Croyle Gets Ready

[InChiefsHeaven]

From the KCSTar:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...as_city_chiefs

Chiefs rookie is preparing for the day when he takes over as starting quarterback.
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

If he were so inclined, Herm Edwards could say it’s time for Brodie Croyle to take the diaper off, figuratively speaking.

Croyle himself said as much, in a much more diplomatic way.

“I didn’t come here to sit and watch my entire career,” said Croyle, who just finished his rookie season as a backup Chiefs quarterback. “It’s time for me to be ready to play.”

Croyle is a principal figure as the Chiefs begin to consider their future at quarterback, both in the short and long terms. One veteran, starter Trent Green, played poorly this season. The other, Damon Huard, is scheduled to be a free agent.

There won’t be room for both Green and Huard on the 2007 Chiefs. No matter what the Chiefs decide, Croyle looms as either a starter or, more likely, the top backup who would get a quick promotion if the regular falters.

Croyle appears destined to be the starting quarterback by opening day of 2008, at the latest.

Edwards this week wouldn’t be dragged into a discussion about the Chiefs’ quarterback situation. But he is clearly enamored by Croyle, who he compares with Chad Pennington, his former quarterback with the Jets.

“He has to start preparing himself as if he’s going to play,” Edwards said. “That doesn’t mean he’s going to, but he’s got to get himself ready to be in that mix.”

The NFL trend is no longer to let a young quarterback marinate on the bench for years but to go through the growing pains immediately. Croyle, picked by the Chiefs in the third round from Alabama, was one of 11 quarterbacks drafted last year.

Five, but not Croyle, started at least one game as a rookie: Arizona’s Matt Leinart, Tennessee’s Vince Young, Denver’s Jay Cutler, Minnesota’s Tarvaris Jackson and Tampa Bay’s Bruce Gradkowski.

All except Gradkowski were selected ahead of Croyle.

“It’s all according to where your program is and what you’re trying to accomplish,” Edwards said. “Denver was the only one of those teams in the playoff hunt when they made that move. They were bold and went ahead and did it. The other teams went ahead and put a young guy in so that next year he’s already gone through this.”

A factor in Croyle’s favor is Edwards’ affinity for younger players. Croyle will be 24 next month. Green will turn 37 and Huard 34 in July.

“For what the Chiefs want, Croyle fits in,” said Russ Lande, a former NFL scout who now runs a draft Web site at www.gmjr.com. “Mentally, that will be no problem for him. Every quarterback struggles his first year as a starter, or most of them do. The physical side of it will be there for him, too. It’ll take him a while to adjust to being a starter, but eventually he’ll be fine.

“He is a good pocket passer with a good arm, but he’s not a real good athlete in my opinion. He’s adequate and for whatever reason in key situations in college I didn’t see him come up with that big play. That was my big issue with him. But he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, and he’s a leader and a tough guy.”

That last sentence automatically makes Croyle Edwards’ kind of quarterback. Edwards values the intangibles as much as superior physical skills from his quarterback.

He doesn’t ask the quarterback to win the game — he puts that burden on Larry Johnson and the defense — as much as not lose it. Turnovers are to be avoided at all costs.

The Chiefs believe Croyle, an accurate passer with a strong arm, can be that kind of player as soon as next season.

Croyle missed much of training camp and the preseason because of a shoulder injury. He played in only one game, the final minutes of the blowout loss in Pittsburgh, and looked overmatched.

Two of Croyle’s seven passes were intercepted and one was returned for a touchdown. If Croyle was indeed overmatched, the Chiefs are counting on that to change quickly.

Durability is a major question for Croyle. He is small (listed by the Chiefs at 6 feet 2 and 206 pounds). He missed his senior season of high school and most of his junior year at Alabama because of knee injuries.

Croyle was vacationing in Alabama this week but realizes the need to add weight and strength after his return.

“We had Christmas this week,” he said. “We finally got that over with. I guess we’ll have New Year’s next week. Then it’s time to get back to Kansas City. I’ll come back at the end of January. I’ll start in the film room and throwing to some of the young guys as soon as we get back.”

Man. The youth movement begins...

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Brock

A youth movement would make having herm as a coach worth it.

Excellent point.

[Red Dawg]

This would be a great move that will really pan out for many years. It's about time we started a young QB and stuck with him.

[KCTitus]

strong arm? Feh...can he hand the ball off is what I want to know.

[InChiefsHeaven]

Originally Posted by Tuckdaddy

This would be a great move that will really pan out for many years. It's about time we started a young QB and stuck with him.

Yup. We need to get into the rebuild mindset. We need to understand that he will probably suck his first season, but we need to stick with him and see what happens. I'm willing to face a season or two of suckage to build youth on this team.

[kcxiv]

I think on one of them damn quarterback challenges for college quarterbacks he out threw Vince Young by like 4 yards, think he threw the ball for 68 yards while Vince Young had 64.

[Eleazar]

Everyone yelling for a youth movement will be the first people to demand he be benched if he doesn't play well for the first couple of games.

[crazycoffey]

I'm all for it, Green may want to retire, talk him into staying as Brodie's back - up, throw the rookie in the fire and see what we got.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Cochise

Everyone yelling for a youth movement will be the first people to demand he be benched if he doesn't play well for the first couple of games.

There's no pleasing some people. I hope they play him. Let's start moving this franchise forward, for pete's sake.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by Brock

There's no pleasing some people. I hope they play him. Let's start moving this franchise forward, for pete's sake.

Imagine... Green retires, but stays on as QB coach. Huard leaves via free agency. Croyle is the starter. He sucks for the first couple games and we're 0-2 or 0-3. We would endure a deluge of threads asking if it were possible, and why we had not already, resigned Green and suited him up. Or why we let Huard go. blah, blah. Or if he succeeded, why we weren't starting him since the day he was drafted.

The front office and coaching staff would turn out to be idiots, one way or another.

[FAX]

How many QBs has Herm developed in his sterling career?

FAX

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by FAX

How many QBs has Herm destroyed in his sterling career?

FAX

fyp

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by Cochise

Everyone yelling for a youth movement will be the first people to demand he be benched if he doesn't play well for the first couple of games.

I was for sticking with green in the playoffs, I am for sticking with herm, and gunther, I will stand by brodie

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by FAX

How many QBs has Herm developed in his sterling career?

FAX

Herm hates offense, I am surprised he doesn't want to just get rid of the QB position and snap it to LJ.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by FAX

How many QBs has Herm developed in his sterling career?

FAX

Chad Pennington

[FAX]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Chad Pennington

Wasn't he already somewhat "developed", Mr. ChiefsCountry? Serious question. I really don't know.

FAX