Post by MizzouTiger on Jan 27, 2008 15:02:48 GMT -5
www.kansascity.com/sports/story/462573.html
Chiefs might not be able to pass on a franchise quarterback
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
MOBILE, Ala. | Inadequacies at offensive line, cornerback and wide receiver should have been painfully obvious to anyone who watched the Chiefs play this season.
As things stand today, the Chiefs would have trouble lining up and playing a game without considerable help at each of those positions.
At least that can’t be said for quarterback. Young Brodie Croyle inhabits that position, and while he didn’t win any of his six starts or otherwise display a dazzling future, he did show enough ability to warrant further consideration.
No, the Chiefs have more pressing needs than quarterback. Still, they haven’t been in position to draft a franchise quarterback in many years.
This year, drafting either fourth or fifth, they might be in a spot where they could take Boston College’s Matt Ryan, generally considered the best available college quarterback.
Given their uncertainty over Croyle and this possible, rare availability of a top quarterback, can they afford to pass on Ryan?
“Whether it’s this year or another year, if we have a shot at somebody we think can be a franchise quarterback, I would expect us to take him,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. “That presumes we don’t already have one on the roster, and right now, I don’t think we know that.
“I’ve heard there’s really not a sure franchise quarterback in this year’s draft. We’ll have to take that into consideration. Even if there is, a lot of times guys who are surefire franchise quarterbacks don’t end up panning out that way.”
The list is long of NFL teams that wound up sorry about the early selection of a quarterback. Think the Atlanta Falcons would like to do the Michael Vick thing over again?
The list of those who didn’t regret it is even longer. There’s no need to wonder any more whether the New York Giants are sorry about Eli Manning.
“If you’re 100 percent sure he’s the guy, then I think you have to do it,” said Jim Mora, who coached the Indianapolis Colts when they drafted Manning’s brother Peyton. “But so many teams have made mistakes drafting quarterbacks high. I don’t know if you can ever be 100 percent sure.”
Ryan doesn’t appear now to be a Peyton Manning, and he may never become that type of player. But he appears to be the only potential franchise quarterback available in this draft. And, since he’s considered as such, Ryan declined an invitation to play in Saturday’s Senior Bowl.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper projects that Ryan could be the only quarterback selected in the first round and will eventually become a player on the level of Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger or Philip Rivers.
“He’s going to be regarded like those three were regarded coming out of college,” Kiper said. “I think he will be the type of player those guys are. Nobody went crazy over any of those three when they were coming out. Would the Chiefs be satisfied with Matt Ryan if he turns out to be like one of those guys? Would you rather have that than Brodie Croyle?
“The best way for the Chiefs to look at it is to look at what his grade is compared to what Brodie Croyle’s was. He’s going to have a significantly higher grade than Croyle did coming out. Matt Ryan is a big, sturdy, strong-armed kid who can make all of the throws. He can move around. He’s a smart kid. His decision-making (lacks) at times. He kind of forced some things now and then.”
Then, Kiper’s addendum was ominous for the Chiefs.
“Having said all of that, Matt Ryan is not that super, elite prospect that you know is going to be a great quarterback,” Kiper said. “I can’t sit here and tell you he’s going to pan out. He might not.”
Hunt’s mandate aside about drafting and developing a quarterback, the Chiefs don’t look to be enamored with Ryan.
“They haven’t really thrilled us so far,” Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said, speaking of the group of available quarterbacks — and not Ryan specifically. “I don’t see right now a marquee quarterbasck out there, a franchise quarterback. I see some good ones. I don’t see anyone that can turn a franchise around.”
Drafting Ryan and then seeing him bust would set back the Chiefs and their rebuilding efforts. It is almost certainly safer for them to choose an offensive tackle such as Michigan’s Jake Long. At that position, the success rate is much higher.
Speaking generally about the early selection of quarterbacks, Hunt sounded as if he is willing to have the Chiefs take that risk.
“It can be a very big risk to take those guys early, but that doesn’t mean you don’t draft quarterbacks,” he said. “You need to draft them and at some point you have to find a way to play them so that you can help them develop and have an understanding as to whether this is the guy. Tom Brady is obviously the poster child for that approach.
“I’m a big believer that we have to develop our own franchise quarterback. It’s a hard thing to do. That’s something we have to focus on. I know Coach Edwards is a big believer in that. In fact, in the 2006 draft, we were having the discussion about Brodie and we were on the clock and there was some other position player there we were talking about. At the time, we had Trent (Green) and some other veteran quarterbacks and it was, well, why should we draft (Croyle)?
“I have to give Coach Edwards credit. He knew what he was doing. Brodie is a guy who has the opportunity to turn into that franchise quarterback. We obviously at this point don’t know. But he has all of the physical tools and the leadership skills and he was a demonstrated winner in college. He has a lot of things to like, but like any young quarterback, he’s going to have to continue to develop.”
Likewise, Edwards and Chiefs president/general manager Carl Peterson are saying all of the right things about Croyle.
“He can do a lot of things,” Edwards said. “He has the ability to get outside of the pocket and throw. He can throw on the run. He can throw the ball outside the numbers. A lot of quarterbacks cannot do that. He has good-enough arm strength to do that and also get it down the field. He’s probably not as good with the little 5- and 10-yard passes, the little check-downs and those things. He’s got to learn to do that better.”
Peterson said, “He’s got everything you want in a quarterback. He’s bright. He’s got a very live arm. He’s a competitive guy, a tough guy. I know he was knocked out of a couple of games, but I know what (pain) he was playing with.
“I’ve seen enough that I think he can be our quarterback. He shows everything you want to see in a quarterback with regard to his knowledge, his competitiveness. We need to continue to build around him now and give him the things he needs.”
The Chiefs didn’t move the ball consistently, score many points or, most importantly, win any games with Croyle as their quarterback. If Croyle is their starter and can’t win any games again next season, the Chiefs will be in prime position to get another quarterback next year.
Chiefs might not be able to pass on a franchise quarterback
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
MOBILE, Ala. | Inadequacies at offensive line, cornerback and wide receiver should have been painfully obvious to anyone who watched the Chiefs play this season.
As things stand today, the Chiefs would have trouble lining up and playing a game without considerable help at each of those positions.
At least that can’t be said for quarterback. Young Brodie Croyle inhabits that position, and while he didn’t win any of his six starts or otherwise display a dazzling future, he did show enough ability to warrant further consideration.
No, the Chiefs have more pressing needs than quarterback. Still, they haven’t been in position to draft a franchise quarterback in many years.
This year, drafting either fourth or fifth, they might be in a spot where they could take Boston College’s Matt Ryan, generally considered the best available college quarterback.
Given their uncertainty over Croyle and this possible, rare availability of a top quarterback, can they afford to pass on Ryan?
“Whether it’s this year or another year, if we have a shot at somebody we think can be a franchise quarterback, I would expect us to take him,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. “That presumes we don’t already have one on the roster, and right now, I don’t think we know that.
“I’ve heard there’s really not a sure franchise quarterback in this year’s draft. We’ll have to take that into consideration. Even if there is, a lot of times guys who are surefire franchise quarterbacks don’t end up panning out that way.”
The list is long of NFL teams that wound up sorry about the early selection of a quarterback. Think the Atlanta Falcons would like to do the Michael Vick thing over again?
The list of those who didn’t regret it is even longer. There’s no need to wonder any more whether the New York Giants are sorry about Eli Manning.
“If you’re 100 percent sure he’s the guy, then I think you have to do it,” said Jim Mora, who coached the Indianapolis Colts when they drafted Manning’s brother Peyton. “But so many teams have made mistakes drafting quarterbacks high. I don’t know if you can ever be 100 percent sure.”
Ryan doesn’t appear now to be a Peyton Manning, and he may never become that type of player. But he appears to be the only potential franchise quarterback available in this draft. And, since he’s considered as such, Ryan declined an invitation to play in Saturday’s Senior Bowl.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper projects that Ryan could be the only quarterback selected in the first round and will eventually become a player on the level of Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger or Philip Rivers.
“He’s going to be regarded like those three were regarded coming out of college,” Kiper said. “I think he will be the type of player those guys are. Nobody went crazy over any of those three when they were coming out. Would the Chiefs be satisfied with Matt Ryan if he turns out to be like one of those guys? Would you rather have that than Brodie Croyle?
“The best way for the Chiefs to look at it is to look at what his grade is compared to what Brodie Croyle’s was. He’s going to have a significantly higher grade than Croyle did coming out. Matt Ryan is a big, sturdy, strong-armed kid who can make all of the throws. He can move around. He’s a smart kid. His decision-making (lacks) at times. He kind of forced some things now and then.”
Then, Kiper’s addendum was ominous for the Chiefs.
“Having said all of that, Matt Ryan is not that super, elite prospect that you know is going to be a great quarterback,” Kiper said. “I can’t sit here and tell you he’s going to pan out. He might not.”
Hunt’s mandate aside about drafting and developing a quarterback, the Chiefs don’t look to be enamored with Ryan.
“They haven’t really thrilled us so far,” Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said, speaking of the group of available quarterbacks — and not Ryan specifically. “I don’t see right now a marquee quarterbasck out there, a franchise quarterback. I see some good ones. I don’t see anyone that can turn a franchise around.”
Drafting Ryan and then seeing him bust would set back the Chiefs and their rebuilding efforts. It is almost certainly safer for them to choose an offensive tackle such as Michigan’s Jake Long. At that position, the success rate is much higher.
Speaking generally about the early selection of quarterbacks, Hunt sounded as if he is willing to have the Chiefs take that risk.
“It can be a very big risk to take those guys early, but that doesn’t mean you don’t draft quarterbacks,” he said. “You need to draft them and at some point you have to find a way to play them so that you can help them develop and have an understanding as to whether this is the guy. Tom Brady is obviously the poster child for that approach.
“I’m a big believer that we have to develop our own franchise quarterback. It’s a hard thing to do. That’s something we have to focus on. I know Coach Edwards is a big believer in that. In fact, in the 2006 draft, we were having the discussion about Brodie and we were on the clock and there was some other position player there we were talking about. At the time, we had Trent (Green) and some other veteran quarterbacks and it was, well, why should we draft (Croyle)?
“I have to give Coach Edwards credit. He knew what he was doing. Brodie is a guy who has the opportunity to turn into that franchise quarterback. We obviously at this point don’t know. But he has all of the physical tools and the leadership skills and he was a demonstrated winner in college. He has a lot of things to like, but like any young quarterback, he’s going to have to continue to develop.”
Likewise, Edwards and Chiefs president/general manager Carl Peterson are saying all of the right things about Croyle.
“He can do a lot of things,” Edwards said. “He has the ability to get outside of the pocket and throw. He can throw on the run. He can throw the ball outside the numbers. A lot of quarterbacks cannot do that. He has good-enough arm strength to do that and also get it down the field. He’s probably not as good with the little 5- and 10-yard passes, the little check-downs and those things. He’s got to learn to do that better.”
Peterson said, “He’s got everything you want in a quarterback. He’s bright. He’s got a very live arm. He’s a competitive guy, a tough guy. I know he was knocked out of a couple of games, but I know what (pain) he was playing with.
“I’ve seen enough that I think he can be our quarterback. He shows everything you want to see in a quarterback with regard to his knowledge, his competitiveness. We need to continue to build around him now and give him the things he needs.”
The Chiefs didn’t move the ball consistently, score many points or, most importantly, win any games with Croyle as their quarterback. If Croyle is their starter and can’t win any games again next season, the Chiefs will be in prime position to get another quarterback next year.