The Arizona Cardinals quickly parted with former head coach Kliff Kingsbury once the 2022 NFL season came to a close. Arizona ended the year with a dismal 4-13 record, ahead of only the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears, after the team signed Kingsbury to a six-year contract extension last offseason. The betting odds for the new Arizona Cardinals head coach have opened at DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Who Coaches the Arizona Cardinals Next? | Kliff Kingsbury Fired
The Arizona Cardinals should draw plenty of interest for their head coaching job. Quarterback Kyler Murray hasn’t played like the generational talent some expected him to be, but he offers plenty of stability at the position, even coming off an ACL injury that will delay his return next season. Most other teams with a head coaching vacancy can’t say the same. The Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans each has a major question mark at the position. Whoever takes those jobs may end up starting a bridge quarterback or a rookie.
Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill just hired Tennessee Titans executive Monti Ossenfort as general manager. Ossenfort served as Tennessee’s director of player personnel from 2020-22 after working as the director of college scouting for the New England Patriots from 2014-19. Bidwill had told reports about his desire to bring in a new general manager before committing to a head coach, so with that box checked off, the next domino may fall in short order for the Cardinals.
The quality of this position makes it unsurprising to see plenty of the best head coaching candidates leading the way in DraftKings Sportsbook’s odds. The Arizona Cardinals will have their pick when deciding on the head coach who will replace Kliff Kingsbury.
The odds for Arizona's next head coach are up at @DKSportsbook ? pic.twitter.com/XqB01T8K40
— Isaiah Sirois (@is_sirois) January 17, 2023
Before digging into the plethora of options at Arizona’s fingertips, bettors should do their homework on who the organization actually plans to interview. The Cardinals plan to talk with former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, current San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, and former Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph.
Ossenfort may lobby for a coach with whom he is familiar. The signing prompted action on Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, whose odds now sit at just 5-1. Ossenfort also worked alongside Flores in New England, which helped Flores’ odds surge to only 7-2. Still, with the Cardinals yet to announce anything about interviewing Bowen, it’s strange to see his odds at a number shorter than an actual confirmed candidate’s.
Bidwill may try to push for Joseph. Although he flamed out as head coach of the Broncos, he was Kingsbury’s defensive coordinator for all four seasons. Arizona’s defense couldn’t do much this season but routinely exceeded expectations given the dearth of talent on that side of the ball. Arizona’s defense improved from 30th in yards allowed per play in 2019 (6.o) to eighth in 2020 (5.3). The unit ranked 18th in 2021 (5.5) and 21st in 2022 (5.5) despite little support from the offense.
Not much value remains on this betting market, but for those eager to get action on the next head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, Payton offers the most value. Flores was a logical target before his odds got steamed down to 7-2. Likewise, Bowen made for a sharp sleeper until his odds got steamed down to 5-1. Payton, the most successful candidate on the board, deserves odds longer than 7-2 on this market. Users who are yet to register at DraftKings can secure $200 in bonus bets for just placing a $5 wager!
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