Tryout QBs could make offseason roster for Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals rookie mini-camp has a pair of tryout quarterbacks running the offensive drills. One is well known here locally -- Taylor Kelly out of Arizona State -- while the other is Phillip Sims out of Winston-Salem State. As the saying goes, these are likely "camp bodies" simply in camp because the Cardinals have to have quarterbacks to practice.

But head coach Bruce Arians was impressed by the pair of tryout guys. Sims threw the ball really well. Kelly "has some accuracy" and "kind of reminds" Arians of former Arizona State star Cardinals starting QB Jake Plummer, especially since Kelly was wearing No. 16, the number Plummer wore at both ASU and for the Cards.

Arians also didn't rule out the possibility of one of the two making the offseason roster.

"It might be something where we keep a guy a fourth or fifth arm to throw to the rookies in the afternoon," he said to the media after Friday's practice.

Arizona already has four QBs on the roster -- Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, Logan Thomas and Chandler Harnish. But Palmer is coming off ACL surgery and will not take many reps in OTAs. That means a lot for Stanton and Thomas, with some for Harnish. Of course, the limitations the league has set on offseason work does not apply to rookies, so they would still need someone to throw to them. That might be where Sims or Kelly -- likely Sims -- makes the offseason roster for the extra work.

Do Sims or Kelly have any real shot at the final roster? Not really. But a good showing in camp could get them some more work and, at minimum, the Cardinals coaching staff can spread a good word to other staffs about them.

Wishful thinking? Certainly. But keeping the dream alive for these guys a little longer is worth it if it also helps the Cardinals in their offseason work.