Matt Leinart, Starting QB by Default

INDIANAPOLIS -- Kurt Warner retired nearly a month ago, leaving Matt Leinart as the heir to the quarterback spot with the Arizona Cardinals.

Presumably.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt was asked point blank Saturday at the NFL Combine whether Leinart, the former Heisman Trophy winner from USC and the franchise's first-round pick four years ago, officially had been told he was The Guy or whether he had to go earn the starting quarterback job.

"It's hard to say Matt has to earn it because he's the only quarterback on our roster," Whisenhunt said.

How's that for a passionate endorsement?

About as convincing as the one given by general manager Rod Graves 10 minutes earlier.

"Matt's the only quarterback we have under contract," Graves said. "We're looking for ways to bolster that position."

Neither men mentioned re-signing Brian St. Pierre (he of the five pass attempts in eight seasons) to compete for the job, so maybe that's a vote of confidence.

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Trust be told, Leinart, 26, almost certainly will be Arizona's starting quarterback in 2010. The team drafted him 10th overall in 2006 and signed him to a six-year, $51 million contract that included $14 million in guarantees. He played in just 17 games (and started only three) the last three seasons because Warner underwent a miraculous career resurrection highlighted by the club's first trip to a Super Bowl in 2009.

But now the Cards want to see how important this all is for Leinart, who's shown his backside a couple times -- both as a diva and a party boy -- while disappearing in Warner's shadow. The organization isn't going to advertise any free passes to the position, even though it's clear the job is Leinart's to lose.

He knows that.

"I do feel like I am the starting quarterback," Leinart told azcardinals.com, the team's website, in his lone interview since Warner called it quits. "I think that's the mindset I have to have and that's the mindset I do have. To be honest, I am not worried about any of that. I feel this is my job and I am going to go out and do well and be they drafted me to be.

"We've seen a tremendous change in attitude. He has a bit of a chip on his shoulder."
ARIZONA GM ROD GRAVES"Ultimately, my play will define what people say about me."

In wondering how bad he wants to be good, the Arizona brass likes what it's seen. So far.

"I think Matt has committed himself to being the quarterback that we all expected him to be," Graves said. "We've seen a tremendous change in attitude. He has a bit of a chip on his shoulder to prove that he certainly was worth (our) No. 1 pick in the draft. Beyond that, I think he wants to prove he can be a successful quarterback. I feel if you bring those elements and that character to the table then we have a chance to be successful with it."

When the GM talks positively about a "tremendous change in attitude" it's a pretty good indication the team didn't like the player's previous attitude. Instances such as -- oh, for example -- photos appearing on the Internet showing Leinart feeding a beer bong to a woman at a party might have the club that made him a multi-millionaire questioning his desire to be a great quarterback.

And it's not like his tape wowed them, either.

In four seasons, Leinart has completed 57 percent of his passes for 3,893 yards, 14 touchdowns, 20 interceptions and a 70.8 passer rating. He did, however, have an encouraging performance (21-of-31, 220 yards, no picks) in his lone start last season, in a last-second loss against Tennessee.

Something to build on, Whisenhunt said, as long as Leinart is willing to do some heavy lifting.

"I think Matt just has to continue working like he's worked," Whisenhunt said. "The sense of urgency now is a little different, and i think he's up to the challenge. He's had the good fortune of learning and working behind a quarterback who has played at as high a level as anybody. Hopefully, we'll see the benefits of that."