Two Quarterback Roster

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

I agree with KOC as the backup. If TB goes down we are screwed. However, KOC appears to be the most athletic and a "mobile" QB is your best bet as a backup.


However, this really needs to be evaluated with the QB's playing with the first team. Does anyone think that RM and WW would make these guys look a little better?

Also, who was that new kid in 2001 that started playing QB? Which of the three project best with the 2001 style offense?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

You're superstitious.
This year there is too much young talent in camp to cut a LB, ST player, or whatever to keep 4 QBs.

You assume keeping that developmental LB/ST's ace at the back of the roster offers more long term benefit to the organization than keeping that developmental QB at the back of the roster...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

You assume keeping that developmental LB/ST's ace at the back of the roster offers more long term benefit to the organization than keeping that developmental QB at the back of the roster...

No. I see O'C as the dev QB. Since Cassie has been in the system for years, and its Gutz's 2nd year decide which guy is this year's best option for #2, managing a game if Brady goes down.

The 2001 decision was unique. Remember, BB clearly had it in his mind that he needed to find a way to replace Bledsoe, recognizing that The Statue was a coach killer.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

No. I see O'C as the dev QB. Since Cassie has been in the system for years, and its Gutz's 2nd year decide which guy is this year's best option for #2, managing a game if Brady goes down.

The 2001 decision was unique. Remember, BB clearly had it in his mind that he needed to find a way to replace Bledsoe, recognizing that The Statue was a coach killer.

[bad Irish brogue] Sure and that's the lost glory of Drew Bledsoe, God Bless his firm footed stance. Still me lad, who's to know if one of those strapping young QBs aren't more of a pot-O-gold then the little people of the backerhood? Tis a turrible burden the Belichick is bearing, God Bless him, free spirit that he is. [/bad Irish brogue]

 

[kas]

A move like that would make sense if neither Cassel or Gut step up in the rest of the preseason. If that happens, keep Brady and OC and sign a vet once injuries clear up some roster space...

 

[fourthandmiles]

{bad scottish accent}Aye nary soon a hachett shall fall on Gute! because of the bad feeeeling hees beeeen having in his booons. Eh he shall sit back watch Cahsssel make his uwn undoin on this Sunday eve. {/end bad scottish accent}

 

[Pats726]

Guts is back...so SO MUCH for the IR theory.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Guts is back...so SO MUCH for the IR theory.

Good news. Wonder if BB will make an exception from his you gotta practise on Wednesday if you wanna play Sunday rule and let the kid get a series or so Sunday? It's pre-season. Guess it depends on the neture and status of the injury too.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Uh, oh. Mrs B has bad news today Thurs 14 Aug on my man Gutz...

"Gutierrez was back (but I'm sure at one point he wished he wasn't.) He
ended up throwing back to back picks. The first was by Eric Alexander who
grabbed one intended for Pollard. The next was snagged by Wheatley which was
on it's way to Jackson."

 

[spacecrime]

Guts is back...so SO MUCH for the IR theory.

Dang! I had it all figured out. WAIT, it's a BB trick. He was hurt, BB tried valiantly to get him to play, but alas, the injury was too much....

Okay, tomorrow morning early I'm leaving for a 2-week backpack in the Adirondaks. I'm going in at Lake Placid which will be the last cell service I have. Won't get it again, until I hit Northville 12 days later.

You guys have two weeks to sort out this QB situation. I'd like it all resolved by the evening of the 27th. Thank you.

 

[italia44]

Dang! I had it all figured out. WAIT, it's a BB trick. He was hurt, BB tried valiantly to get him to play, but alas, the injury was too much....

Okay, tomorrow morning early I'm leaving for a 2-week backpack in the Adirondaks. I'm going in at Lake Placid which will be the last cell service I have. Won't get it again, until I hit Northville 12 days later.

You guys have two weeks to sort out this QB situation. I'd like it all resolved by the evening of the 27th. Thank you.

Can you drop over the Canadian border and pick up my drugs?

 

[Rob0729]

Sorry, but the only time you keep two QBs on the roster is when you have a lot of confidence in your #2 QB, not when he is a developmental player still working on his fundamentals. What happens if Brady goes down in a game? You can't call a veteran and rush him to the stadium and activate him. Putting O'Connell in a real game against a team's first team before he is ready could hurt his progress and potentially get him seriously injured.

If anything, I can see the Pats carrying four QBs before I see them carrying two. There is no way they can go into the season with just Brady and O'Connell. I don't really see them activating O'Connell for a game this season other than as the emergency third QB.

If both Cassel and Gutierrez don't pan out as #2 QBs, they will get a veteran in there whether it is someone who is on a roster currently and is cut or coaxing a recently retired veteran like Trent Dilfer out of retirement. Not saying Dilfer specifically, but a QB with starting experience who just retired.

 

[PatsFan37]

I don't care how little faith you (whoever you are) might have in Matt Cassel. When he walks on the field, he's surrounded by the best offensive weapons in the league. Those weapons line up and perform according to one of the most intricate playbooks in the league.

Cassel knows that playbook better than anyone on speed dial, and a whole lot better than O'Connell. Because of that, he has a better chance of winning than anyone who isn't already starting for an NFL team. Except, perhaps, Gutierrez.

Three quarterbacks. Brady, Cassel, and O'Connell. Or Brady, Gutierrez, and O'Connell. Earlier this year I thought they might keep four. Now that I've seen some of these LBs, I've changed my mind.

I don't have to be running for president to change my mind.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Sorry, but the only time you keep two QBs on the roster is when you have a lot of confidence in your #2 QB, not when he is a developmental player still working on his fundamentals. What happens if Brady goes down in a game? You can't call a veteran and rush him to the stadium and activate him. Putting O'Connell in a real game against a team's first team before he is ready could hurt his progress and potentially get him seriously injured.

If anything, I can see the Pats carrying four QBs before I see them carrying two. There is no way they can go into the season with just Brady and O'Connell. I don't really see them activating O'Connell for a game this season other than as the emergency third QB.

If both Cassel and Gutierrez don't pan out as #2 QBs, they will get a veteran in there whether it is someone who is on a roster currently and is cut or coaxing a recently retired veteran like Trent Dilfer out of retirement. Not saying Dilfer specifically, but a QB with starting experience who just retired.

Although I'd panned signing vets, should Cassie and Gutz (not looking good) seriously not pan out or quite possibly get injured because of O-Line injury chaos combined with lack of pocket savvy, Plan B would be best served by signing a Dilfer. He's a game manager which fits one criteria. Having missed training camp, his # of plays would be quite limited.

Bottom line, Brady out means a 2008 L unless the opponent is seriously inept.

 

[jmt57]

Sorry, but the only time you keep two QBs on the roster is when you have a lot of confidence in your #2 QB, not when he is a developmental player still working on his fundamentals. What happens if Brady goes down in a game? You can't call a veteran and rush him to the stadium and activate him. Putting O'Connell in a real game against a team's first team before he is ready could hurt his progress and potentially get him seriously injured.

If anything, I can see the Pats carrying four QBs before I see them carrying two. There is no way they can go into the season with just Brady and O'Connell. I don't really see them activating O'Connell for a game this season other than as the emergency third QB.

If both Cassel and Gutierrez don't pan out as #2 QBs, they will get a veteran in there whether it is someone who is on a roster currently and is cut or coaxing a recently retired veteran like Trent Dilfer out of retirement. Not saying Dilfer specifically, but a QB with starting experience who just retired.

I agree; there are scenarios where a two QB roster makes sense, but this is not one of them. If you have a very solid QB who is going to remain the starter for several years, a quality backup, and an offensive line that is excellent in pass protection, than go ahead and use that roster spot elsewhere. I don't know if they went with two or three quarterbacks on the roster back then, but I would think the Broncos with Elway and Gary Kubiak or the Dolphins with Marino and Don Strock would be past examples of teams that didn't need a third quarterback.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't care how little faith you (whoever you are) might have in Matt Cassel. When he walks on the field, he's surrounded by the best offensive weapons in the league. Those weapons line up and perform according to one of the most intricate playbooks in the league.

Cassel knows that playbook better than anyone on speed dial, and a whole lot better than O'Connell. Because of that, he has a better chance of winning than anyone who isn't already starting for an NFL team. Except, perhaps, Gutierrez.

Three quarterbacks. Brady, Cassel, and O'Connell. Or Brady, Gutierrez, and O'Connell. Earlier this year I thought they might keep four. Now that I've seen some of these LBs, I've changed my mind.

I don't have to be running for president to change my mind.

Say God forbid Brady went down for the season right now, Cassel as the Pats' starting QB would probably net us about 2500 yards, 12 TDs, and 25 INTs with this offense (and I think I am being generous). You do realize since the 2006 preseason, yes two years ago, Cassel has thrown zero TDs and four INTs (including preseason and his spot duty in regular season (well technically he did have a TD there, just to the wrong team).

Sorry, but Cassel has been horrible since the 2006 preseason. The talent issue doesn't fly since eventhough his offensive talents aren't as good neither were the guys on the field opposite him. Cassel's decision making has been horrible since the 2006 preseason and he has regressed.

 

[dryheat44]

Sorry, but Cassel has been horrible since the 2006 preseason. The talent issue doesn't fly since eventhough his offensive talents aren't as good neither were the guys on the field opposite him. Cassel's decision making has been horrible since the 2006 preseason and he has regressed.

You're not wrong, but this is terribly small sample size from which to draw conclusions.

 

[Pats726]

I agree with most thatthink this is a bad idea..if anything, they cut cassel and Gutierrez and bring a vet in...but just Brady and a rook??? No way..

 

[Rob0729]

You're not wrong, but this is terribly small sample size from which to draw conclusions.

So the entire 2007 preseason is a small sample size? The guy has done crap in 2 years except throw INTs and look lost out there. If he can't make smart decisions against second and third stringers why would I trust the guy to make good decisions against first stringers.

He has to the end of the preseason to prove me wrong, but right now the guy sucks. He makes poor decisions. He is off target. He looks lost. And I am basing that on two year body of work.

People need to get over that regular season game in 2005 against the Dolp-hins. Cassel's performance there was a fluke. The guy has done nothing in two years that instills the slightest bit of confidence that he can be even a Rex Grossman type of starter.

 

[Rob0729]

P.S. if Cassel performance the last few years was because of talent, why was it that Cassel had a good preseason in 2006 with the worst receiving corp of the Brady era? Bam Childress and Garrett Mills were two of the three leading receivers in that preseason.

Sorry, but making excuses for Cassel by blaming the talent around him is bogus. Good back up QBs excell all the time in the preseason with second or third stringers catching the ball and blocking. He had the first offensive line blocking fo0r him last year during the regular season when he mistook Jason Taylor for a Pats receiver.

I would say the first preseason game this year if it was the first game he played bad you could blame the talent around him, but Cassel has been declining in his decision making and accuracy for a while now.