance at the playoffs than they have, but I have also watched seasons like 2016. You still gotta get it done on the field.
From Jack S:
"Hi Darren, thanks for taking our questions. What do you see being better for the Cardinals this season, the offense or the defense, and which has the higher ceiling? We clearly added a lot more talent to a defense that was better than expected last season, and I think most of the guys we brought in can make a real impact. Both sides have some proven talent, but it seems to me that the defense has a lot more high-ceiling guys."
Which side has a higher ceiling? That's actually an interesting question. If you've been in the league three or more years already, you probably are what you are right? I know there are arguments about, say, Kyler, but on defense you have a lot of vets. In the ceiling conversation, you have the cornerbacks, and then Nolen and Robinson on the D-line. On offense, you are still likely looking at Benson, MHJ, Michael Wilson, Paris, Adams and maybe McBride as potentially room to grow. This might be a Cardinals Underground topic. I guess in the end I'm still going to say defense but I don't think it's a clear answer.
From James B:
"I'm curious about how many passes to Marvin Harrison Jr. that got knocked out of his arms due to the defender having his arm/arms in between MHJ's? My question is what's your opinion about MHJ bulking up on his arms and upper body. Will he come down with more of those kind of balls due to his new strength?"
I'm sure you won't be surprised that's one stat they don't keep. I do think his strength will make a difference on plays similar to that. Sometimes, though, a defender makes a good play -- like getting his arm lodged in between the receiver's arms to break up the pass. I think Harrison is going to be better in all areas this season, because of his added strength, mostly because of his added confidence.
From Mike W:
"I keep reading about 'rivalry' games and a new look uniform specifically designed for this 'rivalry' game. The NFL said months ago that these games would be advertised right after the full schedule release. One of my favorite things is getting to buy a new jersey, one of my least favorite things is getting that jersey AFTER the event. Any ideas when this game will be played and when the uniforms will be unveiled?"
Mike, you sent this in late last week right before the news came out. The rivalry game has been set -- Sept. 25 against the Seahawks. But happily for you, the uniform reveal (and when the apparel is scheduled to be available) is Aug. 28. You should have a month.
From Matthew C:
"How many names you recognize when you go through mailbag questions? As someone who's read every single mailbag since 2018, I see a lot of recurring askers, although myself I enjoy using pseudonyms, especially if I ask two questions in one week (don't tell Darren)."
If you want me to be honest -- and I know that you do -- I don't love fake names. I mean, I'll never know if it is a "normal name," but nicknames and/or using famous fictional names, I've been tempted in the past to just trash the question. I don't see why it's hard to give a first name/last initial of who you are. You're just asking about football.
The two question thing is fair, although if I notice one person has asked two questions separately, I try to combine them.
From Georg W:
"Hi Darren, first of all, I hope you had a restful and enjoyable time off. While the team did a great job holding down the fort in your absence, I´ve got to say, it´s great to have you back running the mailbag. Greetings from Austria! I´m probably one of the few Cardinals fans over here -- my first game was actually the 2016 matchup against the Rams. Even though we lost, I´ve been a loyal Cards fan ever since. That´s why I was especially excited when Bernhard Seikovits joined the team a few years ago, even it didn´t work out for him in the long run. But now there´s new hope with another Austrian: offensive lineman Valentin Senn. With Senn as an O-lineman, I feel the chances are a bit more realistic, though I haven´t seen or heard much about his progress so far. What are your impressions of Senn so far? Have you met him?
"And as a European, I have to ask, have you ever watched a game of the European League of Football? The level is still far from the NFL, and the league is going through some tough times right now - but it's been a fun way to get a bit of football during the offseason. Thanks for all your great work."
Second part first, I have not had a chance to watch a European League game (I have watched Premier League, though. That's football, right?) Perhaps I will check out some highlights on youtube. As for Senn, I immediately liked his chances better than Seiko (sorry Seiko) because he played major college football before getting to the NFL. That said, he is someone who we will need to check on in a year or two. He is raw, and the level here is so much higher than he is used to. But that's the point of the international exemption, to have time to hopefully develop some of these guys.
From Robert Malicki:
"Hello, Darren. Thank you for the link of that final game of the 1983 season victory over the Iggles. I was at that game shivern' and stompin' my feet as a loyal season ticket holder. My question has to do with how I felt driving home. I felt hopeful that the team under Jim Hanifan had arrived at the point where they could roll in '84. And they did, becoming one of my favorite teams in Cardinal history. Do you think Gannon with his revised staff see themselves as having turned the corner in their strategic plan?"
That's an interesting question. Both J.G. and Monti Ossenfort would never been so forthcoming to say anything like that for public consumption. And maybe they are built in such a way that they never could quite feel just so. But three years in, having changed the roster so dramatically, it'd be hard not to feel like you are turning a corner. The reality is, in this business, if you haven't by now, the pressure mounts quickly.
From Matthew Stroh:
"Hey Darren, hope you had a great vacation. What is your opinion about fully guaranteed contracts? Not trying to get you in trouble but there's just been a lot of controversy over this offseason about fully guaranteed contracts. I heard one person say that quarterbacks shouldn't want fully guaranteed contracts because that means they're stuck with that team and as long as they play good somebody will always give them money because franchise quarterbacks do not grow on trees. Thank you for your time."
Fully guaranteed contracts in the NFL is a sensitive subject. I understand both sides of the argument, and I would never blame the players for wanting them. I do think, and we have seen this somewhat with Kirk Cousins, that if we ever reached fully guaranteed deals for all in the NFL the contract lengths would quickly become shorter. It would also change some of the flexibility for teams -- I wonder if they would have to tweak salary cap rules.
