Arizona Cardinals: 2017 backup quarterback

Arizona Cardinals starting quarterback Carson Palmer still no decision on returning in 2017 or not

There has been so much speculation on whether Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer will return or not, the ignored question is who will be the backup? Will it be Drew Stanton or a rookie?

There is a very good chance Palmer is going to return, so as soon as that is official then the Cardinals need to focus on their backup. After the season ended they said they would be searching for the quarterback of the future this offseason.

Many have speculated where that quarterback will come from. Will he be a draft pick or a free agent. My best guess is on a draft pick.

So if Palmer starts in 2017, who is the backup? According to Mike Jurecki at Fox Sports 910, he believes it will be Stanton. Certainly coach Bruce Arians likes him.

He had one start in 2016 and it was very shaky at best. It was against the San Francisco 49ers so it didn’t need to be a spot on performance. The Cardinals allowed running back David Johnson to do all the work.

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If the Cardinals draft a quarterback high in the draft, why wouldn’t they make him the backup? The Cardinals carried just two quarterbacks on the roster until later in the season when a third was necessary in case.

If the Cardinals draft a quarterback, there is no way they’d take a chance and cut him and hope to sign him to the practice squad. He will at the very least be the third quarterback.

The issue is if the drafted quarterback plays the third guy, how can he be ready for game action in 2018? Sure it’s possible. You’d hate to see a guy like Stanton leave as he has shown at least he can step in and manage.

Stanton surely isn’t that quarterback of the future. He only stayed with the Cardinals last season because he was promised a chance to compete for the starting job. It sure sounds like the Cardinals though are not convinced of that. Are you?

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