Another week without Darren Urban.
The boss returns next week, but in the meantime, it's my turn to tackle the mailbag. Hopefully, I do as good a job as Dani Sureck and Zach Gershman.
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 Don P:
"Hey Craig. I admit that if I tried to make a living as an NFL talent scout I would starve, so I would like your opinion. Where do you see Rabbit on a talent level? Do you think he could step in and replace Jalen Thompson with no dropoff or does he still need a lot of work?"
First, shout-out to all scouts; college, pro, local, national. They help the engine run and why GM Monti Ossenfort makes sure to mention each by name at the end of the draft. Now, to answer your question about Rabbit. We saw him start two games when JT was hurt last season, and Rabbit played well. There's no question, in my mind, that he could handle a much larger role on defense. Maybe we see him more this season. I wouldn't put it past defensive coordinator Nick Rallis to scheme up something where Rabbit, JT and Budda Baker are all on the field at the same time. It's always about getting your best 11 on the field.
From John M:
"Have the Cardinals signed all of their draft picks? The last I heard their second-round pick Will Johnson was the only one who had not signed. I was just wondering if I missed the news of his signing. If he still has not signed, any idea what the holdup is?"
From Will F:
"Why is Will Johnson still not signed? What's the deal? Everyone is saying he's supposed to be important to this defense and he's not even under contract. Camp is pretty close. He needs all the reps he can get."
Yes, training camp begins next week. And yes, Will Johnson -- like all first-year players -- needs reps. But Will not being under contract is nothing to be concerned about, in my opinion. At least not yet. Most second-round draft picks remain unsigned. And the issue, which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, is money; more specifically, fully guaranteed money. Teams have been hesitant to offer the same level of guarantee to second-round picks as they do to first-round picks. We'll see if that changes, but again, my guess is the Cardinals will get something done with Johnson sooner rather than later, ensuring his presence on the field for that first practice at State Farm Stadium.
From Patrick Davis:
"This team still has holes, IMO. You all have talked about another receiver, and don't they need a good guard? What are the chances we see someone signed before camp that could actually battle for playing time? Could that still happen?"
Sure, it could still happen. The Cardinals do have an open roster spot to fill. Now do I think it will happen? I do not. Yes, Patrick, wide receiver and right guard have been big talking points during the offseason. At this point, though, I think the front office and coaching staff will want to wait and see what they currently have before deciding to make any further moves at those positions. And really, it's waiting until the first day in pads, or first couple of days in pads. How do players handle the physicality? How do players, as Jonathan Gannon likes to say, respond to real football? When the pads are put on is when the true evaluation of a player begins.
From Ken R:
"Do you think Cody Simon will start as a rookie? I know without Kyzir White there is a spot. Or do you think they stick with a veteran? Also, it's pretty great we have so many Ohio State players. I think collecting those kinds of winners will help on this level. Go Buckeyes!"
Well, I'm not sure my colleague Zach Gershman, a Penn State alum, would agree with you, Ken, about Ohio State. (lol!) And in case you missed it, Zach did write a great article on how the Cardinals are becoming Ohio State West.
As far as Cody being the guy to replace Kyzir? I do think it's a possibility. How quickly he learns the playbook, how he looks when the pads are on, how he performs in the preseason and joint practice with the Broncos, all of that will go a long way in whether or not he earns the trust of the coaches to be on the field Week 1, or soon after. Also, Cody does have experience with the in-helmet communication so that should further boost his chances of earning a starting job.
From Chris L:
"What is this defense going to look like? They brought in a ton of good defensive linemen, and they have a ton of potential edge guys. Does that mean this will look more like a 4-3 instead of a 3-4? What is Jonathan Gannon going to do? I wouldn't want to be the one to have to make some of these cuts."
It's a good problem to have though, right? I have long believed, especially after the additions of Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson plus the drafting of Walter Nolen III, that the defense might look more similar to what Jonathan Gannon ran when he was the defensive coordinator at Philadelphia and Nick Rallis was the linebackers coach. Gannon and Rallis left a 4-3 defense and inherited a 3-4 defensive personnel when they arrived in Arizona. Three years into their tenure with the Cardinals, do we now see a change? Training camp will give us a better idea of what the defense will look like. At the end of the day, however, it's about getting your best 11 players on the field.
From Brayden L:
"Well, I don't know who is doing the mailbag anymore but I hope someone can answer my question. What happens if Kyler Murray struggles this season? How much longer does this team stick with him? I want him to be great but it's been a lot of years already."
If you're saying you want Kyler to be great -- which I would think all Cardinals fans want -- why then are you asking what happens if he struggles? Wouldn't that be a better question for, I don't know, after seeing how he plays this season? It seems to me, Brayden, you're getting way ahead of yourself and asking 'What if...' when there is no answer to that question in the present. Yes, teams always have an eye towards the future, but those plans are never definitive. How about we see how the season plays out first.
From Devon Kelly:
"Do you think players are better off with these shorter training camps out at the stadium or were the Cardinals better off going to Flagstaff and spending a month there? Just seems like training camp is so different compared to what it once was."
It is a lot different, Devon. Gone are the two-a-days. Gone are every practice in full pads. Personally, I would love to see the Cardinals head back up the hill for training camp. Those trips were a lot of fun to cover; a lot of work but a lot of fun. But I get why the Cardinals hold training camp closer to home. Logistically, it makes more sense. And there are some teams that don't go anywhere. They hold training camp at their practice facility. I do believe getting away, even for a short period of time, is beneficial.
From Don P:
"Hi. Wondering if there is any word on when we see the new uniforms."
So, I'm going to go out on a limb here, Don, and guess that you're talking about "Rivalries," which is the new uniform and fan gear program the NFL and Nike announced during the draft. The Cardinals will be among the teams taking part this season, however, as of this week's mailbag, information is on a need-to-know basis and sadly, I'm not part of the need-to-know group. Perhaps Darren is. Hit him up when he gets back.
From Greg Elden:
"Why does the offseason have to be so painfully long? Football needs to be here already."
Excellent question, Greg. I think we're all ready for football to be here. The offseason is long but, if we're all being honest, necessary. The good news is football returns to State Farm Stadium next week. Training camp starts on July 23 with the first open practice on July 24. All of the information can be found here. Hope to see you and the rest of the Bird Gang there.
