AAron will be talking to the Steelers today

And there is no such thing as a 4 year window

You are wrong there as well

 

He is a bench quarterback, he never in the NFL had a starting job, never was named the starter for a season, never took all starter reps in preseason and offseason. Never was the starter. Never was trained to be the starter. Was not the starter. He came off the bench when the starter was hurt in relief. Don't be thick.

 

Yes there is. You are wrong. It is a contract business, for multiple years for starting QBs.
QBs are hired to start either as draft picks with 4 year contract, or at negotiating table. They get their starting role for those years and after those years you evaluate whether they gave the team a chance to compete for SB or, and then you extend them or not.
It's not a Tomlin's one year, or a few games plan. A QB needs all the starter reps, they are precious, and years of playing experience with the team is precious, QB needs all that to accomplish what he is hired to do. Evaluation is at the end of the contract.

 

Mason was the starter for the rest of the season in 2019 when Ben was out for the rest of the year after 2 week but he was awful,so much he was benched for the Duck...Mason was playing with house money at the end of 2023,I don't think he can be a good starter and this is him the clear cut starter....Without the steelers he would be in the CFL at this point

 

Well, he started a playoff game and lost... so he's 9-9-1 in his career as a starter. Perfect .500.

That is about as good as we can expect from a season where Mason starts. He's probably better than Russ was to end the year. If the defense plays well we can win some games, maybe even make the playoffs. We aren't likely to win a playoff game though. Weirder things have happened. Geno Smith became a full time starter for the first time in 2022 (after failing in two seasons with the Jets to start his career) at 32 years old. Mason is younger than that. Now, I am not saying that is what I expect to happen (I do not)... but you never know.

I'd almost rather find out with Mason this year, and if he sucks throw Howard out there to see if he sinks or swims. It will tell us pretty quick what we need to do in 2026 in the first round of the draft. The team around the QB is actually a good roster. Decent QB play will win us plenty of games this year.

 

So the Browns should have given Johnny Manziel a 4 year window, the Bengals given Akili Smith a 4 year window, the Chargers given Ryan Leaf a 4 year window and the Raiders given Jamarcus Russell a 4 year window. No when you see a QB sucks you put him on the bench or cut him.

 

They should not had drafted Manziel because Manziel was not ready to start because he was a poor decision maker. He needed to be trained in that. He threw too many picks and put the ball in harms way too much. And he did not have physical attributes to overcome those deficiencies, 6-0 207, he is smallish for NFL QB,
That is not the type of QB you draft in first round or any round to start and train to take you to SB, coming out of college. It's a poor decision.

So, first you need to draft a QB who is worthy of a chance to compete for SB coming out of college. You cannot draft QB who is not worthy of that chance like Manziel.

Mason was worthy just like Big Ben coming out. Just like Will Howard coming out.
Stats in last season of college, the thesis year:

Ben 6-5 241: 14 G, 495 attempts. 69%, 4486, 37TD, 10 INT
Mason: 6-5 235: 13 G, 489 attempts, 65%, 4904, 37TD, 9 INT, 24 SK
Howard 6-4 236: 17 G, 423 attempts, 73%, 4010, 35 TD, 10 INT, 14 SK National Champ

This is good, this is starting quarterback frame and production in thesis year, first round. They can run the offense. You can give them the starting job. Not Manziel:

Manziel 6-0, 207: 13G, 429 attempts, 70%, 4114, 37 TD, 13 INT, 19 SK