Arizona Cardinals' Jonathan Gannon hire questioned in NFL coach hire grades, rankings

Several NFL writers have weighed in on the five NFL coaching hires in the league for the 2023 season in NFL coach hire grades and rankings.

They aren't very high on Arizona's choice of Jonathan Gannon as the replacement for Kliff Kingsbury overall.

Several sites ranked the Cardinals' coach hire as the worst in the NFL this coaching cycle, with one writing that "this could very well be a short-term marriage between the two sides."

Check out the writers' grades and reaction to the Arizona Cardinals' new coach:

Who is Jonathan Gannon?:What to know about new Arizona Cardinals coach

CBS Sports: Cardinals earn a C+ for Jonathan Gannon hire

The site gave every other coach hire at least a B, putting Arizona's hire as the lowest graded in this coaching cycle.

Tyler Sullivan wrote: "In a vacuum, Gannon is a great defensive mind that led one of the best units in the NFL last season. The Eagles defense ranked No. 6 in the NFL in DVOA and Gannon deploying his array of pass rushers was a big reason why. With the Cardinals ranking 24th in the NFL in DVOA on that side of the ball and allowing 26.4 points per game (second-most in the NFL), Gannon's arrival is a welcome sight. That major question that is still to be determined, however, is the offense. Gannon will now need to find the right offensive coordinator who helps cater things around Kyler Murray. Browns quarterbacks coach Drew Petzing is a leading candidate, per Cleveland.com. No matter who gets hired for that spot, they along with Gannon need to have a cohesive relationship with Murray, who the team signed to a massive contract extension last offseason. Part of Arizona's undoing a year ago was the souring relationship between Murray and former head coach Kliff Kingsbury, so the chemistry between Gannon and his new QB could be the linchpin that determines if this hire is a successful one or not."

Reaction:Jonathan Gannon hire as Arizona Cardinals' coach receives strong reaction on social media

Sportsnaut: Cardinals get a B- for hiring Jonathan Gannon

The site ranked the Cardinals' hire the worst in the NFL among new coach hires, calling it a "reach."

Matt Johnson wrote: "The larger question here is Gannon’s resume as he takes over for a Cardinals team that’s coming off an ugly four-win season and has not come out on top in a playoff game since 2015.

Gannon, 39, had not even called plays until he took over as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator back in 2021. Prior to that, he served as the Indianapolis Colts cornerbacks coach (2018-20), Minnesota Vikings assistant defensive backs coach (2014-17) and a defensive quality control coach for the Tennessee Titans (2012-13). One might think that there were more qualified candidates out there to take over for a Cardinals team that just fired Kliff Kingsbury and has some major internal issues with embattled quarterback Kyler Murray. This could very well be a short-term marriage between the two sides."

It's finally over:Arizona Cardinals' lengthy coach search ends with Jonathan Gannon hire

The Draft Network: Jonathan Gannon graded as a B- hire for Cardinals

The B- grade was the lowest given to an NFL head coach hire this cycle.

Justin Melo wrote: "The Cardinals were the final NFL team to hire a coach. New general manager Monti Ossenfort waited for the conclusion of Super Bowl LVII to appoint the former Eagles defensive coordinator. Gannon has earned this opportunity, but I have worries regarding the situation he’s inheriting. Starting quarterback Kyler Murray suffered a torn ACL midway through the 2022 campaign and may be limited to begin the 2023 season. Superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is expected to be traded. That’s a lot for a first-time head coach to deal with. Gannon’s final showing in Philadelphia unfortunately did not go according to plan. The Chiefs racked up 38 points as Gannon’s defense failed to get a single second-half stop. Gannon is starting anew and must overcome several immediate obstacles in Arizona."

More:Arizona Cardinals hire Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as head coach

Sporting News: Cardinals' Jonathan Gannon hire fourth-best in NFL this offseason

The site didn't give the Cardinals' hire a grade, but ranked it fourth out of the five NFL coaching hires (Carolina's hire of Frank Reich was last).

Joe Rivera wrote: "Jonathan Gannon has been something of a hot coaching commodity since the 2022 cycle. He interviewed with the Texans last year, but ultimately returned to the Eagles and helped build a stellar defense in Philadelphia. To that end, some felt that the Eagles defense was little more than smoke and mirrors, which seems a bit unfair. They led the league in sacks, though they showcased some obvious warts that were covered up by the offense throughout the 2022 season. The timing is bittersweet for Gannon. Coming off a Super Bowl 57 loss in which the Eagles D gave up 38 points in a collapse against the Chiefs, it's nice to rebound and get a head coaching job. The truth is, because of the Kyler Murray injury and unclear recovery timeline, there was no real slam-dunk hire for the Cardinals. At least they're taking a swing on an unknown quantity rather than a retread."

Moore:Jonathan Gannon has nowhere to go but up for Arizona Cardinals

A different opinion on Jonathan Gannon's hire in Arizona

One site was higher on Arizona's coaching move than others, however, giving the team an A- grade and ranking it the second-best hire of the NFL offseason.

The site, Walter Football, had the Cardinals' coaching hire beating out the Sean Payton hire by the Saints, the Frank Reich hire by the Panthers and tying the DeMeco Ryans grade for the Texans. Only the Colts' hire of Shane Steichen received a better grade.

It wrote: "The Eagles have now lost both of their coordinators. Hours after the Colts hired Shane Steichen, the Cardinals agreed to terms with Jonathan Gannon. Gannon's defense had a horrendous showing in the Super Bowl, as the Chiefs were able to exploit some liabilities with open receivers. However, Gannon's defense was superb all year prior to the final game. I even named Gannon the coordinator of the year on my 2022 NFL Awards page. I'm dinging Gannon a bit for his Super Bowl performance, and I actually think I would have gone with Brian Flores or Lou Anarumo instead, but Gannon appears to be a strong hire for an Arizona team that needs major defensive help after losing Chandler Jones and J.J. Watt in consecutive offseasons."

How would you grade the Cardinals' hire of Jonathan Gannon as head coach?

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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