The Arizona Cardinals decided that losing 14 games in a season and 36 games in three years was enough. So, head coach Jonathan Gannon was a victim of Black Monday.
And now comes the daunting task of finding
the new guy.
What will be his scheme? An offensive guy or a defensive guru? Coming to work from being a coordinator, or having been a head coach before? Does he run a 3-4 or a 4-3 base? How has his side of the ball performed this past year? What challenges will he see if hired? What will the new guy do with the QB situation?
Here at ROTB, we have already offered up three defensive-minded coaching prospects at the link below with their credentials, production, and qualifications.
RELATED: WOULD A DEFENSIVE-MINDED COACH FIT?
But now, we at ROTB want to introduce you to five offensive guys. However, this isn’t a list of candidates that we are recommending or not recommending. We haven’t set up a dartboard just yet in the break room to decide who we are suggesting. Yet. But bring some beers and hang out, and we might have a winning applicant before too long.
This is simply a list to introduce you, the reader, to who these guys are, what their strengths and weaknesses are, what schemes they would implement for the offense, and, of course, whether they are QB rescuers.
In-person interviews can’t begin until January 19, so all meetings with NFL clubs must be done virtually. The Cardinals have a short window to interview both any coach from Seattle or Denver this week due to their first-round byes.
Just a brief capsule of each to get you familiar with these guys in case the Cardinals decide to go offensive-minded for head coach. Keep in mind this list isn’t comprehensive, where we wish we had book rights. Focus on “capsule.” And maybe, “12-pack” or to save a run, “suitcase.”
In no particular order:
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Klayton Adams
Age: 42
OC Dallas Cowboys
Adams wants one thing from his offense: violence. Not only does he want a balanced attack, but requires physicality.
He looks for players who will hit and have an aggressive mindset with an emphasis on the offensive line. If this means getting rid of some players, then so be it. Adams also concentrates on player development, which fits right in with the Cardinals’ young roster with a full draft upcoming. Hiring Adams would be a reunion as he was the offensive line coach for Arizona from 2023-2024.
Now, he does promote a run-first offensive attack. OC Drew Petzing had the exact same philosophy and never got what he wanted. Of course, losing his two starting running backs and three starting offensive linemen put a damper on this strategy. Adams aims to make their core concepts look different and be difficult to defend.
His offensive line must be able to move and pull consistently and be able to control the line of scrimmage with a focus on traditional run-blocking schemes. Basically, he brings grit to the offense.
Mike LaFleur
Age: 38
OC Los Angeles Rams
When you interview LaFleur, you are interested in doing what the Rams are doing offensively as well as the San Francisco 49ers. That’s because LaFleur is a disciple of Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan. Basically, the Cardinals going forward would operate exactly like these two division foes.
His philosophy calls for a QB-centric system that uses various formations, play-action, outside zone runs, and motion. The reason is for players to be able to leverage clarity over complex schemes. LaFleur loves jet sweeps, stretch plays, and condensed sets.
LaFleur is a child of the West Coast offense and will design plays to match his quarterback’s strengths in order to create simple reads and high-percentage short passes. He prefers controlled drives that eat up clock and will tailor his schemes to match his roster.
A strong rushing attack is paramount.
Klint Kubiak
Age: 38
OC Seattle Seahawks
Kubiak is an up-and-coming coordinator with a track record of developing QBs and running productive offenses. With Seattle earning the #1 seed and getting a weekend off, Kubiak can interview this week.
Kubiak could easily step out on his own and is considered one of the top offensive candidates this cycle. The plum to this hire would be to retain Schwartz, and it wouldn’t hurt to reach out to offensive line coach Bill Callahan about returning to the Browns.
The thing to notice about Kubiak’s offense is that he places the quarterback in a position to succeed. He is respected in the league for his creativity and is influenced by his father’s pedigree in the understanding of West Coast principles and the ability to adapt as the game rolls along.
His offensive scheme is similar to Shanahan’s in that it is play-action, heavy pre-snap shifts and motion, blocking is wide zone, uses 12-personnel quite a bit, with a mix of shotgun and taking snaps under center, designed to keep the quarterback moving. But it also requires athletic offensive linemen who are physical and can adjust.
Basically, Kubiak’s offense systematically attacks defenses by creating leverage and exploiting space. His quarterback play relies on quick decisions and some ability to scramble if needed, with some designed runs and rollouts. Kubiak is another student of the Shanahan scheme.
Mike McCarthy
Age: 62
No affiliate
This is a coach who will have plenty of fans shouting his name to be hired, and just as many supporters who will say hell no. One thing is for certain: McCarthy has plenty of head coaching experience. His pro coaching career totals 174-112-2 with one Super Bowl ring.
His attack is a variation of the West Coast offense. He requires short, quick passes and will stretch a defense horizontally, which is designed to open up deep shots. Some call his offense conservative.
McCarthy’s offense will flood zones and man coverage with quick routes to keep defenses off balance. In order for the quarterback to have easier reads, he implements triangle reads and a blend of run and passing downs. He also uses quick passes to gain consistent yardage.
Joe Brady
Age: 36
OC Buffalo Bills
The Bills feature a balanced attack and, of course, have a very good quarterback to run it. That makes Brady look good. But Brady knows offense and how to correct situations.
He tends to use heavy personnel packages to gain a physical advantage.
This may mean the offensive line might need to go through some changes, and either select some new guys early in the draft, make a trade or two, or be busy participants in free agency with a focus on the line. One of Brady’s traits is the use of motion to be able to confuse defenses with different formations.
He is adept at creating mismatches where the offense can run the ball when the defense will use fewer bodies in the box with receiver spreads. Brady also likes quick-read plays and uses his tight ends and slot receiver quite a bit. Currently, the Bills are the #1 rushing team in the league.
