In case of emergency, Blaine Gabbert.
That's who the Cardinals will be able to turn to -- if something unfortunate happens to Carson Palmer -- now that they have signed the quarterback to a one-year deal, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source informed of the situation. The team later made the annoucement official.
Gabbert joins the team with the intention of competing with Drew Stanton and former Miami (OH) passer Zac Dysert for the backup role, Rapoport added.
ESPN first reported the news.
Gone are the days of being forced to insert Ryan Lindley and Logan Thomas when things become dire under center. General manager Steve Keim learned from the dropoff at the position in 2014 and found a decent backup in Stanton, and has now added another contender for the job in Gabbert.
The former first-round selection of the Jacksonville Jaguars spent the previous three years in San Francisco, where he started 13 games over his last two seasons, threw 15 touchdowns (13 interceptions) and came 44 yards shy of cracking 3,000. Gabbert's most notable moment as a 49er was probably the moment he entered in place of Colin Kaepernick, as one-year head coach Jim Tomsula became desperate in Week 9 of 2015. Of those 13 starts, Gabbert won just four games, and was supplanted by Kaepernick in Week 6 of 2016 under the direction of since-fired Chip Kelly.
Gabbert isn't leading the Cardinals to the Super Bowl. But he could provide some experience and insurance in a tough spot, should the Cardinals find themselves in one in 2017.
