Can Cassell be our Emergency QB...

[PYPER]

Teams are only allowed to dress 45 players on game day but they're also allowed to dress an "emergency QB". Usually this extra player is the 3rd string QB.

One of the interesting options available to us since we don't have a 3rd stringer on the roster is that we could make Cassell the "46th" player and dress another position player instead. Cassell would then only play if something "serious" happened to Brady.

I say serious b/c it is my understanding that if the emergency QB enters the game before the 4th quarter, the other QB's become ineligible.

Therefore, if Brady just needed a breather for a play or two, we'd need somebody like Troy Brown to come into the game and hand if off.

I wonder if Belichick will consider doing this.

 

[pats1]

No, I believe for the 3rd QB rule to apply you need to dress 2 other QBs.

 

[patsfan55]

No, I believe for the 3rd QB rule to apply you need to dress 2 other QBs.

ya but troy brown could be listed as the number two

 

[patsfan55]

ya but troy brown could be listed as the number two

of course then if cassell came in before the fourth i think brown wouldnt be able to play the rest of the game either

it still might be worth it

 

[PYPER]

No, I believe for the 3rd QB rule to apply you need to dress 2 other QBs.

I don't believe that's actually a rule. It's just always been done b/c until recently all teams had 3 QB's on their roster.

How would someone research a rule like this???

 

[PYPER]

I'm not sure if this answers anything or not. It's unclear whether it's a requirement for the emergency QB (E-QB) to be the third quarterback or just an assumption.

1995
The emergency (third) quarterback may now enter the game in just the fourth quarter, regardless if the other two quarterbacks are able to play. This means that if the third string quarterback enters the game, the first and/or second quarterback may re-enter, unlike the past two seasons where the emergency quarterback would only play off the first two were unable to resume play.


I'm unclear on how this reads. To me it sounds like the E-QB can only play in the 4th quarter, regardless of what happens to the other QB's. And once he comes into the game in the 4th quarter, the other QB's can also return at any time.

This is much different the rule that most people are familiar with that states that if the E-QB comes into the game before the 4th quarter the other QB's become ineligible to return.

So the question is can the E-QB play before the 4th quarter or not???

 

[patchick]

I can't imagine this would be worth the risk. Picture that Brady twists his ankle in the first quarter and is getting it taped up. You're left with the options of Troy running a whole series or two, or sitting Brady for the rest of the game. What's more, it means that if Brady goes down, Troy's out for the duration too!

 

[dryheat44]

I can't imagine this would be worth the risk. Picture that Brady twists his ankle in the first quarter and is getting it taped up. You're left with the options of Troy running a whole series or two, or sitting Brady for the rest of the game. What's more, it means that if Brady goes down, Troy's out for the duration too!

Exactly what I was going to post. If the emergency QB comes in, the other QBs can't unless the emergency QB gets hurt. OK, easily enough fakes, I guess.