The QB position

[*SHRacerX*]

(04-28-2018, 08:56 PM)CornerBlitz Wrote: Okay so I'm sitting here and overall pretty content with the NFL Draft and how things went with one exception.  How do we not draft a QB (besides pick #249) in such a deep class?  Every team in our division drafted a QB even in the case of a Pittsburgh who has an elite one already.  

Smart teams plan for the future. Dalton is serviceable but are we willing to pay him 20-25 million per year and continue to stay average at the position?  I thought the Ravens made a brilliant move in drafting Lamar Jackson....have him learn behind Flacco for a few year and see where things end up 3 years from now. Do they really want to give Flacco 25 million a year with the way he's playing? The same question can be posed for Andy......

Every off season we sit here and argue about Andy. I think most of us can come to the consensus that he's not terrible or great and that for the contract he's worth it....but that shouldn't preclude you from attempting to solidify/upgrade the position for the future especially with the way the QBs are getting paid.

Having not read through the 13 (!) pages of responses, I will give my two cents (sorry if someone beat me to it).

Dalton has three years left on his deal.  Even if they drafted a QB in the first round, he would't get an opportunity (barring injury) until his fourth year, leaving one optional year on his deal.  That is a high price to pay for a back up that won't play for four years.

Plus, I want to lend some support to one Matt Barkley, quietly signed in the offseason.  Barkley's junior year, he was a consensus #1 overall pick if he elected to come out in the draft.  Yet, he felt he had "unfinished business" and wanted to return to USC.  His senior season was a disaster (wins and loss wise, his numbers weren't bad, although his completion % dropped from 69+ to 63+.  

He ends up getting drafted in the fourth round.  Here is his main playing analysis from his NFL opportunities (he never really got an opportunity until he was with Chicago):


Following an injury to the Bears' backup quarterback [/url]Brian Hoyer against the Green Bay Packers on October 20, Barkley made his first NFL appearance as a member of the Chicago Bears, going 6 of 15 for 81 yards; he threw for zero touchdowns and two interceptions.[71] After Jay Cutler suffered a shoulder injury against the Giants, Barkley started the following week's game against the Tennessee Titans.[72] Barkley completed 28 of 54 passes for 316 yards with three touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 72.8 passer rating, nearly rallying the Bears from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter before losing 27–21.[73] Barkley earned his first NFL win the very next week on December 4, a 26–6 win over the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field. This was the Bears' third and last victory of the season.[74] He completed 11 for 18 passes for 192 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 97.5 passer rating.[75]

On December 18, Barkley completed 30 passes for 362 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions as the Bears nearly upset the Green Bay Packers, ultimately losing 30–27 on a last-second field goal. It was the most yards by a Bears quarterback in a game against Green Bay in the rivalry's history.[76]
Barkley struggled in the following week's game against the Washington Redskins, a 41–21 loss; although he threw for 323 yards and two touchdown passes, he also threw five interceptions, including on four consecutive drives in the second half. The five interceptions were the most by a Bears quarterback since Cutler threw five in 2009.[77][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Barkley#cite_note-77]





Basically, the guy  threw for over 300 yards in three of his first four starts, but did have way too many interceptions.  His strengths is his accuracy on quick routes and his ability to read a defense.  He wasn't surrounded by massive talent or a great offensive mind (John Fox, head coach) and that team went 3-13.  I am not saying he is going to unseat Dalton, but I feel very confident the guy will grasp the playbook and be ready at a moment's notice to come in and be a solid QB.  





This team has shown it can be lethal with Dalton at QB if he is protected at all.  Barkley  was a great pick up in FA.  This team needed to focus on what they did:  The offensive line, LB, DT,  and safety






.