The Arizona Cardinals pulled of the most singular of feats in 2014, making the playoffs with a quarterback who didn’t even belong in the league after a stunning series of injuries at the position. Although the injury bug wasn’t limited to the QB position, the team must now hope first and foremost that Carson Palmer can remain healthy for a full campaign so they can truly contend in the postseason. But how likely is such a prospect?
Carson Palmer is thirty-five years old and is reaching the point where injuries become a chronic concern for a quarterback. However he did take some time off during his “retirement” from the Bengals, meaning there is less wear and tear on him than some other players his age. The team has a decent fallback in the form of Drew Stanton, who was also improbably injured last year after taking over the starting job, but one has to wonder if the Arizona Cardinals might be ready to cover their bases in the upcoming draft.
The catch is that there are only two first round caliber quarterbacks available, and neither will fall to the Arizona Cardinals. That means the team is left looking at a second tier or developmental prospect in the second or third round at best. But with Palmer nearing the end of the line one way or the other, it might well be time for the Cards to take a flyer on a mid round QB, both preparation for the future and as insurance for the present.