When they set out to find a new defensive coordinator this offseason, the Arizona Cardinals knew exactly what they wanted. The squad’s experiment with a 4-3 alignment in 2018 had gone incredibly wrong. Arizona general manager Steve Keim let it be known that whoever they hired would have to favor a 3-4 defense, an system that the organization had utilized for years.
With that in mind, the Cards seemed genuinely excited when Vance Joseph was brought in to do the job. After all, the 46-year old was a proponent of the 3-4, and had found success with various units he was associated with during his time in the NFL.