Arizona Cardinals: Quarterbacks to say no to

There are some playoff quarterbacks in 2017 the Arizona Cardinals should say no to in 2018

As we watch the 2017 playoffs unfold here during Wild Card Weekend in the NFL playoffs, one thing is clear, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side as far as the Arizona Cardinals are concerned. There are three quarterbacks whose names have consistently appeared in rumors as possibilities for the Cardinals in 2018.

On Saturday, we watched Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith.  On Sunday we are in the midst of watching Blake Bortles from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tyrod Taylor from the Buffalo Bills. Not a single one of the three stirs up any excitement.

Sure, they may be a little more exciting than a Drew Stanton or Blaine Gabbert.  However none of them have been too impressive.

Smith’s name has come up in trade rumors all season.  Although the Chiefs collapse on Saturday had little to do with Smith, he just doesn’t have the “it” factor.

Bortles doesn’t have it either.  He has a hard time finding open receivers and when he does his throws tend to be off a bit.  He’s not as bad as he used to be but the Cardinals shouldn’t settle for a veteran still feeling his way through.

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Same can be said for Taylor.  He relies heavily on a run game.  Now, the Cardinals should do the same going forward with David Johnson but they are never truly going to be a “run first” team.

Taylor does have speed, can run the ball.  The mobility is attractive but he needs to be able to be consistent in the air as well.

The Cardinals could do worse than these three but they have the opportunity to do so much better.  The Cardinals learned that with Gabbert this season and have to now believe Gabbert can’t be that guy moving forward either.

The Cardinals would better be served by getting a stronger quarterback who can play the next two or three years here, while also being a mentor, before giving way to a future quarterback.  The only guy that really be looked at as a mentor in that group by any stretch would be Smith.

Bortles and Taylor are still learning themselves.  They don’t fit what the Cardinals should be looking for at this point.