Cardinals Cover 2

Ep. 663 - No question, going from an air conditioned-State Farm Stadium to outdoors in the heat and humidity in Tempe has been different. It’s also been by design. The Cardinals used this week as a dry run for the regular season, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon; and thus, the change in practice location. After talking about the weather - borderline complaining - Craig Grialou and Zach Gers...

Ep. 662 - Preseason or not, the Cardinals looked good on Friday. More importantly, they won. And, yes, that matters. All you had to do was look at the reactions of the coaches and players, including those players who did not play, when Emari Demercado powered his way into the end zone to know how much the 18-17 win meant. Craig Grialou and Darren Urban discuss the number of different positives fro...

Ep. 661 - No, training camp is not over. It is over at State Farm Stadium, however. The Cardinals held their final practice – and final open practice – in the stadium on Wednesday. Two more weeks of camp remain, with one week in Tempe and one week in Minnesota which will include a pair of joint practices with the Vikings ahead of the preseason finale. Speaking of the preseason, the first game is o...

Ep. 660 - A baseball fan growing up, Isaiah Simmons played center field. Now in the NFL, he finds himself playing a similar position. Simmons is playing safety, or deep center field. It is not a new position, but it is a position he is expected to be playing more than he did in any of his previous three seasons. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi discuss Simmons’ role and what Simmons had to say about...

Ep. 659 - Where is the pass rush going to come from? That’s one of the bigger questions that needs to be answered - hopefully - during training camp. The Cardinals have a lot of talent in the room, but it’s a lot of unproven talent. Zaven Collins is the most intriguing name among the group as he makes the switch from inside to outside linebacker. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss what they’v...

Ep. 658 - Finally. It’s what everyone has been waiting for. On Day 6 of training camp, the Cardinals put the pads on. As GM Monti Ossenfort said after, “Let the competition throughout the roster begin.” Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss what they saw during the 75-minute practice. What did they see? What did they hear? A lot of collisions. A lot of trash talk, especially between Michael Wilson...

Ep. 657 - It’s early, so better to make mistakes now rather than later. And, yes, mistakes have been made, especially on offense. Colt McCoy used the phrase “growing pains” to describe the first week of training camp. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi discuss what they’ve seen from the first-team offense as well as the rest of the quarterbacks on the roster. Well, at least the healthy ones. Kyler Mur...

Ep. 656 - Back in April, the Cardinals drafted nine players. Three months later, the Cardinals added another rookie to the team, the Content & Creative Team. Welcome Zach Gershman to Arizona. Gershman makes his debut appearance on the show, joining host Craig Grialou. After learning some of Gershman’s background, the two discuss the first week of camp; what and who has stood out? Gershman pointed...

Ep. 655 - With a big smile on his face, Budda Baker walked into the interview room to address the media for the first time in training camp. And Baker had every reason to be smiling on Friday. News broke earlier in the week that he had reportedly received some extra cash in the form of bonuses and incentives in his contract. Baker also has a very large chip on his shoulder, feeling he’s been disre...

Ep. 654 - What are the 2023 Arizona Cardinals going to look like? Details began to emerge on Thursday as the team held its first open practice of training camp. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck – knowing it’s early in camp and the season doesn’t begin for another six weeks – discuss what they saw; what the offense looked like, the defensive rotation; who was running with the first team; who wasn’t ru...

Ep. 653 - Smiling. Joking. It was the same old Budda Baker who took the field on Wednesday for the first practice of training camp. Perhaps all that offseason noise – be it a reported trade request or reportedly seeking a restructured contract – was just that, noise. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi discuss No. 3 participating. What does it mean? Is everything good between the team and the player? A...

Ep. 652 - When legends speak, we listen. A great conversation with Cardinals Ring of Honor member Roy "Jet Stream" Green. And the timing could not be better. As players and coaches get ready for the first practice of training camp, Green joins host Craig Grialou to talk about why camp is so important. One word: opportunity. The opportunity to stand out, make a play, and ultimately make the 53-man...

Ep. 651 - Storylines. Position battles. Questions that need answered (hopefully). All is on the table as Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck look ahead to the start of training camp this week, the first under new head coach Jonathan Gannon. The biggest storyline, of course, is Kyler Murray. When will he practice? Will he practice? But beyond that, there are position battles along the offensive line, wid...

Ep. 650 - The offseason work is done. No more OTAs. Minicamp is complete. Now, it’s time for a break; some well-deserved time off for the front office, coaches, and players. A lot has been accomplished over the past five months. And, of course, there remains much more to do. That work, though, will have to wait until training camp. In the meantime, Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi are here to look b...

Ep. 649 – On Wednesday, the Cardinals held their ninth of ten OTA practices. And for the first time, D.J. Humphries made an appearance on the field. He had been seen working on the side just not yet on the field. So, not only is Humphries back, but he is back talking to the media and that is always entertaining. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck go over what Humphries had to say; from his health to hi...

Ep. 648 - Nothing official from the team. But, we’re making it official. Zaven Collins is an outside linebacker. And nobody is happier than Paul Calvisi, who had already moved Collins into that room. Craig Grialou had been hesitant but not anymore. The two discuss this (tongue in cheek) breaking news following Monday’s OTA session after which we heard from the man himself. “Definitely want to get...

Ep. 647 - A lot of new faces. A lot of questions. That appears to be the theme thus far for the Cardinals here in the offseason. One of the newer faces brings one of the bigger questions: Hjalte Froholdt. Is the Danish Army knife – as he describes himself – the answer at center? He is the only offensive lineman currently on the roster who has starting NFL experience at the position. Craig Grialou...

Ep. 646 - The offseason moved into its next phase on Monday. Organized team activities, or OTAs for short, got underway for several teams, including the Cardinals. For the first time, veterans and rookies shared the field. Plus, there was on-field work between the offense and defense. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss what they saw and what it may mean. For example, Zaven Collins was once agai...

Ep. 645 - Nine draft picks. Ten undrafted free agents. Four tryout players, including two punters – more on that in a moment. The team welcomed 23 new faces to the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center over the weekend. First-round draft pick Paris Johnson Jr. attracted the most attention from the assembled media, which included both Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi. The guys discuss what...

Ep. 644 - Edge rusher. Cornerback. Wide receiver. Three positions the Cardinals were expected to address, and they did. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck look back at Day 2, which was highlighted by the second-round selection of LSU edge rusher BJ Ojulari. Without question, pass rush was the Cardinals biggest need heading into the draft. Syracuse cornerback Garrett Williams and Stanford wide receiver...

Ep. 643 - The first offensive lineman off the board. The first offensive lineman drafted by the Cardinals in the first round in nearly a decade. Paris Johnson Jr. arrived in the Valley on Friday. The sixth overall pick out of Ohio State made a great first impression during his introductory press conference. Well spoken. Personable. Yet, when he hits the field, Johnson Jr. explained he plays “with...

Ep. 642 - Stay at No. 3 or trade down? And how far down might the Cardinals be willing to go and still land a top prospect at a particular position group? Those are just some of the questions Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck attempted to answer with the draft now two weeks away. There is still so much unknown, especially given what may happen ahead of when the Cardinals are on the clock. There is als...

Ep. 641 - It has been a quiet start to free agency. And that’s OK, according to Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck. It is what was expected under first-time general manager Monti Ossenfort, especially given what he inherited. Now quiet does not mean the Cardinals have not been busy. It is just that, thus far, the signings—whether a re-signing or signing a new name—have not grabbed the headlines. Again,...

Ep. 640 - There are 15 new faces walking the hallways at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center. They, plus a handful of holdovers, make up Jonathan Gannon’s first-ever coaching staff. The assistants—offense, defense and special teams—were made available to the media over the past couple of days. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss their first impressions. The staff is young by NFL...

Ep. 639 - Accountability. Adaptability. Two of the main themes from Jonathan Gannon’s introductory press conference. The new Cardinals head coach addressed the media for the first time on Thursday. We hear from Gannon, who spoke for nearly 40 minutes, and then react. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi discuss their biggest takeaways. Gannon has “a very specific vision” for the offense, which will be b...