<
        >

          NFL Nation

          Cardinals get long look at possible long-term QB at combine

          College quarterbacks such as Clemson's DeShaun Watson, who lined up in shotgun or pistol formation on 99.9 percent of his snaps, are "light years" behind according to Cardinals coach Bruce Arians. Doug Buffington/ Icon Sportswire
          • Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff WriterMar 1, 2017, 07:00 AM ET
            Close
              Josh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University. You can follow him via Twitter @joshweinfuss.
            Follow on X

          TEMPE, Ariz. -- On the day after the Arizona Cardinals' season ended, one goal for the offseason was made clear.

          This will be the year the Cardinals want to find their quarterback of the future.

          "That will be one of our main objectives in the offseason, is to make sure the franchise isn't in the situation it was after Kurt (Warner), that the next guy is here and ready to roll," coach Bruce Arians said during his postseason wrap-up news conference on Jan. 2.

          He was referring to the carousel of quarterbacks the Cardinals went through from the time Warner retired in 2009 until the team traded for Carson Palmer in 2013. From 2010 to 2012, Arizona started six different quarterbacks. Since the start of the 2013 season, Palmer has started 82.8 percent of the Cardinals' games. Arians wants that trend to continue.

          While Arians wants to secure the future Arizona quarterback in 2017, in some ways this year is no different than others, Arians said.

          He views every year as the year to find a quarterback. Last season, the Cardinals were getting ready to draft Dak Prescott, Arians told ESPN, before the Cowboys picked him late in the fourth round. The last quarterback Arizona drafted was Logan Thomas in 2014.

          "You'd like to have one every year," Arians said. "I was surprised Logan (Thomas) didn't work out. But you're always looking. You can't have enough of them. I'm really excited about Zac Dysert. I haven't had him long enough but I like what I saw."

          While the Senior Bowl in January was Arians' first opportunity to see this year's quarterback class in person, this week at the NFL scouting combine will allow him to conduct a more detailed evaluation of the quarterback prospects. There will be 15 in total going through on-field drills, medical examinations and interviews.

          So far, Arians knows this year's crop has some "really good arms."

          However, the extent of their ability to transition from a college quarterback to an NFL-caliber signal-caller is yet to be seen.

          "Whether or not they're quarterbacks, that's the thing right now," Arians said. "You're looking at great athletes with great arms. Can they play quarterback at this level? That's the biggest decision now that we face. Whether they're in a spread offense or not, can they come in in this level and lead those guys?"

          That will be the question hanging over this year's quarterback class.

          Of the 14 quarterbacks at the combine from Power 5 conferences, 12 lined up in the shotgun or pistol on more than 82 percent of their snaps, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Of those, 10 are in shotgun or pistol on 97.3 percent or their plays or more.

          The highest percentage belonged to former Clemson quarterback and projected first-round pick Deshaun Watson, who lined up in shotgun or pistol on 99.9 percent of his snaps.

          Arians has voiced dislike for the effects collegiate spread offenses have on NFL-bound quarterbacks. At the 2015 combine, Arians said spread-offense quarterbacks haven't called plays in a huddle and haven't used snap counts, among other deficiencies in their game. Essentially, Arians said, when they get drafted they're "light years" behind other NFL quarterbacks.

          But Arians doesn't blame college coaches for running spread schemes. He would, too, if he were in their shoes.

          "There's no doubt," Arians said. "So, that is a Catch-22. They're doing the best thing for them. We just have to learn to adjust and fans have to say, 'OK, we took a quarterback at No. 1. Don't expect to see him this year.' If he is, we're in trouble.

          "We'll hopefully get him to be the next guy."

          That may work out well for the Cardinals, who won't need a rookie quarterback to start Week 1. That has three benefits: It lets the rookie sit and learn from Palmer and backup Drew Stanton, it gives him a year to learn the offense and it allows him to adapt to playing quarterback in the NFL -- getting used to a larger playbook, more protections and blitz reads.

          A year will also give the Cardinals time to see if their rookie project has what it takes to pan out as an NFL quarterback.

          "If they're real smart, the transition should go fast," Arians said. "If not, it's going to take a long time and probably not going to happen."