I don't get all the commotion.

[Cbus cardsfan]

I think it's absolutely no big deal that Leinart hasn't signed. He's going to get an extended pre-season during the regular season by being the scout team QB. It's not like in past years when guys like Bryant and Wadsworth were expected to be main contributors. I'm sure Leinart is getting the playbook down.Just because he's not in camp doesn't mean he's at home doing nothing. Sure, it would be nice to have him in camp but he's a backup and probably wouldn't see the field until week 8 at the earliest. He's been to all the minicamps and OTA's. Now, if his holdout would last into the final pre-season game then i'd be a wee bit concerned.But all indications are that he'll be signed by early next week and all will be good in Cardinal land. Then we can go back to worrying about important things like did JJ Arrington slip or did he just fall to avoid being hit .

 

[CardinalChris]

The problem is that 1) the QB position take quite a bit of time to grasp and 2) Warner has had soem injury issues where Matt may be needed (I'm sorry, but Navarre is a body at this point unless something drastic changes). Those two items combined make his signing important. There are about 6 weeks of training camp, he's miss the better part of two. It is fast becoming a problem.

 

[Pariah]

I get all the commotion.

 

[joeshmo]

He's going to get an extended pre-season during the regular season by being the scout team QB. It's not like in past years when guys like Bryant and Wadsworth were expected to be main contributors. I'm sure Leinart is getting the playbook down.Just because he's not in camp doesn't mean he's at home doing nothing. Sure, it would be nice to have him in camp but he's a backup and probably wouldn't see the field until week 8 at the earliest. He's been to all the minicamps and OTA's. Now, if his holdout would last into the final pre-season game then i'd be a wee bit concerned.But all indications are that he'll be signed by early next week and all will be good in Cardinal land. Then we can go back to worrying about important things like did JJ Arrington slip or did he just fall to avoid being hit .

The 3rd string QB is the scout team QB. Always has been. If Lienart was the scout team QB he would be running plays of another team and not his own. The 2nd string QB also gets a few reps against the scout teams as well.

 

[clif]

I agree with cbus

 

[Big Red Line]

The moment he signs, Matt will be the third string quarterback. It's not clear yet that he will be able to move up to #2.

 

[Pariah]

The moment he signs, Matt will be the third string quarterback. It's not clear yet that he will be able to move up to #2.

Certainly will be harder now that he's missed a good deal of camp.

But, make no mistake, he'll be the #1 guys some day--if only for a few games, he'll get his shot.

 

[kerouac9]

I guess it's a question of whether or not you believe that anything the Cardinals are doing in camp right now is going to be of value to Matt Leinart and in increasing his development as a quarterback.

Who's better, Matt Leinart in Week 8 with a full training camp and 4 games of preseason experience (including Warner tutoring him on the sideline during game action and #7 having game film of himself to analyze) or Matt Leinart in Week 8 with maybe half a training camp and maybe 2 quarters of preseason experience in which the first two games were a total loss?

 

[kerouac9]

Oh, and by the way, Josh McCown's first start of 2005 came in Week 4.

 

[joeshmo]

Who's better, Matt Leinart in Week 8 with a full training camp and 4 games of preseason experience (including Warner tutoring him on the sideline during game action and #7 having game film of himself to analyze) or Matt Leinart in Week 8 with maybe half a training camp and maybe 2 quarters of preseason experience in which the first two games were a total loss?

Wont next year be Matts first year going to Flagstaff since the team comes back down the hill Friday.

 

[kerouac9]

Wont next year be Matts first year going to Flagstaff since the team comes back down the hill Friday.

Maybe. I can see Matt heading up to NAU for Tequila Sunrise next March.

 

[D-Dogg]

Maybe. I can see Matt heading up to NAU for Tequila Sunrise next March.

Tequila Sunrise is a bad idea. One of those times I was completely blacked out.

And did they move TS because it used to be the day of football homecoming...

 

[AzCards21]

I fully understand the commotion and am adding to it.

 

[Sandan]

They go back up monday, don't they ?

 

[joeshmo]

They go back up monday, don't they ?

You are correct. I thought it was a short camp so I thought they were only up there for a 2 weeks. I was wrong.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I guess it's a question of whether or not you believe that anything the Cardinals are doing in camp right now is going to be of value to Matt Leinart and in increasing his development as a quarterback.

Who's better, Matt Leinart in Week 8 with a full training camp and 4 games of preseason experience (including Warner tutoring him on the sideline during game action and #7 having game film of himself to analyze) or Matt Leinart in Week 8 with maybe half a training camp and maybe 2 quarters of preseason experience in which the first two games were a total loss?

Of course, the ideal situation is to have him in camp from the start but i don't think missing the first pre-season game and about 15,or so, days of his first camp are going to have an effect on his career,or this season, at all. I guess the only risk is if Warner goes down in the first 3-4 weeks, and that is a possibility.Even then,i think DG would go to Navarre but it puts Leinart that much closer to playing.But, if i remember right, all the reports from the off season workouts with Leinart was how quickly he grasped the nuances of the offense and the command he had. So, it's not like Alex Smith or Vince Young where you're starting from square one and have to learn how to take a snap from under center and limit your playbook to 10 plays.

 

[Totally_Red]

Of course, the ideal situation is to have him in camp from the start but i don't think missing the first pre-season game and about 15,or so, days of his first camp are going to have an effect on his career,or this season, at all. I guess the only risk is if Warner goes down in the first 3-4 weeks, and that is a possibility.Even then,i think DG would go to Navarre but it puts Leinart that much closer to playing.But, if i remember right, all the reports from the off season workouts with Leinart was how quickly he grasped the nuances of the offense and the command he had. So, it's not like Alex Smith or Vince Young where you're starting from square one and have to learn how to take a snap from under center and limit your playbook to 10 plays.

The "commotion" involves all the vital practice time and coaching that Leinart is missing. It's time that can't be "made up." QB is far and away the most difficult position for a rookie to learn. Missing two weeks of practice is devastating.

Sean Salisbury on NFL Live said Leinart's absence sets him back big-time. Training camp is where 2nd and 3rd team QB's get reps and coaching. Once the season starts, that disappears.

 

[Indiana Hoosier]

He needs to get in camp with his team and learn, learn and more learn. I hope that Kurt stays healthy, but his past history is not good. Graves, Michael, get him signed, NOW!

 

[Codeofhammurabi]

Cbus has it right. Leinart will not figure in wins and losses early in the season, and with any luck, in this season period. I just want to get him signed so the talk here will switch to predominately football, rather than contract status.

 

[bigredjane]

The last practice-

Is next Thursday in the morning 10:15 till noon and then a walkthru at 2:30 till 3:30 then that's it and they come down the hill.

 

[slanidrac16]

Matt Leinarts value will be in 2007. In reality NOBODY wants to see MAtt take one snap during the regular season this year.....unless it's a mop up situation late in the game.
We really can't consider Leinart as being a integral part of the 2006 playoff run even if he was in camp on time.
I'm going to stop worrying that Kurt Warner will get hurt. Worry is interest paid on something that might never happen.

 

[JeffGollin]

Initially, I didn't think Leinart's non-signing was that big a deal either, but things have been said (some on this board) that changed my mind:

Football-wise, it matters insomuch as - should KW have to leave the game - trotting out on the field in Leinart's absence will be one John Navarre. If Navarre has made the strides some say he's made, no big deal. But if he hasn't, we've got a problem.

PR wise - the absence of Leinart takes about 20% of the wind out of our sales as we open a new stadium, feature a new RB, look to the playoffs and debut several promising rookies. (I figure that positive buzz and fan momentum is worth a couple of extra victories this season. We're blowing it).

Furthermore, it's a distraction. (Kind of like the war in Lebanon deflecting attention from Iran's and N. Korea's nuclear misbehavior). Instead of media buzz centering on how Edge looks and whether Pope or Watson are the real deal, all the team will see, hear and read ad nauseum will be "Where's Matt?" until the deal finally gets done.

Note - National media spin (per SIRIUS this morning) is that Leinart and Condon should stop with the "He's better than a #10 draft pick pick" mantra - He was drafted #10 and the slotting parameters are pretty well defined.

 

[Garthshort]

And Another Thing

In today's game, I expect that KW will play into the second quarter, and be followed by John Navarre, who will probably play through most of the third quarter. Then for the rest of the game instead of watching ML, we'll be watching Davey and Otis. It will really be garbage time. ALIMO.

 

[Pariah]

PR wise - the absence of Leinart takes about 20% of the wind out of our sales as we open a new stadium, feature a new RB, look to the playoffs and debut several promising rookies. (I figure that positive buzz and fan momentum is worth a couple of extra victories this season. We're blowing it).

I'd say it takes more than 20 percent out. Just look at the turnaround on this board from what we were collectively saying two months ago to what we're saying now. It's a complete 180.

Note - National media spin (per SIRIUS this morning) is that Leinart and Condon should stop with the "He's better than a #10 draft pick pick" mantra - He was drafted #10 and the slotting parameters are pretty well defined.

For the Cardinals, this is good news.

 

[PACardsFan]

I know I'll catch grief for this, but we're a 7-9 team regardless of when Leinart signs. Our OL, LB & Secondary depth will eventually catch up to us, regardless of the upside we seem to have. DG has done a remarkable job of transforming this roster into something respectable, but we have another year before we're playoff bound. This team was so, so, so BAD under McGinnis that it has taken 3 SOLID offseasons & we're still not there yet. I've waited so long, but I love the future this team has. I just hope DG is there to coach next year. Unless the Cardinals internally combust, ownership would be crazy if they let DG go should he win 6 or 7 games.