When the Arizona Cardinals placed quarterback Kevin Kolb on injured reserve earlier this week, two things happened.

First and most obviously, Kolb's season came to an end. His second season in Arizona ended much like his first -- early. The rib injury Kolb suffered in a Week 6 loss to the Buffalo Bills didn't heal in a timely fashion, relegating him to the sideline for the majority of the season.

Secondly, the roster move fuels speculation about the quarterback's future in the desert. The reality is this: Kolb has been effective when he's been on the field. As a Cardinal, Kolb has completed 255-of-436 passes for 3,124 yards with 17 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions. His quarterback rating over the two years has been a very respectable 83.2.

But the key stat is that Kolb will have missed 17 of a possible 32 games in Arizona with an assortment of injuries. The Cardinals must make a decision in the offseason if they want to proceed with Kolb at quarterback in 2013 knowing he's been less than healthy for three straight seasons.

Outspoken Cardinal kicker Jay Feely was a guest on The Big Red Rage with Kerry Rhodes on Arizona Sports 620 Thursday night and said that Kolb is counting on being back with Arizona.

"I was talking to him (Thursday) about how excited he was to come back next year and what he wanted to do and what he wanted to accomplish," Feely said. "Obviously, you get put on I.R., you start thinking about the next year and he's determined to come back and to continue to get better and build on what he did."

With Kolb under center, the Cardinals got off to their first 4-0 start since 1974. They haven't won since the injury.

Feely's comments have no bearing on Kolb's future with the team, but do indicate his willingness to persevere.

Feely also said he's impressed with new quarterback Brian Hoyer, whom the Cardinals picked up off the waiver wire from Pittsburgh earlier this week.

"He has a presence and I like his presence," Feely told Paul Calvisi and Ron Wolfley. "I go out there and run around and catch passes and when they do routes on air, I'm there watching in the huddle, and he steps right in and he's got a good presence in there. I think that probably comes from being around someone like Tom Brady."

Hoyer spent three years in New England as Brady's understudy, appearing in 13 games in his time as a Patriot.