The Cardinals finally chose their starting quarterback on Friday, but John Skelton isn’t getting all that long a leash in Arizona.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Friday that he felt like the team was making the right decision for right now, although he didn’t give much insight into how the decision came to be made. Whisenhunt was also very clear about saying that Skelton’s work isn’t done now that he’s claimed the job. While the team believes they made the right call in going with Skelton, the decision isn’t irreversible later in the season.
“It’s a production-oriented business,” Whisenhunt said, via Darren Urban of the team’s website. “If you’re not getting the job done, you’re going to be replaced. Our expectation is that (Skelton) is going to get the job done.”
While that’s the kind of thing coaches will say about almost every player, it has particular resonance in Arizona because, based on past appearances and the preseason, there are going to be moments when Skelton isn’t getting the job done. Whisenhunt says he’ll turn back to Kolb in such an instance, but that became an even tougher sell thanks to Friday’s decision. Depending on when in the season the Cardinals might be in a position to make a change, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear rookie Ryan Lindley’s name come up as a potential starter.