sandman
Brexit Advisor
here we go again saying stuff that is just not true. I'll buy your point on his pro level as he has had basically no time on field with starters or any others for that matter. However he did quite well in college as I have posted before. As a freshman 2009 Rutgers he won starting job after team lost game one. He went 9-3 with 2211 yards 14 TDs and 7 INTs and was named to All American freshman team. That is very good. In 2010 he had hand injury and returned in 2011 to find out he would not compete with 2010 QB for starters job and he transferred to Arizona but had to sit out that season. Late 2011 the college fired coach and went with Rich Rodriguez who offered an offense that would not help Savage and he then transferred to Pittsburgh and red shirted 2012. He was starter for 2013 and passed for 3000 yards and 21 TD s; again a very good season considering makeup of that roster. Record was only 7-6 but went to a bowl. When he got on field he was very good.
I am not a Savage fan boy but would like to see him get a chance with A team.
I get the college stats. I get that he was looking better in pre-season last year. I get that given a chance, he may have competed well with Hoyer and Mallett. And that is where the wheels fall of for me. Hoyer and Mallett. Two of the biggest train wrecks in the NFL this season. It honestly doesn't take much to outplay either of them. And the argument that I am hearing is not that he clearly outplayed them (he did get a lot of pre-season game time), but rather that given the chance he would have competed well with them. Which makes him a project showing success on a learning curve, not a Rodgers or McNair or Favre who were sitting behind other guys waiting for their chance.
There is no QB in the draft that we have a realistic shot at getting that is NFL ready. There isn't a vet out there as a FA or decent trade option (thinking Stafford will cost more than we can pay) that steps in immediately and claims the job. So in that context, it does sound appropriate that Savage should get a chance at the starting gig. Because we have accepted below average QB play as the standard for this team. That is not a knock against Savage. He is simply still an unproven commodity as a 4th round pick with 2 years of college ball, a 1/2 game NFL experience his rookie year, and didn't put on pads this entire past season. He may surprise everyone. He may also be the next Case Keenum. Which is the Hoyer/Mallett/Wheeden territory that we seem to be settling for. We both know where the odds land on that outcome. Like Cak said, he can be part of the plan, but should never BE the plan.