SB Nation - Derek Anderson

If Ryan Lindley Is Starting In 2012, Something Went Terribly Wrong

Jess Root — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:45:28 -0000

When the Arizona Cardinals drafted San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley in the sixth round of the NFL Draft last month, it was mildly surprising. The team has two players in Kevin Kolb and John Skelton that it believes can handle the starting job for years to come. However, it is always a good plan to think ahead and develop young talent to either play or perhaps trade off after he has been showcased a little.

However, when SI's Peter King said that Lindley would be the fourth most impactful player of the draft, some eyebrows were raised.

King wrote this:

Whoa, you say. Pump the brakes, pal. Nope. Lindley started 49 games in a pro-style offense in college, and the Cardinals aren't sold that Kevin Kolb is the long-term answer. Something tells me Lindley will have his shot to play by midseason.

Starting by midseason?

It is true that if you put together footage of his best throws, they rival any QB in the draft. But when you put together his worst throws, you would see a guy that wouldn't get drafted.

He obviously has upside and everyone in the league loves a big arm. But with troubles with accuracy and consistency, what are you left with?

Waiting, Waiting...OK. I'll say it. You have Derek Anderson.

I'm not here to say that Lindley is Anderson. He has potential. But the idea that he could have a shot at starting in 2012 is absurd.

That would assume that either Kolb or Skelton were were on the shelf with injury and the other were playing absolutely terribly.

We saw that in 2010 when Skelton started. Derek Anderson and Max Hall both were injured, so Skelton was the guy by default.

But we already know that the team is committed to the Kolb/Skelton combo right now. If one is hurt, the other will get the playing time. Period.

There is one other scenario that could get Lindley a start, but it wouldn't be by midseason. It would be if teh team had long wrapped up a playoff spot and one of the two other QBs were hurt. I could see Lindley starting Week 17 in a meaningless tuneup game. But no other way.

Remember, while Peter King is well respected, he also thought that Max Hall was the guy. Max Hall was just...well, Max Hall.

Beware at the thought of Lindley starting. If he is, something way very wrong with the 2012 season.

You can talk more Cardinals over at Revenge of the Birds.

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Arizona Cardinals' QB Plan Is Actually A Plan, Despite How It Looks

Jess Root — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 18:00:23 -0000

On Friday it was rumored that the Arizona Cardinals might have interest in free agent quarterback Vince Young. Why? According to Gregg Rosenthal at nfl.com, it is because the Cardinals essentially have no plan at the quarterback position. In his words, it is the "Throw it against the wall and see what sticks" plan at quarterback.

While it is true that it looks like Ken Whisenhunt and the Cards are simply guessing, they have had a plan.

Unfortunately, things end up changing. But it certainly isn't just tossing stuff at the wall.

The original "plan" was for Matt Leinart to grab the starting position and run with it. He didn't...and then undermined his coach, leading to his release. That plan didn't work.

That led to Derek Anderson, who was, well, Derek Anderson. The only reason why he was signed by the Cards was because Marc Bulger had not yet been released by the Rams. Anderson played poorly and Max Hall got a shot, but he was worse and then had his year end with an injury. Back to Anderson -- then he gets a concussion.

John Skelton played and he wasn't even supposed to sniff the grass on the field, much less lead the offense. He still has a lot to learn.

That led to the next plan. That plan was to acquire Kevin Kolb. They did that, but he was hurt most of the year. Plan derailed.

John Skelton played sometimes awful, sometimes brilliant.

Then a surprise plan came up. Peyton Manning was available. So they put their Kolb plan in a folder for a bit to look at Manning. He picked the Broncos, so they pulled out the other plan they were happy with.

Yes, the Cards have had to change gears with their plan a few times. But that doesn't mean they are just throwing crap at the wall.

However, it does make Rosenthal seem like he is the one throwing stuff at the wall in regards to Vince Young. Their is no interest in Young. That was confirmed by Kent Somers. It would make no sense to pay Kolb $7 million only to go after Young.

Do the Cardinals have a QB plan? Yes. Has that plan always worked? No. But it is and has always been a plan, not just guessing.

Arizona Cardinals Fans Offering Mattresses Stuffed With Cash To Peyton Manning, Literally

Jason Garrison — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 21:56:13 -0000

The Arizona Cardinals enjoyed two straight seasons in which they went to the playoffs in 2008 and 2009, including a trip to the Super Bowl after the 2008 season, and football fans in America's South West were happy. Then Kurt Warner retired and the team was left in Derek Anderson's less-than-capable hands in 2010 and those smiles became frowns. Even the addition of the very expensive quarterback Kevin Kolb, who helped lead the team to an 8-8 record in 2011 hasn't been enough to turn those frowns upside down.

One guy who could make Cardinals fans happy again is future hall of famer and current free agent Peyton Manning. There were rumors that he would be visiting the Cardinals on Saturday, and while those rumors haven't been confirmed, one fan has gone above and beyond to make Glendale Manning's new home.

By stuffing a mattress full of cash.

John Merwin, the owner of R&S Mattress has put up billboards all over the city that say "Peyton Manning, please stop here." Those billboards were mentioned in an NFL.com article in which it was said that those mattresses better be stuffed with cash if Manning is going to head to the desert. Merwin took that advice and ran with it, making a new mattress in Cardinal Red with the number 18 on it and then he literally filled it with cash.

Watch.

Who knows if a cash-filled mattress will help lure Manning to Glendale, but I know that even though sleeping on a giant pile of $20 bills may be uncomfortable, I would enjoy it.

For more on the Cardinals, head to Revenge of the Birds.

Andrew Luck, Future NFC West Nemesis

DanUpBaby — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:00:42 -0000

At Turf Show Times there's some great analysis of Andrew Luck, who, barring catastrophe, will probably never play for the St. Louis Rams. The hook: He could very well end up playing against the St. Louis Rams, given the NFC West's continued weakness and the short-termy nature of the patches the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers currently have at quarterback. If Tarvaris Jackson, Alex Smith, or even Kevin Kolb collapse like, say, Derek Anderson did last year, you can bet their might be the Worst Andrew Luckmas Ever going on at the Edward Jones Dome come next April.

Speaking as someone who doesn't even watch much college football I've been continually impressed with Luck, and I agree (for more reasons than one) with the commenter at TST who hopes he doesn't have to hate Luck in the future, however cool a rivalry with Sam Bradford could be.

If I may demur just once on 3k's analysis, though, I do have to question one thing about Andrew Luck's decision-making skills: Why on earth did he stick around for another year of college? Has he ever read the Matt Harrington story? I can Xerox him a copy, if he hasn't. I loved college, too, but if the Professional Smash Brothers League were offering me a $50 million contract to main Ness on Final Destination all day I'd gladly finish up later.

Former Cavs Lottery Pick Derek Anderson Implicated In Cocaine Ring

Martin Rickman — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:27:06 -0000

No, not THAT Derek Anderson.

But still, not the best news for the former UK star who was the 13th overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft. Anderson was named by Francois Cunningham, a man who sold kilograms of cocaine and allegedly threw a molotov cocktail into an occupied car, as the "bankroll" for the narcotics deals. The deals were often two or three kilos at a time with each kilogram upwards of $20,000 apiece.

Anderson has not been charged with any crime and in a statement through his attorney claimed that he was not "involved in any illegal activity," according to the Courier-Journal.

The 37-year-old Anderson played for seven NBA teams, including the Cavaliers. In addition to his NCAA Title with the Wildcats in 1996, he won one NBA title with Shaq, Dwyane Wade and the Heat in 2006 after being traded for Gerald Finch. (Poor Gerald Finch, that was the closest that dude was gonna get to a ring).

Kevin Kolb, New Cardinals QB: The Risk Is Worth All Possible Rewards

Cory Williams — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:26:17 -0000

During the NFL lockout, there were only three things in life for certain: death, taxes, and the inevitable trade of Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals. That trade finally happened today.

It just made too much sense - a team with too many quarterbacks (in this case, the Philadelphia Eagles) trades one of them to a franchise completely barren at the position.

The risk is substantial: in trading away Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Cardinals are giving up a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback. They are also handing over a high draft pick to Philadelphia in the process of bringing in a franchise QB.

This trade makes the Eagles look like geniuses. If Michael Vick can stay healthy, they will have an incredible defense and a loaded offense in the skill positions. This immediately makes them contenders for the Super Bowl in 2012.

Kolb coming to Arizona could be just as beneficial for the Cards, however. Kolb is an astronomical leap in talent and experience over incumbent John Skelton and offers Arizona an excellent chance at winning the NFC West with the current crop of players.

Sure, losing Steve Breaston hurts a great deal, but Larry Fitzgerald is a big play threat even when he's triple-teamed. If Kolb can actually throw him the ball in stride (a problem for Derek Anderson, Max Hall, etc.), he could have a career year.

As previously stated, this is a very risky trade for the Cardinals. They will now be fully reliant on rookie Patrick Peterson to be an impact player immediately, and hope that Kolb can quickly learn the Arizona offense and bloom in the system.

But like Emile Hirsch in The Girl Next Door learned, you have to take huge risks to improve your situation or change the future of your franchise. Sometimes, you've got to find out if the juice is worth the squeeze.

The Cardinals Missed A Golden Opportunity By Skipping On Pat Devlin

Shaun Al-Shatti — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:23:56 -0000

Lost in the shuffle of Monday night's flood of undrafted free agent signings was a snarky tweet from CBS Sports announcing that the Arizona Cardinals had picked up Delaware quarterback Pat Devlin. While the name may not have meant much to most, take a long look at his resume before poo-poo'ing Devlin as another Max Hall, undrafted free agent fiasco.

Originally signed to Penn State, Devlin found himself embroiled in a head-to-head competition for the Nittany Lions' starting quarterback position with Daryll Clark in 2008. After losing the competition, the 23-year old followed in the footsteps of Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco and transferred to the University of Delaware.

As a Blue Hen, Devlin recorded two of the most accurate seasons in FCS history, culminating in a senior year in which he led the nation in completion percentage (68.0), while throwing for 3,032 yards, 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

"My biggest thing is my accuracy,'' Devlin said to Sports Illustrated before the 2011 NFL Draft. "If your offense can hold onto the ball, the better your team will be. I think I proved that part of my game is there with my stats this year. I didn't throw many interceptions at all, and that was a big reason why our offense was able to be successful. Accuracy is a huge factor for quarterbacks in the NFL.''

Indeed it is, and it also proved to be one of the Cardinals' biggest downfalls of the ‘10-‘11 campaign. Mired by an erratic foursome of quarterbacks -- Derek Anderson, Max Hall, John Skelton, and Richard Bartel -- the Cardinals offense totaled just 10 touchdowns to 19 interceptions throughout the season, while completing a paltry 50 percent of their passes. After that travesty, some accuracy and astute decision-making was exactly what Arizona needed.

"He's a really intelligent kid,'' NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock gushed when asked about Devlin before the NFL combine. "He understands pass protections. He knows where and when to throw the football. He's going to be really good in the interviews. He's going to look you in the eye. He's going to spit out the protections and numbers, and he gets the game of football.''

Doesn't that sound nice? Wouldn't taking a flyer on the kid seem like the perfect savvy, risk-free move to add a quality low-cost option to address one of the Cardinals biggest holes?

Well, unfortunately CBS' reports ultimately were unfounded -- Devlin signed a three-year contract with the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday morning. While it certainly isn't the biggest loss ever -- after all, the chances of Devlin ever making an impact were relatively small to begin with -- I can't shake the feeling that Arizona missed out on a golden opportunity.

"I feel like you can put me up against any other [quarterback] and I may not be the tallest guy, I may not be able to throw the ball 80 yards, or whatever [Ryan] Mallett claims he can throw it, but I'm confident in my abilities to lead a team down the field and score,'' Devlin said after eschewing the number one selection in the UFL Draft for a chance in the NFL. "And that's basically what it comes down to when you're talking about successful quarterbacks. That's how you're measured.''

"I feel like I've proven I belong, both on the field and in the film room," he continued. "When I get the opportunity, I show people what I'm about.''

Only time will tell whether the Cardinals will regret failing to give Devlin that opportunity.

Sam Bradford's The St. Louis Rams Not-Secret NFC West Weapon

DanUpBaby — Sat, 14 May 2011 13:00:54 -0000

Recently on Turf Show Times—a reminder that in Sam Bradford the St. Louis Rams have somehow managed to possess both the quarterback with the highest potential in the NFC West as while as the quarterback who's closest to a sure thing. It's rare a second-year quarterback manages both at once, and it's true that Bradford saw some significant growing pains in 2010, but in the NFC West it wouldn't take nearly as much as the Rams already have to take the crown from the Arizona Cardinals, the San Francisco 49ers, or the Seattle Seahawks.

The Cardinals are perhaps most inscrutable, with long-term rumors about Kevin Kolb in NFL lockout limbo. de facto incumbent John Skelton, who made his NFL debut at the end of an ugly loss to the Rams, is closer to a Keith Null than a Bradford; he's the fruit of the inexplicable decision to pin the franchise's hopes on Derek Anderson and simultaneously dump Matt Leinart.

The Seahawks are in a similar pickle. Will they really go with the formerly inexperienced and now just not especially great Charlie Whitehurst as their short-term replacement for Matt Hasselbeck? Is Matt Hasselbeck the short-term replacement for Matt Hasselbeck?

The 49ers have what amounts to depth in the NFC West, with Alex Smith appearing more likely by the day to return for another shot at resurrection, this time courtesy new coach Jim Harbaugh, and 2011 draft pick Colin Kaepernick in reserve.

Sam Bradford still has plenty of developing to do, but for the moment he's what passes for stability in the NFC West. Which is why he might manage to win it.

NFL Draft Approaching Fast, Will The Cardinals Take A Quarterback? (Poll)

Seth Pollack — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:40:30 -0000

The biggest question facing the Arizona sports scene in at least that past three weeks focuses on the Arizona Cardinals search to replace All-Universe quarterback / super dad, Kurt Warner. Last season's Derek Anderson and Max Hall debacle made it painfully obvious that the Cardinals need an upgrade under center. No one is disputing that.

The question is if the Cardinals are better off drafting a QB with their number five overall first round pick in Thursday's NFL Draft or if they should find a project QB in the later rounds and gamble that they can get a more experienced guy via trade once the lockout is lifted. They already have last year's rookies Max Hall and John Skelton and one of those guys could possibly turn into a serviceable backup if the team is patient.

The various mock drafts have the Cardinals taking defensive players such at Patrick Patterson or Von Miller with the fifth pick. Others slot in QB Blaine Gabbert of Missouri who many experts feel will develop into a very good NFL quarterback in a few years.

What's not clear is if the Cardinals feel like they have a couple of years to wait for Gabbert to develop. On the other hand, if they pass on a quarterback they will be fighting to land one of the few available vets with 12 or so other teams once free agency opens. With Larry Fitzgerald's looming free agency, the team can't risk another season like 2010-11.

It's a dilemma for sure. What would you do?

Poll

If you were drafting for the Cardinals, what would you do?

Get Gabbert -- can't risk missing out in free agency / trade market

9 votes

Get the best player available, likely a defensive lineman

22 votes

Trade down to still get a good 1st rd pick but also add more late picks

6 votes

37 votes | Poll has closed