OldTimer1960

I am usually not OCD about spelling, but it is Iupati not Lupati.

Whether he "just chucked it up there" or made some nice throws, it can't be debated that that season was the true outlier for McCown's career. Outside of that season, McCown has thrown more INTS than TDS and has a sub-60 completion %

I agree with you. Aside from his one year abberation in Chicago, His career stats are VERY underwhelming. Without the miracle year, he has thrown more INTS than TDS. Even including the great year in Chicago, his career QB rating is worse than EJ Manuel's (with Manuel only having played 14 games)

Frank Gore is old and worn out. They need a younger back than him and Fred Jackson

i am not sure that it is as much that there are "few if any qualified scientists" as much as fans' expectations of the draft are way off. As you said, a .333 hitter in baseball is very good, but in the NFL some fans expect every 1st - 3rd round pick to become a very good starter. I think that history shows that isn't a realistic expectation.

So, we are back to what other veteran option did they have at QB besides Kevin Kolb? Let's assume that Fitz wasn't a good option because he perhaps didn't want to help a rookie take his job. So who else should they have brought in?

I don't think that Bradford will go anywhere unless the Rams think his injuries won't be healed or will never fully heal. I don't think Washington thinks either Cousins or McCoy are viable options. They may not think RG3 is either, but it isn't because they are sold on McCoy or Cousins. Cutler' attitude and salary could make him available. I don't think SF is happy with Kaepernick, but expect them to keep him because he is still young enough to improve and because there are no better options.

I agree. Manning is an All-time great, but he was awful the last quarter of the season and I think Father Time has caught up with him. I think investing huge money in him for one more year would be risky in terms of the other players already on the roster that wouldn't get paid and could be lost.

I think that the OP has a point, but I argue that now isn't much different than the last 50 years - there never were a large number of great QBs. The aberration is when there are more than a handful of outstanding QBs.

+100 Respectfully stated, well thought out counter arguments are always welcome. Just bashing someone or their opinion always comes across poorly.

"Been a winner everywhere he went" describes the vast majority of QBs that even get a cup of coffee in the NFL. I am skeptical, but sometimes CFL players can make it in the NFL.

Archie???

These guys are both still young and at least there is some hope they might improve. FWIW, I would have a bit of interest in Locker, too. Locker and Ponder both have physical ability (especially Locker if he is healthy. We need to be realistic, there aren't going to be ANY proven very good QBs available in FA, the draft where the Bills pick or by trade. Bradford or Cutler are it in terms of "names" that *might* be available. Beyond them, I would just as soon take my chances with EJ competing with a Locker, Ponder or even Cousins over someone like Matt Moore or Josh Mckown. Older career backups are what they are and won't be good enough in the long run, likely not even for a season.

Of the available options, I think Ponder is worth a try.

Well, you are right about that, but tell us who the next Brady, Brees, Rodgers, Manning or Rivers is that will be sitting at the 50th pick?

I don't think that there is any real chance that you will see the Bills change their philosophy and spend really big money on the G position. They just don't value the position highly enough to go spend the $7-$8m per season that someone like Iupati will command.

Yep, maybe patience can be rewarded? Perhaps it isn't prudent to run everyone that doesn't have immediate success out of town.

Well, really Luck hasn't done much at all. He certainly can throw a nice deep ball on occasion, but he has done nothing to keep the Colts remotely in this game, let alone win it for them.

Colts gonna play themselves out of this quickly. They couldn't afford any turnovers, this could get out of hand quickly. That defensive holding call was big. Colts have to answer on this drive.

What a collapse by Green Bay - awful. How is it possible to get 5 takeaways and be leading by 12 with the ball with 5 minutes to go and still lose? The two point conversion might have been the worst give away. That pass was in the air for 10 minutes and they could not defend it?

I can agree that more "shots" could be taken in the draft, but there are limits to how many QBs you can effectively evaluate in training camp/offseason. It isn't practical to bring 5 guys to camp (3 incumbents and 2 draft/FAs because there isn't enough practice time to go around. Still, I could support the idea of drafting a QB every year in the mid to late rounds in hopes of getting lucky, but really other than Brady and Romo, there aren't many good QBs that weren't drafted early (that I can think of). I know Kaepernick,dalton, and Wilson were 2nd and 3rd rounders, but even those are rare exceptions (and I wouldn't annoint Kaepernick or Dalton yet). I'd be reluctant to commit a 1st or 2nd every year to a QB, but could buyin to more selections than they have made.

So the gist of this thread is that having a great QB is very important - gee who would have thunk it? The hard part is finding a great QB...

No question, but the reality is that there are no great QBs available that can "win with their arm".

I think that plan is "Man, we need to find someone competent to compete with Manuel because he isn't a sure thing. Man, we wish there was someone good available!" Seriously, I think they'll try to get one of the FAs: Sanchez, Hoyer or Moore. I don't think that they'll be willing to pull a big trade for Bradford or Cutler as both have significant risks and would eat up a lot of valuable cap space in addition to what you'd have to give up in a trade for either.

+100