Are the Arizona Cardinals Tanking This Season?
Flashback to a month ago: Arizona Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon was sitting at his introductory press conference and concluded his opening remarks with this:
"I look forward to working with the players. That was very appealing to me (with) some of the guys that we have on board right now. Not too many times do you take over a team and you have a franchise quarterback, so that was very appealing," said Gannon.
"I’ll head some of this stuff off right now before, we get to questions and things like that, but just know this, we’re going to be very adaptable. I’m talking the Arizona Cardinals. This is what our team’s going to be. We’re going to be adaptable; we’re going to be violent, we’re going to be explosive, and we’re going to be smart. All three phases go into that, and we will maximize the talents of the players that we have.
"That’s how we’re going to win games, and don’t get it twisted— we’re going to win games."
Taking over a 4-13 team was always going to be a difficult task, but losing your top two free agents in DE Zach Allen and Byron Murphy certainly won't help the cause either.
The Cardinals haven't made a splash signing - and likely will defer until the 2023 NFL Draft to really make some changes to the squad.
For now, there's been jokes Arizona is embracing the tank for next season (especially with the unknown status of QB Kyler Murray), with even some players joining in during the early days of free agency:
So, are the Arizona Cardinals actually tanking this season? No.
First, let's establish that legitimate tanking in the NFL is incredibly hard. To convince everybody involved - from the coaching staff to players - to purposely fail is impossible and in no way can be helpful or beneficial on an individual basis.
That's not to say there hasn't been some attempts in the past (looking at you, Miami) but pride and the ability to put good things on tape for other opportunities is the reason the Houston Texans dropped down to the No. 2 pick after winning their final game of the season.
The reality is Arizona is far from that 7-0 team many Cardinals fans hoped and believed could go the distance. They've lost some major pieces and will likely lose a few more in that process.
GM Monti Ossenfort is also well aware that teams are built and established through the NFL Draft. Rarely has a team sustained success adding major pieces through free agency.
The Cardinals are entering a rebuild. Flashing back (again) to Gannon's initial press conference, where he was asked if he thought the team was about to enter that process:
“I’m never going to put a ceiling or a floor on any roster or any player that is under my watch. I know that there is work to be done, but I like the core pieces here. Through Monti and I—and Michael— we’re going to turn over every stone that we can to help improve the roster," said Gannon.
"Funny little story, we were in the interview on Monday and Monti asked me a question. I asked him the question right back, ‘Well what do you think about that Monti?’ He says, ‘Well, I want to hear what you say first.’ I told him, and he disagreed a little bit and I said, ‘Well, I understand your point, but here’s my point.’ I think that we’re going to have a really good relationship.
"Here’s where we did not disagree on is we’re going to do everything that we can to put the best people out there to win games. There’s different ways to do that and we will explore all those options, but that’s what we’re going to do. To summarize that, I’m excited about the people that we have here, and I’m excited about who we need to add.”
Had Murray been healthy entering the season, conversations surrounding the team might be a bit different. Perhaps the Cardinals would have been more aggressive in their offseason moves thus far. Perhaps we would have seen that coveted splash move by now.
Yet that's just not how these things work - unfortunately. Cardinals fans have long wanted a sustainable, winning culture and Ossenfort/Gannon believe the current path will allow for that to eventually unfold.
That involves what is likely to be a rocky 2023 season as a result of circumstances rather than intentionally being bad.
Buckle up, Arizona. This could be a long process.
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