Adam’s not-so-random thought: Choose Skelton and there’s no going back to Kevin Kolb for Arizona Cardinals
Aug 14, 2012, 3:26 PM | Updated: 5:09 pm
The news came as a shock.
Sort of.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that John Skelton is the favorite to win the Cardinals QB job.
This is the same Adam Schefter who first brought up the idea that the Cardinals may part with Matt Leinart in September 2010, so it’s safe to say he may have a pretty good idea of what’s going on in Arizona.
Skelton, of course, has outplayed Kolb in the preseason, if only by a small margin. He’s shown improved accuracy, a good feel for the pocket and an ability to take a hit, get up and go again.
Kevin Kolb has done none of these things.
However, if Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt does indeed decide to go with Skelton September 9 when the season opens against the Seahawks, he will essentially be ending Kevin Kolb’s career as an Arizona Cardinal.
At least, he should be.
Two years ago the Cardinals were in a similar situation, as Coach Whiz decided Matt Leinart was not the guy to lead the team into the future. The decision to go with Derek Anderson was bad, but the fact was once it was made there was no going back to Leinart.
The job was supposed to be his, and the second he lost grasp of it there was no way to even fake confidence in him going forward. Should Anderson struggle or get hurt the coach and team would have to profess faith that the former Heisman Trophy winner could do the very job no one thought he could do just months before.
It wouldn’t work, which is why the coach decided it would be best to just sever ties with the QB rather than keep him on the roster as the backup.
The same would have to be done for Kolb, right?
As I wrote in my column Monday, going with Kolb first leaves the option of turning the keys over to Skelton should the need arise.
It would be easy to justify the move should Kolb struggle or get injured, and there would be no harm, no foul. However, go with Skelton and there is no backup plan that can involve Kolb.
It was his job to lose, and he would have lost it.
And if history is any indication, the starting QB role isn’t the only job he’s about to lose.
