ESPN | If Jimmy Clausen slips, look for Cards to make move

[dreamcastrocks]

If he's there at #26, we have the ultimate trade down tool in this draft. Let's find out what we really have in OUR FIRST ROUND QB PICK before heading in this direction, particularly with the needs we have on "D".

I understand this logic, but I'm sure a team like the Rams would be calling to people by the time he reached 20 to come back in and grab him, assuming that they grab Suh. I'm sure he would be traded and selected for someone else before 26 anyway.

 

[Stout]

If he's there at #26, we have the ultimate trade down tool in this draft. Let's find out what we really have in OUR FIRST ROUND QB PICK before heading in this direction, particularly with the needs we have on "D".

Winner winner, chicken dinner! If the guys I don't like for us aren't there at 26, I want us to trade down. This would make that an ideal scenario.

FTR, these are the guys that I'd really want us to grab:

McClain
Weatherspoon
Mt. Cody
Graham

I only include graham because he's the only one that I really, REALLY like at OLB, and I don't really see us going OLB early if at all. He'd be the one guy I wouldn't want us to pass on, though.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Offcourse, i was saying that as IMO, not a general statement. That should be the case for any post telling anything about the future. That is given and does not need to be said every time you post.

And no, not everybody thought that we upgraded when we drafted Leinart. I certainly did not, and thought it was a waste of a pick and we had a HOF QB and did not need anyone else at the time. That turned out to be correct. When Matt Ryan was there, i wanted to trade up and get him. He certainly would be great to have now, as much as we all like DRC. A QB is just much more important.

As for Clausen, offcourse nothing is given now, and we will see what happens. It's just my prediction and my opinion/guess that he even in his first year will be better than both Leinart and Anderson.

Well, that was certainly prescient. I know of no one else who described Warner a HOF QB at that time.

 

[vinnymac]

imo, the cardinals need o-linemen. I am more than happy with Leinart & Anderson.

 

[Monty]

If Clausen is there at #26 ill eat several of my shoes.

 

[187]

I have a tip:

Do not listen to ESPN's NFL 'analysts' talking about trades (except for Adam Schefter he is legit, I'm talking about the talking heads who come up with BS rumors), the draft, etc. I try to stick with NFL Network for NFL news, ESPN is a joke.

 

[Early]

Mullli - I am offcourse not sure. But I do believe in it. I have watched him alot as well, and i would like to hear what he lacks in his game? Because it's hard to point that out.

Dreamc - I didn't knew, but I did believed in that. I never liked Matt Leinart, his personality especially. It is not the one you want in the pro game. He never seemed mature enough and he still does not. It's just matter of time till he collapses, and he even has as a backup several times last season. We even needed to pull him out...as a backup where he was set with a huge lead... in two games... You see that very rare arround the league.. I never had the feeling he was going to be a great NFL QB. I may be wrong, he may still turn into a great one, he has plenty of good things as well in his game, but like at the time he was drafted, I just do not believe in that. Warner was one of the greatest QB's to ever play in postseason, his time with the Rams prove that. It was a show. Obviously, he knew how to play and he had and still has the best personality that you can ask for, toughness, he just needed to get back and be healthy as well. I believed that if that could happen, he would make a show with these recievers just like he did in St.Louis. And it did happen. It could have gone wrong with his health, but we were lucky there i guess.

Crazy C - Well, he was not at that time, but he certainly is considered now. Obviously we made a mistake drafting ML. If we really believed he was the one, we never would have invested big money in a "backup" QB in DA.

Looking in retrospect, it would also have made sense to trade up for Matt Ryan to be KW's replacement. At the time it made zero sense to most people i guess. He certainly is alot better than Leinart if you comapare their performance so far. And he seems much more of a leader.

Here you have Bradford and Clausen that you could trade up for. I love Bradford's touch and accuracy. He throws soft accurate balls even on difficult routes. He has all the accuracy to be a great NFL QB. The thing i don't like about him is that he telegraphs his throw way too often. You don't see him play with the defense with his eyes. That's where Clausen is superior to him. He reads the game better, that allows him to one step ahead and play with his eyes as well. He also has better mechanics in dropping back, on 5 and 7 step drops, and he has a better hitch step, the way he steps up into his throw. Compared to other people that question Clausen's personality, I think that is misleading and he is confident in himself. That can give some wrong signals to some people, but in reality he works hard and believes in himself. There is a huge difference between that and off-field issues. Phillip Rivers has much of that as well, and he is doing fine. I think both these QB's will eventually be good,maybe not the first year necessary, but they are too good to pass on for a team that has huge issues on the position.


I don't see us having a great season without a great QB. It's as simple as that. If we can get a great franchise QB as Warner was, or just half of that, i'm willing to spend all the picks in draft. Trading up 15 spots and giving a 3rd rounder to select a franchise QB that i believe in, is no big deal, makes all the sense in the world. It's just about picking the right guys you believe in, that's what draft is all about. Not where you pick them. Just get them on your team.

Just look on the teams that were in playoffs last year. They all have a great QB. Succes right now, more than ever, is dictated by great QB play. ML has not showed great QB play so far, if he had, i wouldn't be as worried as I currently am. He still has a slim chance, i'm not denying that. But heck, so does Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford as well, and I feel that chance is alot bigger. Personal opinion.

 

[bg7brd]

Clausen won't make it near pick 26.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Crazy C - Well, he was not at that time, but he certainly is considered now. Obviously we made a mistake drafting ML. If we really believed he was the one, we never would have invested big money in a "backup" QB in DA.

Who are the "we" you reference. Your not speaking for me, and many others.

What is obvious to you is not necessarily shared.

As for "backups" you get what you pay for, and the obvious hope is that if the need arises DA can come in and lead the team to victory.

To read anything more than that, at this point, is just an expression of your bias.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

This draft class for QB's is pretty bad overall. You have Bradford and then everyone else. Just because Clausen may be the 2nd best QB in a horrible QB class does not make him a great prospect. If Sanchez and Stafford were in this class, i doubt you'd even hear mention of Clausen going in round 1. Seattle was sitting in a prime spot to draft Clausen if they wanted and they decided on Whitehust. Colt McCoy,in most drafts, would be 3rd-4th round QB and he may go in round 2. This is a very good overall draft class just not for QB's.

 

[Early]

CC - It's defenitely my opinion, I have stated that numerous times throughout my post. I have no proof of that, I just post what I think and my guesses. It's a forum, and everything you post about the future will be a guess. It's given. In fact, people making decisions within the franchise, are also guessing.

As for the statement above, it was written in context of Matt Ryan, Flacco, etc. There are QB's that have done alot more on the field early on than Leinart has. So obviously so far there are some facts that show we haven't got the best franchise QB in the league. Some low round backups have shown more ability to score TD's than ML. That's bad.

Teams that have settled QB position in terms of franchise QB's, they do not spend big money on backups for "just in case". They draft low round picks so they can learn. They invest their money in other positions because they know they have a great leader at QB.

We on other hand invest big money in backup QB. So the Cardinals (as i refer to we, since that is the franchise i follow and we are talking about) think that Leinart is the next Peyton Manning, and that's the reason to invest so much money in a backup? I don't think so. There are huge questions here, and it is very very very concerning. If it was the SILB position, i wouldn't be that worried. It's the QB. That's the heart and soul of the football team, especially in the recent days of almost pure air game arround the NFL.

 

[dogpoo32]

CC - It's defenitely my opinion, I have stated that numerous times throughout my post. I have no proof of that, I just post what I think and my guesses. It's a forum, and everything you post about the future will be a guess. It's given. In fact, people making decisions within the franchise, are also guessing.

As for the statement above, it was written in context of Matt Ryan, Flacco, etc. There are QB's that have done alot more on the field early on than Leinart has. So obviously so far there are some facts that show we haven't got the best franchise QB in the league. Some low round backups have shown more ability to score TD's than ML. That's bad.

Teams that have settled QB position in terms of franchise QB's, they do not spend big money on backups for "just in case". They draft low round picks so they can learn. They invest their money in other positions because they know they have a great leader at QB.

We on other hand invest big money in backup QB. So the Cardinals (as i refer to we, since that is the franchise i follow and we are talking about) think that Leinart is the next Peyton Manning, and that's the reason to invest so much money in a backup? I don't think so. There are huge questions here, and it is very very very concerning. If it was the SILB position, i wouldn't be that worried. It's the QB. That's the heart and soul of the football team, especially in the recent days of almost pure air game arround the NFL.

Flacco and Ryan had better running games than ML did. I think this is extremely helpful to a young QB. Look at how it helped Mark Sanchez last year. I think Matt will be fine with a balanced attack.

 

[Shzm13]

This draft class for QB's is pretty bad overall. You have Bradford and then everyone else. Just because Clausen may be the 2nd best QB in a horrible QB class does not make him a great prospect. If Sanchez and Stafford were in this class, i doubt you'd even hear mention of Clausen going in round 1. Seattle was sitting in a prime spot to draft Clausen if they wanted and they decided on Whitehust. Colt McCoy,in most drafts, would be 3rd-4th round QB and he may go in round 2. This is a very good overall draft class just not for QB's.

+1

 

[Early]

Flacco and Ryan had better running games than ML did. I think this is extremely helpful to a young QB. Look at how it helped Mark Sanchez last year. I think Matt will be fine with a balanced attack.

ML has arguably one of the best reciever group of all time. Falcons and Ravens do not have that. He has two potential HOF WR's. It's also a big factor to consider. We can go on in details, with O-Line, offensive coordinators etc etc etc, there are dozen of factors to consider in addition to rungames, and we won't get a clear answer.

But the thing is that ML could not score TD's with a receiving group like that. That is horrible, no matter how you look at it. He has more INT's than TD's.

Even coming in a game with a huge lead, he can't seal the victory. He can't score consistently, that's a pure fact, and nowhere near a guess.

Our offense needs to score +20 points every game to win, with that defense and Davis as playcaller. Do you really think we got a chance with ML, will he put upa show? We need someone that can score and that is not afraid to play.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

CC - It's defenitely my opinion, I have stated that numerous times throughout my post. I have no proof of that, I just post what I think and my guesses. It's a forum, and everything you post about the future will be a guess. It's given. In fact, people making decisions within the franchise, are also guessing.

As for the statement above, it was written in context of Matt Ryan, Flacco, etc. There are QB's that have done alot more on the field early on than Leinart has. So obviously so far there are some facts that show we haven't got the best franchise QB in the league. Some low round backups have shown more ability to score TD's than ML. That's bad.

Teams that have settled QB position in terms of franchise QB's, they do not spend big money on backups for "just in case". They draft low round picks so they can learn. They invest their money in other positions because they know they have a great leader at QB.

We on other hand invest big money in backup QB. So the Cardinals (as i refer to we, since that is the franchise i follow and we are talking about) think that Leinart is the next Peyton Manning, and that's the reason to invest so much money in a backup? I don't think so. There are huge questions here, and it is very very very concerning. If it was the SILB position, i wouldn't be that worried. It's the QB. That's the heart and soul of the football team, especially in the recent days of almost pure air game arround the NFL.

1) The difference between your "guesses" (and mine) and those made by the FO - is that theirs are "educated" guesses.

2) Given a choice between paying extra for an experienced backup, and considerably less for the BSP's of the football world... is simply a smart contingency plan.

3) We are going into the season with Matt at the helm, Anderson as the backup, and possibly a developmental rookie at no. 3. This is the reality of the situation, and it strikes me as very, very, very "Early" to worry before the first down has even been played.

 

[Stout]

I have a tip:

Do not listen to ESPN's NFL 'analysts' talking about trades (except for Adam Schefter he is legit, I'm talking about the talking heads who come up with BS rumors), the draft, etc. I try to stick with NFL Network for NFL news, ESPN is a joke.

Yeah, they had Herm Edwards dancing all over their sets yesterday saying the Whiners should trade for both McNabb and Marshall as if it was a 'duh' situation. Yeah, lay down the crack pipe, Herm.

 

[FrustratedFan04]

If he's there at #26, we have the ultimate trade down tool in this draft. Let's find out what we really have in OUR FIRST ROUND QB PICK before heading in this direction, particularly with the needs we have on "D".

Exactly!

 

[PoolBoy]

i had a nightmare last night that we took Clausen. woke up very scared.

 

[Russ Smith]

I'm not a Clausen fan at all. First of all off the field the kid was a complete idiot from his pulling up in a limo to announce his college choice, to his bizarre hairdos, to his alcohol problems at Notre Dame. Let's remember a 19 year old Clausen and a buddy getting caught trying to have a 23 year old buy them 2 bottles of vodka 1 bottle of whiskey and 30 cans of beer and because he was the QB he wasn't expelled from school. Then a few months later he was caught when pics of him participating in the "Beer olympics" appeared on a ND area website with 2 teammates all 3 of them still underage and drinking. now I know he's not the first underage kid in history to drink while in college, but given all the complaints over the years about Leinart's lack of maturity do people really want to draft Jimmy Clausen to replace him?

While I'm at it, this is the same kid who had elbow surgery prior to his arrival at Notre Dame, on his throwing arm, and didn't tell anybody at ND until his dad accidentally let the cat out of the bag disclosing his son had a chronic elbow problem and had to have surgery.

All that aside, he's not a very good QB imho, he's very inaccurate, he's a jump ball QB, it works in college when you have good big WR's, it works with Fitz, but in general he's just not very good IMHO.

 

[Russ Smith]

Just look on the teams that were in playoffs last year. They all have a great QB. Succes right now, more than ever, is dictated by great QB play. ML has not showed great QB play so far, if he had, i wouldn't be as worried as I currently am. He still has a slim chance, i'm not denying that. But heck, so does Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford as well, and I feel that chance is alot bigger. Personal opinion.

But how can you talk about Leinart's immaturity and then suggest you'd be ok with us taking Clausen?

The only difference between Leinart's behavior and Clausens is that Clausen didn't go to USC where that type of behavior is not only common it's almost encouraged. At Notre Dame merely drinking alcohol is a violation subject to expulsion from school for an underage kid, Clausen got in trouble with that twice while in school. Fighting, last year after a game he got in a fight outside a bar and wound up with a black eye. Again, not the first college kid to get a black eye in a bar fight, but most of them aren't the starting QB at Notre Dame and months away from the NFL draft.

Jimmy Clausen is a train wreck waiting to happen IMHO. and he's just not a very good QB.

 

[TJ]

i had a nightmare last night that we took Clausen. woke up very scared.

I had the same nightmare, except McClain was available too and we passed on him for Clausen.

 

[overseascardfan]

I'm not a Clausen fan at all. First of all off the field the kid was a complete idiot from his pulling up in a limo to announce his college choice, to his bizarre hairdos, to his alcohol problems at Notre Dame. Let's remember a 19 year old Clausen and a buddy getting caught trying to have a 23 year old buy them 2 bottles of vodka 1 bottle of whiskey and 30 cans of beer and because he was the QB he wasn't expelled from school. Then a few months later he was caught when pics of him participating in the "Beer olympics" appeared on a ND area website with 2 teammates all 3 of them still underage and drinking. now I know he's not the first underage kid in history to drink while in college, but given all the complaints over the years about Leinart's lack of maturity do people really want to draft Jimmy Clausen to replace him?

While I'm at it, this is the same kid who had elbow surgery prior to his arrival at Notre Dame, on his throwing arm, and didn't tell anybody at ND until his dad accidentally let the cat out of the bag disclosing his son had a chronic elbow problem and had to have surgery.

All that aside, he's not a very good QB imho, he's very inaccurate, he's a jump ball QB, it works in college when you have good big WR's, it works with Fitz, but in general he's just not very good IMHO.

If he's there at #26, I say let some desperate GM overpay us for him.

 

[Zeno]

But how can you talk about Leinart's immaturity and then suggest you'd be ok with us taking Clausen?

The only difference between Leinart's behavior and Clausens is that Clausen didn't go to USC where that type of behavior is not only common it's almost encouraged. At Notre Dame merely drinking alcohol is a violation subject to expulsion from school for an underage kid, Clausen got in trouble with that twice while in school. Fighting, last year after a game he got in a fight outside a bar and wound up with a black eye. Again, not the first college kid to get a black eye in a bar fight, but most of them aren't the starting QB at Notre Dame and months away from the NFL draft.

Jimmy Clausen is a train wreck waiting to happen IMHO. and he's just not a very good QB.

I couldn't agree more with that last part.

 

[Early]

I'm not a Clausen fan at all. First of all off the field the kid was a complete idiot from his pulling up in a limo to announce his college choice, to his bizarre hairdos, to his alcohol problems at Notre Dame. Let's remember a 19 year old Clausen and a buddy getting caught trying to have a 23 year old buy them 2 bottles of vodka 1 bottle of whiskey and 30 cans of beer and because he was the QB he wasn't expelled from school. Then a few months later he was caught when pics of him participating in the "Beer olympics" appeared on a ND area website with 2 teammates all 3 of them still underage and drinking. now I know he's not the first underage kid in history to drink while in college, but given all the complaints over the years about Leinart's lack of maturity do people really want to draft Jimmy Clausen to replace him?

While I'm at it, this is the same kid who had elbow surgery prior to his arrival at Notre Dame, on his throwing arm, and didn't tell anybody at ND until his dad accidentally let the cat out of the bag disclosing his son had a chronic elbow problem and had to have surgery.

All that aside, he's not a very good QB imho, he's very inaccurate, he's a jump ball QB, it works in college when you have good big WR's, it works with Fitz, but in general he's just not very good IMHO.

I have alot of issues with immaturity. Drinking alcohol when you are 19 is nothing strange, I would encourage that for everyone, I don't consider that as immature at all. It is something you have to try at this period of your life. It's a period when you transform into a man and that must involve some alcohol. If you think that's a different story for some of the greatest QB's in pro football, I think you are wrong. Not all of them got caught though in same way. There is nothing in this story that suggest he will be an alcoholic from now on.

Here, you mention him getting drunk twice. Wow, what a big deal for a college student. He certainly will be a bust because he was out drinking twice.

I don't think getting drunk is the problem. Getting drunk an doing this type of behaviour is the problem, that probably shows more that you have a very soft immature side in you: http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/9396/mattleinart.jpg. I would wish Matt was involved in a fight, rather than doing this, maybe it could make him tougher.

I don't think your story describes any soft and immature side in Jimmy Clausen. Cocky yes, but I do want a self confident QB, one that can stand up to a fight. Phillip Rivers is like that sometimes, Peyton Manning is like that as well at times on the field. Being confident in yourself is part of the QB job. Not being afraid to take mistakes and lead on the field. Protecting the ball and being scared of playing is soft. Reflecting your personality indeed.

ML always seemed soft to me and that was my problem with the kid. I don't see any softness in Clausen, I see the complete opposite. Now, his self confidence can get him in trouble later on, off the field. And that is a concern, I don't deny that. But self confidence can only be a positive trait on the field. He can stand up and fight.

Clausen, a jump ball QB? The deep balls he threw to Tate are jump balls? Tate is 5-11.... I wish you could look at them again, because he was consistently showing an extreme touch down the field where only Tate could catch it. And even some that look like "jumpballs" are much more easier to catch for WR than they are for the CB. KW has that ability as well, to place the "jumpball" so that the WR has a huge advantage. It's a throw that is wanted in Cardinals offense as well by the way. The accurate jumpball.

You said that he is inaccurate. Can you make any examples because It's difficult for me to find some? I defenitely think Bradford has superior accuracy, but Clausen is accurate enough.

The following is a good read on Clausen:

http://walterfootball.com/jimmyclausenhate.php

http://walterfootball.com/draftinterview_jimmyclausen.php

 

[BullheadCardFan]

I had the same nightmare, except McClain was available too and we passed on him for Clausen.

Sounds like it's going to be a long 3 weeks to the draft for you guys.