The Arizona Cardinals may hold a high selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, but it is not the time for the Phoenix faithful to start lighting the “draft a quarterback” SOS signals.

In fact, a franchise such as the Cardinals can’t afford to go quarterback with the fifth selection at all! There are too many variables in drafting a quarterback. Such variables are enough to set Arizona at least four or five years back. In a weak NFC West, the Cardinals need to muscle up at the position that Arizona’s offense has flowed through since Kurt Warner and Ken Whisenhunt made this team a Super Bowl contender back in 2008. Drafting a quarterback will only serve to cripple the Cardinals.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt has put together a solid coaching resume. He’s brought his team to a Super Bowl, got the most out of Kurt Warner in the twilight of the quarterback’s career, and has overseen the development of Steve Breaston, Early Doucet, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and other talented youngsters who the Cardinals boast on Sundays. If Whisenhunt was out in Arizona and a new coach was taking over, nabbing Blaine Gabbert or, dare I say it, Cam Newton with the fifth pick would make a good amount of sense. New coaches tend to like to start their regime with a young signal-caller, but tenured coaches like Whisenhunt shouldn’t be starting over with a rookie at the quarterback position.

In Atlanta, Mike Smith and Matt Ryan grew together and now boast a strong franchise. In New York, Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez have had two AFC Championship game runs in two years. Jim Schwartz and Matt Stafford, as well as Raheem Morris and Josh Freeman, are examples of new coach-young quarterback combinations that are on the fast track to playoff berths. New coaches have a few years to build up a young quarterback. Veteran coaches like Whisenhunt, or John Fox in Carolina, can’t have losing seasons pile up or it’s off to the chopping block.

In Carolina, Fox thought he made a great decision by drafting Jimmy Clausen in the second round of last year’s NFL Draft. Fox hemmed and hawed all year long with Clausen. He obviously did not feel secure enough in his own coaching job to let Clausen take his lumps, and let ownership deal with the growing pains of a quarterback just a year removed from the much slower-paced collegiate game. Now, Fox has lost his gig in Carolina and a quarterback with stunted growth in Clausen is now left to wonder whether or not Carolina’s new regime feels he is even a starter at the NFL level.

Whisenhunt can’t afford to let a college quarterback properly develop all year, dealing with the good and especially the bad. The coach’s job is not secure enough for such a gamble, and if what happened in Carolina isn’t enough of an indication of why a struggling veteran coach shouldn’t be out drafting rookie quarterbacks high in the draft; we may see the Cardinals with a new coach by 2012.

While it is unadvisable to let a rookie quarterback grow when a coach in danger of losing his job is at the helm, there should be no hesitation when the coach is certain that the quarterback can be the franchise guy.

John Harbaugh knew he was getting his next franchise quarterback when he and the Ravens brass decided to make the Joe Flacco pick. In the 2011 NFL Draft there is no bonafide franchise quarterback. With Andrew Luck staying in school for one more year, Blaine Gabbert has had the label of “top quarterback prospect” thrust upon him.

Gabbert is not a franchise quarterback. In my opinion his ceiling will be as an average NFL starter. But, the Missouri product is tabbed as a franchise quarterback because of the media’s need to have one quarterback be“the guy” in every draft. The Cardinals can’t fall for the scouting reports on Gabbert’s “great football IQ” and “competitive spirit”. Gabbert played in a spread offense last year, but unlike guys like Sam Bradford, Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger, and other spread quarterbacks, Gabbert threw the ball flat-footed and had trouble completing the ball deep. If Gabbert were to take the reins in Arizona he’d have to throw the ball vertically a good amount of times in a given contest. Larry Fitzgerald is one of the game’s best deep threats and needs someone to get him the ball deep in order for Arizona have success.

The Cardinals need to listen to their superstar, Fitzgerald, and keep him appeased. That is not to say that Arizona should bend to Fitzgerald’s every whim, but after asking the star receiver who he wants throwing him the ball next year, and getting a direct answer, the 2008 NFC Champions should act upon Fitzgerald’s suggestion. After a year to recuperate from a brutal beating behind St. Louis’ inept offensive line, Marc Bulger could step in and be effective for a year or two in Arizona. He could be hungry to get revenge on his former team for deciding that the grizzled veteran was not in their future, and with St. Louis a favorite to win the division next year Bulger may be able to help the Cardinals put a halt to the Rams. He is not a guy that will come in and throw a ton of touchdowns or put up big numbers, but Bulger will not turn the ball over enough to hurt the team and he will be able to keep Larry Fitzgerald happy, potentially impacting Fitzgerald’s upcoming contract negotiations.

On the other hand, the other quarterback Larry Fitzgerald mentioned that he’d be interested in working with was Kevin Kolb. Kolb has expressed an interest in coming to Arizona and was flattered that Larry Fitzgerald brought him up in discussion. Kolb would be a good fit in the Cardinals offense. He was originally drafted by Andy Reid because the Eagles’ coach saw the makings of a west coast offense quarterback in the Houston University product, despite Kolb’s playing in the spread.

Kolb would be able to effectively move the ball and keep linebackers an extra step downfield, helping Cardinal running back Beanie Wells to have some long-awaited success. While the Cardinals need to fill many needs, trading the first round pick for Kevin Kolb may not be the worst idea for this team with a quarterbacking conundrum. The Cardinals would have an NFL-experienced signal-caller who doesn’t turn the ball over much. Kolb would get the ball into Larry Fitzgerald’s hands and keep the offense moving at a consistent pace. Either Bulger or Kolb would make the Cardinals a legitimate contender in the NFC West.

If the Cardinals are to hold on to the fifth pick, instead of drafting a quarterback Arizona should go after the best defensive player available. No matter who is on the board!

if Von Miller is available when Arizona is up, the Cardinals need to pick the Texas A&M linebacker. Miller has a motor that doesn’t stop running and would round out an already-solid group of linebackers in Phoenix. The Cardinals have Joey Porter already, but Miller is the type of true defensive enforcer at outside linebacker that would offset the instability the Cardinals in the middle of the defensive line. Darnell Dockett proved to be the extent of the Cardinal pass rush last year, with rookie Dan Williams still getting the hang of things in the NFL trenches, and Calais Campbell mostly cleaning things up on the other end. Miller would give Cardinal fans something to get excited about.

Despite an abysmal record and a 2010 season that ended in the toilet the Cardinals aren’t as far off as one may think. It’s not time to scream “SOS” and draft a rookie quarterback. It is enough for the Cardinals to bring in a veteran.

Be patient Cardinal fans, help is on the way

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