CFZ The best NFL teams draft QBs even when they have a good starter

[Hadenough]

Drafting a QB is a good way to continue searching for an elite QB. It's funny how teams that have been winning the most and ended up with elite QBs are also the same teams drafting QBs. I see a lot of similarities between Alex Smith and Dak. Alex was pretty good QB who would get the Chiefs to the playoffs but never any further. Chiefs pulled the trigger in the first round to replace him. In today's offensive minded game and rules to protect the QB and WRs the teams with the best QBs will never get shut down anymore by a defense unless your name is Prescott.

 

[CowboyRoy]

There hasn’t been another Dak sense he was drafted.

All you gotta do is hit on one every 5-10 years.

Capable backups are also valuable.

 

[Cowboys5217]

Great post. Seemed like Bill Walsh and 49ers made SF the QB farm. Their approach is a wise move and Jerry struck gold with Romo and Dak. Even without a SB JJ has enjoyed 2 QB's he can sell.

He struck fool's gold with those two.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Right but a real GM doesn’t alienate the present for the future when you have one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

your talking about an extreme situation. Dak isnt the best if all time and drafting a qb in rounds 3 or lower wouldnt bother anyone. First rounder, sure.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

All you gotta do is hit on one every 5-10 years.

Capable backups are also valuable.

I’m fine with backups in the 5th round. I’m not looking for a backup in the first or second round.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

your talking about an extreme situation. Dak isnt the best if all time and drafting a qb in rounds 3 or lower wouldnt bother anyone. First rounder, sure.

Aaron Rodgers is who I’m talking about as the best of all time.

 

[Bobhaze]

All you gotta do is hit on one every 5-10 years.

Capable backups are also valuable.

Agreed. Almost all backups at any position on any team are day 3 picks.

 

[Diehardblues]

Great post. I think this is a casualty of having an owner that’s also the GM. The investment by Jerry into the feelings of his fave players really prevents him from making certain sound decisions for the team. I think he doesn’t want to send negative signals to Dak, and previously to Romo.

Yep

Going back to when all of the speculating over drafting Manziel , Jethro the morning of the draft suggested he wouldn’t be drafting Romo’s heir apparent until he retires which of course not only shot down the rumors surrounding that situation but it spoke to a bigger agenda by our owner.

He has no intention bringing in heir apparent which could place pressure on his current franchise QB. Not only pressure on his QB but pressure on him to make a decision sooner than he’d want .

We saw with Dak and Romo how difficult his decision was there ultimately going against his own instincts swaying with public opinion. This was exactly the type of scenarios he strives to avoid.

And this of course ultimately isn’t what’s best for Cowboys Football limiting the competition at the most important position to simply make our owners Public Relations position less dramatic when it comes to his starting QB.

 

[Diehardblues]

I’d argue last year there was probably some relief on our owners behalf when Cooper Rush looked inept against Egirls.

That certainly made the case easier to bring back Dak maybe sooner than we should.

The last thing Jethro wanted was another Romo/ Dak situation.

Go back to 2016, which with a 11-1 record it was such a bad public opinion decision to bring Romo back but any solid GM would have done because you always put the players who provide best opportunity to win on the field if healthy.

 

[Diehardblues]

Not if they were making the same move they made with Farve/Rodgers. Real GM's make future moves, they don't wait to see what happens and then react.

Right

Our owner/GM is reactive not proactive.

He doesn’t plan for worse case scenarios or simply doesn’t see or anticipate.

Wearing both hats as owner /GM is a direct conflict of interest.

On one hand as owner he must be a promoter hyping his product with overly optimistic view while wearing his GM hat making the tougher personnel decisions.

I’d argue his owners hat wins out more often over his GM hat.

 

[Diehardblues]

Agreed. Almost all backups at any position on any team are day 3 picks.

Yea but that hasn’t always been the case. In cap era 1st, 2nd and even 3rd round picks are expected to start at some point . If they don’t eventually then are usually released or not given a second contract.

Back in the day we actually had early round picks who would be backups and possibly could have started for other teams if not being behind greater talent.

The Cap era still has cream at the top but not much under the hood in depth . And why injuries are so impactful in Cap era.

We used to also retain veteran starters who eventually were beat out by younger better talent for depth . Now your depth chart is as you say basically 3rd day picks which are almost rotating out each year or draft cycle as Rookie contracts are less than resigning backups to second contracts .

 

[Bobhaze]

Yea but that hasn’t always been the case. In cap era 1st, 2nd and even 3rd round picks are expected to start at some point . If they don’t eventually then are usually released or not given a second contract.

Back in the day we actually had early round picks who would be backups and possibly could have started for other teams if not being behind greater talent.

The Cap era still has cream at the top but not much under the hood in depth . And why injuries are so impactful in Cap era.

We used to also retain veteran starters who eventually were beat out by younger better talent for depth . Now your depth chart is as you say basically 3rd day picks which are almost rotating out each year or draft cycle as Rookie contracts are less than resigning backups to second contracts .

Right. But I was talking about Day 3 picks. Rounds 4-7. You can get starters from there but it’s rare. Most of your backups are day 3 draft picks.

 

[conner01]

Conner I agree with that concept generally speaking.

But are we to believe the Cowboys have always followed their draft board and taken the best player available regardless of position? So there were only 2 QBs good enough for the Cowboys to draft between 2001 and 2015? (Quincy Carter and Stephen McGee) There was never a time the Cowboys passed on a QB rated higher on their board than the player they ended up drafting? I seriously doubt it.

I didn’t want QC myself lol
I think they have learned a lot about the game over the years and that’s why they picked Dak when they did. I don’t think they’ve always been great at drafting but last few years they’ve really improved. They looked at several QB this draft and looking at their picks I don’t see a spot I would have taken a QB knowing he’s not gonna be a starter in the near future.

 

[conner01]

Right. But I was talking about Day 3 picks. Rounds 4-7. You can get starters from there but it’s rare. Most of your backups are day 3 draft picks.

Some positions it’s not as rare as others. LB is a position you can get a solid player in the 4th at a reasonably high rate. 6-7 rnd picks are very unlikely to be starters anytime soon
But the same can be said at QB. Not a lot of QB get drafted late and become starters either. Probably the least likely position to hit on late

 

[rambo2]

I didn’t want QC myself lol
I think they have learned a lot about the game over the years and that’s why they picked Dak when they did. I don’t think they’ve always been great at drafting but last few years they’ve really improved. They looked at several QB this draft and looking at their picks I don’t see a spot I would have taken a QB knowing he’s not gonna be a starter in the near future.

Hooker at 58 could have been considered.

 

[conner01]

Hooker at 58 could have been considered.

That would have been a reasonable option. I think they had the TE higher but I could see that a reasonable pick even though I’m not that high on hooker myself.

 

[rambo2]

That would have been a reasonable option. I think they had the TE higher but I could see that a reasonable pick even though I’m not that high on hooker myself.

The thinking is that they are built to win now and Schoonmaker will help them do that.

 

[TwistedL0g1k]

How about somebody like Tanner McKee? Taken in the 6th round. 6'6", 231 lb., Stanford. Fast release. Described as "one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the 2023 draft". Possesses "lightening-quick processing". A player with far more upside than any of Dallas's backup JAGs.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Drafting a QB is a good way to continue searching for an elite QB. It's funny how teams that have been winning the most and ended up with elite QBs are also the same teams drafting QBs. I see a lot of similarities between Alex Smith and Dak. Alex was pretty good QB who would get the Chiefs to the playoffs but never any further. Chiefs pulled the trigger in the first round to replace him. In today's offensive minded game and rules to protect the QB and WRs the teams with the best QBs will never get shut down anymore by a defense unless your name is Prescott.

I think that's fair, except for our GM who wanted to pull the trigger and Draft Johnny Manziel or trade up to get Paxton Lynch.

you have to try and draft to find, but those are 4 examples that worked. I wonder what the statistics are for those who tried and failed.

the OP's posts, makes it feel as if its a given to find one. the reality is that its not.

 

[rambo2]

How about somebody like Tanner McKee? Taken in the 6th round. 6'6", 231 lb., Stanford. Fast release. Described as "one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the 2023 draft". Possesses "lightening-quick processing". A player with far more upside than any of Dallas's backup JAGs.

No, I'm fine with Grier.