NFL Head Coaching Predictions: Sean Payton Heads to AFC, Texans Reunite with a Familiar Face

After firing Kliff Kingsbury, not completely changing the guard and staying in-house for their next hire may be surprising for Arizona Cardinals fans. Many assumed that the team would go after an offensive coach that can maximize the potential of quarterback Kyler Murray.

However, when you dig deep, it looks like there is a pretty good chance the team just promotes their own defensive coordinator, Vance Joseph. It appears that, as many people thought at the time, Arizona was doing a little too much and got a little too cute when hiring a college coach with a losing record.

What was the idea there? Find an innovative, young, offensive mind. People thought that Kingsbury had the offensive prowess to turn the Cardinals into a juggernaut, but failed to do so, even with a No. 1 overall pick at quarterback.

Looking at who the Cardinals have interviewed to this point this cycle, all signs could be pointing to Vance Joseph. To this point, the team has interviewed Brian Flores and Frank Reich (both of whom I would guess will need a successful year at coordinator before landing another head coaching gig). They also interviewed Ejiro Evero, who is still very inexperienced as a coordinator and Aaron Glenn, who has been a hot name, but led a Lions defense that struggled this season.

The only other likely candidate, in my mind, who they’ve talked to is Sean Payton. I believe that they are firmly in the sweepstakes for the former Saints coach, who has expressed his admiration for Kyler Murray in the past. Ultimately, I think that Payton goes elsewhere, and the Cardinals go with someone who the current players know and respect and who also has NFL head coaching experience is Joseph. Joseph, as a defensive coach, would certainly be influential in the growth and development of whoever the team selects with the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

My Cardinals Pick: Shane Steichen, Offensive Coordinator, Philadelphia Eagles

I will talk more about Shane Steichen in just a moment, but man would this pairing be fun. Steichen clearly knows how to utilize a player with Kyler Murray’s skillset, turning Jalen Hurts into a legitimate MVP candidate. I think he can do the same with Murray in Arizona and would be a HOME RUN hire for the Cardinals if they plan on building around Murray long-term.