Cardinals announce changes to the coaching staff for 2022

The Arizona Cardinals added to Kliff Kingsbury’s coaching staff and announced the promotions of a few individuals as well.

Since Kliff Kingsbury was hired back in 2019, the Arizona Cardinals have been in possession of one of the NFL’s finest coaching contingents. It’s a fine mix of youth and experience that makes up the staff of the Cards’ 42-year-old head coach.

On Tuesday, Arizona announced some changes to this year’s group of assistants. Knowledgable defensive line coach Brentson Buckner needed to be replaced after he left to do the same job with the Jacksonville Jaguars. There were several promotions as well for coaches who have obviously impressed Kingsbury during their time with the organization.

The Cardinals went out and got a fairly accomplished individual to step in for the departed Buckner. Matt Burke, a defensive coordinator for two seasons with the Miami Dolphins (2017-18), has a familiarity with the system that Vance Joseph runs. The pair worked together with both the Dolphins in 2016 and the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2014 and 2015 campaigns.

Arizona Cardinals have handed promotions to several assistants in 2022

Arizona has not possessed an offensive coordinator since Kingsbury joined the club three years ago. The architect of the “Air Raid” attack calls the plays, so the team apparently doesn’t feel the need to appoint someone to that particular post. The Cards, however, are employing not one but two “passing-game” coordinators for the upcoming season.

Cam Turner, a holdover from former coach Steve Wilks’ staff in 2018, was the Redbirds’ quarterbacks coach in 2021. The 34-year-old is to Kyler Murray what veteran assistant Tom Moore was to Carson Palmer when Bruce Arians was coaching the Cardinals. Turner will now be a co-passing-game coordinator with Spencer Whipple, the 33-year-old who did an outstanding job of calling the plays when Kingsbury missed the Cleveland Browns matchup last October because of COVID-19 protocols.

One head-scratching promotion involved Shawn Jefferson, Arizona’s wide receivers coach. The former NFL wideout was named “associate” head coach, despite the fact that special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers already holds the title of “assistant” head coach. Jefferson certainly appears to do a fine enough job, but the “promotion” he received seems to be both confusing and unnecessary.

The Cards appointed two additional assistants as well. Mike Bercovici, a former quarterback with the Arizona State Sun Devils, will work on the offensive side of the ball. It’s also possible that Kenny Bell, a longtime associate of Kingsbury, will assume the offensive quality control position that was vacated when Jim Dray departed for the Chicago Bears back in February.