Can Sam Darnold play himself into becoming the 2023 starter?

[TheSpecialJuan]

No, we need to move on 

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, mav1234 said:

Every QB has INTs dropped in a game. His bad throw % this year is half  (~10%) of what it was last year (~20%) and is the same or lower than Burrow, Herbert, Mahomes, etc. He's processing faster and making better throws.  Not saying he's some kind of answer by any means, and you are right about a steep learning curve, but this stretch hasn't just been about limiting him.  He had fewer bad throws vs Tampa than he's had all year, despite being pressured more both physically and mentally in terms of not having a run game.

I mean, it really has been about limiting him. Tampa was the only game where it wasn't.

It doesn't matter, there is no point in rehashing this argument since he is very likely to be off the team and a relative afterthought for the rest of his career.

Unless he becomes the new Matt Moore and develops a completely illogical cult following. 

[glenwo2]

3 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

He was actually a basketball player for most of his childhood. Went to football in HS and only played one full season as a QB. Played some spot duty due to injury as a sophomore.

So we are talking about the equivalent of a middle school or early HS player in terms of total experience versus most prospects. 

Damn.  

And for him to, at the very least, carve out a niche as a High-end NFL Backup with such little experience?

Very impressive. 

[kungfoodude]

2 minutes ago, mav1234 said:

And he's also still relatively young. There are a bunch of prospects entering the draft that are barely a year older than him.

Lol. I mean, I am not gonna get fooled by that argument, man. It has been made before and it very clearly was not a factor.

We may as well move on. We have vastly, VASTLY different opinions on him.

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, glenwo2 said:

Damn.  

And for him to, at the very least, carve out a niche as a High-end NFL Backup with such little experience?

Very impressive. 

He is without question a very talented athlete. He had success in college, as well so it is a credit to his natural abilities for him to ever make it to the NFL in the first place.

But, as with most things in professional sports, being successful at the highest level is about much more than just natural abilities. 

[glenwo2]

5 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

I mean, it really has been about limiting him. Tampa was the only game where it wasn't.

It doesn't matter, there is no point in rehashing this argument since he is very likely to be off the team and a relative afterthought for the rest of his career.

Unless he becomes the new Matt Moore and develops a completely illogical cult following. 

An afterthought, perhaps...but still in the NFL.

Prior to this season, there was a lot of doubt he would've been able to stick around the league.

Edited January 3, 2023 by glenwo2

[mav1234]

5 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

Lol. I mean, I am not gonna get fooled by that argument, man. It has been made before and it very clearly was not a factor.

We may as well move on. We have vastly, VASTLY different opinions on him.

Dunno man, one of the big questions I have with e.g. Levis is age, and it was a big knock I had on Pickett last year. Maybe age doesn't matter to you? But in Darnold's cause, he's young for an NFL player, while those prospects are not young for prospects.

I don't think we have different views on his ultimate place in the league, just on this stretch.  I don't think he can maintain a high level of play through a season.  If he could, he wouldn't just be someone's bridge, though.

We'll see what happens in the offseason though... I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone. On to other conversations

Edited January 3, 2023 by mav1234

[mav1234]

2 minutes ago, glenwo2 said:

An afterthought, perhaps...but still in the NFL.

Prior to this season, there was a lot of doubt he would've been able to stick around the league.

yeah lots of speculation he'd just end up washing out entirely before the season. He's definitely saved himself of that.

[thefuzz]

He will likely be competing in training camp for a starting role...where?  No clue.

Very well could be here, although it better be an incentivized contract and a low number at that.

[glenwo2]

1 minute ago, thefuzz said:

He will likely be competing in training camp for a starting role...where?  No clue.

Very well could be here, although it better be an incentivized contract and a low number at that.

Yeah.

 

No more absurd numbers like 18 million (jesus christ...).

Sign him for Backup money and have him and Corral (and hopefully a new QB draftee) compete,. 

[kungfoodude]

2 minutes ago, mav1234 said:

Dunno man, one of the big questions I have with e.g. Levis is age, and it was a big knock I had on Pickett last year. Maybe age doesn't matter to you? But in Darnold's cause, he's young for an NFL player, while those prospects are not young for prospects.

I don't think we have different views on his ultimate place in the league, just on this stretch.  I don't think he can maintain a high level of play through a season.  If he could, he wouldn't just be someone's bridge, though.

We'll see what happens in the offseason though... I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone. On to other conversations

I don't get caught up on age at all unless it's close to 30(Weinkie situation), a QB that has taken a beating and/or has a very suspect injury history. I care about ability to play the game and adjust to the NFL. Sam really just doesn't have that at all. It is what it is.

I think we have very, very, very different views on Sam. I am willing to bet he is just simply not in the league in 3 or 4 years. That how far behind he is. His value is so extremely low in the backup QB world.

Yeah, this horse has been beaten enough. I will be glad to see him gone and just move on with our QB carousel to a hopefully better prospect(or prospects).

[bythenbrs]

2 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

The difference is that most coaches have guys that they are familiar with they can get from the free agent pool. Sam isn't going to be a hot commodity on the free agent backup QB market.

We will see but I would be very surprised if he goes quickly or for very much money.

Agree with everything you said.  The rub is that the list of reasonably priced FA QB’s that might be considered starter worthy is fairly thin.  Most would fall into the backup category, which is why they are available FA’s.  Unless you want to break the bank for Carr (please, no), we are picking from a pool that is not really that much better than Sam’s most recent body of work.  Minshew maybe?  Any other budget friendly bridge quarterbacks better than Minshew or Darnold?

“We’re back in the tree, again.”  Timmy, Jurassic Park

[ericr0319]

He already has played himself into a reasonable two year contact. We are not the Texans. This is not a trash team. We are a coach and 3-4 difference makers away from a threat. We play in easily the worst division in football. 

[kungfoodude]

12 minutes ago, bythenbrs said:

Agree with everything you said.  The rub is that the list of reasonably priced FA QB’s that might be considered starter worthy is fairly thin.  Most would fall into the backup category, which is why they are available FA’s.  Unless you want to break the bank for Carr (please, no), we are picking from a pool that is not really that much better than Sam’s most recent body of work.  Minshew maybe?  Any other budget friendly bridge quarterbacks better than Minshew or Darnold?

“We’re back in the tree, again.”  Timmy, Jurassic Park

Minshew is better than Darnold, IMO. Not as talented but takes much better care of the ball, so he would be an option. 

https://overthecap.com/free-agency

There are actually a lot of game managing type QB's that are better than Darnold that should be available. No one that is going to blow your socks off or become the franchise(save maybe Carr or Jackson). Garoppolo may be available so he would probably be the most premium option realistically available but at his price you may as well go after Carr. Then you have a group of game managing QB's like Minshew, Bridgewater, Brissett, etc. A few cheaper, younger higher talent gambles mixed in.

Overall, there will be options available but nome of them particularly stellar outside of Carr or Jackson.