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What Nick Rallis Brings to Arizona Cardinals

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Nick Rallis Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals and Nick Rallis have finalised a deal for Rallis to become the team’s defensive coordinator. The move comes after the Cardinals appointed Jonathan Gannon. Rallis worked under Gannon as the linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Though Gannon is a great defensive mind, he will mostly be a CEO-type figure. He will guide and advise Rallis, but the expectation is that Gannon’s role will be more holistic and less strategic.

At 29 years old, Rallis is the NFL’s youngest ever defensive coordinator. He has, however, been dubbed the ‘Sean McVay of defense’ by many. The hot coordinator joins a young coaching staff with Gannon being a first-time head coach at 40 and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing at 35 (also a first-time coordinator). Monti Ossenfort is also a first-time general manager.

When it emerged that Arizona were still interested in Gannon during the Super Bowl week, a few insiders suggested that Rallis could follow Gannon to be his defensive coordinator. That prophecy turned out to be true. Gannon raved about Rallis in his interview with Arizona, and so it seems like he was the guy all along.

The new Cardinals defensive coordinator has only been in the league since 2018. He started out with he Minnesota Vikings before joining the Eagles in 2021. His only other year of coaching came with Wake Forest in 2017. Prior to coaching, Rallis played college football at the University of Minnesota. Primarily a linebacker, Rallis was known to be a very smart player.

Rallis’ unprecedented ascension through the coaching ranks has been epitomized by a Super Bowl appearance. Through the regular season, his linebacking corps was dominant. Rallis has been particularly credited with the development of T.J. Edwards.

Arizona Cardinals and Nick Rallis Seek to Maximize Defensive Talent

Philosophy and Scheme: ‘Adaptable, Violent, Explosive, Smart’

During Gannon’s introductory press conference, he produced a good soundbite. The new head coach said that he wanted the team to play adaptable, violent, explosive and smart. While vague, expect Rallis to curate a defense that will be founded on this philosophy.

Prior to Rallis’ arrival, Vance Joseph was the team’s defensive coordinator. One of the most respected coordinators, Joseph was released from his position after Gannon’s appointment. His defense was known for its aggressive blitzing, complex off-ball coverage and a 3-4 front (the Cardinals always tried to rush five). He also curated the ‘NASCAR package’ in Arizona, which offered a 0-7 look to utilise the athleticism of Arizona’s linebacker unit.

Under Rallis, expect a departure from Joseph’s defense. Joseph favored complicated coverages. They were effective at times, but would often be too aggressive, complex or poorly executed. It also meant that young players like Isaiah Simmons needed more time to learn the playbook. The importance of simplicity was emphasized in Gannon’s Philadelphia defense, so expect that to be brought over. Players will be assigned basic roles to let them play with physicality and confidence.

It is unclear whether the team will remain with a 3-4 base package. A 4-3 switch suits the personnel and is more similar to Philadelphia’s formation. While they were notorious for cover-2 zone packages, the team actually ran a lot of cover-1 man and often transitioned to quarters and cover-6 looks. That is to say that the Eagles defense was very fluid and often played to their strengths (and opposition weaknesses). Expect a similar approach in Arizona.

In 2022, Philadelphia’s defense produced 70 sacks and 17 interceptions. If Rallis can make the Cardinals defense perform to near that standard, it would be deemed a success.

Free Agency and Personnel

Given Rallis’ young age, acquiring an experienced assistant could be necessary. Mike Zimmer is a name that has been floated around. He spent time with both Gannon and Rallis in Minnesota and could become Arizona’s new senior defensive assistant to offer some more experience to the young coaches.

One of the bonuses of Gannon and Rallis’ hirings is the potential for Arizona to lure Eagles free agents to the desert. Edwards would be an excellent addition for Arizona, and would free up Simmons to play different positions. He could also facilitate the switch to a 4-3 base package. Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave are two other names that have come up as Arizona are in desperate need of quality in the trenches.

The Cardinals are also weak in the secondary. Byron Murphy Jr. is a priority re-signing. Behind him would be Marco Wilson and Christian Matthew. Even if the team brings back Antonio Hamilton, Bradberry would offer good starting quality at cornerback.

There is also the question of the 2023 NFL Draft. As it stands the Cardinals have the third overall pick. A trade down is not out of the question but, currently, the team are in a prime position to lock in a blue-chip prospect. Whether it be Will Anderson Jr. or Jalen Carter, they will be trusting Rallis with their development. Both players would be able to fit the new defensive scheme. Carter would be an interior defensive lineman while Anderson would occupy the edge. If they do opt for a 4-3 package, Rallis could alter the edge role(s) slightly to accommodate for Anderson, just like the Eagles did for Haason Reddick.

Main Photo: Joe Camporeale – USA Today Sports

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