No Suprise Here - Warner signs with Cards

Sorry for some of the late updates today - short day for the kid and busy day for the other half.

So yeah, this comes as no surprise as Arizona and Warner agreed to terms on a two-year, $23 million contract. The deal includes a $15 million signing bonus which might seem a risk and fumble history, but coming off a year where he played so well and they came so close - what else were they going to do?

An excellent trio of wide receivers await Warner - and even if they cannot come to some happy end for Boldin, I think Breaston can easily step up and Early Doucet has potential as a #3.

But really, as much as I was intrigued by the San Fran flirtation, it was merely a shopping trip to gauge market value.

Aside from the WR Core, that offensive line made huge strides the last portion of the year. I am done saying they played over their heads. They finally jelled in a way which should make all the difference in a divsion which is - despite signings like Houshmanzedah - is no NFC East.

The Cards did what they had two nd should be fine over the next couple of years. The big question here is - what about Matt Leinart? Is he trade bait now, as is rumored or is he just a very highly paid back-up. Now, it's been said he's worked very hard the last year and a half but it didn't show last preaseason and might not matter in this preseason. Is anyone going to trade with that contract and his big question marks?

They may just keep him sitting a while longer and hope that they can extend him cheaply enough to cover themselves when Warner is done. And really, that's the biggest reason to trade him. Can they get him cheaply enough at the end of the contract to warrant keeping him aroudn when he is at best unproven, but in some circles might be called a bust?

Aside from Boldin, this could be the biggest question mark the Cards now fae the rest of the off-season.

But they have now solidified the pass game again. If they can add a running back to tandem with Hightower (who I think we've seen the ceiling on and it doesn't involve 30 carry-bell cow status) the offense should fire off on all cylinders.

If the defense plays hard - it's within this team's capabilities to reach the playoffs again and we all know it's just a short slip from their to a repeat in the big game.

But, um.... let's get through the off-season first.