John Skelton

Sam Bradford went No. 1.

John Skelton went 154 picks later.

The Cardinals and the Rams each drafted a quarterback last April, ostensibly to groom them for the future. The plans for a first-round pick – especially the top guy in the entire draft – are different than a fifth-round selection, so it’s no surprise Bradford has been the starter for St. Louis all season while the Cards have kept Skelton far from actual game action.

And it isn’t going to change, with the struggling Cardinals playing host to Bradford and the Rams Sunday. Bradford will continue to make his case to be the future top quarterback in the NFC West. Skelton will wait.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt made that clear earlier this week by saying Skelton was unlikely to play this season, barring an injury, despite the Cards’ place in the standings. Veteran Derek Anderson remains the starter for now, and undrafted rookie Max Hall is still the backup and the man who would take over if Whisenhunt decided to pull the plug on Anderson.

Where does that leave Skelton? Learning.