National Football League

2nd-round pick Brown cut, no word yet on Leinart

Published Sep. 4, 2010 3:13 a.m. ET

foxsports

Outside linebacker Cody Brown, a second-round draft pick out of Connecticut a year ago, was among 16 players cut by the Arizona Cardinals on Friday.

Meanwhile, coach Ken Whisenhunt says he has told rookie quarterbacks Max Hall and John Skelton they have made Arizona's 53-man roster. The fate of Matt Leinart remained uncertain. Whisenhunt says he met with the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner on Friday and told him the team was not yet prepared to take any action regarding him.

''I just asked Matt to come up and talked to him and just said, `We're not prepared to do anything in this process right now,'' Whisenhunt said. ''`I don't want you waiting around all day for some type of resolution.''

Whisenhunt has not selected a starting quarterback but all signs point to Derek Anderson, with Arizona reportedly trying to trade Leinart. If no deal is made, the Cardinals could release the former Southern California star, the 10th overall draft pick in 2006.

Those released by Arizona also included tight end Anthony Becht, inside linebacker Monty Beisel and offensive guard Herman Johnson. The cuts reduced the roster to 56. NFL teams have to be down to 53 on Saturday.

Brown, the 66th player selected in the 2009 draft, missed all of his rookie season after injuring a wrist in training camp. The Cardinals brought in Joey Porter to team with Clark Haggans at outside linebacker, and Brown failed to make much of an impression in camp and in the preseason.

''Obviously we assess our team based on what we think is important as far as production, finishing plays, reduction in mental errors, all those things,'' Whisenhunt said. ''We just didn't feel like going forward that it was a good fit for us.''

Earlier Friday, Arizona traded offensive guard Reggie Wells to the Philadelphia Eagles for an undisclosed draft pick.

Whisenhunt said he told Wells he had a spot on the Cardinals if he wanted it, but he wouldn't start or even be guaranteed being active on game days. He said that because of the expectations he had for Wells, he gave him the option of going somewhere he would have a chance to start.

Wells started the last 90 games for Arizona, dating to the 2003 season, as well as the team's six postseason games, but was moved from left guard to right guard this year following the signing of free agent Alan Faneca.

The trade came after a strong preseason showing by Deuce Lutui, the starter at right guard the past two seasons who signed his tender offer with Arizona late in the summer after a contract dispute.

Becht has played in 152 consecutive NFL games, third longest among active players in the NFL behind Brett Favre (287) and Peyton Manning (193). A 2000 first-round draft pick of the New York Jets, Becht also has played for Tampa Bay and St. Louis, as well as Arizona.

Beisel had been listed as a starter at inside linebacker but was displaced by second-round draft pick Daryl Washington the last two games of THE preseason.

Among those who did make the team was undrafted rookie free agent wide receiver Max Komar of Idaho, beating out Ed Gant and Onrea Jones, among others.