In the previous article, we discussed why each candidate would be a good fit for the Arizona Cardinals. Now let’s talk about why each wouldn’t be.
Today’s article will be missing two prime candidates for the Arizona Cardinals head coaching job. Dan Quinn decided to stay in Dallas to see if he can help bring the Cowboys faithful a sixth Lombardi while Frank Reich took up shop in Charlotte to coach the Carolina Panthers.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, had a lengthy interview with the man, the myth, and the brewing legend that is Sean Payton. And while Payton has many elite qualities and a remarkable resume, is he a good fit for the Redbirds?
Are any of these coaches good fits? The short answer is that they all have their unique upside. But these coaches are as human as anyone else and therefore, aren’t perfect. So lets’ discuss why the Cardinals should steer clear of all their head coaching candidates, starting with Payton.
Why the Arizona Cardinals should avoid Sean Payton
Payton is in high demand, and any team interested in his services will give the New Orleans Saints some serious compensation. So what are the Saints after? If they want something like the third overall pick, it’s not happening, or at least it shouldn’t happen.
There aren’t any coaches on this list as accomplished as Payton, I get it. But the Arizona Cardinals roster is so full of holes they can’t afford to give up draft picks for anyone, even someone with Payton’s caliber.
Overall, there is no way, under any circumstance, that the Redbirds should give up so much draft capital for Payton. Maybe the Saints will just want DeAndre Hopkins? Yeah, I don’t see that happening….
Ejiro Evero
While many have succeeded as head coaches despite sheer lack of experience, it’s still a risk to go after someone who has only ran an entire unit for one season. Evero is one of those coaches, and he could definitely use another season or two or experience before someone relies on him to run an entire football team.
Evero also turned down the interim head coach job after the Denver Broncos fired Nathaniel Hackett. This further kept him from giving teams an idea of what he’d look like making head coaching decisions.
Overall, Evero is still a mystery. Sure, he had an outstanding season in Denver under some dire circumstances. But Evero’s lack of experience and hesitancy to take the interim job should raise some eyebrows. He’s one of those coaches that if you hire, you’re going to hire based on potential. Do the Arizona Cardinals really want that?
Aaron Glenn
Why would anyone take a chance on a coach whose unit finished last in the league this past season? Glenn’s Lions allowed 6,670 total yards defensively, which equals 392 yards per game. So if he struggles with managing one unit, why would the Arizona Cardinals even remotely consider this guy?
Glenn may have some upside qualities in player development, as shown with the way he’s worked well with Jeff Okudah and Aidan Hutchinson. But until the figures out how to turn around the Lions defense, or even make them a halfway decent unit, this man should under no circumstances run an NFL team.
I can see Glenn becoming a hot coaching commodity in time if he improves the Lions unit in 2023. But until then, he shouldn’t be anything more than an assistant coach. This is one guy on the list who I can’t envision the Cardinals taking a chance on.
Brian Flores
Flores did a decent job in Miami, but in three seasons, he never found a way into the playoffs. That alone should raise a red flag, as Kliff Kingsbury managed to do that, even if the game didn’t end well.
You also can’t pass up the fact that Flores is yet another coach who came from the Bill Belichick coaching tree. This tree has seen names like Matt Patricia, Josh McDaniels, Romeo Crennel, Nick Saban, Eric Mangini, Jim Schwartz, Bill O’Brien, Joe Judge, and Brian Daboll.
Most of the names on here are forgettable, at least in the NFL. So with such a spotty track record in this coaching tree, history is not on Flores’ side. If the Arizona Cardinals took a chance on Flores, and they very well may, he might come with a buyer beware tag.
Vance Joseph
While Vance Joseph had his moments as the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator in 2022, his unit wasn’t consistent. The Redbirds finished 21st overall as a unit, and with a group of young talent that they possessed, the D should have been stronger.
Joseph is another name on this list with experience as a head coach. But with two forgettable seasons in Denver, where he posted an 11-21 record, he showed little to provide any type of optimism that he can lead an NFL team.
Overall, Joseph is most likely a last resort if the Cards can’t find anyone else to grace the sideline. While he’s a familiar face who would likely bring little change, Joseph’s inability to run the defense well this season plus his previous failures at head coach strike out. We don’t need him coaching this team period.
DeMeco Ryans
In 2021, Robert Saleh took the head coaching gig with the New York Jets, allowing Ryans to slide in and take over as the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator. He was basically given a top unit to work with, so case in point, Ryans hasn’t faced the challenge of building anything or anyone up.
What if, in some alternate universe, he became the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys in 2021 and Dan Quinn, the 49ers? Does Ryans have the same success? We will never know, but we would know how capable (or incapable) he was of developing a subpar unit.
Every season, we get those hot coaching candidates that completely flame out after a season or two. Of all the coaches listed, Ryans has the most potential to be that flameout. He’s a big name, but with a good team surrounding him since he took the gig, there is a lot of mystery surrounding him.
Article Source: Breaking down how the Cardinals’ head-coaching candidates might fit by Josh Weinfuss
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