NFL Trade Rumors: 10 Reasons Cardinals Should Cut Ties with Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart's career with Cardinals could be coming to a close any day now after another unimpressive showing in Arizona's 20-10 preseason win over Washington Thursday.
After relieving starter Derek Anderson after one series, Leinart finished a nondescript 3-of-5 for 14 yards. He headed to the bench after playing just two series and watched third-string quarterback Max Hall immediately lead the Cardinals down the field on a 12-play, 81-yard touchdown drive.
Hall finished 7 of 9 for 126 yards and added a six-yard rushing touchdown to fuel speculation he could surpass Leinart on the depth chart.
Arizona is clearly at a crossroads with Leinart, who could be traded or released in the coming days.
Here's 10 reasons why the Cardinals should cut ties with the player once viewed as the future of the franchise.
No. 10: Move Him While They Still Can
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Matt Leinart's stock has plummeted even lower through his production and attitude in the preseason.
Despite the declining value, there isn't quite enough evidence showing Leinart's NFL career is completely over. Franchises starved for quarterback depth or able to buy time and continue to develop a capable backup could make a low-risk trade to acquire Leinart.
The Cardinals should look to get something in return for his services while they still can.
No. 9: Already Has One Foot out the Door
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Leinart wants to be the starter, and really doesn't want to spend another season on the sidelines. His attitude says it all.
The rocky relationship between head coach Ken Whisenhunt and his quarterback has added another layer to Leinart's underwhelming legacy in Arizona.
There's little evidence to suspect Leinart would even be a willing backup behind Derek Anderson, even though he could still potentially work his way into the lineup during the course of the season.
No. 8: The Encouraging Play of Max Hall
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Max Hall is light on experience, but he appears to have talent and maturity, two things Leinart has failed to demonstrate during his NFL career.
The 25-year-old undrafted rookie out of BYU dominated Washington's reserves Thursday and has looked solid in the preseason, completing 16-of-27 passes for 285 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
The Cardinals have had nothing but praise for Hall and could crown him as the No. 2 QB heading into the season.
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No. 7: There's More Reliable Backup Options That Could Be Traded for
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Matt Leinart doesn't want to be a backup and might not be a very capable one anyway, so Arizona would be wise to look elsewhere for an experienced backup behind apparent starter Derek Anderson.
The Vikings are sky high on rookie Joe Webb and could shop Sage Rosenfels in an effort to not carry four quarterbacks. The asking price probably wouldn't be too steep, although Brett Favre's ankle might give Minnesota pause.
Elsewhere, the Dolphins could consider moving Chad Pennington but would probably want something bigger in return. A Pennington for Leinart trade isn't likely, but it is certainly possible.
The Cardinals appear likely to go into the season without a reliable backup quarterback. That's never a good thing.
No. 6: Not a Good Fit for the Cardinals' Vertical Passing Game
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Larry Fitzgerald should make Matt Leinart's job much, much easier, but he hasn't to this point. Leinart hasn't demonstrated a big arm during his NFL career and would likely be more comfortable in an offense predicated upon short passes.
Derek Anderson might have a ton of shortcomings, but he has a huge arm and throws a nice deep ball. Even during his successful days at USC, Leinart's arm was never considered to be his strong point.
No. 5: Chemistry Issues
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Despite all of the criticism that has been heaped on Leinart during the preseason, he has still recorded the highest quarterback rating of any of the Cardinals and has completed 22-of-28 passes.
However, he has also been sacked a team-high five times and Arizona has failed to move the ball consistently on his watch.
Leinart's comments regarding his head coach probably haven't sat well with teammates, who are likely growing tired of his act.
It's impossible to know for sure without being in the locker room, but his constant whining and complaining isn't likely to sit well.
No. 4: Time to Act Already
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Leinart's value to the Cardinals franchise has been up for debate for over a year now. His rumored re-commitment to football was well-received in Arizona, but it hasn't translated to success on the field at any point.
Arizona still has plenty of other issues with the season rapidly approaching and would be wise to put the Leinart saga out of its misery once and for all.
If the Cardinals can't find any takers, they might even be willing to simply release him.
No. 3: The Rocky Whisenhunt-Leinart Relationship
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Leinart was quoted as saying head coach Ken Whisenhunt's problems with him "go beyond football," which could simply be delusional talk. But it could be true.
If Whisenhunt has a predetermined disdain for Leinart, there is little reason to believe he will stick his neck out for his quarterback. There is no reason to believe he would put the fate of himself and his team in Leinart's hands.
It might be time to make the rocky relationship come to an abrupt end.
No. 2: Bad Attitude
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Leinart's work ethic and focus have improved during his NFL career, which is encouraging. However, his attitude and sense of entitlement hasn't faded despite spending time on the sidelines.
At this point in his career, Leinart should be willing to do whatever it takes to improve his standing with the Cardinals.
If he is patient and swallows his pride, he would appear to have at least a decent chance to playing time this season in the desert.
Don't count on Leinart ever learning to accept his role quietly.
No. 1: He Just Isn't Very Good
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The Cardinals' recent success came because they had a Hall of Fame caliber quarterback. There is little evidence to suggest Leinart will even be a capable starting quarterback in the NFL.
At best, he could be a solid game-manager type quarterback. The Cardinals, as presently constructed, need much more than that.
Derek Anderson's big arm and experience makes him a decent option for the Cardinals. With the team likely to struggle this season turning to the rookie Hall at some point might be a better option than handing the reigns to Leinart.
It appears Matt Leinart is simply the odd man out in Arizona.
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