DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Backup Quarterback?

I agree that Stanton should be inactive.

j/c:

I hope to God that our backup qb is never forced to play in a real game.

I thought the backups looked about as great as the last 20 years starters. lol

Everybody, including most nfl starters, look like crap compared to Baker.

So, what I saw is some backups that might not crumple for a drive or two. They arent starter material if Baker goes down.

No backup will ever be that great, or they wouldnt be backups.

We have to be careful because it was a preseason game against a vanilla defense that didn't blitz much.

I thought Stanton looked awful. The other two guys made some nice throws and Gilbert has a nice arm, but they don't read defenses very well.

J/c
Gilbert was probably the best of the backups, but that isn’t saying much. Stanton is just not a good player on the field. Maybe he’s excellent off of it; but if he has to play we’re in trouble.

I think GIlbert is a good PS candidate, but he’s not ready to be the backup.

Starting your first, or God forbid, second backup means you are hoping for a win somehow. The fall off from BM to any of these would be catastrophic. We do have more talent to support them if it becomes necessary, and the offense could compensate better this season. But not what we would want.

I recently heard a story about Tom Moore when he was the Colts offensive coordinator while Peyton Manning was the QB. Someone asked him why the backup QBs didn't get any reps with the 1s during practice. He said (paraphrasing), "Because if Peyton Manning isn't playing we're [the f word with ed at the end] and we don't practice [the f word with ed at the end]."

Aha yeah i’ve Heard that story as well; and its basically true with any franchise qb

j/c:

IMHO we need a better backup QB or at least move Gilbert up to the number 2 spot. So far? Stanton can't cut it.

I think Gilbert might eventually get to a backup level, but I don’t see us going into the season with him at 2

J/c

Which reminds me, did anybody catch Minshew (sp) last game? He got wrecked! Welcome to the nfl moment

His AAF coach was Steve Spurrier!

Gilbert put to rest who the backup should be IMO ... he looked pretty darned good

I think he may have put to rest who the backup should be when considering him or Stanton. That still doesn't feel all that good.

But here we are taking about backup QBs. That's a good thing.

Agreed. Gilbert played very well today. I was impressed.

My wife asked me if I thought he would beat out Baker.

J/c

He looked much more comfortable and has a firm grasp of the playbook ... AND it looks like he went through progressions, which is a rarity for our QBs in the past

People have joked that he’s already a top 10 QB since 99 ... and of course it’s early, but he looked good today

j/c

I've asked this before, and I don't remember anyone answering.

The stock answer to why Stanton should be the back-up QB is his value to Baker. But I don't think anyone wants to see him actually playing QB should Mayfield be unable. So why does he have to be a member of the 53-man roster to fill that roll? If he's basically a coach, why not make him an assistant QB coach then keep Gilbert as the backup and Blough on the practice squad? He doesn't have to be a player to be on the sidelines during games, I see dozens of non-players on the sidelines. And I'm sure being a 2nd or 3rd assistant coach doesn't pay as well, but I bet it pays better than not having a job...and I'm equally sure they can find a way to pay him more than the standard 3rd assistant coach.

So why does Stanton have to be a 53 player to fill his role?

because Stanton is a better mentor than a coach. If you have played sports at a high level, most of us always had that one other player on the team... that you just took to. They made you better, they pushed you, they said things that no coach could tell you. That seems to be what Stanton is to Baker.

Put it this way... If you as a head coach know that your top 10 possibly top 5 QB is tied at the hip with a bottom 10 backup and is being pushed with your bottom 10 backup.... You keep your bottom 10 backup on the roster and you find someone else to be your real backup unti your stud QB outgrows the backup's knowledge. We did this for Lebron and it worked well. Many teams do this.

Personally, I think we should keep Stanton around at least for one more year. If any team loses their top 2 QB's you can't expect them to win with their #3. Stanton is probably going to end up the #3.

I'm sorry, but I don't see why Stanton can't serve exactly the same role with a different title. If they call him a coach, his role can still be Baker's personal mentor without tying up a roster spot. He doesn't have to be a 'real' assistant QB coach (read QB coach's flunky.)

Players make way more than coaches. Stanton would get picked up by another team if we cut him from the roster.

There is also the unknown. The first is that the Browns believe he is a good backup qb. The second is that we might still cut him. We have some sharp guys making decisions now and I expect them to make the right one. This isn't the same group of guys who went into a season thinking that going w/three QBs who had never started an NFL game was a good idea.

Agreed. And either catch on as a #2 for a truly desperate team or a #3 for someone else like he probably will be here - more likely the latter.

If Blough goes to the PS, we would have to carry (but not necessarily activate) 3 QBs. The Browns have said that carrying 3 is a possibility (but they say everything is a possibility). Most likely at this point is that Stanton is a deactivated, gameday "mentor" for Baker.

Or maybe he retires.

Once again, I'm sorry but I don't see why they can't be creative in carving out a role for him that doesn't tie up a roster spot. Now one of my assumptions, and it could be totally off-base, is that he likes his role as Baker's mentor. As I recall, he sought out the Browns for the role. If I'm wrong, then sure, if they cut him he could well land on another team. But at 35 with a career backup resume, there's no guarantee of that. And it won't be as being a part of one of the best stories in the NFL, the re-emergence of the traditionally moribund Browns to relevance.

They can call him a special consultant, or any other title that can justify paying more like a player than a coach, and if he can't find another backup job (if he even wants one at this point), a smaller paycheck may still be worth it to him to remain part of the story.

versatile, I think the fans of every team that have a true franchise quarterback feel the same way. they pray they never have to play their backup qb. it is only the teams with a sucky qb starter who look forward to seeing the backup. sadly, that has been our plight for many years...... but t no more.

you are forgetting one other factor... Stanton still wants to play football.

Does he? He sought out the Browns before the 2018 season knowing he would likely never see the field. He sold them on hiring him as a mentor for their yet undrafted rookie. He's so good in that roll, in part, because he embraced it from the start. I got the feeling he was knew then his actual playing days were behind him (except for emergencies.)

Hoyer is still riding the pine in NE. So there’s that.

Since The Return, Hoyer - by far - has been my favorite QB before Baker. He was the one I was pulling for the hardest. He's got a good gig now.

I have had a burning question that is maybe more a sidecar to this thread; I was going to start it, but this one was up already. To the point: We have a QB situation (most probably) in preseason. The question I have while the next three get lots of game reps is maybe too generic but pointed nevertheless.
What are we looking for in our backup QB (or perhaps two) this season. Stanton was a necessity for bring BM along last year, and I assume that is continuing through preseason. I haven't been overly wowed with him myself. Gilbert looked better last night in Game Two. Blough really interests me; I think his game abilities surpass the people he has been out there with. I would like to see his reps with better personnel to get a better picture of what he might manage to achieve with a better group around him; that is what he might have as a backup.
I am not an overly QB savvy guy. To the thread's question and mine, what do you look at for grading and selecting a starter's backup? Is it all can he spin it? Read D well, manage the plan? I know they do all of these in different degrees, but what might determine what we are looking for based on needs and such? I would be OK with a backup that can be in place for several years. I think McCown just came out of retirement after all. If all we need is a tutor, so be it. I have liked what I have seen so far out of all of them, but how do you sift the wheat from the chaff?

and something else ,, the coaches see more of these buys in a week than we, as fans, see of them in a season. Give them credit for knowing more about the situation than we do. This isn't Kizer and Hogan, in competition for a starting job. This is Stanton and Gilbert, and the decision is over who will run the scout team.

j/c:

I think that Gilbert played well enough last night to warrant a place on the final 53 man roster. I don't think we would be able to stash him on the PS because I believe another team would snatch him away from us.

It's going to be interesting to see how the Browns handle the backup qbs.

j/c:

Freddie Kitchens: Drew Stanton ‘is our backup quarterback’

INDIANAPOLIS — Garrett Gilbert was one of the few things Freddie Kitchens was happy with after Saturday’s penalty-marred 21-18 victory over the Colts, but not not enough to replace Drew Stanton as the No. 2 quarterback.

“Well, I mean, everything is open right now,’’ said Kitchens. “But Drew is our backup quarterback. Drew brings a lot of value to our team. So, yeah.”

Read more:

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2019/08...uarterback.html

Yeah, I saw that quote after I had made my series of posts above. Kind of renders my line of reasoning moot.

Not sure if you were j/c, or if you were replying specifically to me.

For me, I believe Mayfield - despite his bluster - stills need a bit of a sideline guy, besides his QB coach and Kitchens, with whom to run through things ( familiar, consistent voice there solely for him). That's just my opinion. He doesn't have a full season under his belt yet. Right now that guy is Stanton. Stanton will not be here next year, might not even be here this one. But, it's probably a good idea to give Baker a bit of stability from last season.

Logistically, how do you keep a #3 QB talent on the 53 when it could be used so much better elsewhere. The consultant or QB coach assistant idea is an interesting one, but I don't know how you do it. Hopefully Blough goes to the PS. Preseason game #4 should give us all a lot of answers for the 3 backups. As of yesterday, Kitchens said Stanton is still #2 going into this week. We'll see.

As for the longer term answer at #2: I'm sure hoping Gilbert is just that for this season and next, then we can trade him for a couple players or 1 name and a draft pick (or something). He seems to make quick decisions, has zip on the ball and doesn't get flustered easily. He'll know this particular offense as well as anybody, from the ground up.

The reason McCown, Hoyer and a couple other veterans are sought after as stable #2's by smart coaches is not because of monster arms, speed, perfect spirals etc... It's the brain and that player's mindset that they are there to be whatever they need to be for the star #1. They are not there to compete for the #1. They are smart, healthy players that have seen it all. And they will retire in a couple years after helping along a #3 behind them (probably a pretty high draft pick) to take their place.

Stanton fits part of this, but he has seemed so "out of it" when pressed to play even in preseason against number two's that the it-takes-just-one-hit on Baker scenario is truly troubling. Dorsey and the Browns coaching staff will make the right decision with Gilbert.

We will draft a late round project next season for Gilbert to mentor in this offense (hopefully), then Gilbert will be gone sort of like I described above, imo.

It's a luxury to have a Hoyer, McCown at this point. But there are guys like Brissett, Tannehill and Keenum who will be in a similar mold for "career backup" status in a few years. Maybe that's the type of guy we should be looking at.

Jmho. I'm sure there are loads of people who disagree with me.

It's just so refreshing that we have a 6 page discussion on who the BACKUP quarterback should be vs who the starter should be...like we've had for the paste 15 years or so.... so thankful for baker.....