Mayock: Pats have legitimate Starting NFL QB in Mallett

Mallet has really come into his own. My fear is that we will lose him in free agency for nothing. JG looks lost and should never see the real field of play this year. Right now I feel comfortable with Mallet if we have a minor injury to brady for say 2-4 weeks. Really not sure what we can do with Mallet except offer him an extension and ask him to believe he will be the next Aaron Rodgers.

We got four years of Mallett as a back up QB for rookie deal money. That's great value. He doesn't owe us anything.

Kirwin and Miller were singing his praises late in today's show, saying he looked good in Foxboro and good again today. Kirwin made it really simple. Any team in need of a QB will have to weigh Mallett against the rookie class for the draft. 6'6". Cannon arm. 4 years of coaching and development under Belichick and Brady. Or a rookie.

Mallett is going to get a solid pay day in free agency. And, I bet that Belichick will be happy for the guy. Setting him up to get paid by another team is really all the Pats ever had to offer him.

convertedpatsfan said:

I agree with the spirit of what you're saying, but I think it's also a bit unfair as well. Breaking down tape is a pretty intensive process, certainly not the same thing as watching a game. I watched every single Tom Brady pass last year (while drinking a beer and eating pizza) but I didn't get as much out of it as some scouts would by breaking down a few games. I wouldn't be surprised if they spent more time on a few games than I did watching every game.

Also, remember that NFL teams have a bunch of guys working together to analyze all of the top prospects, while the TV guys don't. I'm not sure about last season, but in 2012, the Patriots had a team of 19 people in the personnel department.

And even knowing Mayock only broke down a few games, I'd still bet that's more than the two guys who instantly dismissed his opinion, even though neither could even spell Mallett correctly. If you're going to call out an expert, at least know how to spell the name of the guy we're talking about.

Click to expand...

convertedpatsfan said:

Obviously every single person with an opinion about football players has been right and wrong at different points in their lives (including BB), but I find this type of post really distasteful.

Mayock is a highly-trained professional who spends a ton of time looking at film. You can disagree with his opinion, but to dismiss it without a single thought just because you perceive a bias is an incredibly poor way to view the world.

This man has spent more time than all 3 of us combined watching Mallett, and probably by a pretty wide margin. Certainly you don't have to defer to him, but at least read what he's saying, try to objectively understand what he's saying, THEN form an opinion. Instead, it seems like you've made up your minds, and anything that supports it is good and anything that isn't is instantly dismissed.

Mayock has been wrong before, and he'll be wrong again no doubt. But at least he's willing to look at all the info out there and learn from his mistakes, which is more than I can say for many posters here who seem to have it all figured out...

Click to expand...

Yes, breaking down tape is a process. Hell, coughing up the dough and time for all 22...much more of a process. But the quoted post above coupled with your previous post (which are quoted in the wrong order I believe, thank you "smart" phone)...C'mon man, do you work for MayCock or simply dirty that nose up and fondle the twins for your respect of his journalistic integrity?

All of these guys (guys being any reporter, beat through Bspn frontliner, and that Bspn was no typo) certainly have access to all22, have people working for them with all22, and should be able to coherently digest and describe exactly what happened on any given play, let alone course of a game. Many times reporters have agendas, either through team or agent, Myock's is yours to guess (again, misspelling intentional).

The true question is, do they (reporters, "insiders," or "analysts") actually go back and watch what really happened, or do they leave it up to the teleprompter...

PatsWickedPissah said:

Pat Kirwin & Co on SIRIUS also waxed enthusiastic about The Hammah. Exceeding my lowly expectations early on. Note that Boston writers unavoidably see him after watching HOF Brady so he suffers in comparison. I hope The Hammah has a good pre-season and gets an opportunity to contend for an NFL starter's job next summer.

Click to expand...

Also note that Boston writers see him every practice up close and supposedly don't see much noted improvement.

Gotta look at both sides.

AzPatsFan said:

I'd Transition tag him.

Click to expand...

AzPatsFan said:

I didn't think the QB Transition tag is that high. Is it? Transition tags are meant to encourage negotiations toward player movement, but with an out for the Team.

Then offer Mallett $6-10 million and let another team match or beat it as a counteroffer. The object of the exercise is to keep him if economically feasible, or obtain a good compensation, if not.

The point I was making is that one year of grooming for an FCS level QB may not be enough, before he is a ready backup QB.

As to why Ryan might accept, I think he might prefer the position of Aaron Rodgers versus say Blaine Gabbert or the dozen, misused QB candidates of the rechartered Browns.

Click to expand...

AZ--I think you have let your love for Ryan Mallett totally distort reality, buddy. I loved the Mallett selection in 2011 too, but there isn't much doubt that he'll be moving on next March.

Do you honestly think that Bill Belichick (the guy who let Welker go for an extra 1-1.5 million dollars, the guy who let Woodhead go for 1.75m per year, and kept basically a rookie QB in Mallett's real first TC vs Hoyer's 1.85m dollar salary) is going to seriously contemplate paying the BACKUP quarterback anything close to what you're suggesting?

The backup QB position warrants paying cheap money to. Nothing in the 5-10-15 million dollar per year range. No talk of transition tags or even 6-10m dollars per year deals will be considered.

Belichick isn't going to say "one player (Brady) is on a good deal, so I can make a bad deal to even things out at the position of quarterback." We have a lot of important players coming up that are due for long-term mega money pacts by March, most notably McCourty and Revis. Whatever money is saved will be spent wisely, as usual.

In the meantime, we can hope for Mallett's sake that he has a good showing in his preseason games, and draws some attention for himself. Those games in real action (or as close as he'll likely get to it) are going to help define his worth for the future.

woolster22 said:

Yes, breaking down tape is a process. Hell, coughing up the dough and time for all 22...much more of a process. But the quoted post above coupled with your previous post (which are quoted in the wrong order I believe, thank you "smart" phone)...C'mon man, do you work for MayCock or simply dirty that nose up and fondle the twins for your respect of his journalistic integrity?

All of these guys (guys being any reporter, beat through Bspn frontliner, and that Bspn was no typo) certainly have access to all22, have people working for them with all22, and should be able to coherently digest and describe exactly what happened on any given play, let alone course of a game. Many times reporters have agendas, either through team or agent, Myock's is yours to guess (again, misspelling intentional).

The true question is, do they (reporters, "insiders," or "analysts") actually go back and watch what really happened, or do they leave it up to the teleprompter...

Click to expand...

Are you really that naive? Do you really think every beat writer watches film? Now who is fondling the twins for their respect of journalistic integrity? I'm pretty sure some of the columnists don't even watch all the games even once.

I actually have a healthy distrust of the media because I've seen how fat and lazy they can be in their coverage. Which is why I do respect guys like Mayock and Bedard, guys who are clearly watching film and sharing insights that can only be gleaned from watching the same play dozens of different times from different angles. That doesn't mean I always agree with them; but I at least am willing to listen, and that's my main issue here: people don't want to hear anything counter to their own opinions. They make up their opinions first, then they only care to read/hear things that support that opinion. Anything contrary is automatically rejected without a thought. They don't want to know the truth; they want to be right, or at least feel they are right.

The whole Tom Brady decline thing over the summer was pretty ridiculous, and I disagreed with it, but I still read the article because I wanted to understand where the perception was coming from. I didn't enjoy reading it, and disagreed with pretty much all of it, but I was willing to at least keep an open mind about it.

This is a major reason why America is such a divided country. You see this everywhere, in politics, religion, any big issue like healthcare or immigration or gun control, all the way down to celebrity gossip, football forums, and anything else people have an opinion on. Nobody wants to learn about the other side of the coin; they only want to feel like they know everything. It's ignorance fueled by pride.

And obviously we're not going to fix an entire country by starting in a Patsfan thread about a back-up QB. I know that. And I know it's impossible to ask people to actually THINK about why they believe something rather than just blindly believing it.

All I'm trying to say is if someone wants to automatically dismiss a guy's opinion even though he has spent way more time than you watching a player, they should at least spell the ****ing player's name right. If they think Mayock has no credibility because they perceive him to be close to the Pats, imagine what we think of their credibility when they can't even figure out the guy's name after 3 years.

pats4life12 said:

I agree I do think he has what it takes to be a starter he will just need to be on the right team.

Click to expand...

There aren't 32 starting caliber QBs in the NFL, by a long shot. Teams spent 1st round draft picks on guess like Brandon Weedon, and then cut them and start over 2 years later, and that's not particularly uncommon. The general model seems to be to just keep throwing darts until one hits - if you find a Russell Wilson, you're golden. The majority of kids are rushed into starting roles long before they are ready, with a sink-or-swim approach to sorting them out. Sitting for 3 years and developing is very rare these days. Mallett has the raw tools and appears to have developed enough that he certainly deserves a shot.

supafly said:

The backup QB position warrants paying cheap money to. Nothing in the 5-10-15 million dollar per year range. No talk of transition tags or even 6-10m dollars per year deals will be considered.

Click to expand...

Barring a redux of events none of us should want to see repeated, I agree.

Especially since the tag amount literally exceeds the amount he's spent on backup QBs in the past decade.

mayoclinic said:

There aren't 32 starting caliber QBs in the NFL, by a long shot.

Click to expand...

Generally I agree with your post, except by definition, there have to be at least 32 starting caliber QB's in the NFL. They may not be good ones, or have much of a future, but they are starting.

All of this stir because Mallett uncorked one and made the best throw of his career, by all reports. We should all wait until the first preseason game to see how much he's developed, if at all. And for those appealing to Mayock's authority in this thread, I present to you his rankings for the 2009 draft...

1. Had Sanchez as the top ranked quarterback in the class, better than Stafford.

2. Had LeSean McCoy ranked below the likes of Moreno and Beanie Wells.

3. Had Alex Mack as the third ranked C in the class, saying he "spends too much time on the ground".

4. Had Michael Crabtree ranked higher than Percy Harvin.

Mayock's top prospects at each position - NFL.com

Nobody's opinion is infallible. Mayock has always been high on Mallett, even as Mallett looked like ass in the last few preseasons.

Do people think Mallett will even get paid by somebody in the offseason to start, even as a bridge QB? Mariota/Winston will probably start day 1. Mallett will either be the bridge QB for someone like Hundley or get low backup money like Sanchez.

I do not consider myself a Mallett hater. I have just expressed doubt that up to this preseason that he has shown to be worth what some posters have opined that he is worth - (high draft pick(s) in a trade transition tag, he will sign a free agency contract that will get the Pats a 3rd round compensatory pick in 2016). It is great for both Mallett and the Patriots that this training camp is widely considered to be his best. If I were a GM, I would not trade for him. I rather take him chances on a younger, cheaper player in the 2015 draft whose contract I could control for up to 7 years.

patsinthesnow said:

Do people think Mallett will even get paid by somebody in the offseason to start, even as a bridge QB? Mariota/Winston will probably start day 1. Mallett will either be the bridge QB for someone like Hundley or get low backup money like Sanchez.

Click to expand...

I think he'll sign someplace where he'll have the opportunity to compete for the starting job, but not have the job handed to him. Because of that, it'll be a low money deal, but likely a short-term deal or one with a boat load of incentives, to protect Mallett financially in case he does succeed. The team may still draft a rookie in the 3rd or 4th rounds to hedge their bets, or possibly have drafted someone this past year in those rounds. Basically, I'm thinking of something like how Seattle handled things going into 2012 (granted, the Flynn deal is far more than what I'm expecting Mallett to get). A few possibilities that immediately come to mind are Houston, Tennessee, and Tampa Bay.

I think that Mallett is an intriguing prospect who has done his job since being drafted in 2011. He has served as the backup QB since his second season. As far as potential to be a starting QB I think he has as much as any QB drafted in the last 2 drafts. I just hope he never starts here, maybe with a good preseason showing we can trade him for a decent return.

hwc said:

We got four years of Mallett as a back up QB for rookie deal money. That's great value. He doesn't owe us anything.

Kirwin and Miller were singing his praises late in today's show, saying he looked good in Foxboro and good again today. Kirwin made it really simple. Any team in need of a QB will have to weigh Mallett against the rookie class for the draft. 6'6". Cannon arm. 4 years of coaching and development under Belichick and Brady. Or a rookie.

Mallett is going to get a solid pay day in free agency. And, I bet that Belichick will be happy for the guy. Setting him up to get paid by another team is really all the Pats ever had to offer him.

Click to expand...

I agree with you and I would like to see BB give him a game as a reward for him this season, maybe week 17. If we get there in a better situation than last year of course. Or maybe a second half in a blowout.

KontradictioN said:

Nobody's opinion is infallible. Mayock has always been high on Mallett, even as Mallett looked like ass in the last few preseasons.

Click to expand...

2013 - 42/76 55.3%, 447 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, 80.3 rating

Considering Mallett was on the field mainly with Josh Boyce, Quentin Simms, Zach Sudfeld, and others I do not think those stats are that bad. I certainly would not say he has looked like an ass.

Brady6 said:

2013 - 42/76 55.3%, 447 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, 80.3 rating

Considering Mallett was on the field mainly with Josh Boyce, Quentin Simms, Zach Sudfeld, and others I do not think those stats are that bad. I certainly would not say he has looked like an ass.

Click to expand...

If he was on the field with Josh Boyce, Quentin Simms and Zach Sudfeld then chances are the defenses he was facing did not include Richard Sherman, Clay Matthews or Darrelle Revis.

mayoclinic said:

There aren't 32 starting caliber QBs in the NFL, by a long shot. Teams spent 1st round draft picks on guess like Brandon Weedon, and then cut them and start over 2 years later, and that's not particularly uncommon. The general model seems to be to just keep throwing darts until one hits - if you find a Russell Wilson, you're golden. The majority of kids are rushed into starting roles long before they are ready, with a sink-or-swim approach to sorting them out. Sitting for 3 years and developing is very rare these days. Mallett has the raw tools and appears to have developed enough that he certainly deserves a shot.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure I agree that sitting in the bench is developing. I guess you learn a little but going 4years without playing any real football seems to be more of a deterrent to getting better than anything else.

Brady6 said:

2013 - 42/76 55.3%, 447 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, 80.3 rating

Considering Mallett was on the field mainly with Josh Boyce, Quentin Simms, Zach Sudfeld, and others I do not think those stats are that bad. I certainly would not say he has looked like an ass.

Click to expand...

That would be impressive if he was going up against starters on the other side, but he wasn't. Further, I didn't say that he looked like ass in all of 2013. But there have been games where he's looked horrible (to go along with games where he actually looked competent).