Josh Allen lol
I'm not talking about players that were just overlooked or undervalued in the draft and were surprisingly good in the NFL. I mean players that completely flipped their game after being in the NFL for a couple of years and became long term starters.
Which I don't know the draft eval or career trajectory on all those guys that came in 20+ years ago... Lol
I guess my main point is, it's a long shot that a QB develops at this point in their career...especially someone like Willis who has always been run first, not particularly accurate etc.
Could he possibly win some games? Sure... But I think it would be by him playing HIS game, not turning in to a Tom Brady after sitting for a few years.
Ala VY. Same thing as far as I’m concerned. Never wanted VY, never thought he would do well at the NFL level and he was much better than Willis is at college.
the ability to learn and adjust is the key. VY couldn’t which is why his career was so short. He got opportunities because of his draft status, the QB situation, and Bud Adams.
I hope Willis is also given the opportunity to sit and watch (without fans clamoring for an unprepared QB) to develop a NFL level ability.
Time will tell.
I do think most of those QBs listed meet the criteria of struggling at first to dramatically turn their game around BUT it still represents a very small amount of exceptions to the general rule.
VY was miles ahead of Willis in my opinion...and I wasn't a VY fan at all.
There's also a difference between struggling at first and just not having what it takes. I see Willis as just not being able to transition to the NFL as he's always played "backyard" style football that doesn't translate well to the NFL. Completely changing a QBs game at this point in their life just doesn't happen and that's what Willis needs to do, imo.
VY had a wonderlic score of 6 while Willis scored a 32.
I think Willis has a much better work ethic than VY and is willing to take advice. He understands that he has to improve and he is working on it.
Way too early to say that he is a bust.
The job of Hugh Freeze was to win games at Liberty not to prepare Willis for the NFL…so you draw up plays that let Willis be the dual threat and let Willis do his thing.
To say that qbs can’t improve once they get to the NFL is ridiculous…McNair in the early yrs was a 55% completion guy who improved to be a low 60% guy.
Is it a long shot that Willis becomes a long term starter in the NFL??? Well yes but it is a long shot for everyone. Plenty of 1st rnd busts. I have no problem taking a swing in a guy who is Uber athletic with a cannon of an arm who is smart and has a good work ethic.
I’m rooting for him to succeed
I think Willis has a much better work ethic than VY and is willing to take advice. He understands that he has to improve and he is working on it.
Way too early to say that he is a bust.
The job of Hugh Freeze was to win games at Liberty not to prepare Willis for the NFL…so you draw up plays that let Willis be the dual threat and let Willis do his thing.
To say that qbs can’t improve once they get to the NFL is ridiculous…McNair in the early yrs was a 55% completion guy who improved to be a low 60% guy.
Is it a long shot that Willis becomes a long term starter in the NFL??? Well yes but it is a long shot for everyone. Plenty of 1st rnd busts. I have no problem taking a swing in a guy who is Uber athletic with a cannon of an arm who is smart and has a good work ethic.
I’m rooting for him to succeed
If I was GM, my starting QB would be a first round talent, and my backup would be a veteran with former starting experience. If you want to win championships, the guy that touches the ball on every down has to be elite. If he goes down, you need someone who's been there, done that.
I don't understand "project" QBs. What's the point?
I don't understand "project" QBs. What's the point?
While I can understand your point, it’s not realistic for starters. Not every team has a starter and a backup veteran with any experience or at least that experience has shown why they’re a backup.
That doesn’t even take into consideration salary caps. If you think quality backups don’t know how valuable they currently are, that’s a mistake.
Separate point, proven plenty in recent history regarding the idea you need an elite QB. You don’t. Even looking at just SB champs, we know that’s true but add SB losing QBs and conference championship teams, it’s well known that a QB that doesn’t turn the ball over and a D is all you need.
Brady and Hass played in pro style offenses in college. Johnson and Warner developed in a league that no longer exists.
Of course it's realistic. Every team gets a first round pick, every year. There are dozens of older QBs on the decline that have starting experience. You don't need Tom Brady for a backup. You need a Fitzpatrick/Keenum type player. Someone whose understanding of the game is mature, but their body just can't handle the long season. They can be ready with very little preparation, and can help the starter understand the game.
The perfect model was NcNair/O'Donnell.
None of those guys were raw like Malik is
Fitzpatrick 2021 contract - 1 year/$10 mil. Titans don’t have that, most teams don’t have that, and it’s a terrible waste of a lot of salary cap for someone expected to be backup. Very expensive insurance policy (also consider his grand total of zero postseason experience).
Every NFL team’s starting and backup quarterback in 2022
Your description of what you “would sign” is unrealistic.
for your reading pleasure, the entire list of QB around the league including multiple backups. You want exp? Can’t be more than a handful of games. You want decent? The list gets way smaller.
I count 17 total backups that have played the bulk of at least 1 season. Here’s your gem list:
Colt McCoy
Case Keenum
Sam darnold
Trevor Siemian (lost in ten already)
Jacoby brissett
Nick foles
Teddy bridgewater
Brian hoyer
Andy dalton
Tyrod Taylor
Joe flacco
Gardner minshew
Jimmy G (or trey lance)
Geno smith or drew lock
Tyler heinicke
assuming available (which is likely doubtful already) almost none of these meet your criteria of capable but can’t make it a full season, that’s why they’re backups. You highly exaggerate with “dozens or older QBs available” and would remotely meet a Fitzpatrick level.
Good research. Maybe not dozens, but I'd take any of those guys on your list over a mid-round project rookie for my backup.
So would 31 other teams which is why these guys get expensive but also why there are currently about 15 teams with an issue similar to the titans.
Josh Allen is the prime example. Very raw and needed development. Hight risk high reward but it was a hit.
Michael Vick had a solid career
Donovan McNab
Heck, even Brett Favre was very raw
McNab wasn't really raw, Favre sure was though
Willis is far more raw than any of those you mention
I've been thinking for a bit about who to compare Willis to and it's really difficult to come up with an accurate comp in terms of where he's at right now.
The closest in recent drafts is probably Jalen Hurts, but Jalen was much further along with his footwork and consistency than Willis is.
The counter though is that when looking at other 3rd and later round draft picks in recent years, no one comes close to having the tools Willis has.
The most positive thing he has going (imo) is that he seems to understand and accept that he has a long way to go in terms of his footwork, accuracy, pocket awareness, and overall passing ability in order to compete for a starting job. Accepting that he has deficiencies is a huge step that many guys can't get past.
I think we should all hold our collective breath that he doesn't have to play this year, but then again, he definitely offers more right now than Woodside does.
The standard needs to be more than "More than Woodside" lol
which is why it would be smart to get a vet backup
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
