In 2013, the Arizona Cardinals had a fantastic defense. They were number one against the run and sixth overall. But if you ask general manager Steve Keim, it isn't yet elite.
Keim spoke with PFT's Mike Florio and said that he believes that the defense "is one or two players away from being elite." He said that "every second" of the Super Bowl made him think that his team could have been the team on the field dominating the Denver Broncos, and he realized that being elite on one side of the ball is what you have to be.
It has been brought up a lot, but the win the Cardinals had in Seattle has really been a point of emphasis. Keim said that it was something that allowed confidence to "permeate" through the entire organization and make everyone realize that they can play with anybody. It will likely be something that will be brought up for bringing free agents.
Florio asked Keim about the money saved against the salary cap from the contract restructure of Larry Fitzgerald. Keim affirmed that the team would be "aggressive" to bring in new players and keep players here they want, but that they "won't overspend."
The last part of the interview was about Larry Fitzgerald and his future. Keim said that in a year from now they will talk to Larry again, but was confident they could "come to some kind of agreement" so that he can remain a Cardinal. He reiterated that the intent of team president Michael Bidwill on down is that Fitz retire with the Cardinals. However, the fact that the Cardinals could cut Fitz "will be brought to the table" when they talk about dealing with the contract.