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Seriously though what the hell were they thinking picking up Darnold's 5th year option?
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Franchise QBs feast when things are rolling and the tide that raises boats when things are going sideways. Bryce isn't that. He's a complimentary player, that's it. When the defense and STs are on point, he plays loose and it shows. When we are in a dog fight and things haven't gone our way, he struggles. It's that simple. He's not a horrible QB, but he's not top tier either. So the question begs, is this worthy of a second contract? The answer should be no. It definitely is my answer. Bryce will never be a QB that can produce wins largely on his arm. That's a FRANCHISE QB, any other QB is simply a placeholder at the starter's position until that guy can be found. At some point the excuses of lack of weapons will be a straw man. Heck, it's nearly there now. I mean if he doesn't look even better than last year will we blame it on the TE position? 'Well if Bryce only had a player like Kelce, Kittle or Gronk on this team...' Are we really going to do that? -
When I arrived at college, I was 18, not too much younger than some of these draft picks. It was not a huge school, but there were guys on the team who were 21, 22, 23....playing ahead of me. I was seventh on the depth chart. Those guys have been through a few seasons, were stronger, more knowledgeable. I was a better raw player than some of them, but those other factors matter. As I grew stronger, more familiar with the playbook, and learned what it was like to play in college, I gradually improved and with that, I rose up the depth chart. It took most of my freshman year for the light to come on. Had the coach thrown me into the starting lineup day 1, I would have probably failed. And that was college. So I agree with you based on my experience on a much lower level. Frankly, I think that is why so many kids drafted to fill huge gaps bust. The teams are desperate. Anyone who looks to fill vacancies in the starting lineup through the draft is desperate. You draft depth to develop. For this reason, I say, "Let Walker start for a while." Maybe Brazzell can be our WR 4. Throw Hunter into a rotation and ask him to do one or two things. Freeling needs some strength and he needs to work on run blocking. -
I see Bryce's development this way: He improved when his supporting cast improved. TMac and Dowdle saved his arse last year, but in fairness, most good QBs have good WRs and good RBs--and good OLs. The 2025 OL underperformed, actually. They were above average, but they should have been elite if you consider the salary cap. As soon as we signed Lewis and Hunt, I started thinking, "That's not sustainable. With Ickey about to get paid a LT salary, Moton and Hunt grabbling $50m per season combined, and Lewis around $17m--that would be nearly $100m and the Center just walked. Yikes. What does that mean? Rico walks, Mays walks, and we do not have a top 5 WR on a second contract. We do not have an elite TE, and only 1 is on a modest second contract. And now Bryce will demand $50m for his incremental rise to mediocrity? So when we sign Bryce, we will get weaker at other positions. Hunt, Moton, maybe Ickey and Lewis, will all be casualties--that is the right move regardless (not sure yet about Ickey, but he was not elite) Bryce is one lucky, entitled camper. No competition since being drafted, and he lost his job for a while to the aging clipboard holder. Now we are bringing in UDFAs and busts to compete with him.
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