The Big Easy awaits. Game week is here, and while it might not be easy, the Cardinals finally have regular-season football against the Saints. And a mailbag too. As always, 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 L:
"Finally, real football. We don't have to talk about whether the starters are going to play, or about new uniforms, or whether the Cardinals are overrated or underrated. They will actually play. On to New Orleans. So that leads me to my question: A win is a win, I get that. But don't the Cardinals have to look pretty powerful in this first game, given that the Saints have clearly taken a step back (or more)? For that matter, don't we have to be 2-0, because you have to beat the Panthers at home, right?"
Let's slow down here just a tad, Don. We're just getting into the first week so we'll wait to talk about what might happen in Week 2 a little later. As for the Saints game, you don't want the team to stumble and fumble. You want them to look crisp. You need them to win, yes. But this is the NFL. No one is going to complain if the Cards are efficient and win the game, say, 21-17. Because yes, a win is a win. I do want to see this defense do well, however, against Spencer Rattler.
From Bob Pace:
"Football is back! And back is a discussion that was had earlier in the offseason, but I think needs to be repeated again, and again: Kyler Murray MUST run the football if our offense is to succeed. Did you know 2024 was statistically the LEAST rushing Kyler has done in a season (if looking at rushing attempts/games played)? Kyler had his best seasons in 2020 and 2021, rushing an average of 7 times per game in that span. Not a coincidence that's when we were winning. You've heard Kyler's comments and all the coaches comments and watched all the practices. What is your confidence we are going to get back to the 7+ rushing attempts Kyler Murray in 2025?"
I have no idea how that will work out. I'd have to go back and look, but it wasn't like Kyler was doing seven designed runs a game four years ago. I am not surprised he was down statistically last year -- it's not usually apparent when it's not a skill position, but guys the full season after their ACL tear are usually inherently reticent. It's understandable. Do I think they need Murray to be more productive as a runner? I think that can only help. It's a big reason teams fear Kyler. But whether that is the linchpin to the offense, more than, say, MHJ getting much better? Can't go there.
From Max O:
"Hi Darren, just watched Gannon's presser on Monday announcing the captains for 2025. It was a story in 2024 that the captaincy shrunk from 6 to 4. Now we are back to 6. I'm sure someone has asked JG about that, but if not, free prompt! Also, you've been around the team a long time and have been through many of these captain votes. I know this is a little bit of a sensitive issue, but how do guys react when they were captains last year, but not this year? I can't think of one, but I'm sure it's happened."
I would have to check, but I think it actually happened to Fitz once. And to be honest, I don't think it impacted Fitz a lot because he was OK not having such titles. Dennis Gardeck was a captain in 2023 and not in 2024, but at the same time, the coaches picked captains in 2023 and the players voted in 2024 (and as you said the number of captains shrunk too.) I don't know how guys would react to it, but I think generally they get the back and forth. Every team is different.
From Jacob Robles:
"I'm always hearing Kyler Murray is dragging the Cardinals down but I think he can at least take us to to the playoffs this year. With how much the team has improved since last year, what are your thoughts on Kyler Murray and his lack of playoff success and do you think he can take us to the promised land?"
Murray has the talent to succeed in the postseason. I have no doubt about that. But until you do it you haven't done it. So I understand why people wouldn't buy all-in. Kyler gets that. Frankly, I don't think it bothers him, the fans with doubts. In the end, he wants to win so the Cardinals are successful. That's what matters to him. He'll have arguably his best chance this season.
From Jerry J:
"Somebody asked coach about overthinking your opponent since they've been scouting the Saints for three months. But have they been scouting the Saints for three months? I would hope they've been scouting ALL our 2025 opponents for three months, not just putting all our eggs in the Week 1 basket only."
The coaches have looked at all the opponents for some time, but only in a limited way for the most part. No reason to spend a ton of time on say, the Seahawks for Week 4 or the Titans in Week 5 when you are going to be able to have a handful of actual game tape to study rather than whatever you might have previous. The point Gannon made about overthinking is real, however. It's like anything. You can study for a test too much. (For any test takers reading this, this doesn't mean you don't study.)
From Andrew Miller:
"Hi Darren, thanks for hosting the mailbag and your omnipresent candor. My question is about the logistics of how position players who are deep on the roster and who also have special teams responsibilities are directed for 'study time.' When the team breaks into different rooms, where do these players go? For instance, would a third-string cornerback who is also on multiple coverage and return squads go to the cornerback room, the special teams room, or some combination, and does the content of the meeting make a difference where they go with film versus a strategic session?"
"Omnipresent candor." I'm bringing that up on the podcast. There is a pretty easy explanation for this one. There is a specific special teams meeting each day. Most players have some role on special teams (even as a backup) but if they don't, they can just hang out in the locker room or cafeteria or training room. Then come the offensive and defensive meetings, usually first as a group and then breaking into position rooms.
From Ben Brent:
"Hi Darren. I want to pushback on a comment you made in last week's mailbag. In response to the frustration over the release of Simi Fehoko, despite good play, you invoked the similar situation of Cap Capi. Kudos to you, that was a heck of a pull. However, that also re-lit the frustration over his release as well, for good reason. What I disagree with is you saying "sure it's unfair but oh well, life goes on.' We understand that. However, Cap Capi had four sacks in the preseason and he was released, and he never played another snap of football. I don't think Cap Capi would agree with the sentiment "oh well, life goes on" after putting up a stellar performance in PS, and still having his football career end. It's incredibly unfair and I think it deserves some empathy. Lastly, all of this betrays the idea of 'the best players play.' That's BS. Money and draft slot matter more than performance when guys like Fehoko and Capi get cut, but inferior players are kept."
Let's start with what I wrote. "He didn't stick. Fans were upset. But life went on." Did not put the "oh well" into it, which would have made it much more of a troll. Anyway, my comment was not toward Cap Capi, or Simi, or whomever. It was to fans, fans who to me had an outsized reaction to a roster move from the 48-53 spots. I always find it interesting when those on the outside say it's the "best players." I'm around this team all the time and when we get to the fringes, I can't tell you if it makes more sense to keep WR5 over, say DL7, or whatever. The coaches are going to keep the best players for the roster, and that definition us fluid. You say, for instance, "money and draft slot matter more." So which of those is why Simi got cut, and for what player? I'd be curious to know that answer.
From Jayson W:
"Hi Darren. Thank again for mailbag and yourself, Dani and Paul for the Cardinals Underground podcast. Hopefully this is the last question regarding the practice squad. If a player signs as a free agent for $1 million but get put on PS, is that player's salary still $1M divided by 18 weeks? Or do they make less while on PS, but more for the week if they are brought up game day?"
If a player is released and brought back to the practice squad, that original salary disappears into the ether (unless he had guaranteed money, which still has to be paid out regardless what happens after the initial release.) On the practice squad, if a player has two accrued seasons or less, he gets $13K a week. More than two years you can make between $17,500 and $22,000. For comparison, the minimum rookie salary for a player on the 53-man roster is about $47,000 a week ($840,000). It obviously is higher with years of service.
From Jay Schubert:
"Darren, I have two questions about practice squad players. First, once you activate a practice squad player to play in a regular-season game, is that player off the practice squad for the remainder of the season or do they return back to the practice squad after the game? Second, can another team raid your practice squad and sign a player to their active roster to play in games. Unless I misunderstood, I remember seeing something about a team signing a player from another team's practice squad. What's that about?"
All questions easily enough addressed:
- There are two ways to use a practice squad player. You can sign him to the 53-man roster outright. Then yes, he doesn't go back to the PS. But teams can also elevate two players a week from the PS and they immediately return to the PS after the game. Players can be elevated three times like that; to bring him up a fourth time they have to be signed to the roster.
- Yes, a practice squad player can sign at any time with another team. If the current team wants to keep him, usually that player will stay on his current team if it is willing to put him on the 53-man roster. As I mentioned previously, you double (or more) your salary for being on a 53, so a guy is going to leave a PS for another team's 53-man roster just for the pay raise.
From Jacob D:
"I like the new uniforms. The state flag in the shape of Arizona is great, and it's about time we had red facemasks. What I don't like is that we only wear them once. Why can't it be more often? Seems weird they would go through all the trouble of making a new look and then barely use it."
To clarify, yes, the new Rivalry uniforms will only be worn once, and that's the Sept. 25 home game against the Seahawks. That is the designated "Rivalry" game, which is the point of the program. I understand why people would hope the uniform would be used more often, but at least for now, those uniforms will only be seen three times in a game -- once each in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Then they will be retired. I suppose there is a chance that could change, but this is the plan as it stands.
From Don P:
"Hi Darren. I imagine this has been asked before but do the Cardinals use outside analytics sites like PFF or do they do it in-house? If outside do you know who?"
It's a combination of both. They have an analytics staff who do work on their own, but they have also used Pro Football Focus to supplement.
From Pat Crouyo:
"Odd question, I just noticed during James Conner's presser that he has a pretty gnarly scar going across his neck. Is that new or has he always had that? Is he OK, what happened?"
I am not sure it's a scar as opposed to maybe a scrape he got at practice? If I get the chance I'll ask but I don't think it's a big deal. I don't recall ever seeing it before so a scrape seems more likely. UPDATE: OK, I'm dumb. I had never noticed it before to be honest, but that is s scar from when Conner battled cancer.
