After not drafting a quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft, despite Blaine Gabbert being available, everyone is now turning their attention to the trade and free agent market to speculate who will be the next starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals in 2011. Rumors have it that there was a deal in place to bring QB Kevin Kolb to Arizona for a 2012 first-round pick and maybe a player like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (which, in my opinion, is too much).
Based on that rumor, if true, obviously the Cardinals are not worried about Kolb's supposed contract demands. Honestly, they shouldn't be. If they do trade for him, they will still likely hold most of the control.
Obviously as a player, he and his agent will attempt to secure the best deal for him. Reportedly he is seeking a multi-year deal in the ballpark of $50-$70 million, with $20 million or so guaranteed. His current deal goes through the 2011 season and will pay him a "meager" $1.4 million. Now, his last contract deal paid him handsomely up front, so we should not have to worry about his financial well-being.
Clearly he will want more than that.
The thing is that it is kind of odd for Kolb's agent to come out and put that information out there, unless it is smokescreen to get teams he does not want to go to to shy away.
Let's say the Cardinals do trade for him. They are going to want to have him past 2011. They will want to get a long-term deal done. However, if his demands really are this exorbitant, they can still wait it out a bit.
They can see how the season plays out. If he shows the promise they believe he has, then they can work something out during the year.
If he is spectacular and nothing gets worked out before the end of the season, the Cards will still likely be in an okay situation.
If I had to guess, I would imagine that the "franchise tag" will be in the next CBA. They could franchise Kolb and pay him handsomely in 2012, or use it as a place-setter to give them time to work out a longer contract.
Nothing in Kolb's history suggests that he is the type of player to sit out or cause problems in the locker room. In fact, it is quite the opposite. He is a guy who teammates love and is ultimately a team guy. Even when he wants out of Philly so he can start, he was quick to send a text saying that he thought the selection of Danny Watkins in the first round was great for the team.
So what if Kolb really wants that much money? He may be worth it. But the Cards don't have to ante up that quickly. He has a contract. He likely will be able to be franchised after 2011. If he plays well, the Cardinals will pay him handsomely. If his demands turn out to be something more reasonable, then locking him up might be the right idea.
But the rumor of contract demands certainly should not deter them form acquiring him if they really believe he is the answer at QB.