Roll backwards at the Arizona Cardinals: After the bankruptcy in Washington, the cards trade again for the quarterback, Drew Stanton takes over for the last disappointing Blaine Gabbert in the absence of Carson Palmer, who is still injured.
This was announced by Head Coach Bruce Arians on Monday. On Sunday he had explained that Gabbert would also start against the New York Giants in Week 16. After studying the tape of the game, Arians changed his mind.
He emphasized:”This is not Blaine’s fault, but Drew knows all the scenarios and he is fit. We want to take these touchdowns with us, which we can have, and win the game. In my eyes Blaine has given everything, but Drew gives us a better chance to win the game this week. That’s the point.”
In the same breath, Arians continued to make it clear that there would be no tanking from his team:”We will never give up and lose games to get a higher draft pick. At the same time, the decision to put Gabbert on the bench now should also bury all rumors about a possible job as a starter for Gabbert in Arizona in 2018.
Arizona’s quarterback room could look significantly different in the coming season. Both Stanton and Gabbert have expiring contracts, and Carson Palmer is not sure whether he will end his career. The Cardinals are therefore a hot candidate for a high quarterback pick in draft or for the QB-Free-Agency class.