Who should start for 7 teams with shakiest QB situations

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete-prisco/25128926/musings-who-should-start-for-7-teams-with-shakiest-qb-situations
Pete Prisco
Senior NFL Columnist
Musings: Who should start for 7 teams with shakiest QB situations
March 30, 2015 12:21 pm ET

The quarterback situation is so shaky with the Buffalo Bills that new coach Rex Ryan said last week that he might use two fields to help speed up the evaluation process for his quarterbacks, with the hopes of finding one.

Thus is the life of the teams without a franchise quarterback.

They do anything and everything to try and find somebody serviceable, somebody who can manage the game, not turn it over, let the defense keep it close, and run the football.

With so many teams in need of a quality quarterback, and so few available, that style is the only way for some teams to compete. I know a lot of those teams will point to the Seattle Seahawks as a model for how a run-heavy, defense-dominated team can get to the Super Bowl — and even win it.

Two things about that: Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is far from just a guy, even if he’s elevated beyond his status by many. He is a top-10 to top-14 quarterback in this league.

The other factor is that the Seattle defense is one of the all-time best. If they lead the league in scoring defense in 2015, it will be the fourth consecutive season they will have done so. That hasn’t happened since the 1950s Cleveland Browns.

So scratch the Seahawks’ model as the way to go. It’s an exception to the rule. That’s why teams like the Bills, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins have to hope somebody emerges as a quarterback capable of winning games in the fourth quarter when asked to do so.

“It’s probably not an ideal situation right now,” Ryan said of his quarterback position. “You’ve got four guys competing instead of just going in with the clear-cut No. 1.”

As we head to the draft, here’s a look at some of those tenuous quarterback positions around the league.
Buffalo Bills

On the roster: EJ Manuel, Matt Cassel, Tyrod Taylor and Jeff Tuel.

The Skinny: With a new staff, Manuel might be able to work his way back to the starting job, a job he has had and lost in the past. But Cassel was acquired in a trade with the Vikings, and he has more starting experience. The other two are long shots.

Who will start: Cassel. You can just see how Ryan would prefer the veteran who won’t make the young-guy mistakes, rather than Manuel.

Who should start: Manuel. You know what you have in Cassel. Find out what Manuel can do. If he fails, then go to Cassel.

Trouble meter: High. Unless Manuel develops, they have major issues. Cassel isn’t the answer.

Can EJ Manuel win the starting job in Buffalo? (USATSI) Can EJ Manuel win the starting job in Buffalo? (USATSI)

Cleveland Browns

On the roster: Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel, Thad Lewis, Connor Shaw

The Skinny: They signed McCown to a deal that will pay him $5 million a year after a horrible showing with Tampa Bay last season. Manziel looked lost when he played last season and he has major off-field issues. The other two are backups — period.

Who will start: McCown. You don’t pay a guy that money and let him sit. He would seem to be the safer choice.

Who should start: Manziel — if he’s all the way back. If he’s dedicated to the craft — and that’s a big if — they need to find out if he can be the guy. You know what McCown is as a quarterback.

Trouble meter: Medium to High. Unless Manziel is what they expected him to be when they took him in the first round last year, they are still in a quarterback abyss.

Can Johnny Manziel win the starting QB job in Cleveland? (USATSI) Can Johnny Manziel win the starting QB job in Cleveland? (USATSI)

Houston Texans

On the roster: Ryan Mallett, Brian Hoyer and Tom Savage.

The Skinny: The team re-signed Mallett, who is coming off a torn pectoral muscle that ended his season in 2014. Mallett flashed when he started for the Texans last season, and has a chance to develop. Hoyer is familiar with the offense, but he struggled with the Browns last season and was benched. Savage is a raw second-year player.

Who will start: Mallett. I just think he is the better player and will win the job.

Who should start: Mallett. It’s time to find out if he can be the long-term answer.

Trouble meter: Medium to high. I think Mallett has a chance to develop. They need to let him.

Is Ryan Mallett the long-term answer in Houston? (USATSI) Is Ryan Mallett the long-term answer in Houston? (USATSI)

New York Jets

On the roster: Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Simms.

The Skinny: It’s clear that the new regime and new coaches aren’t sold on Smith — nor should they be. But he is coming off an impressive final game last season against Miami that offers some hope. Fitzpatrick is nothing more than a stop-gap veteran who is familiar with the offense. Simms is a backup.

Who will start: Smith. He will get the first shot, according to Todd Bowles, and Fitzpatrick is coming off a fractured left leg suffered late last season.

Who should start: Smith. And it sounds like it’s his job to lose.

Trouble meter: High. One game does not make a franchise passer. It’s time for Smith to do it or become a career backup and this franchise has major issues if that’s the case.

Can Geno Smith prove; his critics wrong? (USATSI) Can Geno Smith prove; his critics wrong? (USATSI)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On the roster: Mike Glennon and Seth Lobato.

The Skinny: If the season started with the current roster, the Bucs would be in big trouble. But they have the first pick in the draft, and will remedy that when they likely pick Florida State’s Jameis Winston. Glennon did some good things when he has started, but he is way too inconsistent. Lobato is a backup at best.

Who will start: Winston. You don’t pick a player first overall to let him sit.

Who should start: Winston. Throw him right in and let him grow. Mistakes will come, but playing is better than sitting.

Trouble meter: Low to Medium (Thanks to the No. 1 pick) — I think Winston will be a top-tier quarterback in the future, maybe sooner rather than later.

Jameis Winston is the future in Tampa. (USATSI) Jameis Winston is the future in Tampa. (USATSI)

Tennessee Titans

On the roster: Zach Mettenberger, Charlie Whitehurst and Alex Tanney.

The Skinny: Mettenberger showed some potential as a rookie last season, but then was lost in early December with a shoulder injury. The staff thinks he has the ability to be a quality starter, but is that enough? Can they pass on a quarterback — Marcus Mariota — with the second pick? Whitehurst has the career backup look, even if he has teased many a coach.

Who will start: Mettenberger. I just think they will pass on Mariota and Mettenberger will be the guy.

Who should start: Mettenberger. Find out if he’s the long-term answer. If he is, he’s going to be for a while on the cheap.

Trouble meter: Medium. It all depends on two things. Either Mettenberger can develop or Mariota is the pick. I think they will lean to the first one.

Is Zach Mettenberger the answer in Tennessee? (USATSI) Is Zach Mettenberger the answer in Tennessee? (USATSI)

Washington Redskins

On the roster: Robert Griffin III, Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins.

The Skinny: The Redskins are being mentioned as a possible team for Mariota with the fifth pick if he falls to them. That’s because they clearly have major questions about RG3. And they should. Coach Jay Gruden has publicly questioned his quarterback at times, and that’s never a good thing. McCoy and Cousins both have started games, but Cousins played himself into a career backup the past seasons and that’s what McCoy is as a quarterback.

Who will start: Griffin III. I just don’t see how they can draft another spread quarterback when they have him on the roster.

Who should start: Griffin III. Give him another year to see if he can adapt to Gruden’s offense. If not, they’ll both be gone.

Trouble meter: High. This is a make-or-break year for Griffin. Of course if they landed Mariota that changes things, but he’s going to take time adjusting.

Can Robert Griffin III rediscover his winning form in Washington? (USATSI) Can Robert Griffin III rediscover his winning form in Washington? (USATSI)

More Musings

• The Bengals are thrilled that defensive end Michael Johnson chose to come back after a year with Tampa Bay last season. Johnson signed with the Bucs as a free agent, but never seemed to fit and they released him this month. The Vikings, with former Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer as coach, wanted to sign Johnson, but he opted to go back to the Bengals. “Mike wanted to be comfortable again,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. “That whole thing added to the atmosphere. It was important for him to be comfortable. In his mind he wasn’t for a season and so just to come back to what he knows. He’s such a fundamentally sound person that way. That’s what he was looking for.” If Johnson can play like he did in 2013 and Geno Atkins can get back to his pre-injury form, the Bengals will be much better on the defensive line in 2015.

• The old idea of the 4-3 and 3-4 fronts is a thing of the past. Teams are now in sub defenses the majority of the time, and more fronts are hybrid than in years past. Teams use all types of looks up front on defense. “The most significant downs in our game usually are in sub-football these days,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said last week at the league meetings “So when you talk about base defense 4-3 and 3-4, if you look at the most critical plays in our game we’re not in base defense. And offenses don’t have a fullback in the game either. That’s just today’s NFL.” Get used to even more of it as teams continue the trend to spreading out even more on offense.

•The Colts would be stupid to let coach Chuck Pagano get away. He’s done a heck of a job with the team as he enters his fourth season. He is in the last year of a contract, but I can’t imagine the Colts won’t extend him. Or maybe they won’t. Is this a prove-it year for Pagano in the eyes of owner Jimmy Irsay? That makes no sense. His team has improved the past three years, and is coming off a trip to the AFC Championship Game. Does that mean Super Bowl or out?

• I know they would never say it, but the Patriots can’t be happy about Tom Brady’s cliff jump last week in Costa Rica. The video was posted on his Facebook page. It wasn’t a huge cliff, but it wasn’t a hill either. Why risk injury?

• I still don’t think the NFL should bother changing the extra point, but now that they are considering putting more decision-making into the point, I am all for it. Anytime it gives us a chance to question game management by coaches, I love it. There is the potential that the extra point could be moved to the 1 1/2-yard line and the try would count 3 and or attempt a PAT kick from the 15. That would bring a lot of game-management into play. Bring it on. Hell, we just watched one of the greatest coaches ever in Bill Belichick win a Super Bowl, although he botched the end of two games with his mismanagement. He blew it at the end of the victory over the Ravens in the playoffs and then again in the final seconds of the Super Bowl by not calling timeout. He got away with both of them. Lucky for him.

Topics: Alex Tanney, Brian Hoyer, Charlie Whitehurst, Colt McCoy, Connor Shaw, EJ Manuel, Geno Atkins, Geno Smith, Jeff Tuel, Johnny Manziel, Josh McCown, Kirk Cousins, Matt Cassel, Matt Simms, Michael Johnson, Mike Glennon, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett, Seth Lobato, Thad Lewis, Tom Brady, Tom Savage, Tyrod Taylor, Zach Mettenberger, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins, NFL