Trading for quarterback is ticket for Arizona Cardinals
By Jim Koch
The 2017 quarterback draft class is nothing special so the Arizona Cardinals should look to trade for their next signal-caller
Who the future quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals will be continues to be a hot topic for their fans. Name after name has been thrown out there, from veterans to draft possibilities. Hopefully the dilemma is solved this offseason.
Free agency is most likely out of the question. Mike Glennon will probably command more money than the Cards can fit under their salary cap. Jay Cutler is an intriguing name, but he needs to first be released by the Chicago Bears for Arizona to have a shot at him.
We’ve all heard the names connected with this April’s NFL Draft. Mitch Trubisky, Deshone Kizer, Pat Mahomes, DeShaun Watson, Davis Webb and Brad Kaaya are at the top of most lists. According to people in the know, there are no Andrew Lucks or Russell Wilsons emerging from that group.
Which brings us to trade candidates. With Carson Palmer returning, management is limited on the amount of cash they can allot to whoever they acquire. Unfortunately, they just don’t have alot of salary cap space this offseason.
The most intriguing name mentioned in trade talks is Jimmy Garroppolo. Arizona saw what he could do last season when he and the New England Patriots came to the desert and emerged victorious. He’s entering the last year of his rookie deal and carries an affordable cap hit of $1.1 million.
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The Cincinnati Bengals have thus far balked at trading backup A.J.McCarron, a scrappy winner from the University of Alabama. But Andy Dalton isn’t going anywhere and it would probably make sense for Cincy to dangle McCarron. His cap hit in ’17 is a meager $735 thousand.
The Denver Broncos currently have two young quarterbacks in their stable, Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch. There were whispers that the Cardinals had coveted Lynch during last year’s draft. Would Denver’s new coaching staff opt for Siemian and try to rid themselves of Lynch’s $2.1 million cap hit?
With the big money the Houston Texans have invested in Brock Osweiler, would they entertain offers for Tom Savage? The 6’4″, 228 lb Savage has the size and skill set Cardinals coach Bruce Arians craves. Also, his 2017 cap hit of $765 thousand is extremely manageable.
Will GM Steve Keim and company elect to deal for their quarterback of the future? Will an opportunity to do so even present itself? It’s without a doubt the club’s most important decision of the 2017 offseason.