Matt, I have seen on multiple sites that the eagles are not interested in housh, and it seems he left seattle without signing there, can you put some feelers out about what the 49ers might be thinking as far as at least setting up a visit?

I didn't expect an entire article to answer my question, but thanks Matt!

Comment: I didn't expect an entire article to answer my question, but thanks Matt!

My response: Anything for you. --Matt M.

I can't imagine that the 49ers have a great shot at Warner, but it isn't too smart of Arizona to let him wait for too long.

Warner would rather go to the Chefs than play for a neanderthal offensive genius in Jimmy Raye. Please people, can we put this to rest?

Warner in the midwest would be the next logical train stop for him before Canton.

Explain to me how he would rather go to the Chiefs. They have absolutely nothing besides Gonzalez. They have are not a better situation than the 49ers.

Somebody named Todd Haley is the new HC, the coach solely responsible for rejuvenating Warner's career and performance into his NFL wilderness years.

Just because Alex's deal isn't done yet, does not mean that the niners can't spend the money that his contract re-structure would afford. Scott said that they would not let him throw without a new deal. We can spend what the difference is between what we are willing to pay for him, and his salary for next year. If there are free agencey issues we need to address, we can. Scott set the timeline at mid-march. Before the draft. If we want to spend that money in free agency, and Alex won't restructure before then, we can cut him,and go into the draft with the money we need to sign our picks.

the chiefs also have Dwaye Bowe also. BIG WR for warner to target. and also warner latest offensive cordinator in Coach Haley like Franchise mentioned.

1. Coach Haley
2. Dwaye Bowe
3. Tony Gonzalez

The Chiefs are irrelevant for 2 reasons. One, they aren't likely to bite (at least not yet). Pioli will look for a long term fix before he considers a short term option.

Two, this still has more to do with shaking down the Cardinals than actually leaving. And we make a better shakedown candidate because him staying in the division would be a double whammy.

Warner ain't movin, folks. My guess: Warner's agent blew a little smoke in the direction of 9ers so Cards would get serious and cut a deal. (1)They can't afford to lose him, and (2) They can't afford to lose him to a division rival. As for Warner--he's going to trade L. Fitzgerald for J. Morgan? Maybe someday, but not today.

any chance we can start a "Where's the Housh" campaign??

any chance we can start a "Where's the Housh" campaign??

Seriously this should be put to rest already, it's getting embarrassing. Warner is trying to play as much hardball as possible to get the best deal. The Cards know he will not go play somewhere else next year because he has already made that clear. His family is settled, the offense plays to his strengths, he's already familiar with it and he will have a good shot at another play off run. He's not interested in learning something new or playing in an offense that doesn't throw all day, he's 38 want's to get paid, try to get another SB and get out. IIRC he wants around 14-15 million a year, which no one in the league will pay, and the Cards offered around 10-12. His leverage ability took a hit and he knows it because everyone knows he wants to stay. They will probably settle for a 2 year 20 + million a year deal soon. We should come back to earth now and talk about something realistic like what in God's green earth is the plan for this year??

You give way too much credit to the Cards coaches. They were hell bent on playing Leinart which is why they named Leinart the starter after the 2007 season, even though Warner started 11 games that season when Leinart went down with a season ending injury.

Before Leinart went down, the Cards started putting Warner in occasionally to run a "hurry up offense" at various points during the game (which was almost always more successful than when Leinart ran the offense).

Once Warner took over the offense completely, he had to constantly lobby Haley and Whisenhunt to run more of a spread offense.

Warner's revival owes MUCH more to:

A). Leinarts injury and ineffectiveness.
B). Warner's passing ability and his lobbying for more of a wide open offense.
C). Boldin, Fitzgerald and Breaston.

than to Todd Haley.

Saying that Todd Haley was solely responsible for warner's revival in Arizona is being misinformed.

After thinking about it now;waiting for the Smith deal to fall through makes sense. But, why did we let Takeo go on the market for one day, and then sign him? We knew that we wanted him, and he wanted to play for us, so why didn't we do his deal before yesterday? Did we get him for less money by letting him be a free agent for one day? I don't get it.

It's along shot, but could happen: Things like the dome stadium, his family and Larry Fitzgerald (among others) are strong incentives to stay.

That said:

A).Todd Haley (who he was close to) is gone.
B).Anquan Boldin (who he greatly respects) is unhappy.
C).He's a little bit less than happy with a certain level of disrespect shown to him by:

1. Ken Whisenhunt, who named Matt Leinart, not Kurt Warner, the starter in both of Whisenhunt's two seasons in Arizona (2007 & 2008). Warner became the starter in 2007 when Leinart was injured and he became the starter in 2008 AFTER he beat out Leinart in the preseason even though Whisenhunt had already named Leinart the starter in 2008.

2. Cards management. Warner feels that he's already been underpaid the past two seasons (he started but was paid "back-up" money) so any "cheapness" on the part of the Cards right now really strikes him as being cheap and disrespectful.

I always thought Warner would wear red and gold before he retired. It probably will keep Bruce in red and gold also. Love those champion colors!

He would'nt last the season behind our offensive line IMHO. IMHO he would be a fool to leave a receiver like Fitzgerald although he would love to wear the scarlet and gold 'cuz it is the best looking NFL threads on the green.

They've had mostly terrible offensive lines since they moved to Arizona. O-Line coach Russ Grimm has done a good job the past two years in turning that group around a little.

The same five guys started all 19 games this past year, which helps out a lot. That said, the Cards offensive line is pretty average in the NFL.

Comment: "Can the 49ers afford Warner? The answer is yes. The 49ers would have plenty of cap room to enable them a big-money free-agent signing"

My Response: That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. If your wife says you can spend $100k on your next car, does that magically put that amount in your pocket????

Of course not. In similar fashion, cap room or no cap room says nothing about how much cash the Niners have (want) to spend.

I read today someplace that the 49ers are in the bottom 5% for players payroll. I don't know if that is true but it would be interesting to find out. Actual spending that is. Not theoretical contract dollars. Those mean nothing.

Sorry but I guess we will have to agree to disagree. There is not way in heck the 49ers landing Warner is even a remote possibility. First, I have not see where Warner has said he feels disrespected. The Cards gave him a shot not the other way around and 10-12 million a year is more than generous for a 38 year old "system" QB. Boldin can whine all he wants but he is under contract through 2010 so he not going anywhere unless someone pays huge nor is he going to sit out, see Chad Johnson.

Even if Boldin was to leave and Warner could not be re-signed, you think 1) The 49ers are going to spend that much (14-15 million a year) on a 38 QB and 2) That Warner would even consider playing for a team that has been rebuilding for a decade with a bad o-line, no WR's, and a smash mouth football offensive mentality.

This is all just absurd. We need to draft a guy either later this year or early next year and focus on finally getting the right players for a 3-4 and solidifying our O-line. We will have to suffer another year or 2 of mediocre to miserable QB play, that's just a reality we have made for ourselves.

Comment: I read today someplace that the 49ers are in the bottom 5% for players payroll. I don't know if that is true but it would be interesting to find out.

My response: The 49ers ranked 11th in the 32-team league in actual dollars spent at more than $118 million.

http://content.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/totalpayroll.aspx?year=2008

--Matt M.

Anything's possible.

He's never said anything about being disrespected (even slightly). That doesn't mean he doesn't feel that way.

The Cards are offering around 10; Warner's agent is looking more for 14. And more up front, guaranteed money than the Cards are offering.

I know Boldin's status. Thats said, he's pissed at management. Not a good situation for someone like a Kurt Warner, who not only values Q as a person and as a teammate, but also as one of the best WR's in the NFL.

The Cards have been rebuilding for a 100 years. The 49ers O-Line isn't any worse (player/talent wise than the Cards). The Niners have a great RB. The Cards have NOBODY.

Warner's not a "system" QB. Mike Martz's system and Ken Whisenhunts system aren't alike at all.

I have said, over and over, that it's a long shot. I still believe that. That said, if it happened, it wouldn't shock me AT ALL.

No way does Warner come here. He doesn't fit our offensive philosophy and he ain't worth the price tag.

Best case scenario he retires. Without him the Cards will fail.

I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude. But sometimes I have to laugh. Warner "doesn't fit our offensive philosophy?"

Warner knows how to hand off. He knows how to pass. Unless a team's "philosophy" calls for the QB to scramble and run a lot, Warner can figure it out.

Warner's offensive philosophy is the same as Martz's - pass, pass, pass. He's said it many times before. He wants to throw the ball 35 or more times a game. And that is not what the 49ers want to do with the ball.

Warner loves to throw the ball. Look at his career. I don't see a Boldin or Fitzgerald he'll have here to huck it down the field to on a regular basis and he's not gonna want to hand the ball off as many times as he'd end up doing in this offense. This offense calls for a game manager... That's not what Warner's looking for.

Randy. I said it's a LONG SHOT. Seriously, do you think that you are telling me something that I don't know, with regards to Warner loving to throw?

Now, Singletary's 85 Bears led the NFC in scoring that year. Jim McMahon was as far from a "game manager" as there was.

Matt Leinart is younger and more athletic than Kurt Warner. Arm strength wise, both are similar. Accuracy wise they are both similar. The one BIG difference between Warner and Leinart (and offensive players stated this publicly this past season) is this: Kurt Warner can read the defense and know just who to get the ball to "Better & Faster" than Leinart.

And that's the name of the game. Any QB that can do that at the level warner can can make any offense work. if the line gives him time, if the team can effectively run the ball, and if his receivers can get open, he can put points on the board.

Matt, I wonder how Warner feels about smash mouth football, and would Singletary rethink his philosophy and adjust it with a passer like Warner behind center? I sure hope Scott Boras has nothing to do with this.

You're right. Like all QB's, he'd like to pass every time. The Cards had the worst rushing offense in the NFL this year. Even Warner was lamenting that fact late in the year, by saying that it puts too much pressure on him and the offense.

There are so many things that have to go right to pass effectively (O-Line pass blocking, QB making the right read, receivers getting open and catching the ball) that Warner himself acknowledged the contradiction in that interview (how he likes to pass all the time but laments the lack of a quality running attack to take pressure off the passing game).

You questioned my response and I answered you. I'm very familiar with Leinart, but what does he have to do with what I said? My point was simply that Warner is not coming here.

As for the '85 Bears talk, you do know Raye is the OC I assume. HIS style of offense calls for a game manager. A guy by the name of Shaun Hill is perfect for this offense. 5-0 at home ain't bad either. Just another reason the high priced Warner doesn't make sense here.

Randy. We all know that Warner loves to throw the ball down the field. OK. Maybe people misunderstand me. I have said repeatedly that it's a long shot (Warner in SF).

I meant that both ways. Kurt has always stated his desire to stay in Arizona for his family and to play with guys like Fitz and Boldin (I know as I live in Phoenix).

My point was, if the Cards drag their feet and some other team blows warner away, he could go.

My point about Leinart and McMahon was this. Some people equate "smash mouth" football with running it all day and throwing a few passes here and there.

Warner has one of the most important QB qualities (that McMahon had and Leinart doesn't quite have) and that's in quickly knowing just where to go with the ball.

Put Warner on any "smash mouth team, (like the 80's Bears) and give him time to throw, a good running game, and some quality receivers and Warner's team will likely be near the top in scoring as the 85 Bears were.

Managing games is fine. I liked what I saw with Hill. The problem with some people is that they seem to think it's an "either/or" situation. Either you have a game manager or you having a 40 attempt passing attack.

It's not how many passes a team throws, it's how effective they are when throwing.

Both the 85 Bears and the 86 Giants were coached by Neanderthals who loved defense and running the ball. And yet, both those teams had excellent QB's in Simms and McMahon, who, while not throwing 40 times a game, excelled at making enough big plays in the passing game to help their teams win far more games than they lost.

Singletary is ACUTELY aware of this. In 1984 his Bears lost to your 49ers in the NFC championship game 23-0, as McMahon didn't play and the Bears game manager, Steve Fuller did. The next year, those same two teams again played in SF. This time McMahon was the QB and the Bears won 26-10.

Having a game manager is great. Having an excellent QB who can manage the game AND make some BIG plays in the passing game is even better!

When I said "system" I am referring to the fact that his current value comes from being in an offense like Arizona's. There are probably only a handful of teams that he would add any value to because they would have to be able to provide him an environment for his skill-set to thrive and I guarantee we are not one of them. Warner makes AZ great because AZ has the tools and game plan to allow Warner to be great. IMO he WILL stay in AZ or call it a career.

If I was the Cards, I'd offer Warner a one year contract - take it or leave it - and keep repeating to myself the words - "Bret Favre."

"That's why I see almost no possible way the Cardinals botch this contract negotiation so bad that Warner feels compelled to leave town." Don't let the recent Super Bowl appearance full you, these are still the Bidwell's.

As for him joining the red and gold, I think you're right, why would Warner look to join a run-first team with no clear #1 receivers? Unlikely I suppose, but I wouldn't be suprised to see him leave the desert.

Respectfully, you couldn't be more wrong. Would he be able to duplicate his "success" on teams without a Fitzgerald and Boldin? Probably not.

Would he be a significant upgrade at QB over about half the other teams in the NFC (think Lions, Bears, Vikings, Rams, 49ers, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Dallas)? Yeah.

Probably half the AFC teams also.

As I stated earlier, probably his greatest strength is his ability to read defenses an "very quickly" know where to go with the ball. That's half the battle in the NFL.

Kyle Orton played well last year in Chicago before he hurt his ankle. ShaunHill played well for the 49ers last year. The main weakness for both of those guys is the deep ball.

That's one of Warner's strengths. A 'deep ball" missed here and a "deep ball" missed there, can really change the outcome of a game.

Having a veteran QB, who can manage the game AND hit those home runs when his receiver is open deep is huge.
Big difference between a 50 yard TD and a long incompletition.

Russ Grimm turned an awful offensive line into an above average unit. He did an outstanding job. Average play does not get you to the superbowl and maybe my memory is failing but I don't recall blitzburgs' sack machine sacking Warner into rehab.

I'm confused. Are you agreeing with me or disagreeing (as I have said the same thing about Grimm and the O-Line)?

Here's my opinion on the whole thing and tell me what you think,
We all know that it's unlikely for Warner to be 49er. We are skeptical and doubtful. I think we pursue it to pursue it and just to push the price up on the Cardinals! If they call our bluff we can always just pull back. Nothing lost but, If we put out there we're willing to pay Warner 14 mil a year, Arizona is going to come out and match that because they know they don't have a better option at QB! They'll panic and it's more against their cap space.

Agree. And if Warner does want to play in SF, sign him immediately. Obviously he's not a long-term solution but he'd be a great bridge till a younger QB steps up.

The Niners are not pursuing this, Warner's agent is. Because Warner said it's AZ or retirement. The Niners would never make an offer unless Singletary looked in Warner's eyes and believed he was being honest and would accept an offer. Very little chance of any of this happening. AZ would have to blow it big time for Warner to move here.

You're right about everything. That said, people/teams change their mind. A few years back the Steelers were set to name Russ Grimm to replace Cowher (according to Grimm he thought it was a done deal). Next thing, Tomlin comes in a blows people away in his interview. The Steelers changed their mind.

That's always a possibility and having lived in Phoenix for 15 years, I'd definitely say that if any ownership is capable of screwing this up, it would be the Bidwills.

You obviously missed my entire point. My post has nothing to do with him being an upgrade over a ton of other QB's. The point is with Warner at this stage of his career he offers a very specific and extremely valuable skill-set but it only works and is only worth the money if all the pieces are in place. Sure he could go to the Lions or Bears, etc for 14 million a year and would be an enormous upgrade over any QB there but would he excel in those offense's? No, he would not have much to work with (well except CJ of course). He alone won't get those teams to a SB or put there offense over the top, no matter how good he may be, so why would he go there and why would they pay him that much cash for only a year or 2 of production that would not thrive with their current personnel? It's not about how good he his vs others it's how good can he be in a particular environment. I think maybe you just like to argue for arguments sake. Now, honestly I am not interested in discussing the non-existent Warner situation any further.

Waste of time. No player a heartbeat from a Superbowl victory is going to change teams in his final or penulitimate season. Case closed.

Look, you're splitting hairs. I'll say it again. Would Vikings or Bears or Lions into the Midwest AZ. Cardinals?
Probably not.

Would he be a BIG upgrade over those teams QB's? Yes.
And that's it. he'd be a big upgrade. That's enough.

Look, here's how the NFL is. in the regular season, there are three sets of teams: The "elite" (those teams that start strong and finish 12-4, 13-3, 14-2 etc). The bottom feeders (usually 3, 4 teams at 4-12 or worse).

The last group is everybody else. Those teams that weren't excellent and weren't terrible. Middle of the road.

Take one of those middle-of-the-road teams, significantly upgrade the QB position, and they probably make the playoffs.

In the NFL a few plays here and there are usually the difference in the game.

A few games here and there is the difference between playing in January and sitting home.

A significant upgrade at QB can be enough to make the difference in both those cases.

Beyond that, look at Dallas. Tony Romo. Can't win playoffs games. Think Warner can? I sure do.

You're mistake here is in minimizing Warner's value to other teams because of who he had in AZ and who he probably doesn't have on other teams.

That's shallow thinking. Think Warner and Devin Hester would make a lot of big plays in the Bears offense? I sure do. The Bears basically missed the playoffs by one game. Think Warner might have made a difference there? I do.

Great players make everybody around them better.

Almost ALL SB losing teams fail to make the playoffs the next year (at least that's been the pattern the last decade or so). Why, I'm not sure but that's a fact.

Even with Warner, the Cards will be fortunate to make the playoffs next year.

They have one BIG problem right now. Some of their best players (like Boldin, Dockett and Dansby) are really unhappy with their contracts. Not good. That doesn't bode well for the Cards going forward.

Warner is the NFL's version of Manny Ramirez. And S. Hill ramains the Rodney Dangerfield of quarterbacks.

Whatever you say man. You clearly seem incapable of understanding the point I have been trying to make over and over and since you seem to have a penchant for going in circles and are under the assumption you have it all figured out there is no need for me to continue trying to explain to you why the odds of Warner leaving are very slim.

It's hilarious to see some commenting here in a negative way about Kurt Warner. I personally am not enthralled with the guy, but I must admit the guy has something special to lead 2 teams to the SB. And this past year at the age of 38 that was a pretty tall order for anyone.
I don't believe the Cards see the 49ers under Mr. Sing as a threat to offer Warner anything he would see as a positive. That positive would only have been visible if the 49ers would have kept Martz. They didn't. So if this blowing smoke in the air towards Warner by the 49ers has any legitimacy, it's only in people's minds.
Warner will be back in Arizona. And when Warner's agent and the Cards stop shadow boxing, Warner will be back in the saddle leading a very angry bunch with a chip on their shoulder trying to get back in the SB.

NO NO NO PHX49er! No more bantering on Matt's site!

Dude. You're funny. Really. I have consistently said, from my first post on, that the odds of Warner signing were "a longshot."

I don't know about you, but where I'm from a "longshot" and something "very slim" are remarkably similar.

That said, IF that longshot (or slim shot) came to pass, I simply posted many reasons that could have played into that decision.

You basically have said that without his weapons in Arizona, things wouldn't be the same anywhere else (stating the obvious) so of what benefit would it be to warner and his new team?

And then I simply stated how that possible "new arrangement" would benefit both Warner and his new team.