New Backup QB?

Funny, I recently stopped following one of the better Steelers beat writers because his twitter feed is interspersed with political agendas..... I voiced my opinion and got blocked, so I cancelled my subscription..... Sports and Politics don't mix. Sports is my vacation from daily drama.

 

I don't really see a better option than Jones in the short term. We are still a couple years away from a Ben replacement I'd say, and the chances that a rookie mid-late round pick is better than Jones as a rookie are pretty slim.

IMO we'd be best served staying pat with LJ if he'd be okay accepting a shorter term deal. We'd draft Ben's replacement the year before we think 7 is going to retire and "red shirt" the rook while LJ plays out his last year of his back up deal. Then in year two, said high draft choice from the year prior takes over and we decide what type of back up we want behind him (ideally a veteran with starting experience but the starter game has kinda passed him by). Very much a Charlie Batch/Jon Kitna/Ryan Fitzpatrick/Matt Shaub type. Whoever fits the bill at that time.

Again this is something I think we are over thinking. An upgrade at this position is going to be hard to come by and Landry has become a more than adequate back up QB. Draft is a crap shoot in the rounds we'd be selecting and chances of success are very slim (we'd likely regress at the position going this route). A high end FA back up is likely out of our price range when we sign our two studs AB and Bell and address our other roster needs...

Just ink LJ to a short term deal if we can make the money work

 

Wow someone disagreed about my opinion of my country over my football team.....and with no comment, big surprise.

 

Fer69 is kind of getting a rep for disagreeing without commentary. But, it's a free country. Kap can kneel during the Anthem and fer69 can disagree without comment, lol.

 

You all seem to be of the impression that LJ has to do a take it or leave it contract here, truth is free agency begins march 7 and there will be teams interested in signing LJ which is going to raise the price on signing him here, yes he will get offers to start for other teams to your shock, he isnt the castaway you all think he is:

When does NFL free agency begin in 2017?
March 7-9 is an open window for teams to start contract talks with unrestricted free agents. This time is uniformally known as the "Legal Tampering Period" since teams are allowed to speak with players from other teams:

 

I am fine with the free country stuff but I just like to know what people disagree about.....oh well probably best I don't know cause this is a football board and it should stay that way, jmo.

 

I am one that really don't want LJ back cause I don't feel he isn't worth that kind of money so I am fine with him looking and getting bigger money elsewhere. I do like the fact he know our system but anything IMO over 1.5 mil is way to much for him. I feel we can get the same results with ZM at 700k as we can with LJ at 2-3 mil. Either way if Ben goes down we aren't going far so why spend the extra money on LJ, give it to Villy or a vet RB, or a FA ILB, S, or CB........jmo.

 

I have to say I haven't seen this kind of hate for a steeler QB since Tommy Maddox was here:

http://www.steelcityunderground.com/2017/02/21/4-reasons-landry-jones-will-bens-backup-2017/

 

Diamond if I am coming off as hateful I am sorry cause I don't mean to I just don't feel LJ is worth 2-3 mil. If you were to tell me right now we can sign LJ for 3 more years at 1.5 mil per I would be all for it. I like the fact that he come a long ways and that he knows the system but I am not confident that if Ben went down that LJ could lead the way. With that said why pay for a guy who I feel can't lead us to the next step, I know the Steelers feel different and that is fine. This is JMO I am not trying to be hateful.....

 

I'm happy with LJ as a back up. But that is all he is. For a guy who has been in the league for 4 years he still has a deer in the headlights look and shows no confidence. That isn't starter material.

That doesn't mean some team like Cleveland might loose all common sense and sign him to starter money.

 

Well with our starting QB getting ready to retire either soon or at the end of the season we actually need a bu who might be full time starter capable in the near future...All our QB'S not named Ben should be purged they will never be good starters so might as well add some new blood to the spot ans stop wasting time.....

 

I was looking at some QB's and honestly there are a few out there I would bring in or at least take a chance on. I am pretty sure the Steelers feel different and are going to give Landry Jones the 3 mil he wants and that is fine, I don't like it but I understand.

Blaine Gabbert, 27 years old, Former first rounder who has starting experience however has not had much success and seams to be getting worse each year. Is it cause the teams he is on or is it cause he sucks, IDK but if the price is right I wouldn't mind seeing him behind Ben

Matt Barkley 26 years old, Another one here who has been on a bad team but a stat that stuck out to me is of his 4 starts he threw over 300 yards twice. Still young and has shown talent again another one I feel is all about the money.

Ryan Nassib 27 years old, not a whole lot of pro experience but sat behind Eli and was had to learn a bunch. I watched this kid at Cuse and he played well with below average players. Was coached by Doug Marrone which I like a lot, another guy who I feel could come cheap but has a lot of talent.

Now these are all unproven players but lets face it we are looking for a back up with talent who may be needed for a little more depending on injury. I looked back on when we got Batch and he came off a very bad season in which he was 0-9 as a starter and threw for 2392 yds with 12td-12int's. He was only 27 years old when he came here and went on to play 8 years for us in what I feel was a pretty good career for us as a back up. Maybe I am trying to catch lightning in a bottle again with one of these guys IDK but these are guys IMO I would be interested in.

Now people can point out the same for Landry and that's fine that is your right to feel that way but I don't based on two things. #1 the amount of money he will cost us, yes Blast it keeps coming back to that, lol the other thing is the fact that I am not sure he has an upside that can ever be more than a back up, jmo. I know in the end the Steelers will sign him and really does it matter who we have cause in the end without Ben can we win it all??????

 

Those guys aren't any better than Landry, Barkley was a turnover machine in Chicago last season.

 

I am not saying they are better and I am not saying they are worse, what I am saying is they are still young and maybe put behind Ben and on a good team they could turn into what he had with Batch. What I am saying is these guy have shown talent and are still young enough to be turned into a good backup at a lower price then we are looking at giving LJ. 3 mil for LJ and most people know that if Ben goes down we are screwed so why pay 3 mil to lose? JMO

 

Blast this is why I am so against paying 3 mil for LJ, I know there is a drop off so why pay 3 mil for a drop off when we already have that with ZM at 700k? Also I thought ZM was brought in to take over for when LJ left but I guess that is not the case. Also why in my other post I mentioned the other 3 guys cause I don't want to pay 3 mil for a backup.

 

ZM was brought in because we didn't have a number 3, and he seemed a good call.

It hasnt paid dividends to date, but maybe he can do more with a full training camp and preseason.

Agree that 3m is high for Jones, but the market for back ups is thin. I wouldn't be against bringing Barkley in for a look.

 

Why bring him in for a look, his 4 year career stats tells it all, he has played in 11 games not all starts and he has 8 TDs and 18 interceptions.........

 

I can't disagree with the stats but with that thinking Batch would have never been brought in here. I am a big believer that system and environment is big in a players development, will Barkley be a Ben no but could he end up being a Batch? I feel he has as much chance as LJ and if he is a lot cheaper I am all for it. jmo

 

If Arians cut him after 1 season I dont see any upside for him, and he was pretty bad in his 6 starts with the bears, in week 16 he threw 5 picks with 2 TDs against the skins I think he won 1 game out of 6, and I was a fan of matts at USC....

 

Screwed both ways but more if Ben goes down long term. Can LJ work for 1-2 game maybe but so can a number of other people, imo. I feel with the talent on this team the the experience of this coaching staff you and I should be able to step in and get us a win or two.....well maybe not you and I but you get where I am coming from.

1-2 mil is not peanuts, this is the 1st year I can remember us not having cap issues but still every dollar is gotta count if we are in a win now mode for the next 2-3 years, jmo.

How do you know of these names there isn't a Batch there and yes how do I know these is. I will say this without Ben it really don't matter long term so we are talking a small sample of games. These are NFL caliber players if we can't get a win out of Gabbert, Barkley, ZM or Nassib with the talent he have on this team we are screwed. All of which shouldn't cost us 3 mil. jmo.