Report: Cardinals expected to cut Kevin Kolb

In what shouldn’t be a shock to anybody, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted Thursday morning that the rocky era of Kevin Kolb with the Arizona Cardinals could be in its last hours.

Sources: #Cardinals expect to cut QB Kevin Kolb over the next few days. Due a roster bonus of $2M on March 17. He won’t see that, I’m told

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2013

There has been much speculation about Kolb, who is coming off a second injury-shortened season with the Cardinals. Kolb relieved starter John Skelton in the season opener against Seattle, leading Arizona on a go-ahead touchdown drive in a 20-16 win.

Kolb would start the next five games before suffering a rib injury in Week 6 against Buffalo that would sideline him for the remainder of the season.

The six-year pro out of Houston completed 59.6 percent of his passes for 1,169 yards and eight touchdowns during the 2012 season. But Kolb is due a $2 million roster bonus on March 17 if he’s still around, so there’s speculation that the team will just release him.

Arizona also signed free agent quarterback Drew Stanton to a three-year, $8.2 million contract Wednesday. The deal contains $3 million guaranteed and incentives.

Who will be #Cardinals QBs battling? Drew Stanton Brian Hoyer, and either Skelton or Lindley. Not expecting first-round QB selection.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2013

Stanton served as Andrew Luck’s backup in Indianapolis last season under interim head coach Bruce Arians, who is of course the new head coach in Arizona.

Stanton hasn’t thrown a pass in an NFL game since 2010 when he was with Detroit.

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