Thoughts on 2006 QBs

What about Tom Bra……..? With a year of clipboard-totin’ under his belt, he might be ready to go!

My thoughts – VY needs to play in a shotgun spread where his poor footwork is minimized. McD likes the shotgun; could be a fit. At the same time Young’s greatest strength is his ability to run, especially the option. I don’t see McD going to that due to the risk to the QB.

Leinhart – I’m just not that high on. He seems to have been the beneficiary of an amazing supporting cast as USC. I have my doubts about his ability in the NFL.

Tavarius (deer-in-the-headlights) Jackson – dude just cannot read NFL defenses. Too slow at regognition and adjustment.

I actually don’t see any of these guys as upgrades over Simms/Orton.

I’d be torn between signing a smart vet and drafting someone. I don’t like any of the other three.

I didn’t care for any of the choices in your poll. I kind of like Leinart, but I don’t see him as an improvement to our current QB situation. IMO, Colt McCoy is not an NFL QB. He is like Doug Flutie without the overacheiver asset. Too small, and looks for the Hail Mary. Lets wait and see what can become of Tom Brandstater before running amok. We really need to give Orton and Simms a chance though. Between the two, I think we will be OK.

I mean, I can understand getting rid of them if they combine for 5 TD’s and 30 INT’s, but that’s astronomically unlikely. I say give them a year in the system to mature and learn it, and let TomBra have some time on the bench to learn.

i would have to say to draft a qb, if tom bra… wasn’t coming along as well as expected. tarvaris and leinart don’t seem to have the goods, and young’s meltdown last year(over boos from his own crowd) would have me really worried, apart from his other questions already noted in the comments. the problem with a good veteran is they are expensive(rare), and you are going to need another one relatively soon. you have to hit it twice.

we do still have a #1 next season, plus who knows what else between now and then, to grab one of the Big Three. i don’t know how well those qb’s fit into what mcd is looking for, but this is still a young offense, and it would be nice to have a signal-caller to grow with the talent around him. obviously, that may take a few seasons, and a patient approach, again. maybe tom bra… can hold the fort until said draftee is ready, or even orton/simms. but right now, the options are rather few for the short-term if the current 2 vets don’t work out. let’s just hope they do. if tom really develops, that would be ideal.

Lest we forget, we picked a QB in the 6th rd this year. Lest we forget, Tom Brady was a late rd pick. Lest we forget, Matt Cassell was a late rd pick. We don’t need no QB’s, especially the ones mentioned. Whether we start Simms or Orton we will be alright, and probably be saying who was our QB last year? I feel really sorry for the fans who keep the #6 jersey under their pillows at night. 13-3 Baby!!!

I’d just like to make a point on the idea of a ‘mobile’ quarterback – one who runs and is ‘athletic’ – being much of an advantage. It can be, of course, but it’s often an albatross abound the neck of the quarterback. In fact, even here in the town of John Elway, whom I consider to be the best QB to play the game, I’d argue that it’s rare that a quarterback has benefited from being good at running. Before the lynching, let me explain.

The job of an NFL quarterback is to effectively analyze the defense, call the play, receive the ball and either hand it off or pass it. If a quarterback is noted for running – and I’m thinking of Culpepper, Vick and Young among many others – they tend to think pass, no, run!. But the reality is, that’s not their job and it’s not an advantage to the club.

The two best QBs right now are Brady and Peyton Manning, in either order. Both are talented field generals. Neither ‘makes plays’ with their feet. Watch Manning’s feet carefully some time. He shuffles, but his shoulders are always squared, the ball held perfectly, he’s ready to make the throw and he can change directions by shuffling withing the pocket. Manning is thinking pass, pass, pass, Ok, run. And that’s his job. His ability to make decisions is also other-worldly.

Watch Brady carefully. He constantly laughs about his supposedly poor mobility, but that’s totally deceiving. He’s very mobile – within the pocket. His mechanics are tremendous, textbook. Where his hands are, his shoulders, his feet, how he moves any part of his body. Manning’s may be even better. Those specific mechanics, the product of intense training, constant year-round repetition and careful coaching are the stuff that really wins games, week in and week out.

I understand that some will argue that you can’t compare different QBs. I would respectfully disagree. You can, you should, at times you have to. You are comparing how good they are at being an NFL quarterback. No modern QB has changed the QB position. If you look at players like McNabb, later in their professional life, they’ve become a better QB. They’ve learned better mechanics, better footwork within the pocket and they are more effective QBs because of it. Those who have ‘good legs’ too often don’t learn the specifics of the position. They try7 to make up for that deficiency by running the ball, and that doesn’t help them as QBs nor the teams that they play on. To learn the position well is dependent on receiving excellent coaching, which not every team supplies, and on constant, grueling, repetitive practice which a lot of players don’t want to put in.

for those who argue this, and I’m sure a lot of folks will, I’ll offer a short vignette from Jim Fassel, the legendary QB coach who came to the Giants in the early 90s. He spent time with Phil Simms, working on tiny details, information that he could teach anyone but that came from a professional lifetime of examination, concentration and experience in minutiae. After a short time, Simms told him, “This is screwed up.”
“What, Phil? Why’s that?”
“I should have known this 13 years ago. I would have been setting NFL records If I’d know this 13 years ago.”

That same minutiae would change and recreate the careers of many of our young QBs today if our teams would sit them for a few years, and if our coaches today knew what Fassel knew then. This is one reason that I’ve become a fan of Coach McDaniels in a short period of time. He’s made mistakes, and he’ll make more. I expect that he’ll make some big ones. But he’s one man who seems to understand the process of how to teach, the intricacies of what needs to be taught and is giving the men that play under him a chance to maximize their skill at playing the game.

First BroncoMan, sorry to read you are in the job market. best of luck to you in the search.

VY-great athlete-worst QB in the NFL. You can’t learn to be a QB in the NFL if you’ve had no training in the lower levels. The RoseBowl game he won by running away from everyone not throwing. His first year the Titans D scored nearly every game and gave up very few points. I’ve never liked the guy and must admit I’ve been looking for reasons to dislike him more and the guy quit on his team for crying out loud during a game. Jay quit in the offseason. Outside of the new trendy Wildcat I don’t know why anyone would want him as he’s a taller Pat White getting paid like Brady.

VY is a much better athlete then #7 was. A much worse QB, but realistically a much-much better athlete. #7 wasn’t the fastest guy on the team let alone have the best tackle breaking agility and VY does/did. Although the Titans young RB is now the fastest guy on the team no longer VY.

As noted above, Cutler quit on the team. I loved watching him play and have argued, poorly, that if he had had a running back (Pittman who everyone seems to never mention or Hillis) healthy his decision making would have been much better as the pressure would have been much more reasonable. Also side note, He lookoed for the Slot Machine on 3rd down not Marshall so can people stop saying he only threw to Marshall please? And I think Royal had a ton of catches too which goes against the only looked for Marshall logic. But the man quit in the offseason so why would you want him to come back? No means No

Draft a new QB-as has been point out without a great D most QB’s let alone young QB’s don’t do well and Denver is still aways off from being a dominate D. That sounds like a 2/3 year rebuilding nightmare.

Lienart-Don’t like him much either but after watching Warner he should know how to prepare and how to read a D and would be light years further ahead then a rookie. And the line could give him the time he got accustomed to at USC

T. Jackson-if you can’t be successful playing with 10 men in the box to stop A.P. then your not going to be a good QB. Like the case the Bears have been making all off season, the QB makes the WR’s better. I don’t totally believe that but there is truth in that he is an important part of the equation, like say 50% or so.

Signing a smart Vet-How many of them do you see hitting the market? And isn’t that going to be Orton if we don’t resign him anyways next year? This answer seems like a trick question.

Brandstater-Just because a guy is drafted in the 6th round by a Pat guy doesn’t mean the guy will be good. Brady is a freak execption not the rule. Most Qb’s drafted that late don’t make it for the reasons they were drafted that late. I don’t understand the thinking that because it was done once means its likely to be done again because Denver drafted him this time.

Griese, to me at least, is a good NFL QB. How else do you figure he’s been in the league for so long and started I believe for 3 teams? Is he great-No. Does he belong in the NFL-clearly.

Also I’d say the McKid didn’t trade for Orton, he got Orton with some pretty high draft picks and thus if KO doesn’t work out that doesn’t mean the trade was a bust. If Orton, Ayers and Smith don’t work out and Cutler hits another probowl or two, then the trade was a bust.

1) Lets not forget: Kellen Clemens, who will be backing up Sanchez in NY (barring a holdout by Sanchez), Charlie Whitehurst, who is backing up Phyllis in Sandy Eggo, Crodie Broyle in KC and Bruce Gradkowski in oakland…. At this point in time, I would say it would be difficult to forecast what kind of future awaits the class of 06.

2) Love the Tom Bra… meme.

Good luck on the job front B-Man!

He said Sandy Eggo