Arizona Cardinals bid farewell and offer best wishes to former quarterback Josh Dobbs

Arizona Cardinals head coach Gannon discusses parting ways with former starting quarterback Josh Dobbs, who was traded to the Minnesota Vikings.

NFL head coaches are well aware of the uncertainty that comes with player transactions. The jobs, roles, and tenures of players are never completely secure. However, one relationship that is particularly significant is that between a head coach and his quarterback. This was evident when Arizona Cardinals head coach Gannon had to make the difficult decision to part ways with former starting quarterback Josh Dobbs, who was traded to the Minnesota Vikings.

Gannon expressed empathy towards Dobbs, acknowledging the effort he had put into the team and the contributions he had made. Dobbs had joined the Cardinals in a trade with the Cleveland Browns just before the start of the season, and despite having to quickly learn the offense without playing in a preseason game, he had performed well for the team. Gannon admitted that it was hard to let him go, but believed it was the best decision for both parties.

In addition to the player transaction, there was also a report implicating Cardinals principal owner and president Michael Bidwill in incidents related to workplace culture. The ESPN report highlighted allegations of mistreatment, including beratement and public humiliation, by Bidwill. Former team executive Ron Minegar and another former front office member, Terry McDonough, provided comments and filed a complaint, respectively, supporting these allegations. This report follows a similar article from The Athletic last month, which described a culture driven by fear of Bidwill. In response, Bidwill stated that the Cardinals have been working to improve their culture and acknowledged the need for further growth and improvement as a leader.

On a more positive note, Cardinals running back James Conner is making progress in his knee injury rehab. Gannon noted that Conner is getting faster and is excited to return to the field. Conner was placed on injured reserve after Week 5 and will be eligible to return after one more week with that designation.

In terms of injuries, three Cardinals players did not practice on Thursday, including running back Emari Demercado, guard Trystan Colon, and rookie wide receiver Michael Wilson. Linebacker Krys Barnes, receiver Greg Dortch, and defensive lineman Kevin Strong were listed as limited. For the Browns, 10 players did not practice, including receivers David Bell and Amari Cooper, guard Joel Bitonio, defensive ends Myles Garrett, Za'Darius Smith, and Alex Wright, tackles Dawand Jones and Jedrick Willis Jr., cornerback Greg Newsome II, and tight end David Nyoku. Quarterback Deshaun Watson, safety Grant Delpit, running back Jerome Ford, cornerback Mike Ford Jr., and linebackers Sione Takitaki and Anthony Walker Jr. were listed as limited.

Overall, it was a challenging time for the Cardinals as they navigated player transactions, addressed workplace culture concerns, and dealt with injuries. However, they remained focused on improving and making the best decisions for the team's success.

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