07-21-2015, 02:25 AM
I'll be negative or skeptical and say : He was far from a top draft pick, more a late pick, so teams were not after him for some reason. He hasn't been in a regular season game and he may not have played in a preseason game yet, being injured early after getting drafted. The NFL is as different from college as going to third grade is from going to college. That is why only 5 % to 10 % of the college players ever make an NFL team and why even less land and keep a job in the NFL. Players all say it's hard to adjust to how much more complicated and how super fast the NFL is during a game. You are going up against the best of the best and all NFL players were stars in college and high school, such as a Peyton Manning, but they made the transition to the NFL. Quarterback happens to be one of the hardest jobs to learn in the NFL, because of the speed and the complex defenses. There have been many NFL quarterbacks who didn't even start or come into their best years until after years of struggling. It's one position a wise old veteran that can read NFL defenses has an advantage over a rookie. So let's wait to see this guy play in his first NFL games before we say he is a future star.
Now I'll be positive. As a Bengal Fan, wouldn't it be great if every single pick of the Bengals ever became stars. I hope every Bengals draft pick is better than other teams draft picks.....and as I type that, I see how silly it sounds, but as a Fan, I can want all our picks to work out every year and get us to the Super Bowl.
So, going into training camp in August, competition is a good thing. You would rather have competition than have positions where nobody fills the jobs and the team is weak. You want more good players than bad players. You want an opening day roster of talent from from top to bottom including the injury/ practice/ reserve squad. Dalton has played 4 years and had 4 winning seasons. Only injuries will keep him from being the QB in 2015. I saw Ken Anderson have good and bad times early in his career. I saw Terry Bradshaw have rough times early in his career. Dalton who has been getting us to the play-offs, may turn the corner and become a wise old veteran who now knows the defenses and the speed of the NFL and starts picking teams apart and winning in the post season. ....Still, we need a solid back-up, and McCarron stepping up would keep us from drafting a quarterback in 2016 and let us draft positions needing more help. The more young players step up, the more it helps future drafts to focus on needs we haven't drafted.
As a Fan, I want Dalton to become a wise old veteran and lead this team to play-off wins. I also want solid back-up quarterbacks because injuries happen. Dalton has started every game since drafted, 4 years, 64 regular season games, and 4 play-off games making 68. We have been lucky not to have much need for a back-up, because when Carson split it left our depth weak. We could use solid depth at QB unlike the guy last year who could run but could not pass. That may work in college, but this ain't college. We need solid throwing back-ups. ....It's way to early to say McCarron is a future star, but we are in dire need of a solid back-up QB. Kitna and Gradkowsi were solid back-ups. Heck, the Raiders once had Lamonica, Stabler and Blanda as QB depth. The Colts once had Unitas and Earl Morral. Washington with the starter injured, won a Super Bowl with a back-up QB who had good and bad early years with Tampa Bay. Forget the QB controversy thing, having good depth is a good thing. The modern salaries make it hard to load up at QB today, but you still need solid back-up depth in spite of that. McCarron could fill that need in 2015. ...He needs to play in his first preseason and has much catching up to do and still much to learn.
Now I'll be positive. As a Bengal Fan, wouldn't it be great if every single pick of the Bengals ever became stars. I hope every Bengals draft pick is better than other teams draft picks.....and as I type that, I see how silly it sounds, but as a Fan, I can want all our picks to work out every year and get us to the Super Bowl.
So, going into training camp in August, competition is a good thing. You would rather have competition than have positions where nobody fills the jobs and the team is weak. You want more good players than bad players. You want an opening day roster of talent from from top to bottom including the injury/ practice/ reserve squad. Dalton has played 4 years and had 4 winning seasons. Only injuries will keep him from being the QB in 2015. I saw Ken Anderson have good and bad times early in his career. I saw Terry Bradshaw have rough times early in his career. Dalton who has been getting us to the play-offs, may turn the corner and become a wise old veteran who now knows the defenses and the speed of the NFL and starts picking teams apart and winning in the post season. ....Still, we need a solid back-up, and McCarron stepping up would keep us from drafting a quarterback in 2016 and let us draft positions needing more help. The more young players step up, the more it helps future drafts to focus on needs we haven't drafted.
As a Fan, I want Dalton to become a wise old veteran and lead this team to play-off wins. I also want solid back-up quarterbacks because injuries happen. Dalton has started every game since drafted, 4 years, 64 regular season games, and 4 play-off games making 68. We have been lucky not to have much need for a back-up, because when Carson split it left our depth weak. We could use solid depth at QB unlike the guy last year who could run but could not pass. That may work in college, but this ain't college. We need solid throwing back-ups. ....It's way to early to say McCarron is a future star, but we are in dire need of a solid back-up QB. Kitna and Gradkowsi were solid back-ups. Heck, the Raiders once had Lamonica, Stabler and Blanda as QB depth. The Colts once had Unitas and Earl Morral. Washington with the starter injured, won a Super Bowl with a back-up QB who had good and bad early years with Tampa Bay. Forget the QB controversy thing, having good depth is a good thing. The modern salaries make it hard to load up at QB today, but you still need solid back-up depth in spite of that. McCarron could fill that need in 2015. ...He needs to play in his first preseason and has much catching up to do and still much to learn.
1968 Bengal Fan
