Ryan Lindley makes case for Arizona Cardinals to keep three quarterbacks

To start the 2013 regular season with two quarterbacks or three, that is the question.

If you’re asking Ryan Lindley, he hopes the Arizona Cardinals choose the latter option.

And outside of Arizona’s first offensive series Thursday night, the second-year quarterback was given every opportunity to make that decision an easy one for Bruce Arians and his coaching staff.

Although he was going up against the Denver Broncos’ second and third-team defensive units, the former San Diego State standout ran with his chance in the Cardinals’ preseason finale.

Lindley, who threw seven interceptions in six games last season, completed 17 of 27 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns.

“I thought Ryan looked extremely sharp,” Arians told Arizona Sports 620’s Paul Calvisi. “He could have probably had a higher rating if a couple of guys would have ran the right routes. I thought he handled himself with great poise and confidence and made a great showing for himself.”

The 24-year-old’s first touchdown pass of the night came on a beautiful 55-yard throw to Jaron Brown in the third quarter, which tied the score at 17.

In the fourth quarter, Lindley put the Cardinals ahead for good with a 13-yard touchdown pass to veteran wideout Mike Thomas over the middle and a nice connection in the flat to rookie running back Andre Ellington for a two-point conversion.

The two touchdown passes were the first two of his NFL career.

Whether three-plus quarters of quality quarterbacking are enough to keep Lindley on a roster behind Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton remains to be seen.

But after Thursday night’s performance, he has enough tape to potentially attract other NFL teams should he fail to make Arizona’s Week 1 roster.

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