How many practice squad QB's ever became legitimate NFL QB's

[bigK14094]

Brett Farve I think.

[Doc Brown]

Marc Bulger and Jake Delhomme are the only two I could think of off the top of my head.  Good point by the OP.

[Buffalo716]

2 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Jake Delhomme

 

And the problem is even on the practice squad, you aren’t getting game level reps against NFL caliber players. If the NFL could figure out a minor league, a lot more qbs would have a chance of succeeding.  We expect rookies to just light up the nfl right assuming and then get rid of them the second they stumble. 

QB is the hardest position in all of sports and these kids have been playing it since they were kids

 

The cream always rises in football. I don't think a minor league would produce more good QBs.. because 95% with any talent are drafted and tried to be developed

 

They either have it or they don't

Edited August 14, 2019 by Buffalo716

[oldmanfan]

2 hours ago, lookylookyherecomescookie said:

There has been a lot of talk about 'stashing'  QB Tyree Jackson on the practice squad as a developmental qb.  My question to all of those who know much more than me, "how many qb's started out on a practice squad and ultimately became a legitimate nfl qb starter or even back-up? I can't think of one, but I certainly could be missing somebody.

Others have mentioned a few.  You can go back to Johnny Unitas playing semi-pro ball in Pittsburgh.  To me the point is that, while it's a longshot, it's still a shot.  So if you see a kid like Jackson that has some raw physical skills, why not put him on the practice squad and take some time with him? 

[SNICE]

2 hours ago, Albany,n.y. said:

You're right Warner was never on the Rams practice squad (or any other teams) 

Warner never played in Canada but did play in Arena football.  Iowa?  Possibly another team too.

[CardinalScotts]

3 hours ago, lookylookyherecomescookie said:

There has been a lot of talk about 'stashing'  QB Tyree Jackson on the practice squad as a developmental qb.  My question to all of those who know much more than me, "how many qb's started out on a practice squad and ultimately became a legitimate nfl qb starter or even back-up? I can't think of one, but I certainly could be missing somebody.

League is changing...could say the same for short qb's....way back it was black qb's.....small school qb's.

Used to draft a guy high and he was going to be in there deserved or not. Now because you not financially tied  to them like before there is a better chance this happens. Not happening here though

 

for the record

Bulger, Tolzein, Delhomme

Edited August 14, 2019 by CardinalScotts

[lookylookyherecomescookie]

15 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Others have mentioned a few.  You can go back to Johnny Unitas playing semi-pro ball in Pittsburgh.  To me the point is that, while it's a longshot, it's still a shot.  So if you see a kid like Jackson that has some raw physical skills, why not put him on the practice squad and take some time with him? 

the necessity of a third arm for practice aside, It appears the shot is so long for a qb, you might be better off using the spot for a position (Foster?) where the historical evidence shows a greater chance  of success. As for having a player available to come in, even to back up in case of injury, would you rather have somebody like Barkley who I believe was on the street, and had minimal time to work with the team before he started, or somebody like Tyree? Maybe it's me, I just don't see any empirical evidence of much value in a PS developmental qb. To those that say why not, what's the harm, there may well be an opportunity cost associated with such a move.

[GunnerBill]

51 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

So already Warren Moon’s story is forgotten or the younger generation knows it and deliberately ignores it when posting here... 

 

Way before my time. 

[RoyBatty is alive]

3 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

Hasselbeck and Romo was where I was going. I don't think Kurt Warner was ever on a PS. He was cut early by the Green Bay Packers having been in camp. He was signed by the Rams to a futures contract then sent to NFL Europe then came back and was 3rd string on the active roster. 

 

But that was not the question. 

 

Oh I understand.  Define "practice squad" QB.  I would say 95% of UDFA QBs are picked up to be practice squad players with the hope maybe, maybe they get lucky.  IMO Tyree Jackson was picked up I believe for his local connection, doubt the Bills ever thought he would be anything much more than that, at least for several years and on to another team..  Way too raw.  I guess technically since he went directly to the CFL Moon was never considered a "practice squad" QB.

[oldmanfan]

16 minutes ago, lookylookyherecomescookie said:

the necessity of a third arm for practice aside, It appears the shot is so long for a qb, you might be better off using the spot for a position (Foster?) where the historical evidence shows a greater chance  of success. As for having a player available to come in, even to back up in case of injury, would you rather have somebody like Barkley who I believe was on the street, and had minimal time to work with the team before he started, or somebody like Tyree? Maybe it's me, I just don't see any empirical evidence of much value in a PS developmental qb. To those that say why not, what's the harm, there may well be an opportunity cost associated with such a move.

I see your point., but would counter with a few thoughts.  The harm would potentially be tying up a spot on the PS you might need in case of injury.  Right?  So I'd say a couple things to that.  One, you can go out there any wweek of the regular season and bring in a reserve O lineman if needed jsut as you could a QB.  And I do agree if both Allen and Barkely got hurt you''d do that vs. play Jackson (although I doubt the ultimte outcome would change).   Second, I doubt that if you had a, say, CB on the practice squad his potential for becoming really good is any better or wrose than for a QB. 

 

I think the QB position is so valued in the league that, if you see a kid you think had even an iota of developing into a produuctive player, you do whatever you can to hold onto him anddevelop him siince it's really hard to find a guy that can play.  Other positions, not so much.

[lookylookyherecomescookie]

Just now, oldmanfan said:

I see your point., but would counter with a few thoughts.  The harm would potentially be tying up a spot on the PS you might need in case of injury.  Right?  So I'd say a couple things to that.  One, you can go out there any wweek of the regular season and bring in a reserve O lineman if needed jsut as you could a QB.  And I do agree if both Allen and Barkely got hurt you''d do that vs. play Jackson (although I doubt the ultimte outcome would change).   Second, I doubt that if you had a, say, CB on the practice squad his potential for becoming really good is any better or wrose than for a QB. 

 

I think the QB position is so valued in the league that, if you see a kid you think had even an iota of developing into a produuctive player, you do whatever you can to hold onto him anddevelop him siince it's really hard to find a guy that can play.  Other positions, not so much.

totally agree with you, IF potential for ultimate nfl success (however you want to define that) is no greater  off PS  for other positions than it is for QB.  My guess (no evidence), is that is not the case.  

[GunnerBill]

10 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

 

Oh I understand.  Define "practice squad" QB.  I would say 95% of UDFA QBs are picked up to be practice squad players with the hope maybe, maybe they get lucky.  IMO Tyree Jackson was picked up I believe for his local connection, doubt the Bills ever thought he would be anything much more than that, at least for several years and on to another team..  Way too raw.  I guess technically since he went directly to the CFL Moon was never considered a "practice squad" QB.

 

Yea the question was not UDFAs.... it was practice squad players. And the reason we are having the conversation is to debate the premise that you "stash" QBs on the practice squad. So anyone wasn't a PS QB is not really relevant to that discussion. 

[RoyBatty is alive]

Just now, GunnerBill said:

 

Yea the question was not UDFAs.... it was practice squad players. And the reason we are having the conversation is to debate the premise that you "stash" QBs on the practice squad. So anyone wasn't a PS QB is not really relevant to that discussion. 

oh kay, the distinctions to me are rather de minimus but that is just me.

[lookylookyherecomescookie]

2 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yea the question was not UDFAs.... it was practice squad players. And the reason we are having the conversation is to debate the premise that you "stash" QBs on the practice squad. So anyone wasn't a PS QB is not really relevant to that discussion. 

That was the point-thanks

[Albany,n.y.]

1 hour ago, row_33 said:

 

So already Warren Moon’s story is forgotten or the younger generation knows it and deliberately ignores it when posting here... 

I have a problem with the accepted Moon story that racism & nobody willing to take a shot on a black QB is why he went to Canada.  My evidence against him is that the same year Warren Moon came out of college, Doug Williams, a black QB out of Grambling, was drafted in the 1st round of the NFL draft.  Moon signed with the CFL before the NFL draft was held.  Moon never gave any NFL team a chance to take a shot on him.  

Edited August 14, 2019 by Albany,n.y.

[Ennjay]

4 hours ago, dpberr said:

How about Scott Mitchell?  He had three above average years for the Detroit Lions in the mid 1990s.

 

Before that he was Marino's back-up (not PS) in Miami.

[Ennjay]

1 hour ago, SNICE said:

Warner never played in Canada but did play in Arena football.  Iowa?  Possibly another team too.

 

Warner started out in the NFL with Green Bay.  Per Wikipedia, "Warner was competing for a spot against Brett Favre, Mark Brunell, and former Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer. While Warner was with the Packers, the head coach was Mike Holmgren, the quarterback coach was Steve Mariucci, and Andy Reid was the offensive assistant."  Warner was cut outright, so no Green Bay PS.

4 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

And the problem is even on the practice squad, you aren’t getting game level reps against NFL caliber players. If the NFL could figure out a minor league, a lot more qbs would have a chance of succeeding.  We expect rookies to just light up the nfl right assuming and then get rid of them the second they stumble. 

 

One nit:  I believe the #3 QB runs the scout team (= this week's opponent) against the starting D on Thursdays.  If you only have 2 active QB's, that means your PS QB is up.  But I'm not going to argue that it's the same as real game playing time.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

The old Taxi Squad.

[Stank_Nasty]

6 hours ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

 

Oh I understand.  Define "practice squad" QB.  I would say 95% of UDFA QBs are picked up to be practice squad players with the hope maybe, maybe they get lucky.  IMO Tyree Jackson was picked up I believe for his local connection, doubt the Bills ever thought he would be anything much more than that, at least for several years and on to another team..  Way too raw.  I guess technically since he went directly to the CFL Moon was never considered a "practice squad" QB.

Because technically there’s something called a practice squad.... I’m failing to see the difficulty here. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by Stank_Nasty

[Nostradumbass]

Jeff Garcia was on a PS

[TheStateofWarshingtun]

Jon Kitna. Undrafted out of central Washington university in 1996. At the time they were NAIA. Now they are NCAA division II.

[njbuff]

Was Case Keenum mentiioned?

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

There's a first for everything, even though this actually wouldn't be a first. A better question might be, "How many practice-squad quarterbacks have developed into tradable assets?" (I'm not sure of the answer. I'm just sayin'.)

[Rochesterfan]

19 hours ago, lookylookyherecomescookie said:

There has been a lot of talk about 'stashing'  QB Tyree Jackson on the practice squad as a developmental qb.  My question to all of those who know much more than me, "how many qb's started out on a practice squad and ultimately became a legitimate nfl qb starter or even back-up? I can't think of one, but I certainly could be missing somebody.

 

Considering the practice squad is a relatively recent addition - I think you have to include looking at guys that played things NFL Europe as that was a pseudo practice squad.  The numbers are not huge, but there are several that have gone on to have legitimate careers.  

 

I am sure someone will point out the Romo’s and the Warner’s, but there have been others that have been back-ups.

 

It is a great spot to learn, but the guys going there are not the cream of the crop and therefore the expectation that they will become anything should be low.

[YodaMan79]

I think all of these guys were definitely 3rd string, which in todays NFL would be PS:

 

Mark Brunnell 

Trent Green 

Aaron Brooks 

Stan Humphries 

Jeff Blake 

 

I think these were all Pro-Bowl picks before it was a complete joke.  I guess you can tell the era I came up with as a kid.

[shrader]

We need to expand a bit on the definition of "legitimate QB" that is being used in here.  If a practice squad guy eventually turns into a good backup, I'd call that a victory.  Is there a list of Frank Reich-type guys out there who started out as practice squad guys.  And yes, I know Reich wasn't, I just use him as an example of the elite backup.

[DCofNC]

It's not out of the realm of possibility for a guy to develop from the PS, but certainly the odds are against it.  After watching Tyree, I have my doubts he will be in the league much longer.  He's an athlete, but if he wants to stick, he may need to take up route running.

[reddogblitz]

On 8/14/2019 at 9:30 AM, metbill said:

I doubt Tyree Jackson will be on the list.  I would rather use the spot for someone who has a future at the NFL level, at least who showed in college that the possibility is there.

 

like who?

[metbill]

1 hour ago, reddogblitz said:

 

like who?

Not sure yet, but there will be more than a handful of guys cut in the next few weeks.  I would prefer we grab the best one of that group we can if we do keep one on the PS. If we kept Tyree, it would not be stashing since every other NFL team had a chance at him and passed.  

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

On 8/14/2019 at 12:03 PM, Albany,n.y. said:

No way.  Moon was in Canada and signed with Houston as a coveted free agent...

I thought God and the Ten Commandments forbade that?

[wiley16350]

On 8/14/2019 at 12:40 PM, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

 

 

There are the two best ones that come to mind. 

 

Its clearly a low percentage play.

 

Brady was nearly a PS guy his rookie year. 

I was going to post this but made sure nobody else did first.  Nice to see someone did.  He started his rookie season as the 4th string so essentially he was a practice squad player.  

On 8/14/2019 at 3:46 PM, Albany,n.y. said:

I have a problem with the accepted Moon story that racism & nobody willing to take a shot on a black QB is why he went to Canada.  My evidence against him is that the same year Warren Moon came out of college, Doug Williams, a black QB out of Grambling, was drafted in the 1st round of the NFL draft.  Moon signed with the CFL before the NFL draft was held.  Moon never gave any NFL team a chance to take a shot on him.  

Thank-you.  It's crazy that nobody knows this.  Look at Moons college stats and you'll see the real reason he wasn't drafted.  He didn't actually play that much.  Threw for 1,500 yards and 11 TD's in his most and really only productive season.

[Cripple Creek]

On 8/14/2019 at 12:08 PM, GunnerBill said:

 

But that was not the question. 

It’s difficult to get more overlooked than not drafted not signed, but let’s split hairs.

Edited August 15, 2019 by Cripple Creek

[BuffaloBill]

On 8/14/2019 at 11:58 AM, HOUSE said:

My boy Jeff Tuel was pretty good but the Jaguars screwed him...

 

 

Man, we have had some really bad luck at QB have we not?

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

On 8/14/2019 at 11:58 AM, HOUSE said:

My boy Jeff Tuel was pretty good but the Jaguars screwed him...

 

What was he good at exactly? 

[BullBuchanan]

Jon Kitna

[formerlyofCtown]

On 8/14/2019 at 12:12 PM, whatdrought said:

 

Good points. I think a minor league, or farm system would be a huge help for QB. We have such a pre-concieved line wherein on one side (usually on the small side of the fourth round) a QB is expected to start right away and play great, while on the other side they're seen as someone who will never be an NFL starter. There doesn't seem to be much development these days. 

Someone should start another league.  They could even call it the AAF.?

[row_33]

On 8/14/2019 at 3:46 PM, Albany,n.y. said:

I have a problem with the accepted Moon story that racism & nobody willing to take a shot on a black QB is why he went to Canada.  My evidence against him is that the same year Warren Moon came out of college, Doug Williams, a black QB out of Grambling, was drafted in the 1st round of the NFL draft.  Moon signed with the CFL before the NFL draft was held.  Moon never gave any NFL team a chance to take a shot on him.  

 

It was totally accepted as a fact at the time that a black QB might as well forget an NFL career. As obvious as the air one breathed.

 

On a rare occasion a chance was given.

 

Williams had one of the strongest arms in the history of football and John McKay was desperate and counterintuitive with the Bucs that it wasn’t a surprise he made this wise move.

[The Plastic Cup]

Unitas 

 

Got cut and played semi-pro for a while.

[without a drought]

Good for him if he does, and who really cares if he doesn't.

 

Let's not overvalue a practice squad spot. It's hard to waste something that doesn't really matter.

[LSHMEAB]

I think you're overestimating the importance fans place on stashing Jackson away on the practice squad. No reasonable fan would EXPECT Jackson to be some kind of starter. It's more of a low risk/high reward move that almost certainly won't bear real fruit. The question is; why not? I just don't see it as a big deal.