The Athletic: Mike LaFleur hire ranked bottom of head-coaching cycle, a ‘wait-and-see’ candidate

Mike LaFleur’s hiring by the Arizona Cardinals did not receive a stellar grade by The Athletic’s panel of coaches and team executives polled recently on this offseason’s head-coaching cycle.

Using a point system that awarded first-place votes with five points, second-place with four points and so on, LaFleur came in tied for last with new Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken. Neither received a point.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic said Arizona “perpetually rebuilding” married with the fact the 38-year-old is a first-time head coach were grounds for why LaFleur’s hiring was viewed at the bottom of the barrel.

To put it even simpler, Howe said the panel took a “wait-and-see approach” with both LaFleur and Monken.

The Cardinals have their offensive coordinator with Nathaniel Hackett coming aboard last week but still have to figure out defensive and special teams coordinator. And answering those two major coordinator questions don’t even begin to address Arizona’s quarterback situation with Kyler Murray squarely in the middle.

Evaluating prospects from late February to up to the NFL Draft in April and deciding what to do with Murray during that period could determine LaFleur’s first impression at the helm.

John Harbaugh, the biggest name of the cycle landed by the New York Giants, came in at No. 1 with 42 points and had six of the nine first-place votes.

Klint Kubiak, who was on the Arizona’s radar until the very end, officially was named the newest head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders Monday and earned seven points. The former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator and Super Bowl 60 champion matched Tennessee Titans’ Robert Saleh, another who was tied to the Cardinals.

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