Johnny Football had a good pro day even wearing pads and helmet. The talking heads like Bortles from UCF ahead of Bridgewater and I agree All predictions are that Clowney is the #1 guy but Houston needs a QB more than a Clowney because they already have the swat man. Might we see a previously unknown kid from a seldom heard of school go first? Might Bortles, who grew up down the street from UCF, and played at UCF, be the #1 pick? If so, what an incredible story.
when is it? I think Clowney is in the talk for overall #1. Not a big fan of his work ethic though.... sitting out a couple of games at SC was nothing more than just protecting his stock. I can understand that to an extent. I even enjoy it more because it was hurting a Spurrier led team... but to be so brazen about it also speaks volumes about when it's crunch time, will he step up or fold. very gifted athlete... probably the most athletic kid in the group of potential draftees. isn't Houston trying to trade away their #1 pick? The entire draft thing leads to real problems with the ability to work the system. I mean, look at Houston... go from the Division Championship game to worst team in football in one year.... get the #1 pick or trade it for some big value, and watch them compete this year. It's like Indianapolis..... have Peyton Manning in the playoffs, to his neck surgery.... so it's a sacrificed season in order to make sure they can select the #1 Andrew Luck the next season.... its' a conscience decision to make sure if you don't think you can win it all, sacrifice a season and pick up a huge draft pick..... Look at the Dolphins in the 90s.... full of 9-6, 8-7 seasons where they may or may not make the playoffs. Very average team that could only get averag4e picks because of that.
So all the players and coaching staff in indy sucked for luck, knowing it would cost them all their jobs?
management could have searched for a one year replacement at QB better than what they had, in order to compete at a mediocre level, or they could just let the ship sink and make the coaching staff use the bad backup they had for the year, do worse, so they could get a GREAT qb the next year. The fact that Indy won the last game of the season for 3 total wins (instead of throwing it to make sure they had only 2 wins) was brought up that season, tells me, the coaches were trying to win, but with a handicap placed on it by the franchise to make sure they could get Luck to replace Manning. I guess "suck for Luck" doesn't mean anything? http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...smooth-handoff-luck-y-colts-article-1.1570427
You wont sell me on a front office, and players playing bad to get fired. Bill polian and his son were grade a (*)(*)(*)(*) ups, the only draft they did right was manning.Like it says in your articale, if they knew how bad the injury was they would have grabbed a back up qb in the draft. Well painter sucked from the beginning, he should have never even been in the nfl, The other two qbs we played that year sucked aswell. I belive it was right place right time. I know the indy haters want to say they threw the season. When the players were asked about it, they were incredibly offended. Plugging a new qb in to a Manning system is not going to work, the offense was 100% built around Manning, Painter, they worst back qb in the league, was the best chance, because he knew the system.
I didn't say players purposively played bad.... the qb Indy used while manning was sidelined all season, I'm sure, did the best he could.... But he clearly couldn't cut it .... So Indy, seeing that Luck is going to be available at the end of that season.... could make a decision..... do we go out and try to pick up a mediocre qb on waivers and wait for 38 y.o. manning to heal for next season and try to squeak into the playoffs, or just miss the playoffs. Which would have meant they wouldn't have had any shot of picking up Luck because he'd already be gone. or.... do you just stick with the ineffective qb, and pick up your next franchise qb and move on from 38 y.o. manning? And just because Manning went farther than Luck in the playoffs this year, doesn't mean that at this point in time, Luck has more years to give indy than Manning can.... at this point. Sometimes, looking to the future means tough decisions....
The colts brought collins out of retirement for 14 million dollars, he sucked it up good. They also tried Dan orlovsky, he also couldnt run the system. Then they fell back to the original back up qb of curtis painter at the urgeing of the wide reciver corps, because he had timing and knew the system. I don't know how much more the colts could have done, I have a feeling nothing short of clairvoyance at the 2010 draft could have saved that season. They all thought peyton would be playing in 2011
If Peyton isn't hurt, they do just fine. Playoff run, maybe not win... but they are still Indy.... that injury and the length of it, opened the eyes of the front that at 37.... Peyton is getting close to his sell-by date.... and that plans need to be looked at as to the future. add to that, the projected #1 draft pick decides to pull a "peyton manning" and stay for his senior year, so now, they know a potential "franchise qb" is going to be coming out after the season... yall were going to suck that year without Manning..... the question was, could you suck enough to lock down the #1 draft pick and use it to get a Franchise qb replacement for your franchise qb. Because if they stick with Manning, at anypoint, his career may be done at this point, but there may or may not be an "andrew luck" quality qb available. I think the home office recognized that, and planned accordingly. Failure to plan is planning to fail. I think Indy home office is great at weighing the positive and negative impacts of a decision, both in the short term (one season) and the longterm (over the next 10-15 seasons)
If I were the GM in Houston I would take the opportunity to draft a franchise quarterback with the #1 pick. Years ago the Texans drafted a DE (Mario Williams) with the top pick and that didn't translate into a Super Bowl appearance. On top of that, Williams is no longer with the team. I'll admit that I'm not as impressed with Clowney as the people who have him going #1, nevertheless, I think the Texans have a need at QB that exceeds a need at DE. Then again, there's been talk that they're interested in trading the top pick, so the speculation continues... I'm not a Ram fan, but they're in position to have a big draft with the #2 and #13 picks. Jeff Fisher must feel like a kid in a candy store right now.
Houston Not taking Johnny Football is like Jacksonville passing on Tebow.... A. Best case scenario for Jacksonville was, they draft a hometown boy that will fill seats in the stands, bring in new fans, build an offense specifically for Tebow, and they have a qb they can use for a few years. B. worst case scenario for Jacksonville was, they draft a hometown boy that will fill seats in the stands, bring in new fans, build an offense speciffically for Tebow, and he flops and they continue to try and find a qb C. but the way Jacksonville played it.... they passed on tebow, didn't fill seats, and STILL can't find an effective qb Houston is in a Jacksonville position here. Bringing in Manziel to Houston is a win on some level, even if he flops in the NFL. At this point in time... you have no garantee on either Bridgewater OR Manziel.... it's a coin toss as to who will be successful in the NFL, so why not get the one that will bring in fans. Bridgewater won't do that in Houston, Maziel will.
Bortles is better than Brdgewater. The kid was unheard of because UCF did not have premier talent around him. He was in a state that had UF, FSU and Miami competing for talent. UCF and USF would then compete for the leftovers. Despite all of that, Bortles, like Manziel, has the will to win. But, IMO, Bortles is ready for the NFL while Johnny Football could use another season in the SEC
I'm not arguing against Bortles.... but even between him and Manziel... neither have any garantees of producing in the NFL, but at least Manziel will fill seats, even if he's a bust. Bortles, if he's a bust, won't fill seats Manziel is on a mediocre team in the SEC.... the only reason they competed at all, was because of Manziel and Evans. Take away manziel, and Rice almost beat them. If he's on an Alabama, or maybe au team... that's one thing.... I could even argue if he were on a Spurrier South Carolina team (although, his ability to turn out NFL quality qb's is sketchy, despite having greate college qb's).... but as for the rest of the SEC teams... no way. What does beating a 4-8 UF, or a 5-7 UT, or playing Vandy or Kentucky do for him? All staying another year for him will do is risk injury that will hurt his draft stock the next year.... Now, the person I wish had stayed one more year, was Kelvin Benjamin (the FSU reciever that caught the game winning TD against AU) Usually, I'm all for a kid going pro if they can. Not everyone comes from money, some have HORRIBLE ghetto existences and what does playing one more year in college, for free, do to help their family's plight? NADA. Kelvin, was inconsistent. He could be VERY clutch (as evidenced by the final catch of his college career), he could make spectacular catches, and then turn around and drop a routine throw. His route running was shaky.... and he is on a team that has excellent coaching that can actually help him grow as a reciever and with a QB who looks for you. But I really do wish him the best. It's hard to imagine being able to top a 1000 yard season, (one of 3 btw), catching the game winning TD in a NATIONAL TITLE game. How can you top that? He's currently projected low 1st or high 2nd
I'm with you on the marketability of Johnny Football. It is absolutely similar to the ability to market Tebow and Jacksonville failed in doing that. In fact, it's still not too late for Jacksonville to bring him in. He would get butts in the seat. Given the pathetic job that Muskrat is doing at UF, to really no surprise to anyone, the local loyals who go to the swamp, would drive a little further and plunk down their cash to see Tebow instead of watching the train wreck called Muskrat.
Looks like they won't though.... looks like he's heading to Tampa.... who knows. I don't like Clowney though. He's the most gifted athlete in the bunch I think, with HORRIBLE work ethic. He showed that by choosing to sit out at Carolina (to protect his draft stock) Now while I shed no tears over Spurrier getting shafted by it.... it still showed the ethic of Clowney.
IMO, no matter how much the football draft analysts on TV hype Johnny Manziel, his skill set just doesn't work in the NFL. He is a tough kid. A few times last year I saw him get crushed and was amazed how he just got right back up. Running QBs don't last long in the NFL though. RGIII is learning that the hard way.
I hope Michael Sam gets selected in the supplimental draft (dropping from low 3rd, where he was when he made his attention seeking announcement)
Damn Browns. Doesn't it figure we took another 22nd pick overhyped QB that a homeless guy convinced Haslam to take.
He will put fans in the seats at Browns games, and a renewed interest in the Browns from a national perspective. As a business decision, it's not a bad one. Whether or not he will be a boom or bust time will tell. Probably just an average QB on the NFL level.
it's why I wonder why Houston didn't take him.... there is no garantee on draft pick success or flop.... if success is a cointoss, why not also pick based on putting butts in seats... Manziel in texas would sell the place out, even if they only win 3 games next year. At least if you pick manziel and he flops, you had some sellouts Clowney in texas, will not sell the place out so if he's not a success, you have a 1st pick flop AND a 3 win season
That's a good point, I don't why they passed up on him other than his potential to be a trouble maker.
