It's hard to believe we are hurtling toward Memorial Day weekend already. Next thing you know minicamp will be here, and then it's training camp. The years just fly by. So do the mailbags. 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 Zack Clifford:
"Hey there Darren, thanks again for taking our questions sir! I have noticed with this GM and coaching group place a high emphasis on competition. The loaded DB and front-seven rooms definitely attest to that. I don't feel like the WR room is getting the same treatment. They have MHJ of course and then Wilson and Dortch. Why are they not creating as much competition there. Where will the competition come from for the WR room?"
A fair question, although to be clear -- there isn't a coaching staff in the league ever that didn't "place a high emphasis on competition." That's kind of the deal. There is always nuance that goes into that. When it comes to this receiver room, here is my analysis of the nuance.
If -- *if* -- the Cardinals are looking to add a veteran at this point, I see that happening right before or during training camp. I would guess that they want to see the improvements the current players have made. They want to see if Xavier Weaver made a jump, whether Quez Watkins has something to contribute, whether Zay Jones -- who you know will be around to start, rather than miss the first five games with a suspension like last season -- can be that veteran presence. The other thing? We don't know what kind of role (and/or money) an Amari Cooper might be looking for, or a Keenan Allen.
I get why people wonder about the WR room. The reality is that, on the inside, they might not be as concerned, at least in context of what they could add.
From Dan G:
"Hi Darren. Settle an argument. My buddy believes Walter Nolen is going to be a starter right away. While that's certainly possible, I believe if any 'young guy' is starting on the DL it'll be Darius Robinson. I understand everybody is excited about the shiny new toys, but we really haven't gotten to see DRob yet, and I for one am a huge advocate that this guy has rare traits and a good head on his shoulders. There's no guarantee Nolen or DRob start; it's a PACKED DL room, kudos Monti, but I still say DRob has the edge. What say you?"
I won't lie, the first thing I'll say is you have to be averse to apostrophes because I had to add a ton to edit that question cleanly. (I get that most people don't care about writing properly anymore, but for the mailbag, I still have to edit it all. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.) What I say to the DL thing is I have no idea. I don't think it'll make a huge difference because I would guess -- if both perform as they should -- they will both get a similar number of snaps, regardless of whether they are on the field for the first play of the game. Robinson should have the advantage. He has a year in the league. Nolen just got here. But I can see a world where both could start. Unlikely, but possible. It's the fun with having so many pieces on the defensive line.
From Dave G:
"Hey Darren, I don't know what's going on with this era of the Cardinals reuniting with past greats like Calais, Patrick Peterson and Adrian Wilson, but I'm loving it. Particularly A-Dub. I just watched him on the Big Red Rage and he is so funny and personable. I don't know if that's the A-Dub you've always seen behind the curtain, but the public generally hasn't seen his affable side before; the guy is hilarious."
Yes, I have been someone who has been privy to this Adrian Wilson for a long time, but it's cool that he is flashing it to the world. He's going to be doing more content for us and not only does he know football but he can be entertaining. In the end I think it only helps a franchise to be connected with its best and most popular players when their careers end (or, in Calais' case, for a productive potential career walk-off.)
From Michael Weber:
"Hey Darren. I have two questions today.
- In your article about rookie minicamp you wrote about JG mentioning the cortisol level of the players. I remember hearing him talk about energy levels a couple of times in the past. Is it something he generally focuses on? Does the mental condition of a player have an impact on the intensity he is expecting from him in training drills?
- Has Marvin gained some muscles during the offseason? At the basketball game he looked really strong.
Thank you for your great work Darren. Always a pleasure to read your articles. I'm looking forward to the season. Greetings from Germany. Go Cards!"
Gannon absolutely cares about mental health and the mental condition of players; it is part of his culture. In the context of what he was talking about at rookie minicamp, he just wanted to make sure the rookies weren't essentially freaking out in their first time at an NFL practice. As for MHJ, yes, he's added muscle although he wasn't saying how much he's gained.
From Carey Matthews:
"It surprised many that the team didn't address interior OL in the draft. Does that imply that Isaiah Adams is penciled in as the expected starter? As a third-round pick there ought to be expectation he's a starter at this point. If not Adams, who do you think is the frontrunner (or maybe he's not on the team yet?)"
Are you among the "many," Carey? Just curious. I would think Adams will be considered for the starting role at least to start. But they have a vet add in Royce Newman, and Jon Gaines could make a push, and it'll be about what OTAs and training camp shows. Like wide receiver, I'm not going to rule out a signing around camp if they get to that point and think something more is needed.
From Elliot Hyde:
"Hi Darren. In the English Premier League (soccer) we had a famous manager Alex Ferguson who won lots of titles and cups in his time with Manchester United Football Club. Given the Cardinals drafting this year, I am reminded of one of his famous sayings: 'Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.' I reckon Paul Calvisi would love that quote. To me this applies pretty well to the NFL, just look at the Bengals last year. Do you agree?"
I'm leaving the "c" in defense because an Englishman said it. But yes, this is a familiar saying. In NFL circles, "defense wins championships" has long been around, and a longer version, "offense sells tickets, defense wins championships." You have to play good defense to win a Super Bowl. But you better be able to play offense too.
From Walker:
"Darren, thank you for all your work in reporting on the Cardinals. It is wonderful that we, as fans, have someone who provides trustworthy coverage. I was a devoted subscriber to the Tribune. Some fans are under the impression that Monti Ossenfort did not hold Byron Murphy and Zach Allen in high esteem. They believed they wanted to stay in Arizona, but Monti gave them lowball offers. Can you hyperlink anything you wrote to support that belief? Did you report that there were contract negotiations between the parties and that the players considered the Cardinals' offers? I do not recall any of that reporting. I thought the players were ready to move on and did so of their own accord. Did you report anything on the disposition of the players? I am looking forward to this year at the Farm, can't wait. Thanks again for all you do for the fans."
I don't have any direct links for those players. But players usually have an idea of what they could potentially get on the open market, and I am guessing at that point -- which if you remember, was when Ossenfort first arrived, was retooling the roster and essentially knew 2023 would be a lost season with the revamp and the reality Kyler Murray was going to miss half a season. In both cases, I think the Cardinals would've kept them but they had a price they weren't willing to go above. Allen loved playing for Vance Joseph, who went to Denver. That was a key point. And Murphy thought he was going to get a huge deal that never showed up -- he ended up with a one-year prove-it deal. Change happens when a new GM and new coach show up. That's what it was with both. There are no bad guys here.
From Brad O'Neill:
"Can other teams sign your international exemption like they can any other player on the practice squad? If so it seems our new international exemption might be more likely to be grabbed than our old one. That said if they make him part of the regular team any chance they bring back Bernhard Seikovits? I mean the kid seemed like a great guy and how will they ever beat that nickname?"
If a practice squad player is poached he has to stay at least three weeks on a 53-man roster, so taking a raw international player and giving up a roster spot seems unlikely. Seiko was a great dude, but the Cardinals knew what they had by now, and there is something intriguing about Valentin Senn. To get a guy who qualifies as an international but who has had a full college career (with a ton of snaps) is a plus for the Cardinals.
From John D:
"I've noticed JG keeps details of injury on the down low however I was curious of what you might know about Darius Robinson's calf injury. Why did it destroy his entire rookie season? Did he have corrective surgery to fix the issue?"
I do not believe Robinson had surgery. I am guessing he had a setback at some point that slowed his return, but you always want to be very careful with calf injuries. As Kevin Durant once found out, a calf issue can end up as a torn Achilles. It didn't destroy his whole rookie season; he did play the last six games. But he's healthy and anxious to play a full season. And you're right, JG wants to keep injury info as hidden as he can.
From Chris A:
"I was reading an article on ESPN with Ben Solak asking questions about second-year receivers. He seemed to share a number of concerns about the offense that I have seen posed elsewhere about how Marvin Harrison Jr. was used last year. Primarily Ben points out that Marvin was rarely in motion and was asked to run predictable routes. Do you see Drew Petzing adapting the offense to account for those issues?"
No. There will be no adapting to any issues. What you see is what you get.
I mean, what else is there to say? Of course I think the offense will be tweaked. Does that mean Harrison is going to be in motion a bunch? I have no idea. I do think they will work hard to raise the catch percentage for MHJ. But even Harrison said Monday that he was working with a relatively basic thought process with the offense last year as a rookie. That's how they wanted to approach it. That's among the many improvements the Cardinals will want Harrison to make this season.
From Richard Wakefield:
"I just read your piece in the mailbag to the kickoff changes and agree with everything you said. However, in my mind, making those changes took away a part of the game that was important and great to watch. Now we might as well place the ball on the 35. Will punting be next?"
You sound like Wolf. And I get it. But without those changes, yes, the kickoff would be out of the game already. Football will never be safe. But they are going to try and make is safer, and yes, it doesn't play the same as it did in 1980 or even 1995 but everything evolves, and the NFL is no different.
From Barry R:
"What is your gut feeling on the Trey Hendrickson rumors? Things are getting ugly in Cincy. Guy is 30 and will be very expensive to sign, but guy gets sacks. As much as I love what Monti has done, you could argue we still lack a marquee pass rusher."
To what rumors are you referring? I get this question if it came, say, March 6. But you just gave a four-year contract with $40M guaranteed to Josh Sweat. That's a marquee contract. You're not bringing in another guy (at age 30) and giving him a big extension. The Cardinals have made their edge/DL upgrades for this year. They look pretty good to me.
From Drey Easton:
"Hi Darren. I've been a big fan of Mack Wilson Sr. since the day we signed him, and my fandom of that guy just grows by the day. He's not quite the same personality as Karlos Dansby, but he has a similar outspokeness that I think is uniquely important to inside linebacker. That position should be the loudest voice on defense. Mack is also extremely versatile. I think he has shades of DWash to his game. In your time covering this team, who is your Mount Rushmore of Cardinals linebackers? Primary pass rushers don't count. Needs to be predominantly off ball."
I'd say being outspoken isn't the word you are looking for; that implies he's throwing a bunch of controversial takes out there. That's not Mack (or Los, for that matter). Wilson is a guy who just is thoughtful in his answers and willing to give them.
But really, my Rushmore is a cool question -- especially of offball linebackers. Dansby is on there and frankly, Daryl Washington is too. He was really good. Ron McKinnon would be one, and while I considered Kyzir White and a handful of key plays I saw him make, Jordan Hicks would be my other one, from my time covering this team since 2000.
