Clipboard Kings: Assessing The Arizona Cardinals QB Depth
By Dan Viens
PART 17 IN A SERIES:
We hear it every year at this time, the backup quarterback is one of the most important positions on the roster. Whether it is or not is a debate for another time, but it’s under the microscope now more than ever as teams try to justify how many resources, or in some cases how few, they’ve committed to the position….and you hear reports of young QB’s who are just “killing it” in their mini-camps. The position can either be rendered completely irrelevant: Jim Sorgi never getting his uniform dirty in meaningful situations backing up Peyton Manning from 2004 – 2010. Or franchise altering: The Colts never addressing the position appropriately, team goes 2-14 without Manning in 2011, total housecleaning, first pick, Manning moves on, Andrew Luck now in place.
I thought it would be interesting to take a look at every team’s backup situation. These aren’t grades, just an overall look at the total sum of each team’s outlook if their starter were to go down. I’ll consider the immediate situation and the longer-term picture. I’ll go in order of my NFL Power Rankings 1.0, published May 10th.
Today, the Arizona Cardinals:
PROJECTED STARTER: Kevin Kolb (6th year)
There are some who believe that Skelton will win this job, but if the Cardinals thought that way they wouldn’t have picked up Kolb’s $7 million roster bonus this spring. Skelton may prove to be the better player at some point, possibly soon, but barring a disastrous camp Kolb will get another shot and open the season under center.
PROJECTED BACKUP: John Skelton (3rd year)
Big, strong and confident; Skelton is kind of a poor man’s Joe Flacco. Some believe he’s the better leader than Kolb. But take a deeper look at his numbers and you’ll see a pretty concerning lack of efficiency. He completed just under 55% of his throws with 14/11 INT/TD ratio. What he did was make big plays, and he made enough to lead the team to 5 wins in his 7 starts after Kolb got hurt. He moves surprisingly well for a guy who’s 6′ 6″ and over 240 lbs, and has a big arm and a solid delivery. If Kolb gets hurt again, or falters early, Skelton will get a shot to hang on to the job long-term.
Verdict: Could End Up As The Starter
PROJECTED 3RD QB: Ryan Lindley (Rookie)
Lindley was taken in the 6th round by the Cardinals in April after a record-setting 4-year run as a starter at San Diego State. Once considered a potential first round pick, Lindley has prototype NFL size and a good arm. Greg Cossell of NFL Films said Lindley made more “wow” throws on film than any of the QB’s in this year’s draft, but bouts of inconsistency and questions about his decision-making knocked him down in the draft. He possesses an overall skill set that leads you to believe he could develop into an NFL starter at some point.
Verdict: Intriguing Prospect
OTHER CONTENDERS: Richard Bartell (4th year)
Bartell has some tools, but this is his sixth pro organization, and unless Kolb is released early in camp it’s unlikely he has a shot to make this roster. He would have to beat out Lindley and I don’t see that happening.
My Take:
The Cardinals cast of QB’s is par for the course in the NFC West. With the possible exception of Sam Bradford in St. Louis, every other team in the division has multiple options at the QB position, but no one who possess an elite ceiling. The hope is that someone stands out significantly enough in camp to make the decision easy. The key for the winner of this battle will be avoiding mistakes, and taking advantage of Larry Fitzgerald and rookie WR Michael Floyd on the outside. If one of the steps up and plays well, the Cardinals could push San Francisco and Seattle for the division title. If no one does, it will likely cost head coach Ken Whisenhunt his job.