Cardinals Star Weighs in on Wild NFL Debate

The Arizona Cardinals aren't a fan of getting rid of the two-high safety look.

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during player introductions before facing the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Nov. 26, 2023. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

ARIZONA -- It's fair to say the Arizona Cardinals aren't crazy about recent discussions surrounding the league's massive movement to a two-high safety look on the defensive side of the ball.

ESPN's Mel Kiper suggested earlier this week that the league ban the two-high safety look with the lack of big plays downfield through two weeks of play.

.@MelKiperESPN believes two-high safeties "should be outlawed" 👀

"The NFL is being ruined by these two-high safeties." pic.twitter.com/d65PFJysIq

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) September 19, 2024

Cardinals star Budda Baker isn't a fan of the idea.

"What?" asked a confused Baker on the proposal.

"That's crazy. The rules already changed so much in the offense's favor. I don't know what else you need to ask a defensive player to do. So hopefully that doesn't become a rule."

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon - after nearly having his jaw drop on the floor when asked about it - remained diplomatic.

"Yeah, I didn't hear that. Obviously, no thoughts about that - we'll play by the rules. I know this: you got 11 guys and you can deploy them however you want," he said.

The next question, Gannon pointed out that defenses do a pretty good job of adjusting in what's evolved as an offensive-friendly league.

"That's kind of the evolution, and offenses find a way to counteract defenses - it's just the evolution of the game which makes the game the best game in the world to me," he told reporters on Friday.

"There's always - you kind of look at trends and different things, it goes into philosophies and coaches and your players and who you're playing, but I'm sure they'll have a week where you guys will be like, 'Oh my God, we should put 12 guys on defense. There was a million explosives (plays) and a million points scored. It's the ebb and flow of the NFL season."

Both the Cardinals and their Week 3 opponents in the Detroit Lions rarely use Cover 2 (which is admittedly not the same as a two-high safety look but generally is grouped together) - as Football Insights shows both teams use Cover 2 just 6% of the time.

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