By next April, we will be 15 months beyond Kliff Kingsbury’s association with the Cardinals.
Even so, the former Arizona head coach could still wield some influence on his ex-organization.
Kingsbury has moved on to USC, where he is a senior offensive analyst. The quarterback there? Presumptive No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams.
The Cardinals are projected to be the worst team in the NFL in 2023, which makes them the favorites to land that pick. Furthermore, the Houston Texans are projected to have the second-worst record, and Arizona owns that first-rounder, too.
If the Cardinals do secure that choice, there will be a hot debate for months: Should they stick with Kyler Murray or trade him and draft Caleb Williams?
My mailbag if you missed it:
* Caleb or Kyler in 2024
* Biggest rookie impact for the Cardinals
* How I feel about Gambo calling me some guy from a betting site+ morehttps://t.co/7dRCgm60cz
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) June 21, 2023
But there is also a subplot that has been pinballing around in NFL circles: some within the league would not be surprised if Williams tries to “pull an Eli Manning,” as one source put it, and refuse to play for certain teams so he can end up in an advantageous position.
Could that work in this day and age? It seems questionable, as the team with the top pick could call that bluff by selecting Williams and daring him to sit.
But if Arizona does get the top selection and Williams contemplates a list of teams he wants to play for, Kingsbury’s voice will be an integral one.
It was not a smooth final season in Arizona, as on- and off-field implosions resulted in Kingsbury’s firing. He is a very measured person who would never publicly trash a team, but it’s fair to wonder how Kingsbury felt about how everything went down in his final few months.
If Williams asks, Kingsbury may not give the organization a glowing endorsement, which could greatly affect Williams’ perspective of the situation.
There is also the Lincoln Riley connection. The current coach of USC coached Kyler Murray at Oklahoma and the two are still close. If Williams asks, would Riley give an opinion one way or the other on his current quarterback jettisoning a former one from the Cardinals?
Lincoln Riley: History repeats itself 📖
USC’s head coach has a pretty good track record for getting his QBs to be Heisman Winners – and then being taken No.1 👀
🔴Baker Mayfield – Heisman + No.1 ✅
🔴Kyler Murray – Heisman + No.1 ✅
🟠Caleb Williams – Heisman + No.1? 👀 pic.twitter.com/cBrbwlCGyH— Redshirt Heisman (@TasteOfSport) May 17, 2023
There is, admittedly, plenty of conjecture and speculation to this.
For the scenario to come to fruition, Williams needs to dominate his final college season and fortify his standing as a generational NFL quarterback prospect.
The Cardinals would need to finish with the No. 1 overall pick and plan to trade Murray and draft Williams. Then Williams would need to speak up and voice his intention of playing elsewhere.
But the idea of Williams hoping to dictate his destination has been bandied about regularly behind-the-scenes, and it would add yet another layer if it comes to pass.
When college players enter the draft, they often lean heavily on certain factions for guidance: their parents, their agent and their college coaches.
If Williams wants the clearest picture of Arizona, Kingsbury can give that to him — and that may not be a good thing for the Cardinals.
