Now that everybody has turned off the grill and has had a chance to recover from their July 4th weekend, it's time to bring back the mailbag. Darren Urban will be out next week, so Craig Grialou will take over on the July 15 edition so make sure to send him some questions.
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 Daniel P:
"What is your expectation as far as Will Johnson and Jordan Burch? Not meaning minicamp because I know Jordan is going to be a workaholic. He did really good at Oregon, but I'm just curious how do you think they're doing as far as their first work with the vets."
Since this is the first question on my return to the mailbag, I'll give you a peek behind the curtain a bit. A few days after mandatory minicamp, I caught up with Jordan Burch for the story I put together on his relationship with Xavier Thomas. When we were walking to get set up for the interview, a few players were hyping up Burch in a playful way. Knowing he's only been in the building for a few weeks, it's encouraging to see rookies beginning to mesh well with the veterans. Same for Will Johnson. During the D-Backs game, there was a Michigan fan who was trying to get his attention. Josh Fryar brought this to Will's attention and without hesitation, Johnson jumped up and spent time with the fan. There isn't much to report on during minicamp, but when training camp begins, they'll both be in battles to earn meaningful snaps. I value how rookies handle themselves off the field, and I think they've done a great job so far.
From James B:
"With all the talk about the Cards offense for the 2025 offseason, it seems that with the players we have (which I really like) and the addition of 'sauce' we've heard about, it's my opinion that if we distribute the ball like I've heard, some players are going to get less touches, but the overall team will have opposing teams defense running amok. That would be awesome! But will our receivers be okay with that as long as we are winning? Team first, RIGHT?!?"
I don't think it necessarily means some players are going to get less touches. Marvin Harrison Jr. had 62 receptions on 116 targets. If half of those missed connections hit, we are evaluating MHJ's rookie season differently. I still expect Trey McBride to have 1,000-plus yards again and James Conner to add another 1,000 rushing yards season if he stays healthy. The “sauce” McBride alluded to during the offseason was about pre-snap motions and getting the players open. Nobody is going to complain about that. To answer your specific question, at least outwardly, I wouldn't expect any receiver to be upset if the Cardinals are winning and their teammates are performing.
From Jason B:
"Training camp is soon approaching and the team seems very deep in several areas. How is the team going to balance out the workload so that they can get a real look at the various competitions? It is sad to see talent walk out the door when the selections made don't produce. L.J. Collier, Dante Stills have done a great job when healthy, but you have several people in front of them and Elijah Simmons, who is hungry, behind them. Our depth is what is going to make this team great, because injuries will always happen. With what I feel has been our most talented 90-man roster, some hard decisions will have to be made."
The Cardinals report to training camp on July 22 and end the preseason on Aug. 23. With the practices at State Farm Stadium (get your training camp tickets at azcardinals.com/camptix. They're free … and I better see you there, Jason), preseason games, and the joint practice in Denver, there will be plenty of chances to get that look at all the battles. In regards to talent walking away, the Cardinals hope to snag a few players on their practice squad, but guys could find opportunities elsewhere if they are cut. Dante Stills has done well for himself coming into the league as a sixth-rounder. L.J. Collier has also flashed. Still, the Cardinals heavily invested in that position room for a reason and the defensive line position battle will garner most of my attention during camp.
From Brice H:
"Hey Zach, hope you're letting Darren have some good time off. I know Rabbit Taylor-Demerson said he wasn't worried about playing time or playing with the vets, but don't the Cardinals have to play him? If JT could leave after the season, they need Rabbit to be ready."
Oh Brice, as much as I'd like to say Darren has had time off, he has sent me multiple emails. He's a workaholic and he's a legend in the industry for a reason. Anyways, back to Rabbit. He's been a staple on special teams, so he has at least touched the grass during every game in 2024. Taylor-Demerson started in place of Jalen Thompson against the Jets and Seahawks, and after Week 13, saw double digit defensive snaps in the remaining games. With Budda Baker and Thompson on the field, there isn't a reason to rush Rabbit on the field. He's growing, and the coaches have been very optimistic with his progress.
From Yohonon White:
"I spent some time watching K1 throw bombs in college. And now I've seen whole seasons where K1 never completes more than one 35-yard throw the entire season. I'm trying to understand, why do you think it seems as though Kyler has regressed when it comes to throwing balls further than 30-35 yards? Is it the receivers? Is it subpar throwing lanes? Or do you think maybe he has a problem seeing down field and is no longer capable of throws down field?"
I'll shoot down the idea of Kyler's height being an issue right off the bat. During his Heisman Trophy winning season at Oklahoma, Murray's offensive line was massive. His offensive line consisted of left tackle Bobby Evans (6-foot-4), left guard Ben Powers (6-4), center Creed Humphrey (6-5), right guard Dry Samia (6-5), and right tackle Cody Ford (6-3). Looking at the projected starting offensive line for the Cardinals, it's left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (6-6), left guard Evan Brown (6-3), center Hjalte Froholdt (6-5), right guard Isaiah Adams (6-4), and right tackle Jonah Williams (6-5).
So yes, when you were watching those highlight plays from college, his height wasn't an issue, and I don't believe it is now. Defenses in the NFL have heavily implemented the two-high safety look. I'm sure that's a contributing factor. But the deep ball needs to return more often in 2025. The Cardinals finished 25th in the league in receptions over 20 yards..
From Rick R:
"Zach, at some point I have heard you talk about your Philly roots. As a guy from there, how would you compare the fans in Arizona to the fans in Philly? I'm curious. And is there really East Coast bias? Sure feels that way. We never get the coverage we should when our teams are good."
The fan bases are pretty different. When I was a child, my mom wanted to prank my dad so she had 7-year-old Zach walk into the house with a Cowboys football. Well, 7-year-old Zach was kicked out of the house and had to return the Cowboys football immediately. That's Philadelphia (and the Gershmans) in a nutshell. But the one common trait between Cardinals fans and Philadelphia fans are their passion. When State Farm Stadium is packed, there are few venues that can match the volume after a big play. My first true sports memory was the NFC Championship game in 2008. I saw it over the TV, but this place was rocking.
Yes, I mentioned the East Coast bias during an episode of Cardinals Underground. When the Cardinals were in first place heading into their bye week, the national conversation wasn't about the Cardinals' success and was more centered around the other teams in the division. Phoenix is the 12th largest TV market in the country, so I struggle to understand how all of the local pro teams aren't in the headlines more often. However, with two prime time games on the schedule for the Cardinals, they're trending in the right direction.
From Josh Anderson:
"There has been a lot of talk about the offense and what it can be and what it will be, and how the defense got all the help this offseason. In your opinion, what does a 'good' offense for us look like? If we have a good defense, you shouldn't need to score a ton of points."
The cliché answer is a good offense looks like one that scores one more point than their opponent. Truthfully, I think the Cardinals already have a good offense. You don't have an 1,000-yard rusher and receiver by accident. If you get that second-year jump from Marvin Harrison Jr., Isaiah Adams, and Trey Benson, the offense will look really good. In terms of production, a good offense is a consistent offense. They were a record 16-of-16 in goal-to-go situations. After the bye week, they struggled to capitalize in the red zone. Regardless of how good your defense is, you want to put points on the scoreboard when your offense is on the field.
From Matthew Stroh:
"Hey Mr. Gershman, hope the offseason is going well for you. It's a little slow this time of year for NFL news. I'm a self-aware weirdo. I know who I am, how I act, and just don't care about making other people upset. I share a Facebook with my wife and personally never am on it. I don't do the other social media stuff I hear you guys on Cardinals media talk about with X and Insta-something. Here's my question. What are one of the pros to all NFL and professional athletes on social media? And what are one of the cons for having all NFL players and professional athletes on social media? I told Dani Sureck last week that I'm a truck driver. I've been to 44 of the lower 48 states. I love seeing the differences in each city and state. What is one thing you miss from the Philadelphia area? And what is one thing you like about now being in the Phoenix area? Thank you for your time and have a great day. Go Cardinals."
Well if you ever get on X, make sure to give me a follow @ZachAZCards. Social media is a powerful tool, for both good and bad. My favorite basketball player of all-time is former Phoenix Suns great Kevin Durant (too soon?) and he's always interacting with users. It's an avenue to connect with people you might not have access to otherwise. I feel like people forget these athletes are also people, so social media allows them to show that side of them. Then again, once you hit "send," it's out in the universe.
Besides missing my family, I'd probably say the food. Nothing can replace authentic Rita's Water Ice, a Philly soft pretzel, and some Wawa. If I had to pinpoint one thing I love about Arizona it'd be the vibes of the community and knowing there is always something fun to do.
