HEADLINES

Arizona Cardinals News & Rumors

2017 NFL Draft Order Through Most Of Week 14

December 12th, 2016 at 9:35am CST by Zachary Links

The final month of the regular season will dictate the playoff futures for teams like the Cowboys, Patriots, Chiefs, and Raiders. For other teams, the postseason is a statistical impossibility. Already, the Jets, Jaguars, Browns, Rams, Bears, and 49ers have been mathematically eliminated. The Chargers, Saints, Panthers, Eagles, Bengals, and Cardinals are not technically out of it, but their chances are remote.

Here’s where those teams and the others not currently ticketed for the playoffs stand in the draft order (Note – Ties are broken by strength of schedule):

  1. Browns 0-13
  2. 49ers 1-12
  3. Jaguars 2-11
  4. Bears 3-10
  5. Rams 4-9 (pick belongs to Titans)
  6. Jets 4-9
  7. Panthers 5-8
  8. Chargers 5-8
  9. Saints 5-8
  10. Eagles (pick belongs to Browns) 5-8
  11. Cardinals 5-7-1
  12. Bengals 5-7-1
  13. Bills 6-7
  14. Colts 6-7
  15. Titans 7-6
  16. Vikings (pick belongs to Eagles) 7-6
  17. Packers 7-6
  18. Redskins 7-5-1
  19. Ravens 7-5 (Note – The Ravens play their Week 14 game tonight against the Patriots.) 
  20. Dolphins 8-5

Strength of schedule via SB Nation.

Tyrann Mathieu May Need Surgery

December 10th, 2016 at 7:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Set to miss a fourth game in five weeks because of a nagging shoulder injury, Tyrann Mathieu could be bound for the operating table again.

The Cardinals are contemplating surgery for their dynamic fourth-year defensive back, Bruce Arians said (via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic). A subluxation that is restricting Mathieu’s range of motion and the loss of strength in the shoulder hovers at the root of this issue. The league’s highest-paid safety has dealt with this problem since Week 8.

Arians did not think another surgery for the Honey Badger would be necessary yet, but the All-Pro defender who has already undergone two operations to repair ACL tears as an NFLer will miss the most games in any of his four seasons this year due to a less severe but clearly troubling ailment. The torn ACLs in each knee, along with this latest shoulder impediment, prompted a reporter to ask Arians if he’s concerned about one of his cornerstone players venturing down a Bob Sanders-esque path.

“Totally different players; maybe the same injury history,” Arians said. “But Bob was a box guy that would just knock your socks off all the time. His body couldn’t take his bravado. He was one of the best that has ever been. Ty plays the game a different way. His [injuries] have just been bad luck.”

Mathieu returned for the Cardinals’ Week 12 date against the Falcons, notching five tackles and his season’s first sack, but did not play last week against the Redskins.

The 24-year-old Mathieu signed a five-year, $62.5MM extension in August but could be in danger of missing the remainder of the season if the Cardinals opt to play it safe as their season careens further away from playoff contention. Arizona’s mediocre defense of its NFC West title leaves the team 1.5 games back of the second NFC wild-card spot, and if the Cards drift out of contention, it makes little sense to put Mathieu back out there when the current concern surrounding his condition is reinjury.

 

Could Jimmy Garoppolo Be An Option For The Cardinals?

December 10th, 2016 at 9:39am CST by Ben Levine
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe suggests (via Twitter) another suitor for Garoppolo: the Bears. Volin tweets that Chicago desperately wants a young quarterback, and he also notes that the Patriots signal-caller is from Chicago and went to Eastern Illinois. Volin also suggests the 49ers and Cardinals as potential landing spots.

    [SOURCE LINK]

Pollard Alliance Releases HC Candidates List

December 7th, 2016 at 10:49am CST by Zachary Links

The Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation typically releases its list of recommended minority head coaching candidates in January. This year, we have an early preview of the list, courtesy of Tom Pelissero of USA Today. This year’s suggested candidates will include Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Bills offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, Cardinals OC Harold Goodwin, and Vikings DC George Edwards. Teryl Austin (vertical)

Austin was a popular candidate for coaching vacancies last year but ultimately did not find a head coaching gig. After interviewing with the Browns, Dolphins, Giants, and Eagles, Austin indicated that he felt only two of the interviews were “legitimate” while the other two were only done to satisfy the Rooney Rule, which stipulates that a minority candidate must be interviewed for every job. Since the Browns hired a black coach in Hue Jackson, Austin presumably isn’t accusing Cleveland of interviewing him to fulfill the requirement.

The Bills installed Lynn as their OC in September after ousting Greg Roman. The Bills have been up-and-down this year, but they now stand at 6-6 despite injuries to key players. Lynn has had to run the Bills’ offense without star wide receiver Sammy Watkins for much of the year and teams will certainly take notice of his capable job despite the less-than-ideal circumstances.

Goodwin has made no secret of his desire to land a head coaching job. However, there are some factors working against him. First, the Cardinals offense has struggled this season. Secondly, despite rave reviews from those around him, Goodwin does not call the plays in Arizona, and that could deter interested teams.

Edwards was placed on the Pollard list for the first time last year and he returns this season. Like Goodwin, he does not call plays for his team despite the coordinator title. However, he comes with a strong recommendation from head coach Mike Zimmer and he did call the plays against the Cowboys when Zimmer was recovering from surgery. With Edwards at the wheel, the Vikings allowed just 17 points against one of the league’s most electric offenses.

The foundation also released a list of general manager candidates including Giants VP of player evaluation Marc Ross, Raiders director of player personnel Joey Clinkscales, former Lions GM and current Giants exec Martin Mayhew, and Eagles director of college scouting Trey Brown.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/6/2016

December 6th, 2016 at 6:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: RB Stephen Houston

Clevleand Browns

  • Signed: S Justin Currie

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: WR Bernard Reedy

Tennessee Titans

Cardinals Notes: Butler, Arians

December 5th, 2016 at 8:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson
  • Cardinals general manager Steve Keim told reporters that he was not pleased with punter Drew Butler‘s play on Sunday against Washington, tweets Darren Urban of AZCentral.com. Butler re-signed with Arizona late last month after previously having agreed to an injury settlement. Cards head coach Bruce Arians confirmed that the club will work out an unidentified punter on Tuesday, per Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link).
  • Cardinals general manager Steve Keim told reporters that he was not pleased with punter Drew Butler‘s play on Sunday against Washington, tweets Darren Urban of AZCentral.com. Butler re-signed with Arizona late last month after previously having agreed to an injury settlement. Cards head coach Bruce Arians confirmed that the club will work out an unidentified punter on Tuesday, per Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link).
  • Although a weekend report indicated that “confidants” believe Arians could consider retiring from the Cardinals after the 2016 campaign, Arians himself told reporters that the news was false, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (Twitter links). “First of all, I don’t have that many friends,” said Arians, before adding that he’s “damn sure” he’ll be coaching in 2017.

NFL Spending By Team Over Last Four Seasons

December 5th, 2016 at 5:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFLPA has released the official data on team spending over the last four seasons. The Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that each team must utilize 89% of the salary cap over two four-year periods, 2013-16 and 2017-20. As previously reported, the Raiders are the only team that has yet to satisfy that requirement for the closing period. The CBA also requires the league, as a whole, to spend 95% of the cap, in cash, for the same period. That requirement has been easily met.

Here is the full rundown of every team’s spending in declining order:

Philadelphia Eagles – $613,928,134
Denver Broncos – $587,712,791
Seattle Seahawks – $584,305,975
Green Bay Packers – $583,138,740
Miami Dolphins – $577,975,260
Kansas City Chiefs – $575,541,332
Buffalo Bills – $573,647,850
Chicago Bears – $568,301,610
Cincinnati Bengals – $567,289,411
Baltimore Ravens – $562,425,698
San Diego Chargers – $562,232,116
Indianapolis Colts – $556,335,689
Atlanta Falcons – $550,614,572
New York Giants – $543,787,033
Arizona Cardinals – $543,327,538
Los Angeles Rams – $541,957,711
New Orleans Saints – $539,836,498
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $539,736,102
Minnesota Vikings – $539,162,454
New York Jets – $533,151,519
Washington Redskins – $532,545,662
Pittsburgh Steelers – $530,698,171
Detroit Lions – $530,210,549
Tennessee Titans – $524,505,256
Dallas Cowboys – $523,033,036
Houston Texans – $517,212,166
Jacksonville Jaguars – $516,908,734
Cleveland Browns – $516,158,864
San Francisco 49ers – $514,488,198
New England Patriots – $500,083,836
Carolina Panthers – $495,149,346
Oakland Raiders – $491,433,408

Bruce Arians To Consider Retirement?

December 4th, 2016 at 11:16am CST by Rory Parks
  • Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians has suffered through two health scares this season, and his health has been a concern in the past. As such, many coaches who know the 64-year-old believe that he will consider retiring at the end of the season. Arians is under contract through 2018, and although Arizona is struggling this season, Arians’ tenure in the desert has been a resounding success. For what it’s worth, a team official compared any rumors of Arians’ retiring after the season to an internet hoax.

Harold Goodwin Wants Head Coaching Job

December 2nd, 2016 at 9:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne
  • Even though he relishes working under Bruce Arians, Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin‘s “end all” goal is to become a head coach, he informed Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “I think B.A. has groomed me, kind of like he groomed Todd (Bowles),” said Goodwin. “Every year he’s given me more and more responsibilities. Obviously I get to see him work every day, how he handles the team, the administrative part of it. I think it’s helped me grow a lot.” Goodwin interviewed with the Buccaneers for their head coaching vacancy last winter, and the Cardinals’ status as an elite offensive team likely helped him earn consideration. Arizona has fallen off this year, though it remains to be seen if that will hurt Goodwin’s chances of landing a promotion during the upcoming offseason. Notably, Arians – not Goodwin – calls the Cardinals’ offensive plays.

Cardinals Activate Tyvon Branch

December 2nd, 2016 at 4:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Cardinals have activated safety Tyvon Branch from injured reserve, the club announced. He’ll play Sunday against the Redskins, tweets Darren Urban of the team’s website.

Tyvon Branch (vertical)

Branch, a former Raider and Chief who signed a two-year deal with Arizona in March, appeared in the Cardinals’ first five games this season, racking up three starts and 20 tackles. He then landed on injured reserve Oct. 4 with a groin issue, and the team designated him to return from IR on Nov. 23. He’ll now rejoin a 4-6-1 club that entered the season as a Super Bowl contender but now has little room for error as it clings to slim playoff hopes.

While Branch will return Sunday, fellow defensive back Tyrann Mathieu is unlikely to suit up because of a sore shoulder. The 2015 first-team All-Pro’s shoulder kept him out of two of the Cardinals’ games in November, though he did play in their 38-19 loss to the Falcons last Sunday.

Load More Posts