Cardinals to replace Whisenhunt and pursue Andy Reid?

Speculation about a potential shakeup within the Arizona Cardinals organization is running rampant, with reports here and here, among other places.

One of the questions people ask, though, is if the Cardinals do indeed fire their coach of the last six seasons, who will they get to replace him?

Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks wrote that Arizona’s “collapse after a 4-0 start this season is expected to lead to head coach Ken Whisenhunt and the team parting ways,” while also noting that general manager Rod Graves is not expected to retain his role.

But it’s who he speculates could come to the Valley that’s interesting.

The Cardinals could choose to pursue Reid as their next head coach, and Reid probably has Arizona on the list of clubs he’s most interested in. After all, he would be reunited with quarterback Kevin Kolb, the former Eagle who was dealt to Arizona in 2011, and there is talent on the defensive side of the Cardinals’ roster.

But again, Reid’s salary level might deter Arizona. Plus, the Cardinals have gone that route before, hiring big-name former playoff-qualifying head coaches a couple times in the relatively recent past, without great results (see Buddy Ryan and Dennis Green).

Banks goes on to note the Cardinals may just decide to promote defensive coordinator Ray Horton to the head coach role while making vice president/player personnel Steve Keim the new general manager.

But it’s the point about Reid that is most interesting.

The current Eagles coach has spent the last 14 seasons in Philadelphia, posting a 130-92-1 mark. His teams have posted a 19-10 postseason record, and reached Super Bowl
XXXIX in 2004.

He wouldn’t come cheap, though, and the Eagles’ struggles over the last couple seasons have put a damper on the 54-year-old’s résumé.

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