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Arizona Cardinals: Special teams set for drastic improvement

By Jim Koch

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 24: Safety Budda Baker GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 24: Safety Budda Baker #36 of the Arizona Cardinals walks off the field following the NFL game against the New York Giants at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Arizona Cardinals won 23-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 24: Safety Budda Baker GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 24: Safety Budda Baker #36 of the Arizona Cardinals walks off the field following the NFL game against the New York Giants at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Arizona Cardinals won 23-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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The Arizona Cardinals’ brand-new special teams coordinator may be the most important addition to Steve Wilks’ coaching staff

Whether the Arizona Cardinals realize it or not, the hiring of their new special teams coordinator is of utmost importance to their fans. Followers of the club were witness to possibly the league’s worst unit over the past few seasons. Ex-head coach Bruce Arians refused to blame that group’s leader, causing dismay for those who watched the Cards every week.

Worry no more, Arizona fans. That beleaguered assistant, Amos Jones, is now the problem of the Cleveland Browns. It’s true, despite a display of total ineptitude with the Cardinals, Arians’ buddy has landed on his feet.

Which brings us to the special teams’ new savior, if you will. Jeff Rodgers, Steve Wilks’ new hire, has been brought to the desert to clean up the mess that Jones presided over. If the new coordinator is successful in doing that, he’ll become extremely popular in the eyes of Cards’ fans.

More than a few special teamers have excelled under the tutelage of Rodgers throughout his time in the NFL. The 40-year old headed the Denver Broncos’ squad from 2011-14 under head coach John Fox. Rodgers then followed Fox to the “Windy City”, leading the Chicago Bears’ special teams from 2015 through last season.

The Broncos’ kick-return schemes were stellar during Rodgers’ three campaigns in Denver. Their six touchdowns on returns during that period tied for second-most in the league. During a playoff defeat to the Baltimore Ravens in 2012, Trindon Holliday returned both a punt and a kickoff for scores.

A year later, Denver’s Matt Prater got to the Pro Bowl after recording 150 points. The placekicker’s 64-yard field field goal is the longest in NFL history. Broncos’ punter Britton Colquitt set and broke team records while under the watchful eye of Rodgers.

Rodgers’ stint with the Bears was also productive. Deonte Thompson’s 804 kickoff-return yards ranked second in the league in 2016. Gunner Sherrick McManis led Chicago in special teams tackles during each of the last three years.

Rodgers and current Cardinals’ punter Andy Lee are familiar with each other from their days together with the San Francisco 49ers. Rodgers was the Niners’ special teams quality control coach in 2003-04, before being elevated to assistant special teams coach in ’05. He inherits Budda Baker, the NFC’s special teams representative in this weekend’s Pro Bowl.

Next: Arizona Cardinals may have the right coordinators

Help for the special teams has arrived. No longer will Arizona fans have to suffer with Jones at the helm. If Rodgers is able to succeed, he could become the most-revered special teams’ coordinator the “Valley of the Sun” has ever seen.

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