The Arizona Cardinals QB Criteria

This week Steve Wilks described what the Cardinals are looking for in a QB:

“We are looking for a very smart and intelligent guy. A guy that is going to come in and command, not only the huddle, but that side of the ball and the locker room. A competitor. A guy who loves to compete. A guy who has that kind of DNA.”

It will be very interesting to see what QB Steve Wilks is referring to.

Ben Volin, who is an excellent Boston Globe football writer, offered his QB predictions in today’s Sunday Globe.

Here’s his take:

Jets---Kirk Cousins

Bronocs---A.J. McCarron on a one year deal, plus a high draft pick.

Bills---Tyrod Taylor for the final year on his contract and a high draft pick.

Browns---a high draft pick.

Saints---Drew Brees.

Vikings---Case Keenum and Teddy Bridgewater.

Eagles---Carson Wentz and Nick Foles.

Cardinals---Sam Bradford (whom Volin called the ultimate “placeholder”) and a high draft pick.

My question to you this morning: Does, in your opinion, San Bradford meet the QB criteria that Steve Wilks explicated?

Furthermore--which QBs in the draft meet Wilks’ criteria?

According to Mike Jurecki---the Cardinals are interested in 7 QBs in the draft:

Sam Darnold

Josh Rosen

Josh Allen

Baker Mayfield

Lamar Jackson

Mason Rudolph

Kyle Lauletta

I have bolded the QBs mentioned above as being, imo, the closest fits to Wilks’ QB criteria.

I am hesitating to put the bold on Sam Bradford. I think he checks most of the boxes, but I am not sure that he is a galvanizing, charismatic presence on the field and in the locker room. I think he is well respected for his talent---but he has never quite struck me as a strong leader. But, maybe I am missing something. Maybe, as was the case with Keenum and Foles, the perceptions of him could be tainted by his years with the Rams and compounded by all the injuries he’s had to battle through.

What do you think about Bradford?

When healthy and dialed in, Bradford can sling it, big-time. Love the talent.

I think that Josh McCown is perhaps a stronger, more charismatic leader, but obviously not quite the talent that Bradford is. if the Cardinals are intent with signing a “placeholder,” would McCown be a better fit than Bradford?

Could Bradford actually seize the job and be the QB for the next few years?

As for the QBs in the draft---Darnold strikes me as a very strong student of the game and a solid leader. Rosen is a masterful technician, but comes across as precocious and entitled, which if continued, will not go over well in an NFL locker room. Allen is much like McCown, imo. He has an affable, upbeat demeanor and is highly competitive, but inconsistent production-wise. Mayfield is an alpha---no question about that---he checks all the boxes, but has bouts of immaturity which, if he manifests on an NFL team, might turn off the veterans. Jackson has a quite confidence and charisma. He wins everyone’s respect by how hard he competes and how tough he is. Rudolph is a bit of an enigma. He looks the part one minute and looks tentative the next. But he is highly productive and he battles back from mistakes the way Carson Palmer did. Lauletta turned heads in Mobile with his take charge attitude. He plays with passion and good energy, but may have the most challenging transition from a small school to the NFL. But, hey, Joe Flacco, Tony Romo and Jimmy Garoppolo managed the transition just fine.

Man, the way Steve Wilks was talking I thought he was describing Drew Brees to a tee. Could Drew Brees be in play here? There were rumors a couple of years ago that Brees mentioned the Cardinals as a team he would like to play for if he ever moved on. Could you imagine how elated Cardinals’ coaches, players and fans would be if they managed to sign Drew Brees? Larry Fitzgerald might rush in and sign a new 3 year contract if that happened.