Cardinals Won't Have CB Coach vs Seahawks

The Arizona Cardinals will be down a man on the sidelines.

Arizona Cardinals cornerbacks coach Ryan Smith walks the sidelines during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 25, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

ARIZONA -- When the Arizona Cardinals travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks in Week 12, they'll be down one person on the sidelines.

According to team reporter Darren Urban. Cardinals cornerbacks coach Ryan Smith will not travel with the team.

#AZCardinals cornerbacks coach Ryan Smith will miss Sunday’s game with the #Seahawks. He will return to the team Monday, and his duties will be split for the game among the other defensive assistants.

— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) November 23, 2024

It's unknown why Smith will miss the game, and as Urban says in his tweet, other assistants will have to step up.

More from Smith's team bio:

"Ryan Smith is in his second season with the Cardinals after he was hired to coach cornerbacks on 3/1/23.

"In his first season with the Cardinals in 2023, Smith mentored veteran CB Antonio Hamilton Sr. to a career year – career-high 36 tackles and a team-leading 11 passes defensed – while also assisting in the development of rookie corners Garrett Williams, Starling Thomas V, Kei'Trel Clark and Divaad Wilson."

DB coach Patrick Toney and defensive quality control coach Ronald Booker could be two coaches that help fill Smith's role.

Cardinals corners know they've got quite the task on hand, as Seattle's 260.9 passing yards per game is second in the NFL.

"Offensively, the coordinator (Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Ryan Grubb), he puts a lot of pressure on the defense with how they operate. The mix of tempos, the run and pass game, obviously they have really good skill guys, a really good back, the quarterback is playing at a high level," said head coach Jonathan Gannon earlier this week.

"I thought he was lights out versus San Francisco. That's off the top of my mind. He is the reason they won the game."

With Max Melton off the injury report, Arizona's rotation of Melton, Sean Murphy-Bunting. Garrett Williams and Starling Thomas hopes to continue taking another step in the right direction after helping the Cardinals' defense limit opposing offenses to under ten points in their last two games.

A win for Arizona would push them to 7-4 on the season.