Arizona Cardinals hoping Blaine Gabbert’s the answer
By Jim Koch
The Arizona Cardinals are hoping a talented, underachieving signal-caller’s career can be salvaged by head coach Bruce Arians
The Arizona Cardinals’ search for their next quarterback has led them down a surprising road. Even reporters closest to the team couldn’t have seen this one coming.
When all is said and done, the signing of Blaine Gabbert will most likely be the most talked-about acquisition of the Cards’ 2017 offseason. It’s certainly an intriguing one.
Come hell or high water, Arizona was gonna attempt to find a future replacement for Carson Palmer this year. Up until now at least, the free agent crop wasn’t appealing to the front office. Available players such as Tony Romo, Mike Glennon, Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick failed to pique the Cardinals’ interest.
This year’s NFL Draft offered even less. 2017’s quarterback class could’ve easily been labeled “Projects ‘R’ Us”. The best of the crop, names like Mitch Trubisky, Pat Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer and Davis Webb, were anything but sure things.
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Make no mistake about Arizona’s plan for Gabbert. With Drew Stanton already in place, a backup to Palmer wasn’t needed. Instead, Gabbert is in the desert to eventually take the reigns when Palmer retires.
The idea has received lukewarm reaction. Arizona fans see a passer who was jettisoned by the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars after just three seasons. They see a castoff from a San Francisco 49ers’ squad that was one of the worst teams in football in 2016.
All of that means very little to head coach Bruce Arians. The Cards’ quarterback guru has a fondness for the former University of Missouri product. After spending six seasons with two bad teams, Gabbert is receiving a golden opportunity from Arians.
Arians already alluded to the fact that Gabbert has never worked with wide receivers as good as the Cardinals have. A statement such as that is classic coach-speak. Offering excuses for the 10th-overall pick of the 2011 draft, trying to sell him to the fans.
Will Gabbert eventually be Arizona’s number-one man? He very well could be if Cardinals coaches like what they see from him this upcoming season. It certainly appears to be the plan.