The final head coaching spot vacancy was filled on Tuesday afternoon as the Arizona Cardinals were able to lure Jonathan Gannon away from the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Eagles’ defensive coordinator was the second coordinator to leave the franchise Tuesday, as Gannon’s move came just hours after offensive coordinator Shane Steichen was announced as the head coach in Indianapolis.
The Cardinals had interviewed a relatively short list of candidates before zeroing in on Gannon, but it was an impressive group mostly made up of up-and-comers. Gannon, who was also a finalist for the Texans’ head coaching job last offseason, reinforced his résumé this past season as the Eagles’ defense took a giant leap.
Let’s take a look at why the Cardinals’ decision to go with Gannon is a high-risk move for their roster.
Cardinals Hire Jonathan Gannon as Head Coach
Gannon was a finalist for the job alongside Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. Turning 40 this April, Gannon comes to Arizona with two seasons of experience as a defensive coordinator and an additional 13 years of NFL experience as an assistant, scout, and positional coach.
His unique background in personnel evaluation may have swayed new Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort in their pick for their head coach. Can Gannon be successful without the Eagles’ incredible base of talent?
His defense ranked No. 1 in yards and No. 2 in points this past season but failed when it mattered the most in the Super Bowl. Philadelphia gave up 24 points in the second half and was repeatedly burned in the red zone by pre-snap motion after not adjusting on the fly.
Losing to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid isn’t shameful, but it highlighted an area of concern for Gannon’s future. If he can’t adjust on the fly, Gannon won’t be the home-run hire for Arizona.
Gannon’s Offensive Coordinator Choice Is Critical
The Cardinals didn’t seem to care about which side of the ball their head coach was on when it came down to interviewing candidates, but landing on a defensive-minded individual mattered for Arizona.
They have a franchise quarterback under contract in Kyler Murray, who is coming off a torn ACL. It’s possible the team will look to cut costs by moving on from veterans DeAndre Hopkins and Zach Ertz, putting pressure on this regime to find replacement contributors.
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With Murray as the face of the franchise and his need to bounce back from both a disappointing 2022 season and a major injury, Gannon has to identify the right offensive coordinator to pair with Murray.
Former head coach Kliff Kingsbury never correctly built the Cardinals’ offensive line to a respectable level, and the lack of a stellar running game and creative passing concepts stunted Murray’s development. Kingsbury wasn’t the offensive savant the team had hoped.
In theory, it’s easier to pair an offensive head coach than to find the next star OC. If Gannon misses and has to fire his choice within the next two seasons, his job will be in jeopardy. He could also pick the next wunderkind, but then he’s at risk of losing that individual next offseason.
Gannon already has his work cut out for him, as this roster desperately needs rebuilding on the fly. But he faces extra stressors considering the team’s limited cap space and needs to revamp the offense with an injured quarterback. That’s an especially difficult challenge for a first-time head coach.
How Gannon’s Hiring Affects Cardinals Draft Plans
Boasting the third overall pick in a class that has two premier defensive prospects and zero elite non-QB prospects can dictate where the team will go in the draft. It stands to reason the Cardinals will have doubled down by investing heavily in their defense by hiring Gannon and taking a top defender. The team certainly needs it, considering the sad state of the Cardinals’ defensive roster.
Losing Chandler Jones and J.J. Watt in consecutive offseasons has left the front seven devastated after years of poor draft returns. Adding someone like Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia’s Jalen Carter would be incredibly helpful. Those individuals will be maximized by Gannon, but he has an embarrassingly weak surrounding cast to put around the star rookie.
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Arizona must consider trading down and possibly resist the urge to take the best player at No. 3. I normally dislike this strategy as you need as many elite players as you can find. But the Cardinals could theoretically land a second first-round pick or multiple early-round picks in exchange.
Improving the trench play on both sides of the ball is critical. Gannon had a plethora of playmakers at his disposal in Philadelphia, so it stands to reason he could push to recreate that deep array of pass rushers over the next two years.