Cardinals “think highly” of Kyle Orton

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On the same day that we wondered if the Broncos are trying to manufacture a high price tag for Kyle Orton, we have a report from the Arizona Republic that indicates the Cardinals are interested.

(And this report could be a manufactured way to reduce Kevin Kolb’s pricetag. Got all that?)

Kent Somers is hearing that the Cardinals “think highly” of Orton.

“I believe the Cardinals have Kolb rated slightly ahead of Orton, but maybe not enough to justify paying a bounty to the Eagles for him,” Somers writes. “In other words, why give up substantially more for Kolb than you would for Orton?”

The Cardinals will try to let the Eagles know that they have options.  It could just be a high stakes game of chicken between the two teams, but the report makes a lot of sense.

There are plenty of personnel evaluators that would likely agree the gap between Orton and Kolb is not necessarily a big one.

27 responses to “Cardinals “think highly” of Kyle Orton

  1. I agree… the gap between Orton and Kolb isn’t far. It’s two midgets arguing who’s taller. Arizona, please want Orton more. Can’t take another season of 3rd down failures, and gut wrenching 4th quarter performances… errrr. I mean, damn, I’d hate to see orton go >:^}

  2. And so do the Jets. Rex Ryan really loves his footwork. He’d look great lining up behind Woody and the Gang Green.

  3. The gap is a big one. Orton is miles ahead of Kolb in every department. I think Kolb has something like 2 career wins in Philly. 11 tds and 15 ints. On a very good team.

  4. And if Mike Brown would stop being an idiot he could be in the process of manufacturing a higher price tag for Palmer than both of these goons are worth..

  5. Somers is probably correct. They’re two years apart in age, and Orton has 51 starts compared to five for Kolb. Sure, that creates the perception– possibly with some validity– that Kolb has more untapped upside. However, the other side of the equation is that he’s also less proven, and obviously far less experienced.

    Orton showed that he could be successful chucking it deep to Brandon Lloyd last year– is there any reason to doubt that the neckbearded one can successfully heave it deep to Fitzgerald? And even if Ryan Williams isn’t a big help the Cards should run it better than the pathetic Broncos ground game last year.

    We all know Orton’s not great, but he’s probably good enough to make them competitive in a division that 7-9 won last year. The guy’s better than Trainwreck Anderson. If they could get Kolb for a moderately reasonable price– like what Houston paid for Schaub, for example– then fine, maybe you do it. But if the greedy Eagles want to extract a king’s ransom for the guy based on a few good games and a decent skill set, I think Arizona would be better obtaining Orton for a more modest price, and saving the bulk of their picks and resources to build their defensive front seven and offensive line.

    There’s no reason they can’t compete in that division with Orton for a few years. Look at the QB situations in Seattle and San Fran– the West is wide open unless St. Louis matures enough to run away with it this year. I don’t know how you justify giving up a first rounder and another high pick for a QB that will be 27 when the season begins and has seven starts to his credit. I know it’s the premium position, but dang. You sure better be right if you do that, and he needs to be at least borderline-great, not just “good.”

  6. This is nothing more than haggling on price. Hey, Iggs, we will sign Orton if Kolb’s price is too high. Blah, blah

  7. You guys are nuts if you think Orton is actually good. He has had years and years to prove himself and what has he done? He has a career QB rating of 80 and a career .500 winning percentage. AVERAGE. Always has been. Always will be. Why does anyone think this guy is any good?? He puts up nice fantasy numbers because he played in a good offensive system in Denver under McDaniels. But most of those nice fantasy numbers came in garbage time after his team was already down 35-10.

    Kolb may be an unproven commodity, but I would rather an unproven commodity than a guy who has proved he is is just a loser.

    One more thing: Orton couldn’t even beat out Rex Grossman for the starting gig in Chicago. That’s pathetic.

  8. How is Kolb more valuable than Orton? No chance. This is basically the Cards saying “We’ll take Kolb for Orton’s price. If not, we’ll take Orton for Orton’s price.”

    IMO Orton >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Kolb

  9. Orton has a winning record with a better than average defense. I can’t fault the win/loss record since he played with the 32nd defense. Broncos’ D was practically worst in the league dating back to game 7 of last year.

    Orton is a good QB and with a good D (top 15) I think he could win the NFC West division. Especially tossing it up to Fitz.

  10. Eagles should just keep Kolb just in case Vick can’t stay healthy. If Vick goes down, they still have a shot with Kolb. If they need to rely on Kafka, the season’s pretty much over. If other teams don’t want to pay for Kolb, then let them suck with Orton, Hasselbeck and Alex Smith lol!

  11. If I’m the Eagles I don’t trade Kolb unless I get the world for him. Reason being that Vick won’t stay healthy and never has. Also Vick is prone to make mistakes when the stakes are at there highest. Look at the pick to end the Eagles season last year. He throw it way down field in the end zone when he should have thrown it to someone closer or just thrown it away period. He forced the ball. it got picked game over Pack steamroll there way to the Lombardi. Vick has proven to not be a winner, at least Kolb is a solid back up plan. And I don’t care what Kolb wants, he doesn’t have to be the starter. Having seen all of his games I don’t know what he is. At times he looks good, other times hes running for his life. Either way the line should be better with the draft and having Jackson back from injury, so once Vick gets hurt Kolb will have his chance to start with a solid line.

  12. One more thing: Orton couldn’t even beat out Rex Grossman for the starting gig in Chicago. That’s pathetic.

    _____

    Except that he did in 2008 and took the Bears to one horrible Lovie call away from the playoffs.

    Also, he has more career wins, more career winning seasons, and before last year, a way better w/l pct than Jay Cutler.

  13. ”we have a report from the Arizona Republic that indicates the Cardinals are interested.

    (And this report could be a manufactured way to reduce Kevin Kolb’s pricetag. Got all that?)”
    __________

    It wasn’t that complicated.

    Speaking of matters that aren’t all that complicated, Orton had 20 TDs and fewer interceptions on a mediocre team, while Kolb had 15 TDs, 11 interceptions playing in a loaded offense.

    Redskins Coach Shanahan and GM Allen are you listening!

  14. Orton’s stats measure up with Kolb’s pretty well considering how many more games Orton’s been tested. Actually, besides the hot run Kolb had in only a few games, Orton blows Kolb away. The only factors in Kolb’s favor is money and mobility. Money will be renegotiated if Kolb’s traded so that won’t be a factor. Thus, only mobility becomes the issue. Does Arizona’s offense require a scrambler or pocket passer like Kurt?

  15. Get a number 1 or keep him as back-up for injury risk Vick. Franchise him then trade him before next years draft to another desperate team in the one QB only draft next year. The same way the Pats did with Cassell. Including the fools who wasted picks on the sludge in this years first two rounds. Oh and Cardinals go with Orton and pick in the top 5 again next year! haha

  16. There also going to go after Marc Bulger and who knows …..Vince Young might wanna play too.

    Why not trade for Chris Redman and call it a day?

  17. as a cardinals fan i am afraid they are going to give up too much to get Kolb who has yet to prove he is even a good starting qb in the nfl. i am even more worried that they will resign him to a 5 year high dollar deal, that could really hurt them. and the eagles are crazy by the way for dealing kolb. if you look at vick’s injury history and inconsistency as a player they need a good qb behind him. it makes me think they don’t really think too much of kolb anymore that they are shopping him so much. i would rather see them take orton or sign bulger to a short deal. of course part of what this is about is keeping fitz happy. in the prime of his career he wants a real qb now. i hope if they take kolb i have to eat my words and he ends up being awsome i just don’t see it.

  18. Well, those are some pretty expensive midgets (1st and 3rd for Kolb or 2nd and 4th for Orton reportedly). However, compared to some the other munchkin QBs on the market and the Arizona roster, it might seem pretty enticing. Palmer would be the man I want under center if I were the Cards. Guess we will see if the crazy old man in Cincy wises up and trades him.

  19. I love how everyone is saying Orton is better then Kolb. You people are delusional. Kolb was the first play in NFL history to throw for 300+ yards in his first two career starts and has won 2 NFC player of the week honors in his first 5 starts. I would say he is legit. Sure he has some INTs and some losses. But he is also still young. Anyone remember Peyton Mannings beginnings? The man stunk up the joint. I think Kolb is and will be far ahead of Orton. Is there a huge gap right now? NO. But I think there will be in a year or two…

  20. Eagles are goin to trade Vick.
    they accepted a game in Canada & they dont let fellons cross the border.. proofs in the puddin.
    lol

    and Arizona needs a QB with a CANNON arm.. Kolb has a pellet gun. the dude can’t throw more than 50,, I’ve seen him in action.. you should see how many WRs have to come back for the ball.
    that being said, i still think he is a better option than Orton. in all seriousness

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