Cardinals likely to move on from Steve Keim, but what about Kliff Kingsbury?

The Arizona Cardinals are expected to make big changes this offseason with general manager Steve Keim likely on the way out, possibly head coach Kliff Kingsbury as well.

It is going to be an offseason of massive changes for the underperforming Arizona Cardinals…

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported on Sunday morning Arizona is expected to part ways with long-time general manager Steve Keim at the end of the season. Keim is currently on a medical leave of absence from the team. Arizona enters Week 15 at 4-9. With starting quarterback Kyler Murray done for the season with a torn ACL, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury could be next.

Though Arizona has two great internal candidates to replace Keim in VP of player personnel Quentin Harris and VP of pro personnel in Adrian Wilson, what are the chances either of those guys get to work with Kingsbury next season?

Arizona Cardinals: Steve Keim likely out as GM, but what about Kliff Kingsbury?

Jones pointed out one very interesting note with the Cardinals organization. Not since the late Buddy Ryan took over the team as head coach and general manager in 1994 have the Cardinals gone with an outside hire at general manager. Keim and his two previous predecessors in Bob Ferguson and Rod Graves were promoted from within. There is also a Michael Bidwill component…

Bidwill was a major advocate among the NFL owners during the league’s accelerator program last week for minority candidates. Not only are Harris and Wilson minorities, they are also former Cardinals players, with Wilson being a Ring of Honor member. In short, Arizona may consider other candidates, but one would have to believe it may be either Harris or Wilson who will succeed Keim.

As far as what this means for Kingsbury long-term, that remains to be seen. The former Texas Tech head coach was brought to The Valley to be the one to get the most out of Murray, a top-flight high school recruit who nearly played for him in college. Although they have the same representation and both got offseason extensions, let’s just say their relationship has been better.

Clearly, with Bidwill looking to move on from his long-time general manager months after he just got paid, money is not an issue in Arizona. However, the Cardinals are tied to Murray long-term. All things equal, he will be the last one to leave the organization. Keim is almost certainly gone with Kingsbury certainly feeling the heat in The Valley of the Sun. He may not get another year there.

Ultimately, Arizona can part ways with Kingsbury this offseason as well, but the Cardinals organization is a hot mess right now. Yes, Arizona may have Murray at quarterback, but he is a mercurial talent and coming off a major season-ending injury. Can the Cardinals upgrade at head coach over Kingsbury? Sure, but there is not a deep pool of head-coaching candidates to be had…

Arizona may opt to clean house to some degree, but a new head coach may not solve every issue.