Cardinals close book on Derek Anderson era
Jul 29, 2011, 12:27 AM | Updated: 1:38 am
The Cardinals made a couple of moves Thursday, and while the acquisition of Kevin Kolb may be the most flashy, the release of Derek Anderson is likely just as pleasing to the team’s fans.
Arizona officially announced Anderson’s release, as well as that of linebacker Gerald Hayes.
In the Valley for just one year, Anderson was named the starting quarterback after passing Matt Leinart on the depth chart.
Anderson played in 12 games, starting nine, and completed just 51.7 percent of his passes while throwing just seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His struggles were at the forefront of a bad season for the Cardinals, and he was replaced by undrafted rookie Max Hall in week five.
He regained the starting job a few weeks later, but was never able to turn his season around. His struggles culminated with a meltdown after a Monday night loss to the 49ers, as he provided media fodder with a rant about why he was caught laughing on the sidelines during the game.
The veteran Hayes, who had been with the Cardinals since being drafted out of Pittsburgh, was a steady presence on the defensive side of the ball. However, injuries plagued him throughout his career, and he played in just six games in 2010. While he collected 23 tackles (33 total), he just wasn’t the same player as he was before.
