The Quarterback market in the NFL this season is starting to look untenable. There are too many guys who need homes and not enough spots to go around. I suppose I should rephrase that: There are not enough starting spots to fulfill huge egos.
The market is going to get saturated after the Draft because we’ll have to incorporate all the rookie Quarterbacks into the fold. With every team having 3 QBs on the depth chart that equals 96 slots. Unfortunately, only 32 of those spots are for starters.
Add to that the bad news that some teams are receiving and this market is going to go crazy with activity that STILL will not satisfy everyone involved. How are teams going to make savvy decisions in this “spent-first” environment?
Big Ben In Trouble
Big Ben, supposedly, bought a cabin in Central Georgia to entertain his teammates and be the “nice guy”. Then, he started hanging out in college bars where he could get it for free.
Well, the response to the 2006 axiom “You’re a crappy teammate” got Big Ben in trouble. Now he’s got a woman saying he assaulted her and we know how the NFL feels about bad press.
Moreover, we know how the Steelers feel about running a tight ship. They cut Plaxico Burress when he started making noise. I know Big Ben is the Quarterback, but the Steelers are CLEARLY not afraid to swing the axe.
Can they afford to?
Yes, if the need arises then they can make it work. Dennis Dixon is on the roster and he got comfortable when he stepped in last season. He wasn’t perfect, but he’s got skills.
Cutting a two-time Super Bowl winner might be crazy, but if Big Ben gets suspended then they may not want to deal with that. Since the Steelers are going crazy on the free-agent market they won’t have to change their whole team around if Big Ben has to go.
Now, do I think he should be cut? No. Do I think he’s an idiot? Yes. This reminds me of what someone said about Dez Bryant—the Okie State WR prospect:
“I wouldn’t draft that kid unless I had someone to wake him up in the morning to get to meetings, someone to wake him up for practice and someone to wake him up for games.”
Are the Steelers thinking, “We can’t retain this guy unless we hire someone to teach him how to ride a motorcycle and how NOT to sexually intimidate women”?
Don’t be surprised if they are. The “straight and narrow” path they’ve taken gives them the best odds of anyone in the league if they do cut Big Ben.
Even if they only suspend him they can afford to make-due without him. They’re street-smart like nobody else.
Cards Talking To QBs OTHER Than Leinart
Matt Leinart was supposed to be the “Golden Boy” in Arizona. Then he stunk and they made Kurt Warner the starter.
In the process Kurt Warner cemented his future Hall of Fame status, and made Leinart look like a bust. Now the Cards are talking to other QBs and they need to make a decision.
Is Matt Leinart the future or the past? If they’re talking to Derek Anderson then they need to be prepared to trade Leinart. Why?
Because you spent a HIGH 1st-Rounder on him and you need something in return for the bust. Signing Derek Anderson only to have Leinart back him up is stupid. What could he possibly learn from Anderson that he couldn’t learn from Warner?
Matt Leinart still has tangible value. Why, because some ego-maniac coach will think, “I can fix that kid”. That’s all it takes.
In return the Cards could shore up their defense AND sign Anderson—who has been more successful than Leinart. Isn’t that a win-win?
You know the old saying: “S***, or get off the pot!”?
Delhomme To The Browns?
Jake Delhomme got cut by the Panthers and then he cried. Now he wants to go to Cleveland? To do what? Cry some more!?
How in the world do the Browns think Delhomme can succeed on an AWFUL team with an AWFUL offensive line when he could barely get it done in Carolina?
What else am I supposed to say besides, “Draft someone, or fix Brady Quinn”? He’s too new and has too much potential to cut just yet. However…
That Means They’ll Move Quinn?
If the Browns are talking to Jake Delhomme does that mean they’re willing to move Brady Quinn? I have to give them credit because at least they:
1. Know if they are done with Quinn they need to get value for him,
and
2. They know that they can get more value for him sooner rather than later.
I almost accused Mike Holmgren of losing his mind, but I’ll admit that moving Quinn to get value is smart EVEN IF I think signing Delhomme is stupid.
At the very least they would be making a smart “organizational” decision.
We’ll have to see about the football decisions.
Who’s Taking McCoy And Bradford?
The Rams NEED a Quarterback. They’re probably taking Bradford or McCoy—though either is damaged goods at this point.
After that we have to guess as to whether the Redskins are “over” Jason Campbell. If they are then they take McCoy. If they aren’t then McCoy falls to the Bills.
If they trade the pick—which they have said they might do—then maybe it goes to Seattle and the Seahawks take Bradford or McCoy. Either way it’s going to be a mess.
I’m not sure that either one of them could start in the next 3 years without dying on the field. I just don’t think they have “it”. That leaves us…
Is Clausen In The Picture?
Jimmy Clausen, who is a combine FREAK, and who will throw the ball 500 yards in the air in practice. So, do the Redskins take Clausen? Do the Bills take him? One of the “Big 3” is getting left out for sure.
Personally, Jimmy Clausen isn’t getting a ton of press, but he’s probably the best of the 3 QBs. How can that be?
Because he was on the worst of the 3 teams in question. Notre Dame sucked while he was there, but he still played GREAT. McCoy and Bradford already had great teams.
All they did was prove they can play on a great team. Clausen—like Joe Flacco or Matt Ryan—proved he can play on ANY team. That’s what you don’t see in the tape—the big picture.
Who Gets Left Out?
In the draft it should be McCoy. He opened his yap and said his arm was “dead”—bad move. He hasn’t any time to heal. Tebow might creep up if a crazy coach takes a flier—Pete Carroll or Chan Gailey—and Bradford sneaks in somewhere after Clausen.
In the free-agent market it should be Jake Delhomme. He didn’t earn his extension in Carolina and he cried about being rich. The Browns don’t need that.
Derek Anderson should be in. He earned his stripes and did his best on a bad team. I hope he goes to Arizona and KILLS it. He’s a worker-bee—Delhomme is not.
That leaves Big Ben in the fishbowl. Everyone’s going to be watching until somebody does something to him: the league, the Steelers, the police, but somebody has to make a move before his deal gets resolved.
Bet on the Steelers acting quickly—as they should—because their street-smarts tell them not to mess around at Quarterback. Maybe some of these other teams could learn a lesson or two.