NFL Odds: Could Cardinals Cut Matt Leinart Now?

Matt Leinart's Cardinals career could be near an end. (AP Images)

The new Arizona Cardinals depth chart released this week seemed to show what everyone was expecting: Derek Anderson was listed as the   No. 1 quarterback and Matt Leinart as No. 2 – and now there are reports that Leinart may be flat-out released by the Cardinals once they have to get down to the 53-man roster. Bet on Arizona futures on Bodog’s NFL odds.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt says the depth chart doesn’t mean a whole lot, but he also started Anderson ahead of Leinart in the third preseason game, which is the most important one. The coach has even hinted that he might like to hold off on naming a starter and surprise the St. Louis Rams Sept. 12 for the regular-season opener. But it’s pretty clear Leinart has seen the writing on the wall, and he’s not happy about it.

“I have outplayed the competition (in) training camp and preseason,” he said. “I think my play speaks about that. For me I just have to move forward every day. I can’t worry about what I can’t control. ”¦ For me, this goes beyond the football field. You always want the best 11 guys to play and I feel I have proved that with my performance in training camp and preseason. I don’t really know what else this could probably be.”

Leinart has completed 19 of 23 passes in the preseason; Anderson is 31-for-53. But Leinart simply doesn’t have the arm strength go throw downfield as all his completions have been dinks and dunks (his longest completion is 18 yards). The Cardinals don’t want   to lose youngsters Max Hall or John Skelton to waivers because another club would claim one of them. And Arizona simply can’t carry four quarterbacks. But it would also be a huge risk to have one of those inexperienced rookies as Anderson’s backup. Leinart has a base salary of $2.485 million this season and $7.36 million next season, meaning it’s unlikely he has much trade value. Whisenhunt hasn’t announced who will start the team’s final preseason game Thursday yet.

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