http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/sports/football/02ratliff.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Just came across this story on the NY Times website, and while it probably doesn't deserve it's own thread, it's a nice break from all the Cutler talk, lets not forget who we have. So can we not discuss the Cutler trade in this thread. There is a little information there that i didn't know about Brett, sounds like a guy who really matured in college, had some very good performances, he has been written off his whole life, and has never given up. His performance against B.Y.U sounds like a absolute peach. Just thought it was worth posting up the article, i found it quite a interesting read. :up:
My choice for starting QB, should TC go well, if not start KC. I really like what I ve seen so far in BR, makes smart reads and appears to be tough. Time will tell.
He's my choice if this Cutler thing doesn't go down. Seems to have great poise in the pocket. Looks to have all the intangables to be successful.
What's not to get? He has all the physical tools, looked very good in the limited action he got and he's been with the team in this offense for a few years now. Why wouldn't we want to see more? Nobody is putting him in the Pro Bowl, we just want to see him get a chance against better players.
I'd love to see him get a chance to win the job in training camp against Kellen Clemens and hopefully another veteran.
true, I'd love to see him play against the 1st stringers in preseason. if he has good success there, then I have no problem naming him the starter. The kid deserves the next step. Good point about not crowning him a savior just yet. One step at a time.
My Ratliff love comes from having watched him play. I understand the argument that he hasn't seen a first string defense... but it doesn't matter what string defense is on the field when evaluating things such as - vision, footwork, arm strength, accuracy, release - those things he showed us in the preseason, and they don't just look good, they look AWESOME. He looked like a pro bowl QB. Yes, we need to see what he does - in the face of a blitz, playing from behind, when nothing is going right, over the course of a whole season... however, based on what he has shown, I'd much rather take my chance with Ratliff and keep our draft picks, then trade away half of the core of the team for a guy who though proven on gameday, looks like he is one NY Media away from going emo and killing himself (or at least flaking out of the NFL entirely). EDIT: By the way - I would equate us trading our 1st, 2nd, and Harris for Cutler to the trade that New Orleans made to acquire Ricky Williams.
How? They don't compare at all. 7 picks for one running back as opposed to two and a good not elite player for a unquestioned very good starting QB in the NFL. Its tough to equate them.
Also tough to equate given the fact that the NO trade was made before Ricky ever played a down in the NFL.
Obviously it's not an exact match - what I'm referring to is the potential for epic failure. Yes, if Jay Cutler came here and flaked out because he's a headcase, then this trade would be nothing short of an epic failure. QB is the most important position on the team, but a QB needs a fantastic team around him as well, I'd rather put the fantastic team in place and get a QB who doesn't have such a high fail ceiling.
I watched Ratliff make some great throws in the preseason last year too, but not enough to make me think he can start in the NFL. I would not be excited to give him the job. Kellen Clemens is the better prospect by far. I hope that Clemens would be able to beat Ratliff out in a QB competition this summer, as he did last year.
ive been on the Clemens train since we drafted him, I want to see KC start and if he is absolute garbage (which i doubt) give the rest of the season to Ratliff to prove himself.
I understand that failure on Cutler's part in such a deal would be horrific given the price we'd pay to get him. However, I suppose I just don't see the same potential for failure. Like I was telling another poster, my guess is Cutler's two primary concerns in this ordeal were his bank account and this need to be wanted. Look at what Denver was prepared to do. Cutler's due $1 million this season, and little more the next two. He's done everything they've asked him to except carry a team with severe defensive flaws, which no QB could do. And yet, they were ready to trade him away for Cassel, who is less of a sure thing and carries a significantly higher price tag. How is he supposed to feel after that? He's been successful and you're going to pay extra money to get rid of him? I don't feel his reaction was 100% appropriate, but this is a guy who has a clear chip on his shoulder after being passed over headed into college, and now this. If a team like the Jets gives up value for him and commits to him with a new contract, he's going to play his ass off.
I agree wholeheartedly with this. To the OP, I apologize for the above post. I know you didn't want any Cutler talk in here. Won't happen again.
Not give him the job, but why not see more of what he can do and let him compete for it? We've had him this long and gone this far, why not? He hasn't shown any reason to believe he can't do it. I don't know about by far and I don't think he outplayed Ratliff last pre-season, not even close. He got the #2 job based on he fact that he'd started games the year before. Not that it mattered because neither played a down behind Favre. Ratliff has better size and appears to have a better arm.
