ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals have intriguing, iffy options at QB

Jan 31, 2012, 11:20 PM | Updated: 11:59 pm

All the Arizona Cardinals seemed to have learned about
their QB situation last season was that they still have
much to learn about their QB situation.

Kevin Kolb and John Skelton combined to lead the team to
an 8-8 record, but they also amassed just 20 touchdowns
against 22 interceptions, while completing roughly 56
percent of their passes.

ESPN’s Trent Dilfer ranked all of the NFL’s QBs in an
Insider piece, and the Cardinals’ pair of signal callers
were about where they should have been.

Kolb, for instance, was placed in the group’s “Could Go
Either Way” category.

League perception says there’s a lot of talent, as did
Arizona’s commitment. But we really don’t know anything
yet.

Kolb started just nine games last season — finishing
eight — and while he wasn’t particularly impressive, he
wasn’t exactly a disaster, either. So, to say not much is
known about him would be fair, though at 27, time is
running out on the former Eagle to show he is a capable
NFL starter.

Skelton, on the other hand, landed in the “Intriguing Wild
Cards” group.

He had his own Tebow stretch, going 5-2 as a starter,
minus any of the publicity. Probably still on the backup
path in terms of trajectory, but answered some questions
about whether he belongs.

It may be a bit unfair to label Skelton as a likely
backup, but such is life for a player who was selected out
of a small school in the fifth round of the draft. Skelton
could be credited for six of the Cardinals’ eight wins
last season, and he made some really good throws. However,
he also made some really, really bad ones, looking every
bit the project that he is.

So, what does it all mean for the Cardinals? At the very
least, they actually have some options at quarterback,
which is more than anyone was able to say just one year
ago.

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Cardinals have intriguing, iffy options at QB