The top priority for the Arizona Cardinals is quarterback help. Everyone knows it from head coach Ken Whisenhunt to defensive star Darnell Dockett. Both were at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe on Tuesday for the first time in the 2011 NFL season. Both talked about the QB situation in the desert.
"I would be surprised if something happened today," Whisenhunt said.
"Just from the standpoint of all the balls that are in the air right now. We're waiting. We've made proposals, we've talked, we've exchanged ideas. To get something nailed down and then to think that you're going to get something worked out whether it's a trade or even just a contract, especially when you have other teams involved, it's going to be difficult.
"It's not from a lack of trying, we're trying to get it done. But the dynamics of getting it done from 7:00 am this morning and closing everything by today is probably not going to happen."
Whisenhunt refused to answer any specific questions about any of the names we've been hearing but did comment on the irony of all the media reports that at various times during the offseason claimed the Cardinals had deals done with various guys from Marc Bulger to Kevin Kolb.
Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was in working out, catching up with his coaches and generally just happy to have the lockout over. He's confident the team's defense will improve under new coordinator Ray Horton and understands the special challenge that this training camp will represent.
Dockett, never at a loss for words, also answered questions about the quarterback situation with a respectful honesty that you have to admire from him.
"I'm just hoping they do a great job of getting us somebody who'll win us some ball games," Dockett said.
"No disrespect to the guys we already got, we just need somebody that's going to get us to the next level. I don't think we can win this division without a quarterback. Everybody in our division has got a quarterback and got better and even the two teams that don't have a quarterback fell behind, that's us and San Fran."
And so we wait and watch the Twitter for sniffs of rumors until a deal actually gets done. Making matters even more complicated, a free agent or even traded quarterback wouldn't be eligible to practice with the team until August 4 which is just seven days before the first preseason game.