A busy offseason is in store for the Arizona Cardinals, who may lose their star linebacker, who has been giving away clues about his future in recent weeks. According to reports, they are considering Jaheim Thomas of the Wisconsin Badgers to remedy that.
According to NFL analyst Ryan Fowler, the Cardinals, who will have five first-round picks in the April draft, were among those who took notice of the Badgers linebacker’s performance in the Hula Bowl.
According to reports, the Cardinals’ interest stems from Kyzir White’s expected departure as he prepares to enter free agency in the spring.
As Fowler put it:
Jaheim A dynamic defender, Thomas has outstanding downhill acceleration and burst. He is athletic and has a large frame. At the point of assault, Thomas experiments with the ability to stack, peek, and destroy blocks. He has a fearless downhill approach and acts as an enforcer.
Although the squad fell short of expectations after failing to reach any bowls this season, Thomas had a strong 2024 season with the Badgers.
Along with eleven other teammates, the 6’4 senior received an invitation to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl to close off the season.
The Cardinals are up against a lot of competition for Jaheim. Thomas
Thomas was selected by the Cardinals for two strong reasons. He could take White’s place, but if he stays, Thomas will be a fantastic learning opportunity.
With ten other teams keeping an eye on the Badgers veteran, Jonathan Gannon’s team will face fierce competition.
These include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns, the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, the Atlanta Falcons, the Minnesota Vikings, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Washington Commanders.
The Colts will interview the former coach of the Cardinals for a DC spot.
Arizona NFL insider Tom Pelissero reports that Steve Wilks, the former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, is in consideration for the defensive coordinator role with the Indianapolis Colts.
“The Colts have started their search for a defensive coordinator, with former Bengals DC Lou Anarumo and veteran NFL coach Steve Wilks among the candidates scheduled for interviews next week, according to sources.”
Prior to the 2018 season, Wilks took over as coach of the Cardinals from previous Bruce Arians. He guided the team to a 3-13 record, earning Arizona the first overall choice in the 2019 NFL Draft. After just one season, the Cardinals let go of Wilks, brought in Kliff Kingsbury, and months later selected Kyler Murray in the draft.
Following his dismissal from Arizona, Wilks oversaw defenses for the 49ers and Browns before taking over as interim head coach of Carolina.
Zach Hicks of the Colts on SI provided the following explanation for why Wilks would fit very well in Indianapolis:
In terms of strategy, Wilks would also add continuity while providing a slight defensive advantage. Although he is more forceful, he is descended from the same coaching branch that Ballard adores. With the exception of his one season with the 49ers in 2023 (which was more Kyle Shanahan’s decision than his own), Wilks has frequently advocated for blitzing at high rates. On defense, he would probably return to his blitz-heavy style with the Colts’ current roster.
In terms of his leadership style, relationships with the squad, and defensive strategy, Steve Wilks ticks off many boxes for the Colts. He might be the ideal candidate to improve this Colts’ defense, despite being a safe hire with no flair.
After three seasons in charge, former DC Gus Bradley was fired by the Colts, who finished with an 8-9 record. When it came to important defensive metrics like yards per game and points per game, Indianapolis was close to the bottom of the league.
