I just think its a decision based on the known (a high yardage gunslinger with propensity to turn over the ball and who has to have the entire system catered to him to be effective) against the unknown in Leinart.
This is entirely false. There IS a system because Warner has helped Haley and Whis in playing to the team's strengths. Their system was a lame duck than neither Warner or Leinart could get to be productive. Whis and Haley would be perfect for Minnesota. Warner has shown time and again that he is coachable and willing to adapt to a coach's gameplan and he has succeeded in so many different systems it's very uniformed to pigeon-hole him into a "turnover prone gunslinger". Until the o-line starts blocking better and until theirs an inkling of a running game, it isn't fair to blame Warner for the team's struggles.
That's why I think it's smart to go the kid next year unless Warner takes us to the Super Bowl. Otherwise its just not worth it IMO.
Simply jetison a QB who is the best in the league when conditions are at least marginal? For a QB that fell to pieces trying to keep his job? That hasn't been able to stay healthy for an entire season? 10-14 million for that is the wise decision for the Cardinals? P.S. Whis already has "his" guy. St. Pierre is all his.
Which part ot 7-5, 3 game lead in the NFC West with 4 to play, 29 points per game, the two TOP WR numbers in the NFL with a 3rd WR closely following, and the #1 QB rating in the NFC do you or anyone else not appreciate?
Sanity, thine name is...
The problem is turnovers. With a poor run game and an average defense, taking care of the ball is the TOP PRIORITY.
Unfortunately, that's not the case. The Cardinals are about 10 rungs south of average on defense. What is acceptable from a QB that has no running and a bad defense(you can throw in shaky special teams if you want to)?
I respect your opnion but loving Warner just for loving Warner ain't going to cut it. Not next year at least.
Sort of seems pointless when all that I've researced, examined and studied isn't taken on it's own merits and is casually dismissed as Warner-phile ramblings. If anything, I have just as much of a claim to objectivity since I can see past the Cardinal red.
1) He is a hinderance to both the running game and the defense.
Please see: 1999 Rams, 2001 Rams, 2004 Giants, etc.
2) He is at least a little bit of product of a system and the players around him.
Absurdity V. 2.0 I'll patiently wait while someone provides an example of a QB that produced with a poor system and no player support.
3) Since he left the Rams he hasn't taken it to a good defense.
I'm not even going to bother to debunk this with examples. None of Warner's good games count and all the bad games are all his fault. We'll just go with that.
But like Kitna after his close to "MVP" year with the Bengals and the Packers with Brett Farve last year - even if it costs us a couple wins next year (which I am not sure it will with this division) - its time to go to the young guy.
One of the best arguments I've ever heard. Kitna was a near MVP and it's worth a "couple wins" to the Cardinals to go with Leinart.
So my question to you is this: Please justify to me how it is smart to pay 8-10 mill for at least 2 years to a 38 year old who has shown nothing to think he can beat a good team on the road at the potential cost of real cornerstones like Q, Dansby, Dockett, and Wilson. Especially with a viable option on the bench?
How is it not justifiable to pay 8-10 million for a top 3 QB? What have Q, Dansby, Dockett and Wilson provided that forces the Cardinals to keep them? I think they're all good players but the argument you're making works on them just as well. Is it really worth 2 LARGE contracts to see another year of this defense?
He also can hold onto the ball for too long (which often results in him fumbling it ... so much for the magic gloves)
Yup, there's absolutely no difference in how Warner is holding onto the ball since wearing the gloves compared to 2005. That's what you're saying, right?
it's the fact that a) we don't have a HOF running back and the best O-line in football and b) we don't have the league's number 1 ranked defense like they did back then and due to the nature of QB contracts, we won't be able to even come close to shoring up the D or the O which could help compensate for Warner's penchant for turnovers (as he's LEADING the league in them).
Would you please stop speaking in extremes. Your point is meaningless with the statements you've inaccurately described.
Now, has anyone suggested overpaying Warner? Have any of us looney Warner-philes advocated using the entirity of the Cardinals salary cap to re-sign him? I'm sure it's hard to hear but it's much more logical to keep Warner, even at a starter's salary and get rid of Leinart if a choice had to be made at this particular second. Leinart has far underperformed his contract and hasn't shown he can stay healthy or been committed to football. He isn't a Whis guy and Whis has one of his guy's in St. Pierre who's butt can warm the bench at a far cheaper price.
Logically speaking, Leinart is the guy that lost the QB competition when given every opportunity to just retain it. His contract is going to be escalating and even if he get's on the field, he's still a health/performance risk. He's not a Whis draft pick and he hasn't even replicated what he did as a rookie. He's never thrown for more than 2 TD's. What motivation does Whis have to commit to him "again"?
