DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2013 NFL Season NFL Draft (2013) Tannehill v3.0

That's all useful, analytical info which can be filtered down to reflect one singular point: Drafting Tannehill at #4 is taking a player who isn't in the same tier as the first two QB's at nearly the same position. That's the definition of a reach.

Taking Luck or Griffin is based on known tools and production. Taking Tannehill is based on tools only.

That's a helluva gamble, and one I don't believe we can afford to make with a pick where you absolutely must hit a home-run.

Nice analysis. Well thought out points.

I don't have time to commit to this but if someone else does I'd love to read it.

Is there an A&M fan site like this one that someone here would be willing to register on?

Start a post that discusses tannehill's time there. I'd enjoy hearing the perspective of an ardent fan on this.

Hel, I would do it but I live close to Aggie-land and know it wouldn't take long before one of these pig-rapists popped off and I ended up getting banned so, sorry.

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Hel, I would do it but I live close to Aggie-land and know it wouldn't take long before one of these pig-rapists popped off and I ended up getting banned so, sorry

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I think this may mean I've been reading too much draft stuff but when I read this I immediately thought, "Mmmm....some bacon would taste good right now".

One thing that has gone unsaid is that players and coaches have asserted that it takes two or three years for QBs in the WCO to "get it" and play on autopilot.

The structure in the system is such that the QB is thinking more than playing.

And there was a terrific article on Aaron Rodgers where he says just that...

Now Colt McCoy has played one year in the WCO.

Ryan Tannehill has played two years.

I think drafting a QB like Weeden makes no sense. He's two years younger than Methusalah and by the time he feels comfortable in the WCO he'll be in a walker.

Drafting another young pup with no WCO experience is pressing the pause button on that position.

Let's go Holmgren and Heckert. Pull the trigger!

Add Bill Polian to the list: Link

It's Polian, not Analyst X, pushing Tannehill for Cleveland now

By Steve Doerschuk

It’s one thing to hear it from Mike Mayock.
It’s another to hear it from Todd McShay.
When Bill Polian says it, it’s time to take it seriously.

Polian, one of the few NFL personnel men mentioned as a Hall of Fame candidate, says Tannehill is a serious contender to be the Browns’ long-awaited answer at quarterback.

Vic Carucci of Cleveland Browns Daily drew out Polian on the subject.

We don’t know whether Polian was doing a favor to the Browns by amplifying any actual interest they may have in drafting Tannehill at No. 4.

We do know that Polian got the attention of the Dolphins and perhaps others as he talked about the viability of Tannehill in Cleveland. Polian, architect of the Colts’ heady run through the 2000s, says Tannehill is “a unique talent” who “merits a high pick.”

“Tannehill merits the attention based upon talent and a very, very high upside,” Polian said. “He has not played as much quarterback as have Griffin and Luck, but he is immensely talented and he is a winner and he is a high-character guy and a very exceptionally smart guy, so he’s got all the characteristics. This is real.

“His pick is kind of a pivotal pick, and the Browns are now the team to watch.
“The quarterback sweepstakes is on.”

• • •
Polian was fired in January by the Colts, who will pick Andrew Luck at No. 1. Robert Griffin III goes next to the Rams. That leaves one team, Minnesota, in front of the Browns.

“People who are interested in Tannehill are going to look to come up there and perhaps even come up with Minnesota and try and get in front of the Browns ... or do business with the Browns,” Polian said. “There’s a lot of action right around that 3-4 spot. That’ll be where all the action is.”

Plenty of reports are being leaked as to who i visiting the Browns and other teams this week. These amuse Polian.

“Intelligence gathering is done more frequently than you think,” he said. “A player you have absolutely no interest in ... you bring him in to find out who’s interested in him, where he’s been, what people have asked him, etc., etc., etc., while at the same time creating a smokescreen for everyone else in the league.”

Polian laid out an imaginary scene based on reported visits:

“As these visits are chronicled ... somebody in Indy looks up and says, holy mackerel, Player X was just brought in to Cleveland. They’re not interested in (so and so) ... why are they bringing him in? If that’s the guy you’re interested in, you panic right away, and you might be interested in trading with them.”

• • •

Polian cited reasons the Browns’ seeming interest in Tannehill isn’t a smokescreen.

Asked by Carucci is Tannehill might need lots of seasoning, Polian said:

“That would be the conventional wisdom. He could prove you wrong, because he is immensely talented and very bright and very hard working. On the other hand, common sense probably tells you he won’t contribute right away. But what better situation than the Browns, where Colt McCoy is already there and an incumbent and can play and, if I’m not mistaken, has two or three years on his contract.

“You could make an investment in the long-term future, bring Ryan Tannehill in there, let him get his feet wet at his own pace. In the meantime, you have a really quality backup quarterback.

“That’s an entirely plausible situation, assuming of course that Mike (Holmgren) and Pat (Shurmur) and Tom (Heckert) really believe he’s the right guy. That’s a huge assumption. I wouldn’t stack my judgment on quarterbacks up against those guys. They’re terrific.”

At minimum, “Mike and Pat and Tom” should send Polian a thank-you card for driving up Tannehill’s trade value in whatever helpful way.

Or is it time to start getting fired up for seeing Tannehill slinging it against the Lake Erie wind?

Or is it hard to get fired up about 2013?

It really is like every day things change, I get feelings one way then another, Not about who they should take or what they should do trade wise, but what they will do.

2 weeks ago, in spite of all my hopes, I thought for sure they'd take Justin Blackmon, then he comments he hopes he doesn't go to Cleveland.
So sometime last week, probably if I had to bet on who they WILL take I'd have said Richarson, but then it's reported they're working out Michael Floyd and Heckerts talking about trading back to 6, ish, So today I could really see them taking Floyd even with Blackmon still on the board.

Bottom line is alot of me WANTS them to take Tannehill, even it some of that is simply because they're already two Qb's going and no real good ones will be available later, and that's not so much the case at Rb, and WR,.

So I'm kind of in denial mode, forcing myself to just accept Tannehill's not a possibility ( listening to comments from Mark Clayton saying since Holm, and Heckert, weren't at his pro-day but were at Richardsons, that they really aren't interested in RT) Forcing myself to think it's not gonna be Ryan, so I won't feel bad when he goes to another team.

And yes, preparing myself for Ryan Tannehill to light it up on the Dophins or somewhere else and hear how 3 stooges the Browns were Once Again. Duh!

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“There’s a lot of action right around that 3-4 spot. That’ll be where all the action is.”

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So that means 3 is where all the action will occur.

With the list of RBs we have brought in, I am even more doubtful on Richardson. I dont believe we will take defense at 4 although with a trade down Claiborne gets interesting. Blackmon just didn't seem to be a likely pick from the start.

Months ago, I thought it was Tannehill and nothing has changed other than the fact I thought we would draft him at 22 instead of at 4. Everyone wants to draft the flawless QB right out of college but folks those only exist in fairy tales. We have a chance to get a supremely talented kid in here to mold into a franchise QB. I think you have to take that chance when you have that much upside and a high level of intelligence.

If the kid wasn't so damn smart, I might be inclined to think well he isn't worth the risk because he might never get it but his smarts is one of his greatest assets.

Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin asks fans to have ‘faith’ in team’s direction, and emphasizes WR and pass rusher as team needs
by Ben Volin

Joe Philbin realizes that most Dolphins fans had never heard of him until the team interviewed him for its head coaching job in January. And he knows the team has a bit of a credibility issue in South Florida after suffering three straight losing seasons, and reaching the playoffs just once in the last decade.

Philbin reached out to the season-ticket base on Tuesday night in the first of several conference calls this offseason between the Dolphins’ leadership and their most loyal fans. And he pleaded with fans to trust him and his new coaching staff to turn the team around.

“Sometimes you have to have faith,” Philbin said. “There’s a little bit of the chicken and the egg here, but I’m asking you for your faith and your confidence in me that I’m going to be able to deliver the results that will make everybody in Miami proud of what this football team does on the field and off the field. And I’m very, very confident that we’re going to get this thing done, and we’re going to have a great time and have fun, and everybody’s going to be a part of it.”

Philbin may have also dropped a big hint as to the Dolphins’ philosophy for April’s NFL Draft. While many expect the Dolphins to draft Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill with the eighth overall pick, Philbin listed only two positions when asked about the Dolphins’ needs: Pass rusher and receiver. The Dolphins still need to find someone to replace the retired Jason Taylor and fill in for Brandon Marshall, who was traded last month.

“You can never have enough pass rushers,” Philbin said. “Probably 30 teams out of the 32 are talking about acquiring pass rushers and guys that can put pressure on the quarterback.”

He also added: “Certainly, receiver is an area we’re looking at hard.”

Other highlights from the 45-minute conference call between Philbin, CEO Mike Dee and season-ticket holders:

* Philbin reiterated that the quarterback competition between Matt Moore and David Garrard is truly open. The winner may be whoever picks up the new offense the quickest.

“Everybody’s going to start from square one,” Philbin said. “Part of the whole evaluation process is going to be how quickly those guys can separate themselves mentally, how quickly they can separate themselves physically, with their production on the field and their grasp of the offense. Because obviously a big part of the job of a quarterback is the decision-making, the leadership, and we’ll see how that picks up here quickly.”

* Like he did last week at the NFL owners meetings, Philbin stayed away from putting any expectations on his team. Because he and his staff haven’t met the players yet, he said “You’re never totally sure exactly what you have.”

“I can’t tell you that I can put a solid number on how many wins we’re going to have,” he said. “But from a philosophy standpoint, I’ve always felt like the teams that I’ve been a part of have had a chance to win every game we’ve played. I know that’s the way we’re going to approach it here.”

“It’s a disservice I think to the guys that you coach to sit around here on April 3 and say, ‘Jeez, we’re going to be a 7-9 team and that’s good enough. or 9-7. We kind of have a broader perspective at this point in time, but we’re excited about getting started, we’re optimistic. The key is how quickly we can forge this group into playing like a team.”

* Philbin said “we’ll tailor the scheme” to fit the players and “We’re not married to anything in particular,” and doesn’t envision a tough transition to the West Coast Offense. He will start teaching it to the players when the offseason program begins next Tuesday.

“There’s a lot of diversity – a good bit of ball distribution, various personnel groupings, formations, motions, etc, so there is a lot to digest,” he said. “But the good news for our players is it’s easy to teach and it’s easy to learn. I don’t think it’s going to be a big adjustment for the players.”

* Philbin, who didn’t call plays as offensive coordinator in Green Bay, reiterated that Mike Sherman will be the playcaller.

“He’s going to be in charge of the offense. He’s in charge of the staff,” Philbin said. But “this is not going be a one-man operation in any way shape or form on any side of the ball.”

Philbin, showcasing a dry wit several times throughout the call, also added, “I worked it out in his contract that I get to put in one play per week maybe. I don’t get to call it, but I get to put it in.”

* Speaking of Philbin’s dry sense of humor, he had a funny interaction with a caller named Diego.

Philbin: “You got any good plays for us?”

Diego: “Actually, I played Madden today.”

* The Dolphins are trying to better connect with the fans to sell season tickets, which are now hovering somewhere in the mid-30,000s, the lowest level since the pre-Dan Marino days of the early 1980s.

Tuesday’s conference call with the season-ticket holders was the first of many to be held this offseason. Philbin will participate in at least one more, as will owner Stephen Ross. The team also invites former season-ticket holders who haven’t renewed, with the goal of selling tickets during the call. And alumni Mark Duper and A.J. Duhe will also be hitting the community to help sell tickets.

* Philbin reiterated several times that his goal is to develop players on the roster instead of making big splashes in free agency. He is especially intrigued in some of the young receivers, including Clyde Gates, Roberto Wallace, Julius Pruitt and Marlon Moore.

* The Dolphins are considering several changes to Sun Life Stadium, which turns 25 this year, though nothing has been finalized. Prior to the phone call, a team source said the team is considering placing tarps over some of the upper deck seats in an attempt to reduce capacity. At the Super Bowl, Dee said he hopes to bring the seats closer to the field now that the Marlins have left.

And on Tuesday’s call, Dee said the team is looking to bring a “shade component” to the seating area of the stadium to protect fans from the intense heat and inclement weather.

“Have a plan to add a canopy, as well as a number of other improvements which we believe will keep the stadium viable for the next 25 years,” Dee said. “Providing shade is a big part of that plan.”
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It may only be smoke but there has been a lovefest going on between Ireland and Michael Floyd. I think we will draft Tannehill but we will try to move down to the Rams or Jags to do so and add that 2nd round pick.

We had thirty visits last year. We drafted three (or two) of those guys. Just because we workout/have a guy visit doesn't mean we are taking them.

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even it some of that is simply because they're already two Qb's going and no real good ones will be available later

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Always a good strategy.

HEY, let's compare him to Bernie! That'll get the fans on board!!!

Former Browns quarterback Gary Danielson weighs in on Ryan Tannehill: 'Reminds me of Bernie Kosar'

Apr 10, 2012 -- 6:00am
By Tony Grossi

The Morning Kickoff …

Quarterback talk: In his job as a CBS-TV college football analyst, former Browns quarterback Gary Danielson attends mostly Southeastern Conference games during a typical season. And since it was not exactly a banner year in the SEC for quarterbacks – remember those two dreadful Alabama-LSU games? – Danielson doesn’t have a strong conviction on the quarterback Class of 2012 in the draft.

Yet once a quarterback, always a quarterback.

“The way the league is structured now you cannot win without a franchise quarterback,” Danielson said, echoing the sentiments of just about everybody. “That thing gets stretched a little bit. What is a franchise quarterback? I don’t think you try to make one up. But if you believe in a guy, it doesn’t matter what you pay to get him. I don’t believe you can draft him too quickly or pay him too much.”

Which brings up Ryan Tannehill: The Texas A&M product is the best quarterback available to the Browns in the draft. If the Browns pass up Tannehill at No. 4, they will commit to Colt McCoy for another season. McCoy either will make them look good in 2012 or the Browns will be quarterback-shopping again in 2013.

And on and on it goes.

Tannehill is no finished product, of course, having started more games at wide receiver (30) at Texas A&M than at quarterback (19). But Danielson says flatly, “I think Tannehill is superior to the kid Cincinnati took last year, (Andy) Dalton.”

Dalton, a second-round pick in 2011, started all 16 games as a rookie, led the Bengals to a 9-7 record and a wild-card playoff berth. He made the Pro Bowl as an alternate.

“If you’d asked me prior to the draft, which college quarterback in the past 10 years most reminds me of Bernie Kosar, it’s Tannehill,” Danielson said. “It’s his toughness, he’s a little unorthodox, and he’s as competitive as I’ve ever seen.”

This is high praise from the man who personally tutored Kosar in 1985 and taught him the nuances of the NFL game. Danielson pushed Kosar to the hilt in that 1985 season, giving way to him during the season only because of a torn right rotator cuff.

My lasting image is of the two competing in fierce ping pong contests in the players’ lounge at the Dodgertown complex after hours as the Browns prepared in Vero Beach, Fla., for a playoff game against the Miami Dolphins. Epic matches between the two of them, kill shots impaling each other’s chest. Both refusing to lose.

“Tannehill, you have to commit to him,” Danielson said. “He doesn’t look like a natural, like he was born to be John Elway. I don’t care how pretty you throw it. At that position, if you’re not tough and competitive you have no chance. Now, you have to have other skills, and he does. But he’s definitely 10 for 10 in toughness and competitiveness.”

Danielson had no great physical skills as a pro quarterback, but he had the qualities he speaks of. I covered a game in which he overcame five interceptions and put the Lions in position to defeat Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC playoff game. A missed field goal enabled the 49ers to win by a point.

“As quarterback, there are so many things that you control. You’re making so many mistakes – throw it earlier, or later, read this and that. You have to be tough enough to play that position,” Danielson said. “It’s an awesome responsibility. It’s a 10-month job and it requires special toughness. (Tannehill) definitely has that.

“Now, I don’t classify him as a pretty thrower. Usually a guy taken in the first or second round, you have no doubts when he releases the ball. Tannehill is still in training to be a quarterback. If the Browns were drafting, say, 11th, and he was there, everybody would be happy (to take him). But if you like the guy, you take him (at No. 4). You don’t try to jockey around and take him.”

You may detect that Danielson is not the biggest fan of Colt McCoy. He doesn’t think they win big with McCoy at the throttle.

“The Browns are in a terrible, terrible position,” Danielson said. “You passed on (receiver) Julio Jones last year. You’ve got to have a No. 1 receiver. Just have to. And No. 2, you didn’t get RG3 (Robert Griffin III). If by some chance Tannehill turns out to be a franchise quarterback and you didn’t take him, you’re all fired.”

That has to be the worst comparison ever.. Danielson needs to be checked out at a local "Happy Place". I might try this next year.

The SEC Championship CBS Drinking Game

Thanks for the read. I agree with the guy in that, I don't get the whole I would draft him at 8 but not at 4 stuff. If you believe that you have a chance to take a franchise QB then you take him where you can get him. End of story.

first, I missed the part where Tannehill has a strange delivery, uncanny accuracy, and led his talented team to a ton of wins. also, Colt may not be a very good NFL QB but he is tough and competitive. scrappy might be the first word I use when describing him.

so Tony Grossi is just going to spend the next few weeks talking about the 80s era Browns teams? (after his last article about Clay and Frank)

better than talking about the current rendition I suppose.

up next, how David Wilson reminds Grossi of a young Earnest Byner

What are your thoughts on the FO's evaluation of Tannehill?

The RG3 attempt took me by surprise...so I'm wondering where they have Tannehill slotted. Why give up so much if you are content with Tannehill (or prefer him) ? Did the attempt at RG3 make you wonder how the FO rated Tannehill Mourg?

You know we have scouted Tannehill probably harder than any team out there. We swarmed the Car Care Bowl to check him out. Then it was bam we have offered up 3 firsts to get RG3. It blew my mind.

When it was first reported, I didnt believe it. I could not believe a team that chose not to spend in free agency, with as many holes as we have on offense would spend all those picks on one player. It made no sense and still doesnt.

I didnt really question whether they liked Tannehill, I questioned their sanity lol.

If there was a run on offensive tackles, Nobody would be saying, " We can't take a the 10th best offensive tackle at 22 because he's not first round talent.

They'd be saying, We got to get the only offensive tackle left.

But when it is a quarterback, everyone wants to talk about value.

Do you honestly believe that if we are sitting at 22 that Heckert would take Donald Stephenson the 93rd rated player and the 10th ranked OT in the draft because we need one? Not a chance.

No but I honestly beleive that if glenn, Adams, Martin, Kalil, Sanders, Massie, and Mosley somehow happened to go in the top 20, the folks on this board would be clammoring for Schwartz with the 22 pick.

and it would be the right thing, because there will be little chance after to adress the hole.

Not much of a difference considering Schwartz is the 9th ranked tackle and 83rd ranked player. I don't think people would be clamoring for that and I know Heckert would never do something like that..I disagree entirely as it reeks of desperation and reaching for a need and is absolutely not the right thing to do. It would mean that there is a lot of good players at other positions because of the stupidity of other GMs.

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“If you’d asked me prior to the draft, which college quarterback in the past 10 years most reminds me of Bernie Kosar, it’s Tannehill,” Danielson said. “It’s his toughness, he’s a little unorthodox, and he’s as competitive as I’ve ever seen.”

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I wonder what rock Danielson has been hiding under, and who has been delivering the crack-cocaine to him.

Phillip Rivers? Nah, he isn't like Kosar at all. Afterall, Kosar was a converted wide receiver who has fast wheels and a strong arm...

Danielson couldn't be any more transparent with this one...

lol maybe he was being ironic.

or maybe he had too many undiagnosed concussions.

or they all need page clicks, QBs drive page clicks.

Indy nabs Luck. Yawn, so December.
Skins nab RGIII. Yawn, so 2 weeks ago.
Vikings have Ponder, yawn.

Hmmm, this Browns team seems to need a QB. Who is the next QB on the list? Tannehill? The same guy who got Sherman fired? Really? Okay, Tannehill to the Browns. Muwahaha, here come the page clicks.

I think the person that got Sherman fired would be his DC.

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it is the evil plot to by Mayock, Polian, Brandt, McShay, Danielson, LaCanfora and myself to make Tannehill ruler of the world. First stop QB of the Browns.

oops forgot Rob Rang the conspiracy thickens.

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Yeah, but none of youins count

I don't want to start a firestorm, but Since Holmy was talking to the season tkt holders about missing out on RGIII, I've wondered just how much we did offer. Heckert even said the talk about all those picks was crazy. And Fisher just laughed when they told him how Holmy was saying we offered just as much.

Sorry I just don't see it. Were in Re-building mode. There's no way were going to trade all those draft picks for a guy that has that many ?? marks.

Yeah, I know what Holmy said, but you have to remember who he was talking to and He Had To Convince The Season TKT. Holders that he was Doing Something.

He couldn't ignore the fans and their support. He put on a show. I'm glad that trade did not go thru and I bet Herkert is still shaking his head.

Course we will never know the true story, but I have doubts that we ever offered anything over #4 and #3 this yr. and a possible #2 next year. We just can't afford to give up that many picks, and not on a #2 prospect.

Are you ready for some football?

I am so ready for football! Ready for the show to begin..any minute now...

If we had made that trade

Dang, the smiley's are getting dark around here...

I'm not a conspiracy type guy, but man, I've been around business and the way dealings work, and what we need vs. what we were going to give up? I just don't see it. Heckert has not operated that way since he's been here and unless Holmy demanded he do it (which I doubt) I say he was just saving face with the fans.