Surprise Packages Under Center
 

This was in ESPN Insider. I don't know what to make of it, particularly with freakin KYLE BOLLER being in the top five here. And funny how Tony Banks and Gus Frerrote are still hanging around.

Anyway, here it is, a blog from ESPN The Magazine's Seth Wickersham (whoever he is)

[B]Surprise Packages Under Center[/B]

Can't wait for my phone to ring this fall with my editor, Chad Millman, on the other line saying, "We need you to do a Seneca Wallace story. Soon."

There are a few of 'em every year: the Bradys, the Penningtons, the Delhommes, the Bulgers, Breeses, and Maddoxes. They are the QBs who start the year on the bench or with no expectations and rise up to a Pro Bowl or Super Bowl near you. Here are a quick five who might some about this year.

5. Tony Banks, Houston. The Texans should be through with their diapers this year. Can David Carr get them into the playoffs? Jury is still out. Houston might need a boost come midseason, and Banks could provide it. He's got the arm to get Andre Johnson the ball and has more smarts than he's given credit for. He's thrown more TDs in his career than INTs.

4. Gus Frerotte, Miami. Nick Saban inherited A.J. Feeley. He didn't pick him. Speaking of picks, A.J. threw 15 in eight starts last year. A slow September and he'll get the hook. Frerotte hasn't played much since 2000, but has never had a season in which he's started any significant number of games and had a poor TD:INT ratio.

3. Joey Harrington, Detroit. I know, I know. He's not exactly an under-the-radar player. But no starting QB has more pressure and such low expectations as Harrington. So if he plays well, it's technically a surprise. He's got to relax in the pocket. It'll help his consistency. Last year, he had 10 games under 60% completion and two under 35%.

2. Eric Crouch ... ah, just making sure you're reading.

2. Kyle Boller, Baltimore. Didn't throw an interception in nine of 16 starts last year. Only problem was that in those seven games he threw a pick, he tossed out 11. With Jamal Lewis and Todd Heap healthy, not to mention Jim Fassel and Rick Neuheisel coaching him, Boller's efficiency rating, which last year ranked last in the NFL, should improve.

[B]1. Jason Campbell, Washington. Does anyone really think Patrick Ramsey or Mark Brunell is going to stay ahead of this guy? I'm not saying Campbell is a better QB than either of them, but Joe Gibbs wouldn't have picked the Auburn QB to sit. Campbell can adapt to offenses (played under four different offensive coordinators in college) and has the physical tools to make a Roethlisberger-type impact as a rookie. As for his second season, well, check back next year. [/B]

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you know what...as much as i believe ramsey will have a great season this year...if campbell came off the bench and pulled a roethlisberger this season i wouldn't be against it....that's for sure.

...and no i am not agreeing with this guy i just wouldn't mind seeing some W's this season.

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[QUOTE=NY_Skinsfan]you know what...as much as i believe ramsey will have a great season this year...if campbell came off the bench and pulled a roethlisberger this season i wouldn't be against it....that's for sure.

...and no i am not agreeing with this guy i just wouldn't mind seeing some W's this season.[/QUOTE]


The funny thing is you would have to be as good as Big Ben in college or better to realistically accomplish that feet, which Campbell was not. But we will have to wait for this to happen to settle it once and for all.

It is funny though how good Campbell became after we gave up the farm to get him, as if when you pay a premium price for a second rd talent and draft him in the first rd that in itself legitimises his talent.

Let's keep in mind the guy had 1 good season out of 4, let's also keep in mind he may have had the most talent in college surrounding him, 4 first rd picks came off his team [inc. himself], and three were top 10, not inc. himself.

I also don't want to hear the excuses about how he had 3 different cooridinators during his tenure at Auburn, nobody is cutting Ramsey that kind of slack.

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[QUOTE=offiss]The funny thing is you would have to be as good as Big Ben in college or better to realistically accomplish that feet, which Campbell was not. But we will have to wait for this to happen to settle it once and for all.[/QUOTE]

What are you talking about? Numbers? Because if you are, Jason's numbers last year are equally impressive if not more to that of Ben's last college season. Not to mention a 13-0 record.

2700 yards, 69.6% completion percentage, 20 TDs to 7 INTs and a QB rating of 172.9 is spectacular by most standards.

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Gibbs play a rookie? I doubt it. THis is just the "common wisdom" about Gibbs, Ramsey, and Campbell, given the draft pick. But it ignores Gibbs long history of competition at QB while sticking (sometimes too long!) with the vet.

Ramsey #1, Brunnell #2, Campbell #3. Mark will get another shot before Campbell gets off the bench (much as I dislike that idea).

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that's why i hope mark tears an acl during the preseason or training camp, and is out for the season. i mean, i like the guy, but i wouldn't put him in any more football games, unless it was a last resort. mark could provide that veteran leadership, but nothing more. then when gibbs gets pissed at patrick if he does poorly, we can have campbell step in. i really think campbell could be a top notch starter in the nfl.

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[QUOTE=mooby]that's why i hope mark tears an acl during the preseason or training camp, and is out for the season. i mean, i like the guy, but i wouldn't put him in any more football games, unless it was a last resort. mark could provide that veteran leadership, but nothing more. then when gibbs gets pissed at patrick if he does poorly, we can have campbell step in. i really think campbell could be a top notch starter in the nfl.[/QUOTE]


LOL Brunell!

I would like to know what you base your conclusion on Campbell is though?

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If campbell completely lights the field up during the pre-season and we lose our first couple games(2-3) do you think that we might see him in there early next year?
[QUOTE=saden1]Not to mention a 13-0 record. 2700 yards, 69.6% completion percentage, 20 TDs to 7 INTs and a QB rating of 172.9 is spectacular by most standards.[/QUOTE]
Sorry I had to hear it again:httr:

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[QUOTE=offiss]LOL Brunell!

I would like to know what you base your conclusion on Campbell is though?[/QUOTE]

read the post above this one, and look at his stats. not to mention he had a new offensive coordinator. are you really saying brunell would be a better starter than jason campbell? personally i would take campbell over brunell any day, but that's just me.

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Unless Ramsey and Brunell both get hurt, I don't see Campbell getting a sniff of playing time this year.

Next year is another story, but I just can't see Gibbs going with a rookie this year... no way.

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Joe Gibbs does NOT, I repeat, DOES NOT play rookie QBs. Show me a time in his history when he has done such a thing.

This guy, Seth Wickerstick or whatever, doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. He just went down the rosters of a couple teams, picked out the starting QBs who MAY be on shaky ground, and started talking about their APPARENT backups.

Ramsey #1 (with a LONG leash), Brunell #2, Campbell #3

If we're out of the playoff hunt, then maybe Campbell plays. But if playoffs are on the line, you can bet a rookie QB is not sniffing the field for Joe Gibbs.

And see my post (#47) in this thread for why it's not that outrageous to trade that much to draft Campbell and then make him your third stringer:

[url="http://www.thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=6862&page=5&pp=10"]http://www.thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=6862&page=5&pp=10[/url]

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The only thing he said in the article that might make sense is the Ferotte deal, but that shouldn't be a suprise. Feely & co. won't get it done again and ferotte will be an improvement there. Hell brunell would be an improvement there.

Joey Harrington is probably going to take a back seat to Garcia before its all said and done.

Tony Banks?? the mere mention of Tony Banks over David Carr tells me this guy has not a clue whats going on in the NFL.

Campbell may see some action very late in the season if EXTREME circumstances arise. 2-8, and brunell comes out and throws 4 picks in a game. Other than that Gibbs will do what he feels is right and bring a promising young rookie along slowly and let his confidence develop with his talent, so as not to threaten the potential of a great QB.

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[QUOTE=mooby]read the post above this one, and look at his stats. not to mention he had a new offensive coordinator. are you really saying brunell would be a better starter than jason campbell? personally i would take campbell over brunell any day, but that's just me.[/QUOTE]


What you don't seem to understand is that those STAT'S are college stat's, you know where you can compile them when your team is vastly superiour to your competition, considering he had 3 potential pro bowlers on his team I would say things were made to be very easy for a QB, any QB.
[See all florida QB's]


No I have never been a Brunell fan, and was screaming not to make that deal as well, but just like Brunell, and just like Portis whom I said was a system back and didn't fit Gibbs style and philosphy of running, and that if we made that trade we would have to change our blocking schemes to accomadate him, I will be right about Campbell! It's only a matter of time, Ramsey WILL take a strangle hold on the starting job this year and everyone will be shaking their heads on what to do with Campbell, whether he proves he has bonified starter's talent or not, he will not overtake Ramsey.

Mooby your point on seeing Brunell on the field if something happens is well taken and I concur, which makes the Campbell pick that much more ridiculous, who's the backup? No one want's Brunell, and no way Campbell will be ready. As I said previously, if Ramsey goes down we are in big trouble! IMO we have no contigency plan at QB!

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[quote]IMO we have no contigency plan at QB![/quote]
sure we do... just direct snap it to portis and let him play micheal vick for a while ;)

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My opinion is that we shouldn't judge any QB coming out if college until he sees the field and plays. Until we see Campbell play against an NFL defense, we can't judge on how good he is or will be. Let the guy prove himself and then judge him. Did anyone think Tom Brady would win 3 SB's when he was drafted in the 6th round? I'm not comparing Campbell to Brady, but it just goes to show that you can't judge anyone until they see the playing field.

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Brunell is not the Brunell of the late 90s - we all know that. But the coaches still have enough confidence in him to keep him as the backup - I've heard several reasons for this (one was that he wasn't as bad as looked last year - that the system and team combined with his diminishing skills to make him look that bad) I don't know what the truth is there, but if Ramsey goes down, Brunell will take the reins until/unless he gets hurt. End of story. Campbell will see no playing time, probably not even mop-up duty if we're ahead 45-0. This year he's a student of the game. Next year, the coaches will begin to grade him with an eye towards what he can begin to contribute to the team. For now, he's being invested in and no immediate return is expected.

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Some players have remarked that they felt the early offensive struggles weren't all Brunell's fault and I tend to agree.

The offense as a whole was in shambles for the first half of the season.

Is Brunell the same QB that led the Jags to the AFC Championship, no, but I don't think he is as bad as he seemed last year.

As a QB it's tough to play well when your receivers drop balls, they aren't running crisp routes, the running game is struggling and the pass protection stinks.

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Hey, Brunell recently tossed 4 touchdown passes in a high school alumni 7 on 7 touch football [URL=http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2005/07/02/news/sports/sports42.txt]game[/URL]. So you know he's still got it

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Articles like this are just written in the hopes of one of their "predictions" coming true, so the guy can say "I was right, so I do know what I'm talking about!" It's a bunch of crap. As others have said, unless there is absolutely no other alternative, Gibbs will NOT start a rookie QB. Period.
As for the comparisons to Big Ben, he had a few good games, but was basically carried by the rest of the team, especially in the second half of the season. The same could be said about Campbell.

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[QUOTE=Redskins_P]My opinion is that we shouldn't judge any QB coming out if college until he sees the field and plays. Until we see Campbell play against an NFL defense, we can't judge on how good he is or will be. Let the guy prove himself and then judge him. Did anyone think Tom Brady would win 3 SB's when he was drafted in the 6th round? I'm not comparing Campbell to Brady, but it just goes to show that you can't judge anyone until they see the playing field.[/QUOTE]

Great post Redskins P!

I know the QB position is a very touchy subject for Redskins fans and members of this sight, but never say never in any sport.

Gibbs came from the Air Coryell school of offense and after going 0-5 switched to the Riggo drill when he came to Washington and he realized his 80's teams were better suited for the running game.
Gibbs is now even incorporated the shotgun, so everything eventually changes.
While I prefer to see Ramsey win us a Superbowl next year and be our #1 QB for 10 years, it is great that we have a talented Qb in the wings for what ever might happen. It does not have to be just if Ramsey fails as a player, QB's get injured all the time.
I think some of the die-hard Ramsey fans on this sight are upset about Campbell being on our roster and have resorted to putting Campbell down even before he has ever taken a snap.

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Campbell will see action at the end of games when our Jaugernaut offense and stingy D has us up by 50 points. Hey, a man can dream.

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[QUOTE=mooby]that's why i hope mark tears an acl during the preseason or training camp, and is out for the season. i mean, i like the guy, but i wouldn't put him in any more football games, unless it was a last resort. mark could provide that veteran leadership, but nothing more. then when gibbs gets pissed at patrick if he does poorly, we can have campbell step in. i really think campbell could be a top notch starter in the nfl.[/QUOTE]


Gee Mooby, I'd hate to see what you'd wish on guys you DON'T like ;)

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Gus and Joey..............I don't like the company he puts Campbell in.......Carr needs some protection ......he needs an offensive line.......if the Texans put Banks in, they're idiots...........he will be carried out on a stretcher...........

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Definitely. I'd love to see Campbell come in for clean-up duty after we've wiped our asses with the other team.

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I'm excited for the preaseason to start, so we can see what Jason Campbell is all about. I'm pretty sure most people on the board, including myself are big Ramsey fans. However, I am still very excited to see Jason Campbell with the Redskins, and I hope he has a solid preseason (ramsey is the man though).