The chicken or the egg?

[Mr. Scot]

So let's assume for a moment that we're starting a full on rebuild next year.

The general belief is that such a rebuild starts by getting your chosen quarterback. "But hang on," some folks interject, "What good is a quarterback if we can't protect him? He'd get slaughtered behind our line."

I've seen some pretty strong opinions both ways, so here's a chance for advocates on either side to make their case.

Do you start by drafting a quarterback next year or do you build up an offensive line and get a placeholder with an eye toward getting that franchise QB when you know you can protect him?

Show your math.

[OceanPanther]

[Jon Snow]

Depends on who's available in the next draft and how high of a pick I had.  If I'm picking in the top 5 I would lean toward qb.  Outside that it's a coin toss.

[onmyown]

All depends on Cam and if the QB you want is in this draft. If Cam is back and you’re putting all hopes on him you draft olineman. If cam isn’t back your QB is there you take him and then olineman but just be sure it’s the QB you want. I don’t think we should draft a QB if we’re betting on cam, which I’ve changed my mind about. Next draft is better.

If Cam is gone and the QB you want is NOT in this draft I say full on tank mode. Bring Clausen on a 1 year back to work some magic.

[nickzz]

you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs

 

 

[pantherj]

If Herbert or Tua are there then you pull the trigger, then 2nd and onward you rebuild the o-line as much as you can. What you can't fix in the draft you look to FA. If after all that the o-line doesn't perform well enough, then so be it. Fix the o-line the following off season.

[pantherj]

You NEVER pass on a needed potential franchise QB to draft a LT. That would be a critical mistake, and that level of mistake means extra seasons of losing. We're in a "no major mistakes or we're fuged for years" situation.

[Mr. Scot]

8 minutes ago, onmyown said:

All depends on Cam and if the QB you want is in this draft. If Cam is back and you’re putting all hopes on him you draft olineman. If cam isn’t back your QB is there you take him and then olineman but just be sure it’s the QB you want. I don’t think we should draft a QB if we’re betting on cam, which I’ve changed my mind about. Next draft is better.

If Cam is gone and the QB you want is NOT in this draft I say full on tank mode. Bring Clausen on a 1 year back to work some magic.

Assuming the rebuild means no Newton.

[MHS831]

You need the protection and the weapons.  Heck, I would suggest a good defense so that you are not asking the QB to do too much playing from behind.

If this were NASCAR, is the driver more important than the car?

How many early first round draft picks fail?  Why?  They go to teams that suck.  How many bad teams have great OLs?  I cannot think of any. 

The QB is flower in the pot, while the OL is the soil, water, and sunlight.  

Dak Prescott--that OL is great.  Russell Wilson?  He had a good OL, great defense, and Beastmode.  When Minnesota had bad OLs, they had bad QB play with Bridgewater. Now they have a good OL, and Cousins is going to the Pro Bowl. 

 

[Squirrel]

Depends once in a decade talent at QB.  You take him and pick up some oline help in free agency. You can let the QB sit for a year. 

[Jus Rob]

Offense line ! We have to be able to control the line of scrimmage running and passing. Any Qb under center with this current oline is a play away from injured reserve 

[onmyown]

8 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Assuming the rebuild means no Newton.

If Newton is out of the picture it simply depends on who is there in the draft. I would rather pick olineman and tank and pick a QB next year than pick a QB just to pick a QB. If the right franchise guy isn’t there but a home run LT is than you take the LT. 

But I think this year we will be in a position to take a top QB. Even if that means trade up a couple spots, and if the FO feels that franchise QB is in this draft I don’t mind doing what it takes to get him (trading picks).

In free agency I would be willing to spend big on proven olineman but as far as QB, that needs to come from the draft.

[Sloth]

So this is under the assumption that Grier is as advertised, which is a developmental back up caliber player.

The answer is QB if you have any doubt in regards to Newton. I have no idea how likely Newton bounces back health-wise, but he's almost definitely not going to play on a one year deal, so that will also factor in. If you're comfortable in Newton's health and ok with an extension, it gets easier and you edge a little closer to being able to go BPA with leanings towards OT and DT (and OG if we drop back a ways to trade picks or whatever) and you're able to punt on the QB issue for a couple more years. McShay will weep tears of blood and give us a D.

I mean, look at this poo: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/all/quarterback/

If you cross off the never-gonna-happens off the list, that's pretty laughable. No one is going to bother to come to games with us trotting out Keenum (especially after us rolling with the diet version all season) or Mariota or giving the corpse of Rivers free money for his retirement fund. The only real possible high reward there is Bridgewater, and if my stupid ass knows that, you can bet the actual teams will as well. Teddy is going to either make bank or he's gonna gamble on being the guy in NO in short order and stay put. He also really scary to invest a ton of money into.

Football is a product and you are not going to sell poo by investing your top ten pick on the line then trotting out nothing at QB and trying to do to CMC what the last group of assholes already did to Newton. There is zero excitement regarding Carolina players or football at present. Zilch. The only reason we're even a blip is because of the coaching drama. The owner, with the assumption that he's not a complete and utter moron, isn't going to let that continue into next season. At least in my opinion.

[LinvilleGorge]

15 minutes ago, pantherj said:

You NEVER pass on a needed potential franchise QB to draft a LT. That would be a critical mistake, and that level of mistake means extra seasons of losing. We're in a "no major mistakes or we're fuged for years" situation.

If you're a GM and you spend a top 10 pick on Herbert you're as good as fired in a couple of years anyway.