PHOENIX • The Arizona Cardinals have released Matt Leinart, parting ways with the former Heisman Trophy winner who was supposed to be the team's franchise quarterback but couldn't escape the backup role.

The team made the announcement Saturday shortly before the Cardinals had to reach their 53-man roster limit.

"In fairness to Matt, I think that it would be a tough position for him to be in a backup role," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "Maybe a fresh start for him is what would be a good thing, for all of us."

Arizona thought it had a steal when Leinart, who led Southern California to two national championships and a third title game appearance, fell to the Cardinals at the No. 10 overall pick in 2006. He started 11 games as a rookie under then-coach Dennis Green, then the first five the following season under Whisenhunt. But the lefthander then went down with a broken collarbone and Kurt Warner took over.

Warner finished his career with two spectacular seasons, leading Arizona to consecutive NFC West titles, an incredible run to the Super Bowl and a 51-45 overtime victory over Green Bay in a playoff thriller last season.

Leinart mostly watched.

Even before Leinart was hurt, Warner was being used more and more. After the collarbone injury, Leinart started one game, at Tennessee last season when Warner was injured. This year, he expected to finally get his chance after Warner retired but was replaced by Cleveland castoff Derek Anderson in the third preseason game.

"Do I feel like we didn't put him in a position to be successful?" Whisenhunt said. "I think that is open to debate. It has obviously been talked about a lot. I think that with every player on our team we are trying to give him the opportunity to succeed. I think we have always tried to be fair."

Leinart went public with his frustration Monday, complaining he had outplayed Anderson and that his problems with Whisenhunt were "probably away from football."

That led to a meeting with Whisenhunt the following day. Although he was unhappy that Leinart took his issues public, Whisenhunt praised how the quarterback has handled things.

"The one thing I want to make very clear is how professional Matt was about the whole situation," the coach said.

The decision elevates Max Hall, an undrafted rookie out of BYU, to backup quarterback, with another rookie, fifth-round draft pick John Skelton out of Fordham, at No. 3.