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Arizona Cardinals tanking accusations resurface after Colt McCoy's surprise NFL release

jeremy cluff, arizona republic
·7 min read
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Here we go again.

Accusations that the Arizona Cardinals are purposely hoping to lose this season have resurfaced in the aftermath of the team's decision to release veteran quarterback Colt McCoy on Monday, leaving the team with rookie Clayton Tune and an inexperienced Joshua Dobbs as the team's primary options at QB while Kyler Murray is out with an injury.

Sound familiar?

The accusations began last week when the team traded former first-round pick Isaiah Simmons for a limited return.

Many people think the Cardinals are hoping to grab high draft picks in the 2024 NFL draft (they also own the Houston Texans' first-round pick in 2024) to reset their team, with USC quarterback Caleb Williams an oft-discussion potential target.

The tank talk increased after McCoy's release, with several writers and social media weighing in with their thoughts on Arizona's move and what it could mean for the future of the NFL franchise.

More: Arizona Cardinals accused of tanking after Isaiah Simmons, Josh Jones trades

Colt McCoy's release from the Arizona Cardinals has prompted talk that the NFL team is trying to lose on purpose to secure a high 2024 NFL draft pick. It's not the first time there has been such talk.
Colt McCoy's release from the Arizona Cardinals has prompted talk that the NFL team is trying to lose on purpose to secure a high 2024 NFL draft pick. It's not the first time there has been such talk.

Why people think the Arizona Cardinals are tanking

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio had an interesting thought, writing that "first-year coach Jonathan Gannon could be the one to ultimately pay" the price for the Cardinals' tanking.

He wrote: "With the team making the surprising swap from veteran Colt McCoy to Josh Dobbs or Clayton Tune less than two weeks before the first game that counts, plenty of players surely are wondering what’s going on. Although no player will ever try to lose, players are smart enough to realize when an organization is deliberately tying one hand behind its back. That’s why many think tanking doesn’t work, as tempting as it may seem. … The question in Arizona is whether Gannon is aware of, and on board with, what the organization seems to be doing. Even if he is, there’s a chance the damage done to the mindset of the roster could require the Cardinals to press the re-set button, again, in 2024."

The Ringer's Austin Gayle wrote that the Cardinals could be in the midst of the best tank job in recent NFL history.

He wrote: "Why would the Arizona Cardinals, who have an injured franchise quarterback, cut their only experienced backup QB to save essentially pennies in salary cap space? Why would they do that? This Arizona team isn’t creating space for the NFL equivalent of Kevin Durant. The Cardinals are doing quite the opposite. The Cardinals seem to be tanking. They can’t say it. But their actions scream it."

OutKick's Armando Salguero wrote that Arizona's actions at QB showed the team was tanking this season.

He wrote: "It says right here the Cardinals could easily be confused for being in tank-the-season mode. They will deny it. They might even be offended by it. Maybe they prefer the word, 'reset.' Whatever you call it, they knew — knew! — Murray probably wasn’t going to be ready to begin the season only eight months after his reconstructive knee surgery. They knew this in the offseason. And they did not address that issue."

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Jonathan Gannon's roster for the 2023 NFL season, his first as the Arizona Cardinals head coach, leaves some things to be desired.
Jonathan Gannon's roster for the 2023 NFL season, his first as the Arizona Cardinals head coach, leaves some things to be desired.

Why people don't think the Arizona Cardinals are tanking

But not everyone thinks Arizona is intentionally trying to be bad this season.

For the Win's Mike D. Sykes II wrote that tanking doesn't make any sense for the Cardinals.

He wrote: "Some have also suspected that Murray is on the PUP list because the team is trying to lose. But does that really make sense for any party involved here? Kyler Murray is absolutely on the clock for the Cardinals. If the Cardinals trade him in 2024 they’ll save about $39 million in cap space and would only incur a $13 million dead money hit. If he’s not performing for this team, he will not be in Arizona — plain and simple.Plus, you’ve got a first-year head coach in Jonathan Gannon who is trying to make a good first impression here. Tanking might get the Cards a good draft pick, but it certainly isn’t going to impress anyone or establish the culture Gannon wants to set."

Fansided's Sion Fawkes had a different perspective. He wrote that Arizona would be tanking if it had kept McCoy.

He wrote: "This isn’t to say the Cards aren’t looking to the future - rebuilding teams with young rosters and first-year regimes often are. But as I’ve mentioned several times in recent weeks, the Redbirds aren’t tanking, or if they are, they’re not tanking properly. And somehow, cutting quarterback Colt McCoy has once again raised speculation that this team is in tank mode. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a single time in NFL history when cutting a quarterback who had a hard time throwing the ball 10 yards downfield in the preseason qualifies as tanking."

NFL power rankings before Week 1: Arizona Cardinals come in at No. 32 - last in the NFL

It could be a long season for the Cardinals, whether they are trying to lose on purpose or not.

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Are Arizona Cardinals tanking? Claims resurface after Colt McCoy cut