Skip to main content
Advertising

Arizona Cardinals Home: The official source of the latest Cardinals headlines, news, videos, photos, tickets, rosters and game day information

You've Got Mail: Talking Cards During Super Bowl Week

Topics include the Kingsbury offense, offensive line and 100 years of the NFL

AZC_CardinalsMailbag

The Patriots and Rams are preparing to play in the Super Bowl, and the Cardinals continue to get their coaching staff in order (the balance of the group has yet to be announced, but soon I would think). On to the questions. Don't forget, anytime you want to drop a line for next week's mailbag, use this link.

From Robert Malicki via azcardinals.com:

"My head is spinning with all the questions about the team going into the offseason, but the one that stands out for me is what this new offense is all about? Is a Kingsbury 101 lesson possible at this time? To me it sounds like a no-huddle, shotgun snap, a one-back with David Johnson sometimes split wide, utilizing two tight ends and motion before every snap. Rosen is somewhat mobile, unlike Palmer was for BA, so there could be many throws on the run. I do not see a strong wide receiver need beyond who we already have on the roster because this passing game relies on the QB to make the receiver."

Well, there isn't going to be a "Kingsbury 101 lesson" anytime soon because even if everything is in place, I don't see the upside of that. We will see some of it in OTAs in April. I'm not sure what it exactly it will be, but at this point -- without the coaches having significant amount of time together and with the passing game coordinator (Tom Clements) and head coach just getting to know each other -- it's hard to imagine the finished product.

I'll say this, I don't know if it's going to be no-huddle all the time. I would disagree about the WR need. I understand what you are saying, that the scheme makes the player, but in the end, the better players are still the better players. The Cardinals still need guys who can excel at the position.

I would say a head coach who ended up in a sling is still the most serious (although Fitz came through and B.A. did get a car out of the deal.) All the other times Fitz has made a tackle, guys have bounced back up. It's not like it's a Jamal-Adams-taking-down-Pat-Patriot situation. Although I guess you can ask Ron Wolfley, who has been brought down more often than anyone.

To be honest, and I know people hate this, but at this point, I want to see who will actually be free. And not just talking about guys re-signing between now and early March, but also franchise tags -- if a guy is tagged, he's essentially off the market. Without studying much, I'd say offensive line makes the most sense to me. Maybe FA-to-be-Panthers tackle Daryl Williams (although he is coming off a serious knee injury).

At this point, I'm guessing the balance of the staff won't be announced until everyone is in place. That should be sooner rather than later. Post-Super Bowl, things will ramp up quickly.

From Joachim Ploug Hansen via azcardinals.com:

"Do you know if the Cardinals are considering moving Justin Pugh back to left guard? I know Pro Football Focus has given him his highest grades when he's played that position. And with the Cardinals likely moving on from Iupati, I think it would make sense."

The Cardinals are going to likely add a piece or two to the offensive line and then go from there. If they can find a good guard who excels on the left side, then no, I don't think they will move Pugh. But you have to know first what players you are going to have before making such judgments. Could he move? Sure. But I don't think Pugh is so overwhelmingly better on one side or the other that you have to absolutely carve out your roster for that reason.

From Jeff Solimine via azcardinals.com:

"What has the feeling been about B.A. going back to coaching so soon after leaving the Cardinals? Are there any bad feelings that you know about in the organization?"

No. Arians has been pretty straight-forward about how his return to coaching came to be, and frankly, I think the organization is excited to give a younger coach with Kingsbury's creative background a chance. We will see how it works out (in both Arizona and Tampa) but I don't get the sense of any animosity at all.

I guess I would say anyone's offensive line spot is 100 percent at this point, but I do expect him to start when it's all said and done. I do not think Korey Cunningham is going to be in a place to unseat Humphries. If something at this point happened unexpectedly, a free-agent/draft combo at tackle, maybe that could impact Humphries. But like I said, right now, I expect him to be a starter.

Multiple reports said that Fitzgerald was playing for $11 million in salary again, yes, plus incentives. I wouldn't be shocked if he literally signed the exact same deal that he did a year ago.

From Sixto Horacio Casa Madrid via azcardinals.com:

"During the 2019 NFL season the Chicago Bears will have special celebration and special logo for its 100th anniversary. Because the Arizona Cardinals also began to play in 1920, at that time as Chicago Cardinals, I would like to know if the Arizona Cardinals will have a special logo to celebrate its 100th season playing in the NFL."

Definitely a fair question. The short answer is no, the Cardinals will not. That's because the franchise was actually founded in 1898 -- obviously pre-dating the NFL by 22 years -- and that is the year that is recognized by the organization. As you can see in the photo below, it made 1998 a big year, and that season (coincidentally, the year of that emotional playoff run) players wore 100th year patches on their jerseys. The entire NFL will be celebrating the 100-year mark, and obviously the Cardinals are one of the founding members of the league, but again, there won't be any logo for that with the team in particular.

Cardinals 100th year patch as shown on Aeneas Williams jersey
Advertising