Kevin Kolb Released By Cardinals

Kevin Kolb was released by the Arizona Cardinals Friday after two disappointing seasons with the franchise. The Cardinals went 5-11 last season, though Kolb won all four of his appearances before tearing cartilage in his ribs in Week 6.

Kevin Kolb lost the starting job to John Skelton in the preseason before regaining the starting role when Skelton went down in the first game of the season. Kolb went down five weeks later, and the Cardinals went on to lose 11 of their final 12 games.

The Cardinals finished last in the NFC West which led to the firing of Ken Whisenhunt. Bruce Arians has been brought in as the new head coach after leading the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs as the interim head coach while Chuck Pagano recovered from leukemia.

The Cardinals decision to release Kolb came just before his $2 million roster bonus. The 28-year-old was due to make $9 million this upcoming season and had already made $20 million in two years with the Cardinals.

Arizona signed quarterback Drew Stanton to a three-year deal worth $8.2 million plus incentives just two days before releasing Kolb. Stanton was the Colts backup last season, so him following Bruce Arians to the Cardinals makes sense.

The Cardinals have been compensating quickly after releasing a player. Arizona signed running back Rashard Mendenhall Wednesday after releasing Beanie Wells Monday.

Arizona’s offense could use a lot of help after having the worst in the NFL last season. Mendenhall missed the majority of the 2012 season due to an ACL injury, but had over 1,000 rushing yards in two of his three full seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Even after signing Stanton, the Cardinals may go after a quarterback in the draft. Arizona has the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Kevin Kolb was sent to Arizona in 2011 by the Philadelphia Eagles for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Kolb was expected to be the Cardinals franchise’s quarterback of the future, but ended up being a bust after many injury setbacks and mediocre play on the field.

Arizona will now move on without Kolb while he more than likely looks for a new job. There’s no doubting Kevin Kolb will get some offers before the 2013 season; the question is where it will be and for what kind of money.