chiefhog44 wrote:RayNAustin wrote:Based on what Shanahan said himself about the 4 year clock, that puts even greater emphasis on the need to grab a top tier QB .... rather than a 2nd or 3rd rounder project type.
Even with a highly talented rookie QB, you have to expect some growing pains, so in my mind you can't postpone that move beyond this off season. Shanahan has to get his guy now, with hopes that the rookie can help improve the offense, and gain that experience necessary for a strong 2nd year (Shanny's unofficial final 4th year)
Heck, if Shanahan is convinced he's only got two more years to put together a winner, he ought to go sign Flynn and draft RG3 .... Danny's got the pockets for it ... so don't take any chances ... get Flynn to be the penciled in starter, and take RG3 and let him learn until he shows enough in practice to start or in case Flynn doesn't get the job done.
Neither Rex nor Beck is the answer here ... that's been proven beyond a doubt. So why keep either of them here ... what security blanket do either of those guys provide you? Nothing.
So we actually need TWO QBs ... not just one. So bite the bullet, grab the best two out there... one experienced pro, albeit limited game experience, and the best rookie available. All smart gamblers hedge their bets.
Ray I totally agree with you from the standpoint of a 4 year plan. If he's only being given 4 years, I think he has to get whichever QB he see's as the best. If he's given 5 which some on here seem to think, I think he grabs a bit more of a project. If Danny is patient, we're trading down not up. I would expect Cincy is going to trade up with us for Morris Claiborne if he's available or the Browns up to grab Richardson who should definitely be there. We would move down and pick up Tannehill at 17 or 24
Well, I'm going by what Shanahan said himself, so I don't see how others here could have a better take on this than the man himself.
Moreover, the larger point is "progress" .... you know, people said the same thing about the shortage of talent on this team after 2004's miserable 1st year in Gibbs II regime. Yet, we made it to the playoffs in year 2, and ultimately 2 out of 4 years under Joe Gibbs. So, it's not at all unreasonable to expect at least something resembling that from Shanahan by year 4.
Right now, after 2 years, Mike Shanahan's overall 32 game record is worse than Jim Zorn's 32 games, and it's been universally accepted that Zorn's tenure was an unmitigated disaster. So the "Name" Shanahan and the associated reputation can only buy him so much additional leeway ... ultimately, everyone is judged by "what have you done lately" at some point, and I don't think that means 8-8.
That we ALL know that the QB position is the greatest need of this team is an accepted fact, and not debatable. Therefore, the "how" we get that QB is less important than actually accomplishing the task. So I just don't see how he can possibly choose to go with a "project" at this point ... that's the move he should have made last year rather than staking his reputation on Beck. His decisions with 3 QBs in two years is what has painted him into a corner, so the status quo is not an option, nor is another miscalculation of talent for a potential project type. Nobody would fault Shanahan for picking a TOP rated talent .... if we got Luck or RG3 and they took more time to develop than expected, I could see Snyder being patient ..... but if he screws up one more time by picking a questionable entity, he might not even make it to year 4, because I don't think you can end next year in similar condition as this year. There has to be significant progress next year, not necessarily measured by major improvement in the win-loss column, but in having a promising QB running the offense by the end of the season, giving a reason for optimism about year 4.
And, in my humble opinion, if Shanahan and Bruce Allen don't find a way to nail down and solidify the QB position after three years, they ought to be fired.
