Unemployed assistant is exactly what Arizona Cardinals need

Offensive guru John DeFilippo is a perfect candidate to replace Steve Wilks as the next head coach of the Arizona Cardinals

Almost a year has passed since a hot, young assistant was interviewed for the Arizona Cardinals’ open head-coaching position. A meeting between John DeFilippo and the club apparently went well. So well, in fact, that the Cardinals had expressed interest in getting together for a second time with the candidate.

Unfortunately, a second date with DeFilippo never took place. The team that he was coaching with at the time, the Philadelphia Eagles, would end up advancing all the way to Super Bowl LII. DeFilippo’s availability became an issue because of his club’s success, so Arizona decided to go in another direction.

The Cards ended up hiring the defensive-minded Steve Wilks for their head job, a decision that they’re now paying dearly for. The squad has already lost 10 times this year with their new leader at the helm. That lack of success could very well lead to the dismissal of Wilks, a move that would make many fans of the Cardinals happy.

DeFilippo, recently fired after 13 games as the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator, could conceivably re-enter the picture if Wilks was sent packing. Perhaps that second meeting with Arizona could take place after all. Could the front office still have interest in the currently unemployed DeFilippo?

Despite his being blown out of Minnesota, DeFilippo would appear to be a perfect fit for the Cards. Rookie passer Josh Rosen is in desperate need of some competent tutoring. DeFilippo has been praised for his work with signal-callers, a list that includes Carson Wentz, Derek Carr, Carson Palmer and Josh McCown.

The Cardinals would be smart to follow the blueprint of a division rival, the Los Angeles Rams. L.A.’s head coach, Sean McVay, has guided quarterback Jared Goff to an elite level. Who’s to say that the 40-year old DeFilippo couldn’t do the same for Rosen?

There’s three weeks remaining in this excruciatingly-bad season for Arizona. The search for a new head coach should be underway. Bringing DeFilippo to the desert, albeit a year late, could be just what the doctor ordered for this floundering franchise.