Josh Sweat didn’t need much of an adjustment period when he joined the Arizona Cardinals.
Arizona’s most notable offseason addition reunites head coach Jonathan Gannon with a player who thrived under him and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis during their time together in Philadelphia. Sweat, a former Pro Bowler, signed a four-year, $76.4 million deal with the Cardinals in March.
Now entering his third season at the helm, Gannon is managing more than just a defensive install. Sweat noticed the difference almost immediately.
“You can tell he kind of got a little bit more on his plate,” Sweat told ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss. “But he’s still the same guy I remember to the core, but you could tell it is a little bit extra going on there, but, no, he’s still the same to me anyways.”
The Cardinals hope that familiarity pays dividends. The defensive scheme hasn’t changed much, only the terminology has, and Gannon trusts his former player to communicate expectations clearly to a young locker room.
“I think talking to players, there’s a different type of learning with that that comes from that organically, truthfully,” Gannon said. “So, I always say he can kind of be the translator. Like, ‘This is what I’m saying, this is what Nick’s saying, this is what [outside linebackers coach] Matt Feeney’s saying, but here’s what he’s really saying.’
“Hopefully, we’re not that confusing. But, yeah, I think it’s just the viewpoint of somebody that’s played a lot of ball at a high level. They always have some tricks of the trade that can help younger guys or other players.”
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Arizona’s offseason saw significant turnover on the coaching staff and along the defensive line. But at the core, Gannon’s message remains the same, and this time he has a trusted veteran to help carry it.
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