Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals in Better Position to Succeed than Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals in Better Position to Succeed than Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

There’s a very real possibility the Arizona Cardinals could be in a better position to win the NFC West over the San Francisco 49ers. Let’s do a little crossover, shall we? Let’s discuss. You are Locked On Cardinals, your daily Arizona Cardinals podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. Come in. Locked on Cardinals. Alex Clancy here um doing a little bit of a different thing today. Uh Brian Peacock, host of Locked on 49ers, uh had me on his show yesterday and we did a little Spitfire grill on uh the 49ers and the Cardinals and comparing position groups and talking about offseason moves. And I think this is a good show to do for my show today to get a little insight into what it looks like from the lens of a San Francisco 49ers host. And um I hope you enjoy. Brian, take it away. Welcome to Locked On 49ers. Brian Peacock with a special guest today, Alex Clancy of Locked Cardinals. We’re breaking down the NFC West. We’re breaking down the offseason of the Cardinals and how everything stacks up here in the West as we start 2025. the final team in our rivals week previews for this upcoming season. Thanks everybody for making us your first listen on the Lockdown Podcast Network. Your team every day. Love our everyday. Thanks for hanging out with us, getting ready for training camps just around the corner. And of course, if you’re new to the program, welcome. Subscribe on YouTube and anywhere you listen to your podcasts. And uh Alex, welcome to the show once again. Little bit of an offseason crossover style episode here. It’s always fun to chat with you and uh I wanted to get Cox out of town and uh I wanted to have a guest and I wanted to talk with you about the Arizona Cardinals because to me they’re the most interesting team in the NFC West because I think they’re a team that’s ready to start making moves. So uh I want you to kind of break down what you think were the biggest moves in the offseason and specifically uh what we might start to see from this defense now that’s been rebuilt in Arizona.
Yeah, man. We’ve been talking for this is our ninth season both of us and
insane
been constant big brother little brother regardless if the Cardinals are seven and0 and two in 2021 nobody believed it because I didn’t believe it I wasn’t like I’m not believing my eyes it’s like no no no it’s not if it’s when because of the infrastructure in place now what we’ve seen from Monty Osafford after taking over after the 2022 season the bricks slowly methodically were lane and then this off season actual moves were being able to you were able to be made. Josh Schwe namely obviously he was the biggest name off the board. The Arizona Cardinals unlike the 49ers who are tied to every free agent, every trade target over the last at least seven or eight years. Like it’s it’s always they’ve always been the Cardinals haven’t they just haven’t they’ve been devoid of any sort of relevancy when it comes to that. So Joshua actually signing with the Cardinals. He could have got more money elsewhere. Wanted to be with Jonathan Ganon. Wanted to be with Nick Rollis’s LB coach when he was back in Philly. Bringing in Klayas Campbell like shows that this is a different organization. Now I know is 39 but he left unceremoniously because they didn’t want to give him the money that Jacksonville gave him and then he’s played seven more years or whatever it is at high level. The fact that he came back that’s the biggest signifier that things are different in the valley. and then adding Dvin Tomlinson, some more beef up front, dude you can trust, whether it’s a two or three down guy. And then what they did to complement that was draft some absolute bonafide studs over the last two years. And this is the culmination of okay, now go and we’ll see if they can put it all together. A lot of power on that defensive line as well. So you mentioned Dvin Tomlinson. You got the rookie, first round pick, Walter Nolan, who was a a fan favorite here on this podcast for potentially a 49ers pick. I think, you know, there there are reasons why he didn’t end up being a top 11 selection in the draft. And but talent-wise, I mean, Walter Nolan has it uh as a as a three technique. I think he’s a perfect fit for what you’re trying to do there in Arizona on that defensive line. Brought in the big free agent acquisition, Josh Sweat on that defensive line. and another favorite of Croc and and mine and we thought maybe someone the 49ers might have drafted at pick 31 in the 2024 NFL draft, Darius Robinson, big defensive end and uh out of Missouri. Obviously, he was hurt a little bit last year as was the guy that the Niners ended up drafting because Robinson was plucked off the board the second of the Arizona Cardinals first round picks last year. What does he look like? Is he ready to be a starter? Is it going to be Klay Campbell? because they’re kind of a similar style power player. Campbell more of a defensive tackle these days. Justin Jones in the mix. Zan Collins that conversion from linebacker to defensive line. It’s it’s starting to look like a very deep group. How specifically is that defensive line going to come together? And talk to me about Darius Robinson. All these additions make me feel like maybe they didn’t like what they saw of him as a rookie.
You would think, one would think that’s a rational approach. Um and his mom passed away last year also mid-season after he was coming off injury. So, it’s they’re looking at this as year one for Darius Robinson. Um, he packed on weight. He looks like an absolute Adonis. I think what they did after last season, they’re like, “Listen, bro. We’re going to move you inside.” And I think that that’s one thing where you have him with power and and and bull rush. You have Dalvin Tomlinson who’s one of the better run stuffers in the league. You’ve got Kas Campbell who can really do everything sitting at 67 or 68. Walter Nolan’s going to be the twitch on the inside. And then it’ll be interesting to see the formulation of the pass rushers because the thing is if things work, this will be one of the easier pass rush rooms to get home in because they’ve just got dudes. They’ve got a bunch of guys, you know, who can collapse the pocket from the interior, which is a foreign concept for the Cardinals, you know. Um, and then not to mention, um, Jordan Burch, third round pick out of out of Oregon, is a dude who is violent. He’s one of the better bull rushers at coming out of the draft. I think the Cardinals got to steal if you can stay healthy and what Nick Rollins and Jonathan Ganon do better than most things is they find what you’re good at and they put you on the field and allow you to do that. And it’s something that you know it’s going to be kind of amoeba like up front. They’re going to kind of figure out what they’ve got if Walter Nolan’s ready to rip week one like Jaylen Carter or something like that even though they’re not the same player or if it’s going to take a little bit more of a windup. They Brian, this is something that I say now because it was never the case. Nobody drafted in the last two drafts were drafted to save a position group. Not Walter Nolan, not Garrett Williams, not Marvin Harrison Jr., nobody. So the fact that there’s that infrastructure in place allows these young players to learn at more, you know, rational level instead of, you know, drafting Marco Wilson five years ago or whatever and just throwing him into CB2 role where maybe he wasn’t even a NFL player because they needed bodies. It’s a far cry from that and I am jacked up about it. Yeah, I’m glad you brought up the secondary as well because those were really the two big things you’re looking at the the Cardinals and they needed to remake the whole defense and they really have in two years and added a ton of players and attack that defensive line as we mentioned. I didn’t even mention you know BJ Ojelari U LJ Collier former early pick as well for a division rival there. So I mean that is a really deep group on the defensive line. Uh I’m interested to see you know if there’s enough speed on the outside that pass rush but as far as power they got power everywhere. So fascinating group. And then the defensive secondary obviously led by Buddha Baker, but you bring in the aforementioned Garrett William. Then Will Johnson, second round pick, some injury stuff. Don’t really know how he falls that far. I mean, from like a I I don’t want to say boomer bust necessarily, but from just a boom perspective of Walter Nolan, round one, Will Johnson round two, these are two guys that were being mocked before even the first pick of the Arizona Cardinals for a lot of the draft process. So, talent-wise, I mean, you could see how it could go south. There could be some bust there as well. Uh, what do you see from Will Johnson? And was there more re was it was it just injury? Was there more reasons postdraft where you found out why he might have been there for the Cardinals in round two?
You know, it’s so weird because we have friends who have either come from locked on or, you know, we just made through the space who we really trust when it comes to drafts. I mean, you know, Croc is one of them because it was extensive research and stuff like that around the draft and like Trevor Sikma uh who’s now with Pro before we started here and locked on like he had Will Johnson mocked in 16 to the Cardinals. That was his first mock and I’m like what are you talking about your high text? I’m like another corner. What are we doing here, guys? Guys who are that smart and that tuned in can’t miss a big injury. Like, it’s not something where it’s like, oh, it’s swept under the rug and nobody knows about it. It maybe fugazi like a knee injury, first of all, is not something that Mont will shy away from. He drafted Garrett Williams in the third round a couple years ago after tearing his ACL at Syracuse in December of that of that college year. Like this could be the best one two steel in a draft that we’ve seen in 10 years. Like this is this is GM of the year stuff if it works with Will Johnson specifically. Again, not drafted to save the room. He’s I called him a Saquon Barkley from the quarterback position because he’s a pick six waiting to happen. He’s a dormant volcano. We saw it twice last year when even though he was even though he missed some time, he was a defensive MVP of the of the national championship game two years ago. like this dude can be an impact guy like Marshon Latimore was right away in in New Orleans. Like he was one of the last ones Jaylen Ramsey where it’s like oh my god right away. Like you’re a guy right away who can come in and play the probably the toughest position in football especially on defense. Like that ceiling is there and if it doesn’t work it takes a year. He was a second round pick bro. Like it it’s this is a gift. You’re playing with house money. I mean, would you see it that way if it went Walter Nolan and and Will Johnson? Like the fact that he fell there, it’s like you’ll take the question marks.
Yeah, it was kind of the it was kind of the situation where it’s like, okay, well, maybe we have some questions, too. But if blank falls to blank, we just have to turn in the card. And I think it was the same situation with both guys. And maybe you get a little bit tricked into it where everyone else is trying to tell you something. Happened with the 49ers with Ruben Foster. It’s like this guy’s too talented. Gota, in fact, they moved up to get him at the end of the first round in 2017. Then you get you’re like, well, the talent was there. That part that evaluation part of the evaluation was right. But there’s other reasons why they end up not being the player and the rest of the league kind of tells you that and and it’s but you just got to hit on one of them really. And one of those guys is going to hit. I have a feeling. And they’re too talented. So, and like the last thing before I move on, like
the roster is constructed as such that you can see this is new for me. Like this is all new content for me because I’ve never experienced this before with this team is if you remove the rookie class from this team in 2025, they could still win 10 games. Like all of it’s all of it’s a bonus. They’re they’re full up as close to it as as a as a you know roster can be without this draft class. You add studs to this with dudes who can just run free and play their game at a, you know, at a reasonable incremental level at the NFL level. I mean, who knows what the ceiling is. Uh, the Arizona Cardinals not the only team to remake their defensive line in the 2025 offseason. The 49ers did as well. So, I think that’s what we have to focus on, how these two teams come together as we look ahead to the 2025 season. But, uh, there’s a lot more, Alex, that we got to talk about about the offensive side of the ball. And, uh, maybe less about rebuilding and more about learning about what these guys actually are on offense with the cards in 2025. Next, today’s episode of Locked On 49ers brought to you by Game Time and the Game Time app. And I tell my listeners this all the time. Uh if you are a fan of sports, which you are cuz you’re listening to this podcast, if you ever go to concerts, if you ever go to comedy shows, if you ever go to any kind of theater events, you got to have game time in your pocket. Just download it and have it in your pocket right now. And we’ve all been there. Logging uh on early. You’re waiting in lines for concert tickets to go on sale. You’re you’re trying to get the the hot ticket for that ball game. Uh something you’re dying to see. And you know, for me, I see a lot of live music. And it should be about making memories, not dealing with the stress of ticket shopping. And that’s where game time comes in. Game time makes getting concert tickets faster and easier than ever. Prices actually drop as the closer it gets to showtime, just like as it drops the closer it gets to kickoff for an NFL football game. And you can save up to 60% off with their killer lastminute deals. Views from your seat panoramic. There’s game time zone deals. Pick the best seats in your section for you to get an extra discount. and uh no surprise fees at checkout, which is my favorite part. So, take the guesswork out of buying tickets right now with Game Time. Download the Game Time app. Create an account and use code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account and and redeem code at Lockdown NFL for $20 off. Download the Game Time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. There are two specific Arizona Cardinals that are high-profile guys, bigname guys that Alex, I need you to tell me who they even are. Like after all these years, I still don’t know who Kyler Murray is. What is a Kyler Murray? And was there a little disappointment in Marvin Harrison Jr. as a rookie? And I was looking at his numbers. I was like, his numbers are actually pretty good. I don’t know what people expected from him. Uh, and what do you think a sophomore season is going to look like for him? Is he the next superstar wide receiver in the NFL? Uh, that that’s a a big part of what this offense, uh, because I think we know a lot about guys like James Connor and Trey McBride and exactly what you’re going to get there. Good offensive line. So, to me, it’s all about, you know, the star power of Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2025.
So, I struggle with this first one still. Um, and for me, what a great quarterback is, what an elite quarterback is, is an abovea game manager who makes special plays when they’re needed to be made. I don’t think it’s complicated. Tom Brady wasn’t the best really at anything except for making the play when it was absolutely necessary to break your to break your back every single time. Like, that’s it. Patrick Mahomes looks completely different. Brock Purie looks completely different. Um, when it comes to Kyler Murray, why I struggle is when he’s elite, when he’s playing on the field, housing it from 45 on the road, knowing he’s gone against San Francisco last year, throwing the first touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. in the back of the end zone against the Rams when there was zero space, putting perfect touch on it. When he’s elite, average quarterbacks can never get to that level on their best day. So that’s why I struggle because we see what’s possible and I’ll take the valleys if the peaks are more prevalent than what they’ve been. But when it comes to 2025, it’s the best roster he’s ever had, offense and defense at any level. This is the time where his floor needs to be higher. I don’t give a bleep about his ceiling anymore. I don’t care. We’ve seen it. If he’s not special ever, but he’s really good all the time, I’ll take it. But we’re going to find out if he’s going to be the quarterback for the Cardinals in 2026 this year. And I think he I think he will. You know, I’ve been more of an apologist than not. But I know that there are downsides. I know that this offense is a bottom three offense on film sometimes, which makes no sense after they’re a top five or top 10 offense in other in other parts. Um, some of it has to do with Drew Pensing as well, but we’ll see this year. I don’t know who he is either, but I do know at his peaks he’s better than the peaks of average quarterbacks. And not all quarterbacks can say that. Does that make sense?
It makes perfect sense. And just to to keep this going on on Kyler Murray for a second, we’ve been doing this long enough that I remember pre-draft conversations with you because the Niners and Cardinals were one and two in the 2019 NFL draft. And the guy, what’s funny is this was long enough ago there you had a co-host and I didn’t on lock on lock on 49ers respectively. And you guys were big on Nick Bosa. You thought Bosa should be the number one pick in the NFL draft. 49ers fans and me included were hoping you would go with the backto-back quarterbacks because remember you drafted Josh Rosen the year.
Yeah. And um I I think it turned out to be a good decision to move on from Josh Rosen, which is I mean that’s pretty wild how quickly and the 49ers did the same thing. Moved on very quickly from Tre Lance after draft and spent three first round picks to go get him and and when you see that I think you have to just move on when you realize that that’s the thing and to the Cardinals credit they did it and they did it quickly and it hasn’t really worked out great for them. 49ers instantly went to a Super Bowl with Nick Bos. I think 49ers fans are really excited that they got because that would have been what I think Quinnon Williams would have been a 49er. If if uh if Murray didn’t go number one, uh you like the picks at this point or or was was were you right? Was Bosa still the pick?
Josh Rosen was so bad and they had just given so much money to Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon all in the same draft. It was Steve Wils year. Poor Steve Wils. I mean, you know, like Stevie Baby’s been up with you, too. Like he’s just
he’s had a rough go. He’s been in some bad situations.
Everywhere everywhere he’s gone. He went to Cleveland. He had no shot in Cleveland. You know, it’s just it’s it’s been difficult for him. Um, I think from what I if you told me that this is where we would be the day before the draft in 2019, I would probably say take Kyler Murray because I think like if they didn’t hire Cliff Kingsbury as the coach, we’d be having a completely different Kyler Murray conversation and I firmly believe that. Um, so
how mad was everybody watching Washington with Cliff Kingsbury and Jaden Daniels last year?
Um, were fans ticked off about that? Well, I mean, I think I still saw some of the same things. David Harrison, host of Lockdown Commander, one of one of our dear friends who’s been around a long time, too. I’m like, be prepared for this. It’s going to look good. And then it’s going to be a lot of get inside the 20 yard line kicking field goals. And they kicked eight field goals in one game and they couldn’t get in the end zone. And I think they end up beating the Giants. It was some random thing like Jaden Daniels, Terry McLaren were special. Kyler Murray didn’t have a wide receiver one. I’m not saying it’s Kyler Murray’s not Kyler Murray’s fault. And also the most important thing is Dan Quinn’s respect in the locker room as a leader. Cliff’s able to do one thing. Blinders, offense, quarterback. That’s it. Not manage personalities, not, you know, do anything that a head coach needs to do. He’s great in that role. We’ll see what happens with year two when there’s a bunch of film, which is he’s never able to adjust. Um, but we’ll see. Hope I wish nothing but the best for him, but it’s a completely different role, dude. Yeah, he started wearing socks as well, I believe.
You know, him and Peter Bukowski, the ankle sock warriors.
Hey, 49ers listeners love when you hate on Peter Bukowski. So, yeah,
that plays that plays with a lot of the the fans, the everyone loves to hate the most.
Yeah, and
I love him. I just love to love Peter Bukowski, but a lot of my listeners hate him, which is fun.
Just appreciate the hairline. Fantastic hairline. It just it’s it’s out of a lap. No. And but to to pay off with Marv, like I’m with you. Almost 900 receiving yards, 62 receptions wasn’t a lot. He missed one game in Green Bay when he was concussed on like the first play or he was went in the concussion protocol. Um almost 10 touchdowns. Like he was drafted to be the third option. James Connor won, Trey McBride two. So it’s not like again not drafted to save the position group. So he’s going to take a leap this year. I don’t think he’s going to need to put up Justin Jefferson numbers to impact the offense more positively than he did last year. Like I think and he he also put on a lot of muscle. Like that was his, you know, the senior year to freshman in college where it’s like I’m the best person on the planet. It’s like I am a peeon. Like I think at the end of last season it all came to him and maybe during the season he goes okay I can’t just walk on the field anymore and do it. So he had a good year. That was the baseline. Like that was his dad’s numbers. Those were Fitz’s numbers their rookie year and this is a run first offense with an allp pro uh tight end as the first pass catching option. Like he’ll be fine. I’m not worried about that at all.
Speed. One of the comparisons I made with Marvin Harrison Jr. was a former 49er to compare these teams once again. And Michael Crabtree and Crabtree had like an ankle or something pre-draft. He never ran a 40. And when he got to the NFL, like, ah, he just doesn’t quite look as big as fast as he did when he was in college, you know, and it was like maybe not quite as impressive of a guy as maybe you thought he was going to, even though he’s really good. Was there some of that with Marvin Harrison? I don’t know. Like the I was so fixated on throw the ball to somebody else besides Trey McBride to get this offense to unlock. Like just because he’s open all the time doesn’t mean somebody’s not screaming down the sideline for 15 more yards in a first. Just because the sticks are right there doesn’t mean there’s not a better option. I think it was more that it wasn’t so much because this isn’t like diva territory or anything where it’s like you got to get him. He’s got to have 150 targets or he’s going to be unhappy. Like that could be a detriment to a wide receiver one because that alpha is not there. We don’t know who Marv is yet. Like we don’t know. And I don’t care that he was drafted in the top five. They took the best player available. That doesn’t mean he needs to be a Hall of Famer for that to be a good pick. Like that’s the big thing with me with the crab tree comparison. I can see it for sure because he was just like oh my god attack dude him at Texas Tech that was he was one of the more fun guys to watch. Um I think Marvel would be better than him in the pros. I think he’s got a little bit more verticality. We’ll see with the 50-50 balls. Michael Crabtree especially later in his career when he became that third down possession receiver with the Raiders and otherwise. Um I think that you know he’ll be better than Crabtree. But I I appreciate the comment.
All right. All right. Well, let’s compare this new look Arizona Cardinals team to a new look at least on the defensive side of the ball, especially San Francisco 49ers team in 2025. Next, on one hand, the 49ers have star players everywhere, right? You know, um a a newly minted quarterback there is M. Jones is in town now which can complete the uh the circle of life with the 2021 NFL draft which I mean this is just it’s been so fun doing this job since that time with all the insanity going on. Talked about the 2019 draft man but things got really weird for the 49ers starting in 2021 going to Super Bowls. You’re trading up for quarterbacks. There’s quarterback controversies. You got an expensive guy. You got a young guy. Does that which who are they even going to draft? Nobody knows. Um but still a lot of superstar players as well. Christian McCaffrey back hopefully healthy for the 49ers. You got the two best tight ends in the division. Two of the best tight ends in football in this division with KD and Trey McBride and um you know Fred Warner, Nick Bosa. So a lot of superstar players everywhere. But what the 49ers did in this off seasonason was they looked at their defensive side of the ball. They brought back Robert Salah and I think what Salah said day one is like what are you guys doing? This not this is not happening on defense. We got to spend some resources. We got to get some new players on defense. So, you know, all the veterans out, Malik Collins and uh Leonard Floyd and they drafted a whole bunch of defensive players and a lot of these guys might start and if you’re starting three, four, five guys on one side of the football as rookies, that’s usually not a good recipe for winning a whole bunch of football games and winning divisions. But I think 49ers fans would expect the 49ers are in the in the thick of this thing in the NFC West. And that’s why I think it’s going to be such an awesome division because I think the Arizona Cardinals and their fans should expect that they’re going to be in the thick of this thing. I think the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams fans, they were both they were one and two. They were both 10 and seven last year. They should be in the thick of this thing, too. This is going to be a really fun division. And I don’t know that any team looks like a a powerhouse that the other teams aren’t going to be able to to beat. And I think they all have a chance. So, when you look at the Cardinals team and added a bunch of defensive linemen, look at the 49ers team, added a bunch of defensive linemen, rookie Mikel Williams, round one, um just a massive mountain of a human being in Alfred Collins in round two, CJ West, a plugger defensive tackle in round four, a speedy, undersized linebacker in the Dre Green Law mold with Nick Martin in round three, which surprised some people. They drafted a nickel in Upton Stout in the third round as well. I mean, just tons of rookies that they expect to play early in their careers. It’s a It’s going to be a fascinating team to go with some of the stars that they already have now on defense. I’m going to drop something on you here now that I’ve laid that out, Alex. Yesterday, we did just offensive skill positions and and we can talk about the defensive side if you want to, but we did a ranking of NFC West position groups. The Cardinals came in last at quarterback. Is that offensive? Sam Darnold above Kyler Murray and then running back number one for San Francisco. But I mean obviously there’s a lot of good running back groups. I think it was close between two, three, four, but when you got Christian McCaffrey and we had tight end one, Arizona two and at wide receiver, I just don’t know what to expect from the Arizona Cardinals. So the the Cardinals when you look at this didn’t rank really well. even though I’ve talked up how I think they’re a sleeper team and it’s going to be really good, but I still need to see it with this Cardinals team. So, how do you see these teams stacking up in 2025? Alex,
um I’ve seen Sam Darnold’s career stacking up aside from last year. So, I would put him deeply in the seller. I would take I would take an Atlanta Falcons quarterback because they’ve been they were they haven’t been in the NFC West for 20 years. I would take a quarterback there and put Sam Darnold fifth. Sam Arnold played better than one of those Falcons quarterbacks who played on the same team the year before with the same team.
Yeah, I know that. And I would still take Kyler Murray over Samar in uh the Pacific Northwest. Not a dome, not Justin Jefferson, not Jordan Addison, not T.J. Hoginson, not that pass rush. Like I know it’s a run first offense and they’re going to lean so heavily on that that it’s going to be a completely different makeup for him. with that running back. Like I guess like I’m taking James Connor over Kenneth Walker. Um I’m taking James Connor probably over Kairen Williams even though he’s been a touchdown machine. Um when it comes to Christian McCaffrey, it’s fascinating because what are the odds he plays 14 games? Like and it I’m not going right to this like this is this is the question. Would you rather have James Connor for 16 games or Christian McAffrey for 12? like I I don’t like would you rather have a B+ guy for the almost the entire season or an A+ guy when he’s healthy for twothirds of the season? What do you expect?
It’s a great question and here’s the my response to that which is also the reason why I wouldn’t have made the trade for Christian McCaffrey in the first place. I’ve talked about that a lot on this on this podcast.
Uh is because there’s no guarantee that anybody’s going to play 16 games.
Yeah. Right. And that’s the nature of the position. Right. So, as far as like Kairen Williams played a lot of games, Kenneth Walker’s already been banged up a lot in his career. I mean, I’d probably put the under. Whatever amount of games you put, which is in the teens for these guys, I’ll probably take the under on all because the nature of the position. Uh, and who knows if McAffrey would be quite the same guy. Maybe he’s a step slower for the rest of his career now because it happens. Age 28, it’s what happens in the NFL. Now, James Conor’s been able to kind of get through that a little bit and he’s been perennial underrated. So, I had him as the second running back group in the in the division. I like James Connor a lot. Uh, and it’s kind of the opposite of the Kyler Murray thing. And I think I deemed Kyler Murray more.
Uh, because I’m just like I’ve I don’t know. Can we see it? Can we see it? Like James Conor, we’ve seen it over and over again. And it’s the opposite. It’s like we underrate him. And Kyler Murray, I feel like we Oh, here there’s this guy. It’s like I’m just tired of it. It’s just old hat almost with Kyler Murray. I think that’s that’s where it what it comes down to for me.
I get it. I mean, I think the next the evolution of the running back position, you’re going to see a lot more Garrett Blunt roles from stars. Like that’s what I’ve been looking for with James Connor. Like give me 6040 and get me a back that you can trust for 40% of the touches. And you
Benson ready for that?
Is Trey Benson ready for that? Yeah.
Uh I think so. Um we saw we saw some we saw the juice. We saw the scoot towards the second half of last season. Like this is my thing. Like six men are not normal. Lou Williams, Jamal Crawford, dudes who can just sit on the bench for half an hour of real time and then come in and make their first three shots. That’s not normal for people who are used to be starting right after warm-ups. And I think a lot of times with young running backs, you warm up, you’re on the sideline for a quarter and a half, and then you come in for a random series. Yeah. You got no juice. Like you’ve got to get these guys rolling. Like if I were the 49ers, if I’m Kyle Shanahan, I’m giving um I’m giving Garando touches in the first quarter, in the second quarter, in the third quarter, not to spell, but to allow Christian McCaffrey to take the important touches instead of just hammering him 30 touches a game until the wheel I call it Aryan Fostering people like until you like until the wheels fall off. Maybe take it easier. And I think that’s the thing with James Connor where it’s like it’s when the touches happen, not that he gets 25 touches a game. And I think that’s the biggest thing for the evolution of the position where you you ride the hot hand, but you got to have a dude. You got to have a backup dancer that can take 35% of the touches.
And you know, I think we’ve seen a lot of smart teams really take advantage of that, too. Find the the veteran player that the other team has already paid a bunch of money to or the high draft pick on. And even Saquon Barkley, it’s like it’s basically yeartoear now. So you get a star level player, but you didn’t have to pay the number two overall pick price. You’re paying him kind of year to year. And if he’s great, you’re going to pay him and that’s cool. And then when the wheels fall off, guess what? This is not a six-year contract, you know? And Dererick Henry, same thing. Like we always expect the wheels to fall off and they just kind of never do. And so the the uh the Ravens are like, “Cool. We we get to benefit.” And I think it’s very similar with with James Connor. It’s like let the other team pay a lot and then you find the guy who’s still good and get what you can out of them and you don’t have to pay a lot but it’s a you defin you have to have depth at running back in the NFL and so paying and the Niners did the opposite where they paid not only the the draft pick prices. So they spent a second, third, fourth, fifth round pick on him. So essentially trying to get that first round value, but then also paid him the most of any running back in the league and then re-uped them before last year when he was hurt. They’re painting it on both ends and I just don’t think that’s the smart way to go about it. Even though he’s a special special player, it’s not about the talent of the player. It’s just the nature of the position. And I think it’s a committee league going forward. And if I was running a team, it’s not that I don’t want a great running back, but uh if I can get a yeartoear on a on a good running back, then I’m cool. But aside from that, filter in those young guys with fresh legs.
Yeah. I mean, you know, people normally eat wedies. Like Christian McCaffy is going to have to eat Lucky Charms to get to 16 or 17 games. Like he’s got to be magically delicious to be able to play over half the season doing it.
Like he he will he’ll not leave the field. He puts up his finger means one play I’m coming back in. Nobody else in the coaching staff dare tells Chris McCaffrey. So, like that’s what worries me is he’s gonna be awesome for six, seven games and then we’re gonna start to see that, you know, that problem with the tread on his tires that So, you got to save him from himself at some point. And I think Kyle Shan has talked about it a little bit, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
And dude, don’t look now. And I’m sorry if I’m the first one to tell you this. This roster for the 49ers looks very much like a 10-year span of the Arizona Cardinals roster where you have all pros up top and ain’t nothing else. And you’re gonna have to have some young guys play of course like but a lot of your draft even Michael Williams like saving the position group is something when you start to lose your big dudes war like you’ve lost guys you’ve got Fred you’ve got Nick you’ve got your boys got Trent Williams who’s you know is he getting discounts at movies yet you know is is he is he starting is he there yet like this is a topheavy roster star-studded and not a whole lot else uh proven yet it’s tough to maneuver It’s tough to measure.
And I would say that that wide receiver group for the 49ers is a is a weird one, too. It was one where the Niners weren’t at the top of the division. Uh they weren’t one or two and they’re, you know, I could see them being the the worst wide receiver group in the league. I could see them with Ricky Pierol. I think he could take a huge step. And I could see Brandon Iuk coming back and being strong. And then, you know, in December, we’re like, okay, well, they are a good group, maybe the best in the division. Who knows? They need some things to go right though as well. Jawan Jennings really underrated. But how that works early in the season. So you got rookies on defense starting. You’re trying to figure things out at wide receiver which might be a year two guy that has had one good game in his career and Jawan Jennings as your starters. I could see how it could be some growing pains for the 49ers to start the year too. So again, like fascinating season. I I I will buy all these teams being good, but I’ll buy all these teams being kind of mediocre too. It’s gonna be it’s gonna be fascinating. Like the one saving grace for the 49ers among us is, you know, they had the tiebreaker with the Cardinals for the easiest schedule ever created by man. Like that’s like it’s it’s not a downplay. Like that’s the great equalizer. That’s why they’re odds on favorite to win the division because you play every single div every single bad team in the NFL is on the calendar. Now the Cardinals have their first eight weeks are as close to cupcake as possible. But obviously there’s so much to learn about Kyler Murray and Brock Perie when all the pressure is on the line. It’s not a fun story anymore with Brock Purie, okay? He’s got all of King Midas’ gold now. So now it’s like the only thing that’s guaranteed about a quarterback when getting that contract is that he’s getting paid that money. Doesn’t matter where his team is. Doesn’t matter what like if this doesn’t work in two years, Brock Party’s on a different team. I know they have an out in 2028 or 2027 or whatever it is, but this is it. Everybody, everything’s coming home to roots now, baby, for both of these quarterbacks. And then if they work, you’re looking at Sam Darnold, who’s a one-year stop gap, and you’re looking at Matthew Stafford, who’s 100. Like, timing in the NFL is so important. The NF NFC West has never been more wide open than it is right now when it starts in 2025, and it’ll be elongated. I don’t think this is going to be, you know, back and forth with division winners. I think one team is going to take the reigns
and we’re going to find out. We’re going to learn a lot about these teams in 2025. That is Alex Clancy, host of Locked On Cardinals. I am Brian Peacock, co-host of Locked On 49ers. Thanks everybody for making us your everyday listen here on the Locked On podcast network. And we’ll talk to you next time right here, Locked On 49ers and Locked On Cardinal.

Cardinals and 49ers face off in a pivotal NFC West battle. Arizona’s defensive makeover takes center stage as they challenge San Francisco’s reign.

Alex Clancy and Brian Peacock dive deep into the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive transformation, highlighting the impact of new additions Josh Sweat and Claes Campbell. The hosts explore how these changes could reshape the team’s identity and elevate their performance against divisional rivals.

Kyler Murray’s make-or-break 2025 season comes under scrutiny as the quarterback aims to silence critics and lead Arizona to playoff contention. The potential emergence of rookie sensation Marvin Harrison Jr. as a game-changing weapon for the Cardinals’ offense adds another layer of intrigue to their prospects.

Attention shifts to the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive shakeup, with Robert Sala’s return as coordinator and the integration of multiple rookie starters. The hosts analyze how these changes might affect the 49ers’ dominant defensive unit and their ability to maintain their stronghold on the division.

The conversation expands to encompass the wider NFC West landscape, examining each team’s offseason moves, strengths, and vulnerabilities. Clancy and Peacock offer their expert opinions on how the division race might unfold and which teams are best positioned for a playoff push.

Listeners can expect in-depth analysis of key matchups, potential breakout players, and strategic adjustments that could tip the scales in this fierce rivalry. The hosts also touch on the broader implications for both teams’ seasons and how this game could set the tone for the remainder of the year.

This episode promises to be a must-listen for fans seeking comprehensive insights into the evolving dynamics of the NFC West and the high-stakes showdown between the Cardinals and 49ers. Let’s discuss.

The Best Daily Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Host Alex Clancy (@ClancysCorner) take an unbiased approach covering the biggest Cards stories.

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