As the season has gone on, it’s become clear that Steve Wilks faces increasingly long odds of being retained by the Cardinals for a second season. Wilks drew rave reviews during his one season as Panthers defensive coordinator, but Arizona’s season has been disastrous right from the get-go, and it was reported by Adam Schefter yesterday that the team was planning to move on. Larry Fitzgerald and other players have expressed support for the embattled coach, but it doesn’t look like it’ll be enough. In an interesting piece, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN recently took a look at the arguments both for and against firing Wilks.
Weinfuss lists the concerning lack of progress from Josh Rosen as one compelling reason to make him a one and done, as it doesn’t appear Wilks and his staff have done a good job developing him or putting him in position to succeed. As far as reasons for keeping him, Weinfuss lists some injuries, bad offensive coaching from the fired Mike McCoy, and the summer suspension of GM Steve Keim that kept the two from collaborating on the roster. Mike McCarthy is reportedly interested in the job, and it will be very interesting to see how this all plays out. We should know Wilks’ fate for certain by next Monday.
Here’s more from around the league on Christmas Eve:
- It’s been rumored that Roger Goodell’s latest contract extension, signed in December of 2017, could be his last, and now we have news of a possible successor. The league recently “created a new title for rising executive Christopher Halpin”, and he’s considered “a frontrunner to take over as commissioner” once Goodell eventually steps down by many within the league, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Goodell faced some rare public criticism from owners in the wake of the anthem controversy and other issues, but has always managed to maintain a tight grip on the league.
- Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins has been one of the fastest rising NFL draft prospects this season, and he recently received a first round projection from the NFL’s college personnel advisory board, league sources told Chris Mortensen of ESPN (Twitter link). Haskins finished third in the Heisman voting after a sensational first year as a starter, and has a very good chance to be the first quarterback taken this April, if not the first overall pick. He hasn’t formally announced one way or the other, but Haskins is widely expected to declare for the draft following the Buckeyes’ bowl game.
- Speaking of the draft, Wake Forest wide receiver Greg Dortch announced he was leaving school early and declaring for the draft via Twitter. Dortch caught 89 passes for 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns this year, and was one of the best players in the ACC. In addition to being a very talented receiver, he was also a first team All-American as a punt returner. While he’s a bit undersized at only 5’9, he should have a good shot to go early in the draft if he tests well in Indianapolis.
Got to be a 2 yr, if not 3 yr, minimum commitment to new coaching hires…1 or 2 yrs not enough time to change “culture” or turnover roster to meet coach’s needs
Sounds like the Cardinals want a HC who will groom Rosen into the franchise QB they hope he is. McCarthy could be that guy. McDaniels, too, possibly.
If McCarthy is punting at every 4th and more than 3 (with perhaps the greatest QB to walk planet earth), I don’t think we ought to credit him with any part of Rodgers career pedigree
“Weinfuss lists the concerning lack of progress from Josh Rosen as one compelling reason to make him a one and done” maybe just maybe Rosen was overrated coming out of college and had no right being a 1st round pick especially that high Rosen is hot trash. You absolutely can not put a sorry excuse for a team on the field and expect to finish with a decent record.
I’m not sure anybody can make an assessment like ‘Rosen is trash’ with such little sample size and support.
I think it’s clear he just hates Rosen
Little sample size? 3 years in college and a year in the nfl is not a small sample size, in college he had 26 ints in 30 games, this season he has 14 in 12 games started 13 overall. He can not stop turning the ball over, he screams a worse Winston in that aspect.
Fuhrer Goofdell hasn’t been positive for the league. He’s defiantly the worst commissioner in all major sports; Paul Tagliabue was respected by owners, coaches, players and fans – since then the NFL’s been trending down.
The NFL is full chalked full of white owners in a 80% afr-American league with no guaranteed contracts. There is a power imbalance like none other in professional sport.
Oh come on with this BS. Are you seriously trying to draw a correlation between non-guaranteed contracts and white owners/black players? You and LeBron need to chill tfo
I mean maybe, but his last statement is true. I don’t think it has anything to do with race, although I guess it could be. The power imbalance is pretty stupid…the owners have literally zero risk in owning a team
Sounds like a pretty solid investment that smart business people would make.