Jun 20th 2008 1:35PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: AZ Cardinals, NFC West, NFL Fans
As we get some distance from the 2006 draft, it seems like the best quarterback among those selected in the first round was the one taken last. The Broncos traded up to grab Jay Cutler with the 11th-overall selection, and through two seasons, he’s progressed more than Vince Young (No. 3) and Matt Leinart (No. 10) combined.

Of course, it’s probably unfair to lump Leinart in with Young; all it does is bring Young down. Leinart has battled injures and inconsistency during his short NFL career, and although he’s sorta been named the starter for 2008, CBSSports.com’s Clark Judge thinks it would be a huge mistake to not give the job to Kurt Warner. [H]ere’s why: The Cardinals have — I can’t believe I’m writing this — a chance to compete for a division title this season, and Kurt Warner gives them their best chance. He’s accurate. He’s productive. He’s poised. Best of all, he’s proven. …

Now let’s make one thing clear before moving on: This is not an indictment of Leinart. I liked the guy at Southern California, and I still believe he can have a productive career with Arizona. But there have been a couple of … how should we put this? … detours along the way that make you wonder if he’s ready to take over. Well, it kinda is. When you suggest replacing a former first-rounder three years into his career with a guy who’s career peaked early this decade, I think that qualifies as an indictment of Leinart.Continue Reading