QB for 2006

[air_hog]

We need a better tight end IMO. Robert Royal has only shown flashes and this offense needs a TE we can depend on to make tough catches. That, with a big-bodied receiver will go a long way in accomplishing both number one and two.

And I think we should look at the draft as our TE answer.

This year a great crop is comming out, and late 2nd should be perfect time to grab one of the studs. Now I know everyone is dying to get a stud DE with our first pick, but look at it this way. By our pick, say 26th of the Second Round, all of the "blue chip" DE's will be gone and if we pick an average DE, he might just end up being a bust.

However at the 26th pick of the 2nd Round will be where the top TE's should be going. Now while the "blue chipers" in Marylands Vernand Davis and UCLAs Mercedes Lewis may be gone, we can still get Dominique Byrd (who is huge) or Greg Mills from Tulsa (who I heard is a solid reciever and blocker).

Then we can just pick up a good DE later on because there will always be steals available late in the draft.
EX: Justin Tuck and Chris Canty from last year.
Then for this year I bet NCStates Manny Lawson or UCS's Frostee Rucker will be available in the later rounds, and they would be nice pick ups.

So basically what I'm saying is, I'd rather us get a Stud TE early and a good/avg. DE later than get a good/avg DE early and a good/avg. TE later.

[The Hogster]

After watching the Bears loose at home we now see that of all the quarterbacks in the playoffs this year, only one, Ben Rothlesberger is under 30 years old.

Tom Brady, Chris Simms, Rex Grossman, Peyton Manning, Caron Palmer, Byron Leftwich, Eli Manning, and Matt Hasselbeck are only under 30...

Are any of them still in the playoffs anymore genius??? And Matt Hasselbeck is not under 30, please think before you talk it will help you go farther in life.

I said AFTER WATCHING THE BEARS LOSE, it is clear that all the quarterbacks IN the playoffs are 30 and over EXCEPT Rothlesberger. The people you named are NOT IN the playoffs anymore...they are at home watching like the rest of us.

[The Hogster]

After watching the Bears loose at home we now see that of all the quarterbacks in the playoffs this year, only one, Ben Rothlesberger is under 30 years old.
Tom Brady, Chris Simms, Rex Grossman, Peyton Manning, Caron Palmer, Byron Leftwich, Eli Manning, and Matt Hasselbeck are only under 30...

Thats what I was thinking!!!!

You are agreeing with that response? Classic....so back to those of us who have been paying attention.

All of the quarterbacks under 30 years old failed to advance in their conferences, the point isn't making the playoffs, the point is WINNING...Chris Sims, Rex Grossman, Eli Manning, didn't even win a game so the point remains that starting Campbell will not bode well since we are trying to win a Superbowl and not just make the playoffs.

Reading is F-un-da-men-tal.

[SkinzCanes]

After watching the Bears loose at home we now see that of all the quarterbacks in the playoffs this year, only one, Ben Rothlesberger is under 30 years old.

So putting Campbell out there may not be the move as of yet.

I think a guy like Moulds is a good fit, he is big, physical, good route runner, durable, consistent, fast, and experienced. He also does not seem as if he would need to catch 100 balls to be happy.

Up until this year, I never heard anything bad about the guy and I would love to have him.

If we could pick up Moulds and a superior Tight End, our offense would be well on its way.

Also, watching Carolina find ways to get Steve Smith the ball made me jealous. I think Santana is just as dangerous if not more if we could get him the ball more often in space like they do with Smith.

The whole world knows Smith is getting the ball, but they are great at getting it to him in a variety of ways.

Once we open up to that, we will be just as much of a SuperBowl contender as anyone. Ramsey is under contract and I see no reason why Gibbs would want to get rid of the guy who has over a 50 percent chance of having to start games for us.

The number of QB's who play all 16 games is few so we need a capable guy who knows the offense inside and out.

You're reasoning that young qb's under the age of 30 struggled in the playoffs is seriosly flawed. First of all, Tom Brady has 3 Super Bowl rings. Looks like it was a huge mistake to trust a guy that young Secondly, most of the young qb's played each other in the first round so a lot of them were going to get knocked out early anyway. Palmer v. Ben R. Leftwhich v. Brady. Eli v. Delhomme (yes he's over 30 but this is only his 3rd year starting). Simms and the combo of Rex/Orton were all first year starters and yet they still managed to lead their team to the playoffs. Eli in only his second year quarteracked the Giants to a division title. And the other Manning, despite being under 30 is arguably the best qb in the NFL. If you can draw any inference from the qb's in the playoffs it is that young qb's can succeed in the NFL.

I think that you are right on the money though about Steve Smith. Smith and Moss are virtually identical players and yet there are games where Moss hardly gets any touches, while Smith always manages to get his hands on the ball. The Panthers dont have a legitimate second receiver either and yet D's are never able to fully take him out of a game and our running game is better than theirs. The coaches need to watch some of the Panthers' game films and find some more creative ways of getting Moss the ball.

[Champsturf]

I mean come on guys, we made it to the playoffs, and won a game!

Did we win that game because of our outstanding play at the QB position? I think not. Brunell was not able to make it the entire season, as most expected. I actually was hoping Gibbs would put Ramsey in when we were struggling so. I knew that would only happen if he got hurt, which, as much as I dislike Brunell, was NOT about to hope for.

I don't think Campbell will be ready yet, so again, I HOPE Ramsey will be our QB to start next season. Maybe this time he'll get a real chance.

[Irn-Bru]

I don't think Campbell will be ready yet, so again, I HOPE Ramsey will be our QB to start next season. Maybe this time he'll get a real chance.

Saying (or implying) that Ramsey didn't get a real chance isn't being very honest. He stepped into a tough situation in 2004 and performed okay, perhaps even better than Brunell, but Ramsey didn't step up to the plate throughout training camp and preseason of this year. He lost the job to Brunell in just circumstances, and it seems like he only started in the beginning of the season because Gibbs had named him that in January--before the competition of training camp.

Ramsey's never been a standout when he's been in real games. He's always had that flash of being a great passer, and he's always seemed to have had a lot of upside.

But upside is only upside until he does something with it. NFL games aren't the only place to get a chance. If Ramsey was going to shine, perhaps he could do so in one of the camps, in preseason, or in practice during the year.

Gibbs watches the kid play every single day, and there's a reason why Brunell has stayed in as long as he has.

[Champsturf]

I don't think Campbell will be ready yet, so again, I HOPE Ramsey will be our QB to start next season. Maybe this time he'll get a real chance.

Saying (or implying) that Ramsey didn't get a real chance isn't being very honest. He stepped into a tough situation in 2004 and performed okay, perhaps even better than Brunell, but Ramsey didn't step up to the plate throughout training camp and preseason of this year. He lost the job to Brunell in just circumstances, and it seems like he only started in the beginning of the season because Gibbs had named him that in January--before the competition of training camp.

Ramsey's never been a standout when he's been in real games. He's always had that flash of being a great passer, and he's always seemed to have had a lot of upside.

But upside is only upside until he does something with it. NFL games aren't the only place to get a chance. If Ramsey was going to shine, perhaps he could do so in one of the camps, in preseason, or in practice during the year.

Gibbs watches the kid play every single day, and there's a reason why Brunell has stayed in as long as he has.

He lost the job in "just" circumstances?? Being clotheslined and put out of the came is not "just" in my world. Brunell did nothing with the ball after he came in that game. We never saw the endzone. He did just enough to get by, which I wouldn't classify as winning the job. Gibbs loves Brunell and that is that.

Preseason...I agree 100%. Ramsey did nothing to secure the job and I do think that Brunell outplayed him there. I also think that Gibbs only started Ramsey because he said he would. It's nice of him to keep his word, but half a game? Thanks a lot.

As for giving Ramsey another chance because of how he's playing in practice?? I think not. Nothing better than a QB controversy by flip-flopping. It's also kind of hard to develop any chemistry by going back and forth at that position, just because the backup had a better week of practice.

[Irn-Bru]

He lost the job in "just" circumstances?? Being clotheslined and put out of the came is not "just" in my world.

I wasn't refering to the clothesline, but rather the fact that Ramsey went into the offseason as the named starter but did not perform as a starter in training camp, preseason, etc.

Preseason...I agree 100%. Ramsey did nothing to secure the job and I do think that Brunell outplayed him there. I also think that Gibbs only started Ramsey because he said he would. It's nice of him to keep his word, but half a game? Thanks a lot.

In that sense, and I'm guessing here, Gibbs might even admit that it was a mistake to name a starter that far away from the season. No one was expecting Brunell to make the comeback that he did. Maybe you're right and Gibbs just loves Brunell and that's that. . .but there's at least a reason for it.

My only point was that Ramsey had a good chance, a 'real chance,' to use the exact language that I was contesting.

As for giving Ramsey another chance because of how he's playing in practice?? I think not. Nothing better than a QB controversy by flip-flopping. It's also kind of hard to develop any chemistry by going back and forth at that position, just because the backup had a better week of practice.

I'm in agreement here 100%. My point, though, is that Ramsey has every chance to shine as a player and apparently he's not coming through. He's got lots of potential and has played well in particular circumstances but on the whole I don't think we have the kind of QB that can step in and take over for Brunell next year. Again, this is my

[gilbertarenas]

After watching the Bears loose at home we now see that of all the quarterbacks in the playoffs this year, only one, Ben Rothlesberger is under 30 years old.

And there are no qbs who are over 35.

[ii7-V7]

I think that you are right on the money though about Steve Smith. Smith and Moss are virtually identical players and yet there are games where Moss hardly gets any touches, while Smith always manages to get his hands on the ball. The Panthers dont have a legitimate second receiver either and yet D's are never able to fully take him out of a game and our running game is better than theirs. The coaches need to watch some of the Panthers' game films and find some more creative ways of getting Moss the ball.

I might not agree with you regarding Brunells future here, but I definetly agree with ou there. I watched Carolina and they went to Smith about 70% of thier plays it seemed. It was the deep post, the hitch, scenes, deep outs. I was thinking that the Skins and Carolina are pretty similar, but....blasphemy....they seem to be more creative about getting the ball into the hands of thier one playmaker.

[air_hog]

I mean come on guys, we made it to the playoffs, and won a game!

Did we win that game because of our outstanding play at the QB position? I think not.

True, he may not have won it for us, but nor did he lose it for us.

Now in a sense you can say that he lost it for us because he did not make the big plays. But you know what, that's not his duty as a QB in Joe Gibbs offense.

Maybe in Mike Martz's offense, or someone else who just goes for the big play, well then Patrick would probably succeed in that offense, but what I've learned over the past 2 years is that in this offense, Joe Gibbs offense, that the QB doesn't neccessarily have to win you the games, just manage them.

That's why we have Portis. This is ball control offense, not a big play offense like Martz or whoever runs a big play offense.

And yes, sometimes it may be boring to watch, sometimes even frustrating, but that's how Joe Gibbs runs his offense... and I trust him.

[SkinzCanes]

True, he may not have won it for us, but nor did he lose it for us.

Now in a sense you can say that he lost it for us because he did not make the big plays. But you know what, that's not his duty as a QB in Joe Gibbs offense.

Maybe in Mike Martz's offense, or someone else who just goes for the big play, well then Patrick would probably succeed in that offense, but what I've learned over the past 2 years is that in this offense, Joe Gibbs offense, that the QB doesn't neccessarily have to win you the games, just manage them.

There is a difference between managing a game and throwing for 41 yards like he did in Tampa. Sure Tampa has the #1 D in the league but no other qb that they have faced this year threw for so few yards against them. Also was Brunell "managing" the game when he threw that int late in the 4th and gave Tampa a chance to send the game into OT?

[The Hogster]

After watching the Bears loose at home we now see that of all the quarterbacks in the playoffs this year, only one, Ben Rothlesberger is under 30 years old.

And there are no qbs who are over 35.

Read first dude...the posts are talking about Campbell taking over..so I am saying it may not be a great idea, as some have suggested, to put him in just yet.

[Chris Luva Luva]

Mark Brunell is our starting QB for next year. Campbell needs to get the rest of the snaps and be our #2. Patrick is not the future but may not depart but he doesn't need to get the bulk of the work after Brunell.

Mark gives us our best chance to win. If we want to get far in the playoffs again it will only be through veteran leadership and savvy at the QB position. Chris Simms, Eli Manning....need I say more?

Brunell got injured because he got sandwiched, it was a fluke couldn't be prevented. That injury definately set us back but he didn't lose anything for us.

If we compliment Moss with 2 decent WRs at the #2 and slot positions Brunell will have a field day.

Peyton is great because of who he is surrounded by.
McNabb is great because of who he is surrounded by.
Ray Ray was great because of the front four they have in 2000.
Chad Johnson gets open because of the guy across from him.
Good DB's have help from the pass rush.
Good RB's are enabled by their line.

No one person can harness this game in their hands on their own. Mark was not the reason we lost anything. He was PART of a problem/s.

[thaiphoon]

Mark Brunell is our starting QB for next year. Campbell needs to get the rest of the snaps and be our #2. Patrick is not the future but may not depart but he doesn't need to get the bulk of the work after Brunell.

Mark gives us our best chance to win. If we want to get far in the playoffs again it will only be through veteran leadership and savvy at the QB position. Chris Simms, Eli Manning....need I say more?

Brunell got injured because he got sandwiched, it was a fluke couldn't be prevented. That injury definately set us back but he didn't lose anything for us.

If we compliment Moss with 2 decent WRs at the #2 and slot positions Brunell will have a field day.

Peyton is great because of who he is surrounded by.
McNabb is great because of who he is surrounded by.
Ray Ray was great because of the front four they have in 2000.
Chad Johnson gets open because of the guy across from him.
Good DB's have help from the pass rush.
Good RB's are enabled by their line.

No one person can harness this game in their hands on their own. Mark was not the reason we lost anything. He was PART of a problem/s.

Get out of my head you monster !! This is exactly what I've been saying.

[SkinsJock]

..Mark gives us our best chance to win. If we want to get far in the playoffs again it will only be through veteran leadership and savvy at the QB position.
If we compliment Moss with 2 decent WRs at the #2 and slot positions Brunell will have a field day.
No one person can harness this game in their hands on their own. Mark was not the reason we lost anything.

I also agree with most of your points here.

I think that our QB situation stays the same for now. Mark is the starting QB going to camp and Ramsey gets to stay as a back-up because of his experience and his "character" plus I'm not sure Gibbs wants what we might be offered! Gibbs has to evaluate some things here.

As far as the balance of the team is concerned - I totaly agree with the fact that this is a team and the players who sometimes get the glory are that good because of who else is there for the most part.
Great players are for the most part "great" because they are playing with others who just happen to make them look better than they really are. (say what?)
We are close right now but seem to be just a couple of players away on both sides of the ball. We are a lot closer to the best teams in the NFL than we seemed to be in March of 2005.

[The Hogster]

I agree for the most part also, except for the part about Ray Lewis...even if he played for the Detroit Lions that dude would have been a beast, especially in 2000.

If anything, a poor front four boosts the LB's stats because the opponents offense lives at the second level where the LB's and Safeties have to make more plays.

I think Ray Lewis is a stud, but he got hyped even more because he was leading a team to the Championship on defense. He could have had the same season statistically, but if they weren't winninng he wouldn't have gotten the same type of praise.

I think Gibbs will keep Ramsey around next year. Brunell has only played in all 16 games in a season 1 time in his whole career, and that was last year.

I like the guy, but at some point our #2 is going to have to come in for us, and I think Gibbs would be more comfortable with Ramsey than Campbell IMO. After next year though, I don't think he will be around. Gibbs will either keep going with a 37 year old QB (see Joe Theismann) or he will give Campbell the nod in his 3rd year kind of like how Carson Palmer did, except with an extra year to learn.

The only strange thing about it is that Campbell will spend all of that time learning Gibb's offense and by his 3rd year, Gibbs will be in year 4 of a 5 year contract. So it's very possible he will have to learn another scheme the next year if GW becomes HC and we bring in another O-Coordinator.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

Brunell sails his balls (no homo) way too high. We need a change, Campbell should start!

[skinsRin]

Brunell sails his balls (no homo) way too high. We need a change, Campbell should start!

Agreed, I do like Brunell but it is time to get Cambell in the game. The thing I don't want is the Simms, Rex, E. Manning factor. Meaning that they stink the first couple of years and they fold in pressure playoff games. I hope Cambell can be a Brady, Palmer, Rotenburger, instint stud!

[weneedcharlesmann]

Ok, perhaps people remember something differently than i do, but i kind of agree with the post article...the gibbs offense is based on smash mouth football, but does require the qb to make some plays...

i mean, mark rypein threw for 28 tds, there were two thousand yd receivers, and thousand yd back...

having said that, i would like to see campbell...once again, i know it may hold us back next year...but i'd rather have that then roll into the playoffs with and offense that can't win...i've made my peace with the year, but just one example is getting a fumble on the 40, down 10-17, and not comeing away with a TD? this team's offense was too schizophrenic this year, and i think that a lot of that has to do with the play of brunell...

we'll see how it shapes up, and of course, ramsey's fate will also have a lot to do with what happens, but i think we're so close to being the class of the nfc...the core of our team is under 30, sometimes well under 30 (moss, portis, cooley, taylor, washington)...our o line is playing better, and is relatively young...our D is already on the verge of elite...our RB set a franchise record, and would have been a pro bowl back without exceptional years from tiki and shaun alexander...

so, what's holding us back? how do we have games where portis disappears, where our offense puts up basically three points in a playoff game? To me, it has to be the passing game. Look at the steelers game yesterday...the colts put 8-9 in the box, and the steelers threw successfully on them...after that, the running game really started to work...so, i ask again, why can't we do that?

not all of it is brunell's fault...the o line cracked at crucial times...samuels is good, but not good enough to be left on an island with elite ends (and we're going to see a bunch of those...Indy comes to town next year, so do Carolina, TB, and of coruse the Giants)...but at the same time, when there was time, brunell seemed lost...perhaps most times no one was open, i can't say...if that's the case, then that goes to our receiver and our playcalling...but i just think that considering his age and health, we've seen the best we're going to have seen of mark brunell---and his best, at his age, isn't that bad...23 tds is in the top 10 in the nfl, 3050 yds is in the top 15, etc...but despite that, look at our offense when it counted...brunell threw one legitimate td (unless bouncing the ball of the db into santana's hands is some sort of trick shot i didn't knwo about)...

maybe campbell isn't the answer...you can never tell with draft picks, though gibbs has been pretty good since coming back...but we're going to need more from the qb position in order to go further...and our team is at a really great stage right now---the crucial pieces of our team are young...soon, we'll hopefully be out from under that dreaded salary cap shadow...

we can wait for campbell, play him in his 3rd year, and hopefully he'll struggle less, perhaps come to more quickly...but maybe not, we jsut don't know, and we need to know sooner rather than later...

in saying play campbell, i'm not throwing the kid to the wolves...roethliesberger had a great first year, mostly b/c he was surrounded by a great defense, a real solid running game, and a great offensive line...well, i think our d is pretty great, our running game looks pretty nasty, and while our o line isn't great, it's getting to be pretty good...let the kid take his lumps, make some plays, and who knows...maybe we play the steelers next year...who knows...but we need to soon...

[The Hogster]

i've made my peace with the year, but just one example is getting a fumble on the 40, down 10-17, and not comeing away with a TD? this team's offense was too schizophrenic this year, and i think that a lot of that has to do with the play of brunell...

What was even more disheartening is missing a 36 yard Field Goal. Not saying that would have been the difference maker, but I would have loved to see our defense get a chance to put the Hawks 3 and Out and force them to punt and give us the ball with a short field and two minute offense.

Our offense was moving in the 4th quarter, and it would have been great to see our offense have a chance to win the game on the last series of the game. Whether they converted or not, its a lot better to swallow that way than having your million dollar kicker miss what is supposed to be a makable kick.

[UK Skins Fan]

I mean come on guys, we made it to the playoffs, and won a game!

Did we win that game because of our outstanding play at the QB position? I think not. Brunell was not able to make it the entire season, as most expected. I actually was hoping Gibbs would put Ramsey in when we were struggling so. I knew that would only happen if he got hurt, which, as much as I dislike Brunell, was NOT about to hope for.

I don't think Campbell will be ready yet, so again, I HOPE Ramsey will be our QB to start next season. Maybe this time he'll get a real chance.

No, but we might have won it because the quarterback didn't throw it away.

[UK Skins Fan]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again (because I think I'm so clever, it's worth saying twice):

Campbell's accession to the throne will be determined by a) when he shows enough in camp to be worth the chance, and b) when the offence is good enough to incorporate a young QB and lighten the load on his shoulders.

Get a 60-70 catch wide receiver to play opposite Moss, and a decent tight end, and the offence may be a lot nearer to the sort of offence we expect of a Joe Gibbs team.

Honestly, I can imagine a scenario where any one of them starts. I just think Brunell will be the man. Not that what any of us think actually matters a damn.

[SkinsJock]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again (because I think I'm so clever, it's worth saying twice):
Campbell's accession to the throne will be determined by a) when he shows enough in camp to be worth the chance, and b) when the offence is good enough to incorporate a young QB and lighten the load on his shoulders.

Get a 60-70 catch wide receiver to play opposite Moss, and a decent tight end, and the offence may be a lot nearer to the sort of offence we expect of a Joe Gibbs team.

Honestly, I can imagine a scenario where any one of them starts. I just think Brunell will be the man.

Exactly - right now Brunell is still the "starter" and Ramsey the back-up. The "loss" of Ramsey would force the issue and depending on how comfortable Gibbs is with Campbell we will see a back-up to Campbell or someone to replace Ramsey. We will have 3 QBs to begin with, we just do not know if Ramsey will be back.

I really think that Brunell is back because he's the #1 and will continue to be that - until August -

[PulpExposure]

After watching the Bears loose at home we now see that of all the quarterbacks in the playoffs this year, only one, Ben Rothlesberger is under 30 years old.

And there are no qbs who are over 35.

Read first dude...the posts are talking about Campbell taking over..so I am saying it may not be a great idea, as some have suggested, to put him in just yet.

So...this begs the question. Do we not start him until he's 30?

I mean, I understand the point you're trying to make. But if he's 18 or 30, there comes some point where a new quarterback has to start a playoff game.