If Leinart’s Gone, Hall’s The Best Option For No. 2

Look, I understand the NFL hates rookie quarterbacks. It especially hates undrafted rookie quarterbacks. It likes its quarterbacks to be drafted in the first or second round and sit for approximately three seasons behind a more proven quarterback before taking the field as a starter.

But sometimes that's not in the cards. Especially if you're the 2010-2011 Arizona Cards (excruciatingly bad pun intended).

While there's still a smallish chance that Matt Leinart stays in Arizona as the back-up QB -- just waiting for Derek Anderson to screw things up and get benched -- there's a better chance that he's released or traded and the team is left with rookies Max Hall and John Skelton as the reinforcements.

The Cardinals could go after another team's sloppy leftovers in the form of a third or fourth string veteran quarterback, but is that really a better option than Hall, who has proven he's got the moxie to make it in the National Football League? Is that lauded "veteran" QB, whose talents or lack thereof just got him cut from the 53-man roster of another team, really worth the roster spot here?

I don't think so. I think Hall can handle it. If the Cards are down to having to try to win with Charlie Batch, J.P. Losman, or Charlie Whitehurst, they're likely set for some losin'. Max Hall is probably just as good at losin' and at least he'll be on upward-sloping learning curve instead of a downward-sloping out-of-the-league-soon curve like some washed up available vet.