Arizona Cardinals Reveals Upcoming, Important, Offseason, Dates To Note…
Happy Tuesday one and all, and Happy Easter to all those that celebrate.
The Arizona Cardinals are the talk of the NFL Draft because people are trying to figure out if they are going to move off the fourth overall pick or not.
So, with so many 2024 NFL Mock Drafts rolling out with less than four weeks until the actual draft, Jess and I sat down and discussed some of these scenarios.
The photo is taken annually, an attempt to gather all 32 coaches – there are usually a couple that can’t make it – for a group photo at whatever posh resort the NFL is holding its spring meeting.
After the necessary draft prep in the chilly weather of Indianapolis at the Scouting combine, the meeting marks a certain starting point for the coming season, with most of free agency in the rear view and the sun and resort dress of NFL decision-makers feeling good about what’s to come.
In the front row of the photo, tucked into the bottom right, Jonathan Gannon sat with his coaching brethren, all planning how to attack the coming season.
“All 32 teams right now are optimistic about what’s ahead,” Gannon said two mornings later, when taking part in the NFC coaches breakfast on the meeting’s final day.
The Cardinals are no different.
They have Kyler Murray back and healthy, ready to prep for a whole offseason. They addressed multiple spots in free agency, and have 11 picks in April’s draft, including six in the first 90. Beyond that, however, was the way they played late in the 2023 season, beating teams like the Steelers and Eagles on the road, and leaning into a running game that showed the physicality the Cardinals haven’t always had.
“I really think good days are ahead for the Arizona Cardinals,” NFL analyst Charles Davis said, noting that he is impressed with the leadership of Gannon and coordinators Drew Petzing and Nick Rallis. “Not only do they have a plan and are they able to articulate it, but it’s not a canned response.
“They have a vision for where they want to go and a vision of what they want to look like down the road. It’s an overused phrase, but they are authentic.”
Gannon, and GM Monti Ossenfort for that matter, certainly aren’t making any proclamations. Gannon has noted more than once the Cardinals only won four games and that isn’t good enough. Gannon also likes to talk about the process a team is taking more than results, and Ossenfort has always kept his focus in the present.
“For us, it’s not getting too far over our skis one way or the other,” Ossenfort said in Orlando. “It’s controlling what you can control right now, and this time of year, we got through free agency and felt like we added some pieces there to help us out.
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Ex-NFL star Vontae Davis found dead at 35
Former NFL defensive back Vontae Davis has died.
According to a report from WSVN in Miami, Davis was found dead on Monday morning inside a home in Southwest Ranches, Fla. Property records show that the home is owned by Adaline Davis, who is Davis’ grandmother.
Police said no foul play is suspected but an investigation is ongoing.
Davis was 35.
News of Davis’ death first circulated when Illinois assistant basketball coach Chester Frazier posted about it on social media.
“#illinination we lost a great today!!! RIP TO @vontaedavis man nothing but good memories of that dude in school!!! Praying for the Davis family!!” Frazier wrote on X.
Davis was a star cornerback at Illinois from 2006-2008. Frazier played basketball for the Fighting Illini at around the same time.
Davis’ death comes less than two months after he was arrested for suspicion of driving while under the influence after crashing his car into a disabled vehicle on the side of the highway in South Florida. Davis displayed some very concerning behavior after the crash.
A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Davis was selected by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played for the Dolphins for three seasons before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent six years from 2012-2017. Davis then played for the Buffalo Bills for a brief period in 2018 before retiring in a very unusual manner.
Davis had 396 total tackles and 22 interceptions in his NFL career.