10-15-2020, 09:12 AM
I understand the purpose of the comparison and I understand the risks of not protecting Burrow.
But the truth is Burrow is vastly more talented than Carr was. He can already read defenses and throw fantastic passes based on touch, timing and location better than many veterans.
I think Carr is a cautionary tale, but less about "ruining" a good QB by not protecting them and more about failing to allow a QB to develop by not protecting them.
Carr had some raw tools but was unable to develop them in time to be an effective starting QB and the main reason was his offensive line. But Burrow does not have that problem.
Carr was never a good player in the NFL. His best year was his third year, where he had a 61% completion percentage, 16 TDs, 14 INTs and 3531 yards for a RTG of 83.5.
Burrow will, in all likelihood, exceed those numbers in his rookie year.
So we aren't really at risk of Burrow not developing as a player like Carr did, because he's already light years ahead in terms of development. The only way Burrow goes the way of Carr is if his body is broken by the Oline, which is not something that will happen in one year. Sure, if we fail to address the Oline in the next 3 years then maybe we're looking at ruining Burrow, but we have time. We've identified the problem, so now it's time to fix it.
Houston was a tough place to play as well because it was an expansion team, so it had a lot of needs in a very short amount of time. I personally think they would have been better off sitting Carr and playing a really bad veteran QB for a season or two just because it was inevitable that they were going to be a bad team for at least 3 seasons as they built their roster. Instead, they started Carr from the very beginning and then, in their following 4 drafts, the length of time Carr was on the roster, they spent 0 first round picks, 0 second round picks and 3 third round picks on the offensive line.
I think a more appropriate comparison for Burrow is Andrew Luck. A developed, star QB who was forced into early retirement because his team similarly did not give him much offensive line support.
From 2012 to 2017, the Colts spent 0 first round picks, 1 second round pick and 2 third round picks on the offensive line, even with Luck getting pummeled that entire time.
The idea that the Colts did not fix his offensive line from 2012 to 2017 is simply insane, given how often he was injured.
They did finally draft Quentin Nelson in 2018, who has become one of the best guards in the NFL, but by then the damage had been done and Luck retired the following off season.
That is what we need to not do to Burrow. He'll take his lumps this year, but in 2021, we need to draft heavy on the offensive line AND bring in offensive line free agents. We can't let history repeat itself with Burrow. We need to protect this young man and he will be an all pro. It's just that simple.
But the truth is Burrow is vastly more talented than Carr was. He can already read defenses and throw fantastic passes based on touch, timing and location better than many veterans.
I think Carr is a cautionary tale, but less about "ruining" a good QB by not protecting them and more about failing to allow a QB to develop by not protecting them.
Carr had some raw tools but was unable to develop them in time to be an effective starting QB and the main reason was his offensive line. But Burrow does not have that problem.
Carr was never a good player in the NFL. His best year was his third year, where he had a 61% completion percentage, 16 TDs, 14 INTs and 3531 yards for a RTG of 83.5.
Burrow will, in all likelihood, exceed those numbers in his rookie year.
So we aren't really at risk of Burrow not developing as a player like Carr did, because he's already light years ahead in terms of development. The only way Burrow goes the way of Carr is if his body is broken by the Oline, which is not something that will happen in one year. Sure, if we fail to address the Oline in the next 3 years then maybe we're looking at ruining Burrow, but we have time. We've identified the problem, so now it's time to fix it.
Houston was a tough place to play as well because it was an expansion team, so it had a lot of needs in a very short amount of time. I personally think they would have been better off sitting Carr and playing a really bad veteran QB for a season or two just because it was inevitable that they were going to be a bad team for at least 3 seasons as they built their roster. Instead, they started Carr from the very beginning and then, in their following 4 drafts, the length of time Carr was on the roster, they spent 0 first round picks, 0 second round picks and 3 third round picks on the offensive line.
I think a more appropriate comparison for Burrow is Andrew Luck. A developed, star QB who was forced into early retirement because his team similarly did not give him much offensive line support.
From 2012 to 2017, the Colts spent 0 first round picks, 1 second round pick and 2 third round picks on the offensive line, even with Luck getting pummeled that entire time.
Physical toll on Andrew Luck through 6 NFL seasons:
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 25, 2019
» Torn cartilage in 2 ribs
» partially torn abdomen
» a lacerated kidney that left him peeing blood
» at least 1 concussion
» a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder
» and this mysterious calf/ankle issue that led to this
The idea that the Colts did not fix his offensive line from 2012 to 2017 is simply insane, given how often he was injured.
They did finally draft Quentin Nelson in 2018, who has become one of the best guards in the NFL, but by then the damage had been done and Luck retired the following off season.
That is what we need to not do to Burrow. He'll take his lumps this year, but in 2021, we need to draft heavy on the offensive line AND bring in offensive line free agents. We can't let history repeat itself with Burrow. We need to protect this young man and he will be an all pro. It's just that simple.
![[Image: oN5QAdY.png]](https://i.imgur.com/oN5QAdY.png)
