Monti Ossenfort: “Medicals are overrated.” You agree or disagree?

Isn’t Monti’s Ossenfort’s statement particularly ironic, given the injury situations in TEN and ARI?

At the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Arizona Cardinals’ GM Monti Ossenfort said a curious thing during his customary presser. When asked about draft prospects who were unable to participate at the event due to injuries, Ossenfort asserted, “medicals are overrated.”

This assertion felt particularly ironic, given the health issues that derailed the careers of all three of the Titans’ 1st round picks during the three years that Ossenfort was Director of Player Personnel —- T Isaiah Wilson (2020), CB Caleb Farley (2021), WR Treylon Burks (2022).

• Isaiah Wilson’s games played in TEN: 1. Games started: 0
• Caleb Farley’s games played in TEN: 12. Games started: 2
• Treylon Burks’ games played in TEN: 27. Games started:17 (in 3 seasons, 53 catches for 699 yards and 1 TD). Burks was supposed to take over the slot WR position after the Titans’ inexplicably traded A.J. Brown to the Eagles.

Monti, as GM of the Cardinals, has fared significantly better with his three 1st round picks to date. Paris Johnson Jr. has started 32 of 34 games. Marvin Harrison Jr. started all 17 games in 2024. And Darius Robinson, who did not have any medical red flags at Missouri, injured a calf during the pre-season and missed 11 games.

Monti Ossenfort’s statement that “medical are overrated” also feels especially ironic given the widespread injuries his Cardinals have suffered during his two seasons as GM.

At the end of the 2023 and 2024 seasons the Cardinals had 17 players on the IR, the most notable players of which, at one time or another were:

• DTs Leki Fotu, Carlos Watkins Kevin Strong, Jonathan Ledbetter, L.J. Collier, Bilal Nichols, Justin Jones
• EDs B.J. Ojulari, Dennis Gardeck
• ILBs: Kyzir White, Josh Woods
• DBs: Antonio Hamilton, Joey Blount, Elijah Jones
• OL: Jon Gaines II, D.J. Humphries, Will Hernandez, Paris Johnson Jr., Jonah Williams
• WR/TE: Hollywood Brown, Geoff Swaim
• RBs: James Conner, Trey Benson, Emari Demercado
• STs: Matt Prater, Blake Gillikin

Heading into the 2024 season, only 4 returning players had played in all 17 games in 2023:

• TE Trey McBride
• T Paris Johnson Jr.
• ED Dennis Gardeck
• S Andre Chachere

Heading into 2025, thankfully, the list of returning players who played in all 17 games has more than quadrupled:

• QB Kyler Murray
• RB DeeJay Dallas
• WR Greg Dortch
• WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
• TE Elijah Higgins
• TE Tip Reiman
• G Evan Brown
• C Hjalte Froholdt
• S Budda Baker
• ED Zaven Collins
• CB Starling Thomas V
• CB Max Melton
• S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
• LS Aaron Brewer

Plus, these players who are no longer with the team played for the Cardinals in all 17 of the 2024 games:

• WR Zach Pascal
• G Trystan Colon
• LB Kyzir White
• LB Krys Barnes

However, 10 of the Cardinals’ starters wound up on the season-ending IR. That especially hurts knowing how close the team was up until the bye week to qualifying for the playoffs.

Look at the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. They were able to trot out virtually every one of their starters throughout the regular season and the playoffs. Their only original starter on the season-ending IR was LB Nakobe Dean. Yet, his replacement, Zack Baun, emerged as a 2024 1st Team All-Pro.

The 2025 Cardinals want to drink whatever the 2024 Eagles were drinking.

Hopefully, the primary focus of the Cardinals’ front office this off-season has been to try to improve the ways and manners in which the players are being nourished, trained and conditioned.

The Cardinals’ players in the 2025 NFLPA Report Card spoke loudly and clearly about the compromising conditions they incur on a daily basis, once again.

• Treatments of Families: D+ (29th in NFL)
• Food/Dining Area: D- (30th)
• Locker Room: F- (32nd)
• Training Room: D- (32nd)
• Training Staff: C (31st)
• Weight Room: F (31st)
• Strength Coaches: C+ (31st)

Draft Concerns Regarding Medicals:

A majority of Cardinals’ fans on X believe very adamantly that Monti is going to select one of these three players:

• DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
• CB Will Johnson, Michigan
• T Josh Simmons, Ohio St.

What do all three of these players have in common, besides being very good football players?

John Gambadoro offered his Gambo 5 yesterday:

• T Josh Simmons, Ohio St. (both Burns’ and Gambo’s #1 guy)
• T Kelvin Banks, Jr., Texas
• ED Mykal Williams, Georgia
• DT Walter Nolen, Mississippi
• G Tyler Booker, Alabama

Gambo’s Pitch for Josh Simmons:

Here is the concern:

Rest of the tweet:

“Can he still be an elite player? I think so, but even if he is 10-15% less elite does that still make him a high-draft pick? No not in my opinion.

I know too much about the knee and likely future alignment / tension issues that Simmons is going to have to deal with, including cartilage damage and patellar malalignment.

If I’m drafting a player, especially in the 1st or 2nd round, I want to know he’s going to be healthy for 5-10 years. Simmons already has significant red flags making it an easy pass for me.

Allow another team to roll the dice on his knee/health.

Nonetheless, I wish him the best of luck in the NFL.”

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Gambo 5 Position Fits:

OL “A”

Pros

• Flexible hips and wide base for powerful stance
• Foot speed/explosiveness is top tier
• Can move while squatted (low pad level)
• Great second-level/space blocker
• Natural athleticism gives him high zone-blocking potential
• Really impressive balance for 320-plus-pound player

Cons

• Height hints at shorter arm length, which shows on tape
• Too susceptible to push-pull moves
• Needs to improve grip strength to latch on and hold blocks

OL “B”

Pros

• Stance and base are wide and strong pre- and post-snap
• Fantastic balance. Can slide and mirror while squatted
• Consistently low pad level at contact
• Adequate length for the NFL
• Footwork is quick. Slide length is adequate
• Competitive. Plays through the whistle
• Really good footwork when anchoring
• Can flip his hips quickly to counter cross-face moves

Cons

• Hands have a low starting point
• No true displacement strength in the run game
• Lower weight makes anchoring tougher (though good knee bend and balance helps)

OL “C”

Pros

• Well-built guard with NFL size
• Weight distribution gives him a ton of power in his lower half to displace and anchor
• Great leg drive to move linemen against their will
• Strong hands and core to not disengage after moves and counters
• Imposing double team blocker
• Very long arms for an interior player
• High IQ lineman
• Impressive recovery ability — wide base even post-snap
• Good eyes for stunts and delayed blitzes
• Finisher’s mentality

Cons

• Balance can be off at times; sometimes it’s too much on his heels, the next his toes
• Below average foot speed
• Can get caught behind when defender cross his face

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Which OL is the better fit for the Cardinals’ smashmouth style of offense?

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DL “A”

Pros

• Great build — weight and length are NFL-caliber
• Has a violent and fast arm-over/swim move when attacking inside
• Good understanding of the advantages of his arm length
• First-step is explosive and can cover a ton of ground
• Great motor that plays to the whistle
• Strong, reliable run defender who can stack blocks/anchor well from a 4i to a 7-tech

Cons

• Consistently one of the last linemen out of his stance
• Hands are active but could be more purposeful and precise
• Must develop more counters
• Eyes for the ball could improve

DL “B”

Pros

• Well-built player
• Incredibly strong, especially with momentum. Clear raw strength and explosiveness
• Has the build to play defensive end and defensive tackle
• Very strong tackler with a low missed tackle rate
• Good effort to the whistle

Cons

• Needs to be more purposeful, but looked less out of control in 2024
• Lacks a go-to pass-rush move
• Needs more of a pass-rush plan
• Pass rushes can stall quickly
• Exposes his chest too easily
• Tries to disengage with just power

Which DL player is the better fit for Nick Rallis style of defense?

Best 2024 Seasons Match: (Try it! Answers below)

1. 88.9. A. K. Banks
2. 86.2 B. T. Booker
3. 78.4 C. W. Nolen
4. 74.4 D. J. Simmons
5. 66.5 E. M. Williams

ROTB Questions:

1. Does anyone else find it ironic that if the Cardinals select T Josh Simmons to be the RTOF, they are replacing Jonah Williams who has a history of chronic knee injuries (both of which he dislocated and played through two years ago, and one of which cost him 11 games in 2024) with a younger very talented player who also is coming off a major knee injury? Monti has elected to retain Jonah Williams at a premium salary and said that he is very excited to be working with Jonah again this year. So, are the Cardinals really that good enough at this point to give a 1st round pick what could amount to redshirt year?
2. I have been saying all along that symbolically this year’s #1 pick should be a defensive player, especially to combat what the Rams have been doing to strengthen their defensive front 7 through the draft. Do you agree?
3. I wouldn’t draft Derrick Harmon, Will Johnson or Josh Simmons, given that players like Kenneth Grant, Jahdae Barron and Donovan Jackson are healthier, stronger fits for the Cardinals. Do you agree?
4. If the Cardinals are going to pick an OL early in this draft, isn’t Donovan Jackson that guy?

Answers, imo:

1. The 1st pick should be a healthy defensive player with Pro Bowl potential who will be a significant contributor from day one.
2. The Cardinals should trade back up from the 2nd round to pick Donovan Jackson. And yet, if Monti remains committed to spending his #1 pick in each draft on an offensive player from Ohio St, then please take Donovan Jackson at #16 or in a trade down. Jackson was quite arguably Ohio St.’s 2024 MVP and was one of the outstanding reasons why the Buckeyes won the 2024 Natty.
3. In addition to Monti being excited to work with Jonah Williams again this season, he re-signed Kelvin Beachum (swing) and he drafted a young talent in Christian Jones in the 5th round last year to develop at right tackle. That is ample depth. Wait until next year’s draft to select a tackle.

Quiz answers, imo:

1. OL “A” is the best fit —- Banks.
2. DL “B” is the better fit —- Nolen

Best 2024 Seasons Match:

1. 88.9. —- W. Nolen
2. 86.2 —- K. Banks
3. 78.4 —- M. Williams
4. 74.4 —- J. Simmons
5. 66.5 —- T. Booker

if all 5 are available —- I hope Monti hops on Walter Nolen!

That is, of course, if Kenneth Grant is off the board.