Jonathan Gannon’s Cardinals Seat Hotter Than GM Monti Ossenfort’s?
While the Cardinals being unable to sustain momentum is not exactly new, given the franchise’s history of slim contention windows, this year’s step backward has been rather alarming. Arizona sits 3-11 after a 2-0 start, inviting obvious questions about the current regime’s future.
Last year’s Cards finished 8-9, representing a substantial improvement from the 2022 and ’23 campaigns — both featuring 4-13 records — as a rebuild commenced. But this move down the standings will keep Gannon’s seat hot until season’s end. A Sunday report indicated Jonathan Gannon is more likely than not to stay, but the Cardinals lost yet again — a 26-19 home blemish to the struggling Falcons.
[RELATED: Kyler Murray Likely To Bring Limited Trade Market]
Monti Ossenfort certainly bears some responsibility for this season, but as it stands, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer views Gannon as being in a bit more trouble than the GM. Front office bosses typically receive longer leashes than coaches, as second-chance GMs have become a rare commodity in today’s game. This season has featured 32 first-time GMs/de facto GMs.
The Cardinals have operated this way as well. Steve Keim received the chance to work with three HCs — Bruce Arians, Steve Wilks, Kliff Kingsbury — while predecessor Rod Graves was on staff with three as well (Dave McGinnis, Dennis Green, Ken Whisenhunt). Both GMs were in-house promotions, and both lasted 10 years. Ossenfort was tasked with launching a rebuild in 2023, and the Cards’ history points to him being retained even if Gannon is fired.
Gannon, however, has overseen a seven-game losing streak during a stretch featuring 11 losses in 12 games. Eight of those losses have come by one score, but Arizona’s defense has regressed despite notable offseason investments. A defense-oriented coach, Gannon has seen he and Nick Rallis‘ unit sink to 26th in scoring and 29th in yardage. A 2024 group lacking the front-seven talent this year’s team possesses finished 15th and 21st in those categories, respectively.
This Cards regime also has not had the opportunity to acquire its own starting quarterback. Though, Gannon and Ossenfort praised Kyler Murray at nearly every turn between being hired and Week 1 of this season. Murray has since been shut down and is widely expected to be elsewhere in 2026.
Ossenfort’s first-round picks have been a mixed bag as well. Paris Johnson Jr. has performed well, playing both tackle spots during his career, but Marvin Harrison Jr. has not taken off as a No. 1-level wideout yet (though, 2023 third-rounder Michael Wilson has flashed brightly during this season’s second half). Pro Football Focus ranks Darius Robinson 128th out of 128 qualified interior D-linemen. Fellow first-round D-tackle Walter Nolen did not debut until November this season due to injury.
Michael Bidwill has given three of his past four HCs at least four seasons, but Whisenhunt, Arians and Kingsbury produced playoff trips by Year 3. The exception was Wilks, whom the team canned after a 3-13 season. This Cards edition has not been as bad as that 2018 squad, which was outscored by 200 points (it is at minus-93 presently), but this group’s struggles leave Gannon’s future up in the air.
Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon Expected To Keep Job In 2026
Despite the Cardinals’ substantial regression this season, head coach Jonathan Gannon seems poised to keep his job in 2026.
Gannon’s 27-49 record and lack of defensive success in Arizona has stirred speculation about the Cardinals making a change this offseason. However, such a move seems unlikely at this time, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
A primary factor in Gannon’s job security is the continued support of Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, who appreciates the strong culture Gannon has built. Despite the appearance of a shaky start in Arizona based on bhis portrayal on “Hard Knocks” during the 2022 season, Gannon is respected by his players, which has persisted despite the team’s struggles this year.
Bidwill may also have a more generous assessment of Gannon given the Cardinals’ inconsistency at quarterback in his tenure. Kyler Murray tore his ACL in 2022, the year before Gannon was hired, and only played eight games in Gannon’s debut year. Like most players recovering from such an injury, Murray was not quite himself upon his return to the field. He was fully healthy in 2024 and showed some improvement, but regressed in his five years this year before suffering a knee injury that ultimately ended his season.
As a result, it seems more likely that the Cardinals move on from Murray than Gannon this offseason. That would allow Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort to pick their own quarterback, as Murray was drafted and signed an extension before either arrived in Arizona.
One figure that will certainly be leaving is defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere, who will take up the same position at Michigan State, per 247 Sports’ Justin Thind. He will reunite with new Spartans head coach Joe Rossi, who he played under and coach with at the University of Minnesota.
Cardinals To Stick With GM Monti Ossenfort, HC Jonathan Gannon?
At 3-7, the Cardinals are headed for a last-place finish in the NFC West. Odds are they’ll miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. There may be questions about the job security of general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon in the coming weeks as a result.
The Cardinals hired Ossenfort, previously a Titans executive, in January 2023. He picked Gannon, formerly the Eagles’ defensive coordinator, a month later. Arizona has gone a woeful 15-29 in two-plus seasons under its current regime.
Considering the team’s lack of progress, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes that “opinions are split on whether Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill will take action.” ESPN colleague Dan Graziano expects Ossenfort and Gannon to remain in place, though.
Both Fowler and Graziano note that the Cardinals haven’t been in position to draft a franchise QB under Ossenfort and Gannon. Bidwill could give them the opportunity to do so in April.
The Cardinals’ present leadership inherited former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray when they arrived in Arizona. However, Murray’s time in the desert could soon run out. Statistically, the seventh-year man has endured an up-and-down career with the Cardinals. From a team standpoint, the Cardinals’ lone playoff appearance under Murray yielded disastrous results in a wild-card round loss to the Rams in January 2022. The Cardinals have finished below .500 in every season since then.
A season after helping the Cardinals to the playoffs, Murray tore his ACL in Week 14 of the 2022 campaign. The recovery process limited him to eight games in 2023. Murray bounced back to play his first 17-game slate last season, but a mid-foot sprain has held him to five appearances this year. Murray has been on IR since Nov. 5. He won’t play again until Week 14 at the earliest.
With veteran backup Jacoby Brissett performing well in Murray’s place, it’s reportedly possible the latter has played his last snap with the Cardinals. Murray is still on the five-year, $230.5MM deal Arizona gave him in 2022, and he’s guaranteed $36.8MM in 2026. His $19.5MM salary for 2027 will vest on March 22, 2026. The Cardinals could trade or release Murray before then, which would enable them to escape that portion of the 28-year-old’s contract.
If the Cardinals move on from Murray ahead of next year’s draft, it would enable Ossenfort and Gannon to devote their attention to selecting his successor. Clayton Tune, a 2023 fifth-rounder who’s now with the Packers, is the only QB the Cardinals have drafted since they brought in Ossenfort and Gannon. Assuming those two stay in place, that figures to change next spring.
Cardinals Facing Decision On Kyler Murray’s Future?
Has Kyler Murray played his last snap in Arizona?
That question has spread across the NFL in the wake of the latest developments regarding the Cardinals’ star quarterback. If Murray were to become available in the offseason, he would immediately become one of the biggest names on the annual quarterback carousel.
To recap: the Cardinals won their first two games of the year with Murray under center, albeit against easier opponents. They then lost three straight to the 49ers, Seahawks, and Titans by a combined five points. Murray injured his foot against the Titans, but he only missed a few snaps before finishing the game. He missed the next two weeks with reports of a Lisfranc-related injury raising concern about a longer absence, and did not play in Week 9 despite hopes of a post-bye return.
In Murray’s absence, backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett led the Cardinals’ offense to three of their four highest points and yardage totals of the season, though only one of those games ended in victory. Brissett’s passer rating, yards per attempt, and touchdown-to-interception ratio all outpace his younger teammate, too.
That clearly stirred some discussions in Arizona. First, head coach Jonathan Gannon said earlier this week that “nothing’s changed” regarding Murray and the team’s quarterback situation, indicating that the former No. 1 overall pick would play once he was healthy. The next day, Gannon seemed to change his tune when he announced that Brissett would remain the starter, which was quickly explained Murray’s subsequent move to injured reserve.
It is unclear what happens next. Murray will be on IR until at least Week 14. He was diagnosed with “a mid-foot sprain in the area of a Lisfranc injury,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Nothing is broken or dislocated, but a partially torn ligament and the resulting swelling need more time to fully heal. Murray’s limited participation in practice for the last few weeks suggests that he could play if it was absolutely necessary, but the risk of re-injury has steered the Cardinals down the cautious path.
General manager Monti Ossenfort is expecting Murray to return this season, but whether or not he regains his starting job will be determined at a later date. The Cardinals’ performance in the meantime could be a major factor in that decision. Despite a 2-5 start, they refused to consider selling players at the trade deadline due to a minus-13 point differential that suggested they were better than their record. Monday night’s 10-point primetime win in Dallas supported that theory.
However, Murray’s absence features a tough slate of matchups for the Cardinals. Their next four opponents have a combined 23-11 record on the season, and they have already lost to two of those teams: the 49ers and the Seahawks. Arizona could be all but eliminated from the playoff picture by the time Murray is ready to play.
At that point, it may not make sense to put him back on the field. And if the Cardinals have stayed in the hunt, it would likely be due, at least in part, to Brissett. Perhaps he wins a few games and gets hurt, giving Murray a chance at a late-season charge, but some around the league believe he is done for the year, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
Some even believe he might be done in Arizona. Remember, Ossenfort and Gannon did not draft Murray or sign him to his current contract extension. Given their regime’s poor results thus far, they could be looking to handpick a different quarterback to right the ship and secure their jobs for a few more years. That would mean moving on from Murray this offseason, though that’s not a simple proposition by any means.
Murray has $36.8MM of guaranteed money due in 2026, and his 2027 salary becomes guaranteed on March 22, creating a clear decision point for Murray’s future. If he is not in the Cards’ long-term plans, they will have to release or trade him by then.
Other teams may not want to attach themselves to those obligations, so a trade could require Arizona to eat some of Murray’s 2026 compensation. Those teams may still be cautious about his 2027 guarantees and instead may wait the Cardinals out in the hopes they release Murray. That would allow him to choose his next team, and he would only cost the veteran minimum with the Cardinals still responsible for his guaranteed money in 2026.
As for potential destinations for Murray, keep an eye on Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, per Jones. His unit has disappointed this season, but that is partially due to multiple injuries to star quarterback Jayden Daniels. Kingsbury said last year that he wanted to return to a head coaching job in the future, but he declined interest from multiple teams last offseason, due in part to his desire to stay with Daniels. However, a new job this offseason could offer the opportunity to reunite with Murray, which could be enough to get Kingsbury out of Washington.
The Cardinals signed Brissett on a two-year deal this offseason, which could set him up to be a bridge starter in 2026. A poor finish their year could position them to target a top prospect in the draft; that effort could be further aided by any draft capital received from a potential Murray trade.
This season has not gone to plan for the Cardinals. Now, they’ll have to come up with a new one for their future.
Cardinals Rumors: Brown, Moore, Humphries
The Cardinals are open to trading the No. 4 overall pick in next month’s draft, a move which would net them additional high-end draft capital while still allowing them to select one of the best wide receivers in a class full of receiving talent. And given that Arizona has parted ways with Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore this offseason, the club’s need for multiple pass catchers to support quarterback Kyler Murray is particularly glaring.
Here’s the latest from the desert, starting with a couple of notes on those recently-departed wideouts:
- Brown ultimately signed a one-year, $7MM contract with the Chiefs, a deal that includes an additional $4MM in incentives. “Hollywood” had previously expressed interest in re-signing with the Cardinals, and Mike Jurecki of Arizona Football Daily confirms that Brown indeed hoped to return to Arizona even as he was garnering league-wide interest. However, the Cardinals never attempted to match or better KC’s offer, so the speedy wideout will work alongside Patrick Mahomes & Co. as he eyes a lucrative multiyear pact in 2025.
- Moore, meanwhile, was traded to the Falcons, and he will apparently welcome the change of scenery that the Kirk Cousins-led outfit will provide. Despite working with two different play-callers over his first three professional seasons, Moore felt he was not given enough opportunities in the vertical passing game and ran too many horizontal routes, as ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss details. Moore will also be eligible for free agency in 2025, and while there are a number of talented skill position players on Atlanta’s roster, the soon-to-be 24-year-old could become a key ancillary target in a high-upside offense.
- Even if the Cardinals select a top-tier WR prospect like Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers, the club could certainly add another receiver or two later on in the draft, especially given their need at the position and the strength of this year’s class. To that end, as Jurecki notes, the team recently scheduled a “30” visit with Texas WR Xavier Worthy, who set a Scouting Combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash and whom NFL.com draft guru Daniel Jeremiah referred to as a taller version of Brown. The Colts also have a visit scheduled with Worthy.
- Earlier this month, the Cardinals released OT D.J. Humphries, who had spent his entire career with the club since being selected in the first round of the 2015 draft. Financially, the release was an easy call for GM Monti Ossenfort, as Humphries tore his ACL at the end of the 2023 campaign and is therefore uncertain to play in 2024, when he was due to carry a $22MM cap charge. Emotionally, however, Ossenfort called the move “brutal,” saying, “the salary cap and the way things are set up and the way contracts work, it put us in a very tough situation. I can’t say enough about how I feel about D.J. as a football player and moreso as a person. His energy, and the leadership he brought to this team, we are certainly going to miss him. I hope nothing but the best for him in his recovery and his rehab” (via Darren Urban of the team’s official website).
- The Cardinals added Jonah Williams in free agency this year and drafted Paris Johnson with the No. 6 overall pick in last year’s draft, and they are still rostering veteran Kelvin Beachum. Nonetheless, Ossenfort left to the door open to a Humphries reunion once Humphries’ rehab is complete.
- Ossenfort has been busy fortifying his defensive line this offseason, adding Bilal Nichols, Justin Jones, and Khyiris Tonga in free agency. Nichols and Jones landed notable multiyear deals, while Tonga signed a one-year, $1.75MM accord, per CardsWire’s Howard Balzer. Still, Ossenfort thinks highly of Tonga and cited his size and the strength of his performance near the end of his tenure with the Vikings as reasons for his belief that the former seventh-round pick could carve out a meaningful role in the desert.
NFC Notes: Gannon, Allen, Campbell, Saints
Jonathan Gannon‘s Eagles exit brought a tampering penalty against the Cardinals, who made impermissible contact with their new head coach during the offseason. New Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort reached out to Gannon shortly after the NFC championship game, after the two-year Eagles DC expressed a desire to stay in Philadelphia. Gannon did not tell the Eagles about Ossenfort’s pre-Super Bowl call or his intention to interview with the Cardinals, according to ESPN.com’s Tim McManus. This affected Philly’s timing regarding Vic Fangio, who was perhaps this offseason’s most coveted coordinator.
A consultant with the Eagles last season, Fangio was well-liked and became the team’s choice to succeed Gannon as DC. Fangio all but confirmed the timing involving Gannon led him out of town. Before Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles had expected to retain Gannon, McManus adds. When Ossenfort was in Tennessee, he put Gannon’s name on a short list of possible HCs — in the event he landed a GM job. A Jan. 29 report indicated Fangio would accept the Dolphins’ DC offer; he was officially hired Feb. 2. The Cardinals’ Gannon interview request did not emerge until Feb. 12. By that point, the Eagles were aiming to retain Gannon after Fangio had bolted. With the Eagles having demoted their new DC — Sean Desai — and given Matt Patricia play-calling duties, Gannon’s Philly return this week will be interesting.
Here is the latest from the NFC:
- Listing Jonathan Allen as a player he expects to be traded during the 2024 offseason, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the Commanders defensive tackle is not eager to go through another rebuild. Allen made his views on that matter fairly well known recently, after the team traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young. A losing streak commenced soon after, and Ron Rivera and Martin Mayhew are expected to be fired. Teams asked about Allen at the deadline, and while the Commanders resisted, new owner Josh Harris‘ involvement in the Sweat and Young deals showed an openness to stockpiling draft capital. Allen’s four-year, $72MM extension runs through 2025. It would cost Washington $18MM in dead money to trade Allen before June 1, so it would stand to take a nice offer to pry the seventh-year veteran from D.C.
- The Giants have phased Parris Campbell out of their receiver rotation, going as far as to make him a healthy scratch in each of the past three games. Campbell signed a one-year, $4.7MM deal in free agency, with The Athletic’s Dan Duggan noting he is losing out on $100K per-game roster bonuses with these scratches. As the Giants emphasize bigger roles for younger wideouts Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, Campbell is preparing to leave in free agency come March. “When I came here, did I think things would be different? Of course,” Campbell said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “… During free agency, the market was kind of slow for receivers, but the Giants gave me an opportunity — and that’s all I want. This coming offseason, whoever is interested in me and wants to give me an opportunity, I’ll take it.” After three injury-plagued seasons, Campbell has stayed mostly healthy over his past two. The ex-Colts second-rounder, however, has 20 receptions for just 104 yards this year.
- It is unlikely Marshon Lattimore and Michael Thomas return this season, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill tweets. Lattimore suffered a significant ankle injury and has missed the past five Saints games. Thomas stayed healthier this year than he has since the 2010s, but the former All-Pro wideout has also missed New Orleans’ past five contests. Thomas, who may well be in his final weeks as a Saint, is down with a knee injury.
- Six teams put in waiver claims on linebacker Christian Elliss, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. The Patriots won out. Had Elliss not garnered any claims, the Eagles wanted to bring him back on their practice squad. A 2021 Eagles UDFA, Elliss had led the team in special teams snaps at the time of his exit earlier this month.
The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs
The latest NFL general manager hiring cycle only produced two changes, but each took over for an executive who appeared in good standing at this point last year.
Steve Keim had held his Cardinals GM post since January 2013, and the Cardinals gave both he and Kliff Kingsbury extensions — deals that ran through 2027 — in March of last year. Arizona has since rebooted, moving on from both Keim and Kingsbury. Keim took a leave of absence late last season, and the Cardinals replaced him with ex-Titans exec Monti Ossenfort.
[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]
As the Cardinals poached one of the Titans’ top front office lieutenants, Tennessee went with an NFC West staffer to replace Jon Robinson. The move to add 49ers FO bastion Ran Carthon also came less than a year after the Titans reached extension agreements with both Robinson and HC Mike Vrabel. But controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk canned Robinson — in place as GM since January 2016 — before last season ended. Adams Strunk cited player unavailability and roster quality among the reasons she chose to move on despite having extended Robinson through the 2027 draft months earlier. The Titans are now pairing Vrabel and Carthon.
The Bills reached an extension agreement with GM Brandon Beane two weeks ago. Hired shortly after the team gave Sean McDermott the HC keys, Beane has helped the Bills to five playoff berths in six seasons. Beane’s deal keeps him signed through 2027. Chargers GM Tom Telesco has hit the 10-year mark leading that front office, while this year also marks the 10th offseason of Buccaneers honcho Jason Licht‘s tenure running the NFC South team. Although Jim Irsay fired Frank Reich and later admitted he reluctantly extended his former HC in 2021, the increasingly active Colts owner has expressed confidence in Chris Ballard.
Here is how the NFL’s GM landscape looks going into the 2023 season:
- Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
- Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
- Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
- Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
- John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
- Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010; signed extension in 2022
- Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
- Tom Telesco (Los Angeles Chargers): January 9, 2013; signed extension in 2018
- Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
- Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
- John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2020
- Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
- Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
- Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2020
- Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
- Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
- Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
- Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020
- Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
- George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
- Scott Fitterer (Carolina Panthers): January 14, 2021
- Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021
- Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
- Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
- Martin Mayhew (Washington Commanders): January 22, 2021
- Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
- Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
- Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
- Dave Ziegler (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
- Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
- Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
- Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
Footnotes:
- Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
- Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
- Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
- Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018
Latest On Cards’ Trades With Texans, Titans
A key party in a few teams’ early-round draft machinations, the Cardinals played a particularly important role in what could be long-term AFC South roster construction. They made deals with both the Texans and Titans, equipping each with potential 2020s pillars.
Both teams discussed prospective trades with the Cardinals before the draft. The Titans did not have to give up what it would have cost to move from No. 11 to No. 3 — a climb Tennessee was continually connected to attempting — but they had C.J. Stroud in mind. The new Texans quarterback was the Titans’ target at No. 3, with Albert Breer of SI.com confirming the team dropped out of trade talks after Houston took the Ohio State passer at 2.
The Titans were viewed as high on Stroud, and with the Texans believed to be planning to take a momentous risk — tabling their quarterback need yet again to select an edge rusher — it looked like Tennessee could have a clear path to trading up for its preferred passer. But Nick Caserio confirmed (via NBC Sports’ Peter King) his team had decided on Stroud at No. 2. That decision ran counter to just about every Texans-centric report leading up to the draft. Though, reports of Houston’s defensive end intent were not entirely inaccurate, given how the team proceeded at No. 3.
Although Caserio taking Stroud at No. 2 removed a buyer for 3 in the Titans, the Texans still traded a monster haul to land the Cardinals’ No. 3 choice. Houston gave up No. 33, along with first- and third-round picks in 2024. The Texans held two 2024 firsts, thanks to the historic Deshaun Watson package, and Houston’s first — not Cleveland’s — now belongs to Arizona. The Texans’ lengthy rebuild process has involved top-three draft real estate in each of the past three drafts, running a risk the team gave a prime draft asset for a non-quarterback in Will Anderson Jr. Two of the three Browns first-rounders acquired in the Watson trade ended up going toward Anderson.
Caserio and former Patriots coworker Monti Ossenfort had engaged in pre-draft talks about a trade involving the Nos. 3 and 12 picks, Breer adds, and King confirms the Cards and Texans agreed to the swap with “close to a minute left” on the clock.
“It helped that I had a personal relationship with Nick Caserio in Houston,” Ossenfort said during an appearance on the Dave Pasch Podcast (via AZCardinals.com). “… There was some back and forth there and the clock’s going, the clock’s going, and I think it was around two-and-a-half minutes where we have a couple of [different] deals up written up on the board [with] a couple of teams and it’s ‘OK, Nick, I think we’re at a spot where we are close here. It’s this and this for this, this and this. Are you in?’ ‘Yeah, I’m in.’ And it’s ‘OK, great, call it in.'”
Ossenfort had planned on trading back up and called multiple teams in order to secure Paris Johnson draft real estate. After talks with fellow former coworker Dave Ziegler did not produce a deal with the Raiders, Ossenfort found a taker in the Lions, allowing them to avoid taking Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 6.
The Cardinals and Titans revisited their talks Friday, and GM Ran Carthon pivoted to the freefalling Will Levis. The Titans had discussed a deal to move back into Round 1, with Levis as the target, with Breer adding they discussed the move with the Bills — at No. 27 — late Thursday night. The Titans were one of many teams trying to move back into the first round, and teams also made offers to the Steelers for 32. The Titans may well have been one of those to send the Steelers a proposal for 32, but they ended up trading 2023 and 2024 third-rounders to climb eight spots to 33 for the Kentucky QB.
This draft brought some notable what-ifs regarding the non-Jaguars wing of the AFC South, seeing as the Colts were tied to Levis for weeks only to have been preparing an Anthony Richardson pick for a while. Should Stroud, Richardson and Levis become surefire starters, this will certainly go down as one of the most pivotal drafts in the AFC South’s 22-year history.
Cardinals Made Offer For Raiders’ No. 7 Overall Pick
The Cardinals made three trades during the draft’s first 33 picks, moving down twice and climbing up to land Paris Johnson. The middle trade came together late, with the Cardinals’ late offer evidently stopping the Lions from making a shocking pick — Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 6 overall.
Before GM Monti Ossenfort made a successful trade proposal to Detroit counterpart Brad Holmes, the rookie Arizona front office boss made an offer to the Raiders. The GMs discussed the No. 7 overall pick in a deal that would have moved the Raiders down to No. 12, NBC Sports’ Peter King reports. Arizona’s proposal would have sent Las Vegas the No. 33 overall pick, it appears, which would have given the Raiders three picks between Nos. 12 and 38.
Although the Raiders met with this draft class’ top five quarterbacks, Josh McDaniels said just before the draft (per King, granted war-room access) the Raiders had four non-quarterback prospects targeted at No. 7, but the team mulled the Cardinals’ offer for the pick. As McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler considered the move down to 12, the Cardinals ended up making the trade with the Lions.
The Raiders ended up with Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson at 7, but King adds McDaniels pondered the prospect of the team adding draft capital and then selecting Oklahoma tackle Anton Harrison at No. 12. The Raiders were high on both Harrison and Johnson, which makes the draft route they ended up taking rather interesting. Not only did the Silver and Black not select a tackle over the weekend, they did not draft any offensive linemen. Harrison ended up 27th overall to the Jaguars.
Vegas made a move up at No. 35 to select Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, and by the time Round 3 ended, the Raiders had added both Mayer and wide receiver Tre Tucker. (The Raiders had attempted to trade back into Round 1 with Mayer in mind, per King, who adds the Chiefs discussed No. 31 with their rivals briefly.) They have now used two premium picks on pass catchers and gave Jakobi Meyers $16MM fully guaranteed. As of now, the Raiders would be set to field an offensive line consisting entirely of players on the 2022 roster. Though, the team did re-sign Brandon Parker, a tackle who missed last season due to injury. While considerable doubt existed about the Raiders’ O-line going into last season, the blockers helped Josh Jacobs become the first Raider to win the rushing title since Marcus Allen in 1985. Pro Football Focus rated Las Vegas’ O-line 10th last season, though McDaniels’ Harrison reference points to the team targeting that position.
Regarding the player the Raiders took in Round 1, teams voiced concerns regarding the talented pass rusher’s injury past. The Raiders are one of the teams to clear Wilson medically, Ziegler confirmed, joining the Cardinals and Texans (likely among others). Not all teams cleared the former Big 12 standout. Several teams said, via the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, they would not have taken Wilson due to the Lisfranc fracture that ended his senior Red Raiders season. Wilson, who also dealt with back trouble last year, needed two surgeries to repair the fracture.
“Our board was right. We needed three quarterbacks to go, and we’re so happy we got one of the four non-quarterbacks who were our top-rated guys on the board,” McDaniels said (via King) in the war room after the team chose Wilson. “Look, we gotta rush the passer. We gotta go get [Patrick] Mahomes and [Justin] Herbert. That’s four games a year for the next few years against these great young quarterbacks. And the AFC is full of these great young quarterbacks. This is a great outcome for us.”
The Raiders have Maxx Crosby signed long term, and while Chandler Jones‘ $17MM-per-year deal runs through 2024, it is certainly possible the team moves on from the former All-Pro after this season. Jones’ guarantees only cover this season. Wilson will mix in with the veterans this season but could be Crosby’s top bookend soon.
Eagles, Cardinals Settle Jonathan Gannon Tampering Investigation
The Eagles and Cardinals have settled a tampering investigation involving the hiring of Jonathan Gannon, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The former Eagles defensive coordinator was hired to be the Cardinals head coach earlier this offseason.
As part of the settlement, Philadelphia will receive the No. 66 pick in the draft. The Cardinals will receive pick No. 94 and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
The two teams released a statement regarding the settlement (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter):
“The Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles have agreed on the settlement of an issue concerning an instance of impermissible contact by Arizona during its head coaching search this past January.
“The Cardinals self-reported to the National Football League that General Manager Monti Ossenfort had a phone conversation with then-Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon in the days following the NFC Championship Game, a period during which contact is not permitted under the League’s Anti-Tampering Policy.
“To resolve the matter between the two clubs, the Cardinals and Eagles have agreed to swap third round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and the Cardinals receive Philadelphia’s fifth-round selection in 2024.”
The NFL has very specific guidelines when it comes to interviews for coaches who are still in the playoff hunt. There’s a brief period at the beginning of the playoffs where the Cardinals could have approached Gannon, and they also wouldn’t have faced consequences had they first talked with the former defensive coordinator following Philly’s Super Bowl loss.
A league source told Josina Anderson that the Cardinals were not initially truthful about their pursuit of Gannon, presumably resulting in an investigation (Twitter link). Ultimately, the Eagles managed to move up about 30 picks in the third round of the draft. Based on the popular trade chart, this means the two organizations basically equated Gannon’s value to a fourth-round pick.