Official Release: Arizona Cardinals Release QB Jeff Blake

[Jim O]

Arizona Cardinals Release QB Jeff Blake
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 4, 2004

Tempe, Arizona — Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Denny Green
announces the termination of the final two years of quarterback
Jeff Blake’s three-year contract.

“Josh McCown is our starting quarterback,” Green asserts, “so we
felt it is in Jeff’s best interests to release him now to give
him the opportunity to catch on with another team.

“We have looked carefully at our quarterback situation and we
feel Josh is going to be an outstanding quarterback. He has all
the tools. He should excel in this quarterback-friendly system.
Brad Johnson, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and Daunte
Culpepper all flourished in it.”

Blake, 33, a 12-year veteran, leaves the Cardinals after posting
a 3–10 record as a starter last season in his only campaign with
the team. In the 13 contests, he completed 208 of 367 passes
(.567) for 2,247 yards and 13 touchdowns with 15 interceptions.
He also gained 177 yards rushing on 30 attempts with two
touchdowns.

Blake leaves Arizona with career statistics that include 1,805
pass completions in 3,195 attempts (.565) for 21,529 yards and
132 touchdowns with 95 interceptions, plus 414 rushes for 2,022
yards and 14 touchdowns.

Before joining the Cardinals last season, Blake played for the
N.Y. Jets (1992–93), Cincinnati Bengals (1994–99), New Orleans
Saints (2000–01), and Baltimore Ravens (2002).

— cards —

 

[spanky1]

There is your answer.....we will not be using our #3 pick on Eli or Ben

 

[Stronso]

Originally posted by Jim Omohundro


“Josh McCown is our starting quarterback,” Green asserts, “so we
felt it is in Jeff’s best interests to release him now to give
him the opportunity to catch on with another team.

“We have looked carefully at our quarterback situation and we
feel Josh is going to be an outstanding quarterback. He has all
the tools. He should excel in this quarterback-friendly system.
Brad Johnson, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and Daunte
Culpepper all flourished in it.”

Well, there you go

 

[Walter Mitchell]

Dennis Green's decisiveness is just what this team needs. Blake's pitiful efforts this past season warranted this move. Kudos to Green.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Originally posted by spanky1
There is your answer.....we will not be using our #3 pick on Eli or Ben

Even though I am dead against drafting a QB with the #1 pick, this could easily still be a smoke-screen...

Also, it's true that McCown is the starter now (and even for the '04 season), but doesnt suggest that he will be beyond that.... But I'm rooting for him to prove his worth.....

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by spanky1
There is your answer.....we will not be using our #3 pick on Eli or Ben

Why? The only other option he had was to say that Preston Parsons is our starting quarterback.

 

[Ryanwb]

Originally posted by KingLouieLouie
Even though I am dead against drafting a QB with the #1 pick, this could easily still be a smoke-screen...

Also, it's true that McCown is the starter now (and even for the '04 season), but doesnt suggest that he will be beyond that.... But I'm rooting for him to prove his worth.....

Exactly, Green was just saying last month that he liked Blake. I don't believe anything they say.

 

[Stout]

I think this ups our chances of drafting a QB, especially if one's available in round one. Do you think Parsons will be our backup? No way. We'll possibly add a vet, but do we add a vet, cut Parsons and draft a QB?

Well, this is just another thing to make us say 'hmm?' It doesn't SAY we'll draft a QB, but it certainly doesn't say we won't either.

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by spanky1
There is your answer.....we will not be using our #3 pick on Eli or Ben

Maybe (-:


Right now we have 2 QB's, do we sign a vet, or another young QB? Anybody want to go into the year with just Josh, Parsons and a rookie?

That's where this becomes weird.

I'll give him the benefit of assuming he has a plan and didn't just cut Blake because Jeff cut him off in traffic or something!

 

[spanky1]

Originally posted by KingLouieLouie
Even though I am dead against drafting a QB with the #1 pick, this could easily still be a smoke-screen...

Also, it's true that McCown is the starter now (and even for the '04 season), but doesnt suggest that he will be beyond that.... But I'm rooting for him to prove his worth.....

In the NFL you are only a starter until you fail....if McCown isn't the starter after 2004 it will because he didn't make the most of this opportunity.

My point is that he will be given the keys for 2004. If they were not 100% sure that he could handle it, then Eli and or Ben would be targeted with our #3 pick.

I am personally "stoked" about this.....I've wanted Josh to be our guy for some time and I believe that he'll be a star. This could be Dave MacInnes legacy to the team

 

[Rats]

Originally posted by kerouac9
Why? The only other option he had was to say that Preston Parsons is our starting quarterback.

It is entirely possible that blake couldn't work well with Kruczek...of course that is speculation...apparantly something happened yesterday. If a vet is brought in I would think that if Josh beats them in camp he is the guy. If the vet shows that he still can get it done Josh might sit another season or half of one.

 

[40yearfan]

Great, now let's get a veteran QB back-up in FA and trade down in the draft to get additional picks. No high priced prima-donnas, just solid well rounded players. We'll make our own pro-bowlers.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Is Parsons eligible to play in Europe? If so and they don't send him there, that signifies that he doesn't figure into their plans whatsoever....

I guess Blake was more of a "Mac guy"....Didnt Graves/Bidwill have to convince Mac to finally start McCown since it seemed apparent that Mac played Blake for his own sake to improve his over-all resume?

Also, didn't some coaches claim that Parsons possessed more talent/potential than McCown?

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by spanky1
In the NFL you are only a starter until you fail....if McCown isn't the starter after 2004 it will because he didn't make the most of this opportunity.

My point is that he will be given the keys for 2004. If they were not 100% sure that he could handle it, then Eli and or Ben would be targeted with our #3 pick.

I am personally "stoked" about this.....I've wanted Josh to be our guy for some time and I believe that he'll be a star. This could be Dave MacInnes legacy to the team

He certainly has a better chance at success under Green, than he did under Mac and Sully.

I guess the only thing to say now is Go Josh!

 

[spanky1]

Originally posted by kerouac9
Why? The only other option he had was to say that Preston Parsons is our starting quarterback.

kerouac9,

Not true. He could very easily have said that he didn't think Blake would be our starter and left it at that. Or he could have said that McCown has promise and that he needs room to develop from under the shadow of a veteran QB.....indeed there are a 1000 ways he could have said things........ but what he didn't need to say was that McCown will be an outstanding QB in my QB friendly system.....which is why I don't think we'll be using our 1st round or 2nd round pick on a QB

 

[Jim O]

Originally posted by KingLouieLouie
Is Parsons eligible to play in Europe? If so and they don't send him there, that signifies that he doesn't figure into their plans whatsoever....

I disagree. If you send Parsons to Europe, that would mean McCown would be the only QB to work the mini camps. With the new coach, the Cardinals get two extra mini camps before the draft. McCown's arm would fall off if he were the only one.

 

[spanky1]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
He certainly has a better chance at success under Green, than he did under Mac and Sully.

I guess the only thing to say now is Go Josh!

Or........oh my josh!

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by spanky1
kerouac9,

Not true. He could very easily have said that he didn't think Blake would be our starter and left it at that. Or he could have said that McCown has promise and that he needs room to develop from under the shadow of a veteran QB.....indeed there are a 1000 ways he could have said things........ but what he didn't need to say was that McCown will be an outstanding QB in my QB friendly system.....which is why I don't think we'll be using our 1st round or 2nd round pick on a QB

I dont buy a seasoned coach like Denny Green going into a season that he ,supposedly thinks this team can be good, with McCown, Parsons, and a rookie. You are setting yourself up for disaster there.

I see this more of a sign that he will persue a FA QB to replace Blake with. I dont know who can be had, any better than Blake, for that type of money, but I think he will try.

From what I saw of McCown this year I am not ready to annointe him the future. Did he improve? YES. But he still has a long way to go. I dont know, but the more I think about it, the less I like it.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Originally posted by Jim Omohundro
I disagree. If you send Parsons to Europe, that would mean McCown would be the only QB to work the mini camps. With the new coach, the Cardinals get two extra mini camps before the draft. McCown's arm would fall off if he were the only one.

Oh, I honestly forgot when NFL Europe's season begins, so I guess what I brought up is obviously a moot point.....

 

[Renz]

I don't think it necessarily precludes us from drafting a QB, but I think it tells everyone that we won't be trading up. Cutting Blake would only make our bargaining stance weaker IMO.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Does anyone have the complete list of FA QBs that are now available, besides ones that have already been mentioned?

Also, several QBs will be released during the 2nd wave of FA (after the draft) and after 6/1, so shall be interesting.....

 

[spanky1]

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK
I dont buy a seasoned coach like Denny Green going into a season that he ,supposedly thinks this team can be good, with McCown, Parsons, and a rookie. You are setting yourself up for disaster there.

I see this more of a sign that he will persue a FA QB to replace Blake with. I dont know who can be had, any better than Blake, for that type of money, but I think he will try.

From what I saw of McCown this year I am not ready to annointe him the future. Did he improve? YES. But he still has a long way to go. I dont know, but the more I think about it, the less I like it.

I am not disagreeing with you......we will not go into 2004 with Josh, Parsons and a rookie......which is why I do not think we'll be drafting a QB this year.

I do agree that we will target a FA QB to back up McCown however,just not someone who is as expensive salary cap wise as Blake.

What this is telling me is that we have a paln for FA's and wanted as much free space as possible......can you say Champ Bailey?

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK
I dont buy a seasoned coach like Denny Green going into a season that he ,supposedly thinks this team can be good, with McCown, Parsons, and a rookie. You are setting yourself up for disaster there.

I see this more of a sign that he will persue a FA QB to replace Blake with. I dont know who can be had, any better than Blake, for that type of money, but I think he will try.

From what I saw of McCown this year I am not ready to annointe him the future. Did he improve? YES. But he still has a long way to go. I dont know, but the more I think about it, the less I like it.

I think Green does add a vet QB and will not select one in the draft and moving Boldin position to an end WR from slot, I really think the Cards take Fitzgerald

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by spanky1
I am not disagreeing with you......we will not go into 2004 with Josh, Parsons and a rookie......which is why I do not think we'll be drafting a QB this year.

I do agree that we will target a FA QB to back up McCown however,just not someone who is as expensive salary cap wise as Blake.

What this is telling me is that we have a paln for FA's and wanted as much free space as possible......can you say Champ Bailey?

Who can you get , outside of a Dave Brown type, at a salary of what 1.5 million?

Hell didint Brown make 900,000 a year here? and he was a clip board holder.

The biggest name out there is Brunell and he wont come for that type of money.

 

[ajcardfan]

Originally posted by spanky1
kerouac9,

Not true. He could very easily have said that he didn't think Blake would be our starter and left it at that. Or he could have said that McCown has promise and that he needs room to develop from under the shadow of a veteran QB.....indeed there are a 1000 ways he could have said things........ but what he didn't need to say was that McCown will be an outstanding QB in my QB friendly system.....which is why I don't think we'll be using our 1st round or 2nd round pick on a QB

Well, of course he's going to say that. He might actually need him, even if he has designs on another QB. So, boost McCown's confidence. It can only help. Even if he's hitting his knees several times a day and praying to get Manning or Ben R. in the draft.