OPINION | Who’s out there to replace Brad Johnson?

[DallasEast]

While I’m content with having Brad Johnson backing up Tony Romo, I decided to do a personal evaluation of the most likely candidates who could be signed, learn the offense and replace him. My final candidates consists of available veteran free agents found on NFL.com (http://www.nfl.com/freeagency ).

Even though they are listed, I didn’t include any restricted free agents since it’s my personal belief that Jerry Jones will not target any. Additionally, Bruce Gradkowski, Lester Ricard and Brian St. Pierre were also excluded because KFFL.com stated they were currently signed and NFL.com’s list has not been updated.

I used my evaluating criteria based on the article, The mistakes teams make in evaluating quarterbacks , from 2001 by Dan Pompei which incorporates viewpoints from Ron Wolf, Mike Shanahan, Dennis Green, Bill Polian and the late Bill Walsh. The article is for evaluating quarterback draft prospects, but I have applied the same information to veterans. Here are the seven main criteria, with their commentary about each, which I have numbered in importance from 1 (most important) to seven (least important):

1. Release

Polian: "Is it (a quarterback’s release) quick enough? Some of that translates to how quickly he sees things, and how quickly he processes the information from the brain to his hand."

[Comment: I based this criteria on my personal opinion alone]

2. Instinct

Walsh: "They have instincts by the time they are in sixth grade, and if they don't, you rarely can produce a quarterback. You can see the ones who feel the pass rush, quickly avoid, locate someone and throw an accurate pass. Doug Flutie does it so well. Usually those kind of instinctive players are good basketball players, point guard types."

[Comment: I based this criteria on my personal opinion alone]

3. Accuracy

Polian (according to Pompei) thinks it's critical that a quarterback prospect have a touchdown-to-interception ratio of at least 2-to-1. If a quarterback is operating out of a system that uses a short-to-intermediate passing game, like the West Coast offense, he looks for a completion percentage of more than 60 percent.

Walsh: "You have to be poised to throw an accurate ball, with an adrenaline level not so high that you lose focus."

[Comment: I based this criteria on statistics of touchdowns versus interceptions thrown]

4. Resilience/Competitiveness

Wolf: "He has to have tremendous confidence in himself, so that when all around him are down, he can rise up."

Green: "It's like a guy who keeps firing up the 3-point shots. He doesn't care what anybody thinks; he just keeps putting it up. The classic is Kurt Warner. He doesn't care what they thought about him in college or at Green Bay. He knows he can play quarterback. The more sensitive a quarterback is, the more problems he's going to have."

[Comment: I based this criteria on my personal opinion alone]

5. Arm Strength

Polian: "Where people make mistakes, and I've done it myself, is you see the physical and you neglect the mental and emotional, the intangibles. Just because you can throw a ball through the proverbial brick wall doesn't mean you're a quarterback."

Shanahan: "A quarterback never has to throw more than 55 to 60 yards on a football field anyway, so what difference does it make if he can throw it 80 yards?

[Comment: I based this criteria on my personal opinion alone]

6. Mobility (My shorten phrase/the excerpted paragraph I refer to begins with ‘The ability to deal with a pass rush’)

Walsh: "Without quickness of foot, agility and mobility, it's so difficult to play the position because they don't have time to think. On about half of all passes, a quarterback has to avoid somebody and throw."

[Comment: I based this criteria on total number of sacks sustained in total number of games. Yes, I know the quality of a quarterback’s offensive line is a factor, so sue me]

7. Height/Speed

Shanahan: "People shy away from the 6-1, 6-2 guy;, and that's a mistake. People think they can't see over the line. Nobody sees over 6-6 linemen anyway."

[Comment: In my opinion, 6’5” is excellent size for a quarterback, with 6’3”-6’4” being great and 6’0”-6’2” being very good]

Here is how I rank the candidates, with Brad Johnson included in the mix. Each criteria is based on a scale, with ten as the highest and one as the lowest points possible. Total number of possible overall points is 70:

Latest KFFL News: http://www.kffl.com/player/5891/nfl

Latest KFFL News: http://www.kffl.com/player/5701/nfl

Latest KFFL News: http://www.kffl.com/player/1766/nfl

Latest KFFL News: http://www.kffl.com/player/1120/nfl

Latest KFFL News: http://www.kffl.com/player/1478/nfl

Latest KFFL News: http://www.kffl.com/player/462/nfl

Latest KFFL News: http://www.kffl.com/player/1593/nfl

Latest KFFL News: http://www.kffl.com/player/1712/nfl

Latest KFFL News: http://www.kffl.com/player/1593/nfl

 

[Sandyf]

Very good article but you might include players such as Chris Simms who will be a free agent before long.

While I understand that you are comfortable with Brad Johnson, personally I would rather have Bartel as the backup because of mobility, much stronger arm, and from just the OTAs a more quicker decision ability.

 

[AbeBeta]

I don't see how you can rate Dilfer so low. He's one of the best backup QBs in the league.

 

[Disturbed]

I can't get excited about any QB listed in your note. All of these guys should be out of the NFL fairly soon, including Johnson who should retire...

I would not mind the Cowboys taking a good look at Simms. He was improving his performance and leadership until the severe spleen injury. I am not sure what the issue is between him and the head coach, but he is worth a look. Problem is that he will want to go somewhere to complete for the starting job (can't blame him).

And we should learn a lot about Bartel in this offseason. He could very well replace Brad as the backup this year.

 

[sago1]

No way do I want Bartel in as Romo's backup. Would like to have younger backup behind Romo & maybe in a few years Bartel could become a good backup. But do you really think Bartel could come into a game this year that we leading in & even maintain that lead? I don't unless we plan to hand the ball off to our RBs on every play. If Bartel's our backup this year, we'd lose every single game he played in & he'd lose all his confidence.

 

[sago1]

Additionally, I wouldn't trust Bartel to come into a game after Romo has left because we blowing them out & maintain the win.

 

[Disturbed]

No way do I want Bartel in as Romo's backup. Would like to have younger backup behind Romo & maybe in a few years Bartel could become a good backup. But do you really think Bartel could come into a game this year that we leading in & even maintain that lead? I don't unless we plan to hand the ball off to our RBs on every play. If Bartel's our backup this year, we'd lose every single game he played in & he'd lose all his confidence.

Wow, that is some strong opinion there. What is it about Bartel that has you so concerned?

 

[DallasEast]

Very good article but you might include players such as Chris Simms who will be a free agent before long.

While I understand that you are comfortable with Brad Johnson, personally I would rather have Bartel as the backup because of mobility, much stronger arm, and from just the OTAs a more quicker decision ability.

I'll probably update the thread with Chris Simms after he becomes available.

Bartel has some upside, but I want to see him gain some more experience.

I don't see how you can rate Dilfer so low. He's one of the best backup QBs in the league.

I didn't intentional rank him low. It's how I saw his individual attributes added up. Understandably, my opinion will not be the same as someone else's.

 

[DallasEast]

I can't get excited about any QB listed in your note. All of these guys should be out of the NFL fairly soon, including Johnson who should retire...

I would not mind the Cowboys taking a good look at Simms. He was improving his performance and leadership until the severe spleen injury. I am not sure what the issue is between him and the head coach, but he is worth a look. Problem is that he will want to go somewhere to complete for the starting job (can't blame him).

And we should learn a lot about Bartel in this offseason. He could very well replace Brad as the backup this year.

Personal excitement aside, these are the only potential candidates right now. Until Johnson decides to retire and/or the coaches replace him, his spot's pretty much set in stone.

Simms is a good candidate IF he becomes available.

I like sago1's assessment of Bartel.

 

[Chief]

DallasEast, that's a lot of good research and work.

I think Dallas needs an upgrade over Brad Johnson. I think he's great to have in the locker room because he's such a professional. But I think, physically, Dallas will need to do better than him if Romo goes down.

 

[JPM]

Two words: Quincy Carter

 

[joseephuss]

I wonder why height and speed are in the same category. There is also no explanation as to what speed means. Is it 40 times? Does that include quickness or is that in the mobility category?

I don't think there are any currently available back ups out there that could help Dallas if Romo had to miss a few games. I include Brad Johnson and Chris Simms in that category. It is a league short on quality QBs, so someone as a back up is going to have some holes in their game. The running game, the receivers, the defense and the special teams will all have to step up to win games if Romo gets hurt. The reality is that all of those units have to play well for Dallas to win games even with a healthy Romo.

 

[Disturbed]

Two words: Quincy Carter

Not only NO, but hell NO...he is still on the nose candy...oh yeah, and he has no talent.

:horse:

 

[cobra]

Out of that mix, I'll take Kelly Holcomb or Dilfer.

 

[DallasEast]

I wonder why height and speed are in the same category. There is also no explanation as to what speed means. Is it 40 times? Does that include quickness or is that in the mobility category?

Thanks for catching that. I had initially included speed with height and built a spreadsheet for the ratings. Then I forgot about factoring in speed. nuts. [edit] :doh:

I don't think there are any currently available back ups out there that could help Dallas if Romo had to miss a few games. I include Brad Johnson and Chris Simms in that category. It is a league short on quality QBs, so someone as a back up is going to have some holes in their game. The running game, the receivers, the defense and the special teams will all have to step up to win games if Romo gets hurt. The reality is that all of those units have to play well for Dallas to win games even with a healthy Romo.

The bold part is one of the base elements of my post. The gap between Johnson and any other probable candidate is too small to unseat him, imo.

 

[DallasEast]

DallasEast, that's a lot of good research and work.

I think Dallas needs an upgrade over Brad Johnson. I think he's great to have in the locker room because he's such a professional. But I think, physically, Dallas will need to do better than him if Romo goes down.

Thanks and I agree about the upgrade. I just don't see how trading will accomplish that. Currently, Bartel's the future at quarterback, but only this season really counts for now. I'm hoping that we draft someone to compete with Bartel and grow another backup candidate from within the organization instead of searching for Romo's successor.

 

[DallasEast]

Two words: Quincy Carter

:chop: :wink2:

 

[zeromaster]

Two words: Quincy Carter

I see what you did there

Not only is that horse dead, the bones have crumbled to dust...

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think that I would also factor in experience into the evaluation. I mean, Brad Johnson and Craig Neil might both carry a 42 rating, or whatever it is, but Neil has played in 7 games. Johnson has won a Super Bowl. I think that probably counts for something.

 

[DallasEast]

I think that I would also factor in experience into the evaluation. I mean, Brad Johnson and Craig Neil might both carry a 42 rating, or whatever it is, but Neil has played in 7 games. Johnson has won a Super Bowl. I think that probably counts for something.

Like I stated in the original post, the criteria I used is for evaluating draft prospects only. :cunning: Seriously though, I did consider including player experience, but after seeing how Brad Johnson's overwhelming experience literally count as nothing by some forum members, I had decided against it. My personal bad, I guess. :