Drafting a QB every year and why that doesn't work

jterrell

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Saw a tweet from @danebrugler that he wished more teams would draft a QB every year.

I love Dane's work and agree with 99% of it but I responded to him that it doesn't really work now with so many teams keeping only two QBs.

His response back was the expected... it works for NE and GB.

It is hard to flush out a discussion in 140 chars but that's why we have this forum right?

Why Ron Wolf's model doesn't work today.

At first glance it appears GB/NE have it all down pat. They are the ones to follow in most areas....
But reality is a little different. Their QB drafting has worked largely because they currently have the best two QBs in the league. Drafting QBs thusly works best when they don't play, lol. Ask Tennessee or Tampa how much fun it is to draft a QB every year.

And BTW, GB/NE are pretty darn good but they also are teams that generally lack depth. Giving up a draft pick every year likely plays a role there.

All in all what's important is to get the right guy. Use those resources and secure that player. After that the best bet is paying the 2 to 2.5m per year for a back up someone else burned a high draft pick on and trained up for a couple years. I like Weeden just fine in his role, but I'd be sick if we had burned a 1st round pick for him.

The Boys just traded for Matt Cassel. He's a great study for us because he is one of the best wins with the draft a qb model right? Kind of. There is no doubt the Pat's got more value out of Cassel than a measly 7th round pick. But he spent 3 years on the bench developing behind a Hall of Famer, paid off his draft and roster slots with a tremendous 4th season and was summarily franchise tagged. But not bad for the Pats right? They get pick 34 out of it. Kind of. They actually traded off Vrabel(borderline HOF) AND Cassel for pick 34. They were desperate to trade off Cassel because he was costing them 14.5 million if he stayed as a back up. So they traded off Vrabel AND Cassel for Pat Chung. Chung is a mediocre starter but a long-term one and the Pats will take that result as a win.

So why then does the model not just work that way?

There were only 7 QBs drafted in 2014. The avg number is 12.
With 32 NFL teams you must out-want a lot of other teams to get a QB.
To make that a mandate to draft one every year or two you simply must overpay.
And when you do get one the best way to build their value is to keep them on the roster for a couple years, teach them the system, let them play a few games in a high powered offense and trade them off before defenses adjust to them.

GB: Since drafting Rodgers in 2005 they have used 5 draft picks on a QB. Hundley is currently on the roster as a 3rd string back up as a rookie. The other guys are not on a roster.

NE: They grabbed Cassel in 2005. Since then they have used ONLY 4 picks on a QB. 2 of them made the roster.
 

CowboyRoy

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Saw a tweet from @danebrugler that he wished more teams would draft a QB every year.

I love Dane's work and agree with 99% of it but I responded to him that it doesn't really work now with so many teams keeping only two QBs.

His response back was the expected... it works for NE and GB.

It is hard to flush out a discussion in 140 chars but that's why we have this forum right?

Why Ron Wolf's model doesn't work today.

At first glance it appears GB/NE have it all down pat. They are the ones to follow in most areas....
But reality is a little different. Their QB drafting has worked largely because they currently have the best two QBs in the league. Drafting QBs thusly works best when they don't play, lol. Ask Tennessee or Tampa how much fun it is to draft a QB every year.

And BTW, GB/NE are pretty darn good but they also are teams that generally lack depth. Giving up a draft pick every year likely plays a role there.

All in all what's important is to get the right guy. Use those resources and secure that player. After that the best bet is paying the 2 to 2.5m per year for a back up someone else burned a high draft pick on and trained up for a couple years. I like Weeden just fine in his role, but I'd be sick if we had burned a 1st round pick for him.

The Boys just traded for Matt Cassel. He's a great study for us because he is one of the best wins with the draft a qb model right? Kind of. There is no doubt the Pat's got more value out of Cassel than a measly 7th round pick. But he spent 3 years on the bench developing behind a Hall of Famer, paid off his draft and roster slots with a tremendous 4th season and was summarily franchise tagged. But not bad for the Pats right? They get pick 34 out of it. Kind of. They actually traded off Vrabel(borderline HOF) AND Cassel for pick 34. They were desperate to trade off Cassel because he was costing them 14.5 million if he stayed as a back up. So they traded off Vrabel AND Cassel for Pat Chung. Chung is a mediocre starter but a long-term one and the Pats will take that result as a win.

So why then does the model not just work that way?

There were only 7 QBs drafted in 2014. The avg number is 12.
With 32 NFL teams you must out-want a lot of other teams to get a QB.
To make that a mandate to draft one every year or two you simply must overpay.
And when you do get one the best way to build their value is to keep them on the roster for a couple years, teach them the system, let them play a few games in a high powered offense and trade them off before defenses adjust to them.

GB: Since drafting Rodgers in 2005 they have used 5 draft picks on a QB. Hundley is currently on the roster as a 3rd string back up as a rookie. The other guys are not on a roster.

NE: They grabbed Cassel in 2005. Since then they have used ONLY 4 picks on a QB. 2 of them made the roster.

And how does not drafting a QB work? Do you have any stats on that model? :muttley:
 

CowboyRoy

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Saw a tweet from @danebrugler that he wished more teams would draft a QB every year.

I love Dane's work and agree with 99% of it but I responded to him that it doesn't really work now with so many teams keeping only two QBs.

His response back was the expected... it works for NE and GB.

It is hard to flush out a discussion in 140 chars but that's why we have this forum right?

Why Ron Wolf's model doesn't work today.

At first glance it appears GB/NE have it all down pat. They are the ones to follow in most areas....
But reality is a little different. Their QB drafting has worked largely because they currently have the best two QBs in the league. Drafting QBs thusly works best when they don't play, lol. Ask Tennessee or Tampa how much fun it is to draft a QB every year.

And BTW, GB/NE are pretty darn good but they also are teams that generally lack depth. Giving up a draft pick every year likely plays a role there.

All in all what's important is to get the right guy. Use those resources and secure that player. After that the best bet is paying the 2 to 2.5m per year for a back up someone else burned a high draft pick on and trained up for a couple years. I like Weeden just fine in his role, but I'd be sick if we had burned a 1st round pick for him.

The Boys just traded for Matt Cassel. He's a great study for us because he is one of the best wins with the draft a qb model right? Kind of. There is no doubt the Pat's got more value out of Cassel than a measly 7th round pick. But he spent 3 years on the bench developing behind a Hall of Famer, paid off his draft and roster slots with a tremendous 4th season and was summarily franchise tagged. But not bad for the Pats right? They get pick 34 out of it. Kind of. They actually traded off Vrabel(borderline HOF) AND Cassel for pick 34. They were desperate to trade off Cassel because he was costing them 14.5 million if he stayed as a back up. So they traded off Vrabel AND Cassel for Pat Chung. Chung is a mediocre starter but a long-term one and the Pats will take that result as a win.

So why then does the model not just work that way?

There were only 7 QBs drafted in 2014. The avg number is 12.
With 32 NFL teams you must out-want a lot of other teams to get a QB.
To make that a mandate to draft one every year or two you simply must overpay.
And when you do get one the best way to build their value is to keep them on the roster for a couple years, teach them the system, let them play a few games in a high powered offense and trade them off before defenses adjust to them.

GB: Since drafting Rodgers in 2005 they have used 5 draft picks on a QB. Hundley is currently on the roster as a 3rd string back up as a rookie. The other guys are not on a roster.

NE: They grabbed Cassel in 2005. Since then they have used ONLY 4 picks on a QB. 2 of them made the roster.

I think the point about NE is that they are constantly searching. And they certainly got some nice draft picks for some of those guys like Cassel and I believe another one. And they may have found the next guy in Garrapolo. He seemed good in preseason.

And GB certainly didnt shy away from using a first round pick on Rogers when they had a stud already. Any knock on that move is silly.
 

LucaBrasi

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The most important position on the field. Cowboys need to treat it as such in the draft IMO.
 

jrumann59

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I think the model should be you use a pick every 2-3 years not every year. But the questions is how much are you willing to over spend, burn a 1st or 2nd day pick.
 

jterrell

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I think the point about NE is that they are constantly searching. And they certainly got some nice draft picks for some of those guys like Cassel and I believe another one. And they may have found the next guy in Garrapolo. He seemed good in preseason.

And GB certainly didnt shy away from using a first round pick on Rogers when they had a stud already. Any knock on that move is silly.

Is NE really constantly searching? They've had the most draft picks of any team in football since 2005 and used 4 of them at QB. Considering they have a 38 year old starter that might even be considered low. Mallet cost them a 3rd and they are getting back a conditional 6th or 7th. As was addressed in the OP, Cassel was part of a trade with Vrabel for pick 34.

Rodgers was a top 10 player who fell. GB has drafted all of 4 QBs since then.

So the issue is perception versus reality.
 

jterrell

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And how does not drafting a QB work? Do you have any stats on that model?

actually, yup.

I just look up Tony Romo.
You remember him right Roy?
:muttley:

From 1994 to 2013 the weighted passing leaders included 3 UDFA amongst the top 11 players.
Romo, Warner and Jeff Garcia.
 

jterrell

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I think the model should be you use a pick every 2-3 years not every year. But the questions is how much are you willing to over spend, burn a 1st or 2nd day pick.

I believe the theory is fine... the actuality is a bit different.
Draft spots are assets and if you toss them in bunches at a problem where you need extreme luck the odds are never going to be in your favor.

If you have a true QB guru around to identify "steals" that can become a mute point but the reality is having Tom Brady is what matters. Turning a 3rd rounder in Mallet into a future 6th is a huge net loss.

When there were less teams and more rounds this model made a lot more sense.
 

jterrell

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How about if we just draft a top prospect and see where that goes, we have the OL and the coaches to make him great.

Which early pick the last couple years you want to give up for which QB that was drafted below that slot?
Want Manziel over Martin? Geno Smith?

We haven't picked high enough to touch any high valued QB.
 

erod

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Go back in the past several drafts, find the quarterbacks in the first round, and look at the 2-3 guys that were drafted with the next picks by other teams.

About 98 percent of the time, the team that drafted the QB would love to have taken the next guy or two drafted.
 

CowboyRoy

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Is NE really constantly searching? They've had the most draft picks of any team in football since 2005 and used 4 of them at QB. Considering they have a 38 year old starter that might even be considered low. Mallet cost them a 3rd and they are getting back a conditional 6th or 7th. As was addressed in the OP, Cassel was part of a trade with Vrabel for pick 34.

Rodgers was a top 10 player who fell. GB has drafted all of 4 QBs since then.

So the issue is perception versus reality.

Cassel netted them a 1st or 2nd did he not? And like I said, Garrappolo seems a quality young QB.

But again, the point is they are looking. Are you actually bashing the Patriots for trying? LOL

So what is your point exactly? Dont bother trying?

So what if Rogers fell? They still took him when Favre was winning SB's. The Cowboys apparently pass on QB's that are the BPA on their board.
 

CowboyRoy

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When you already have an established franchise QB? Pretty well, I'm guessing.

Yah, you are definitely guessing.

So when would you suggest they begin the search?

How many years did we suffer after Aikman because Jones did want draft anyone? Would you feel comfortable if Romo had a career ending injury? Would Jones go out in desperation and draft another Quincy Carter and hand him the keys?

For my money, Id rather see them draft a kid now and let him develop and earn the job while Romo fades in the next few years. And then there is the salary cap thing. If we can find a kid that comes of age in a few years we wont have to resign Romo again and save on cap dollars.

Or we can continue to ignore it and have to settle for a guy like Weeden for 3 or 4 years once Romo is no longer of use.
 

RS12

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It would work better if most of what college produced was compatable with the pro game. Unfortunately it isnt. College football is a video game on turf.
 

CowboyRoy

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Go back in the past several drafts, find the quarterbacks in the first round, and look at the 2-3 guys that were drafted with the next picks by other teams.

About 98 percent of the time, the team that drafted the QB would love to have taken the next guy or two drafted.

Really, and you interviewed all these teams?

So your point is what exactly? What would you like to see the team do going forward at the backup QB position?
 
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