Cardinals staff turnover already taking shape under coach Steve Wilks
Jan 23, 2018, 6:03 PM | Updated: 6:07 pm
Larry Foote, inside linebackers coach of the Arizona Cardinals. (AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
Based on the few player opinions available on social media, it appears the Arizona Cardinals’ hire of head coach Steve Wilks will be met with positive reviews.
But with that, it’s clear Arizona’s players will have to accept wide-ranging coaching staff changes as the team transitions out of the Bruce Arians era.
According to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Mike Jurecki, early signs indicate that only assistant wide receivers coach Kevin Garver and inside linebackers coach Larry Foote could be retained from Arians’ staff.
Garver joined the Cardinals as an offensive assistant in 2013 and was promoted to assistant wide receivers coach in February 2017.
Foote has coached the Cardinals inside linebackers for the last three years. A 13-year NFL pro (2002-14), Foote played for Arizona in 2014 and led the team in tackles.
After that, it appears Wilks will look outside the Cardinals’ organization to fill his staff, which he said should be filled in by the Super Bowl.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that among the assistants to be let go is defensive line coach Brenston Buckner.
Wilks expected to hire his former Panthers colleague Al Holcomb as defensive coordinator, and that means the man who formerly held the title, James Bettcher, is searching for a new job.
Seeing as he led one of the NFL’s best defenses and was reportedly in the running to become the Arizona head coach himself, it’s no surprise Bettcher has options on the job market. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Bettcher will interview for the defensive coordinator jobs with the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants on Tuesday. Both teams hired new head coaches in the last week.
On the other side of the ball, Harold Goodwin appears on the way out as Arizona’s offensive coordinator, and well-regarded offensive minds Mike McCoy and Darrell Bevell are among the potential candidates to take over.
Darrell Bevell completed interview w/AZ. Remains in mix there. Vikings and others want to speak to him next.
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 23, 2018
Goodwin has interviewed with the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders for open offensive line coaching positions, reports AZ Central’s Kent Somers. Additionally, receivers coach Darryl Drake already joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as a wide receivers coach, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Several of Arians’ assistants — Tom Moore (assistant head coach/offense), Tom Pratt (pass rush specialist) and Larry Zierlein (assistant offensive line coach) — are likely to retire, Jurecki reported after Arians called it a career.
Confirming earlier reports, new Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner said on The Mighty 1090 AM in San Diego that Carolina offensive line coach Ray Brown would join Wilks’ Arizona staff.
