Jay Cutler may be answer for Arizona Cardinals

With opportunities dwindling, the possibility of the flamethrower landing with the Arizona Cardinals makes more and more sense

Earlier this year, Arizona Cardinals fans were holding their breath. The team’s quarterback of the past four seasons was deciding if he wanted to continue playing or not. The thought of finding a replacement for the most important position in professional sports was not a pleasant one.

We now know what Palmer’s decision was, and, despite his detractors, there’s no denying he has brought stability to the position. And with 2017 most likely being the 37-year old’s final campaign, that stability could potentially go right out the window.

There is an option in free agency however, that could provide hope.

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Jay Cutler, the 33-year old veteran, has yet to find employment since his release from the Chicago Bears. The squad he was most linked with, the New York Jets, elected to sign former Cardinal Josh McCown. With that job now filled, it’s looking more and more like Cutler may have to settle for a backup role this upcoming year.

That’s where Arizona comes in. Would the former first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos be willing to hold the clipboard for a season? Could the Cards’ front office devise a contract that could fit such a scenario?

There’s been talk of the Cardinals finding their next signal-caller with the 13th-overall pick of this April’s draft. Problem is, the quarterbacks set to enter the league in ’17 are chock-full of question marks. Transitioning to a known commodity like Cutler would be less risky than reaching for a kid with a valuable first-round pick.

Management could still draft a “quarterback of the future’ this April. One who could ultimately take over when the club feels Cutler has no more left to offer. They just don’t have to select him so early in the draft.

Right now, the Cardinals have a reported $19 million in salary cap space available. Signing Cutler would also mean the end of Drew Stanton’s time in the desert. Releasing him would give the club even more cap space to play with.

As far as the X’s and O’s, Cutler would appear to be a good fit for Bruce Arians’ system. He’s big, has a tremendous arm and throws a nice deep ball. All the attributes that Arians covets for the position.

Next: Bad Year for Cardinals to Draft a Quarterback

Life without Palmer, starting next season, would seem to be a scary proposition. It’s the fear of the unknown that is the most unsettling aspect facing Arizona. Bringing in a veteran like Cutler could be a solution for that problem.

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