Cardinals cut Jeff Blake
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 4, 2004 03:20 PM
The Cardinals released Jeff Blake on Wednesday, committing themselves to going with a younger quarterback.
Blake's release increases the likelihood that the team will take a quarterback with the third overall pick in April's draft. If it happens, that player will battle for the starting job against Josh McCown, a third-round pick in 2002 who started the final three games of last season.
Preston Parsons, a second-year player, is also on the roster.
The Cardinals were Blake's fifth NFL team so he was aware of the cold realities of life in the NFL.
"You can't trust anybody, no matter what they say or think," Blake said. "I learned that a long time ago. They'll smile in your face and stab you in the back."
Coach Dennis Green was not immediately available for comment.
Blake, who signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract a year ago, started 13 games in his only season with the team. He didn't play the last three games as the team took a long look at McCown, in his second year.
When contacted Wednesday afternoon, Blake said he hadn't heard official word from the team. But he was aware of the rumors that he would be cut.
"I played the best I could with what I had," Blake said. "I played hard. If they don't want me, someone else will. That's the way this business is. You have to keep ballin'."
The Cardinals might have a chance to take one of the top two-rated quarterbacks in the draft, Mississippi's Eli Manning and Miami of Ohio's Ben Roethlisberger.
It's possible, however, that the teams choosing ahead of them, San Diego and Oakland, could take those two players. Or, another team could trade up.
The Cardinals went 3-10 with Blake as the starter, and he passed for 13 touchdowns and was intercepted 15 times. It was the worst season of his 12-year career.
The team's offensive problems weren't all his fault. The running game was inconsistent, and Blake was playing with a receiving corps made up of rookies and other unproven players.
The Cardinals save $1 million against the salary cap by cutting Blake. They won't have to pay Blake's salaries of $2 million in each of the next two seasons.
However, he will count $1 million against the salary cap, the non-prorated portion of his $1.5 million signing bonus.
The Cardinals could have saved themselves $500,000 in cap charges this year by waiting until after June 1 to cut Blake. But it's likely they released him now to give Blake a better opportunity to catch on with another team.
"Maybe something will happen to me like it did for Jake Delhomme," Blake said, referring to Carolina quarterback, who helped the Panthers to the Super Bowl in his first year with the team.
Oh well, at least mine was a replica that I got on eBay for $45.00.
