New backup QB

[reuben.ahmed]

My joke is to get Gronk as a TE and hire Brady as a backup QB. I can't say it with a straight face. Basically 0% chance Brady would ever be a backup on a superbowl winning team, lol what a way to win another ring. If there was a 0% chance of something/anything happening in life. Then again we were 0.4% favorites to win the superbowl and almost did.

[leonardfan40]

(02-22-2022, 01:58 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 2021 salaries...
Dalton: $10m
Brissett: $5m
Flacco: $3.5m
Bridgewater: $4.4m
Taylor: $5.5m
Mariota: $3.5m
Gabbert: $2m
Siemian: $1m

So realistically the backup market is about $3-5m with some outliers either way. Brandon Allen last year was $1.5m

I am sorta fine with just picking up a guy with one of the two 7th round picks they have. He'll make something like $800k and the savings can go towards the OL in FA. If we're being honest, if Burrow goes down the season is almost certainly over anyway regardless of who is the backup, so best to spend that $3m in savings on the OL.

That said I wouldn't hate signing Colt McCoy (who played for $1.2m last year) though, as he's probably worth the $400k more. How crazy is it that the Bengals spent more on Brandon Allen?

A lot of interesting names listed.

Most I could stomach for a backup would be around $4 mil but preferably less than that. We have enough starting holes to fill with that cap space, I wouldn’t spend tons of money for a backup QB. Fix the o line and depth everywhere else and a less talented backup will have a better shot than if we let one of the OL starters suffer to have a better backup QB just in case.

Let’s focus on protecting Burrow instead of planning to get him killed again.

[TecmoBengals]

Good thread Shake, and how nice is it we can have a chat about the backup QB because we have our elite guy in Burrow?

When I lived in Colorado and the Broncos signed Manning, I remember Elway's quip that "there is no plan B" when you have a plan A guy like Peyton Manning. Thus, my thinking is this applies to us. We aren't winning a Super Bowl if the backup has to play significant time. Get the cheapest guy possible so we can squeeze every dollar into other positions of need.

Perhaps draft a rookie in rounds 5-7 and develop a backup on the cheap?

[NATI BENGALS]

It would be nice to get a backup QB on a rookie contract for four years for as cheap as it can get. This class isn't considered elite. So if QBs fall at the beginning of the draft maybe they will fall late in the draft. And instead of like we did in 2019 trading away two 6th rounders to move up 6 spots in the 4th round in order to select Ryan Finley two picks before Maxx Crosby goes off the board, we just take the backup QB who falls to us (Minshew went in the 6th that year). This is going to be a competitive free agent QB market I think with all the teams who have a need and a crappy class. I'd rather spend elsewhere. At some point I would love to have an awesome backup, especially with the crazy high sack numbers and Joe's fearless approach.

AJ McCarron might be available for cheap

[Shake n Blake]

(02-23-2022, 02:18 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: AJ McCarron might be available for cheap

Ain't no way Macaroni is coming back after the way the FO fought him on the way out.

His cousin (account was confirmed) told me in multiple PM's that Macaroni (and his family) was furious with the team.

[Interceptor]

(02-23-2022, 02:53 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Ain't no way Macaroni is coming back after the way the FO fought him on the way out.

His cousin (account was confirmed) told me in multiple PM's that Macaroni (and his family) was furious with the team.

Why? He wanted the nickname of "Money Mac"?

[Shake n Blake]

(02-23-2022, 02:59 PM)Interceptor Wrote: Why? He wanted the nickname of "Money Mac"?

McPherson gets multiple awesome nicknames.

McCarron got "macaroni".

[Murdock2420]

Of all the options, I like Marcus Mariota best. He looked halfway decent last time I saw him in game filling in for Carr. Plus, the added element of being able to run adds a little wrinkle that would be nice for the offense.

I also think he is a decent QB that just had a horrible situation with the Titans and lost his confidence. A couple years hanging around Joe might help him find his mojo.

[TecmoBengals]

(02-23-2022, 03:41 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Of all the options, I like Marcus Mariota best. He looked halfway decent last time I saw him in game filling in for Carr. Plus, the added element of being able to run adds a little wrinkle that would be nice for the offense.

I also think he is a decent QB that just had a horrible situation with the Titans and lost his confidence. A couple years hanging around Joe might help him find his mojo.

I like this thinking and suggested in a different thread I'd be interested drafting Cunningham from the University of Louisville if he's still there in round 4. Of course, as someone else offered, it might be good to draft a guy with a Burrow-like skill set to fit the system.

[Murdock2420]

(02-23-2022, 04:00 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: I like this thinking and suggested in a different thread I'd be interested drafting Cunningham from the University of Louisville if he's still there in round 4. Of course, as someone else offered, it might be good to draft a guy with a Burrow-like skill set to fit the system.

I get the thinking of drafting a guy like your starter to fit the system more, but the honest truth is that if you lose your starter for any length of time, usually your season is shot and the playbook gets a lot smaller just due to the back-up having limited reps.

I've always thought the best strategy for a back-up QB plan was to have the #2 be a guy that has some game experience and isn't going to be rattled by the pressure of coming in mid game after an injury. Your #3 should be your development guy, a guy that you stash on the practice squad that is like your #1 but needs to be polished and groomed. Maybe a lengthy injury the #3 takes over, but mid-game give me a Mariotta or some other vet who has won games in the league and might pull the rabbit out of the hat for a game.

[TecmoBengals]

(02-23-2022, 04:05 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: I get the thinking of drafting a guy like your starter to fit the system more, but the honest truth is that if you lose your starter for any length of time, usually your season is shot and the playbook gets a lot smaller just due to the back-up having limited reps.

I've always thought the best strategy for a back-up QB plan was to have the #2 be a guy that has some game experience and isn't going to be rattled by the pressure of coming in mid game after an injury. Your #3 should be your development guy, a guy that you stash on the practice squad that is like your #1 but needs to be polished and groomed. Maybe a lengthy injury the #3 takes over, but mid-game give me a Mariotta or some other vet who has won games in the league and might pull the rabbit out of the hat for a game.

I share your thinking as I said in an earlier post, if we lose Burrow for any significant time this team's chances of winning a Super Bowl decreases (just my gut). Thus, I'd be okay with a backup who can come in and run. Like you, I think it would give Zac another tool for playing calling even with a healthy Burrow. A vet makes sense, but I like the idea of getting a guy on the cheapest deal possible.

[Interceptor]

Zappe, Burrow's Mini-Me.

[phil413]

(02-23-2022, 04:22 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: I share your thinking as I said in an earlier post, if we lose Burrow for any significant time this team's chances of winning a Super Bowl decreases (just my gut). Thus, I'd be okay with a backup who can come in and run. Like you, I think it would give Zac another tool for playing calling even with a healthy Burrow. A vet makes sense, but I like the idea of getting a guy on the cheapest deal possible.

What do we consider significant? In Shake n Blake's example was comparing an adequate backup vs Allen in a 5 game stretch.  A 3 game swing was the difference between the only team that earned a bye and the one out the outside looking in.

We can't go far without Burrow in the playoffs, but a Gabbert or Flacco may help get the ball to playmakers and keep them in games that the defense and money Mac win in the regular season.  To me, that's a fine use of 3 million.  Allen made 1.5M so you're not talking about passing on a stud OL or corner with a difference of 1.5M.

[HarleyDog]

Did Fitzpatrick retire?

[Shake n Blake]

(02-23-2022, 08:15 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Did Fitzpatrick retire?

Not that I know of, no...but Fitzy always seems to wind up somewhere with a shaky QB situation. Probably to maximize his chances to start. If he's cool with being the unquestioned #2, he'd be a great add.

[TecmoBengals]

(02-23-2022, 08:12 PM)phil413 Wrote: What do we consider significant? In Shake n Blake's example was comparing an adequate backup vs Allen in a 5 game stretch.  A 3 game swing was the difference between the only team that earned a bye and the one out the outside looking in.

We can't go far without Burrow in the playoffs, but a Gabbert or Flacco may help get the ball to playmakers and keep them in games that the defense and money Mac win in the regular season.  To me, that's a fine use of 3 million.  Allen made 1.5M so you're not talking about passing on a stud OL or corner with a difference of 1.5M.

Fair question and I don't have an answer. I guess too many factors come into play such as the team's record, other teams' records, playoff standing implications, when during the season, and so forth. You also raise a fair point, 1.5 million doesn't go far for improving the roster in other areas especially considering some of that money would still go to the backup QB position.

[*bengalfan74*]

I get and mostly agree with the whole if you have to rely on your backup you're doomed anyways thinking. However, I hate the thought of going into next season with Allen or some 6th round rookie as our next up QB.

If they could get say Mariota for 2.5 million I'd feel much better of our chances of winning a game or two with JB out.

And I'd think they could still address the Oline.

[BengalsRocker]

(02-23-2022, 03:22 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: McPherson gets multiple awesome nicknames.

McCarron got "macaroni".

I don't even know what the the fuss was with Macaroni other than his wife.

We've had backup guys that out shined him through the years that are probably only watching football on TV now.

I don't think he could even hold Gradkowski's jock strap.

[Shake n Blake]

(02-23-2022, 09:42 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: I don't even know what the the fuss was with Macaroni other than his wife.

We've had backup guys that out shined him through the years that are probably only watching football on TV now.

I don't think he could even hold Gradkowski's jock strap.

He was well known, winning a championship at Alabama and obviously for his then girlfriend.

But tbh, I think people who hated Andy just wanted to believe we had Tom Brady on the bench.

[Bengal Dude]

(02-24-2022, 02:00 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: He was well known, winning a championship at Alabama and obviously for his then girlfriend.

But tbh, I think people who hated Andy just wanted to believe we had Tom Brady on the bench.

So true. Remember when some people hung McCarron banners from the bridge during OTAs?