Light at the End of the Tunnel
by Dave Cariello on Apr 14, 2010 6:00 AM CDT
Email
PrintSince March of 2006, Drew Brees has been the starting quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. No questions about that. But in that same span of time, the team has brought in twelve different quarterbacks to work behind Drew, not including Adrian McPherson who was already on the roster. That's an average of three new quarterbacks a season. Some spent a little time in New Orleans, many barely lasted a week and only two - Jamie Martin and Mark Brunell - have completed more than one season. Check out the list:
| Player | Date Signed | Final Day with Team |
| Jamie Martin | 05/01/2006 | End of 2007 |
| Joel Klatt | 05/22/2006 | 06/13/2006 |
| Bruce Eugene | 05/02/2006 | 06/19/2006 |
| Jason Fife | 09/01/2006 | 8/26/07 |
| Tyler Palko | 05/02/07 | End of 2007 |
| Matt Baker | 08/07/07 | 8/21/07 |
| Mark Brunell | 03/17/08 | ? |
| T.C. Ostrander | 05/05/08 | 05/13/08 |
| Travis Lulay | 05/13/2008 | 07/18/2008 |
| Joey Harrington | 09/19/2008 | 09/05/2009 |
| Patrick Cowan | 05/04/2009 | 05/27/2009 |
| Chase Daniel | 09/07/2009 | ? |
The Saints have tried young hopefuls with plenty of potential, past-their-prime veterans with abundant experience and everything in between but nobody has really stuck. So far that's been fine because they've never been needed other than a pointless late-season game or some meaningless hand-offs in the fourth quarter of a blowout. And Brees is still young with (hopefully) quite a few more great years in him; the need to start thinking about grooming a successor hasn't been high priority.
It seems that door may keep revolving next season as Mark Brunell, who was obviously not the quarterback of the future, might be gone this off-season. He has been seeking greener pastures with the NY Jets. Therefore, his role as backup quarterback will probably be up for grabs. But who would take his place and will they be the first player to put an end to this quarterback carousel?
Perhaps we're supposed to believe that Chase Daniel is the answer. He's lasted an entire year, surely that's a good sign. But I was always taught that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it; based on Sean Payton's track record of discarding young quarterbacks like empty crawfish tails, I won't hold my breath for that possibility. We don't seem to hear much about Daniel and we've never seen him play so he could either be another quarterback in a long line of Sean Payton's failed experiments or the first young player the Saints have ever kept around long enough to learn a thing or two from Brees. Hopefully the latter.
That's assuming he wins out the battle during training camp of course. No telling who his competition would be. Former Tulane slinger Patrick Ramsey appears to be a possible candidate but is someone whose only thrown 52 passes in the last four years really going to be the answer? As a nine year veteran, he's certainly not a long term solution.
The Saints could draft a quarterback in a late round of the draft if there is someone Payton falls in love with but more than likely the they'll just bring in a couple of undrafted free agents like they do every May just to see what sticks and then wind up getting rid of them the following week.
As it has been since Sean Payton took over this team, the Saints are mediocre at best in the quarterback department should something awful happen to our fearless leader, Drew. It would be nice if the team could find someone equal parts talented and trustworthy to consistently handle Brees' understudy duties year in and year out. Right now, it's hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
What do you think? What is the future of this team, both short and long term, at the backup quarterback position?
48 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I wouldn't mind adding Thigpen or Pennington for #2
…if, as it looks, MIami will have to drop one of them. I dont think Chase is the long term answer
"Saints don't commit sins, they exorcise demons. The NFL most accurate passer was preaching, and the league MVP watched as the Game MVP delivered an impressive sermon"
Dolphins seem to want to trade for picks
Yahoo is saying that the whole team is pretty much on the trading block if you want to offer the right amount of draft picks. I don’t think they’ll be cutting anybody until they know they can’t get anything for them but Thigpen looks to be the odd man out.
"I want to hand this trophy to the MVP of the Super Bowl -- and the MVP of the entire league.''
-- Saints coach Sean Payton, handing the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Drew Brees after Super Bowl 44.
And it appears the phins need for picks just got even bigger
They are giving up a 2010 2nd round pick and a 2011 2nd round pick for Brandon Marshall.
"I want to hand this trophy to the MVP of the Super Bowl -- and the MVP of the entire league.''
-- Saints coach Sean Payton, handing the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Drew Brees after Super Bowl 44.
I would prefer actually being able to SEE Chase
Before I write him off. Pretty please let him throw some this pre-season Payton? He looked good in college, but plenty of flops have, so I’m not willing to write him IN either. I would look at him as a long term solution.
For the short term, since I would rather not have a complete unknown at number 2 in the chart, I’d be happy to nab Pennington if the price is reasonable. He’s still got some left in the tank, and is still very accurate on the short to medium routes.
by Jabbadahut99 on Apr 14, 2010 8:11 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I'd like to see him play as well.
We seemed to keep adding him back to the roster all year with all the shifting of players. With all the transactions he always seemed to survive and get re-signed. Before he gets written off, I want to see him play.
"There’s no doubt in my mind that we can win a championship together," Brees said Friday inside the empty media room at the Saints’ headquarters. "Not only for the players and the organization, but for this city. Because no place deserves it more." Drew Brees
by SaintsChick on Apr 14, 2010 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions
I wouldn’t mind giving up our 4th round pick for either Randy Starks or Jake Grove.
"I was not on the boat in question." -Darren Sharper
adam schefter
espn.com
"I have all of the love in the world for Darren Sharper. I just don't have all the money in the world for Darren Sharper." Mickey Loomis
by Hans Petersen on Apr 14, 2010 8:23 PM CDT up reply actions
I like the idea of Pennington
I hate the idea of Jason Campbell. Maybe Chase Daniel will prove himself. Don’t really want Vick, but his running and his wildcat ability would just make our offense impossible to game plan for even if he never got on the field.
"I think we agree, the past is over" - George W Bush
"The greatest enemy of knowlege is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge" Stephen Hawking
Don’t really want Vick, but his running and his wildcat ability would just make our offense impossible to game plan for
Cue the elegant yet forceful anti-Vick rant by M-E…..
I'm likin' that Hughes kid.
F*** Vick! F*** that m*****f*****’ dog-killing p****! Vick ain’t fo s***! F*** him! G**-d***** F*****!
All birds that fly high eventually have to come down to earth to get water.
by MtnExile on Apr 14, 2010 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Now that the comedy portion of our show is over....
Vick—give him a good offensive line and quality receivers
players like Vick and Young are generally clueless
Vick is a failure;
Vick would be a distraction of the worst sort.
Satan worship
Let’s step it up a little bit, people.
I'm likin' that Hughes kid.
The Saints don't need Vick under any circumstances.
"It's better to burn out than fade away."
by SaintsFan-KS on Apr 14, 2010 5:02 PM CDT up reply actions
was that M-E or Walter from Lebowski?
"I have all of the love in the world for Darren Sharper. I just don't have all the money in the world for Darren Sharper." Mickey Loomis
by Hans Petersen on Apr 14, 2010 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions
i say no to Vick
We all know that Brees is unstoppable when he is in his zone. He feeds off of rhythm. To put Vick in the line-up I think would disrupt that.
+1
Brees is the high-octane, high-horsepower engine of the offense. Taking him out for a play or two would be like trading in one of these:
for one of these:
"As soon as Tony (Dungy) said we had no chance, I knew we had 'em right where we wanted 'em"--Coach Sean Payton right after Super Bowl XLIV with the Lombardi Trophy firmly in hand. WHO DAT!!
by David "Satch" Kelly on Apr 14, 2010 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions 5 recs
True
But they tend to generate less rpms and torque.
"As soon as Tony (Dungy) said we had no chance, I knew we had 'em right where we wanted 'em"--Coach Sean Payton right after Super Bowl XLIV with the Lombardi Trophy firmly in hand. WHO DAT!!
by David "Satch" Kelly on Apr 14, 2010 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Unless they work out like this little dude.
"I have seen women walk right past a TV set with a football game on and - this always amazes me - not stop to watch, even if the TV is showing replays of what we call a "good hit," which is a tackle that causes at least one major internal organ to actually fly out of a player's body."
LOL!
"As soon as Tony (Dungy) said we had no chance, I knew we had 'em right where we wanted 'em"--Coach Sean Payton right after Super Bowl XLIV with the Lombardi Trophy firmly in hand. WHO DAT!!
by David "Satch" Kelly on Apr 14, 2010 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Tebow?
I think it’s possible we draft Tebow. Sean likes the odd ways he finds to use Reggie, I think he’d be intregued to do the same for Tebow. I don’t like Tebow much myself, but I don’t dislike him either. I think if Tebow is on the board when we pick in the second we will take him. It’s just too crazy for us not to do it. Luckily I think he’ll be gone by then, but that leads me to worry that we might take him #32. That’s so insane that we might just do it.
They’d have to hire another QB coach to work with Tebow for 2 years before he’s field ready. Then what? Dump Brees? It’s so insane that it won’t happen. And if it does, we’ll all have to start a prayer group here for Mrs. Tebow cause it’s going to get ugly.
I'm likin' that Hughes kid.
ok, I warned you people...
GAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
"But tonight the Superbowl belongs to the City of New Orleans" - Roger Goodell 2/7/2010
Pennington would be a very good option.
Campbell would be a good option.
Vick… see satchmo’s comment. Unless he’s hurt (knock on wood) or we have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs locked up, there is NO reason to take Brees off the field during on offensive play.
Pigs have flown! Hell has frozen over! The Saints HAVE WON the Superbowl!!
we would not have to take Brees off the field more than 3 plays every 3 games
and I’m not saying I want Vick, just saying any team that faces a team with Vick has to spend some time making some preparations
"I think we agree, the past is over" - George W Bush
"The greatest enemy of knowlege is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge" Stephen Hawking
i hear what you’re saying… i do.
but the negatives of bringing Vick to the Saints (and there are MANY) FAR outweigh the minuscule (if any) positives.
Pigs have flown! Hell has frozen over! The Saints HAVE WON the Superbowl!!
by Dan Kelly on Apr 14, 2010 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
As an Eagles fan, Vick really didn't seem to add anything.
He had one big play last year, a long TD pass. But we all thought the same thing you do before the season. We figured it would simply make gameplanning harder. I don’t think it did. He didn’t do much when he was in, he kind of threw the offense out of rhythm and I never got the sense that defenses weren’t sure what to do with him. The real place I think he can be a change-up asset is in the redzone. While he isn’t very accurate, if his scrambling ability draws a LB to him, he is capable of dumping it to an open TE or RB, or if no LB is drawn he can get to the pylon usually.
I would be willing to bet
that most defensive coordinators who faced the Eagles last year went to bed the night before with a prayer on their lips: “Please, God, PLEASE make them put Vick in!”
All birds that fly high eventually have to come down to earth to get water.
its too early to start grooming a good qb
and we have other needs we should address first. things we def dont need: 1) proven bad qbs (ex patrick ramsey) 2) problem childs (vick) 3) developmental qb’s (tebow)
we should wait a couple of years and spend a high draft pick on a future franchise qb and let him develop under db for 2-3 years.
I like hamburgers!!
by DrewBreesManCrush on Apr 14, 2010 2:56 PM CDT reply actions
problem childs
I wonder if Vick knows the plural form of child.
"I was not on the boat in question." -Darren Sharper
ding, ding, ding - we have a winner
its too early to start grooming a good qb.
lets face it, if Brees gets hurt for any length of time, we’re screwed. This offense is built around him and there’s no reasonable option out there as a back-up that would do more than tread water for us. I think Pennington would be a great fit. He’s accurate and smart. He could come in and win a game or two to keep the season afloat if called upon.
What we should, under NO circumstances, do is spend a pick on a QB (or least not before the 6th round). Anybody we draft, if worthy of starting in this league, will walk before he gets a chance to start (assuming Brees stays healthy, knock on wood).
We just won the superbowl, have a young roster and are primed for a 4-5 year run at championships with the games most accurate passer. You maximize you chances to win within Brees’ window with players to complement him (on defense and offense). Sign an Undrafted FA or even draft somebody in the 7th if you want, but don’t waste a 4th or something when we could get a starting LB, etc there.
"But tonight the Superbowl belongs to the City of New Orleans" - Roger Goodell 2/7/2010
Totally agree with this
That bring said, if Chase isn’t a viable backup (only the coaches could know this), then I’d hope we would bring in a Thigpen type vet or draft someone who could develop beyond Chase late in the draft. Maybe Jarret Brown or theSkelton kid? Someone to run the ship for three or four game stretches if Brees is out for a stretch during the window described (acknowledging that any injury to Drew that takes him out for longer means we’re cooked).
by Brasidas on Apr 14, 2010 9:58 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Give Marc Bulger a tryout
if not him, maybe someone like JP Losman, but i DO want to see Chase in action
Campbell signs tender
so it seems that the Saints were not even interested in Jason Campbell. I don’t think the Saints are willing to forgo that kind of money or even a pick for him, even though I would have liked to see him as a back-up
I wonder if the Redskins would bite on Jammal Brown for Campbell + the 36th pick. Trouble is, they’re probably going LT at 4 overall, meaning you’d have to make the offer before then … and there’s no way of telling before hand if an adequate replacement for Brown will be there at 32. Obviously, there’d be a slightly better chance than there is now, being that the Redskins themselves would be off the first round LT market. Regardless, you would have to think Brown (USC! USC!) or Saffold would be and we’d still have our all our picks to work with for what would amount to a free backup QB. Not super crazy about the idea, but it at least seems like a viable option towards potentially upgrading a couple of areas on offense and not suffering because of it in the draft.
"I was not on the boat in question." -Darren Sharper
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Canal Street Chronicles
Related FanShots on Canal Street Chronicles
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
