Cardinals Hire Offensive and Defensive Coordinators, Carr Meets with Jets, and Other NFL Bullets
Is there anything better than waking up on a beautiful Sunday morning to someone calling you to ask for assistance with a flat tire? I mean, I get it; flat tires happen. It stinks, and I would want the same in return. But, yuck. Not the way I wanted to start my day. Let’s talk about some coach hirings, get outside, and enjoy the beautiful weather. We’ll begin in Arizona, where the Cardinals made a few key hires today.
- Jonathan Gannon and the Cardinals have their new offensive coordinator this morning. According to multiple reports, Arizona had hired Drew Petzing as their offensive coordinator.
- Petzing served as the quarterbacks coach in Cleveland last season. Petzing also spent time as the Browns’ tight ends coach. The 35-year-old coach spent six with the Minnesota Vikings (2014-19) and worked with Gannon during that time. Gannon was Minnesota’s assistant defensive backs coach from 2014 to 2017.
- Petzing will be tasked with working with Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, a project that reportedly has some coaches hesitating to take the Arizona job.
- On the defensive side of the ball, Arizona is hiring Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis as their defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
- Rallis also has overlapped with Gannon throughout his coaching career. Rallis began his NFL career with the Vikings in 2018 in a defensive quality control role. He joined Philadelphia in 2021 and served on Nick Sirianni’s staff with Gannon, who was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator.
- Rallis is 29 years old but has been seen as a fast riser and a future defensive coordinator. Gannon going to the Eagles well gives him a familiar face at a critical spot within his staff. Although, Gannon may call the plays on the defensive side of things. Nick Sirianni and the Eagles now have three positions to fill after Rallis followed Gannon to Arizona.
- In Carolina, Frank Reich’s staff continues to take shape. Reich’s newest hire is former NFL cornerback DeAngelo Hall.
- Hall most recently worked as an analyst for the NFL Network. Hall retired from the NFL five years ago.
- Derek Carr was in New York this weekend to meet with the New York Jets. The Raiders cut Carr ahead of a Feb. 15 deadline, when a $32.9 million base salary for next year and $7.5 million for 2024 would’ve become fully guaranteed.
- Ian Rapoport feels Aaron Rodgers would be the Jets’ No. 1 target on the quarterback market. However, if Rodgers ends up rejoining his old pal Davante Adams in Vegas, Carr would be a solid choice for the Jets.
- Carr finished the season with 3,522 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a 60.8 completion percentage. Carr and Rodgers would be upgrades in New York, where they believe they have a roster that can compete now. The Jets started four quarterbacks in 2022 (Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco, Mike White, and Chris Streveler). The four totaled 4,021 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
- Carr has also met with the New Orleans Saints, and Rapoport believes that the Saints are very much in the mix. Carr has the next three weeks to find a home before the legal tampering period in March, allowing the other free-agent quarterbacks to begin negotiating with teams.
- If you missed them on Friday, I dropped the first two offseason previews here at BN NFL. The Bears and the Bengals got us started, and Monday will feature the Lions and Browns. In addition, I will be releasing two teams each day between now and the start of free agency. These will provide everyone with each team’s resources, needs, pending free agents, and more.
- The news that we knew was coming is now likely coming. Lonzo Ball, see ya next fall:
- Fun stuff here from Luis:
