The Arizona Cardinals have been connected to quarterbacks since Kurt Warner retired, and despite landing big trade target Kevin Kolb in the 2011 offseason they're being connected again in the early 2013 NFL Mock Draft going. Kolb had a good half-season in 2011, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt, but he also missed much of the year after suffering a concussion—and this is the worst possible offseason for that. The Cardinals, in the meantime, are where they always seem to be, stuck somewhere between the kind of disaster that gets you a No. 1 draft pick like Matt Barkley and the competence that gets you into the playoffs. WalterFootball.com's most recent mock draft has them adrift at No. 11, where they get Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas.
The good news is that this quarterback class, though it isn't nearly as strong at the top as the last one, appears to have some interesting first-round depth. Landry Jones and Logan Thomas will both also be factors somewhere in the middle of the first round, and if the Cardinals end up there again they're unlikely to give Kolb the benefit of the doubt.
More NFL Draft news and analysis from SB Nation St. Louis:
- It's worth remembering that we have a full year to see which quarterback ends up topping draft boards.
- If they do want to go a different direction, the middle of the first round is also well-stocked with offensive linemen.