lmao @
"quarterbacks are escorted down the field in their own personal Ref protected bubbles"!!!
Classic Vinnyism, man!
We see this "running QB" trend pop up in the NFL every 10 years or so, like it's something new. I remember when Vick, McNabb, and Culpepper were predicted to be the "new breed" and I read many articles that unequivocally stated that the age of the pocket passer was quickly coming to an end.
Then Brady and Manning had HoF careers that basically told all the "experts" to STFU.
Now we are seeing the hype cycle renew itself with these young guys.
The rules in the NFL are certainly being tilted to favor offenses these days, and teams that will consistently find success will find ways to exploit these rules to their advantage.
However, I think these 'new' proto-type QBs will still have to evolve into capable passers simply because of the oft-proved tendency that age slows everyone down to some extent. Either through injury or natural decline, these cats will have to win early in their careers as "running QBs" because the NFL has a way of weeding out QBs who cannot consistently read defenses and make plays from the pocket at some point in their careers.
The NFL figures gimmicks out. The run & shoot never lasted, the wildcat is now considered trick, and with running QBs, the NFL figured out how to isolate them and forced them to make plays with their arms.
I think these younger QBs have some tools not available to previous running QBs. They have grown up learning advanced systems and techniques much earlier in life than previous generations, so I think their ceiling could be higher in terms of potential. But they will have to still learn how to read defenses and make the passes for a time when their legs eventually wear out and cannot be their primary weapon.