August 8, 2006

Leinart Missing Golden Opportunity

As Arizona heads into their second week of training camp, they are still without heralded rookie quarterback Matt Leinart.  Without their first round draft choice in camp, the Cardinals quarterback depth chart has Kurt Warner at the top, as expected, and third year quarterback John Navarre as the backup.

The former Southern Cal superstar is missing a golden opportunity to make his presence felt in camp.  Leinart has the pedigree, as a Heisman Trophy winner and two-time National Champion, to be a very good quarterback in the National Football League.  In addition to his experience in big games, Leinart has something that not many rookie quarterbacks walk into, and that is a loaded offensive team.

Arizona has two stud receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.  Both are big, fast targets that run quality routes.  In addition to these All-Pros, the Cardinals also have former first round choice Bryant Johnson and big rookie tight end Leonard Pope, and those guys are just the pass catchers.  The Cardinals had possibly the biggest signing of the offseason when they added former Colts star running back, Edgerrin James. 

James is a player who knows how to play in an explosive offense and can bring his experience to the Cardinals.  He can catch the ball out of the backfield as well as pound the ball to wear out a defense.  Even though Arizona’s offensive line is not the best in the league, having a back as talented as James on the roster will help cover up some of their flaws.

Despite having these weapons for Leinart to throw to, head coach Dennis Green has said that he hopes Leinart does not have to play this season.  He wants Leinart to sit back and learn behind Warner.  Given the history of Warner, who has only played two full 16 game seasons since 1998, including only playing 10 games last season, it should be expected that Arizona will have to go to their backup for at least a few games this season.  Holding out may cost Leinart a backup job, at least for the early part of the season.

Another reason for Leinart to get to camp as soon as possible is that the Cardinals are opening a brand new stadium.  Arizona is looking for a new, winning era, with their young, talented roster, a new All-Pro running back, and what they hope is a franchise quarterback in Leinart.  But until Green deems Leinart ready, it will be Warner in there.

What happens though if Warner goes out and gets hurt in the first or second game of the season?  If Leinart had shown up to camp on time, there is a good chance he has the backup job locked down by now.  However, if he misses much more time, there would be a good chance Navarre, who has experience in Green’s offense, would come in and play until Warner was ready to return.  Now if Leinart comes into camp very soon and works hard, he may come in and never look back.  Remember when Tommy Maddox got hurt against the Baltimore Ravens in 2004?  Ben Roethlisberger came in and took the NFL by storm.  Like Leinart, Roethlisberger wasn’t supposed to play at all in his rookie season.  Roethlisberger also got to take over a team with a lot of talent on offense, and looking at the Cardinals have now, Leinart would have even better weapons than Roethlisberger did.

Now Leinart may not come in and go 15-1 and take his team to the NFC Championship Game, but he has the tools and the talent around him to succeed right away, whether it is earning the starting position at some point this season, or stepping in for an injured or underperforming Warner. 

It is time to wake up Matt, you are not in Hollywood anymore, this is the NFL, get to camp and work because you can do great things at this level, holding out isn’t helping any of that.  Don’t miss this chance to give hope to the Cardinal fans and make a name for yourself at the professional level.

Spectacle of the 2006 draft