BLOG: Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians talks quarterbacks and backups

As red-blooded Americans always in a hurry, what do we hate -- waiting, right? Long lines, traffic jams, Co-workers (Hanrahan) that won’t clam up. 

That said, we probably do not have to remind Big Red Nation how Cards Camp circa 2012 became a plus-sized waiting room. We were all sitting there flipping thru magazines and asking ourselves the QB question. In fact, with five preseason games (count ‘em – one for the thumb!), we were asking that question for more than a month. 

Well, good news #BirdGang. As we found out today during our conversation with Bruce Arians at the NFL meetings here in Phoenix, we’ll have an answer to the proverbial QB query sooner rather than later. 

"There will be NO quarterback competition," Arians declared. "If you have two, you have none. We will have a quarterback set by May 1st."

As Arians explained earlier during a media session over breakfast at the Biltmore resort, he’s just “not a two quarterback guy.” Simply put, Arians prefers to guard against factions in the locker room. 

In addition, we’re going to speculate that the Cards new head coach probably prefers not to split something else – practice reps. Whether it’s a rookie (Geno Smith?) or a career backup (Drew Stanton/Brian Hoyer?), the Cardinals’ new starting quarterback is going to benefit from all the snaps he can get.

Since we’re all for naming names, what are the odds the Cards will submit the name of a signal-caller on draft day? 

Guess what? Despite all the gloom and doom over the college quarterback class, Arians confirmed his earlier assessment that he sees a half-dozen quarterbacks in this draft that will play a "long time" in the NFL.  Correct?

"I do. I think they'll play a long time," Arians said. "How soon? I don't know. How dynamic will they be as rookies will totally depend on the team and the system."

And, ultimately, if a rookie does not lead them, then it looks like the starter will come from the Cards current roster.  So, even though Drew Stanton hasn’t taken a regular season snap in two years, I asked Arians for a scouting report on his former Colts backup. 

“Extremely bright.  Very competitive. Can make all the throws. Is a little bit too tough for his own good sometimes. He'll go running up in there and take some guys on,” Arians smiled. “He's a fiery competitor and that's what it takes to play the game," Arians said. "I've been around him for a year and I've never seen one (QB) improve his, I call it ‘swing,' just like a golfer, in a year as much as he did. His accuracy was off the charts by December."

We’ll call today “Breakfast with Bruce,” with a side of fresh-squeezed QB.