Cards to sign QB Tim Hasselbeck

Posted by Stephen Rhodes on October 15th, 2007 filed in News, Opinions

The Arizona Cardinals are expected - albeit not etched in stone yet - to sign free agent quarterback Tim Hasselbeck some time this week; this has been rumored for some time, even before starting quarterback Kurt Warner was injured on Sunday.  Depending on Warner’s injury prognosis, the Cards may be looking for yet another QB.

After the Panthers-Cardinals game, Warner said he had a torn ligament but said that surgery hadn’t been discussed, adding, “We’ll see the extent of it and see what we can do as far as getting me back as soon as possible.”  Assuming the prognosis for Warner is not good, the free agent offerings at QB available to the Cardinals aren’t that good.  One theory that comes to mind - at least to me - is this:  regardless of who they pick up in free agency, the Cardinals will rely even more on running back Edgerrin James as part of the team’s offensive package.

This would faintly resemble what Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt used when he was the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Their current offensive personnel, thanks to the current QB situation, is not conducive to the “2-minute drill” they had been using until very recently.  Especially when your QB rotation consists of recently signed QB Tim Rattay and whoever the Cards sign from the free agency pool.  In short - a total revision of the offensive scheme.  What the end result would be is anyone’s guess at this point.  But having Rattay and Hasselbeck as your quarterbacking options doesn’t exactly enhance the Cards’ playoff aspirations.