The Cardinals' 2018 HC Search

[Mitch]

Back in 2013, The Cardinals seemed late to the party when searching for Ken Whisenhunt's successor. Their first choice going in was Andy Reid, who was quickly wooed by the Chiefs (and never had an interview with MB & SK).

The Cardinals wound up being the last of the 8 teams to hire the new HC. Bruce Arians fell into their laps when the Bears decided to go with Marc Trestman over Arians. And with the exception of Andy Reid, the Cardinals wound up making the best hire of the batch:

• Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers. ...
• Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs. ...
• Rob Chudzinski, Cleveland Browns. ...
• Marc Trestman, Chicago Bears. ...
• Chip Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles. ...
• Doug Marrone, Buffalo Bills. ...
• Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals. ...
• Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars.

Just a quick glance of this list tells you that Reid and Arians were the only ones on it to still be the HC of their team in 2017.

While Reid has led the Chiefs to the playoffs 4 of the 5 years---like Arians---he's only won 1 playoff game, a 30-0 Wild Card win over the Texans in 2015.

His losses were a 45-44 loss to the Colts in 2013, having surrendered a 28 point 2nd half lead. A 27-20 loss to the Patriots in the divisional round in 2015. And am 18-16 loss at home to the Steelers last year in the divisional round.

Reid's playoff record from 2013-2016: 1-3.

Arians, on the other hand, took the Cardinals to the NFC Championship game in 2015.

Reid's 5 year regular season record: 53-27 (.663)
Arians' 5 year regular season record: 49-30-1 (.614)

Mike McCoy last 4 years in SD. His record: 27-37 and 1-1 in playoffs.

The Cardinals couldn't woo Andy Reid, but they did nearly as well hiring BA.

This year, Michael Bidwill and Steve Keim have interviews lined up with James Bettcher (AZ), Pat Shurmur (MIN), John DeFilippo (PHI), Jim Schwartz (PHI), Matt Patricia (NE), Brian Flores (NE), Mike Munchak (PIT), Steve Wilks (CAR) and Keith Armstrong (ATL).

They met at length with James Bettcher yesterday and reports are that Bettcher has a staff lined up that includes OC Mike McCoy and DC Chuck Pagano. There are also reports that the Ravens want Chuck Pagano to return as their DC.

The Cardinals were in a somewhat similar position in 2013 when DC Ray Horton made a fevered pitch to be promoted to HC. His plan supposedly included having Norv Turner as OC.

Without question, MB and SK made the right choice to move on from Horton. Bettcher is a more attractive candidate in certain respects, but often times, wiping the slate clean and bringing in a new voice and direction is the best and wisest choice.

Today they are scheduled to meet with Pat Shurmur in Minnesota and tomorrow with DeFilippo and Schwartz in Phildelphia.

They probably will interview Mike Munchak and Matt Patricia over the weekend, and then meet with Steve Wilks and Keith Armstrong when the Panthers and Falcons are knocked out of the playoffs.

Michael Bidwill is preaching patience once again and feels that it is imperative that the candidates visit the Cardinals at their facilities in Arizona.

The question is---will the top candidates be amenable to Bidwill's time frame?

If one of the top candidates hits a grand slam in his interview, would Bidwill and Keim be willing to make an offer, knowing the competition is going to be fierce?

Bidwill has turned what could be considered a negative about the Cardinals' job---a lack of a QBOF---into a positive as he has posed the question of whether the new coach would rather have a QB already in place or have a hand in selecting his own.

Bidwill and Keim are an attractive combo. They are diligent, passionate, goal driven and highly supportive.

This could be a key turning point for GM Steve Keim. He has vowed to make major changes, following a season where he found some aspects of the Cardinals' play "totally unacceptable."

One has wonder just how much control over the roster and the coaching staff Bidwill and Keim will give the new head coach. Clearly, they were not able to get BA to budge on obvious coaching upgrades and it must have been taxing for MB and SK to hear BA's public disparagement of top draft picks Humphries and Nkemdiche (whom Bidwill personally vetted and gave his approval of).

The new hire should give Cardinals' fans a closer idea of just how effective Steve Keim is as a GM.

 

[Southpaw]

Rob Chudzinski deserves a shot. IMNSHO

He was screwed over by the crazy Browns . Better record than Hue Jackson. Probably gets Colts job.

 

[TheCardFan]

Rob Chudzinski deserves a shot. IMNSHO

He was screwed over by the crazy Browns . Better record than Hue Jackson. Probably gets Colts job.

What did he do at Indy as OC to give you confidence he can win? This year was a disaster and he won't have Andrew Luck with the Cardinals either.

 

[WildBB]

There would seem to be a more extensive list of candidates this time with the prerequisites to excell. It'll be interesting if blown away how soon they could get them to commit to coming to Glendale before taking more interviews. If it's a great match then strike...

 

[RON_IN_OC]

What did he do at Indy as OC to give you confidence he can win? This year was a disaster and he won't have Andrew Luck with the Cardinals either.

Well, he took in Jacoby Brissett on the fly and made them fairly competent and competitive.

Not saying he's awesome, but his body of work deserves to be reviewed based on situations he's been in.

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[Mainstreet]

I would think Michael Bidwill has some preferred choices heading into the search. He had to know Arians was going to retire.

 

[Southpaw]

What did he do at Indy as OC to give you confidence he can win? This year was a disaster and he won't have Andrew Luck with the Cardinals either.

It's not me who is the endorser(although I would if it mattered). It is the "experts". Let's see. 2 weeks after Brissett came to Indy he was brought up to speed in a brand new system and became serviceable. No O line. A 34 year old Rb and a rookie RB. Garbage TEs. Name 1 wr besides Moncrief and Hilton. A minor miracle that they could even score. His resume' is quite respectable. He is also rumored to be the leading candidate to become the Colts new HC.

 

[Ohcrap75]

How much say do you think BA had as far as draft picks? I've always been curious as to why they would draft a player like Humphries that by most accounts was talented but raw. Then BA would be calling him out and inactivating him. Seems like Kiem's expectations didn't match BA's.

 

[Mitch]

How much say do you think BA had as far as draft picks? I've always been curious as to why they would draft a player like Humphries that by most accounts was talented but raw. Then BA would be calling him out and inactivating him. Seems like Kiem's expectations didn't match BA's.

BA is sitting right there with MB and SK on draft day. He should have been pleased as heck that they would want to draft OL that early.

But, BA had very old school attitudes toward rookies, no matter where they were taken in the draft. And his style was not a good fit for some of them, particularly the top picks who didn't come into camp in the kind of shape or with the kind of maturity BA was hoping for.

This has something to do, as well, with BA's disdain for the college game and how ill-prepared he feels today's players are for the pros.

All the same, if you are MB and SK and with three weeks of training camp BA is calling out the top picks in disparaging ways, this cannot sit well. Ironically, BA said of MB and SK that they all agreed to build the organization on trust, loyalty and respect, and quite frankly, calling out to the media DJH as "Knee Deep" and Robert Nkemdiche as "immature" and a player who thinks "he's still in college" is a breach of all three. Doesn't sound at all like BA trusted in the picks, was loyal to his GM and owner (who heavily vetted Diche and gave the nod on him), nor is it the least bit respectful of the players or again, of MB and SK.