Your comeback is a lone mediots musings based on he met him once in 2007 and he's tall and he has a strong arm...and the only problem there could possibly be is immaturity? Teams don't pass through 3 rounds on elite QB talent solely on that basis...because of the dearth of talent remotely available at the position.
He claimed everyone would drool once he got to camp. We're still waiting. He can absolutely make some jaw dropping throws. But it's what follows them that remains problematic. Indecision, slow release, ground balls, air balls... What he can do has never been debated. No correct that, many scouts differed in assessing his skillset beyond arm strength, which is undebated. What else he can or can't do remains debatable. And arm strength is over rated as a skillset at the next level. Mental acuity (processing speed) and accuracy and pocket presence and disciplined consistency (mentally and mechanically) under pressure and a whole slew of other combined tangible and intangible skills trump it.
Running this offense isn't about showcasing your particular talent while flying by the seat of your pants and taking the bad with the good. That's why Pioli traded for Cassel and Josh ran from Cutler. He should get a lot of opportunity to show what he can do within the next several days because Brady won't be taking a lot of reps in game situations given the fluidness of the OL. Hoyer may not be placed at risk as much, either, because he is it at the backup position.
The thing to keep in mind as you observe Mallett will be can he run the offense efficiently, because the reps will not be all about showcasing his arm. They will be about assessing the competing talent around him as it relates to roster decisions. That is why Bill struggles to generate buzz for his developmental signal callers. That is what Cassel's critics who much preferred O'Connell or Gutierrez who seemingly found a way to make a play as well as making some unfortunate, repetitive mistakes failed to grasp. The pre season isn't about winning games here, it's about gauging a multitude of players ability to consistently function within this offense at a level that can help the team win games that matter. A few bombs to guys who won't be on the 53 (who are competing against guys who won't be on the opponent's 53 either) doesn't do that. Being poised and disciplined and executing the plays called or making good decisions and living to fight another day does.
The fact that there isn't someone behind him isn't an endorsement. If they thought he could pass Hoyer on the depth chart they would have been more likely to bring in someone else and save themselves $1.9M against the cap... There will be someone behind him and theoretically no one ahead of him in 2013 but unless he can hold that guy behind him off he probably won't be here when 2014 dawns. And if Belichick believes the kid has done everything they asked of him and simply isn't a fit - but might fit another scheme - don't be surprised if in the absence of any offer he doesn't just let him go to see if he can find his niche, if he has one, elsewhere. He set O'Connell free after just one season as a default #2, and chose to roll with a rookie UDFA, and he had invested a third in Kevin, too.
There is a first time for everything and Mallett may yet prove to be the exception to the rule that Petrino's college QB's just don't translate at the next level. Just haven't seen any clear cut signs of that - or any drooling - yet.
