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Arizona Cardinals News & Rumors

Cards, Broncos To Interview Zac Taylor

January 1st, 2019 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor will interview for the Cardinals and Broncos head coaching positions on Saturday, Albert Breer of The MMQB hears (on Twitter). Taylor, 35, will also interview with the Bengals on Friday, so he may wind up as the latest 30-something assistant to ascend the ranks. 

Taylor moved up to QB coach under Sean McVay in 2018 after Matt LaFleur left for the Titans. The results, for the most part, have been outstanding. The Rams finished out 13-3 and will have an opportunity to rest before their first playoff game on Jan. 12 thanks to their bye.

Outside of the past year with the Rams, Taylor’s resume is not especially flashy. He was the Rams’ assistant wide receivers coach in 2017 and served as the University of Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator in 2016 before moving to sunny Los Angeles. However, young offensively-minded coaches are the in-thing, and Taylor is garnering serious interest.

Cardinals To Interview Adam Gase

January 1st, 2019 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

Former Dolphins head coach Adam Gase may not be on the block for long. Gase will interview with the Cardinals on Wednesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 

Gase, at least at one time, had a reputation as a quarterback whisperer. That’s exactly what the Cardinals need as they look to groom 2018 first-round pick Josh Rosen for the big time. It has been said that Gase was a big fan of the UCLA quarterback last year and that he was a consideration for Miami at No. 11, so this could be a match.

Gase made a name for himself as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator and managed to go 10-6 in his first year with the ‘Fins despite having journeyman Matt Moore under center. He couldn’t work the same magic with Jay Cutler last year, resulting in a 6-10 record, and the Dolphins finished just 7-9 this past season. Still, even as the Dolphins struggled in 2018, Ryan Tannehill had a solid season from an individual perspective. If given a proper offensive line to work with, the Cardinals may feel that Gase is the man to rejuvenate their offense.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 12/31/18

December 31st, 2018 at 9:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

New Year’s Eve marks the first day eliminated teams can sign players to reserve/futures contracts. Here is the first wave of those decisions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Redskins

Cardinals, Packers Request To Interview Saints’ Dan Campbell

December 31st, 2018 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2015 Dolphins’ interim coach, Dan Campbell has spent the past three seasons as the Saints’ tight ends boss. He looks set to re-enter the coaching carousel.

In addition to receiving a Browns interview request, Campbell has heard from the Cardinals and Packers about hopeful meetings, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (on Twitter).

Also carrying the title of assistant head coach in New Orleans, Campbell was connected to the Colts’ post-Josh McDaniels job search last year and interviewed for the Vikings’ OC job that eventually went to John DeFilippo. Prior to being promoted to the Dolphins’ HC in the wake of Joe Philbin‘s early-season firing three years ago, Campbell had been Miami’s tight ends coach for more than four years.

The Cardinals and Packers have been busy with interview requests on the first day of non-playoff-qualifying teams’ offseasons. After already meeting with Jim Caldwell and Chuck Pagano, Green Bay sent out requests for powwows with Titans OC Matt LaFleur, Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak, Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald and Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, who has not yet decided which interviews he will take. The Broncos, Browns, Dolphins and Packers have sent Flores meeting requests.

Arizona has contacted Rams QBs coach Zac Taylor and Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy, whom the Jets, Buccaneers and Dolphins have also contacted. The Cardinals interviewed Flores earlier this year.

Cardinals To Fire Byron Leftwich, Al Holcomb

December 31st, 2018 at 3:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Byron Leftwich stayed on from the Bruce Arians regime but will not be sticking around with the Cardinals with a third coaching staff.

The Cardinals fired both Leftwich, their interim OC, and DC Al Holcomb, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com tweets. While Leftwich was viewed as a rising talent with Arians, and ascended to OC in merely his second season as a full-time coach this year under Steve Wilks, but was not expected to be back had Wilks kept his interim job, Albert Breer of SI.com reports (on Twitter).

Both firings could have been expected, with the Cardinals completing a 3-13 season and making a head coach a one-and-done for the first time in more than 60 years. Holcomb came over with Wilks from Carolina, having served as a position coach there. This marked his first season as an NFL DC.

Leftwich became a full-time coach last year and was named quarterbacks coach this offseason. After Mike McCoy‘s in-season ouster, Leftwich rose to Arizona’s OC job. He will now be on the market to continue his coaching career. Under both McCoy and Leftwich, the Cards featured a historically bad offense. They ranked last in both points and total yards this season.

 

Cardinals Coaching Notes: Bieniemy, Taylor

December 31st, 2018 at 1:54pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg
  • While former Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has repeatedly said the only job he would come out of retirement for would be the Browns’, he might be having a change of heart. The legendary offensive coach told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link), that he knows Buccaneers GM Jason Licht, and “would listen” if the Bucs came calling. Tampa is almost certainly looking for an offensive coach to revitalize Jameis Winston‘s career, and Arians would be a very intriguing option.
  • The Jets aren’t the only team interested in Bieniemy, as Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports tweets that the Buccaneers and Dolphins have reached out as well. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network added in a tweet that the Cardinals have also requested an interview, bringing the number of teams interested in Bieniemy to four. Given the success that members of the Andy Reid coaching tree has had in recent years, it’s not surprising he’s a sought after name.
  • Speaking of the Cardinals, the team has requested Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor, Rapoport tweets. The Cardinals are in desperate need of an offensive coach who can help Josh Rosen after Rosen’s woeful rookie campaign, and Taylor is very highly thought of in some circles. Rapoport notes the team has “been doing work on him”, so this seems like more than just a courtesy interview.

Cardinals Fire Steve Wilks

December 31st, 2018 at 10:04am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The last expected move has been made official, as the Cardinals have fired head coach Steve Wilks, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN (Twitter link). 

The team showed a lot of fight in their Week 17 game against the Seahawks but came up short, and it ultimately wasn’t enough to save Wilks’ job. Wilks ended up lasting just one season in Arizona. While being a one and done is rare, it’s certainly not unheard of, and Wilks’ fate was sealed with a 3-13 record. Arizona’s season was doomed from the start, as it was clear right from the get-go that Sam Bradford didn’t have anything left in the tank. Bradford was benched for Josh Rosen, and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy was fired shortly thereafter.

The firing of McCoy did nothing to spark the offense, and Rosen showed little progress during his rookie year, which was likely one of the determining factors in Wilks’ firing. Wilks came to Arizona after a successful year as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator, and has always been well liked by players.

It’s been heavily rumored that the Panthers will have a staff shakeup on defense, and Joe Person of The Athletic tweets that he would “be very surprised” if Wilks doesn’t return to Carolina in some fashion. The Wilks firing makes eight openings across the league, and it will likely be the last firing barring any late surprises.

The Cardinals have been linked to a number of coaches, including Mike McCarthy, and are seemingly interested in hiring an offensive mind to pair with Rosen. They also were reportedly impressed with Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores during last year’s cycle, and with Flores set to be one of the top available candidates, could be interested again. At this point it appears that GM Steve Keim, also rumored to have been on the hot seat, has been spared.

Marvin Lewis Candidate For Cardinals' HC Job?

December 30th, 2018 at 11:44am CST by Rory Parks
  • No one is sure what will happen with Marvin Lewis and the Bengals, and his assistant coaches are actively trying to find out, per Florio. Some believe Lewis will retire from coaching and begin a broadcasting career, while others believe he could become a candidate for the Cardinals‘ head coaching job. If Lewis moves on, Florio writes — as has been reported numerous times — that Hue Jackson would be a candidate to replace him, as would current Vikings head coach (and former Cincinnati DC) Mike Zimmer. Zimmer would perhaps be interested in the Bengals’ gig, per Florio, but much would depend on whether Minnesota would let him leave and if the Vikings would demand significant compensation in exchange.

Mike McCarthy Not Interested In Cardinals’ HC Job; Latest On GM Steve Keim

December 30th, 2018 at 8:53am CST by Rory Parks

We learned earlier this week that former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is interested in the Cardinals’ head coaching job, which is expected to become available in short order. However, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that McCarthy does not want the gig after all, and that he is likely to sit out the 2019 campaign.

If that is the case, it is not for a lack of trying on the Cardinals’ part. La Canfora says that Arizona offered McCarthy control over personnel as well as the on-field product, but McCarthy is content to wait for the perfect opportunity, and it does not appear that the Cardinals’ job is particularly attractive at the moment. There is concern in coaching circles about quarterback Josh Rosen‘s long-term future, and the roster as a whole does not engender much optimism.

Of course, if McCarthy were to accept Arizona’s overtures, current GM Steve Keim would be fired. However, since the Cardinals are not likely to attract McCarthy or any other coach that would be a legitimate candidate to also run the personnel side of things, La Canfora says Keim is likely to return in 2019. Indeed, Keim has already been putting together a list of head coaching candidates in preparation for the upcoming hiring cycle.

One name on Keim’s list could be Jim Caldwell, whom the Packers have already interviewed for McCarthy’s former post. Albert Breer of SI.com reports that Caldwell is likely to be considered for the Cardinals’ job, and even if the team does the unexpected and retains current HC Steve Wilks, Arizona would be interested in Caldwell as a coordinator on Wilks’ staff, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/28/18

December 28th, 2018 at 8:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

  • Promoted from practice squad: G Dorian Johnson
  • Placed on IR: RB Kenjon Barner

Cleveland Browns

  • Promoted from practice squad: WR Blake Jackson
  • Placed on IR: LB Tanner Vallejo

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

  • Waived: S Rolan Milligan

Jacksonville Jaguars

Washington Redskins

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