Investment at quarterback doesn't always pay off in postseason

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/11/04/nfl-quarterback-tony-romo-jay-cutler-investment/18491453/

ARLINGTON, TEXAS -- Tony Romo's back has again become balky. Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons are floundering near the bottom of the NFC. The Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler hasn't eliminated his interception problem.

Warts and all, teams around the NFL have found themselves heavily invested in veteran quarterbacks.

Lengthy contract extensions for six non-Super Bowl winning quarterbacks since early 2013 resulted in financial investments that carried massive guaranteed dollars, leaving teams committed to them without proven playoff returns.

Take Romo, Ryan, Cutler, the Detroit Lions' Matthew Stafford and the Cincinnati Bengals' Andy Dalton, each of whom got a hefty payday within the last 19 months. Combined, they've won three career playoff games.

"That is definitely a quandary that these teams find themselves in. Do we just keep trying to build a team around the position and go with the guy that we have, or do we see if we can find a cheaper version?" former Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage said.

But what other choice do teams have? If not these quarterbacks, then who?

Savage now is the executive director of the Senior Bowl and spends his fall scouring college football for the best NFL prospects and handing out invitations to the annual college All-Star game, which serves as the first predraft showcase for NFL teams. After watching the growing schism between college spread offenses and what NFL teams still desire in a quarterback, it's no wonder to Savage that teams keep reinvesting in established players.

"I would say the quantity of passers is probably as large as it's ever been, just in terms of guys can go out and throw a football. But the actual depth of players that are NFL ready? Those waters are probably shallower than ever before," Savage said.

Recent draft classes have revealed the challenge of finding a better crop of quarterbacks.

It hasn't worked for the Buffalo Bills with EJ Manuel, or for the New York Jets with Geno Smith, high picks from 2013. The Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans already have replaced 2011 first-rounders Christian Ponder and Jake Locker, respectively. That teams are showing a willingness to move on so quickly from a failed young quarterback puts pressure on the 2014 rookies who are starting — Blake Bortles with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Derek Carr with the Oakland Raiders, Teddy Bridgewater for the Minnesota Vikings and Zach Mettenberger for the Tennessee Titans — to produce immediately.

The 2012 draft class — with the Indianapolis Colts' Andrew Luck at No.1 overall, and the third-round gem the Seattle Seahawks found in Russell Wilson — seems to be the anomaly. But even with that class, No.2 pick Robert Griffin III has struggled with injuries, and third-rounder Nick Foles has not been able to match his stellar sophomore season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

"The thing is, you stick with a quarterback when you don't have anyone better to go to. That's the big thing," Hall of Fame coach John Madden told USA TODAY Sports. "You take like a Jay Cutler, and Jay Cutler has a few interceptions and you lose a few games and you want him out of there. But who do you want in? And then, there's not enough quarterbacks to go around for 32 teams to all have one. The talent pool is too low."

The Manuel and Smith examples, as well as evidence of successful stories of quarterbacks who have started their careers on the bench are why the Cleveland Browns continue to stick to their plan to not play first-round pick Johnny Manziel. It has helped coach Mike Pettine's case, certainly, that the Browns are 5-3 under starter Brian Hoyer.

"You look at the quarterbacks that people have gotten in there, and then in hindsight they were rushed, and then what happens to those guys afterwards. Was their confidence shot? Will they ever kind of get it back? History doesn't bode well for guys that were put in, got pulled, and then coming back," Pettine told USA TODAY Sports. "We live in a world of instant gratification, so I know it's tough to see Johnny go from the top of the college football world to 'Where is he?' But we have to do what's right for us, and I'd like to think that what we're doing is potentially also what's right for Johnny."

In Dallas, Jones doubled down on his investment in Romo when he passed on the chance to draft Manziel, even though he was reluctant to do so. The Cowboys have no regrets about the player they took at No.16 instead, starting guard Zack Martin, who looks like a future Pro Bowler, but Romo's health issues make it fair to wonder if the Cowboys have committed too much to Romo.

But even with Romo set to make a $17million salary in 2015, (when he'll count $27.7 against the Cowboys' salary cap), it's hard to imagine the Cowboys finding a viable alternative — not that owner Jerry Jones will even address it yet.

"I think (Romo) is in the prime of his career, and he gives us, going and away, the best chance to win games. We want to protect him, and we want to balance the offense and protect him by having a good running game," Jones said. "That's the plan. That's what we're trying to do. As far as looking for the future, I'm not looking (at) that at all."

 

Basically stop doing what every other fool owner does is the moral to this story.

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/11/04/nfl-quarterback-tony-romo-jay-cutler-investment/18491453/

 

Basically stop doing what every other fool owner does is the moral to this story.

 

I agree. At least we invested in a QB that can win in the playoffs and take a team to a Superbowl. I bet a lot of the NFL owners would give their left nut to be able to invest in that kind of QB,

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We sure are lucky to have Joe.

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I agree. At least we invested in a QB that can win in the playoffs and take a team to a Superbowl. I bet a lot of the NFL owners would give their left nut to be able to invest in that kind of QB,

That is exactly what I was banking on in 2013.