Charlie Casserly thinks a Mike McCoy/Alex Smith combo works in Arizona

[JeffGollin]

That's how bad our QB has been, we now think Alex Smith is the answer. Why is guy who was castoff by a division rival going to be solution to our QB needs? He'd be stopgap at best.

Supply. Demand. Luck. Skill.

As in - You do the best with what's available, roll a few dice on high risk/reward QB's and either have Einstein calling the shots in your FO or have Lady Luck in your Corner.

Other than Warner, nothing has broken our direction in over 2 decades. We've got to either get smarter or luckier.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Supply. Demand. Luck. Skill.

As in - You do the best with what's available, roll a few dice on high risk/reward QB's and either have Einstein calling the shots in your FO or have Lady Luck in your Corner.

Other than Warner, nothing has broken our direction in over 2 decades. We've got to either get smarter or luckier.

I agree that he may be our QB next year. I just don't think we should be all giddy about it. I guess, with Smith, alot will depend of the OC. Smith will be alright in a WCO but that's about it. He's not going to thrive in a vertical passing game.

I don't think we're getting any smarter, so I'm hoping we are luckier.

 

[Goldfield]

I agree that he may be our QB next year. I just don't think we should be all giddy about it. I guess, with Smith, alot will depend of the OC. Smith will be alright in a WCO but that's about it. He's not going to thrive in a vertical passing game.

I don't think we're getting any smarter, so I'm hoping we are luckier.

I don't think Alex Smith is the next great QB. But he is a big upgrade from what we got right now.

He is still young, and it gives us time to find the right QB to draft for the future.

Sign Alex Smith, trade or release Kolb. Sign or draft TWO top notch guards so we can run the ball for once in cardinal history.

That with our D will be pretty good.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I don't think Alex Smith is the next great QB. But he is a big upgrade from what we got right now.

He is still young, and it gives us time to find the right QB to draft for the future.

Sign Alex Smith, trade or release Kolb. Sign or draft TWO top notch guards so we can run the ball for once in cardinal history.

That with our D will be pretty good.

I agree that he's better than SDkelton, Lindley, Hoyer but I don't know if he's an upgrade over a healthy Kolb. I guess it depends on the system.

It's funny that Smith has somehow become a better QB now that he has been benched. Also, once SF releases him this spring, it will be the 3rd time in three years that he will be an UFA and no one has been beating down his door to sign him. That should tell us how much he is thought of as a QB around the league.

 

[PJ1]

I agree that he's better than SDkelton, Lindley, Hoyer but I don't know if he's an upgrade over a healthy Kolb. I guess it depends on the system.

It's funny that Smith has somehow become a better QB now that he has been benched. Also, once SF releases him this spring, it will be the 3rd time in three years that he will be an UFA and no one has been beating down his door to sign him. That should tell us how much he is thought of as a QB around the league.

In fairness Smith was having a heck of a season before he was hurt.

 

[GuernseyCard]

After his last two seasons, I would imagine that Smith won't be short of suitors in a QB starved league..

 

[PDXChris]

After his last two seasons, I would imagine that Smith won't be short of suitors in a QB starved league..

That is a good point.

Here is how I break them down.

Locked In
Aaron Rodgers, GB
Andrew Luck, IND
Andy Dalton, CIN
Ben Roethlisberger, PIT
Cam Newton, CAR
Drew Brees, NO
Eli Manning, NYG
Jay Cutler, CHI
Joe Flacco, BAL
Matt Ryan, ATL
Matt Schaub, HOU
Matthew Stafford, DET
Peyton Manning, DEN
Philip Rivers, SD
Robert Griffin III, WSH
Russell Wilson, SEA
Sam Bradford, STL
Tom Brady, NE

Young Guys Still Being Judges
Brandon Weeden, CLE
Christian Ponder, MIN
Jake Locker, TEN
Colin Kaepernick, SF
Ryan Tannehill, MIA

Will Be Given One More Year
Josh Freeman, TB
Ryan Fitzpatrick, BUF
Tony Romo, DAL

So, that leaves six teams that could be looking for a QB.

The Unknowns/Will or Should be Cut
Matt Cassel, KC
Michael Vick, PHI
Mark Sanchez, JYJ
Blaine Gabbert, JAC
Kevin Kolb, AZ
Carson Palmer, OAK

For those six teams.
KC - Geno Smith?

PHI - If they get Chip Kelly, Vick could be back. They could go with Foles. This is a hard one.

Jets - I think Sanchez gets one more years.

JAC - Tebow time!!!!

AZ - Kolb could back at a reduced rate. We could sign Smith. Either way, we draft a QB early.

OAK - I think they go with Terrelle Pryor and let Palmer back him up.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

In fairness Smith was having a heck of a season before he was hurt.

Agreed. But he's still more of a game manager than anything else. Teams didn't go into games worrying about Alex Smith beating them.

 

[Duckjake]

New England with Matt Cassel 11-5

Kansas City with Matt Cassel 2-14

Is it the QB?

 

[artp]

A Smith would be an improvement over what we have now. We would still have to draft a QB, but we wouldn't have to reach in rd 1

 

[PDXChris]

New England with Matt Cassel 11-5 2008

Kansas City with Matt Cassel 10-5 2010

Kansas City with Matt Cassel 2-14 2012

Is it the QB?

FTFY

 

[Duckjake]

FTFY

So what are you trying to say?

Oh and what game did KC not play in 2010?

 

[PDXChris]

So what are you trying to say?

Oh and what game did KC not play in 2010?

Just showing your point even more. KC is in a bad place right now. No one could win there.

 

[Duckjake]

Just showing your point even more. KC is in a bad place right now. No one could win there.

No kidding. Fire the coach a year after he won the division because he went 7-9 with his star RB missed 14 games and his QB missed 7 and then firing the next guy after one season? Those guys are nuts.

You'd think they'd lost 11 of 12 to end the 2011 season and gone 5-11 for the 2nd time in 3 seasons and had the 3 Stooges playing QB or something.

 

[JeffGollin]

No kidding. Fire the coach a year after he won the division because he went 7-9 with his star RB missed 14 games and his QB missed 7 and then firing the next guy after one season? Those guys are nuts.

You'd think they'd lost 11 of 12 to end the 2011 season and gone 5-11 for the 2nd time in 3 seasons and had the 3 Stooges playing QB or something.

You have to wonder whether a lot of the non-football issues that haunted the Chiefs didn't push management over the edge.

 

[Reddog]

After his last two seasons, I would imagine that Smith won't be short of suitors in a QB starved league..

True and why would we think a division rival would trade him to us for anything short of bending us over?

 

[GuernseyCard]

True and why would we think a division rival would trade him to us for anything short of bending us over?

My view is that they'll put him up for auction, no one will bid and he'll be released to peddle his wares.

 

[Reddog]

My view is that they'll put him up for auction, no one will bid and he'll be released to peddle his wares.

That would be great but as QB starved as this league is, he will be a good option for teams. This article seems to suggest otherwise. If they do as you say it will cost them $2M so if they cut him it would likely be before 3/12. If they keep him to trade that would mean they probably had a deal in place with a trade partner to move him prior to 4/1 when his $7.5M salary is guaranteed. Not sure if that $7.5 would go with the deal and the team would have to renegotiate prior to 4/1 but that might be a factor.

http://www.ninersnation.com/2012/12/11/3752556/alex-smith-contract-trade-release-colin-kaepernick

 

[cardsfanmd]

Behind the best line in the league, Smith's numbers weren't much better than Kolb's when he got knocked out for being stuck behind the worst line in the league. I don't get wtf you guys are excited about.

 

[john h]

Last night on NFL Network, Charlie Casserly said he has heard that Mike McCoy was really close to getting a head coaching job last year and is very highly thought of throughout the league. He said Arizona has made it clear they want an upgrade on the offensive side of the ball and someone who can work with an improve the quarterback situation. In Casserly's opinion, McCoy fits perfectly in Arizona and he also said that Alex Smith would work very well with McCoy.

I know little about McCoy but have read numerous articles that he would be a good fit in Arizona. I would very much like to have Alex Smith and draft a high end QB for starters.
Mcoy or Horton? I have no idea who would be better.

 

[john h]

I am n the Alex Smith band wagon. A solid upgrade at QB for us.

McCoy interests me.

Tje only possible problem is Smith will be wanted by more than one club and he may not want Arizona. Certainly who our HC and GM are will have an effect on his decision.

 

[Zeno]

Behind the best line in the league, Smith's numbers weren't much better than Kolb's when he got knocked out for being stuck behind the worst line in the league. I don't get wtf you guys are excited about.

What?

Smith 70.2% Completion, 8.0 Y/A, 6% TD rate--QB Rating 104
Kolb 59.6 %, 6.5, 4.4% TD Rate--QB Rating 86

I will take a higher completion % (over 10 points higher!), more yards per attempt and a higher TD rate anyday.

Simply enough, Smith would be the third best QB since the franchise moved to Arizona behind Lomax and Warner.

 

[john h]

Back in the day (when I had a strong relationship with a local sportswriter who was nice enough to publish my annual list of All Name and No Name draft prospects - Wonderful Mons still being an all time favorite), he gave me a heads up about the Redskins departing from their tradition of loading their scouting departments with ex-football jocks and, instead, replacing them with bright, analytical, nerdy types.

Casserly was one of those Wunderkind,, and helped to revolutionize personnel evaluation League wide. He probably is enjoying his TV gig too much to go back to a real job, but I bet he'd be good.

Jeff I often wonder if a scout specializes in just lineman,qbs, etc or is he an all purpose scout? A football team is much like any organization. One player may be all pro on one team and just an average guy on another team depending on the schemes used, the coaches, the chemistry, etc. If you are a scout and only specialize in lineman you really need to understand how the guys you evaluate fit into your scheme and your particular team. One guy may be a college all American and be great at the combine but on your team he may not fit what you need. When the big purge came I hope they more or less started over with scouts as we have a lousy history. I have been in organizations that were superb and individually our guys were just average or above. They just happened to fit together perfectly. One guys weakness was another guys strengths. Then I have been in organizations where it seemed all the guys were superstars. Unfortunately they did not work together very well and we were just an average group. I would think football in some sense must work much like that. With all the changes we are making this is our once in a lifetime chance to turn this boat around.

 

[JeffGollin]

Jeff I often wonder if a scout specializes in just lineman,qbs, etc or is he an all purpose scout? A football team is much like any organization. One player may be all pro on one team and just an average guy on another team depending on the schemes used, the coaches, the chemistry, etc. If you are a scout and only specialize in lineman you really need to understand how the guys you evaluate fit into your scheme and your particular team. One guy may be a college all American and be great at the combine but on your team he may not fit what you need. When the big purge came I hope they more or less started over with scouts as we have a lousy history. I have been in organizations that were superb and individually our guys were just average or above. They just happened to fit together perfectly. One guys weakness was another guys strengths. Then I have been in organizations where it seemed all the guys were superstars. Unfortunately they did not work together very well and we were just an average group. I would think football in some sense must work much like that. With all the changes we are making this is our once in a lifetime chance to turn this boat around.

Short answer - I don't know.

I don't know how the scouting dept. is organized. I don't know if there's specialization by position or (more likely) specialization by region (so that personal relations between scout and college coaches can be cultivated. I don't know whether there's cross-discipline among 2 or more scouts in order to get more than one opinion on a prospect. And we can only suspect - based on outcomes - whether or staff "does linebackers good" or "sucks at evaluating QB's" let alone which individual scouts are best or worst at recommending or not recommending specific players.

I do agree that this is the perfect time for holding members of the scouting dept. accountable and shaking up the staff, but not at the expense of sweeping out good people with too broad a broom. And, as fans peering in from the outside, how are we to know who's been bad or good?

 

[cardsfanmd]

What?

Smith 70.2% Completion, 8.0 Y/A, 6% TD rate--QB Rating 104
Kolb 59.6 %, 6.5, 4.4% TD Rate--QB Rating 86

I will take a higher completion % (over 10 points higher!), more yards per attempt and a higher TD rate anyday.

So the fact that Smith had ALL EFFING DAY to throw and a great running attack keeping defenses honest, accounts for nothing? We were 4-2 with Kolb and he took us down the field repeatedly in the 4th quarter against St. Louis. The o-line single-handedly lost that game.

Simply enough, Smith would be the third best QB since the franchise moved to Arizona behind Lomax and Warner.

That's debatable but, even if it were factual, so what? Ken Whisenhunt is the best coach in team history and what are your thoughts on him leading the team in '13?