Lomax to Green 84
Hall of Famer
of course I am assuming that one of the big 3 (Young, Leinart, Cutler) is still on the board when we pick at #10. I am in no way suggesting we trade up to get one of those guys. I am only advocating that we need to take one of those guys is one falls to us at #10.
I've been a fan for going on 28 years now and in that time span the Cards have used one #1 pick on a quarterback (1987-Kelly Stouffer) and he never donned a Cards uniform. We have spent a few 2nd rounders on quarterbacks (Neil Lomax, Jake Plummer, and that kid from Penn State in 92). If my research is correct and I think it is, we are the only team in the last 18 years not to draft a quarterback in the first round.
Its time to take one in the first round. Now before people get in an uproar about who to take let me start by saying this: I am not a professional scout and from what I have read on this board none of you are either. However, there are a ton of professional scouts out there who spend thousands of hours pouring over these kids and the majority seem to agree that Jay Cutler, Vince Young, and Matt Leinart are franchise caliber quarterbacks. Guys like Mel Kiper and Pat Kirwan etc... don't just come up with these kids on their own. They have contacts in the league and those contacts let them know who has a first round grade etc... and no matter what our opinions are these 3 quarterbacks are given 1st round grades.
That being said I don't really have an opinion of who we take of those 3 quarterbacks and this post is not about who we take only that we need to take one of those guys. Why? many reasons actually. The Cardinal organization has made a huge attempt over the last few years to rectify the losing atmosphere and loser image of the organization. The new stadium, new uniforms, new logo, change in structuring of contracts, aggessive in free agency. All things that point to being a viable winning organization. Dennis Green has come in and addressed long time problem areas on the team (defensive end/pass rush, defensive backfield, runningback), but he has not addressed the single most important positon on the field (quarterback) other than bringing in a aging veteran who can't stay healthy (Kurt Warner).
If you need and example of why its so vitally important to get that franchise quarterback then look at the Bengals and Colts as examples. The Bengals were in a predicament back in 2003 when they had the 1st overall pick. Marvin Lewis was a brand new coach and he wanted to bring in a difference maker right away, but he also understood that investing in a franchise quarterback even if he didn't contribute right away could pay off bigtime in the future. The Bengals had many opportunities to trade out of that 1st pick, or they could have taken someone else instead of Carson Palmer but they stuck to their guns and took him knowing that he would sit for a year. The Colts did the same thing with Manning back in 98.
So many of us use the excuse that Dennis Green needs to win now and drafting a quarterback with that first pick means we don't get an impact player for next year. That arguement is bogus. Just look at Cardinal history to show how bogus that arugement really is. Name me one rookie (and that incluedes the good ones) that had a dramatic effect on the Cards winning bunches of games. Rolle had zero impact, Fitz was good but we still only won 6 games, even Boldin (2nd rounder) as great as he was only helped us win 4 games.
If Dennis Green needs an impact rookie first round pick to help him get over the hump for next year then we are in big trouble because history shows that you can't count on a rookie to make that gigantic of an impact regardless of the position. I actually think that taking a quarterback #1 give teams a psychological advantage at times. The veterans on the team realize that the franchise has enough faith in the current roster to win that they can take a guy to sit for a year. Look at the Chargers in 04 and the Bengals in 03 as examples teams that took quarterbacks #1, had those kids sit and them went out and had a great season without their help.
Cutler, Young, or Leinart-Its time Cards to bite the bullet and get one of those guys in here.
I've been a fan for going on 28 years now and in that time span the Cards have used one #1 pick on a quarterback (1987-Kelly Stouffer) and he never donned a Cards uniform. We have spent a few 2nd rounders on quarterbacks (Neil Lomax, Jake Plummer, and that kid from Penn State in 92). If my research is correct and I think it is, we are the only team in the last 18 years not to draft a quarterback in the first round.
Its time to take one in the first round. Now before people get in an uproar about who to take let me start by saying this: I am not a professional scout and from what I have read on this board none of you are either. However, there are a ton of professional scouts out there who spend thousands of hours pouring over these kids and the majority seem to agree that Jay Cutler, Vince Young, and Matt Leinart are franchise caliber quarterbacks. Guys like Mel Kiper and Pat Kirwan etc... don't just come up with these kids on their own. They have contacts in the league and those contacts let them know who has a first round grade etc... and no matter what our opinions are these 3 quarterbacks are given 1st round grades.
That being said I don't really have an opinion of who we take of those 3 quarterbacks and this post is not about who we take only that we need to take one of those guys. Why? many reasons actually. The Cardinal organization has made a huge attempt over the last few years to rectify the losing atmosphere and loser image of the organization. The new stadium, new uniforms, new logo, change in structuring of contracts, aggessive in free agency. All things that point to being a viable winning organization. Dennis Green has come in and addressed long time problem areas on the team (defensive end/pass rush, defensive backfield, runningback), but he has not addressed the single most important positon on the field (quarterback) other than bringing in a aging veteran who can't stay healthy (Kurt Warner).
If you need and example of why its so vitally important to get that franchise quarterback then look at the Bengals and Colts as examples. The Bengals were in a predicament back in 2003 when they had the 1st overall pick. Marvin Lewis was a brand new coach and he wanted to bring in a difference maker right away, but he also understood that investing in a franchise quarterback even if he didn't contribute right away could pay off bigtime in the future. The Bengals had many opportunities to trade out of that 1st pick, or they could have taken someone else instead of Carson Palmer but they stuck to their guns and took him knowing that he would sit for a year. The Colts did the same thing with Manning back in 98.
So many of us use the excuse that Dennis Green needs to win now and drafting a quarterback with that first pick means we don't get an impact player for next year. That arguement is bogus. Just look at Cardinal history to show how bogus that arugement really is. Name me one rookie (and that incluedes the good ones) that had a dramatic effect on the Cards winning bunches of games. Rolle had zero impact, Fitz was good but we still only won 6 games, even Boldin (2nd rounder) as great as he was only helped us win 4 games.
If Dennis Green needs an impact rookie first round pick to help him get over the hump for next year then we are in big trouble because history shows that you can't count on a rookie to make that gigantic of an impact regardless of the position. I actually think that taking a quarterback #1 give teams a psychological advantage at times. The veterans on the team realize that the franchise has enough faith in the current roster to win that they can take a guy to sit for a year. Look at the Chargers in 04 and the Bengals in 03 as examples teams that took quarterbacks #1, had those kids sit and them went out and had a great season without their help.
Cutler, Young, or Leinart-Its time Cards to bite the bullet and get one of those guys in here.
