Its been a while since I've just broken down a problem for our team. Just been kind of busy, but I've been bothered by this for some time and today it occurred to me even more.
First, we have the problem of what to do with Yates. Not should he start but the question is this... in 4 or 5 years do you think he is your starting QB? Here's why I ask that. And yes, I know this is a win now league... I'm well aware of that... but if the answer is yes (again, not saying it is) then what do you do with Yates? Here is why I ask that question.
I don't know that Yates will benefit from being a backup for 2 years. One of the reasons you hold a QB out his first year or two is so he can catch up to the speed of the game. Yates just saw it first hand from probably about as fast as it is going to get. I'm not saying he will eclipse Schaub (who I am a big fan of btw) at the beginning of the season (or ever for that matter) but he will benefit from a full off season going into next year. With the exposure you've gotten Yates in the last several weeks I think you can win an awful lot of games in the regular season with that kid. Yes he made a few bad throws (I honestly think his almost INTs were worse than his INTS. At least one of his INTs were excusable if you ask me and the other one was more a result of bad playcalling. (80TTZ save me the lecture, we just disagree). I think a lot of Yates problems are solved by having a viable 2nd receiver because with Daniels out there with a broken hand I we had two people with a prayer of getting open, AJ and Foster. Walter sits in a zone well but he is rounding off his routes (look at the 2nd INT, watch it closely then go watch some of his other routes...).
But what do you gain by letting Yates backup at this point? I'm not saying that I start Yates... I'm just not sure what to do with him. He could be the next Dave Ragone... or he could be a lot better than that. His ceiling is higher than Schaub's if you ask me. (And by the way, I was calling for us to trade for Schaub the offseason before we got him... so this isn't an anti-schaub rant. ) But he is an unknown commodity.
So now that you are considering what do do with Yates? Lets talk about receiving options for a minute.
Can you imagine Schaub with another talented receiver? If you look at the top QBs that seems to be a constant. I'm not saying that Schaub is a top 3 - 5 QB but look at the weapons the elites (not named Peyton) have. I know, we have a great passing game.... but lets play another game. I want you to rack and stack receivers. After AJ, go through the list of receivers on these teams and tell me where our receivers wind up on this list of team's receivers.
GB
NO
NE
BALT
NYG
Cincy
I bet you that after AJ and OD we don't have a receiver that falls within the top 20 on that list.
Look at the top 3 QBs in the league. AR, DB and TB. All of them have, at any one time 3-5 players on the field that can beat the crap out of you. We know that we need a WR but can you imagine this team with a 2nd and 3rd WR? I guess I'm ok with Walter as a WR3... It just makes you wonder what Schaub could do with a legit WR2.
Obviously we have to keep the crucial pieces we have together... but we also have to bring in pieces. Is Casey ready to be a bigger part of the offense? Should we move him out of the FB position and turn him into OD part deaux? Do you let Dressen go?
We have an awful lot of issues to deal with in the offseason. Where are your priorities?
Mike
First, we have the problem of what to do with Yates. Not should he start but the question is this... in 4 or 5 years do you think he is your starting QB? Here's why I ask that. And yes, I know this is a win now league... I'm well aware of that... but if the answer is yes (again, not saying it is) then what do you do with Yates? Here is why I ask that question.
I don't know that Yates will benefit from being a backup for 2 years. One of the reasons you hold a QB out his first year or two is so he can catch up to the speed of the game. Yates just saw it first hand from probably about as fast as it is going to get. I'm not saying he will eclipse Schaub (who I am a big fan of btw) at the beginning of the season (or ever for that matter) but he will benefit from a full off season going into next year. With the exposure you've gotten Yates in the last several weeks I think you can win an awful lot of games in the regular season with that kid. Yes he made a few bad throws (I honestly think his almost INTs were worse than his INTS. At least one of his INTs were excusable if you ask me and the other one was more a result of bad playcalling. (80TTZ save me the lecture, we just disagree). I think a lot of Yates problems are solved by having a viable 2nd receiver because with Daniels out there with a broken hand I we had two people with a prayer of getting open, AJ and Foster. Walter sits in a zone well but he is rounding off his routes (look at the 2nd INT, watch it closely then go watch some of his other routes...).
But what do you gain by letting Yates backup at this point? I'm not saying that I start Yates... I'm just not sure what to do with him. He could be the next Dave Ragone... or he could be a lot better than that. His ceiling is higher than Schaub's if you ask me. (And by the way, I was calling for us to trade for Schaub the offseason before we got him... so this isn't an anti-schaub rant. ) But he is an unknown commodity.
So now that you are considering what do do with Yates? Lets talk about receiving options for a minute.
Can you imagine Schaub with another talented receiver? If you look at the top QBs that seems to be a constant. I'm not saying that Schaub is a top 3 - 5 QB but look at the weapons the elites (not named Peyton) have. I know, we have a great passing game.... but lets play another game. I want you to rack and stack receivers. After AJ, go through the list of receivers on these teams and tell me where our receivers wind up on this list of team's receivers.
GB
NO
NE
BALT
NYG
Cincy
I bet you that after AJ and OD we don't have a receiver that falls within the top 20 on that list.
Look at the top 3 QBs in the league. AR, DB and TB. All of them have, at any one time 3-5 players on the field that can beat the crap out of you. We know that we need a WR but can you imagine this team with a 2nd and 3rd WR? I guess I'm ok with Walter as a WR3... It just makes you wonder what Schaub could do with a legit WR2.
Obviously we have to keep the crucial pieces we have together... but we also have to bring in pieces. Is Casey ready to be a bigger part of the offense? Should we move him out of the FB position and turn him into OD part deaux? Do you let Dressen go?
We have an awful lot of issues to deal with in the offseason. Where are your priorities?
Mike