What about emergency QB?

I'm not aware of any stories this season of anybody still with the team taking practice snaps at QB other than Brady and Mallett. So who do we think is the emergency QB?

The obvious guess is Edelman, as he played QB in college while anybody else on the roster hasn't played the position since high school. He also has second-longest tenure in the offense of any skill position player, behind only Brady. Anybody else?

In a related question, what would the emergency offense look like, beyond "run-heavy"? Tebow did practice some Wildcat-type packages, which would seem to fit, but I doubt the team has stayed fresh on them in practice in the mean while. Shotgun lets the inexperienced QB survey the field (good), but it's not as run-friendly (bad).

I don't actually know what kind of system Edelman played in at Kent State, but it sure sounds run-heavy:

His senior year, he was the Golden Flashes' leading passer, completing 56% of his passes (153 of 275 passes for 1,820 yards) throwing 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He was also their leading rusher, gaining 1,370 yards on 215 attempts (an average of 6.4 yards per carry) and scoring 13 touchdowns.

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Julian Edelman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

All things considered, I'm thinking:

• Wildcat on most downs.
• 3-receiver shotgun on 3rd-and-long, with the receivers being Gronk (who'd probably be triple-teamed), Dobson and Amendola, in wildly separate parts of the field and with no attempt to benefit from timing patterns.

Tebow.

Why are the Pats the only NFL team with just 2 QBs?

Is your question what would happen with an emergency QB for a game, or for the rest of the season?

First, I don't believe BB would use a current player as QB3, unless Brady and Mallett got wiped out in a single game. If the team faces that scenario, given the fact JE actually threw a pass (badly) on special teams in a game, he may be called to take snaps. I expect that is viewed as a very low probability of occurrence, and would be infrequently rehearsed as such - probably in line with who plays running back if all current options are eliminated in a single game. If two QBs are eliminated in a single game, then I expect JE hands the ball off to running backs for the rest of the game.

Second, if your hypothetical is for the rest of the season, Fox did well with Tebow while on the Broncos to make his team competitive and find the playoffs. With that said, the Broncos' run also showed the limitations of that gimmick against better and/or well designed defenses. If your goal is a title, that system is inadequate to reach that goal. Could the Pats do what the Broncos did with Tebow (without using Tebow)? I seriously doubt it. Tebow is not a QB in the NFL, but he is about as good as it gets in the wildcat given his running back properties. JE would be on IR in two games if he tried that. Make the Pats a run first, no passing threat team and the run would get shut down quickly. The offensive complaints this season would probably be a happy memory under a wildcat offense with the Pats.

I would see BB signing a veteran FA QB, to whom he would introduce a limited portion of the playbook. Coaches design offensive systems, and draft and sign players who fit that system. Unless personnel are equally capable in a very different system, and that tends to be very rare at an individual level, let alone at the entire roster level, you cannot simply redesign an offense mid-stream with any real success. If this emergency situation arises, I expect he would not change the offense to match the personnel, but rather would keep the personnel and system and do a "best fit" using available QBs.

"Emergency" means in-game. So yes, I'm talking about if both QBs were hurt in the same game (or ejected for dirty play ).

Fencer said:

"Emergency" means in-game. So yes, I'm talking about if both QBs were hurt in the same game (or ejected for dirty play ).

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I think NFL expanded the gameday roster to 46 and removed the Emergency QB designation.

Edit : NFL drops third quarterback rule, 46 active players on game day | ProFootballTalk

Fence, I've been wondering about this question for the entire season. I'm not surprised at all that the Pats have continued to go along with their practice of only having 2 QBs on the 53 man roster. What I AM very surprised at is the fact they haven't picked up a QB for the PS. It makes just too much sense to have that 3rd arm on the team, even if its only for practices.

IIRC in past years Brady has been on a "pitch count" during practice to limit the wear and tear on his arm. Now he and Mallett have to take care of most if not all of the practice QB snaps during the year. Seems like a lot of extra work for our 37 year old QB. Work that would be so easily eliminated simply by adding a QB to the PS.

It makes no sense to me.

patfanken said:

Fence, I've been wondering about this question for the entire season. I'm not surprised at all that the Pats have continued to go along with their practice of only having 2 QBs on the 53 man roster. What I AM very surprised at is the fact they haven't picked up a QB for the PS. It makes just too much sense to have that 3rd arm on the team, even if its only for practices.

IIRC in past years Brady has been on a "pitch count" during practice to limit the wear and tear on his arm. Now he and Mallett have to take care of most if not all of the practice QB snaps during the year. Seems like a lot of extra work for our 37 year old QB. Work that would be so easily eliminated simply by adding a QB to the PS.

It makes no sense to me.

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Say what? Maybe they're simply giving The Hammah the extra reps.

kinky said:

I think NFL expanded the gameday roster to 46 and removed the Emergency QB designation.

Edit : NFL drops third quarterback rule, 46 active players on game day | ProFootballTalk

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I believe the OP isn't referring to emergency QB in the official sense of the old rule, but rather in the "Oh s#%@!" sense.

Fencer said:

"Emergency" means in-game. So yes, I'm talking about if both QBs were hurt in the same game (or ejected for dirty play ).

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Part of my calculus at that point would be if a defense has wiped out your QB corps, then why put another guy of value in harm's way?

Forget JE. "Duron Harmon or LaQuan Williams. Please report to Coach McDaniels."

Sopoaga at QB, max protect, everyone else vertical routes for the rest of the game.

Edelman looked pretty good on that Punt reverse pass so I'm sure he could handle regular QB duties.

If both guys went down like what happened to the Texans, I could see them signing some old dude who won't turn the ball over, preferably a guy who played under McDaniels.

To complicate things even further, I wonder who it would be if there were an emergency QB situation, and a Hail Mary was needed. My first thoughts are Gostowski (baseball pitcher in college) and the OTs (strong and tall).

Gronk is not a candidate because he's needed as a receiver.

Maybe a DL if they don't want to repurpose any offensive players.

Unfortunately the 3rd string QB went on IR a few weeks ago.

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Video


Not just a passer, but an option QB:

I wonder what the rankings would be on the team for heaving the ball pure distance. I'd guess the QBs at the top, because that's what they practice mechanics for, probably Mallett ahead of Brady. But then it probably is linemen, due to arm strength. Maybe Cannon has a cannon arm?