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Cardinals insider Bob McManaman recently spent some time with General Manager Steve Keim for a one-on-one conversation about the upcoming 2021 season. Here are the 10 questions Keim was asked for the Q&A:
Question: Will this season be a failure if the team doesn’t go to the playoffs?
Answer: “I would say this – I know everybody’s got different expectations, but my expectations are certainly to go to the playoffs and even further. I think it’s one of those things where everybody gets consumed with, ‘What are their expectations? What are their goals?’ There’s no year where we waive the white flag and say, ‘Hey, we’re just going to rebuild or whatever.’ We’re always trying, especially in today’s day and age, the climate of sports. I mean, you’ve got to win. Those are the expectations and I think that we’ve put together a roster that can certainly challenge in the NFC West.”
Q: Is this a playoff team then?
A: “I do. I think there’s no doubt. I think last year we were a playoff team. Again, I think we didn’t play up to standards when it comes to discipline and penalties and all the things that we knew we had to improve upon. Physicality at times, tackling, all those things that we needed to address. I think this offseason with the additions that we made we certainly put our best foot forward with leadership and accountability and attention to details, as well as the physical traits we needed, which were taking the top off the defense, having guys that were physical on defense that can run and cover. I think we’ll certainly play up to expectations this year because all those additions, as well as the guys we’ve drafted in the past few years, particular the quarterback (Kyler Murray), that have continued to grow and develop into the player we certainly thought he was coming out.”
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Q: Where do things stand between the team and a possible contract extension with outside linebacker Chandler Jones?
A: “Well, he’s coming off the (biceps) injury and obviously there’s no secret there, but I think that’s one of those things that we’ll continue to have one-on-one talks with him and his agent. I don’t do those things publicly, but Chandler is a guy we love, he has the respect of the guys in the locker room, and he’s a guy I personally would like to see finish as a Cardinal. But you know how this business works. It’s not always that easy.”
Q: What was your reaction to DeAndre Hopkins tweeting, then deleting, his questioning his future in the NFL because of not particularly wanting to get the COVID-19 vaccine but worrying about hurting the team by not doing so?
A: “Well, Hop certainly has his opinions, but at the same time he’s a guy that’s ultimately all about the team. He loves his teammates. You know, I think a lot of these guys have different questions and concerns that are valid in today’s day and age. But at the same time, they understand the big picture and what’s at risk and I think that’s something that when Hop looked at it, he understood it was the best thing for the team and the best thing for what we’re going through as a society.”
Q: How much does defensive end J.J. Watt missing so much time in training camp (because of a hamstring issue) concern you?
A: “Anytime you have a player missing time it is concerning, but at the same time I think the resume speaks for itself. His work ethic and his presence being around camp and being around teammates is something that I think has been really beneficial for us. … I think he’s going to be back here pretty soon. The biggest thing is we just wanted to be cautious and not put him in a tough situation because little minor injuries can certainly act up to be big ones whenever you’re not smart about it.”
Q: How sure are you that rookie Zaven Collins and second-year man Isaiah Simmons can handle those two starting inside linebacker roles for you?
A: “Well, it starts with their physical attributes – the size, the athleticism. The thing that impressed us through the draft process the most about Zaven is maybe the mental makeup, his professionalism, the way he attacks the game in terms of his mental preparation, his study habits. It’s the way he has command and when he talks in the room. Like, when we interview him in the offseason, he was one of the most impressive guys during the draft process that we talked to. Our linebacker coach (Billy Davis) went up and spent the day with him and had him on the (grease) board. I mean, the guy’s football I.Q. is really, really high. Does that mean those guys aren’t going to make mistakes? No. Of course they’re going to make some mistakes, but you don’t mind making mistakes with guys who are playing full-speed and have the ability to play all three downs, match up in coverage, play downhill, play physical, and I think those two are going to grow as a tandem and just play better and better, whether it’s like the tandem in Tampa (Lavonte David and Devin White) or back when Seattle’s defense was one of the top defenses in the league with Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright.”
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Q: How tempted are you to tell coach Kliff Kingsbury to play the heck out of rookie wide receiver Rondale Moore this year whenever he can?
A: (Laughs) “I think Kliff’s smarter than that. He doesn’t need me to tell him. In the 24 years I’ve been doing this, I have not seen many guys come in – and I know it’s early and you want to temper expectations – but the one guy I think about a little bit in Anquan Bolden. When he walked through baggage claim, it’s just like he already belongs and he made plays from Day 1. And it didn’t change. One day wasn’t better than the other. Every day this guy made impact plays. That’s what we think of Rondale.”
Q: You didn’t think you were going to get through this without being asked a question about Larry Fitzgerald, did you?
A: (Laughs) “I was hoping you could give me some information if you’ve talked to him.”
Q: Well, Larry doesn’t have a contract, but has the team offered him one and if not, why?
A: “I’ll tell you this. Every year it hasn’t been any different. Larry represents himself and he and I will sit down and talk, and I’ve always told him, ‘Let me know what you want to do.’ That’s the kind of respect that he certainly deserves. Like Kliff said, the ball’s in his court. It’s truly up to him. He knows if he wants to be a Cardinal he can be a Cardinal. But at the same time, you don’t go tell Larry Fitzgerald or give him ultimatums. We’ve got too much respect for him to do that. If he wants to play, I know he’ll let us know he wants to play.”
Q: What are the chances, though, that he’s waiting for you to make him an offer. Have you thought about that?
A: “He knows. It’s been clearly defined to him over the years and in the fall and whatever. It’s, ‘Hey, when you’re ready to talk and when you’re ready to come back, obviously we’d love to have you.’ So yeah, it’s very clear. He knows it’s in his court.”
(Editor’s note: After Keim’s interview with The Republic, Fitzgerald indicated on his SeriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio show “Let’s Go” that he presently “doesn’t have the urge to play right now” but left the door open for a possible return later in the fall.)
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Have an opinion on the Arizona Cardinals? Reach McManaman at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac. Listen to him live on Fox Sports 910-AM every Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 on Calling All Sports with Roc and Manuch.
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