The Arizona Cardinals didn’t take in a quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft considering they already have four names for the position led by Carson Palmer. But it looks like head coach Bruce Arians may be seeking to add another with reported interest on Blaine Gabbert.
Gabbert last played for the San Francisco 49ers where he started for the early part of the 2016-17 NFL season. With the 49ers sputtering, he lost the role to the same man he inherited it from later in the season – Colin Kaepernick.
Either way, Gabbert was expected to hit NFL free agency with the 49ers under new management.
San Francisco hired John Lynch to be the new general manager while Kyle Shanahan took over from an ineffective Chip Kelly.
Why hire Blaine Gabbert?
The Cardinals are coming off an impressive season before falling to the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LI. Arizona already has three players to spell Carson Palmer. They are Drew Stanton, Trevor Knight, and Zac Dysert.
It may be possible that Arians would be using Gabbert as insurance, meaning he sees something lacking from the Palmer backups. No deal has been made so far.
If both Gabbert and the Cardinals come to an agreement, it begs to ask if one of the current players will be cut. For that to happen, Gabbert needs to show his stock in training camp.
Who will leave Arizona?
Dealing with Gabbert may not be assurance as well. If he fails to impress Arians, he could be shut out too. But based on what he has done for the 49ers, the probability of that happening is a bit low.
Also, the Cardinals could go into the 2017-18 NFL season with five quarterbacks. While it doesn’t make sense, the added insurance to have Gabbert could be a precautionary measure in case injuries to Palmer or the rest of the players in the position suffices.
In the last two seasons Gabbert had in San Francisco, he threw 2,956 yards with 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 games. He also had 358 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
As a starter, Gabbert was not the guy that Kelly needed to turn things around for the embattled ballclub. But the case is different if those numbers are compared to someone who plays backup.
If Arians is looking for a backup, there are several other free agents available. There is Robert Griffin III, Jay Cutler, and Kaepernick. The preference on Gabbert comes a bit of a surprise though it may be all about the salary and how the 27-year-old can adapt to the system of Arizona.
