Arizona Cardinals quarterback situation one of worst in NFL per Rotoworld

There is a never ending topic in NFL circles, one that rages during the offseason and into the regular season and playoffs every year.

Almost every year since the early 2000’s, the answers have been the same, but now, as age, retirement and new blood infuses into the NFL, we are seeing a change.

Every year, Rotoworld does a list of the best quarterback situations in the NFL. Every year, the Arizona Cardinals, even with Carson Palmer score low. In 2015, coming off an ACL tear, the Cardinals ranked 25^th. In 2016, coming off an MVP campaign, the Arizona Cardinals ranked… 25^th.

Where do the rankings stem from?

This is why the state of the quarterback room is a team’s most pressing concern at any given moment. Evaluating the league’s situations, we’ll take everything into account. Age, injury history, past success, future potential, retirement rumors, etc. This means simply having the best quarterback doesn’t automatically make you No. 1.

With that in mind, the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 are ranked… 27^th by Patrick Daugherty and Rotoworld.

From Daugherty:

“An injury risk in irreversible decline, Carson Palmer is a ticking time bomb under center. Behind him are mega-bust Blaine Gabbert and journeyman Drew Stanton. Stanton was not up to the challenge when Palmer missed 10 games with injury in 2014. Few teams in football were in more dire need of adding a young quarterback this offseason, but the Cardinals passed. They’re using duct tape and glue to keep Palmer together for his age-37 campaign, going as far as to eliminate his spring throws. Palmer is fully aware the end is near, taking two months to decide his 2017 status. To Palmer’s credit, he stabilized last season after a dreadful start. There are just too many warning signs for the Cardinals to feel comfortable. Palmer is no longer year to year, he’s game to game. Finding his successor is all coach Bruce Arians and GM Steve Keim should be thinking about between now and next spring.”

While a straight ranking it is not, it is peculiar to see the Arizona Cardinals continually having one of the worst quarterback situations in the NFL, while… Not having one of the worst quarterback situations in the NFL.

Most people know my stance on Carson Palmer. There are two quarterbacks who can come in right now and out perform him without a doubt in my mind, Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck. There are a few quarterbacks who can likely replace him, but that may be only 3-5 if I really stretch it.

Stanton is 6-3 as a starter with the Arizona Cardinals. He may not inspire confidence from the outside, but he has won games before in Arizona.

If the Cardinals, or any organization are relying on their number three quarterback, Blaine Gabbert, your season is screwed anyways.

Now, this isn’t to say that Daugherty is wrong in his assessment of the Cardinals in 2017, he has been every year, but it is interesting to see the names after the Cardinals:

Broncos
Rams
Browns
49ers
Jets

The 49ers and Jets have thrown in the towel, so to speak, on the 2017 season at the quarterback positions. The Browns are going the route of, we don’t love anyone, so we aren’t going to invest too much, and the Rams and Broncos have invested heavily.

Is Carson Palmer worse that Drew Brees right now as a straight quarterback comparison? I would say yes, but is the Cardinals situation that much different than the Saints? I understand Palmer’s medical history is much worse than Brees’ is, but the Saints are ninth in the quarterback situations with Chase Daniel and Luke McCown behind Brees?

What do you think?

Are the Cardinals a bottom six team in the quarterback situation?