The Arizona Cardinals have a bit of a decision on their hands. While the team has come out and said that Drew Stanton can be their starting quarterback, his recent time in the NFL does not exactly screw "starter" to anyone. With the pending release of quarterback Carson Palmer bound to happen any day now, the Cardinals are left with options. The team is reportedly considering making a move to get Palmer or drafting Matt Barkley with their first pick.
Barkley's stock has been on the rise ever since his Pro Day at USC. While his senior season brought up a lot of questions of whether or not he is ready for the next level, he looked strong and in charge at his Pro Day. If Barkley had come out for the draft after the 2011 season, he would have been a guaranteed top-10 pick, but he stayed in and as a result, his numbers dropped and he got injured.
The knock against Barkley is that he has always relied on the excellent receivers that USC traditional has. If they were not there, would he still be as good? Arizona does have Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald that has been known to bail out his quarterbacks in recent years. Barkley has the arm strength and football intelligence to create a good offense with Fitzgerald.
Barkley may not be ready to start Week 1 right out of the draft, but with proper coaching, the Cardinals could have a star on their hands. Head coach Bruce Arians knows what it is like to work with a rookie. He spent all last season with Andrew Luck and that translated to success. He could do the same with Barkley.
Palmer's potential release makes this situation complicated. He is a knowledgeable veteran that has had success in his career, but does he have enough gas left in the tank to carry the Cardinals to success? They could have another Kurt Warner situation on their hands where Palmer redefines his career again. Or, he could be total bust and waste of money.
Palmer did throw for 4,018 yards and 22 touchdowns last season, all with the Raiders who did not have strong offensive weapons. He could carry that success to the Cardinals. The cost of Palmer would likely be between $5 million and $8 million. That would restrict the Cardinals financially to make any other moves. They would likely have to release players to make room for him.
The Cardinals will draft No. 7 overall. If the Palmer deal does not go down, Barkley will be there waiting for them. It is likely that Geno Smith will go in the first two picks, leaving Barkley for a top-10 team in need of a quarterback.
