Quarterback Kevin Kolb listens to the play calls during last weekend's game against the Rams.
The most important question surrounding Kevin Kolb's rib injury isn't if he can make the long throw or if he can scramble out of the pocket.
It's if he can take a hit.
Until that is answered, the quarterback will continue to practice and tutor his rookie protégé, Ryan Lindley.
"I don't think he is going to get in the game until we are sure that he can take a hit," coach Ken Whisenhunt said Wednesday. "With what happened with him, you just have to make sure that he's cleared to do that."
Kolb met with the Cardinals' training staff after Wednesday's practice but there was no word on how much progress he's made since returning to practice last week. For now, though, it's becoming less week-to-week and more day-to-day. The pain around his ribs is still there, Kolb said, but otherwise he feels good.
Kolb said there are certain movements that still bother him enough to impact his ability to play.
"I think the biggest thing is what level can I actually go back and play at right now," Kolb said. "That's what I'm trying to work through, getting all the way back to – I can't say 100 percent – but trying to get back to where the velocity's there and all that kind of stuff."
On Monday, Whisenhunt said since Kolb wasn't yet healthy enough to play, Ryan Lindley would start. Kolb was still limited in Wednesday's practice and said the probability of him playing Sunday is "open ended," Kolb said.
"I wouldn't say it's necessarily a pain thing that I can't play through, it's 'Has-it-healed-enough-to-take-that-shot-without-re-breaking-it?' " Kolb said. "And (it's) going out there and playing at a high level."
LINDLEY FINDS PERSPECTIVE ON DEBUT
While the memory of his first career start will last forever, Lindley would rather soon forget how he played Sunday.
After throwing four interceptions against the Rams, the rookie quarterback leaned on his family and his faith for support. But, while the four picks will define his performance, Lindley is learning how to move past it. He visited a children's hospital Tuesday, which put Sunday's game into perspective.
"I realized throwing four picks is kind of trivial," Lindley said. "At the same time I'm not trying to downgrade it. I shouldn't have done what I did. It was bad but to see what other people have going on, I could be in a lot worse shape than I am right now."
CAMPBELL, COACH OPTIMISTIC FOR RETURN
Calais Campbell feels he's closer to playing after missing two games but neither he nor Whisenhunt would say for certain if the defensive end will suit up Sunday against the Jets.
"I just want to be careful and take my time and take it one day at a time," said Campbell, who injured his right calf during the bye week. "We have a whole week to get ready and I'm a pretty smart guy so I get a lot of mental reps."
Campbell, whose calf is still wrapped from below the knee to his ankle, expected to play Sunday against the Rams but his calf "didn't feel as good as I thought it would toward the end of the week."
He's feeling "very strong and explosive" but Campbell doesn't want to rush his return despite being optimistic about playing in New York.
"We would love to have Calais back," Whisenhunt said. "Hopefully this will be the week that he does get back."
ROBERTS MISSES PRACTICE
Wide receiver Andre Roberts sat out Wednesday's practice with an ankle injury. In fact, three of the Cardinals' five active roster receivers were on the injury report, with Early Doucet (ribs) and LaRon Byrd (head) each limited.
Also limited were DB Justin Bethel (shoulder), RB William Powell (shoulder), RB Beanie Wells (knee), Kolb and Campbell.
For the Jets, WR Jeremy Kerley (heel/illness/hamstring), NT Sione Po'uha (low back), LB Bart Scott (toe) and QB Tim Tebow (ribs) were limited.
