ARIZONA CARDINALS

ESPN’s Jaworski says Lindley ‘has tremendous upside’

Nov 29, 2012, 9:50 PM | Updated: 10:17 pm

ESPN NFL analyst Ron Jaworski saw nothing from Ryan Lindley’s first career NFL start to deter him from believing the signal caller will be a good player down the road.

“I thought [his performance] was uneven, but I still believe, from what I saw on the tape, he has a very good skill set,” Jaworski told Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo Thursday.

Jaworski noted the performance of the Arizona offensive line, which yielded just two sacks to the Rams and allowed Lindley to showcase the arm strength and velocity he’s known for.

“Clearly mistakes were made,” he admitted, before saying he felt the first interception should have been negated by an offsides penalty. “But he was baited on the interception; it’s a trap defense which a lot of teams deploy in the NFL.”

Lindley was picked off four times in the game, with two of the interceptions being returned for touchdowns. It was a performance that seemed fitting of someone who was taken in the sixth round of the NFL Draft just seven months ago, but then again, it was not as if the former San Diego State signal caller was a complete disaster.

“When I look at the full body of work, his poise in the pocket, some really good throws,” Jaworski said. “Of course there were some very inaccurate throws, but with a young quarterback you’re going to have to live with this.”

Part of that is the struggles to read defenses and make plays when the first and second options are taken away.

That will come in time, as Jaworski said many of the mistakes he saw were correctable, including getting on the same page with the players he’s throwing the ball to.

“There was a clear lack of communication and route adjustments when you look at the quarterback and the wide receivers,” Jaworski said. “They have to see the field through the same eyes.”

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Monti Ossenfort looks on...

Vincent DeAngelis

PFF’s Spielberger grades Cardinals’ free agent class among worst in NFL

PFF's Brad Spielberger gave the Cardinals' free agent class a "C" grade in his latest rankings. It was the worst grade among all 32 teams.

3 minutes ago

Jonah Williams pressure Sam Darnold...

Tyler Drake

Report: Free agent DL Jonah Williams visiting Arizona Cardinals this week

Defensive lineman Jonah Williams is visiting the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings this week, according to Aaron Wilson.

9 hours ago

Casita seating at the Arizona Cardinals' State Farm Stadium...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals’ new suite options at State Farm Stadium include casitas

The Arizona Cardinals on Monday announced new luxury seating options for 2024, including custom casita suites at State Farm Stadium.

13 hours ago

Justin Fields...

Associated Press

Quarterback carousel: Bears trade Justin Fields to Steelers to clear way for top pick

The Chicago Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night for draft compensation.

2 days ago

Kyler Murray...

Arizona Sports

Report: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s 2025 guarantees kick in

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray had nearly $30 million guaranteed for the 2025 season kick in by remaining on Arizona's roster by Saturday.

2 days ago

Paris Johnson Jr. celebrates with Kyler Murray...

Tyler Drake

Which side of the line will Cardinals’ Paris Johnson Jr. command in 2024?

Even before the Cardinals released D.J. Humphries, there was already talk of Paris Johnson Jr. making the switch from right to left.

3 days ago

ESPN’s Jaworski says Lindley ‘has tremendous upside’