Cardinals QBs Kevin Kolb and backup John Skelton had eerily similar numbers last year which wouldn't be so bad until you realize that the latter counted $450,000 against the salary cap while Kolb's cap number was $4 million (and it increases to $11 million in 2012). It's why head coach Ken Whisenhunt said in February that both players will get opportunities to earn the job next season.
Perhaps the biggest issue facing Kolb isn't whether he's a capable NFL quarterback but something much more basic than that: can he take a huge hit from a pass rusher after suffering serious concussions the last two seasons? It's a question put forth by the Arizona Republic's Kent Somers.
Kolb missed the final three games of 2011 after sustaining a concussion against the 49ers on December 11. It took more than three weeks after the season before he felt like himself.
"To be honest with you, when I first went home it was still pretty severe," Kolb told Somers. "It kind of worried me because I figured once I got away from the game it would clear up pretty fast. But it didn't and I stayed in contact with our guys here. Within three or four days after that three-week period it was fine. I was glad to be feeling back to normal."
Kolb didn't show much in his first season with the Cardinals to indicate that he's a franchise QB. The concussion issue only makes him a riskier pick on draft day. He's a low-end QB2.
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