Arizona Cardinals Rumors: Andy Reid and Ray Horton

Reports yesterday stated that Andy Reid going to the Arizona Cardinals to be their next head coach was close to being done, but that hasn’t manifested itself yet. Other reports have went against that initial premise, and we now realize that things are further apart than originally thought. Reid isn’t the only candidate in Arizona, as Mike McCoy and Ray Horton are also in the mix.

Dec 30, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid prior to game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

At this point in time, it looks like Reid and Horton are the best bets to earn the Arizona gig, with Reid still maintaining “early favorite” status. Pro Football Talk is reporting that we do know Ray Horton is getting a second interview with the Cardinals.

I bet it’s extremely easy to ask for an interview with your own defensive coordinator, and Horton has been one of only a few coaches or executives on the Cardinals that has done his job well. He has helped mold this defense into one of the best units in the NFL, and I think the Cardinals view him as a strong “Plan B” if they can’t get Reid.

It seems like the Cards would prefer to promote Steve Keim to the GM position, but it also seems like Andy Reid wants to bring his boy Tom Heckert with him to Arizona. Heckert and Reid have some great GM-coach synergy, but FOX Philadelphia reported yesterday tha it could be a deal-breaker if Reid wants to bring in Heckert. I bet Reid wants to keep Kevin Kolb, and Michael Bidwill said that the Cardinals haven’t given up on Kolb just yet.

There is a lot that makes sense about bringing Reid to Arizona, and it will fit together if Reid doesn’t demand Heckert or if there isn’t a hitch elsewhere. I don’t think the Heckert thing is going to be a problem, but we’ll see how the Cardinals solve the GM-HC question. The easiest way to fill it is to promote Horton and Keim at the same time, but they aren’t going to settle for a “Plan B” if they can get Reid.

Jason La Canfora tweeted that Reid will be interviewed by the Cardinals today, and there is a chance he could even be hired after the conclusion of the interview if negotiations go well. That would be an incredible move for the Cardinals, and I’d give it a rough estimate of an 80% chance of it happening at some point. It might not happen tomorrow, but I bet both sides can come to something. Again, the fit here is just too good to ignore.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.