Arizona Cardinals: A look at quarterback in 2015

One of the main reasons the Arizona Cardinals are done and not preparing for the Seattle Seahawks this week is the quarterback position

The Arizona Cardinals of the past couldn’t ever seem to get stable at the quarterback position.  Then in 2013 things changed and the Cardinals signed Drew Stanton and traded for Carson Palmer.  Palmer was anointed the starter right away.  He took every snap in 2013.  However in 2014, things drastically changed.

More from Cardinals News

• Arizona Cardinals: Could Eric Bieniemy come to the desert?
• Would Jonathan Gannon be a good fit for the Arizona Cardinals?
• Arizona Cardinals: Budda Baker right in his take regarding the next coach
• Arizona Cardinals: 3 reasons new coach should want to work with Murray
• Arizona Cardinals special teams could be completely revamped in 2023

The Cardinals were on their fourth quarterback of the season this past Saturday in the 27-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers.  Not many playoff teams are staring at their fourth quarterback as a starter.  That’s how things went this season though.  We can’t change what has happened but the future is still very bright for the quarterback situation in 2015.

Projected 2015 starter: Carson Palmer

Palmer is coming back.  First of all, the Cardinals just paid him a ton of money to be here the next couple of years.  A lot of it is guaranteed money, like almost $20 million, so it’s ridiculous to think they are going to just part with him.  As long as he’s healthy, he’s the starter next season and in 2016.

The backup should again be Drew Stanton.  Stanton went 5-3 in his starts and played the closer role for Palmer the week he suffered his torn ACL. As for who is on the roster beyond that remains in question somewhat.

You would think Logan Thomas would be competing for that third spot again.  However I would not call it a lock.  The Cardinals took all of one afternoon to yank Thomas from being a backup to a starter back to a backup.  He was so bad in practice, head coach Bruce Arians went right back to Ryan Lindley.  Never at anytime was Thomas an option during the offensive embarrassment in Carolina.  That’s very telling.

I will project Thomas being here for camp.  I don’t think the Cardinals want to give up on him.  I would not rule the Cardinals drafting a quarterback but they have several other needs that must be addressed first.  If a quarterback is drafted, it most likely wouldn’t be until the fourth-round of later.

As for Lindley, unfortunately I think his days with the Cardinals are done for good.  His days as an NFL quarterback are probably numbered as well.  It is unfortunate and maybe unfair for him to have been thrown into such a huge spotlight but now three years into his career, he doesn’t appear to have progressed much.  That will raise red flags for other teams.  I wish him well.  He’s a great person.  Hopefully a team out there someday does take a flier on him.