When Kurt Warner retired following the 2009 season, he took the fortunes of the Arizona Cardinals with him. The future Hall of Famer not only left a void on the field, but off of it as well.
Head coach Ken Whisenhunt clearly did not think Matt Leinart was the answer, so that begs the question, who is?
The Cardinals took Max Hall and John Skelton in the 2010 NFL draft. Both started at times and, save Skelton’s performance vs. the Cowboys, they struggled mightily.
Arizona is one of the teams rumored to be interested in Philadelphia QB Kevin Kolb. But until there is a new CBA, Kolb will remain an Eagle. Marc Bulger is also known to be on the wish list of some of the Cardinals' brass and players and could be a good stopgap until they find their QB of the future.
The question now becomes, will they get their QB of the future in this draft?
Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton both appear to have the talent to be stars in the NFL. Newton has the size that likely reminds Whisenhunt of Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger. But as the draft nears, there is a chance that neither of these two will be available by the fifth pick.
There are other needs for the Cardinals as well. Whisenhunt has wanted to mold his defense into the Pittsburgh-style 3-4, but has been hampered with bad draft choices and poor free-agent signings. Letting Karlos Dansby go has been a mistake, as was signing Joey Porter.
Arizona has built a solid defensive line led by Pro Bowler Darnell Dockett. What they lack is a pass rush.
New coordinator Ray Horton looks to bring the same attacking style the Steelers have used so well for many years. To make it work, Horton needs two OLBs who can rush the passer—currently, he has none.
The Arizona Cardinals top three needs are:
Quarterback: John Skelton showed occasional promise in 2010, but he is nowhere near ready to lead an NFL team. And he may never be. Arizona needs to determine if they believe he could be the guy so they could look to bring in a veteran.
Both Newton and Gabbert have question marks. Most top QB prospects do.
Newton is a rare athlete with an arm to match. While only playing one season of major college football, he is a winner. Auburn may not have even been a Top-25 team without Newton.
Gabbert also has excellent athletic ability. He is solid in every aspect of the game, and in two years as a starter at Missouri, Gabbert threw for 40 touchdowns vs. 18 interceptions.
Outside Linebacker: Joey Porter and Clark Haggans are both aging and unproductive at this point of their careers. Arizona hasn’t had a successful, consistent pass rush since Whisenhunt became coach. That’s part of the reason he is on his third defensive coordinator.
Whisenhunt has made it a point to insist that upgrading this position is a priority. While QB remains in play for the fifth selection, OLB could also be, especially if Von Miller drops to them. Miller would be an ideal fit for the Cardinals and they would face a tough decision if he or one of the QBs were both available.
Offensive Tackle: Arizona reached on Levi Brown in 2007 and they will not reach for an OT with their first choice. Upgrading this position is a necessity for Arizona to improve their inconsistent running game.
Brown is better on the right side, but Arizona seems committed to allowing Brandon Keith to man that position. With their second choice early in the second round, Arizona will be in a good position to grab one of the offensive tackles that will inevitably fall.
Possibilities include Nate Solder, Derek Sherrod, Orlando Franklin or James Carpenter.
Arizona will look to fix their QB situation and Gabbert will fall to them. If a new CBA had been worked out, no doubt Arizona would have looked to acquire Kevin Kolb, but that wasn’t to be.
Arizona will not wait for Kolb and will select Blaine Gabbert to be their QB of the future.
Paz Vega Rebecca Mader Eva Green Lauren Conrad Arielle Kebbel
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