Prediction: Warner will retire after this season

[az jam]

I think that the recent concussion will be the deciding factor and Warner will retire at the end of this season. He signed a two year contract that was front loaded so he really doesn't need to stay for the money. He also is a family man and very involved with many different charitable foundations. So being active is not an issue. Before the concussion I think it was probably 60 - 40 for him returning but that has now all changed. He has nothing else to prove and will make the NFL Hall of Fame. I know that some on the board really felt he would be back and "honor" his contract but I think his wife and family will want him to walk away.

 

[jaguarpaw81]

I hope you're right.

 

[moklerman]

You could be on to something. Warner is very sensitive to being healthy when his playing days are over. No way he misses this game in the past. Not only that, he's still talking like he doesn't know if he will play next week vs. Minnesota. He just might be starting to circle the wagons.

 

[az jam]

It will be a different team. Leinart will be the starter for sure. The key for the Cards will be the offseason draft to really build our defense. Leinart will do ok but we just won't be scoring the points like when Warner runs the team. Our defense will have to get much better.

 

[CaptTurbo]

When Leinart takes over our run game will be very solid so he wont have to sling the ball like Warner. We need 1 or 2 olineman, 1 great OLB, a solid ILB and a pass rushing DE.

 

[moklerman]

When Leinart takes over our run game will be very solid so he wont have to sling the ball like Warner.

These last two games wouldn't seem to indicate that. I realize that the running game has suffered because defenses don't respect Leinart(yet?) but if he isn't going to be slinging the ball, at least similar to Warner, then how is the running game going to benefit from him being the QB?

 

[Evil Ash]

When Leinart takes over our run game will be very solid so he wont have to sling the ball like Warner. We need 1 or 2 olineman, 1 great OLB, a solid ILB and a pass rushing DE.

Impoving at TE wouldn't hurt either. We'd be a different team under Leinart (more rushing and Playaction) but that's not neccessarily a bad thing.

I have gotten the impression that this was Warner's last season since it started. His body language has been very telling

 

[moklerman]

If he starts vs. Minnesota, I think it's a 50/50 chance that it will be his last game. He will get his bell rung again and it will scare him and Leinart will get 4 winnable starts and be on a semi-roll finishing the season, thus facilitating the transition to him as starter.

 

[Evil Ash]

These last two games wouldn't seem to indicate that. I realize that the running game has suffered because defenses don't respect Leinart(yet?) but if he isn't going to be slinging the ball, at least similar to Warner, then how is the running game going to benefit from him being the QB?

RBs have to get into a rhythm just like any other part of the offense. That means they need more carries to let them get into a rhythm as well as wear down a defense.

With Warner at the helm, he wants to put the ball up all the time and basically ignore the running game. Thats just the type of QB he is.

 

[moklerman]

RBs have to get into a rhythm just like any other part of the offense. That means they need more carries to let them get into a rhythm as well as wear down a defense.

With Warner at the helm, he wants to put the ball up all the time and basically ignore the running game. Thats just the type of QB he is.

3 straight games of 160+ seems like they had found a nice balance. Hightower and Wells were both gaining steam each week and becoming factors. They are not true factors though because the threat of the passing game still has to be evident. Otherwise, defenses will stack the box and the running game, as well as the attempt at a running game, will go away. It's happened two weeks in row.

 

[PACardsFan]

I always felt that Warner's goal was to play one more year & possibly have a shot at the SB again. The Cardinal FO knows that in order to be a legitimate franchise, this team needs to make consecutive trips to the playoffs. Otherwise, they would be branded as a flash in the pan. If everything goes our way & we make the playoffs, then Warner will retire while on top. If the opposite happened, then the Cardinals could easily explain that it was Leinarts time. Either way, I think we are seeing the last of Kurt Warner this year. Leinart will have his opportunity, but I expect the Cardinals to either draft a QB or bring in a FA QB to keep Leinart company.

 

[Evil Ash]

3 straight games of 160+ seems like they had found a nice balance. Hightower and Wells were both gaining steam each week and becoming factors. They are not true factors though because the threat of the passing game still has to be evident. Otherwise, defenses will stack the box and the running game, as well as the attempt at a running game, will go away. It's happened two weeks in row.

True but these ast two weeks can't really be used as an indicator as to how it will be when he starts for the season.

In cases like this as you mentioned we would throw a play action deep passes in order to move the safeties back but with a lack of reps in practice it was a bit difficult to ask when he doesn't have a rhythm with the 1st stringers. With Warner, we use the pass to set up the run. With Leinart, we use the run to set up the pass.

 

[moklerman]

If Warner had gone through this year unscathed, I think Leinart was gone and an acceptable backup was brought in next year(or a QBOF if the right one was to Whis' liking after the 2nd or 3rd round). Too much would have been unknown about Leinart to pay him the money.

Leinart is looking good enough at this point to ease some tension about his future and make him worth taking a chance on. Warner is playing it safe, which is fine but also something that he's never done before and I know that his family is even more important to him than a remote chance at a Super Bowl.

I don't know if there's a connection but Trent Green might be a factor in this too. His career took a quick dive after he sustained two concussions. As many hits as Warner takes I won't be surprised at all if he just doesn't want to chance screwing up his brain. Green was never the same and I don't think Warner wants to stumble out of the league after all he's been through.

 

[moklerman]

True but these ast two weeks can't really be used as an indicator as to how it will be when he starts for the season.

Granted, but Leinart has always been given a different offense by Whis and that offense has not been particularly successful. One hopes that Leinart will be able to emulate the Warner offense but I've seen no real indication that that can be relied on.

I think it's possible but this team will be in a far different place if they regularly approach game day the way that they have the last two weeks when Leinart is in the lineup. Protecting him from himself is fine to a point but I think it's a mistake to scale things back to the point of not scoring TD's. They aren't even getting in field goal range and that's a problem.

I like Leinart and think that he can be good in an offense designed around him but I don't know that it will be best for the Cardinals to do that. Leinart is a middle of the field guy and the Cardinals are built around their WR's. Something's going to have to change. Maybe Leinart can adapt and keep things rolling but I'm skeptical of this staff magically coming up with a line that can straight up run block. Put Leinart in Carolina for example and I think he does quite well.

The Cardinals will have to change a lot for them to resemble that type of team though. I think Leinart, even though he's been efficient, will have to start producing for the Cardinals to make it worth keeping him.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Next offseason is interesting. I will not say it is worry-some, but it is without a doubt interesting.

The frist question is whether there will be a cap or not.

If there is a cap, then if Warner goes, Boldin goes.

If there is no cap then if Warner goes....then so be it.


With the cap in place:

If Warner goes, and Boldin goes then the money goes to Dockett, and maybe Dansby & Rolle.

With the no cap in place:

It is up to the Cardinals on what why want to spend.

 

[Evil Ash]

Granted, but Leinart has always been given a different offense by Whis and that offense has not been particularly successful. One hopes that Leinart will be able to emulate the Warner offense but I've seen no real indication that that can be relied on.

I think it's possible but this team will be in a far different place if they regularly approach game day the way that they have the last two weeks when Leinart is in the lineup. Protecting him from himself is fine to a point but I think it's a mistake to scale things back to the point of not scoring TD's. They aren't even getting in field goal range and that's a problem.

I like Leinart and think that he can be good in an offense designed around him but I don't know that it will be best for the Cardinals to do that. Leinart is a middle of the field guy and the Cardinals are built around their WR's. Something's going to have to change. Maybe Leinart can adapt and keep things rolling but I'm skeptical of this staff magically coming up with a line that can straight up run block. Put Leinart in Carolina for example and I think he does quite well.

The Cardinals will have to change a lot for them to resemble that type of team though. I think Leinart, even though he's been efficient, will have to start producing for the Cardinals to make it worth keeping him.

This team is built for Warner now. The team has slowly been shifting to building around Leinart.

IMO He would have produced more had he gotten the reps in practice like he would be if he were deemed the starter. As has been mentioned we need some things to change in offense for it to be Leinarts team being both philosophy (more running and more play action) and personnel. The line can get better at run blocking with more reps and more focus to that part of the game

You act as though we expect everything to stay the same which isn't the case at all.

 

[az jam]

Whisenhunt with Grimm would basically go back to the Steelers offense with Leinart. Having both Hightower and Wells gives them a solid running attack in the Pittsburgh tradition. It would be a different offense than the one they created for Warner but it could still be effective. As I said in my earlier post they won't score as many points that is why the defense needs to improve.

 

[splitsecond]

I personally believe that those of you who think Leinart won't run some big play offensive schemes are mistaken. I thought in the second half he looked a lot like a baby warner in how he ran things.

 

[az jam]

I personally believe that those of you who think Leinart won't run some big play offensive schemes are mistaken. I thought in the second half he looked a lot like a baby warner in how he ran things.

He will but the offense will be more balanced between passing and running plays. Warner is primarily a gunner.

 

[Pariah]

I've been saying he'll retire after this years since we re-signed him. That's not a knock on him, and it's not something I'm hoping for. I just think it's going to happen.

 

[splitsecond]

He will but the offense will be more balanced between passing and running plays. Warner is primarily a gunner.

Well yes, I would hope so. But not because I don't think Leinart can do it, just because I think that is the only way to stay consistent int he NFL.

 

[az jam]

I've been saying he'll retire after this years since we re-signed him. That's not a knock on him, and it's not something I'm hoping for. I just think it's going to happen.

So did I but now I think for sure that it will because of the concussion.

 

[RonF]

Protecting Leinart (lefty) will be a whole new thought process for the offensive line.

 

[Assface]

You could be on to something. Warner is very sensitive to being healthy when his playing days are over. No way he misses this game in the past. Not only that, he's still talking like he doesn't know if he will play next week vs. Minnesota. He just might be starting to circle the wagons.

Unless Gandy gets plenty of help against Jared Allen, I don't either of our QB's will enjoy playing in that game.

Watching how many shots Kurt has taken under his chin the last 2 years and considering his stature in the league, I'm amazed he doesn't get anywhere near the ref protection that someone like Tom Brady does.

 

[Assface]

Protecting Leinart (lefty) will be a whole new thought process for the offensive line.

I don't think being a lefty will affect it much, we've been allowing speed rushers free access from both sides of the line.