Cards' St. Pierre wants to be No. 2

[DutchmanAZ]

Didn't see this posted...

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2009/05/28/20090528spt-cardsqbs.html

Brian St. Pierre has never been in a position to demand much as an NFL player. But when St. Pierre was deciding this off-season between returning to the Cardinals or signing with the Chiefs, he asked Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt for a legitimate shot to become Kurt Warner's backup.

Whisenhunt agreed and St. Pierre signed a one-year deal for $800,000.

"His track record has always been what he says goes," St. Pierre said of Whisenhunt. "All I want is an honest chance to compete for the No. 2, so I'm looking forward to that, whenever it will happen, because it hasn't yet."

St. Pierre assumes he's been running with the third team in voluntary practices because a bad back forced him to miss minicamp earlier this month.

St. Pierre has never risen above third on the depth chart in his NFL career, which has included stints in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. He turns 30 in November and has played in only one game, throwing one pass (incomplete). He's eager for a chance to prove himself.

"I'm just tired of being 3, to be honest," he said.

The Chiefs, coached by former Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley, wanted St. Pierre, but St. Pierre preferred to stay in Arizona, provided he had the chance to beat out Matt Leinart for the No. 2 job.

Not many NFL teams would consider letting a journeyman beat out the former 10th overall pick in the draft, but St. Pierre trusts Whisenhunt, who chose Warner over Leinart last year.

"Thirty-one other teams, Kurt Warner probably doesn't start for them last year," St. Pierre said. "That's the reality of it, right, wrong or indifferent.

"It's not personal between me and Matt or anything. I just want a chance to compete, an honest chance."

 

[82CardsGrad]

Calm down Mitch!!

 

[IAWarnerFan]

Hopefully it doesn't matter and Kurt Warner has another huge year. With that said tho, give BSP a chance.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Unless Warner gets hurt, heaven forbid, he won't be #2.

 

[Mulli]

What a bum. Why doesn't he want to be #1.

Lah-hoo-zah-her.

 

[TigToad]

What is Whiz going to tell him? No, you cannot be the #2 no matter what, you might as well coast!

 

[Perfectionist]

I think Whis would like him ( St. Pierre) to really put some pressure on Matt to produce. I hope Warner can go another whole season without injury, but odds are he will at least miss a few games. I want a strong competition for 2nd to keep Matt on his toes.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

I'm all for competition.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Good for Whiz.

In related news Lance Long really wants to get on the field too

 

[Duckjake]

$ 3.6 million for two backups?

There were 45 QBs making less than $1 million last season.

What in the world are the Cards doing paying St.Pierre a million dollar salary to be inactive 16 times?

And people blame Dansby for the Cards not having money for extensions?!?!

 

[82CardsGrad]

$ 3.6 million for two backups?

There were 45 QBs making less than $1 million last season.

What in the world are the Cards doing paying St.Pierre a million dollar salary to be inactive 16 times?

And people blame Dansby for the Cards not having money for extensions?!?!

I blame Mitch and all his hyper-hyping of BSP!!!

 

[Shzm13]

Thats pretty lame.

Wouldnt you want to be number 1?

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Unless Warner gets hurt, heaven forbid, he won't be #2.

that's the only way he'll be #2 because ML will then be #1.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

$ 3.6 million for two backups?

There were 45 QBs making less than $1 million last season.

What in the world are the Cards doing paying St.Pierre a million dollar salary to be inactive 16 times?

And people blame Dansby for the Cards not having money for extensions?!?!

agree. i didn't see the reason we gave BSP 800,00 either. It doesn't sound like much. But for a guy who has never completed a pass in 8 years, it does. You figure if we're down to him, that means we've lost Warner and Leinart which pretty much means the season has gone into the tank anway.

 

[Duckjake]

agree. i didn't see the reason we gave BSP 800,00 either. It doesn't sound like much. But for a guy who has never completed a pass in 8 years, it does. You figure if we're down to him, that means we've lost Warner and Leinart which pretty much means the season has gone into the tank anway.

You also have to wonder how the guys who actually play in the games feel about this clipboard holder getting a million bucks?

 

[Skkorpion]

Unless Warner gets hurt, heaven forbid, he won't be #2.

If St. Pierre is #2, it will be because he outperformed Leinart in camp and pre-season. Whisenhunt plays the players who show they deserve to play.

We are back to the same old stuff we already beat to death. Whisenhunt inherited Leinart, he didn't choose him. Mitch was right back then. I sided with him, reading the signals the same way.

There is no reason to panic. None. Whisenhunt will choose the right guy to be #2 and that's good for all of us. It might be a choice between two players, both of whom may be good enough to play.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

If St. Pierre is #2, it will be because he outperformed Leinart in camp and pre-season. Whisenhunt plays the players who show they deserve to play.

We are back to the same old stuff we already beat to death. Whisenhunt inherited Leinart, he didn't choose him. Mitch was right back then. I sided with him, reading the signals the same way.

There is no reason to panic. None. Whisenhunt will choose the right guy to be #2 and that's good for all of us. It might be a choice between two players, both of whom may be good enough to play.

Thank you. Play the best player. Makes sense.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

You also have to wonder how the guys who actually play in the games feel about this clipboard holder getting a million bucks?

considering i'm 1 incomplete pass away from having the same career as St.Pierre, it does make you wonder.

 

[Linderbee]

If St. Pierre is #2, it will be because he outperformed Leinart in camp and pre-season. Whisenhunt plays the players who show they deserve to play.

We are back to the same old stuff we already beat to death. Whisenhunt inherited Leinart, he didn't choose him. Mitch was right back then. I sided with him, reading the signals the same way.

There is no reason to panic. None. Whisenhunt will choose the right guy to be #2 and that's good for all of us. It might be a choice between two players, both of whom may be good enough to play.

Yeah, and there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that BSP will out perform Leinart. Not going to happen. I don't think anyone's panicking.

 

[CardinalChris]

Minimum Salary for an 8 year player is 730K, so we only gave him a 9-10% bump over the minimum. Not exactly breaking the bank to encourage him to stay instead of go to KC.

 

[Saxon079]

You also have to wonder how the guys who actually play in the games feel about this clipboard holder getting a million bucks?

That's a great point I think he makes more than Steve Breaston? A third string quarterback making more than 1000 yard wide receiver interesting.


As to the debate of who the second string quarterback is or will be does anybody really think with the money Matt is due there not going to put him in there???????? No matter what they have no choice they have to find out if he has what it takes and they can only do that with regular-season games there is absolutely positively no way he doesn't play if God for bid Kurt goes down and I'm not even going to put an in my opinion in there it's just the facts of life people. It's one thing having a two time league MVP beat out the young up and comer it's a whole other thing to have an absolute nobody beat out the first-round pick that's due big-money in a preseason battle I can't believe this is even a debate.

 

[Duckjake]

Minimum Salary for an 8 year player is 730K, so we only gave him a 9-10% bump over the minimum. Not exactly breaking the bank to encourage him to stay instead of go to KC.

True, but you are supposed to release guys turning 30 who make too much money.

Somebody like Tyler Palko at $385k should be just as good at not throwing a pass.

 

[Zeno]

Somebody like Tyler Palko at $385k should be just as good at not throwing a pass.

I honestly think though that Whisenhunt can't forget his first season here and having Leinart and Warner both hurt and nobody to turn to. We had to sign one guy off the High School practice field in Rattay and another guy out of the broadcast booth to have depth at that point. He is probably concerned with the repeat.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

I honestly think though that Whisenhunt can't forget his first season here and having Leinart and Warner both hurt and nobody to turn to. We had to sign one guy off the High School practice field in Rattay and another guy out of the broadcast booth to have depth at that point. He is probably concerned with the repeat.

30 years old and has played what 5 regular season downs in the NFL(with Pitt)?

 

[Duckjake]

I honestly think though that Whisenhunt can't forget his first season here and having Leinart and Warner both hurt and nobody to turn to. We had to sign one guy off the High School practice field in Rattay and another guy out of the broadcast booth to have depth at that point. He is probably concerned with the repeat.

I agree but that's happened something like once or twice in 25 years. Fairly high insurance premium for such a low frequency risk. Risk could be higher than normal because our #1 is 38 and Leinart has been out injured before, however.

It is cool though that for once the 3rd string guy was playing because our first two QBs got hurt instead of playing because the first two were terrible.