With or without Manning, there’s a clear loser in Arizona

While Cardinals fans all over the Valley are bubbling over
with excitement at the possibility of the franchise luring
one of the best quarterbacks of all time to play here,
there is one guy who likely does not share that feeling
and instead is probably thinking “here we go again.”

After a stellar collegiate career at Houston, the sky was
the limit for Kevin Kolb. When the Eagles took him in the
2nd round of the 2007 draft, most experts believed it
wouldn’t take long and he would eventually be Donovan
McNabb’s replacement in Philadelphia. When he got his
shot in 2009 filling in for an injured McNabb, he drummed
up his own controversy with a great performance in Week 3
against the Chiefs which earned him NFC Player of the Week
honors. Kolb’s two game stint came at the same time his
new teammate Michael Vick was reinstated by the NFL. But
even with Vick on the roster, the job was Kolb’s to lose
after McNabb was traded to Washington prior to the 2010
season.

Kolb made it through training camp that year still slated
as the starter and promptly went out and suffered a
concussion in Week 1 against Green Bay. That injury gave
Vick the gig that turned his career around and eventually
sent Kolb on his way to Arizona.

Now after signing a big contract with the Cards and then
suffering through an injury-plagued 2011 campaign, Kevin
Kolb’s future is once again up in the air.

I can’t help but think that no matter what happens with
Manning, Kolb’s psyche could be seriously damaged.
Regardless of how talented he is, Kolb may never get a
chance to reach his potential due to the physical and
emotional roller coaster ride he’s been on over the last 5
years.

Follow @Vincemarotta