There are a handful of teams in the NFL that have a big question at the head coach position. Teams like the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and New York Giants all have head coaches that are very much on a warm if not hot seat. The Arizona Cardinals are luckily not one of those teams heading into 2024, but Jonathan Gannon has to prove that the Cardinals made the right choice in putting him in charge.
Hired from the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason, Gannon’s first season was set up to be a wreck. The Cardinals made some roster changes which included trading Isaiah Simmons to the Giants and releasing wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. In addition, the Cardinals ultimately ended up passing on edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. in the 2023 NFL Draft but did acquire a future first round pick when they traded with the Houston Texans, who drafted Anderson.
Even though the Cardinals finished 4-13, the Cardinals showed that they can play tough and not get pushed around. Three of their four wins were against playoff teams and took place when Kyler Murray returned from his torn ACL.
Ryan Fowler from Bleacher Report listed every team’s biggest storyline post OTAs and minicamps, and Fowler listed Gannon’s second year in Arizona as the biggest headline for the Cardinals.
Fowler went into detail about how Gannon’s first season with the Cardinals was about establishing a culture and he succeeded. There seems to be mutual support between him and his coaching staff, along with Kyler Murray which is something that the Cardinals were lacking before Gannon arrived.
It is time for Gannon to take the next step.
Arizona had one of the best offseasons in the entire league in both free agency and the NFL Draft. Monti Ossenfort addressed pressing needs and was able to improve various positions on both sides of the ball. The rookies that were drafted to the Cardinals have a lot of potential and could make an impact as early as this season.
The pressure now shifts to Gannon as he and his staff have to produce the best team possible. While the Cardinals are not a championship contender as of now, they need to compete within the NFC and show that they are a team that is on the rise.