Article: Matt Rhule: “Very urgent” to have QB who makes plays in crucial situations

[WarPanthers89]

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said early this month that the team will “look at every opportunity to have the best we can have at every position” including quarterback as they head into the 2021 season.

Their starting quarterback in 2020 was Teddy Bridgewater, who Rhule said “has to have a tremendous offseason” if he’s going to remain in that job after a season that saw the Panthers lose a lot of close games when the offense failed to make plays down the stretch.

Speaking from the Senior Bowl on Wednesday, Rhule discussed what traits he’s looking for in a quarterback. One of them was closely related to how those one-score games played out last year.

“Just in general, I think you want someone who’s elitely intelligent. I think you want someone who’s a tremendous leader,” Rhule said, via Alaina Getzenberg of the Charlotte Observer. “I think you want someone who’s accurate. I think you want someone who has arm talent to make all the throws. And I think you want someone who has a history of making plays in crucial situations, that’s just very urgent.”

With the eighth pick in the draft and a lot of potential movement involving quarterbacks around the league, the Panthers will have options to check the boxes on Rhule’s list. How they do so will provide a big hint about where Bridgewater will stand in the pecking order.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/01/28/matt-rhule-very-urgent-to-have-qb-who-makes-plays-in-crucial-situations/

[therealmjl]

In other words, the opposite of Teddy Bridgewater

[top dawg]

I'm not gonna lie. Though I listened to the interview, I overlooked that little tidbit!

Not saying that this is the case here...but sometimes the things that people seemingly say in passing are the the things that mean the most.

[WarPanthers89]

Many times Rhule gives praise when we can all tell that he’s not high on a particular player (aka they get demoted/cut a week later/Whitehead) but he really did not hide his feelings about Teddy at the end of the year. Look at the comments Tepper made about having a franchise QB, Rhule “benching him due to injury” in the last game, and the comments he made at the end of the season/once the offseason started.
 

No question in my mind that we are looking for an improvement. I still have the feeling that we find that QB in the draft and allow the staff to develop our franchise QB who will be on a rookie wage so that we can continue to build the team around him. 

Edited January 28, 2021 by WarPanthers89

[PanthersGTI]

Sounds like Cam Newton before his shoulder blew up. What a shame. It does also sound a lot like Stafford. He wins a lot of games in the 4th quarter :

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/gwd_active.htm

[LinvilleGorge]

I think that's twisting Rhule's words a bit. I think what he was saying there is that he wants to see urgency from his QB, not that he's feeling that an upgrade at QB itself was very urgent... though the latter being the case would not be at all surprising.

[SOJA]

I think we end up trading up to #2 or #3 overall when it's all said and done. 

[Carl Spackler]

39 minutes ago, WarPanthers89 said:

after a season that saw the Panthers lose a lot of close games

Most any season, this is applicable

[LinvilleGorge]

9 minutes ago, SOJA said:

I think we end up trading up to #2 or #3 overall when it's all said and done. 

That wouldn't be surprising. Sure will sting watching us give up significant draft value for the pick that should've been ours anyway.

[Mr. Scot]

"The thing you see about Mac right off the bat, he’s a gamer. He’s got a great presence about him. He loves the moment, loves the competition. So there’s not much doubt that he has that quarterback swagger that you can feel when you’re on the field."

- Rhule talking about Mac Jones (The Athletic)

[CRA]

Just now, SOJA said:

I think we end up trading up to #2 or #3 overall when it's all said and done. 

the cost to trade up to #2 is crazy though.  Going off the "chart" at least.   Our entire 2021 draft wouldn't even be enough to move up to #2 from #8. 

 

[Ted Ginn Jr.'s Hands]

I think the Minnesota game was the straw that broke the camel's back with Rhule this season and the fact that Teddy tried to deflect blame for missing Moore wide open in the end zone.

[CRA]

1 minute ago, Mr. Scot said:

"The thing you see about Mac right off the bat, he’s a gamer. He’s got a great presence about him. He loves the moment, loves the competition. So there’s not much doubt that he has that quarterback swagger that you can feel when you’re on the field."

- Rhule talking about Mac Jones (The Athletic)

my biggest fear.

We don't make a move for Watson/Stafford.

Then, and some mocks show it, Trevor, Fields, Wilson and Lance all go before #8. 

Matt Rhule drafts Mac at #8 after getting to know him at the Senior Bowl so well. 

[Pup McBarky]

15 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I think what he was saying there is that he wants to see urgency from his QB

I agree, though it was worded oddly. Rhule has a tendency to do that, which may be intentional.