Matt Leinart inherited the Cardinals’ starting quarterback job Friday afternoon when future Hall of Famer Kurt Warner announced his retirement. In comments made to the Associated Press, however, head coach Ken Whisenhunt didn’t necessarily commit to Leinart as his first-stringer in 2010.
“We’ve got plenty of time to sort things out,” said Whisenhunt. ”Matt’s not a rookie. He’s been in this offense for three years.”
Whisenhunt leaves the door open for Arizona to pursue reinforcements at the position. The team is likely to bring in competition, though in what form remains to be seen. They could pursue a mid-round draft pick like Cincinnati’s Tony Pike or a trade for a veteran like Sage Rosenfels or Marc Bulger. The free agent class is uninspiring, headlined by Chad Pennington, A.J. Feeley, Daunte Culpepper, Rex Grossman, and Charlie Batch.
The Cardinals seem unlikely to pursue Donovan McNabb, who probably is available for trade but has spent his entire career in the West Coast offense. Arizona runs a different system.
In his four-year career, Leinart holds a career completion rate of 57.1, a weak yards-per-attempt average of 6.5, and a 14:20 touchdown-to-interception ratio. If Leinart does hold off his competitor(s) — which he certainly will have because he is currently the Cardinals’ only quarterback under contract for 2010 — the 2004 Heisman winner will get just one year to prove he’s the long-term answer. Leinart’s contract calls for over $12 million in combined salary and bonuses in 2011.
Pennington couldnt throw deep to Fitz & company…I think the Vikes are more likely to land Pennington if Favre retires than the Cards
Whisenhunt just doesn’t care for Leinart, that has been evident since he was hired as head coach. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Ken bring in someone to compete against Matt for the starting position.
Leinart has sure been a disappointment in the NFL. Come to think of it, who was the last top ten QB drafted that has proven beyond a shadow of doubt to be worth every penny paid? Not Leinart (don’t remember where he went in the draft) not Russell, not Stafford. Somebody help me out here. Who was it?
This would be a great opportunity for Rex Grossman. He’s a gunslinger who deserves a second look.
The $12 million is for 2011, if I read the contract terms correctly…
David Carr? He’ll be available. Give him the protection where he isn’t running for his life, and he’ll win you games. With Palmer retiring (QB coach for the Giants), Carr will be looking to compete for a starting position.
Braindead-
Peyton Manning – No. 1, 1998
the one and only vince young. that’s who haha
Evan
Have you watch the Eagles at all over the last few years? Their offense resembles a vertical passing attack much more than a west coast system. Accuracy is key in a traditional west coast system… not one of McNabb’s strong points which has cause Andy Reid to change the system. He would fit right into that offense in Arizona so don’t just count it out because he has been in a “West Coast System”. McNabb would thrive in that system with those receivers..
That Leinert/Cutler/Young draft is looking great, eh?
I think McNabb is a perfect fit; he is far from the prototypical West Coast offense QB.
@braindead
Without a doubt? Probably have to go back to 2004 with Manning and Rivers. (Big Ben was #11)
Leinart reunites with Carroll in Seattle?
@braindead– Matt Ryan
yea leinart sure is a bust.he won 4 of his last 6 as a rookie then broke his collarbone 5 games into his second season. so yea that is plenty of time to judge him a flop.forget that he was by all accounts leading warner in the pre season battle and that whisenhunt just went with warner because he wanted a vet at qb.he looked ok his 1 start this year but florio still hates him because he did not get invited to that hot tub party.you know the one that leinhart had in the offseason in his home on a weekend not missing any conditioning or workouts. but under florio law that proves he doesn’t like football.can’t wait till he gets traded or cut and he gets a real chance with the seahawks and his old coach. how can you write a guy off who has not been given a chance by a coach who did not draft him?face it nothing he could do with a hall of fame qb on the team and a coach who does not believe in him.
braindead:
C’mon man, the answer is obvious – Alex Smith!!!
55.1 completion percentage, 6.25 avg yds per comp, 22:36 TD-INT ratio, calls by the fans to trade him and keep his backup. Head coach gives the fans the finger by trading the backup and keep the QB they don’t want. Result: 3 Super Bowls and the HOF. It would seem ridiculous today for ANYONE to say that the Dallas Cowboys should have kept Steve Walsh and traded Troy Aikman but that’s what happened. I’m not saying that Leinart is another Aikman but he can be better than some people think. If he grew up during this time, he will be fine. His biggest problem was that he was too much of a party boy and if that hasn’t changed then he’s gone. You can complain about his arm but does anyone think that Chad Pennington fits the Kurt Warner mold and yet, he always seems to win.
McNabb wasn’t a WCO QB until Andy Reid got to him, and he’s never been a natural fit in that scheme. He just isn’t quick enough mentally or accurate enough of a passer. He’d be just fine in Arizona, though.
“Matt Leinart inherited the Cardinals’ starting quarterback job Friday afternoon when FUTURE HALL OF FAMER Kurt Warner announced his retirement.”
JINX!
braindead:
good question…
Peyton & Eli & Rivers… I’d add Ben but he was #11
McNabb was also a Top 10 guy in ’99. Carson Palmer in ’02(?) Vince Young, ’06 has a pretty good record as a starter. Philip Rivers,’04, was #4 overall the same year Eli Manning was #1. Honorable mention to Big Ben that year at #11.
Jury still out on Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez from ’08 and ’09, respectively.
Stafford has played one year with a terrible team around him and showed alot of progress. Kinda hard to call him a bust.
Derek Anderson will be available in March, he has the arm, but can he be a pro bowler again?
warner helped him win some of those games. they were platooning some.
some due to injuries…
rex or feeley i think. bulger needs some time off to recover from shellshock, wherever he goes. and if he recovers.
i bet sage stays put whether favre does or not.
chad doesnt have the arm, pullpecker blows chunks, batch is way over the hill.
carr? still isnt recovered from shellshock.
Whiz: Tommy Maddox awaits your call. A wonderful reunion in the desert with Boss Hogg Russ Grimm as altar boy.
Ryan regressed this year, so you can’t make a case for him just yet.
……Florio said he wouldn’t be getting much competition……looks like you guys are contradicting each other. or Florio just doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
my vote is on the latter.
Leinhart will be just fine in the new Cards offense minus Warner and Boldin. Whiz never was big on all the throwing. He’ll want to go back to a running offense anyway. Thats why they got Beanie and the offensive linemen are better at run blocking now than pass protection. Never thought Whiz was real comfortable with Warner.
At most Warner was only going to be with the Cards one more year. Now they have a year to see before Leinhart makes the big bucks.
Boldin for Kolb + 3rd round pick
Leinart hasn’t impressed me but he is by far better than Rex Grossman. he has been a joke every since he got into the league. I never could believe someone even drafted him.
should have added McNabb & Palmer…to early to tell on Stafford,Ryan, Sanchez,Young or Leinart but pretty sure Ryan & Stafford will get there
Whisenhunt is smart, he is building the Cardinals like the Steelers were when he was there…and by that I mean he wants a power running team that doesn’t NEED to throw as often. Thats partly why they drafted Beanie Wells. We’ve seen teams over the last few years bring in rookie QB’s, but they ran the ball well enough to essentially hide them and make life easier. I dont see any reason why Leinart couldn’t follow that path. But at the same time maybe they just wanna draft a new QB and be done with it. Afterall didn’t that St.Pierre guy almost beat out Leinart for the #2 job?
Leinart will be a top 5 fantasy QB next year
braindead-matt ryan
As long as they don’t alter the game plan, the Cards will be fine.
If they start trying to run 60% of the time they will suck again.
Leinart will be fine as long as they give him the same offense they gave Warner.
Leinart deserves a full year as the #1 guy to show if he can hang onto the job. He hasn’t had much playing time to this point, other than his rookie year when he broke his collarbone, and mop-up duty since. Far too early to judge him. Which is why he won’t be joining Pete Carroll – NFW they trade him to a division rival when he’s still unproven.
McNuggets isn’t the answer. He makes his offseason home just a few miles from Cardinals HQ, but that’s about the only way that he’s close to fitting in.
Expect to see a more balanced attack and less reliance on the pass under Leinart, at least initially. And Boldin WILL be traded in the offseason.
In a pefect world…
The Cards would trade Matt to the Raiders for Lard Ass, a second, and a fourth.
Damn now I cant draft Fitzgerald or Boldin in my fantasy league sucks
# Raider Pride says: January 30, 2010 8:33 PM
In a pefect world…
The Cards would trade Matt to the Raiders for Lard Ass, a second, and a fourth.
====================================
So you are saying the Raiders shouldve drafted him instead of Michael Huff that year?
Take Daunte, he’s the greatest of all time…
You know, a 14:20 ratio should actually be read in reduced terms of 7:10 mathmatically speaking.
Also, 6.5 yards per attempt is pretty decent, a little above average.