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Archive for June, 2009

Is Josh McDaniels Poison?

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

by Jared Smola

Not much has gone right for the Broncos since hiring Josh McDaniels as HC.  Let’s take a quick look at the timeline:

Dec. 30, 2008- Broncos fire HC Mike Shanahan

Jan. 11, 2009- Josh McDaniels hired as HC

Feb. 28, 2009- QB Jay Cutler’s name comes up in trade talks for QB Matt Cassel

Mar. 2, 2009- Cutler refuses to meet with management after they tried to trade him

Mar. 16, 2009- Cutler requests a trade

Apr. 2, 2009- Cutler traded to the Bears

June 12, 2009- WR Brandon Marshall does not show up for mandatory minicamp

June 15, 2009- Marshall requests a trade

Coincidence?  Maybe, but I don’t think so.  That’s not to say that Cutler and Marshall are completely innocent, but things went straight down hill for Denver after hiring McDaniels. 

But all I’m reading and hearing is sympathy for McDaniels — that he’s walking into a firestorm and how it’s a shame that his 1st few months as a HC have gone so poorly. 

How come no one’s talking about McDaniels’ role in all of this?  Maybe Cutler and Marshall thought “I’m getting out of here” after learning about McDaniels’ hiring.  If I was a Broncos fan, I wouldn’t be feeling bad for McDaniels.  I’d be blaming him.

And it doesn’t look like things will be getting better in The Mile High City anytime soon.  In fact, based on how things were handled with Cutler, I wouldn’t be surprised if Marshall is packing his bags before training camp starts.

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Stay Away From Those Rookie QBs

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

by Brett Barclay

I have to confess that I ‘snicker’ whenever someone takes a rookie QB in my redraft league.  Here’s why: these young QBs come to the NFL draft, get selected (or don’t), get a cool hat and are put into one of the following situations:

A. Good to great QB is drafted to save the franchise. (Matt Ryan)

B. Good QB is drafted by a team that relies on its defense and run-heavy offense. (Joe Flacco)

C. QB was in a great system in college, goes wherever and rots on the bench for the extent of his contract. Is signed by the Argonauts 3 to 5 years later. (Let’s go with Cody Pickett. John David Booty looks primed to carry on the legacy.)

See a trend?  None of these QBs — with the exception of a rare few who I will get to in a bit — are put in any position to succeed as a fantasy QB their rookie season. ESPN will tell you that Joe Flacco was one of the best quarterbacks in the league last year.  I will tell you that my league doesn’t award points for biltzes read by a 23-year-old or for his pocket presence, so he was nothing more than a low tier backup. Matt Ryan was slightly better than Flacco from a fantasy point of view, but he wasn’t worthy of being a starter in 12 team leagues, finishing the 15th best fantasy QB.  As far as Cody Pickett goes, well, he started that one time a few years ago.  Remember?

So check this out.  NFL.com lets me look at stats dating back to 1993.  From 1993 until last year only 3 rookie QBs have been worthy of even starting regularly in 12-team leagues.  Drew Bledsoe, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.  If you actually took one of these guys as your starting QB, I hope it was Manning because the other two just barely squeaked into the top-12.

Fast forward to the present day NFL.  The roles are the same but the cast has changed a bit.  Matt Stafford takes Matt Ryan’s role.  Mark Sanchez fits into Flacco’s role and lets say undrafted rookie Chase Daniel fits into the Cody Pickett/John David Booty role.  Don’t get me wrong, these QBs, minus Daniel, will probably be pretty damn good in a few years.
You’re going to be tempted this August.  It’ll be late in your draft, you’ll be sitting in your buddy’s basement, the smell of Cooler Ranch Dorito’s stings your nostrils and you need a backup QB.  You’ll be scanning your MVP board and you’ll see Stafford and Sanchez but I’m telling you, from one fantasy enthusiast to another, there will be safer options.

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