Red Sea ReportRed Sea Report - Combine Preview, Checking In On Cardinals O-Line And Tight End Rooms
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To the fifteen to ten Murray's Gonna.
Score touchdown, Welcome to the Cardinals Red Sea Report.
Swam to the ground by Buddha Baker like a torpedo.
He came flying into the.
Backfield Connor to the ten, to the five, and then of the end zone for the touchdown.
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Here we go one hand to catching a touchdown.
Oh baby, I'm that fail.
Here's Craig Grioloud, Paul Calvic, and nine year NFL veteran Rob Frederickson.
So we survived the first full weekend, an extended weekend without NFL football, so to pass the time, Paul was talking about it before we hit record here on this edition of the Cardinals Red Support. It was not the NBA All Star Game or the NBA All Star Weekend. For you was Daytona that captured the attention on a Sunday that typically is reserved for the National Football League.
I mean, if you want physicality. Just watch the end of Daytona. Are you kidding me? The you know, the rubbing and racing and pushing and shoving and rooting and tooting, and I mean it was unbelievable. I mean, there was like they had to go overtime and they had to bring the wreckers out there, and there were some salty sound bites afterwards, and then some guy you never heard of won for the second straight year, after all the carnage went away. Well that's my recap. I wasn't expecting to give a recap. I don't know if that made sense or not.
I feel I feel like watching racing though. You just got to watch, like the last five laps. It was kind of like the old my dad used to always say about the NBA. It just all you gotta watch is the last two minutes. You just gotta watch the last two minutes.
Well that's why they instituted the Stage one winner and the Stage two winner right at middle pointints in the race. But yeah, it's it's coming to pir in Phoenix soon. And then of course the season ends here in town, so that's now the season finale, So you know, Rob, there's time to get up to speed, so to speak.
All roads eventually end up in the state of Arizona. That's basically what happens. We saw a couple of years ago with the Super Bowl and Super Bowl fifty seven, and now we'll have to kind of wait and see when that next rotation will hit Arizona and State Farm Stadium. But obviously, yes, that's the destination of the Arizona Cardinals. And we do have some Cardinals news because there are five new coaches on Jonathan Gannon's staff, two promotions, and one specific position group that we're going to talk about off the top, because it's a vacancy that was filled with Clayton Adams going to Dallas and becoming the new OC for the Dallas Cowboys. So that is a huge hole on an offensive line where Paul It is a run first offense. And I don't know if Clayton Adams got as much credit for the six of the run game, especially when you have Kyler Murray, James Connor, Drew pettsing the head of the snake, if you will. As far as coaching that side with those five guys and let's say six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven different players as far as who saw action along the offensive line who got at least to start this season. There were a number of different offensive line combinations. You at the same time, that offensive line was able to run block very well for a top five rushing attack.
I mean, think about it. If you're Clayton Adams, you go into any interview, especially for a team that desperately needs a run game. The Dallas Cowboys, the D and Big D stood for like dead last in rushing this year. They were abysmal and trying to run the ball. So you come in, you're Clayton Adams and for two years in a row, your rushing attack has been number two in the NFL and yards per carry, behind only Baltimore. Think about that, and like you said, you've done it with a makeshift offensive line, on offensive line that's being rebuilt on the fly, with a lot of young guys. You're doing it with, you know, a variety of running backs. James Connor obviously has been a workhorse, but it's been a you know, without without the most explosive passing attacks. A lot of teams will load the box and yet you're still running the ball. So yeah, Clayton Adams, I mean, he made his case, and guess what he got rewarded for it. He turned that his performance the last two years into an offensive coordinator gig with the Cowboys.
Number two rushing yards per carry five point three yards. Okay, so hand the ball off twice, Robin, You've got a first down. It sounds simple, but again it's not that simple. But that's how effective the Cardinals run game was in twenty twenty four.
Yeah, it is, you know, and I think the players really gelled behind this this scheme, and the scheme itself lent itself to a lot of double team blocking called duo and also some pin and poll concepts where you know, at times they're having fro Holt even pulling and getting out on the perimeter, and you saw James Connor really take advantage of that and find some huge gaps and get to that second level. And a lot of it, too, comes down to the wide receivers and they're blocking downfield and the tight end group and what they're able to do. So there's praise to go around. It's not just the offensive line. It's a it's a team concept when you're running the football. But the offensive line did their job this past season in terms of running the ball, running it effectively yards per carry, and I look for the Arizona Cardinals to just build on that going into twenty twenty five.
Wasn't that long ago that Justin Pugh was a part of that Cardinals offensive line. Now doing his own thing, though he did tell you Paul and Ron Wiffley last week on The Big Red Rays that he's not quite officially retired, but he does have that analytical eye as far as what's happening around the National Football League. What did he see from the Cardinals last season.
I did love the way that he came out and stout us to run establish identity. When you come out and you run the ball and you have that angry running back in James Connor, you have Trey Benson back there, who can be that change of pace guy, it really sets a tone that when you come and play the Arizona Cardinals, this is how we're gonna make our living. I really love how the Cardinals are building their identity because that's something that I think we lacked at times when I was on the team.
You want to have that run first mentality, despite the fact that sometimes you might be trailing in the game by two or three scores. Yet we have seen consistently, even when you're trailing, Drew Petsing's gonna dial it up because you want to be able to run the ball and effectively set something up maybe for later in a game. You're doing something in the second quarter that maybe doesn't look great or loses the yard, like, we're gonna come back to that because we saw them do something. We're gonna go back to that, and we're gonna pop a run.
Yeah, And Craig, no team in the NFL comes out with more multiple tight end sets, two tight ends, three tight end sets. The Arizona Cardinals and we'll talk about the tight endosition group later on, but the Arizona Cardinals love that. They love to come out with those multiple tight end sets that give the defense the impression that, Okay, let's get ready for the run. Let's load up here, and you know, the Arizona Cardinals will run it. They're not afraid to run it, even when the numbers are not dictating that they should in the box. But it sets up so well for that play action pass to come off of it. And Kyler Murray really did a good job of selling the playfake. This season, and the play action pass that comes off of it just benefits guys like you know, Trey McBride and Elijah Higgins.
You heard how enthusiastic Justin pew is about the Cardinals offensive identity. I can still hear Kyler Murray after last season, right sitting in this very studio, in this very seat last offseason talking about how the Cardinals became a team no one wanted to play, quote end quote, and that really has been their identity, especially on offense. In a lot of ways, they'll just line up and the whole kramat vertical here it comes. Can you stop it? But then to Rob's point, also they'll keep a defense honest enough with different personnel packages where Kyler has the ability to check out of a run and get into a pass if you're loading the box or vice versa. So it's been a tough scheme for defensive coordinators to go ahead and gain plan against Lease. That's based on the weekly comments you get from the opposition, and then you add the running thread of a Kyler Murray and I'm excited to see what they do in year three, what more they add, because I think you did see a more dynamic scheme this year.
I don't think the identity is going to change, it's just maybe some tweaks. To your point, Paul, what can you add to it? Especially when you have a brand new offensive line coach, Justin Frye officially hired. And we okay with this move, Rob, considering that fry most recently was at Ohio State for three seasons, the defending national champions out of the Big Ten, and it's rival potentially of Michigan State or not really.
Well Michigan State. See, they weren't really a factor the last three years, so we we'll give him a pass for that. But you know, obviously resume means something. And you look at what Ohio State was able to do in the offensive lineman that that they've produced out of there, Paris Johnson, and and so yeah, I know, I I think it makes sense. And and you know, for for him to come into this situation here with Arizona and the familiarity with Paris, I think it's a I think it's a win win, and you know it's I look for for for this for this offensive line to continue to build, as you said, is it continued to put the pieces together and and build on this identity that they have. Now you have an identity, but you always want to improve the parts of it. You always want to improve the pieces. And and I think when you look at the offensive line overall, there's there's room for improvement person wise, and I think that'll be addressed in his offseason.
And the big red rage justin pughe said, hey, Paris Johnson Junior. He talked about the first time he met him. He looked up at him right, you know, a six six sixty seven of him, and he said, I was about to call him sir. And he said, that's when I knew maybe it was a good time to end my playing career. At that moment when they drafted Paris Johnson Junior, and I had a Jim ran into him at a restaurant. But you know what, Evan Brown was on a one year deal. We don't know his future. Now that you have your franchise left tackle, and Peke called him, Look, Cardinals franchise left tackle for the next decade. Can you find that left guard and pair him those two guys up. If you can get that guy who's also in that same age range, and they can be a combo on that left side for many years to come. I think that's something where it's one plus one equals three.
When this news first broke that Justin Frye was going to join the Arizona Cardinals, Paris went on social media and expressed his pleasure that he was going to be reunited with his position coach from college. Speaking of Justin Frye, how about we flash back is introductory press conference at Ohio State way back in twenty twenty two on his vision for an offensive line.
When the offensive line position is felt, meaning you just there's a presence there. You feel it. It's something that's tangible. And that's when you're cooking. Right When my daughter's up in the tenth row of the stadium and it's third and two and she's like, Dad, he's going to run it to the right, and everybody in the stadium knows that, and you still go do it. That's when you have people feel you. So how do we get there? I mean, it's it's like beating a dead horse. It's development. It's putting tools in the toolbox for these guys who in a certain situation or a certain block, they pull it out and they go do it.
And that's when you know you have a successful offense, defense or whatever, because if my opponent knows what I'm going to do, they still can't stop it. Okay, then my guys are better than your guys, even if I tell you exactly what's coming.
Well, look at look the last several years and then the Super Bowl in particular, the tush push right, nobody can stop it. They can't stop it. They know it's coming, but they can't stop it. And Philadelphia Eagles offensive line just in general, it's that that's a blueprint to me on how to build a super Bowl winning, super Bowl caliber team is through the offensive line, through the defensive line, and that's I think that's what Jonathan Gannon wants to do as well. He's said as much. He wants to build this offensive line and defensive line and get in that image of what the Philadelphia Eagles have been able to do.
I mean, if the NFL is a copycat league, it most certainly is. How can you not look at the Super Bowl champion and not try and replicate their pats who a Lombardi Trophy. Every one of the starting five offensive lineman got All Pro votes this year. They were dominant in Kansas City could do nothing. I mean they were analysts saying that when they in fact, it was KVB last week who echoed as well. And he's watching the third quarter, He's like Case's d line, including Chris Jones, just gave up at that point. They were getting dominated.
Be interested to see exactly what this offense will look like. Going into twenty twenty five, Cardinals have five offensive linemen scheduled to be unrestricted free agents, including starters Kelvin Beachamwill hernandez Evan Brown. Even Tristan Klone got a couple of starts, and Jackson Barton as well. Draft could also be in the mix for an offensive lineman. We'll discuss what's ahead next week in Indianapolis. That's next here on the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network.
The snap to May back two steps, looks to the end zone. He bumps, he backs up, He slides left. He looks in the left corner. Now he rolls to his right. He pulls up in the middle of the field. Drake May alludes a defender running to his left. We'll give you the end zone. Trying to keep the play alive. Falling down, he thrust to the end zone.
It's cleans on its down. Steve said, oh my god, Drake May.
Drake May is the new England Patriots starting quarterback right up. Did you come across Drake May and the whole draft process it all?
Or I mean you in the elevator of the combine, in the elevated combine. He comes in, he got his headphones on, he's all two stuff. It's like four of us in there, and everybody's mad, dam I'm in there with like.
Three d linemen.
And then so it was really follow us like he's just like pumped up. He's like, yo's up, guys, Like we don't even know you know what I'm saying, but he's just like pumped up, and he was ready for the combine. But now he a good guy, you could tell.
Yeah, Yeah, that was the only interaction I have with you.
Expect a lot of those kind of interactions when you invite three hundred plus players to Indianapolis, and that's the official invite, by the way, it is three hundred and twenty nine will be in Indianapolis next week for the NFL scouting Combine. So you combine that rob with the thirty two teams general managers, coaching staffs, doctors, support staff. It is a little mini city that they kind of established there in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. But uh yeah, interactions like that, just running, running in the corner and running to some player that perhaps maybe could be a teammate of yours down on the road, that.
Could be like a game show. Name the most famous person you've ever shared an elevator with. I'll go Will Ferrell. Will Ferrell. Once I was in a Stay Cool, Paul, Stay Cole. It's Will Ferrell. Don't don't be a fanboy. Don't be that guy I did. I didn't say one thing, but I heard him tell a funny story to the guy next to him, and I think it was his publicist or what have you. So you know, I played it cool. But boom right here rob Will Ferrell, once.
Upon a time.
Get the autograph.
No, no, I'm not an autographer. I can't do it.
Can't do it. Don't like doing true, don't like to invade someone's personal space with you know.
No, I don't surprised sometimes, you know, especially at State Farm Stadium, when you got to go up and down the elevator. Sometimes the elevator will open, you'll walk in. It's like, no, no, this is reserved for this person. So I'm surprised it didn't happen with you, Paul. Oh no, you're not sharing this elevator with Will Ferrell. He gets his own elevator. You get await for the next one.
It's true that was a lapse in security, and it was also about fifteen years ago. So in today's world, you're right, I don't get anywhere close to sharing an elevator with anybody famous.
You're right.
Yeah, you will run into though, people famous if you consider the National Football League famous people, whether that's executives or coaches. But that is it's an easy place to run into someone that particular week. It's a little bit different when not to date you again, Rob, but when you are participating in the scouting combine. But it is a big deal because it is, as we like to say, is a job interview for thirty two teams. This is now your opportunity as a college prospect. Put your best foot forward and try to make an impression.
It's not just a job interview. It's the biggest job interview of your life. If you're lucky enough to be one of those what three hundred and twenty six players or whatever it is, This is the job interview of your life. And you know, players, back when I was at the Combine, a lot of guys didn't take it as seriously. They didn't know what drills were coming up, they didn't know how to do the drills. And that just doesn't happen anymore. Once the season is over, the last play that that these players have in college, they are full bore into Combine training, training specifically for the Combine in terms of, uh, the measurables in terms of just the the the drills that are on the field, the routes they're gonna have to run, the throws they're gonna have to make, and then also the questioning or the the interviews with the coaches and the and the general managers. They go through that as well. So this this is a huge weekend for these players. And I used to feel like, you know, that the on field stuff was was more important. You know, maybe maybe a team can uncover something by based on what forty yard dash you ran in Oh wow, we better go take a look at this guy and check him out some more. But I feel like it's it's kind of moved more into the interviews and the importance of kind of peeling back the layers of the onion of the player and determining, you know, his love for the game and and his knowledge of the game and his eye just what he understands in terms of the position group that he plays. That to me has kind of taking a more of a forefront in terms of the importance for teams in this combine.
Who you are as a person. Because everyone watches film, everyone can see how good you are. But do you have and you like to say, Paul, do you have the passion to play? Can you earn your way into specifically this Cardinals' locker room because it does take more of the person versus the player to get admission here with the Arizona Cardinals.
Yeah, that price of admission that Jonathan Gannon refers to. And you know what, Max Melton is a great example of that. Max Melton is one of those guys who came into the interview room at the combine and just lit everyone up with his intensities, enthusiasm is football IQ, very well spoken, and just his ability to compete at Rutgers right and the players that he went against in his ability to talk about going against Marvin Arrison, Junior, Jackson Smith and Jigba Garrett Wilson right from the get go. Those are the sort of impressions that's where you separate yourself, that's where you realize. That's where Mani Osivoorn and Jonathan Gannon answer the question, and it's a box they check do we want this person in the building. Then if that's a yes, then they determined from there, Okay, is this a player worthy of the round pick that we're looking at? And and that is all part of the process, and that, to Rob's point, is why they value those interviews so much.
And a couple of years back, it was Garrett Williams who had that impression because it was one of the final interviews of the night and he walked in and wowed him and it's okay, yeah, you're injured, you're hurt. You might not be available for us earlier in the season, but let's go back to your tape before you got hurt. Do we see valuing you and your position? And obviously did so. Now you look at what Garrett Williams is at right now as far as a bona fide slot corner, and we'll have to wait and see whether he remains a slot guy or an outside guy. But you've got what eight ten minutes to kind of sit there answer questions. And I think it's a get to know process from both sides, all right, because everyone gets coached up, even all the questions that you might get asked. So figure out, try to weave your way around some of those stock answers and figure out who you are as an individual versus what you've been told to say in those sessions.
Yeah, they want authenticity. They want to get to know you as a person and to Paul's point, to see if you're somebody that we want within the four walls of this building. And so to have eight to ten minutes to do that, you got to put your best foot forward. You have to come through authentic, and you have to come through as passionate. And I think that's beyond anything. I think that's the number one thing that NFL coaches and gms are looking for is love for the game. Do you love this game?
Like?
Do you are you the first guy in, last guy out?
You know?
Is that your mentality or you just yeah, I'll get to it tomorrow, guy And that's sometimes that's hard to uncover. That's you know, you have to do some investigative work as a coach, as a GM, as a scout to really uncover. You know, what, what was this kid like in college? What did he go to every class? Did he uh, you know, was he was he? Did he miss days? Was he sick? Was he? You know? Is he that kind of guy? Or is he the guy that first in last out, went to every class, got straight a's. You know, do does the little things that seemingly go unnoticed but are very important to determine your character and what kind of guy you're going to be.
At the same time, don't think that you can't wow the talent evaluators if you crush the combine for sure. I just, you know, I wanted to verify my recollection. And here's the headline from two years ago. Anthony Richardson is the most asked, most athletic quarterback prospect ever detested the NFL combine, and he went number four. Do you think he ever would have gone number four based on starting what fourteen games in college and having really inconsistent resume of performances at the college level, But he just killed it. Sort of like Zach Wilson had a great throwing on air session, ended up the number two pick, Xavier Worthy of four two, one forty. All of a sudden, he's a first round wide receiver. So you can drastically change your draft profile based on what you do in some of these some of these drills that you're right, Craig guys now hire coaches and they trained for months just to nail that particular drill.
The workouts, the interviews, the medicals. Manty Austin for a Cardinals gentlem manager. This was a couple of years back in Indianapolis, talking about why he or where he sees the biggest benefit in the scouting combine.
The most important thing that we get out of this week is the medical evaluations, is the players being here and having our doctors and having our trainers getting a chance to examine the players and just find out where they are physically. And really the second most important thing that I get out of this is to face to FaceTime when we interview with the players, both in the formal settings and the informal meeting that our coaches are doing. And then we'll get into the workouts as well. Those are important but I'd put the medical in the interviews up above the on field.
Workouts, and that, to your point, Rob, is what you were talking about. Maybe that switch over the last five, six, seven years. As far as where teams are in this case Manty Austin Ford, how do they value these opportunities see these players either on a football field or in a suite. When you get the one on one time and then ye, all right, are you hurt, are you injured? What's your history? We can see what it says here, but let's go get your checked out. Just to make sure.
I'm telling you. These medical staff they are like district attorneys in a deposition. They will ask you these questions that seem kind of innocuous or just you know, very very vanilla questions like and they'll get you to say something and they'll just find that and dig into it. Like I made the mistake of admitting that I got a stinger once in college. I got stingers on almost every hit, but I wasn't going to say that, but I they somehow got it out of me that I did get a stinger in college. I spent the rest of the day in some medical a building getting cat scans and MRIs and who knows what, because you know you've got a stinger, you might have a neck issue or something. And anyway, the medical portion of the of the combine is the hardest, I think for the players because you are going from team to team, team doctor to team doctor and everybody asking the same questions, and you know, it's it's it's a lot on the players. It is an awful lot, and you know you get through it, but it's it's tough.
Here's the good news. Daniel Jeremiah right NFL dot com and one of the premier draft analysts in the media. He tweeted out about a week or so ago. Last year this time, I had potential starter grades on twelve a dozen defensive tackles. This year, I we have twenty four of them. A ridiculous amount of depth at the D line spot, both interior and edge, and there are a lot of SEC caliber defensive lineman and edge guys who are at this combine. In fact, the SEC has put in one hundred and five players and the next highest total is the Big Ten with seventy nine. And so you got teams like Ole Miss in South Carolina and Texas and Georgia all a double digit number of players in this combine. It's really deep along that defensive front, and it's nearly as deep an offensive linemen. So that's really good news if you're looking for a dude with his hand in the dirt.
Well, Daniel just released his second mock draft earlier on NFL dot Com and had a defensive tackle mocked to the Cardinals at sixteen. Now, his first mock had an offensive lineman and interior guard. But again, the needs that the Cardinals have, or at least what we perceive the needs are going into this draft, rob is something that is plentiful as far as, okay, the line of scrimmage, whether that's an offensive lineman or a defensive lineman. And yeah, if you if you need one, you should be able to find one.
And you know, offensive line, defensive line. Okay, So there's a there's a theory or you know, a lot of teams espoused to as you draft the best player available regardless of position. I don't always agree with that. I think you look at the positions of need and you rank them, and who are the best players within those positions of need? And surely the offensive and defensive line for the Arizona Cardinals have to be at the top of the list. And whoever's there at sixteen or wherever the Cardinals pick, you know, if it's an offensive line, defensive line. Have said it before, if your hand's not in the dirt, you're not getting drafted. Take them, Take whoever it is, whether it's offensive line or defensive line.
And if you're at that point in the draft and it is really deep and there are a lot of players that you have similar grades on, what does that usually mean? After two years with Montio support, trade down, trade down, get more picks and get a player similar grade and then just maxim your bites at the Apple get more. I mean, look at it. They had a dozen draft picks a year ago. This season before they had the most snaps by any rookie class in the NFL. So that is the pattern, that is where this front office is trending.
Mani has gone from twelve draft picks to just six this season, one in each of the first five rounds and then a seventh round selection. So yeah, my guess is MANI would like a couple more bites at the Apple out to wait and see what happens at the end of April, but next week the scouting combine in Indianapolis. We'll talk about that more as we continue here on the Cardinals Red Sea report on the Arizona Cardinals Radio.
Network drops back deep throws far aside on a short pass caught by Ryman, bounces off at a fender at the forty two and then shoved out a bounce at the forty two. Tip Rymans first NFL catch the Cardinals run bends at left side. He's got some root with the thirty five to forty forty five fault.
What a great block by tip Ryman on the back side as well. Oh you can still hear the screaming of the lamps. Are you kidding me? Light up and suck the metaphorical beating heart right out of the Jets. Run it right down their throat. Oh my goodness, that was a great job right there. Tip Ryman at the point of attack just jacked up Aiden Hutchinson, put him on wheels and buried him.
Wow.
Not a player that is going to wow you with his stats. Tip Ryman as a rookie six catches thirty seven yards, but he was on the field for a good amount of snaps in twenty twenty four, as we say welcome back, it is the Cardinals Red seaer Boy, Craig Reia, Lupaul Calvic and Rob Frederickson put in the spotlights on the tight end room and specifically those guys, as Robbie you like to say, I have a hand in their dirt, but are more looking to block first then release. They're not the playmakers that a Trey McBride is, at least not as of yet. But Tip Ryman a third round draft pick and maybe a little bit of a high value pick, especially for position that maybe you weren't going to get a lot of production. But we talk about it two three tight end sets and Ryman was on the field I think for a good forty to forty five percent of the offensive snaps this season. So again maybe not statistically, but he showed something in college and showed something this entire season that kept the coaches putting them out on a football field for no other reason to be that six guy as far as to run, block or pass protect.
Yeah, I think a lot of people kind of scratch their head when the Arizona Cardinels selected Tip Ryman. But I'm looking back at it, it makes sense obviously, the style of offense Arizona Cardinals want to run, the personnel groupings and the use of the tight ends both in the pass game and the running game. It it just makes sense. And you look back at at last season. Yeah, he played in every game. I think he started nine games. Tip Ryman had a really good rookie season. I think he started out a little slow and just kind of trying to find his footing and find his way. But the blocking is is there. That's that's really the mainstay of his game and what he was drafted for. And I think underrated is his ability to get involved in the passing game and he wasn't. He wasn't used a lot in the passing game for the Arizona Cardinals last year. But I think he has the ability to be that. He's athletic enough to be a to be a factor in the passing game going forward. So yeah, it's a bright future for tip Ryman. I think it was a really a solid pick for the Arizona Cardinals, especially given the style of offense that they want to run.
Greg, you say he's not going to wow you with his stats, Well, I say not yet.
Okay, it's common.
You gotta get the tight end screen in there. You got to check the ball down to him who wants them right. What the dbs or what the receivers call turn down service? Okay, those dvs are like, you know what, I'm not getting off this block because I see a two hundred and eighty two pound tight end, hard charging dude in space. Here he comes, and either that our guys are diving at his shoe strings because that could be a force. And his hands are better than you think, so no doubt. His primary job description is blocking, okay, and paving the way for the Cardinals rushing attack, making sure that Trey McBride can get open in space and Kyle the Murray has time.
But I do believe as this.
Offense evolves, and he got some really firm footing in the last couple months of the season, like a lot of rookies. After he navigated that rookie learning curve and he was playing instead of thinking and just hearing him talk and we had him on the big red rage, you realize how much more comfortable he is getting and how much more of an offensive weapon he can become. He was not featured hardly at all at Illinois. But in the All Star Games and in all the testing leading up the draft, his athleticism scores were through the roof. And he has really sound hands. He's not Trey McBride, but he has really good hands, reliable hands, and I don't think Kyler ever hesitates to target him if he's open.
And then get that last point there, what you said about Kyler and the trust as a quarterback, trust you. If I throw you at the football, you're gonna make the catch. And again, it wasn't targeted a lot tip rime in this season, but when he was targeted, he does have solid hands, and he was running over a lot of routes. And again, got five guys out there running around and maybe you don't get targeted, but I never saw him once. Paul like, really slacker, Just okay, I know the ball's not coming by way. I'm like the fourth or fifth read, I'm just gonna go No, No, he was. He was doing what he was supposed to do to make sure every single rep was one hundred percent.
Here's a guy who was a walk on, right. I mean, here's a guy who came from a small high school South Dakota, and then all of a sudden, he's having to walk on, just begging for a chance to play D one football, and then he gradually earned his spot, earned his reps, earned his snaps, and the trust of the coaches, and then all of a sudden, he's a third round draft pick and guess what he's involved in nearly half the offensive snaps. So I think the foundation is there, the work ethic is there. It's never been easy for him. No one's ever declared him a five star prospect, but in terms of what he's able to bring right now, I think if he does keep working, and there's no reason to think he won't, there's still some serious upside I think in his game as a weapon in both in the trenches and downfield.
And he's got a great leader, someone that he can watch and be mentored by, and that is Trey McBride. In fact, Tip Rieman talked about how valuable Tray has been to him earlier in the season on the Big Red Rage.
I've learned a lot from him so far and how he reads keys of dbs and linebackers, anybody you know playing him in Man, I've learned a lot on that front, and even in the blocking game like, he's got a lot of unique things that he's learned and carried over and given to me that I get to use now. So, you know, little tidbits here and there are really really effective. And he's been doing that since Ota so's it's been awesome.
And I think Trey's a great example. Rob is someone who comes in maybe known as more of a at least with Trey was more of a pass catcher Ryman comes in more as a blocker. Yet what we see out of Trey, he developed more into a great blocker, more that dual threat. That's to say that Trey of that tip can't become that past catching tight end to go along with his blocking.
Yeah, it's certainly possible. And look, Trey McBride not the biggest tight end in the world. He's probably two forty to forty five. But he's always been a willing blocker and I think Trey has noticed that that aspect of his game, the blocking was something that need to be addressed and need to be improved upon. And he's done that. You know, he's he's he's learned the techniques, he's learned how to use his leverage, his speed, his quickness, to leverage guys and get get get defenders in a position where you know he can't make the tackle, he can't make the play. And Trey has done a remarkable job at that and becoming a all around tight end, all around all pro tight end. And you know it certainly is somebody that that tip Ryman can learn a lot from even in the blocking uh game, in terms of just using quickness and using positioning and leverage to get the defender in a position where he can't make a play. So he couldn't ask tip Ryman, couldn't ask for a for a better teacher than Trey McBride.
I like to tweak Wolf, and it's, you know, come on, Wolf, Trey McBride, he's now a pro bowler, you know, nearly led the league and received He had more catches this year than fits ever had in a season for the Arizona Cardinal. He can't be bothered with blocking anymore. He's a playmaker. He's a pass catcher. And then you can just see Wolf start to his face starts to get red and the steam starts coming out of his ears. But to Rob's play, no, I think Trey McBride, even after he gets paid this offseason, we figure he's still gonna be that dual guy and he'll be asked to do that. I mean, that's something where Drew Petsy and John again, I'm like, no, no, you play tight end' You're gonna be involved in the blocking scheme and the pass catching game.
Yeah.
The versatility at that position is key, something Justin Hugh noted last week on the Big Red Rage.
John I love tray ming bride does it all. He does the dirty work. He runs across the middle, he blocks. You can leave Trey mc bride out there an eleven personnel, which is three receivers in one tight end, you can still run one back power and he'll then release and run by the starting safety. He is such a mismatch. He's gonna be a guy that will be one of the highest, if not the highest paid tight end in football. And you're just happy he's on your team and not on someone else.
The other tight ends in that room Elijah Higgins, who again this is a wide receiver in college converted to a tight end. Travis Vocalleec expected to be back. He's an exclusion the rights free agents, so if the team wants him back, he'll be back. And then, speaking of being back, Bernhard Psychowitz, his back, signed to a futures deal at the end of the season. Could this be the year finally for Psycho to be someone on the football field.
Well, if the Cardinals end up going to Berlin, he'll be really valuable. You know, he'll come in here.
That's what you're hoping, You're you're secretly hoping that that's the case.
You know, the guy who's teaching the other tight ends in the room how to speak German. I mean, he'd be invaluable for that, for that trip there. But you know, there are many position groups. I think where you look at the Cardinals roster right now and it's year three, maniasa word, Jonathan Gann where you say, you know what they're not gonna add, you know, quarterback? Maybe they do go for a quarterback, you know, maybe safety. I don't know, we'll see Jalen Thompson. You know, speculation there.
What do you do?
But you took rabbit, but tight end. I don't see the Cardinals using a draft pick on a tight end. I thought Elijah Higgins had really good second season. Make that conversion from a wide receiver low key excellent year, and each one of those tight ends is so different. McBride is so different from Tip Ryman, who's different from Elijah Higgins. You know, that bigger guy long strider can really operate at the second third level of a defense. We've seen that, and he's big enough to get in there at the point of attack and hold his own. So maybe there's an undrafted rookie free agent or maybe a veteran free agent of types they can add at a minimum salary. Other than that, I think this is your tight end group next year.
Health certainly plays a factor in that. Rob you stay healthy, there might not be any more room for someone, but you always want to, as they say, upgrade the position. It just might be hard at the tight end position for the Cardinals.
Yeah, I agree with Paul. I think this position group is set. I don't know that you can upgrade it. I love all the three of the guys that see significant playing time. Elijah Higgins has really done an excellent job converting from wide receiver. So I love the tight end group they have going into the offseason.
I want to see that tight end group in action in twenty twenty five. Learn more about Arizona Cardinals twenty twenty five season tickets, Premium seeding, and the all new luxury field seating speriences. Today. For all Cardinals ticket information, visit asycardinals dot com forward slash tickets. That's Asycardinals dot com Forward Slash Tickets. When we come back, we revisits the Scouting Combine which takes place next week in Indianapolis. That's next on the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network.
And Sudden.
When it comes to finding the right fit, it's about the price of admission, which not everybody pays.
How much is the price of.
Admission to become an Arizona Cardinals.
Yeah, it's a lot. And what we're talking about there is the people that they are in their football character. So we like to look for certain things, you know, just as they're going through their college career. What that looks like for us when they submerge into our culture with the Arizona Cardinals, what we think is needed to get the job done.
We talked about it earlier here on the Cardinals Reds. You report the price of admission and you heard part of a conversation from last year's scouting combine. Our colleague Danny Serrexity down with head coach Johnthan Gannon on trying to figure out, Yeah, gotta have talent to play in the National Football League, but you got to be a kind of a certain mindset and be a certain kind of person to be in that Arizona Cardinals locker room. Do you love football, do you have a passion for the sports? And then oh, yeah, can you play this sport as well? Because we all have passions, which just are we good at that passion? So, but there is a specific person that they want in that Cardinals locker room. Team first or if you're not team first, rub, it doesn't matter how talented you are, you're not gonna be in this Cardinals locker room.
Yeah, and that speaks to the culture that Jonathan Gannon has established here. And you think about for these young players, your your game film that you know, that's your resume, the combine, that's the job, interview references. Now they're gonna go ask coaches, They're gonna go ask trainers, They're gonna ask you ask your college strength coach who probably has the strength coaches probably have the closest relationship to players, you know, and they're gonna they're gonna check those references. They're gonna find out what kind of person you are, what kind of player you are, what can we expect at the next level. So you know this, this is an exciting time for a lot of these young players as they enter potentially, you know, the the NFL and and gain and life changing money, life changing opportunity. So this is this is what it's all about. And you know they're they're about to enter in that into that job interview phase and that combine, and that's exciting.
And just like the players hire coaches to train for all the drills the three cone, don't think the agents don't coach up the players on how to attack the interviews and how to properly answer the questions. Because you're gonna do a whole battery of these interviews, and they're fifteen minutes each, you can get a lot of the same questions. Obviously, Rob must have nailed his interview process back in the day. He was a first round pick. So at that point, did you ever get coached up? Did you did your agent ever say, okay, look, here's a list of questions you can expect be ready to answer these dozen No.
I back then that the interviews were few and far between. There was maybe a handful of teams that would pull you into their hotel room for an interview. The the on the field stuff was was what was really being measured. And I knew all that cold and I did train for all those those drills, but some guys didn't, and that, to me was was remarkable.
Those interviews and what you say, how you come across can be the difference between whether you hear your name called or not by that particular player. We mentioned Garrett Williams and how his interview went two years ago. Well, how about we flashed back Cardinals flight plan and when Garrett Williams got that phone call, how you doing?
Man?
Doing good?
Congratulations, appreciate you.
You come in here and deny the ball or what?
Oh yeah, I know, I know it.
How you're doing this is Monty as support from the Cardinals get there. What are you doing where you at?
I'm gonna Charlotte man, I'm gonna Charte Nook fell On.
Yeah, you got some people around you, you hang who are you hanging out with?
Oh?
My family, my friends, all that.
Man, you got your family and your friends. Well, guess what you're about to tell you you're gonna be an Arizona Cardinal, buddy.
Yes, we'll do it, man, let's do it.
We are we are excited that we're going to get you in here. You remember you remember that meeting we have with you at the combine the man you're made of the stuff that we're working for.
But now, with the seventy second pick in the twenty twenty three NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select Garrett Williams, defensive back Syracuse.
A phone call, one single phone call, can change your life, and it does for a number of different players. And you just heard Garrett Williams two years ago getting that phone call from GM Monti Austin.
For Yeah, it's it's amazing. I still remember the time Al Davis called me and and so we're gonna make you alreeda. Yeah, I'll never forget that. And these these guys will never forget that that phone call and how special it is and what they're able to make of it.
And you heard Manias Sports site, the meeting, the interview. It's amazing. Don't think it doesn't leave an impression. Don't think it doesn't convince a front office. It might be leaning your way to actually put your name on that card and submit it to the league office. It is that pivotal in some cases. How you interview at the Combine.
NFL Scotting Combine all next week. In fact, I'll be headed to Indianapolis as well, and nice maybe joining you guys here on the Cardinals Red Sare Report. But yes, three and twenty nine college prospects and a whole bunch of NFL personnel.
Better check Reelou's expense report twice. That's my shout out to accounting.
Special Thanks behind the scenes, Jim Imahunder, Cody Fincher, Evan Reiser, Rod Ferderckson, Paul Galvic. I'm Craig real LOUI will talk to you in one week's time.
Here on the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network, you've been listening to the Cardinals Red Sea Report.
It is caught by McBride.
Hey, it's a touchdown boot a Baker with the sacked strip the ball where he's gonna score touchdown.
Oh baby.
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