Beanie not worried about his job but is about QBs
Jun 3, 2011, 3:19 PM | Updated: 4:33 pm
Just because the NFL players are locked out doesn’t mean their lips are sealed. Some are more than willing to talk and media members are more than willing to listen.
On Thursday Arizona Cardinals running back — for now — Beanie Wells exercised his right to an opinion as a guest on Happy Hour with Jody Oehler in Tucson where he was very candid about his team and what transpired in April’s draft.
“I was surprised about it,” he told the host when asked about the Cardinals drafting Ryan Williams in the second round. “I definitely didn’t expect them to take a running back. I’m just working my tail off. Just preparing as I would for any other year. I’m not worrying about ‘OK they drafted a running back and I need to do this, this and that’. I don’t think like that. I think if I’m going to be in Arizona I’m going to be there but if I’m not I’m going to play football somewhere regardless.”
Beanie also didn’t shy away from talking about the Cardinals’ quarterback situation. An issue he obviously was frustrated with last season.
“I’d like to get it taken care of and have the coaches kind of solidify a starter and solidify a guy that we’re going to stick with and ride with throughout the whole season,” he said. “As opposed to how it was last year where we were kind of wishy washy. Things happen and hopefully we get it taken care of this year.”
If the Cardinals selected Williams as a wake up call or as motivation for their former number one pick the strategy sounds like it worked about as well for the club as Derek Anderson.
Wells’ nonchalant attitude towards the Virginia Tech running back’s arrival in desert can be read in one of two ways; he’s as confident in his abilities as Terrelle Pryor is in his driving ability and thus doesn’t feel threatened, or he’s like Carson Palmer and doesn’t care if he remains as a member of his current franchise.
For Ken Whisenhunt and the rest of the team’s sake hopefully it’s the former and not the latter.
Wells was their first round pick just two seasons ago and his, and Williams’, emergence is needed if the Cardinals’ offense hopes to establish the rushing attack that has eluded them for the better part of their over two-decades in the Valley.
The other interesting tidbit to emerge from the interview was Wells’ thoughts on the quarterback situation. Was he just frustrated with the last year’s quartet of QBs or was he referring to the coaching staff’s inability to stick with one starter all year as ‘wishy washy’? Only he knows for sure, but the answer might reveal his true feelings about the coaching staff and whether he wants to remain with his current team.
