I have some similar worries. That we have a defensive HC and a merc for an OC (that is looking to flash quickly for his next HC gig) - no one that has any patience to develop a QB.
NYG and the MIN were reportedly trying to trade up to 3OA to take DM. And of course NE stuck there and picked him. But our FO didn’t even have him in the final 2? So I worry our coaches/FO didn’t have the same patience (or the stones) to go with the guy who might have more upside.
Obviously I’m totally speculating, and have no idea what our FO is actually thinking. I’m behind the JD pick - he seemed to be the consensus QB2 around the NFL. All 3 guys had things I liked, and things that scared me. I just hope our FO views JD as the best guy now, and the best guy in 5 years.
Also have no interest in “itoldyasos” BS - I just want a long term franchise QB, and the team to win. I’m excited to root for JD and am hoping for the best.
I think the lack-of-patience thing is a big mark in Daniels's favor.
As for the narrow, develop-a-quarterback thing, this is a new coaching staff that is, to some extent, an all-star staff of guys who are all biding time until their next HC jobs. (We have a former HC as our
running backs coach, ffs.) That's not a great way to handle any quarterback that needs full development. This would not be the right situation for a DM, who needs more experience and development, or a JJMac, who may be closer, but doesn't have the passing-snaps experience of the others. So a more experienced player that has had more of that development is good for the nearer term -- and the fact that JD still has ceiling means he's not a "he is who he's gonna' be" settled-for option. He's the better option today and he's proven he steps up to better coaching, better systems, better talent on his own team, and better competition.
On the much broader view, this franchise needs a jolt on the field and off. This fan base has to see not just improvement in W/Ls but improvement in the spirit, the commitment, the intelligence, the preparedness. The entire time F*ck Face owned this franchise, it was a stupid team -- from the front-office hires, to the HC hires, to the personnel decisions, to the game-day operations, to the sidelines, to the field. No matter who the coach was or who the players were, we ****ed up time-outs, we ****ed up clock management, we couldn't figure out our own snap count, we couldn't keep our ****ing helmets on our heads after making a good play -- head-shaking, TV-smashing stupidity.
The new ownership with a new player selection and development group and new coaching has to show that this turn-around is from the top down and it starts immediately. I love that they targeted guys with experience and leadership -- and that they were able to do it not only without sacrificing athleticism and production, but while actually hitting both just as strongly as the experience. These are guys who know how to be coached and how to lead and get the best from their peers. And they go right along with the type of guys we grabbed in FA.
I think our top 100 picks are all going to be great pieces of the team this year, and they're all guys who can be really good -- maybe some, great -- players for a long time. I think we've started to build a great young core without sacrificing anything in the long term for the sake of immediate impact.
(And, please, nobody interpret this as "DM or JJ or CDJ or insert-other-favorite-here isn't smart/would have been a dumb pick." This is purely a, "hey, this group seems to be all method, no madness!")
(And the first time we use all our TOs in the first quarter, I'm 100% breaking a ****ing TV...)
Or Dotson. Or Forbes... Or Haskins. Or anyone.
