You remember when Mighty Casey struck out sending most in Mudville into a severe depression. Maybe it’s just my personal old age, but something feels different to me this offseason. You can only read so many articles on the NFL West before you succumb to the feeling of hopelessness. It’s not an unfamiliar feeling for a Cardinal fan, but somehow this feels worse.
Three teams sit ahead of the Cards and the consensus seems to be all have improved, yet many are questioning whether the Cards have. Several fans want to place the blame on Ossenfort. I’ve been searching my memory for which previous GM installed a system that was capable of sustaining consistent excellence. Mediocrity has historically ruled the Cardinals. Sure occasionally the Cards have been competitive, but not for long. I’ve written that chance dropped Warner, Palmer & Arians in the Cards’ lap. Those two key QBs weren’t drafted. Arians availability was a fluke. For the most part he’d been available for many previous years. So don’t rate that as a genius move by the Cards.
Likely the best football mind the Cards ever had was Don Coryell. He not only produced entertaining teams, but also several winning teams. He left the Cards in 1977. There was a contract dispute (isn’t that a Bidwill tradition). However, in large part he left because of a lack of personnel control, again partly based on the unwillingness of the Bidwills to invest in winning. Before someone ventures, “salary cap,” keep in mind Bidwill’s rejection of using contract bell & whistles that teams were including to sweeten their offers. Anyway Bidwill could have made Coryell the GM and probably remained relevant for years. Instead the Cards got lured to AZ spending several years in exile playing in a college stadium. AZ finally built them a showplace, but the team has rarely lived up to their building.
I have to laugh when people say dump Ossenfort. I asked on the board, “Hire who”? The point is no one of quality will work for a Bidwill. Consider both Reid and Payton. Both were offered the Cards job including personnel control. I believe in both cases money was not the main reason they went elsewhere. Simply put, I don’t think they trusted Bidwill. They may have been offered personnel control, but there are dozens of other factors. Recall the NFLPA players survey and resulting report cards. Do players want to come to AZ? What about fan support? Will players have to contend with numerous opponent fans when playing at home? Sure winning would help, but how big is the real AZ fan base? There will almost always be better destinations for the top candidates.
So Ossenfort took over and had to immediately hire a coach. I don’t think anyone knows what limitations were put on his options. Flores was humorously suggested but he was involved in the lawsuit. The only former head coach interviewed was Morris who didn’t get a HC job anywhere. The only successful candidate, not counting Payton, was Ryans. He was scheduled to interview but cancelled his interview to seek other options. So Ossenfort had his choice of leftovers; the Cardinal Way! He also was stuck with a vastly overpaid, divisive QB. In fact Gannon may have been chosen because he was okay working with Murray. I don’t know how you win with a second line HC and an erratic QB.
So yes it’s been almost like starting over. Once again the Cards were left with nobody else’s top HC choice. Get used to it. The top people aren’t coming here. In 2026 the Cards, desperately needed a QB, yet were faced the worst QB draft options I can recall. This is hilarious considering they had such a high pick. I don’t know if there is a Cards’ curse. However, I’m reviewing pictures of the opening of King Tut’s tomb to see if Dollar Bill was there. The Cards have taken a long shot QB, but I’m not hopeful. I really haven’t seen a free agent that expressed an interest in AZ. Vet options don’t typically want to spend their dwindling years in a joyless situation.
I’m not trying to say Ossenfort has done a great job. I’m saying pun-fully the Cards were stacked against him. I’m also saying there’s no long line of clearly, potentially successful GM prospects or QB free agents salivating to come to the NFL’s desert. The Cardinals have been the elephant’s graveyard of NFL franchises. It’s where people go to end careers, not enhance them. I think Ossenfort has shown growth. Not as much as I’d hoped for but he still wants to be here. He’s clearly not intimidated by the challenge. I continue to want to see him get his first real shot at a top QB prospect in 2027. If he fails then I’ll jump on the crowded bandwagon. Since I don’t anticipate Bidwill selling, until I see a better option, I’ll dance with the girl that brung me!
Three teams sit ahead of the Cards and the consensus seems to be all have improved, yet many are questioning whether the Cards have. Several fans want to place the blame on Ossenfort. I’ve been searching my memory for which previous GM installed a system that was capable of sustaining consistent excellence. Mediocrity has historically ruled the Cardinals. Sure occasionally the Cards have been competitive, but not for long. I’ve written that chance dropped Warner, Palmer & Arians in the Cards’ lap. Those two key QBs weren’t drafted. Arians availability was a fluke. For the most part he’d been available for many previous years. So don’t rate that as a genius move by the Cards.
Likely the best football mind the Cards ever had was Don Coryell. He not only produced entertaining teams, but also several winning teams. He left the Cards in 1977. There was a contract dispute (isn’t that a Bidwill tradition). However, in large part he left because of a lack of personnel control, again partly based on the unwillingness of the Bidwills to invest in winning. Before someone ventures, “salary cap,” keep in mind Bidwill’s rejection of using contract bell & whistles that teams were including to sweeten their offers. Anyway Bidwill could have made Coryell the GM and probably remained relevant for years. Instead the Cards got lured to AZ spending several years in exile playing in a college stadium. AZ finally built them a showplace, but the team has rarely lived up to their building.
I have to laugh when people say dump Ossenfort. I asked on the board, “Hire who”? The point is no one of quality will work for a Bidwill. Consider both Reid and Payton. Both were offered the Cards job including personnel control. I believe in both cases money was not the main reason they went elsewhere. Simply put, I don’t think they trusted Bidwill. They may have been offered personnel control, but there are dozens of other factors. Recall the NFLPA players survey and resulting report cards. Do players want to come to AZ? What about fan support? Will players have to contend with numerous opponent fans when playing at home? Sure winning would help, but how big is the real AZ fan base? There will almost always be better destinations for the top candidates.
So Ossenfort took over and had to immediately hire a coach. I don’t think anyone knows what limitations were put on his options. Flores was humorously suggested but he was involved in the lawsuit. The only former head coach interviewed was Morris who didn’t get a HC job anywhere. The only successful candidate, not counting Payton, was Ryans. He was scheduled to interview but cancelled his interview to seek other options. So Ossenfort had his choice of leftovers; the Cardinal Way! He also was stuck with a vastly overpaid, divisive QB. In fact Gannon may have been chosen because he was okay working with Murray. I don’t know how you win with a second line HC and an erratic QB.
So yes it’s been almost like starting over. Once again the Cards were left with nobody else’s top HC choice. Get used to it. The top people aren’t coming here. In 2026 the Cards, desperately needed a QB, yet were faced the worst QB draft options I can recall. This is hilarious considering they had such a high pick. I don’t know if there is a Cards’ curse. However, I’m reviewing pictures of the opening of King Tut’s tomb to see if Dollar Bill was there. The Cards have taken a long shot QB, but I’m not hopeful. I really haven’t seen a free agent that expressed an interest in AZ. Vet options don’t typically want to spend their dwindling years in a joyless situation.
I’m not trying to say Ossenfort has done a great job. I’m saying pun-fully the Cards were stacked against him. I’m also saying there’s no long line of clearly, potentially successful GM prospects or QB free agents salivating to come to the NFL’s desert. The Cardinals have been the elephant’s graveyard of NFL franchises. It’s where people go to end careers, not enhance them. I think Ossenfort has shown growth. Not as much as I’d hoped for but he still wants to be here. He’s clearly not intimidated by the challenge. I continue to want to see him get his first real shot at a top QB prospect in 2027. If he fails then I’ll jump on the crowded bandwagon. Since I don’t anticipate Bidwill selling, until I see a better option, I’ll dance with the girl that brung me!
But thanks for the interesting content.
