A funny thing has happened to Brady Quinn since signing with the Broncos a few weeks ago. His entire career has been resurrected.
This despite not yet completing his first off-season training session.
If you read the local sportswriters, Brady will be the Broncos savior. Mark Kiszla even declared Brady would take the Broncos back to their first Super Bowl since some other lesser quarterback accomplished it in the late 90’s. What was his name, again? I think he was more of a game manager, so he really doesn’t matter.
Why such enormous optimism about the Quinn era in Denver? Isn’t this the same guy that couldn’t beat out Derek Anderson? Who, when he did play, led the lowly Browns to a 3-10 record?
Well, as the ‘experts’ see it, Brady is a winner. He has the physical attributes. He just hasn’t had an opportunity to play under a good coach.
While the last claim is undeniable, shouldn’t it be noted that upon arriving in the City by the Lake, the first thing that Mike Holmgren (he of Steve Young, Brett Favre and Matt Hasselbeck mentorship) did was unload Quinn?
As for the other two:
Winner: as stated, he went 3-10 with the Browns in between two season ending injuries. Ok, go back to Notre Dame then where he was surrounded by more talent and the only place with more cupcakes than his schedule was on his coach’s plate. He finished his career with a 25-12 record. Not exactly Tim Tebow. Nor did he really have a defining victory over a quality opponent (lost all Bowls, lost to USC all 3 years). Though he did beat Navy, which may qualify these days in South Bend.
Physical Attributes: If there is every a measure of someone’s physical abilities it is the NFL Draft – often to the detriment of talented players with less than great measurable. Let’s not forget after being hyped as a top-ten prospect, Quinn fell all the way to the mid twenties. Even quarterback desperate Miami passed on him to draft one-legged speedster Ted Ginn Jr. Which is either a mark against Quinn, Ginn, Cam Cameron or all three.
I don’t mean this to be (yet another) anti-Quinn rant. Who knows, maybe Quinn will resurrect his career and lead the Broncos to the Super Bowl. Of course, this afternoon I could meet Sandra Bullock and have her fall in love with me too(I hear she’s available).
The point of this is that, we as Americans love the unkown. The ‘Grass-is-greener’ syndrome. Bronco fans know what Kyle Orton looks like running for his life behind awful offensive line play. So, they imagine Quinn eluding the rushers and hitting Eddie Royal in stride 40 yards down field.
We will always take the great unknown over the known. Because our imaginations can never disappoint.
(Which, incidentally, neatly summarizes every offseason as a Florida State football fan).
Bronco fans and columnists aren’t alone in this overly optimistic view of the world. Even the guys that run NFL teams fall victim to it.
Late next month, some NFL team will use a first round draft pick and millions of dollars per year to have Dez Bryant play wide receiver for them. As near as I can tell, the ceiling of Dez’s potential is to be the equivalent of Brandon Marshall – an athletically freaky wide receiver impossible to completely shut down. Yet, the actual Brandon Marshall could be had by any team in the league today for…wait for it…a first round pick and several million dollars per year.
Would you rather have a lottery ticket that could win you $10,000 or just a check for $10,000? Illogically, NFL teams seem to be opting for the lottery ticket.
Yes, I know Brandon comes with some baggage. But then again Dez lost his entire 2009 season because he didn’t realize it was a bad idea to lie to NCAA investigators.
A similar thing is also happening with Donovan McNabb. I know he is on the downhill slide of his career but would you rather have 2-3 years of a quarterback capable of getting to the playoffs consistently or roll the dice that the quarterback you draft turns out to be the 1 guy out of 6 that actually pans out.
I’ve never understood the absolute refusal of NFL teams to recognize how valuable a veteran successful quarterback can be. We saw it with Jeff Garcia. We saw it with Trent Dilfer. We saw it with Drew Brees and now we see it with Donovan McNabb. Teams would much rather hope that the young strong armed kid, grows up, shakes off all the uncertainty and blossoms into the next Peyton Manning rather than getting a guy who knows who to win but due to age or physical limitations will only ever be 75-80% as good as Manning. Thus Donovan McNabb could be looking at holding a clipboard this season while teams like the Rams and Redskins draft a quarterback that more than likely will never see the playoffs, much less the Super Bowl. Places McNabb has already been.
The Seahawks traded for Charlie Whitehurst of all people. He couldn’t beat out Billy Volek to be the Charger’s second string quarterback.
Only in the NFL is being buried on a roster behind a journeyman quarterback an asset in your trade value. It adds to your mystery. Your potential.
Does Donovan have injury and ‘big-game-choke-itis’ concerns? Of course. But if an NFL team with a decent supporting cast could guarantee themselves a 10-6 or 11-5 record right now who wouldn’t sign up for that?
Of course, then there would be no mystery. No potential.
No uncertainty.
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Can’t wait to see what Shanahan does with Donovan, but it will be very weird seeing him in a non-Eagle uni.