Based on a report from Sports Illustrated's Jim Trotter, the Arizona Cardinals will trade Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie and a second round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft for quarterback Kevin Kolb of the Philadelphia Eagles. According to the report, Kolb will get a new deal that includes "at least" $30 million guaranteed.
It might be a cop out, but we won't know for some time if the Cardinals overpaid for Kolb should this turn out to be the actual deal. As we all know, you can't compete in the NFL without a quarterback. Even defensive tackle Darnell Dockett chimed in on the importance of getting someone good under center.
"I'm just hoping they do a great job of getting us somebody who'll win us some ball games," Dockett said Tuesday. "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."
The immediate reaction from many fans and media observers is the Cardinals gave up too much and should have gone after Denver's Kyle Orton who is believed to come with a smaller price tag. Orton and Kolb have similar numbers but if the team, including Larry Fitzgerald who worked out with Kolb during the lockout, are sold on him the deal had to be done regardless of cost.
The pressure will be on Kolb now to live up to very high expectations. He could be the next Tom Brady or Drew Brees who just needs his chance to shine. Or he could be another in a long line of Cardinals quarterback busts. But when you cost a team as much as Kolb reportedly will cost, the expectation for success is high.
Kolb, 26, has a career total of 2082 yards completed over the course of 18 games in three seasons.
For more on the Arizona Cardinals visit Revenge of the Birds.
[Note by Seth Pollack, 07/27/11 6:12 PM MST ]
Then again, maybe someone jumped the gun:
Twitter / @SI_JimTrotter: To be clear, I'm not reporting this deal is done. I'm saying I would not do it at this cost. Give me Orton.
We'll see, folks. We'll see.