Cardinals Request OC Interviews With Drew Petzing, Drew Terrell, Joel Thomas
With Jonathan Gannon in place as the new head coach in Arizona, changes are coming on the defensive side of the ball. As for their offense, several candidates will be considered before a hire is made.
The Cardinals put out three interview requests for the offensive coordinator position on Thursday. In a trio of tweets, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report that Arizona is seeking a meeting with Browns quarterbacks coach Drew Petzing, Commanders wide receivers coach Drew Terrell and Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas. 
As Rapoport notes, Petzing is a strong contender to land the position. The 35-year-old worked alongside Gannon during their shared time in Minnesota, and was named as a logical hire in the event Gannon was given the head coaching position in Arizona. Petzing has spent the past three years in Cleveland, coaching the team’s tight ends before taking charge of the QBs room in 2022.
Terrell, 31, spent four years in the college ranks before making the jump to the NFL. He worked with the Panthers for two years, then went to Washington in 2020. After one season as an assistant WRs coach, the Stanford alum was promoted to the full-time position and has held it for the past two years. Rapoport adds that Terrell is highly regarded around the league despite his relative lack of experience, so it comes as little surprise that he is receiving interest for a coordinator position.
Thomas held a number of hats at the NCAA level, but has consistently worked with running backs throughout his career. He worked as an OC at Idaho in 2004 and 2005, serving in a similar capacity at Washington in 2012. His only NFL posting has been in New Orleans, beginning in 2015. The 48-year-old has been a key positional coach helping drive the success the Saints have enjoyed with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram in the backfield during his tenure, though, like the other two coaches, he has not received interview requests from any other team so far.
Much has been made about the importance regarding Gannon’s hire at OC, given his own background as a defensive staffer and his status as a rookie head coach. During his introductory press conference, he spoke about his commitment – regardless of whomever is tapped as offensive coordinator – to keeping the unit centered around Kyler Murray.
“I have a very specific vision of how I want to play on offense and the person that comes in here to run the offense is going to understand that everything that we do will be structured around the quarterback position to maximize his skill set,” Gannon said, via ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss. “And we have an elite one.”
Gannon added that he expects to start the interview process to begin in the next few days, so a decision will likely not come long after as he works to build his staff.
Eagles Interested In Vance Joseph For DC
5:15pm: Joseph’s meeting with Gannon did not yield a shared understanding between the two, apparently. Anderson reports that the veteran has been told he will be released (Twitter link).
4:56pm: Gannon was scheduled to meet with Joseph today, and made a comment which could leave the door open to the latter being retained. Gannon said that if Joseph’s vision for the unit “blends with mine, we’ll go from there” (Twitter link via ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss). Joseph figures to have a few options to choose from in the closing stages of the 2023 hiring cycle, but he would represent a highly experienced staffer for Gannon in his first HC posting should the two find common ground.
10:24am: After losing their defensive coordinator to the Cardinals, the Eagles are interested in speaking with Arizona’s four-year DC. Philadelphia wants to meet with Vance Joseph, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets.
Although a formal interview request has not yet emerged, that is the expectation here. The Cardinals have Joseph under contract and could block any DC request, though it is unclear if Jonathan Gannon would do so. The defense-oriented coach will likely be moving on from Joseph and most of his staff.
Joseph, 50, looks to be a popular name late in this year’s hiring period. The Broncos, who employed him as their head coach from 2017-18, have already submitted an interview request. A Joseph request will depend on Eagles internal meetings Thursday, per Anderson, but the team does not have an obvious in-house replacement the way it might on offense. QBs coach Brian Johnson and passing-game coordinator Kevin Patullo are in place as candidates to replace Shane Steichen, but the Eagles were interested in Vic Fangio and Jerod Mayo for Gannon’s old job. Both coaches are now off the market. Fangio is now a highly paid Dolphins DC, and Mayo agreed to stay in place as Bill Belichick‘s right-hand man on that side of the ball.
The Cardinals interviewed Kliff Kingsbury‘s DC to potentially replace him, but Joseph did not advance far in that process. The team had three other DCs — Gannon, Lou Anarumo, Brian Flores — as finalists, though Flores turned down a second interview to take the Vikings’ DC position. Joseph should soon be available for what would be his fourth run as either a defensive coordinator or a head coach leading a team’s defense.
A former Dolphins DC and Broncos HC, Joseph has seven years’ experience as a leader on defense. But he has been an NFL assistant since 2005. Joseph’s 2020 and 2021 Cardinals defenses ranked 10th and sixth in DVOA, respectively, though last season’s unit — J.J. Watt and Zach Allen‘s production notwithstanding — encountered rougher waters during a woeful season in Arizona. The Cards’ 2022 defense slotted 24th in DVOA during a 4-13 season — one that featured most headlines coming from the offensive side of the ball.
Were the Eagles to consider an in-house candidate, defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson has surfaced as the early preference. But the team is still early in its search. The Eagles just became the first team since the Bengals in 2014 to see both their offensive and defensive coordinators land HC jobs in the same offseason.
DeAndre Hopkins’ No-Trade Clause Voided
Coming off a 4-13 season, the Cardinals will begin a new regime and look to be closer to rebuilding than being a surefire playoff contender. Kyler Murray may also miss a chunk of the season due to his ACL rehab.
These factors may influence the team’s decision with its top wide receiver. DeAndre Hopkins continued his dominant run upon being traded in 2020, but injuries marred his 2021 slate and a suspension impacted his chance to bounce back last year. The suspension has also changed Hopkins’ through-2024 contract. The six-game PED ban voided Hopkins’ no-trade clause, Joel Corry of CBS Sports writes.
This stands to be relevant soon. The Cardinals received inquiries on Hopkins ahead of last year’s trade deadline, and a January report indicated the former All-Pro is a strong candidate to be moved this year. Hopkins’ monster extension calls for a $30.75MM cap hit this year. Only Tyreek Hill carries a larger cap figure. Despite Murray signing a $46.1MM-AAV deal last summer, no Cardinal besides Hopkins is in line to carry a cap number north of $18MM this year.
Upon acquiring Hopkins via trade, Arizona gave him an outlier extension in September 2020. The two-year, $54MM re-up — which ended up impacting Hill and Davante Adams‘ extensions down the line — tacked on years to Hopkins’ previous Texans deal but gave him $42.75MM guaranteed at signing. The extension years begin in 2023, but another team could well become responsible for the contract before Week 1.
The Cards included the no-trade clause in the pact, making Hopkins, 30, one of just a handful of players to have such a clause. The team also included void language in the event of a suspension for Larry Fitzgerald, Corry adds, though the future Hall of Famer never ended up being suspended or traded. Arizona’s latest wideout on the Hall of Fame radar may run into both scenarios. Suspensions commonly void guarantees, but Hopkins’ ban will cost him the right to veto a Cardinals move.
It would cost the Cardinals $22MM in dead money to trade Hopkins before June 1, with that number dropping to $11MM after that date. As the Bears and Falcons recently showed, new staffs care less about dead money attached to prior regimes’ decisions. The Cardinals following suit would stand to make Hopkins available soon. Adams, Hill and Amari Cooper were traded in March last year, with A.J. Brown moving in April. For what it’s worth, Hopkins has spoken with new Cards GM Monti Ossenfort at the team facility.
A five-time Pro Bowler, Hopkins amassed 1,407 yards during the most recent of those seasons (2020). He totaled eight touchdowns during an abbreviated 2021 season. In nine games last season, Hopkins bettered his 2021 yards-per-game average by reaching 79.7 per contest. No guaranteed money remains on his contract.
Broncos Request DC Interview With Cardinals’ Vance Joseph
Vance Joseph‘s status in Arizona remains in limbo, but with Jonathan Gannon likely to make changes (and already connected to other names on the defensive side of the ball), it appears likely the veteran coach will be elsewhere in 2023. On that note, Joseph has received an unusual request.
The Broncos are interested in interviewing him for their defensive coordinator position, Mike Klis of 9News reports (on Twitter). Joseph has spent the past four years in Arizona, trekking south after the Broncos fired him in 2019. Joseph remains under contract with the Cardinals, who could block the move. But the fact the Broncos are seeking this interview in the first place offers intrigue.
While Joseph is not long removed from his two-year tenure as Denver’s head coach, the Broncos do have a new regime in place. John Elway hired Joseph in 2017, famously going with the defense-oriented leader after a process that included a Kyle Shanahan interview, and pulled the plug after Joseph’s 11-21 tenure. The Broncos now have George Paton in place as GM and Sean Payton running the show as head coach. The team features new ownership as well.
It would be interesting to see if Joseph goes through with the interview, but it would not be unprecedented to see a team’s former head coach return as its defensive coordinator. It’s happened twice in the AFC West in the not-so-distant past. The Broncos brought back Wade Phillips in 2015, doing so after firing him as HC (to pave way for Mike Shanahan‘s 1995 hire). Less time had passed for the Chiefs, who rehired Gunther Cunningham — their head coach from 1999-2000 — as DC in 2004. Cunningham stayed on as DC under Dick Vermeil and Herm Edwards for five seasons.
The Cardinals interviewed Joseph for their HC position early in their lengthy search process but ended up preferring two other DCs — finalists Gannon and Lou Anarumo. Joseph, 50, oversaw DVOA’s 24th-ranked defense in 2022 but had more success in previous seasons. Despite the Cards missing J.J. Watt for much of the season and having issues at cornerback, their 2021 defense ranked sixth in DVOA. In 2020, the metric measured Joseph’s Cards defense as the league’s 10th-best unit. In Denver, Joseph’s 2017 defense — which still featured some troops from the team’s Super Bowl-winning unit — ranked third in yards allowed. Though, the franchise’s quarterback issues that sank Vic Fangio initially keyed Joseph’s Denver ouster. Justin Simmons is the only defender left on the roster who played under Joseph.
Denver’s DC search has gone in a few directions. The most notable names now connected to it are Rex Ryan and Sean Desai, and Mike Zimmer has now been connected to both the Broncos and Cardinals. Ryan may now be the favorite here, despite having not coached since 2016. But Joseph — an ex-Colorado Buffalo — would certainly be an interesting addition to Denver’s mix.
Cardinals Hire Jonathan Gannon As HC
The final head coaching vacancy of the 2023 head coaching cycle is set to be filled. The Cardinals are finalizing a deal to make Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon their new HC, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The team has since confirmed the hire.
Signs increasingly pointed to Gannon being the Cardinals’ top choice beginning on Super Bowl Sunday, when it was reported that an interview would be set up. At that point, Arizona was believed to be down to two finalists to lead their staff (Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka). Things quickly shifted, and now Gannon is set for his first head coaching gig. 
Monday, a report surfaced that the Cardinals had essentially narrowed down their list of finalists to Gannon and Anarumo. Today’s news confirms that, and leaves Kafka in place for another season at the helm of the Giants’ offense, a role in which he achieved unexpected success. Anarumo, meanwhile, is now free to prepare for a fifth consecutive season in charge of the Bengals’ defense, a unit which has come on strong in recent years in particular. Brian Flores was among the candidates receiving serious consideration for Arizona’s HC vacancy, but he withdrew to take the Vikings’ defensive coordinator position.
Gannon, 39, joined Nick Sirianni in making the jump from Indianapolis to Philadelphia in 2021. The Eagles’ defense performed well in their first season together, putting up the league’s No. 10 total defense. The unit took a considerable step forward with another year of Gannon at the helm and an infusion of several high-end players during the offseason. In 2022, Philadelphia ranked top-10 in both both points and yards allowed, figures which helped guide the team to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Strong performances in the postseason (including an NFC title game against the 49ers, who were without a healthy quarterback for much of the game, in fairness) took the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Much has been made about the team’s breakdown in the second half in particular against the Chiefs, but Gannon still boasts a strong resume given his success in his first coordinator gig. That has translated to a first-time HC posting, where he will build off of a strong relationship with new Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets that the personal connection between the pair helped give Gannon an edge over Anarumo, who interviewed well. Now, attention will turn to his choice for offensive coordinator, and his ability to steer the team back towards contention after a disastrous 2022 season. Arizona’s regression left it as little surprise that both Kliff Kingsbury and Steve Keim are no longer in place, despite each having multiple years remaining on their contracts before their departures.
Gannon will face a tall order in terms of helping the Cardinals take a step forward on both sides of the ball, as his now-former Eagles counterpart Shane Steichen does in Indianapolis. The reporting of Gannon’s hire comes mere hours after Steichen’s was announced by the Colts, leaving the Eagles as the first team in a decade to lose both their offensive and defensive coordinators in the same offseason. Attention will now turn to how Philadelphia compensates, as well as how Gannon fills out his staff as the coaching cycle winds down.
Coaching Notes: Cards, Kingsbury, Chargers
Mentioned as a candidate to reunite with Sean Payton, Mike Zimmer also may be under consideration for another reunion. Jonathan Gannon, one of Zimmer’s original hires with the Vikings back in 2014, appears to have the veteran coach on his radar for his Cardinals staff, Howard Balzer of gophnx.com tweets. Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis also may be on Gannon’s radar to head to Arizona, per Balzer. Gannon spent four seasons on Zimmer’s Minnesota staff, working as the Vikings’ assistant defensive backs coach. Rallis, 29, was on Zimmer’s Vikes staff from 2018-20, before joining the Eagles. It will be interesting to see if Zimmer, 66, has multiple options to return to an NFL post.
As for Gannon’s Cardinals staff as a whole, some of Kliff Kingsbury‘s assistants are in limbo. Vance Joseph and others have not been informed of their future with the Cards, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. Joseph was initially a candidate to replace Kingsbury and interviewed for the job, but the four-year Arizona DC did not reach the finalist stage.
With all five HC positions now filled, here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- Back from Thailand, Kingsbury has now met with multiple teams. After interviewing for the Texans’ OC post, the four-year Cardinals HC met with the Ravens. The sides discussed an unspecified staff position, Anderson tweets. This Sunday interview of sorts did not produce an agreement. Kingsbury is still in line to collect considerable cash from his 2022 Cardinals extension, but the Texans and Ravens hired others — Bobby Slowik, Todd Monken, respectively — to run their offenses.
- Staying in Baltimore, Monken will have input in how the next Ravens offensive staff looks, per Anderson. The Ravens, as should be expected given their situation, followed through with their pledge to involve Lamar Jackson in the OC search as well (Twitter links). Monken, who collected two national titles while at Georgia, last coached in the NFL as the Browns’ OC in 2019.
- Justin Herbert‘s 2023 brain trust will consist of ex-Cowboy staffers. After hiring Kellen Moore, the Chargers are adding Doug Nussmeier as quarterbacks coach, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets. Nussmeier, an OC at five college programs from 2008-17, was with the Cowboys for five seasons — the past three as QBs coach. The 52-year-old assistant had multiple offers for 2023 NFL gigs, per Russini (on Twitter).
- As the Broncos cycled through head coaches over the past several seasons, they kept Zach Azzanni in place. A Joseph hire back in 2018, Azzani stayed on as wide receivers coach under Vic Fangio and Nathaniel Hackett. Azzanni interviewed with both the Bills and Jets for the AFC East clubs’ respective wide receivers coach roles over the past two days, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). While these meetings could signal Payton has other plans for this job, Pelissero adds the Broncos could still retain the highly regarded position coach to work for a fourth HC.
- The Broncos will lose one of their quality control staffers to the Cowboys. Ramon Chinyoung is leaving Denver to become Dallas’ assistant offensive line coach, per 9News’ Mike Klis (on Twitter). The Cowboys are also hiring Will Harriger as an offensive assistant, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Harriger, who spent last season as a USC assistant, has worked with both Brian Schottenheimer and Dan Quinn. Harriger previously served as the Seahawks’ assistant quarterbacks coach from 2016-18 and later was part of Quinn’s Falcons staff.
- Shortly after the Broncos interviewed Rex Ryan for their DC job, the ESPN analyst’s son is in the mix for a title bump. The Jets requested an interview with Seth Ryan for their wide receivers coach position, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). A third-generation NFL coach, Seth is currently the Lions’ assistant receivers coach. Just 28, Ryan has an NFL assistant for four seasons. He has been with the Lions for the past two. Although Azzanni is also in the mix for this Jets job, Seth Ryan working for his father’s former team is on the radar.
2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker
Last year, 10 NFL teams hired new head coaches. Following the Panthers, Broncos and Texans’ hires, this year’s vacancy count sits at two. Last year’s Saints and Buccaneers moves, however, showed these job openings can emerge at unexpected points.
Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here is the current breakdown:
Updated 2-14-23 (1:30pm CT)
Arizona Cardinals
- Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator (Bengals): Conducted second interview 2/10
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 2/2; out of running
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed; potential finalist; hired as Panthers DC
- Brian Flores, linebackers coach (Steelers): Favorite?; second interview cancelled
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Hired
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/21; potential finalist; out of running
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/18; out of running
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview 2/7; likely out of mix
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Conducted second interview 1/25; to stay with Cowboys
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/26
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Interviewed 1/17
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview cancelled, prefers Texans’ job
Carolina Panthers
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/18
- Ken Dorsey, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/21
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): To remain at Michigan
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): In lead for job?; plans to stay with Lions
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/22
- Jerod Mayo, inside linebackers coach (Patriots): Interview declined
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/24-1/25
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/23
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Hired
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview postponed
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/14
- Steve Wilks, interim head coach (Panthers): Conducted second interview 1/25
Denver Broncos
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed 1/11
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Potential candidate?
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Potential candidate?
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Interviewed 1/9; to remain at Michigan; still in play?
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Potential candidate?
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/17
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/20; to stay with Cowboys
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Mentioned as candidate; team moving in different direction
- Jerry Rosburg, interim head coach/senior assistant (Broncos): No longer considered for job
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/19; frontrunner?; prefers Texans’ job
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Hired; Saints to receive first-, second-round picks
- David Shaw, former head coach (Stanford): Interviewed 1/11
Houston Texans
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/17
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Conducted second interview 1/25
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Early frontrunner?; interviewed 1/14
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/12; plans to stay with Lions
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview 1/25
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/16
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Hired
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/13
Indianapolis Colts
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/12; in finalist mix?
- Rich Bisaccia, special teams coordinator (Packers): Completed second interview
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Conducted second interview 2/1; no longer in running
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Conducted second interview 1/26; hired as Panthers DC
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Completed second interview 2/2
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Mentioned as candidate, to remain at Michigan
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/13; plans to stay with Lions
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/22
- Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview; no longer in running
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Conducted second interview 1/27
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Second interview scheduled for 1/28; to stay with Cowboys
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview on hold; Colts still wanted to meet
- Jeff Saturday, interim head coach (Colts): Conducted second interview 1/25; hire unlikely?; out of running
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Hired
- Bubba Ventrone, special teams coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/11; in finalist mix?
Eagles Attempting To Keep Jonathan Gannon, Eyed Vic Fangio As Potential Replacement
Following the Eagles’ narrow loss in Super Bowl LVII, Jonathan Gannon stayed in Arizona for his Cardinals interview. The second-year defensive coordinator has gained steam for the Arizona HC gig to the point he looks to be the favorite.
Gannon has been on the Cardinals’ radar for a bit, and the Eagles are at least making a pitch to keep him. The NFC champions have attempted to convince Gannon to stay on as their DC, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Gannon was a Texans finalist last year, but the Cardinals have been the only team to seriously consider him this year.
Although the Cardinals’ search appeared to have dwindled to Lou Anarumo and Mike Kafka entering Super Bowl LVII, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano adds rumblings persisted about their interest in interviewing Gannon and Eagles OC Shane Steichen for a while. Gannon and new Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort, per Vacchiano, have been friends for a bit, despite never working together. Steichen is on track to become the next Colts head coach.
The Eagles had used Vic Fangio as a defensive consultant throughout the season, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane (on Twitter), and the accomplished defensive coach had planned to stay on through Super Bowl LVII all along. This arrangement kept his Dolphins gig from becoming official for a bit. Signed to a three-year deal worth more than $4.5MM per season, Fangio is now believed to be the NFL’s highest-paid defensive coordinator. He would have likely been the top option to replace Gannon, Breer adds, but several teams showed interest before the Philly DC vacancy became likely. The 49ers also appeared to have Fangio as their top option, but the Dolphins’ offer won out.
Should Gannon end up being the Cardinals’ next HC, Vacchiano notes Eagles passing-game coordinator Dennard Wilson would make for a natural replacement candidate. Wilson, 40, has been an NFL DBs coach since 2015, serving in that capacity with the Rams, Jets and Eagles. He interviewed for the Browns’ DC job earlier this year, seeing it go to ex-Eagles DC Jim Schwartz.
Steichen and Gannon both leaving would make the Eagles the first team to see both their coordinators land HC jobs since the 2013 Bengals, who lost Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer. The Cardinals have been at this HC search for a while, and their job might end up being the last one filled. The team saw Brian Flores — a reported finalist — bow out of the race, and higher-profile target Sean Payton chose the Broncos. Dan Quinn also withdrew from multiple searches, while DeMeco Ryans cancelled his Cardinals and Colts interviews. Frank Reich landed in Carolina. It is not known how far Reich was going to advance in Arizona’s search, but this process has dragged into a sixth week now.
Latest On Cardinals, Jonathan Gannon
The Cardinals paused their ongoing head coach search during Super Bowl weekend, but appear to have a list of finalists in place for the position. One of those is Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who is now free to meet with prospective employers with the Super Bowl in the books.
It was reported yesterday morning that the Cardinals were expected to request an interview with the 39-year-old. A follow-up later in the day seemed to point to Gannon not only being a candidate for the posting, but the one in the driver’s seat to be hired. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Gannon is expected to interview today.
The Cardinals had their search pared down to three candidates recently: Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores. The latter took the Vikings’ DC position last week, thus taking himself out of the running to become the new coach in the desert. That left many presuming the other two would be the only remaining contenders, but Gannon’s presence has changed the situation.
Schefter’s colleague Josh Weinfuss reports that the Cardinals have “focused” their resumed search on Anarumo and Gannon (Twitter link). While he emphasizes that Kafka should be considered out of the running altogether, that update underscores how highly-regarded Gannon is by an Arizona front office which is now led by general manager Monti Ossenfort alongside owner Michael Bidwill.
Gannon only has two years of coordinator experience, but his success in 2022 in particular makes him a logical candidate for a HC position. The Eagles were dominant in a number of categories as both their front seven and secondary helped guide the team to the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a trip to the Super Bowl. The performance of Gannon’s unit in the second half of the title game in particular was far from stellar, but he is still likely to be on the head coaching radar in the years to come should he not land the Cardinals position.
Weinfuss adds that a final decision on Arizona’s next head coach could come as soon as tonight, so much will depend on Gannon’s interview. None of the three finalists are considered candidates for the Colts’ vacancy, so the runners-up will be in position to remain in their current roles for the 2023 season.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LVII in the books, the order of the final two first-round picks in April’s draft have been finalized. The Chiefs once again find themselves at the bottom of the order by virtue of winning their second Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.
The last time they found themselves in that position, they added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in what was seen as a selection which would greatly boost their rushing attack. A repeat of that decision is unlikely this time around, given the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as the team’s lead back down the stretch, including the Super Bowl in which Edwards-Helaire was deactivated.
For the Eagles, the fact that their own first-rounder will be one spot higher than Kansas City’s is of course no consolation for the outcome of the game. Nevertheless, Philadelphia will have two chances – since they also have the Saints’ top choice, sitting at No. 10 overall – to add high-end rookies to an already strong core. The success both teams enjoyed in 2022, coupled with the strengths of their respective front offices, should have them well-positioned to contend once again next season.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:
- Chicago Bears: 3-14
- Houston Texans: 3-13-1
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Carolina Panthers: 7-10
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Tennessee Titans: 7-10
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- New York Jets: 7-10
- New England Patriots: 8-9
- Green Bay Packers: 8-9
- Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
- Detroit Lions: 9-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
- Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
- Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
- Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
- Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
- New York Giants: 9-7-1
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 13-3
- Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
- New Orleans Saints (via 49ers through Broncos)
- Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3
- Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3
This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice