No Defense for Cardinals Retaining Jonathan Gannon
By Walter Mitchell
You see the play on words, correct?
No defense (literally, in the 3rd year of a rebuild, the defense is #31 overall and #32 in tackling).
No defense (literally because the only purported reason for Gannon's return --- because of injuries --- is a flat-out crock when it applies to the defense).
Here's proof that Gannon's high-salaried defense has remained consistently intact throughout the entire season.
Front 7:
* SOLB Zaven Collins --- 16 games --- 2/$14M
* SDE Calais Campbell --- 16 games --- 1/6*M (* if he gets a sack this week, he adds another $1M)
* NT Dalvin Tomlinson --- 16 games --- 2/$29M
* WDE Darius Robinson --- 14 games --- 2024 1st Round pick ---4/$13.9M
* WOLB Josh Sweat --- 16 games --- 4/$76M
* MIKE Mack Wilson Sr. --- 8 games --- 3/$12.7M --- Cody Simon --- 2025 4th Round pick
* WILB Akeem Davis Gaither --- 16 games --- 2/$10M
* Nickel Edge Baron Browning --- 14 games --- 2/$15M
Note: only two significant injuries --- Mack Wilson Sr. (8 games) and Walter Nolen 2025 1st round pick (6 games) --- 4/$19.4M
Financial Investment: $196M
Results, per PFF team rankings:
* Run Defense: #30
* Tackling: #32
* Pass Rush: #29
This is the most colossal waste of high-salaried talent in the 120+ years of the Cardinals' franchise history.
And the poor performance has virtually minimal impact because of injuries.
Injuries have not been the problem --- coaching and player underachievement have been the problem.
The 49ers have had more devastating injures on defense and they are playing for the NFC West title and the NFC #1 seed this week.
Secondary:
* CB Will Johnson --- 11 games --- 2025 2nd round pick --- 4/$9.4M
* SS Jalen Thompson --- 14 games --- 3/$36M
* FS Budda Baker --- 15 games --- 3/$54M
* CB Denzel Burke --- 14 games --- 2025 5th round pick --- 4/$4.5M
* NCB Garrett Williams --- 10 games --- 2023 3rd Round pick --- 4/$5.6M
* NS Dadrion Taylor-Demerson --- 11 games --- 2024 4th Round pick --- 4/$4.9M
Note: the injuries have been at CB --- yet the Cardinals have drafted 7 CBs in 3 seasons:
Draft Investment for Secondary:
* Garrett Williams --- R3 2023
* Kei'Trel Clark --- R6 2023
* Max Melton --- R2 2024
* Elijah Jones --- R3 2024
* S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson --- R4 2024
* Jaden Davis --- R7 2024
* Will Johnson --- R2 2025
* Denzel Burke --- R5 2025
* Kitan Crawford --- R7 2025
And despite the injuries at CB, the coaches have yet to play 2024 3rd round pick Elijah Jones, who was the highest graded cover CB in the pre-season at 75.8 overall and 78.8 in coverage.
Financial Investment: $114.4M
Results Per PFF Rankings:
* Tackling: #32
* Coverage: #27
Between the Cardinals financial investments at the safety position and the extensive NFL Draft investment of 9 players in 3 years, these 2025 results are unfathomably poor.
Total Financial Investment on Defense (counting UFAs Sean-Murphy Bunting, Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols) --- close to $400M.
Total Draft Investment:
* R1 --- Darius Robinson, Walter Nolen
* R2 --- B.J. Ojulari, Max Melton, Will Johnson
* R3 --- Garrett Williams, Elijah Jones, Jordan Burch
* R4 --- Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Cody Simon
* R5 --- Owen Pappoe, Xavier Thomas, Denzel Burke
* R6 --- Dante Stills, Kei'Trel Clark
* R7 --- Kitan Crawford
2025 Result per PFF Rankings:
* Team Defense: #31
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. when asked about Jonathan Gannon's chances of remaining head coach, said:
Fowler: That one is complicated, because some within the coaching staff are cautiously optimistic that Jonathan Gannon will get a fourth year, and some within the coaching industry see a path to Gannon potentially staying. Owner Michael Bidwill likes Gannon and can attribute the rough season to injuries and the lack of a hand-picked quarterback for the head coach. The flip side is Arizona is so far away from the other three teams in the NFC West and simply isn't competitive right now.
NFL head coaching carousel intel, latest Week 18 buzz, news - ESPN
PHNX Cardinals have added that Jonathan Gannon is expected to remain head coach and that there will likely be changes at offensive coordinator and special team's coordinator.
Three -Year track records, per PFF rankings:
* 2023 Cardinals: Offense:#26; Defense: #32; Special Teams: #11
* 2024 Cardinals: Offense:#6; Defense: #23; Special Teams: #16
* 2025 Cardinals: Offense:#22; Defense: #31; Special Teams: #14
Three-Year averages:
Offense: #18
Defense: #28
Special Teams: #14
In what NFL world does a defensive-minded head coach and his defensive coordinator retain their jobs and the coordinators who far outcoached them get fired?
My reaction:
He says he’s “confident in himself.” Confident to do what, exactly? Confident in producing the kind of coaching product Walt just described? That’s nothing to be proud of. He should be honest with his boss and his staff and admit he’s not ready to be an NFL head coach. I understand wanting to keep his job, but he clearly isn’t prepared to lead, teach, or game-plan at this level. His lack of self-awareness is just as glaring as his owner’s
ReplyDeleteHey Walt, the photo you used was posted on several AI formats and they all summarized it as "the two dumbest guys in football." Who needs AI?
ReplyDeleteClayton Tune's starting for Packers this week. Wish him the best as the most recent escapee from Football Hell.
ReplyDeleteWhat metrics, game tape or trend can Gannon even point to show growth on this defense?This year has been worse than the last two. 40 point blow outs in four of last six or seven games. We dont tackle well. Our scheme is terrible and signing Cards fans up for another 17 episodes of it is almost criminal. Walter made the point we almost have to unteach the last three years. Thats how bad the JG system has been to this team and player development.
ReplyDeleteNo excuses for the mess on Defense or Offense or for coaches and GM who get under performance from their draft selections, free-agent signings under-perform their contract value (ie. Tomlinson). As for injuries, I've been saying all year, injuries happen in NFL its up to coaches to coach-up and make scheme adjustments to allow backups most chance for success. Yet all we here from Gannon are lame A$$ excuses. This year was as bad as Wilks year and worse than the year Kingsbury got fired by Kyler Murray (I mean Bidwill - LOL). Since BA walked away we have been a laughable organization.
ReplyDeleteThere is no reason to keep this coaching staff; they literally showed in 3yrs they are not ready for NFL.
(1) They make no -in-game adjustments;
(2) they have a losing record,
(3) they approved the lose first mentality of team in 2 of 3yrs. In the one year they played 500 ball they lost like 7 games after the bye week.
(4) Their losing record against NFC West (Division) rivals. The list goes on and on....
(5) Regression across all three phases of incumbent and added pieces. To spite having more talent laden roster.
the only excuse for retaining the coaching staff are:
(1) Bidwill doesn't want to go through process of choosing a new losing staff
(2) and accepts losing as the future goal to gain high draft selections which never get developed.
(3) Bidwill likes sycophants so staying with MO & JG are better then attempting to find a new A$$ kisser.
(4) Goal is to tank next two years to get a QB and Edge rusher whilst flushing out the waste hired over last 3 years.
(5) Bidwill buys into excuse that injuries to Kyler Murray & James Connor & Sterling Thomas sidelined their season before it began as rationale for keeping the DC and Def Minded HC...
Redrun, Flash and anyone else want to make prediction as to what Bidfailure will do?
DeleteI am purely speculating at this stage....
DeleteHistorically - Bidwill does not have along-leash with coaches who have losing seasons such as Cardinals have had in 2025 (especially given expecatations of a playoff caliber team)...
Ironically - It seems coaches are not threatened by their failure, and media seems to agree with sentiment that coaches may have another year to prove they can coach without Kyler Murray (blame Kyler not coaches).
It Smells like crap, so the crap must be somewhere close by...
So I am guessing Bidwill hired coaches with Quid Quo Pro around Kyler being starting QB and coaches having some safety if Kyler didn't work into success...
Prediction - Bidwill rolls with exact same staff using excuse of injuries and giving coaching staff another year of continuity; Only to have Bidwill fire Gannon mid-term 2026 (Bye week) when Cardinals are already losing division and can't break 500 mark again.
Well the problem with the theses that Bidwill said three years ago, run the club with Kyler and if it don’t work out you can find another QB to run your show, one of your own choosing is as follows. They wanted JB in the beginning but didn’t want to pay. They wanted Daniel Jones, but why would he want to come to the Cardinals when more successful and thriving franchises were knocking on his door? So they settled on Dobbs, one week before the start of the season and Tune. Gannon and company went 1 and 8 with that tandem. He went three and five with Kyler. Could have should have been 4 and 4. Remember the two field goals missed at the end of the game. By design? Maybe. Could have should have. Bottom line three and five with Kyler.
DeleteSecond season no Dobbs, and why keep Tune over Dobbs? Never understood. The team went eight and nine with Kyler. Could have, should have been 9 and 8 because the Rams were on the ropes. Again could have should have. Bottom line 8 and 9.
And year three the Cardinals went two and three with Kyler. Could have should have been 4 and 1. Bottom line the cardinals went two and three with Kyler. The Cardinals decide JB is their man of the hour and they go 1 and 10 with JB.
If my math is correct and leaving out what could have or should have been, with Kyler the Gannon led Cardinals are thirteen and seventeen with Kyler. Nothing to right home about. With any other quarterback not named Kyler the Gannon led Cardinals are 2 and 18 soon to be 2 and 19.
If Bidwill set in motion the concept, or if he allow people to convince him that “we will try Kyler but if he don’t work out we can get another opportunity with a QB of our own choosing”, well Bidwill is a damn fool and think what you might, every owner in the NFL is a geniuses in their own right. What an easy way to make money and keep it coming in even if your product sucks. And we can all agree the produce with Kyler, though not the best, did not suck like the produce without him.
Sorry I came back after I said I was done but I can’t seem to get the Cardinals out of my system. I’m a disaster and domed to roam the earth never understanding the joy of supporting a real football team. Continued blessing for all in 2026.
I would not be surprised to see Petzing end up being the sacrificial scapegoat, since he is on the last year of his contract.
DeleteRallis still has 2 years to go, as does Gannon. Curiously I cant find any mention of length of term for Monty.
I also would not be surprised to see Kyler for one more year. Fans will absolutely hate it, but it would make financial sense, and we all know what drives Mikey.
I would bet money that if Petzing is fired this year, he will have an offensive coordinator position this hiring cycle. My bold prediction would be Detroit!
DeleteI'll take that bet. Petzing won't land a job with the Bucs after HC Bowles criticized his predictable, rigid schemes as ineffective situational play-calling. Like his Cardinals colleagues, he simply isn’t ready to perform successfully in his current role
DeleteI have continued to follow your site Walter but have not posted much because I don't share your opinion with the coaching staff. I actually think it would be a colossal mistake to bring in a new regime at this point and this article leaves out a lot of detail that would support the current staff.
ReplyDeleteThe main reason I think it would be a mistake is because the same things that have undermined this coaching staff and front office would continue, resulting in everyone calling for the heads of the new regime in 2-3 years. The massive amount of injuries (likely due to poor strength and conditioning, rehab and field conditions etc.) would only continue. Not to mention some very likely quid pro quos like working with Kyler or draft selections you wouldn't have otherwise.
Gannon and company won 8 games last year with many improved metrics as your article points out
with a lesser roster than they were suppose to have this year. So why have the results not followed? Injuries have been the main culprit but you have seemed to try to minimize it.
Ojulari should be included in the front 7 injuries. After 4.5 sacks on a terrible team and the talk of the town last year at camp, he certainly would have been starting opposite Sweat if not for his injury. Also, with the way that this coaching staff splits reps. Collier, Jones and Nichols should be included as well. And while you refer to this group as 'the most colossal waste of high-salaried talent in the 120+ years of the Cardinals' franchise history', I would say that every single contract list there is a very team friendly contract. The only really big number is Sweat, who certainly out performed it. In fact, the $400M you reference is far less than many other teams.
You compared this team to the 49ers and while I agree their three injuries on the defensive side of the ball are impactful, there is no comparison to the sheer number we have suffered not only through the rest of the defence but also throughout the rest of the team. The 49ers, with the super bowl in their own stadium, spent contract dollars and draft capital to restock position that were impacted. And while Ferrell and White is no substitute for Bosa, either would be an upgrade over Williams play so they are really only losing the upside that Bosa and Warner provide.
One very notable thing not mentioned is that the 49ers defence is HORRIBLE this year, almost comparable to ours using every metric you quoted. Per PFF, SF is 27th in RDEF, 26th in pass rush, 22th in coverage and 27th in overall defence. Dig deeper and there is many areas in even worse shape than us. Dead last in pressure rate, dead last in sack rate, dead last in knockdown rate, 31st in stuff rate and dead last in success rate. This isn't a bunch of injury riddle guys getting coached up by superior coaches, this is mostly starter under achieving.
So why have they performed to the level they have. That is a result of an outstanding, mostly healthy offence (especially the run game) led by a mastermind in Shannahan (who is my vote for coach of the year). It is also a result of the leagues #1 special teams providing great field position to their defence. The same kind of complimentary football that Gannon speaks of that can't be provided to this team because we have so many injuries that we only have 14 practise squad players because we are at the 90 man limit.
SF was much more injured last year than this year, especially in the run game, and had a superior roster as well. The result - 6 wins! Including being swept by us.
In truth, I would love to get an accurate read with this coaching staff and a healthy year with JB or a rookie QB. But mostly I just don't want the next regime to have to deal with the same cr@p that this coaching staff has had to deal with and give them the best chance to succeed as possible.
Glad to see you didn’t let a little difference of opinion keep you from voicing yours- it’s a good voice and persuasive with respect to the impact of injuries this season. This site is about voicing opinions and I hope you keep em coming. I’ve always learned from and appreciated your voice on RoB.
DeleteBTW- I previously posted how several teams besides the Niners are playing winning competitive football despite having more injuries than the Cards. Buffalo comes to mind and a handful of others.
Much appreciated Since. I have never not felt welcome over here just have never read anything that was even close to my thoughts, for the most part. In truth, I have been taking it on the chin at the other site as well with my thoughts on the coaching staff and injuries.
DeleteI will say that I do recognize some short comings in the staff as well such as player development, 2 minute drills etc. I just think that stuff is correctable. But there does need to be some change.
There is no team in the league that is even close to the injuries that the Cardinals have suffered - or even in the same stratosphere. I would consider Buffalo to be quite healthy by comparison. They have taken their lumps on the defensive side of the ball, but like SF, they can lean on a mostly healthy offence and special teams to help their defence out. The Cardinals are destroyed in all 3 areas. In fact, I would say their defensive side of the ball in their most healthy unit, and that too have been a turnstile.
According to the NFL, the most comprehensive metric for measuring the impact of injuries on an NFL team is Adjusted Games Lost (AGL)-
DeleteNiners 185
Dolphins 171
Falcons 162
Bills 160
Cards 151
Cards have most on IR by a long shot
I would love to see that link. Every metric I look up ($, man games, AGL, total points missed, weeks lost etc.) all have the Cardinals well on top.
DeleteGoogle AI - so who knows but I queried it 2 diff times 2 diff days. Let me know what you get.
DeleteI will applaud JG for not using injuries as an excuse for anything (I’m sure he’ll save that argument for Mikey). However his excuse for having the worst tacking defense in the NFL in his 3rd term I found to be pathetic.
Trinidad Chambliss better be on our list of QB candidates if he can't come back for another year at Ole Miss.
ReplyDeleteI just read a supposedly comprehensive article on The Athletic on the upcoming coaching changes across the NFL. The article speculated on every team but the Cards were never mentioned. Talk about irrelevant or maybe just another reflection of the poor reporting by The New York Times owner of The Athletic
ReplyDelete