1. Hurney thinks Clausen was not given a fair shake and could develop into a starting NFL QB. It does not matter if you disagree or what the coaches/rest of front office think, this is what Hurney thinks. Move forward.
2. (Hypothetically, but would not be surprising) Washington calls. They offer Hurney their first and second rounders in 2011 and 2012 for the first pick. Hurney would be a fool not to do this. (Yes, this is what it would take them to move up--very in line with other drafts) Here is why-
First, he gets the 10th and the 41st picks in this year's draft. Secondly, if he seriously thinks Clausen has a shot at starting in the NFL, you give him the year. Not that he is crowned starter, but you bring in a veteran and Moore. Clausen has to fight for a job like last year. If he rises like Marty thinks he will, we have a QB. If not, you have Moore (who had a QB rating over 90 before last year's train wreck) and you pay for a guy like Hasselbeck or McNabb, --something like that.
You have to remember, Cam Newton may be a star, but it won't happen in 2011. It will take time. We took DE Quinn at #10 and Paea DT at #41, for example. They play now.
Lets say Hurney was wrong and Clausen fails. You still have a veteran and Moore on the roster. Clausen drops to #3 or is traded.
Was Hurney REALLY wrong? There are potentially 3 QBs in the 2012 draft who will be ready about as soon as Cam Newton or even sooner. We have a veteran and Moore on the roster. Lets say we go 8-8 next season and earn the 15th pick. QBs who declared for the 2012 draft: Andrew Luck, Landri Jones, and Matt Barkley. YOU HAVE WASHINGTON's FIRST & SECOND ROUNDERS. Package the Panther first with the Washington Picks and trade up. I am guessing the Skins will suck again this season, so you should easily have enough to move into the top 3. I mean, would we take the 8th and 15th pick in this year's draft? YES. So, you are not abandoning the idea of getting a franchise QB, you table it for a year. Washington's picks are insurance in the event Clausen continues to struggle. Then you know. In addition, you get a stud franchise QB in 2012 if you are wrong in 2011. If you are right and Clausen develops, or Moore, or your veteran takes off, then you have 2 firsts and 2 seconds in 2012.
This is how New England stays ahead of the curve. I am not even suggesting that we will not have a franchise QB under center by 2012. We will. Cam will not be ready until then, so we may never feel the impact of passing on a franchise QB.
Cam may be the best QB in this year's draft, but give him a year in a pro system to develop and put him back into the draft and 2012 (if you could), and I doubt he goes before Luck, Landri and possibly Barkley.
So when you say, "Draft Cam", you have to consider what you would get for him in a trade, how long he will take to develop, and that the extra picks in 2012 give you the coin to move up and get about any player in the draft next year. In addition, your don't short sell a current QB who needs a year in a normal setting to show the GM what he can actually do.
If the Cats get an offer for the pick, I would make sure a #1 in 2012 was part of the deal for this reason.
Edited by MHS831, 11 March 2011 - 09:41 AM.
