What's up football fans? Ridiculous amount of football thoughts have been dancing in my head lately, so I went ahead and decided to do something spontaneous by creating this blog. Let's see where it takes me.
With the NFL Lockout officially (and thankfully) behind us, I can't help but be absolutely excited for the upcoming free agency frenzy. While everyone and their mother is projecting free agent destinations, I wanted to focus on veteran quarterbacks for a particular reason, because they can positively affect fantasy production at all levels, from RBs, TEs, WRs...indirectly of course, by tutoring young gunslingers and helping them raise their game.
I wanted to focus on three players who've recently benefitted from playing behind veteran QBs: Tony Romo, Aaron Rodgers, and Michael Vick. All of these QBs are top 10 fantasy QBs that have one thing in common: They were groomed by veteran QBs at crucial points in their careers.
Bill Parcells has frequently mentioned how crucial Vinny Testaverde was to Romo's maturation as a QB. Not only in understanding offenses, but study habits in the film room and how to be a professional. Everyone knows the Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre story by now, patiently sitting behind a legend for a few years, chomping at the bit to get his opportunity. Last but not least, Michael Vick's latest 180 from prison inmate turned fantasy football's most significant waiver wire pickup (assuming you didn't snooze on Arian Foster in the draft). Vick himself admitted that he didn't prepare as a professional QB when he was in Atlanta. McNabb was crucial to this maturation and fittingly, that's where we'll start my veteran QB destination predictions.
Donovan McNabb to the Cleveland Browns
Tutoring: Colt McCoy
Connection: West Coast Offense
Now at first glance you'd ask yourself, why would McNabb want to back up Colt McCoy? Simply put, he might not have a choice. Seattle and Arizona are the main two teams that need QBs, and so far Kolb, Orton and Tarvaris Jackson are probably better options for those two teams. They're younger and more permanent options than McNabb will be. Miami and Minnesota might be two other candidates, but I'm sure the odd man out between Kolb, Orton and Jackson will end up in Miami, while Minny might simply decide to go with Ponder. So I'm sticking to my guns with Cleveland.
Let's connect the dots here.
Mike Holmgren is the current President of the Browns.
Andy Reid coached in GB from 1992-1996 (Oline Coach and Offensive Assistant) under Holmgren.
Mike Shurmur coached in Philly from 1999-2008 (QBs Coach) under Reid.
This all of course, goes back to Bill Walsh and the West Coast Offense. McCoy's arm will always be his main weakness. While he may or may not strengthen that arm a bit as his body grows, the WCO is the perfect solution to this glaring weakness in his game. Shifting the focus on stretching the field horizontally (accuracy) instead of vertically (arm strength) will fit McCoy's strengths and weaknesses perfectly. And who better to teach him the nuances of the system than McNabb, who ran it for 10 years?
While this might not seem fantasy relevant at the moment, a move like this will be crucial to Cleveland's fantasy relevance in the years to come. Cleveland is a young team going in a great direction with Holmgren piloting the ship behind the scenes. Starting with McCoy, and trickling down to the rest of the skill positions on offense, Cleveland players will slowly move up fantasy drafts in the years to come if McCoy gets some good tutoring.
Jake Delhomme to Denver
Tutoring: Tim Tebow
Connection: John Fox
Who cares, you say? Trust me, I'm not exactly the biggest Jake Delhomme fan. But for those of you with Tim Tebow on your fantasy football team (or any Bronco), this should be a move you are pulling for. I'll be the first to admit how frustrating Delhomme has been for me to watch over the years. Super Steve Smith has been on my fantasy team the past few years and watching Delhomme run that offense was definitely a waste of my Sunday NFL Ticket. It was truly some ugly football towards the end of Delhomme's career in Carolina.
I'll never forget one particular game. The dejected look on Delhomme's face as he sat on the bench after he threw an interception. After a whole year of the same interception ending drives, there wasn't much to say. Steve Smith sat next to his quarterback and jokingly called him ugly to try to cheer him up. While it was clear that Smith was trying to support his QB...both of them knew Delhomme's time in Carolina was done. Even though Delhomme was single handedly responsible for my weak WR position that year in fantasy, for some reason, I felt for him. He was trying, but the physical tools simply weren't there.
But bottom line, he knows John Fox's offense, and Tim Tebow could benefit greatly if Delhomme joins Fox in Denver. With Orton being shipped elsewhere, Tebow will be given every opportunity to succeed with Delhomme teaching him how to be a professional behind the scenes in the film room. I've never been a big Tim Tebow fan, but his work ethic is truly amazing, and will absolutely be the reason he becomes a superstar in this league. You can't work that hard and not succeed, and having a veteran like Delhomme to tutor him (when Elway isn't sneaking in pointers), is only going to increase Tebow's chances of success.
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