New Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort Already off to Strong Start

The Arizona Cardinals have officially introduced new general manager Monti Ossenfort. Here's everything you need to know about their new leader.

Author:
Andrew Harbaugh
Updated:
Jan 17, 2023 2:46 PM EST
Original:
Jan 17, 2023

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Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals announced the hiring of general manager Monti Ossenfort on Monday after a decade of Steve Keim at the helm. Keim had been with the team since he started as a regional scout in 1999. With the departure of Keim, the team looks towards a fresh start and taking steps towards winning with its highly paid quarterback Kyler Murray at the helm.

Ossenfort was previously with the Tennessee Titans since 2020 where he worked as the director of player personnel under former general manager Jon Robinson. Before that, he was in New England as a member of the Patriots' front office serving in various roles.

He spent 15 of his 21 seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots. Over his 15 years with the Patriots, Ossenfort served as director of college scouting (2014-19), assistant director of college scouting (2011-13), national scout (2008-10), area scout (2006-07), and a personnel assistant (2003). He also has two seasons with the Houston Texans under his belt where he served as a pro and college scout for them as well.

Draft History While in the Front Office

Coming from the Patriots and working with Bill Belichick may allow the perfect approach for what this team needs. The Patriots are known for trading back in the draft and collecting more picks. More often than not, they tend to find value picks on both the offensive line and in the defensive backs grouping.

For Ossenfort specifically, he played a role in drafting players such as playmaker and former Cardinals OLB Chandler Jones as well as quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett, and Jarrett Stidham. Other skill players elected include Sony Michel, Damien Harris, and former Arizona State standout WR N’Keal Harry. On the offensive line, he drafted future All-Pro Joe Thuney as well as Isaiah Wynn and Shaq Mason who played reliable starting reps.

Worth noting, the No. 3 pick the Cardinals have in the 2023 NFL Draft will be the highest he has ever been involved with.

Trade Some Now, Trade Some Later, Trade All the Time

NESN put together a very fun piece looking at the Patriots' history of being active in the NFL draft. According to NESN, the Patriots have made 46 draft day trades from 2010-21, nearly all of which were when Ossenfort was with the team. While he didn’t have a play in each one, being around a program that has that philosophy will rub off on anyone around it.

This includes 29 times trading down, 16 times trading up and three times trading for players. 31 of the trades did come during the first three rounds of the draft, with lots of talent to grab early in the draft and accumulating picks in the process.

What Can We Expect From Monti Ossenfort?

At his introductory press conference on Tuesday, Ossenfort showed a stern but passionate speech on what he wants from the top to bottom of this organization. He pointed out he won’t tolerate any egos while also praising the roster the way it is right now.

Owner Michael Bidwell cast some doubt over the future of DeAndre Hopkins with the Cardinals stating that it “will be evaluated in the coming weeks.” Prior to that, Ossenfort stated he would love more draft picks, and based on the figures shared above you have to imagine he will be making plenty of moves.

Best takeaway from what we learned at his press conference? The acknowledgment that just because it worked in one building, doesn’t mean it will work here. He knows expectations come with a name being tied to the Patriots and their Super Bowl wins over the last twenty years, but he isn’t naïve to it coming to him easily in Arizona.

We are one day into the Monti Ossenfort but this seems like a great hire so far.