The Arizona Cardinals have a number of needs they should address this offseason when free agency begins in March. One of their lesser needs is at quarterback.
According to Johnny Venerable and Bo Brack of PHNX, the Cardinals will target former New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones, with the idea to be the backup quarterback to Kyler Murray and give him competition.
The notion of Jones being a backup for the Cardinals is not a new idea. We said it was a great idea when he was originally released from the Giants, before signing with the Vikings.
So targeting Jones isn’t a crazy idea, but a couple of things have to be made clear. Jones would not be brought in with the promise he could be the starter. Head coach Jonathan Gannon has made it very clear that Kyler Murray is his starting quarterback. There is no controversy.
This is more of a move like last offseason when they traded for Desmond Ridder. The idea was to compete with Clayton Tune, and Tune won that competition.
However, we have to be real. Jones, who has been a starter in the NFL since he was drafted until he signed with Minnesota, is going to look for a starting job, or at least a team where he has a chance at starting — somewhere like Tennessee where they have Will Levis but he could be replaced. Until Jones knows he does not have a shot at being a starter and getting a starting quarterback salary, he isn’t going to look for a team where he would be competing with another guy to be the backup.
Could the Cardinals look for a different backup quarterback? Absolutely. How much will they pay for one? That is a completely different question, especially if they feel good about Tune, which, based on what we have heard from Gannon anytime he talks about him, is all positive.
So as much as the Cardinals might have planned to “target” Jones, if he isn’t looking for the same thing they are, nothing is going to happen.
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