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When NFL general managers hold press conferences, they are rarely an exercise in transparency. These sessions are mandated to be held at least twice per year, and although most decision-makers meet with assembled reporters more often, they still keep key material close to the chest. Gleaning information requires reading between the lines.
But when Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort spoke on Thursday, April 16, the lines were wider and more transparent than normal. Throughout the course of a 32-minute session, he poured kerosene on the notion that the Cardinals are pursuing Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
For context, this has become one of the draft season’s hottest rumors.
“There is a feeling around the league that the Cardinals certainly have some level of interest in Ty Simpson,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Similarly, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said, “I believe firmly (Simpson) is going to be a Cardinal."
This was the backdrop for Ossenfort’s press conference, in which he had repeated opportunities to discuss the quarterback position. And each time, his answers only added to the notion that the Cardinals have already identified their solution — which would likely occur either at pick No. 34 or with a trade into the back end of the first round.
Early on, Ossenfort was asked which traits he looks for in a quarterback.
“Big ones for me: accuracy, decision-making,” Ossenfort said. “Those are always at the forefront.”
These are widely seen as Simpson’s two defining strengths. He lacks elite size or physical traits and has just 15 games of starting experience, but he is noted as an excellent processer who stands out with his accurate passing.
That aligns perfectly with Ossenfort’s professed preferences.
As for Simpson’s lack of experience, Ossenfort did acknowledge that “there are advantages to time on task.” But he said that the most important element is to understand why a player has limited experience. In Simpson’s case, the answer is clear. He was behind Jalen Milroe on Alabama’s depth chart but decided to stay in Tuscaloosa because of his love for the school.
“Some guys are gonna have more (tape), some guys' tape looks better than others,” Ossenfort said. “So I think that's just another piece of that evaluation process. So I think you've just gotta go with what you have.”
Then — perhaps most tellingly — Ossenfort was asked whether he would be comfortable entering training camp with Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew as the Cardinals’ top two quarterbacks. The setup was in place for Ossenfort to profess his confidence in his own roster. Instead, he left the door wide open for further moves.
“That's where we are right now,” Ossenfort said. “Is that how it looks going into training camp? I don't know. We'll see.”
He also declined to name a current QB1, saying only that Brissett and Minshew have both “played a lot of ball.”
Related: Ossenfort acknowledged that the Cardinals have “certainly done our share of evaluation on the quarterbacks in this year's draft.”
Ultimately, in deciding whether to target Simpson, the Cardinals need to analyze not just the player but also their own standing as an organization.
If they believe that they are in for a rebuilding season in a brutally difficult NFC West, it would make little sense to rush toward a quarterback solution. In that case, they could wait for 2027, which is widely believed to have a much stronger quarterback class — even if these projections rarely pan out as expected.
But if the Cardinals aim to contend this season, then a quarterback becomes a requirement. Brissett, the current presumptive favorite to start Week 1, won just one of his 12 starts last season.
On this, Ossenfort again offered an answer that points the arrow toward Simpson.
“Our goal is to put as competitive of a team as we can to go into '26 and go 1-0 every week,” Ossenfort said. “And that's what we're trying to do, with the realization that every decision that we make affects subsequent years as well. So I don't think those are two independent thoughts.”
Put it all together and the takeaway seems clear. The Cardinals value accuracy and decision-making. They are not overly fazed by inexperience. They are open to drafting a quarterback and have done extensive research on the position. And they hope to compete in 2026.
Much can change in the final week before the draft, but as decision time approaches, all arrows point toward Simpson.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort hints at targeting Alabama QB Ty Simpson
Continue reading...
But when Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort spoke on Thursday, April 16, the lines were wider and more transparent than normal. Throughout the course of a 32-minute session, he poured kerosene on the notion that the Cardinals are pursuing Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
For context, this has become one of the draft season’s hottest rumors.
“There is a feeling around the league that the Cardinals certainly have some level of interest in Ty Simpson,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Similarly, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said, “I believe firmly (Simpson) is going to be a Cardinal."
This was the backdrop for Ossenfort’s press conference, in which he had repeated opportunities to discuss the quarterback position. And each time, his answers only added to the notion that the Cardinals have already identified their solution — which would likely occur either at pick No. 34 or with a trade into the back end of the first round.
Early on, Ossenfort was asked which traits he looks for in a quarterback.
“Big ones for me: accuracy, decision-making,” Ossenfort said. “Those are always at the forefront.”
These are widely seen as Simpson’s two defining strengths. He lacks elite size or physical traits and has just 15 games of starting experience, but he is noted as an excellent processer who stands out with his accurate passing.
That aligns perfectly with Ossenfort’s professed preferences.
As for Simpson’s lack of experience, Ossenfort did acknowledge that “there are advantages to time on task.” But he said that the most important element is to understand why a player has limited experience. In Simpson’s case, the answer is clear. He was behind Jalen Milroe on Alabama’s depth chart but decided to stay in Tuscaloosa because of his love for the school.
“Some guys are gonna have more (tape), some guys' tape looks better than others,” Ossenfort said. “So I think that's just another piece of that evaluation process. So I think you've just gotta go with what you have.”
Then — perhaps most tellingly — Ossenfort was asked whether he would be comfortable entering training camp with Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew as the Cardinals’ top two quarterbacks. The setup was in place for Ossenfort to profess his confidence in his own roster. Instead, he left the door wide open for further moves.
“That's where we are right now,” Ossenfort said. “Is that how it looks going into training camp? I don't know. We'll see.”
He also declined to name a current QB1, saying only that Brissett and Minshew have both “played a lot of ball.”
Related: Ossenfort acknowledged that the Cardinals have “certainly done our share of evaluation on the quarterbacks in this year's draft.”
Ultimately, in deciding whether to target Simpson, the Cardinals need to analyze not just the player but also their own standing as an organization.
If they believe that they are in for a rebuilding season in a brutally difficult NFC West, it would make little sense to rush toward a quarterback solution. In that case, they could wait for 2027, which is widely believed to have a much stronger quarterback class — even if these projections rarely pan out as expected.
But if the Cardinals aim to contend this season, then a quarterback becomes a requirement. Brissett, the current presumptive favorite to start Week 1, won just one of his 12 starts last season.
On this, Ossenfort again offered an answer that points the arrow toward Simpson.
“Our goal is to put as competitive of a team as we can to go into '26 and go 1-0 every week,” Ossenfort said. “And that's what we're trying to do, with the realization that every decision that we make affects subsequent years as well. So I don't think those are two independent thoughts.”
Put it all together and the takeaway seems clear. The Cardinals value accuracy and decision-making. They are not overly fazed by inexperience. They are open to drafting a quarterback and have done extensive research on the position. And they hope to compete in 2026.
Much can change in the final week before the draft, but as decision time approaches, all arrows point toward Simpson.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort hints at targeting Alabama QB Ty Simpson
Continue reading...
