No. See my previous post. The Eagles built depth at QB with Kolb and Vick, so that when McNabb dropped off, they could pull the plug. I think that the Patriots are moving in the same direction with the selection of Mallett and having Hoyer as a capable back-up from a Big Ten program.
Can you compare Hoyer and Mallett to Kolb and Vick? Not yet. But if Brady show's signs of his age at 34 this year, I like this situation a whole lot more than the likes of Rohan Davey or Michael Bishop.
This will be a big year for Brady - I love the addition of the running backs to add youth and versatility in the backfield. Combined with last year's upgrades at TE, the offense is really a nice mix of veterans and young talented players. I hope Brady flourishes but I also like that BB/Kraft are looking ahead.
'Signs of his age' at 33 yrs old??? / 34 into next season? And you bring up Donovan McNabb, who's actually older and has to improvise/scramble around more in an athletic setting? Brady hardly has to move, besides an occasional side-step away from pressure. Even when he gets sacked, he goes down a lot more carefully (it seems) now.
He's 3 yrs removed from his 20's, maybe we should take him out back and shoot him like an old dog? In the meantime, he can shuffle around with his cane or his walker and wing the ball downfield for another MVP season.
He's not playing RB, CB, or WR--although as we have seen, there have been many that have continued to play even those high speed positions very well into their mid-late 30's. With 4 yrs left on a brand new contract, I would suspect that Brady will, at the very least, finish his contract out here. That takes us into the spring of 2015 before having to make a decision. By then, there's the possibility that you yourself, may be getting further along in your late 20's/early 30's
He's as immobile as a planted tree, who needs to gather enough breath to call out the audibles/reads, snap the ball and throw it--lol. I imagine that he will be able to do that just fine, and that would take him into a season where he'd be 38. His practices may be cut down over the course of time, he may not be there for 2x a days in TC in a few yrs (every time), and he may take it easier with certain aspects, but he is still always going to be the golden boy QB who is the center of the NFL--even if he has to wheel himself out to the huddle every series.
I do agree with you in the sense that the QB position as a whole looks better than in yrs past, and that it is great to be looking toward the future. I do not mind the Mallett pick in the least, actually I was a big supporter of reloading the offense, despite leading the NFL in pts again. What you have to be careful of though, is giving into the hype machine for Mallett, who has not done one single thing as of yet. I do agree that he likely has an incredible skillset, and that any off the field concerns should be put to rest in this specific setting. He will have the opportunity to learn, work hard, and flourish under the masters of BB/Brady. On the other hand, just keep in mind that he still needs to eventually somehow prove himself--and that is a major unknown right now.
