More important. QB or HC?

[Sperm Edwards]

I get that Garrard wasn't the guy to do that, but with the limited cap dollars we had, I fail to see which capable veteran we could have acquired that wouldn't have been overpaid, hot garbage.

 

This offseason we have the cap dollars to get a starting-caliber veteran.  If we don't bring one in then I'll be pissed at Idzik.

 

We didn't have to draft a QB, true.  But it's hard to argue that if you're drafting Best Player Available, Geno wasn't the guy at that spot.  He was rated a top 15 pick going in and was at one point in the Offensive Rookie of the Year discussion.  Seems silly now, but even with hindsight as a guide, that's not a bad pick.

 

Only one I can think of is Hasselbeck, who took a backup job in Indy.  His deal is $5M this year and $2M next year.  In hindsight it's better value than Garrard at 1 year $1M or whatever it was.  All the same, the team is/was in search of a long-term starting QB, not a stopgap.  

 

Fans love to say a smart GM would keep drafting QBs every year until we hit paydirt.  Of course then after each year those same people will say the GM was stupid for every misfire taken on that recommended path.

 

He took a shot on a highly-rated QB in a QB-poor draft.  If he sucks it will be a terrible move in hindsight.  Just like Sanchez was a great trade up to #5 to get our franchise QB. Of course it's only a great move, though, if the guy turns out to be any good.

 

***edit: slats also mentions Campbell, who I forgot about.  He looked pretty awful last year, though.  Which is a bigger gamble, absent a crystal ball? Relying on a guy who looked terrible last year or a guy who didn't play last year because he was injured? Campbell hasn't been the model of good health either in the past and it's continued this season.

[Jetsfan80]

I would have loved to have Hasselbeck here for a year.  I guess the thinking was we weren't going anywhere this year.  Bringing in a 38-year old Hasselbeck or a Campbell and shooting for 8-8 was never a good goal to have.  The fact that we ended up being in the playoff hunt for any period of time with was pretty remarkable. 

 

Now that we have at least SOME pieces in place and a lot of cap spaces/picks to play with, a veteran starter makes a lot more sense for 2014.  This is especially true if Rex comes back.  We can't really be handing him a THIRD rookie Week 1 starter.

[Matt39]

Yes they are.  In the NFL today it makes more sense than ever to keep trying to acquire QB's until you find the right one.  It's the most important position on the field, and if you think you can find a starter and only have to burn a 2nd rounder to do it, you pull the trigger.  SEE:  Andy Dalton.

 

No one's arguing that. But there's no point in selecting a QB if you don't think he can be a starter. You can only play one. Kellen Clemens was a bad pick, QB or not.

[Jetsfan80]

No one's arguing that. But there's no point in selecting a QB if you don't think he can be a starter. You can only play one. Kellen Clemens was a bad pick, QB or not.

 

It's possible he CAN be a starter in this league.  He's looked like the worst QB of all-time the last few weeks, but there have certainly been times this year where he's looked like an average veteran NFL starting QB.  He has the prototypical size/skillset you look for in a QB. 

 

And if he's a bust, really it shouldn't be as big of a deal as we're making it.  The Panthers took Jimmy Clausen in the 2nd round 1 season before landing Cam Newton.

[Matt39]

It's possible he CAN be a starter in this league.  He's looked like the worst QB of all-time the last few weeks, but there have certainly been times this year where he's looked like an average veteran NFL starting QB.  He has the prototypical size/skillset you look for in a QB. 

 

And if he's a bust, really it shouldn't be as big of a deal as we're making it.  The Panthers took Jimmy Clausen in the 2nd round 1 season before landing Cam Newton.

 

Clausen in round 7 would be a bad pick.

[CTM]

I wanted Jason Campbell. He signed a two year deal for under $4M, and seems to be doing a decent job in Cleveland. I dare say the Jets might still be the masters of their own playoff destiny with Campbell at QB, and something else drafted in the second round.

 

I didn't want Geno. The knock on him was a lack of mental resiliency, someone who mopes when things aren't going his way. It sounded way too much like Sanchez part 2 to me, and I think we've seen it play out on the field. He'll get the opportunity to demonstrate that he can do better -and I hope he does- but so far, he doesn't look like much of a pick.

I understand the importance of the QB position, but if the player isn't there, it's okay to go in a different direction.

 

Agree.. Wanted Campbell as well, we'd also most likely control our own destiny with him

[Matt39]

Agree.. Wanted Campbell as well, we'd also most likely control our own destiny with him

 

So we'd be what 7-6 with Campbell?

 

If you hate Pennington you'd hate Campbell.

[Sperm Edwards]

I would have loved to have Hasselbeck here for a year.  I guess the thinking was we weren't going anywhere this year.  Bringing in a 38-year old Hasselbeck or a Campbell and shooting for 8-8 was never a good goal to have.  The fact that we ended up being in the playoff hunt for any period of time with was pretty remarkable. 

 

Now that we have at least SOME pieces in place and a lot of cap spaces/picks to play with, a veteran starter makes a lot more sense for 2014.  This is especially true if Rex comes back.  We can't really be handing him a THIRD rookie Week 1 starter.

 

I think the goal was to hopefully draft a QB and have the veteran hang onto the job for half a season, give or take, kind of like the Giants did with Manning & Eli.  Hasselbeck at $5M in year 1 is a bit expensive for that (though we could have afforded him).  Unfortunately, we needed better than Garrard, who didn't even make it through mid-May.

[Jetsfan80]

I think the goal was to hopefully draft a QB and have the veteran hang onto the job for half a season, give or take, kind of like the Giants did with Manning & Eli.  Hasselbeck at $5M in year 1 is a bit expensive for that (though we could have afforded him).  Unfortunately, we needed better than Garrard, who didn't even make it through mid-May.

 

And of course being forced to keep Sanchez on the roster didn't exactly do wonders towards our goal of acquiring a Hasselbeck or Campbell.  By the time Sanchez went down it was too late to get anyone of substance.

[CTM]

So we'd be what 7-6 with Campbell?

 

If you hate Pennington you'd hate Campbell.

 

 

Campbell is not the scumbag Chad was, they may both be yellow, which I'm not a fan of, but what put Pennington over the top for me was how full of sh*t he was, like a politician

[Matt39]

Campbell is not the scumbag Chad was, they may both be yellow, which I'm not a fan of, but what put Pennington over the top for me was how full of sh*t he was, like a politician

 

I'd honestly rather have Geno throwing it down the field than Campbell checking down all game. Out of the common opponents we've had with the Browns that Campbell played...both guys were pretty much equally sh*tty.