Link: USA Today Previews the Jets
USA Today previews the moves this offseason for the Jets, and writes a lot about the moves the team made, but of course none is more discussed than the move to draft QB Mark Sanchez. Pedulla looks at the battle and isn’t willing to call it, but does give some interesting insight on past situations where a first round QB were brought into a team.
Ryan promises the Sanchez-Clemens duel will be a fair fight. “It’s too important of a position for us to say, ‘Let’s give it to this guy or give it to the other guy,’ ” he says. “It will come out in the end. It always does.”
History suggests many coaches believe in having top young passers learn their initial lessons from the sidelines. Of the 21 quarterbacks taken in the first round since 2002, only four immediately joined the lineup: David Carr (Houston Texans, 2002), Kyle Boller (Baltimore, 2003), Joe Flacco (Baltimore, 2008) and Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons, 2008).
It might help Sanchez’s cause that Ryan saw firsthand what Flacco did for Baltimore, managing the game well enough to turn around a losing team and then becoming the first rookie quarterback ever to win two playoff games. Matt Ryan also led Atlanta to the postseason.
50/50 is not a great track record for putting in rookies, and with the money the team has invested, you’d hope they’d want to make him pay off more in the long than short term. I do think that the situation is a little different with the Jets, because the team isn’t like the Texans, who were building a franchise from the ground up, there’s enough pieces in place to soften the landing.
For that money .. and the price it cost .. if Sanchez cannot beat out Kellen Clemens – then we are all in trouble ..
ok – Clemens starts the season .. and unless he wins .right away .. this is Sanchez job ..
Clemens should start, because we have yet to see what this guy can really do with an above average football team.
Worst comes to worse, he plays well and we trade him for a draft pick, while Sanchez learns the playbook.
That is ONLY if Schotty plans on staying. If this is his last year, we have to start Sanchez.
No, 50/50 isn’t great, but if you are looking for a long-time franchise QB, here is a nice tibit I found on the net:
Between 2002 – 2007, there were 19 QBs selected in the first round. Of those 19, nine have starting jobs today. One is a free agent (Leftwich), six are competing for a starting job, and the final three are sure backups this season.
Ok, so of 19 QBs, 9 are guarnteed starters, or just under 50%. So, our odds of having them as a long distance starter are just the same. 2 of these consist of Boller and Carr, so thats two hits against, but if you take them out of the stat, you are now 9 of 17, so justover 50%. Add in the QBs from ‘08, and we are dead even again (Stafford isn’t starting yet, so its now 22 QBs, with Flacco and Ryan starting, to make 11 of 22 are starting this season, dead on 50/50)
Jason, good job with that info…
Not that I want to dumb down the argument (even though I will), but I mean just look at Sanchez… look at the way he speaks, his presence, his demeanor. Then compare those qualities to the succeful 19 first round QBs and youll see that he fits right in. Sanchez has that Peyton type of leadership…that football hungry mind. We will find out about the skills, but this guy is no Boller and Carr, its obvious. I guess im one of those guys that believes that someone who looks, talks, and acts like a winning QB probably has the better chance of actually becoming one. Its a winning mentality and the kid is used to winning. Clemens doesnt have those qualities to me. Thats the biggest difference in my mind.
Just about everything in life is 50/50 and you have to learn to live with regret. If Clemens shows he can run the offense well in camp and preseason then he deserves a shot. If he stinks it up then let the Sanchez era begin.
I think KC has to clearly outplay Sanchez to deserve to start. I’d rather have Sanchez get his 1st NFL start than have KC get his 9th. KC is still very inexperienced and does not have near the talent that Sanchez has. Sanchez, however, needs NFL experience, something he won’t get if KC is blocking his way. Unless he’s just not mentally ready (something I find hard to believe), he should start. Limit the playbook to stuff he does well and as he progresses, put in more pages. I expect growing pains, but the Jets need him to mature, and that won’t happen on the bench watching a near-rookie like KC play.
This USA piece will be the last preview I read, because they will all be the same “if Ryan can get the defense…, if Sanchez……, if another WR steps….., the AFC East is tough with NE & Mia……”
so it is a given that Brady is going to be the same coming of ACL surgery? Because THAT happens all the time
so it is given Miami is going to win every close game and get every break like they did in 2008 (and didn’t in 2007?)
and yet it is a question mark that the JETS D, with Rex’s history and the talent that is there is a question mark?
Sackdance has it right. Sanchez wasn’t drafted to learn behind KC. The Jets clearly don’t think Clemens is good enough. Jeez, the guy is in his fourth year and the team just drafted Sanchez. What does that tell you? It tells you that they’ve seen enough of Clemens and want to go in another direction. Unless Sanchez proves utterly unprepared, it’s his job.
MSM & jvsvn:
I agree with both of you 100%, as I’m sure you know I’ve been saying that since the end of the 2008 season. So I will not re-hash those comments.
10 ways for the Jets to win 10 games in 2009
http://turnonthejets.com/2009/06/24/ten-ways-for-the-jets-to-win-ten-games/
People like to point at statistics and history. But I believe that when it comes to player development there is no one way to do it. Rather there is just what works for the individual player. I do no believe that any player is destined to be a flop or destined to be a star. It’s up to the organization to do what’s right for the player. If Sanchez isn’t ready to start then don’t start him. You got Clemens. Play your cards right Rex Ryan.
I do not have the stats to do so, but a fairer QB comparison would be those taken in the top third of the draft. Can not compare the fifth overall pick with the 32nd, BIG difference.
Another interesting comparison would be the height of succesful QB’s vs. failures.
Note that Boller and Carr are both listed at 6′3″, Ryan and Flacco taller.
The biggest hurdle that Sanchez has to overcome is his height, and the evidence indicates to me that it will limit his ceiling.
Kewpie to igs. I just hope Rex is a proponent of igs, “Rather there is just what works for the individual player.”
Stats tell what happened, not what will happen.
Harlan
I can’t wait for Sanchez to be named the starter (after wk. 2 of the preseason) so this discussion can go away.
Unless Mark SUCKS this is a fait accompli.