Anonymous AFC Personnel Director is not impressed with Burrow

[CJD]

(01-04-2022, 10:52 AM)Au165 Wrote: The weird thing is the guy contradicts himself at the very end, he goes from saying he is "closer to his ceiling than people realize" but a sentence later literally says "He has dog in him and will find ways to continue to improve". In reality, the age thing is very true and was a bit of his knock coming out. That said the age thing is also an "old school" evaluation approach that expected QB's to retire around 33/34. Now with longer careers the reality is that a couple years doesn't make a ton of difference.

In terms of the evaluation, he isn't that far off the top 5 right now so he doesn't need to keep improving at the same rate. If you took Burrow right now and took away 5 interceptions without changing anything else he would be playing at an elite level. Learning to cut down on those interceptions isn't an age issue it is a reps issue you learn from playing in the league and that can improve. 

The one comment that makes no real sense to me is that he said the scheme is QB friendly, I don't see it. This isn't the Shannahan wide zone and boot scheme that we see Tannehill/Baker or half the league running. This has actually been a pretty intricate scheme with "multiple check with me's" and a heavy vertical attacking component.  I wish he would have expanded on that part a bit rather than the generic "QB friendly", because for most people anymore it just means "it doesn't suck".

Yea, that last sentence basically turns his commentary into "He's closer to his ceiling than people realize....or maybe he isn't." It's a very unusual criticism. And plus, let's say he's very close to his ceiling right now, I still don't see how he isn't "special by any stretch." Is leading the league in completion percentage, yards per attempt, 2nd in QB rating, 5th in yards, 6th in TD and breaking records for yards and touchdowns in consecutive starts somehow not special? I just don't understand how this director came to this criticism.

If Joe Burrow stays at this exact production level for the rest of his career, he'll waltz into the Hall of Fame.

As for the system comment, I found that pretty infuriating. I think what he means is that Zac Taylor prioritized getting him weapons (top 40 pick and top 5 on outside WRs, one of the best slot WRs in the NFL, freshly signed franchise RB) but...that's not the system. That's the personnel. The system, as you said, seems pretty ***** complex. Joe is constantly making checks at the line, gathering intel, lots of option routes and yes/no calls based on the QB and the WR reading the same coverages, dissecting the defense and finding the weaknesses himself. I don't think that's a QB friendly offense at all. QB friendly offense implies the scheme is designed to make easy throws for the QB (think Texas Tech in the mid 2010s) such that the QB doesn't have to be special to rack up yards. I think that comment alone should disqualify this guy from even commenting on such things.