Cardinals starting quarterback John Skelton said he and Kevin Kolb have
not discussed the now-concluded quarterback battle since coach Ken
Whisenhunt named Skelton the starter on Friday. But Kolb did speak to
reporters Monday for the first time since receiving the bad
news.
“One thing I have learned in this league is
it’s full of surprises,” Kolb said. “You just keep pressing forward. If
you take time to sulk, you’ll be left behind, and then an opportunity
will pass you by.”
Kolb said his conversation with
Whisenhunt last week was short and direct. But he was evasive when asked
for one or two reasons why he lost a job for which he seemed a lock
entering training camp.
“I know there are still good
things to come here,” he said. “I think that every time something
happens. That’s the perspective I keep.
“There’s no
time to sulk. There’s no time to feel sorry for myself. I’ve got to go
back to work today and get ready for the
Seahawks.”
YOU’VE GOT
MAIL
Skelton admitted it was nice taking
all the reps with the first team on Monday as he prepared for the
Cardinals' season opener Sunday against Seattle. But there were still
distractions with which to contend.
Skelton has
received scores of text messages and emails from well-wishers in his
hometown of El Paso, Texas, as well as the Fordham University community
where he attended college.
“Strangers, even,”
Skelton said. “A lot of text messages. I feel bad because I can’t reply
to all of them -- there are so many.”
While Skelton
still had his struggles in the preseason, he said his mastery of the
offense is light years ahead of where it was last season.
"It's second nature,” he said. “You don't have to
process anything. (It’s my) third year in the league now. I can't have
any excuses."
MORE O-LINE
SHUFFLING
The Cardinals placed veteran
offensive lineman Jeremy Bridges on injured reserve Monday with a torn
ligament in his left thumb. Unless they decide to make Bridges their one
IR exception this season, he will not play in 2012, further hampering a
line already weakened by the loss of starting left tackle Levi Brown to
season-ending triceps surgery.
Bridges was a
valuable backup capable of filling in at tackle or guard. Without him,
the Cards are razor thin and woefully inexperienced at the tackle
position. The club will start the season with rookie Bobby Massie at
right tackle and journeyman D’Anthony Batiste (four career starts) at
left tackle, with rookie Nate Potter as a backup.
To
help shore up the position, the Cards signed veteran tackle Pat
McQuistan to a one-year contract. He is entering his seventh year in the
NFL after playing with New Orleans in 2011, Miami in 2010 and Dallas
from 2006-09. He played in 10 regular season games and both postseason
contests for the Saints last year after playing in all 16 games (eight
starts) with the Dolphins in 2010. He was released by the Cowboys as
part of their roster cuts on Friday.
"He's a veteran
guy that's played in an offense that was similar (to ours),” Whisenhunt
said of McQuistan. “I liked what I saw in the
preseason."
The Cardinals also claimed outside
linebacker Jamaal Westerman off waivers from Miami to add depth at a
position where Quentin Groves had been the lone backup following the
surprise release of veteran Clark Haggans. Haggans officially signed
with San Francisco on Monday.
PRACTICE SQUAD
ANNOUNCED
The Cardinals practice squad
will have a local flavor, with two former Arizona State players and one
former Arizona player among the eight
chosen.
Linebacker Colin Parker and receiver Gerell
Robinson, who was cut by the Broncos, are the two ASU players. Both
graduated from ASU last season. Former Arizona linebacker Ricky Elmore
(2011 draft) was also added after being released by the
Chargers.
The other five players are: CB Larry
Parker, DT Ricky Lumpkin, TE Steve Skelton, OT Steven Baker and WR
Isaiah Williams.
Follow
Craig Morgan on
Twitter
