NFL.com: Drew Stanton in top 10 of NFL’s backup QBs

Truth be told, few people were quite sure of what the Arizona Cardinals had in quarterback Drew Stanton before last season.

After all, the team’s backup quarterback had not thrown a pass in an NFL game since 2010, and though head coach Bruce Arians was high on him, there was an understandable level of uncertainty from others.

But when Stanton filled in for an injured Carson Palmer in Weeks two, three and four, and then again later in the season after the team’s starter went down for good, the former Michigan State passer acquitted himself well, throwing for 1,711 yards and seven touchdowns while leading the Cardinals to six wins in nine games played.

He did about all you could ask of a backup quarterback, which is part of the reason why NFL.com’s Marc Sessler ranked him ninth amoung the NFL’s 32 backup QBs.

Of Stanton, Sessler writes, “Stanton has issues, but he wasn’t afraid to take shots downfield.”

Stanton averaged 7.13 yards per attempt last season, which is not far off of the 7.26 mark Palmer had. While he was not as accurate as the starter, the Cardinals’ game plan did not change all that much with Stanton under center.

Stanton is once again expected to be the team’s backup quarterback. The battle for the third spot will be one of the more intriguing things to watch in training camp, as Logan Thomas, Philip Simms and Chandler Harnish will all look to stake claim to the role.