The Cardinals are switching back to a 3-4 defense, which will feature press coverage and regular blitzes, Joseph said. It's the type of style in which the Cardinals found success prior to 2018, and one in which cornerback Patrick Peterson and outside linebacker Chandler Jones have been vocal proponents.

Joseph wants the Cardinals' defense to dictate the action, not the other way around.

"Make the offense make a decision: hand it off into a heavy box or throw versus press corners," Joseph said. "That's our style."

Joseph said having high-level players at cornerback and edge-rusher is a prerequisite for his defense. It likely played into the decision to sign veteran cornerback Robert Alford to a three-year contract on Thursday after he was released by the Falcons.

Alford will pair with Peterson on the outside, while Jones nails down one of the premium edge-rusher spots. The Cardinals could re-sign outside linebacker Markus Golden, draft a pass-rusher with the No. 1 overall pick or do both to give Joseph ideal tools with which to work.

"To have two corners and two rushers in this defense, that's where it starts," Joseph said. "You can fix the rest with scheme. But you can't fix the coverage and you can't fix the pass rush with scheme. That's man-made."

While there are myriad questions about Kingsbury's ability to transition from college to the NFL, Joseph, too, feels like he has something to show this year.