Jonathan Rand: What if (Matt) Ryan's there?

[shaneo69]

What if Ryan's there?
Apr 10, 2008, 2:15:51 AM by Jonathan Rand

What should the Chiefs do if Matt Ryan from Boston College, considered the standout quarterback in this draft, is sitting there when it’s time to make the fifth overall pick?

Thousands of Chiefs fans would be screaming, “Take him!” Some of these same fans, no doubt, were throwing chairs at their big screens last year as the Chiefs declined to trade up during Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn’s free fall. The Browns traded up with the Cowboys to grab Quinn at number 22 and the Chiefs, sitting chilly in the 23rd spot, took LSU wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.

Quinn, whom many fans urged the Browns to draft with the third overall pick, now backs up Derek Anderson — a sixth-round choice in 2005 who was waived by the Ravens.

Bowe enjoyed a standout rookie season. Had the Chiefs traded up, they would have lost Bowe and an extra high draft pick that they would have had to give to the Cowboys. For the Chiefs, trading up would have been a big mistake.

Drafting quarterbacks is a lot trickier than you might think. The list of first-round busts at this position is much longer than the list of first-round successes, which is bizarre when you consider how much tape, statistics and workout information is generated by quarterbacks.

But the adjustment from college football to the NFL is so dramatic that “can’t-miss” quarterbacks are few and far between. We still don’t know if JaMarcus Russell, the LSU quarterback picked first overall by the Raiders a year ago, was a wise pick.

The Chiefs need, first and foremost, a top-flight offensive tackle. But if Michigan’s Jake Long is one of the top four picks, the next-best tackle may not be a good enough athlete to justify taking with the fifth pick.

The Chiefs could then try to trade down or take the best player still available. And what if they consider Ryan to be that player?

Chiefs coach Herm Edwards attended Ryan’s campus workout, and should have an educated opinion on whether he’s a superior prospect to incumbent Brodie Croyle. Ryan, 6 feet 5 and 224, gets positive reviews for his size, arm and ability to throw on the run.

The Chiefs haven’t committed a first-round pick for a quarterback since they misfired with Penn State’s Todd Blackledge in 1983. Considering their long-term failure to develop a young passer, is it time now for them to finally take the plunge?

Even if the Chiefs could draft Ryan, they’d have to wonder who’d be blocking for him. It makes no sense to commit a high pick to a quarterback if you can’t protect him, and the Chiefs stand three starters short of a decent line. When the Browns drafted Quinn, they’d already solidified their protection by taking Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas with the third overall pick.

Houston’s David Carr was a classic case of a highly drafted quarterback who received scant protection. The first overall pick in 2002, he was sacked 249 times during his first years as a Texan. Recently released by the Panthers, it’s tough to know whether Carr ever had the tools to win in the NFL. But it’s fair to say it was hard for him to develop while staring at the sky.

If the Chiefs consider drafting Ryan, they need to be convinced he’s a “can’t-miss” prospect, project him as the opening-day starter and feel confident they can quickly rebuild their offensive line. The chances of Ryan being the real deal and getting enough protection to help the Chiefs progress this year appear remote. It would come as a surprise if they draft him.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2008/04...f_ryans_there/

[bringbackmarty]

Originally Posted by pr_capone

I know I will get torched for this but here goes.....

Screw taking Ryan in the 1st.

*IF* Long or Dorsey are not available with our pick, I honestly believe we should trade down 1sts and pick up Clady plus get another 2nd and 3rd in the process. With that we should be able to address several concerns.

I am betting that Talib's stock took a hit with getting lit up 3 times for smoking weed. We will need a replacement for Law and someone to look forward to when Surtain hits the wall this or next season. I am betting he will be available in the 2nd when we go to pick.

If Talib is gone then we still have a shot at Porter.

Last but not least.....

Also, if Colt Brennan is available when we go to pick in the 4th round.... we DAMN well better pick him up.

omfg

[bringbackmarty]

It depends on who is there, who wants to trade and what they are offering.
Nobody wants to trade anything decent, J. Long, Dorsey gone, We have little use for Mcfadden at this point. We have Larry Johnson and we couldn't block for shit with him back there, so unless......

My guess is that Dorsey and Ellis are two candidates for the "Big Slide", Ryan gets drafted by Atlanta, we take Clady with Dorsey or Ellis on the board. Probably wrong about this. Miami Drafts J. Long, STL C. Long. Oakland takes Dorsey, Mcfaddn, or trades down. We are stuck with ellis or dorsey, and we take clady.

[The Rick]

You know, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing to have two young, good quarterbacks if Ryan is there and the staff thinks he's worthy of the pick. Better than pinning all hopes on Croyle and him not living up to them. Competition could make both better.

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Dude, haven't you heard Croyle has a strong arm? Apparently that's all you need to succeed in the NFL according to some on here.

.

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

I see the point. There's no way he would remain intact behind this Oline this year. Let Croyle get shitbeat, exit about Week 2. Let Huard come in and take his lumps.

Let Ryan take over fully in 2009 with an upgraded line.

Oh man , that is rich.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Give me a fuckIN break , already proclaiming him a SB QB before even playing a down in the NFL

It's almost as funny as you claiming that you are good at evaluating quarterbacks because you're a noted interweb quarterback genius, because you always thought trading for Trent Green was a smart move. Even though everybody else has Ryan as a first rounder and Croyle wasn't drafted until the third, you claim they're the same thing. You're good for a laugh your own self.

[CosmicPal]

I can tell you this right now, and I've said it before- the Chiefs won't draft Ryan. There's one simple reason why: Peterson's ego will get in the way. He drafted Croyle last year and he knows if he drafts Ryan with the first pick, then he's admitting to everyone he made a mistake with Croyle. The last thing Peterson wants to admit, is that he made a mistake.

[Sure-Oz]

Croyle wasn't a 1st rounder anyway so i dont think it would be that big of a deal to draft Ryan

[Brock]

Originally Posted by CosmicPal

I can tell you this right now, and I've said it before- the Chiefs won't draft Ryan. There's one simple reason why: Peterson's ego will get in the way. He drafted Croyle last year and he knows if he drafts Ryan with the first pick, then he's admitting to everyone he made a mistake with Ryan. The last thing Peterson wants to admit, is that he made a mistake.

???

Upgrading a position is not a mistake.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by Brock

It's almost as funny as you claiming that you are good at evaluating quarterbacks because you're a noted interweb quarterback genius, because you always thought trading for Trent Green was a smart move. Even though everybody else has Ryan as a first rounder and Croyle wasn't drafted until the third, you claim they're the same thing. You're good for a laugh your own self.

[CosmicPal]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz;

Croyle wasn't a 1st rounder anyway so i dont think it would be that big of a deal to draft Ryan

Croyle was taken in the 2nd round which commands a high salary. I didn't say he was a first rounder.

Peterson isn't George Steinbrenner, and he's not interested in having 2 quarterbacks: one taken in the 2nd round, and the other taken in the 1st round. That's way too much for Peterson and his cheap bank.

I may be wrong, and the only way I'm wrong is if they saw something they very much liked in Ryan and feel he is worth the 1st pick on their draft board.

But, knowing Peterson's ego and his stingy wallet- I don't see him having two costly QB's on the same staff- one of them being only a year older than the other.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by CosmicPal

Croyle was taken in the 2nd round which commands a high salary. I didn't say he was a first rounder.

Croyle was taken in the 3rd round, and it was in 2006, not last year.

[CosmicPal]

Originally Posted by eazyb81;

Croyle was taken in the 3rd round, and it was in 2006, not last year.

You're absolutely right! Dammit. Ugggh....Okay folks, well that blows my whole argument.

More coffee for me!!

[shaneo69]

Don Banks of SI: "At least one league insider predicted to me that if the Chiefs take Ryan instead of an offensive tackle, Peterson and Edwards will both wind up getting fired sooner rather than later."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ml?eref=si_nfl


PLEASE TAKE MATT RYAN!!

[NUMBER7]

Matt Ryan's agent is Condon? If he does go in the first round as planned it is going to take big bucks to sign him. Is Hunt ready to pony up with the big boys?