CBS lead analyst Phil Simms likes direction of new-look Cardinals

With change comes optimism and new opportunities.

At least that’s what Arizona Cardinal fans are hoping as they look to flush the sour taste of a 5-11 2012 season from their system. After an unexpected 4-0 start the Red Birds lost nine straight.

This spring the roster was overhauled by new general manager Steve Keim and head coach Bruce Arians who took over for Ken Whisenhunt who was fired.

One of those fresh faces is quarterback Carson Palmer who was brought over in a low-risk, high reward trade with Oakland earlier this month. The organization’s hope is the 33-year old can bring stability to a position that has hindered the Red Birds since Kurt Warner’s retirement.

“I think it was a good pickup for the Cardinals,” two-time Super Champion quarterback and NFL on CBS analyst Phil Simms told Brad Cesmat in a recent interview on ‘Big Guy on Sports.’ “From a thought process, Bruce Arians’ offense fits him absolutely perfect.”

Simms believes Palmer has all the attributes (size, arm strength, savvy) to thrive in the offensive scheme. He threw for over 4,000 yards and 22 touchdowns last season with the Raiders. The Cards quartet of quarterbacks (Kevin Kolb, John Skelton, Ryan Lindley, Brian Hoyer) combined for 11.

“The arm is still good,” Simms told Cesmat. “He throws a lot of easy spirals [that] are easy to catch for the wide receivers. He’s more suited to be a downfield thrower…he’s got the experience to apply this to the field and maybe make the Cardinals a better football team than they really are.”

The same can be said for Arians who proved his mettle last year in Indianapolis taking over mid-season on an interim level for Chuck Pagano who was stricken with leukemia.

“You’ve got a great guy out there in Bruce Arians,” Simms said. “I’ve been a fan of his for so long. It’s an absolute disgrace he hasn’t been a head coach before this. I’m going to follow the Cardinals closely this year.”