A case for Tyler Thigpen

[MMXcalibur]

http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/08/27/a-ca...tyler-thigpen/

Thursday, August 27 2009
Official Blog of the National Football League

Home
« Ryan making all the right moves with Jets
Kendall Simmons preparing for a comeback »
Jason La Canfora
A case for Tyler Thigpen
Posted: August 27th, 2009 | Jason La Canfora | Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger, Brodie Croyle, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Joe Flacco, Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Cassel, Matt Ryan, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, trades, Tyler Thigpen, Wildcat

I have a question for you guys: Name a first-year starting quarterback who accounted for more touchdowns than Super Bowl-winning veteran Ben Roethlisberger or standout rookies Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan last season? Here’s another one: Of all the players who ran the ball at least 50 times last season, who led the NFL in yards per carry?

OK, so the title of this blog makes the answer pretty much a dead giveaway. I think we all know who I’m talking about here (for the record, he averaged 6.2 yards per carry on 62 rushes). But I’m going to say it (read: type it): I like Tyler Thigpen. I’m not afraid to admit it, and I know some savvy NFL scouts/executives who value him, too.

I like Thigpen’s guts and competitiveness. I love his athleticism. I think he’s a playmaker who’s still quite raw (a 25-year-old who became a starter for a lame-duck staff last season, out of Coastal Carolina of all places) and has some warts but a ton of upside. He’s a kid who flashed some real talent, yet was surrounded by an Amy Winehouse-thin roster in Kansas City last season (having no defense and no running game did him no favors).

And it’s clear that the new Chiefs regime prefers Matt Cassel and Brodie Croyle to him — because Thigpen is being shopped — but if I’m running the average NFL team (which means I probably have 1.5 capable QBs on my roster, and, yeah I’m going to use a lot of parenthesis in this post), I’m making a play for this kid, even if it costs me more than a fifth-round draft pick (the current asking price).

So, let’s go back to the beginning here, a very good place to start.

Thigpen was thrust into duty after the Chiefs’ other quarterbacks went down with season-ending injuries. He ended up accounting for 22 touchdowns (18 passing, three rushing and one receiving) in just 11 starts for a 2-14 team that had some deep flaws. Roethlisberger, a $100 million QB, won a Super Bowl with help from the game’s best defense and accounted for 19 TDs (17 passing, two rushing) in 16 starts.

So Thigpen, as a second-year pro with no prior experience and a last-place roster around him, threw for 2,608 yards and 18 TDs with 12 interceptions in the first 11 starts of his career. And Roethlisberger, already fully polished and with a Super Bowl-quality roster around him, threw for 3,301 yards and 17 TDs with 15 interceptions in 16 games. Hmm, interesting. And Roethlisberger had as many turnovers as Thigpen did scores.

OK. In no way am I trying to say Thigpen is remotely the QB and playmaker than Big Ben is (nor could anyone expect him to be), but tell me this kid might not be worth a shot at being better than most teams’ current backup passer. (Personally, I think he’s a heck of a lot better than Croyle, for one, but I’m obviously not running any NFL teams). Hang with me here.

Ryan, the third overall pick in the 2008 draft, won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, had the league’s best running game and a stout Falcons defense behind him, and he accounted for 17 total TDs in 16 starts. Flacco also was a first-round pick in 2008, started 16 games for a Ravens team with the league’s second-best defense and a robust running attack, and he accounted for 16 total TDs.

Let’s take it a little deeper. Well, Jason, you dope, the Chiefs stunk and Thigpen just put up a bunch of meaningless numbers while chasing teams in the second half of games, right?

Not so fast. The Chiefs either led entering the fourth quarter, led in the fourth quarter or were tied entering the fourth quarter in seven of Thigpen’s final 10 games. If anything, questionable play-calling, a horrid running game and an atrocious defense conspired against the young QB.

Overall, could Thigpen be better in the fourth quarter? Sure, he had a 62.0 rating and completed just 50 percent of his passes (four fourth-quarter TDs to four fourth-quarter interceptions isn’t that bad, though). This was a kid from a small school thrust into emergency starts with little coaching, and as we know, inexperienced passers tend to have issues late in games. Thigpen also was sacked 11 times on just 123 fourth-quarter pass attempts, so a suspect offensive line and lack of any sort of competent defense didn’t make things any easier on him.

Well, what about Thigpen completing just 55 percent of his passes and throwing 12 interceptions in just 14 games? Neither is ideal, no doubt. But let’s look at his offensive weapons. Dwayne Bowe and Devard Darling were his starting receivers. It wasn’t exactly the sure-hands crew. Besides having perennial Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez, this kid was on his own.

As I said, Thigpen is raw and has some flaws, so coach him up (he was the first quarterback in Coastal Carolina history for goodness sake, with the program starting in 2003) and help him with film study and fundamentals. There is plenty to work with there.

This kid is incredibly fast — on his runs, he was almost never tackled by someone in the front seven. You can’t tell me he’s not one of the 64 best QBs out there, and given his skills and speed, he definitely could be someone who could help in the Wildcat. At 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds, Thigpen can take a hit.

As for the interceptions, that’s pretty common with young QBs. And the first came in a mop-up role in his first appearance of 2008, and three more came in his first NFL start, against the eventual NFC South champion Falcons, when you’d expect him to be nervous.

In the final 10 games, all starts, Thigpen threw 16 touchdown passes to eight interceptions. Not too shabby. And that’s far beyond anything the first-round bonus babies (JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn) from Thigpen’s draft year (2007) have accomplished.

Well, sure, those are decent numbers, but come on, the dude was in a shotgun most of the time and not a traditional offense?

Yep, the Chiefs, in desperation, got a bit gimmicky last season and spread things out. But a lot of teams are going more that route, and you guys tell me that Tom Brady (and last year, Cassel) and Flacco and Roethlisberger aren’t back there quite a bit, too.

Wow, I never thought I’d write this much about Tyler Thigpen, but, alas, it has happened. But how can you not like the kid? Never invited to the combine, seventh-round pick by the Vikings, claimed off waivers by the Chiefs in September 2007, tore his medial collateral ligament that rookie season and then ended up starting 11 games the next year when no one expected it, and, best as I can tell, did some pretty nice stuff.

And now, someone, if they’re smart, will meet the Chiefs’ price and trade for Thigpen. Sure, a third- or fourth-round pick is considerable, but when you look at what the kid has done, how valuable his position is and how few quality alternatives exist (let alone talented 25-year-olds), to me, a fourth-round pick is surely worth the shot.

The Jaguars have expressed the most interest to this point, and that’s one of several teams with a significant need for a backup QB. The Bills, Bears, Packers and Saints also have been closely monitoring the QB market. And people I talk to around the league don’t discount the Patriots making a move for a QB, too — particularly one who could provide a Wildcat element. The Ravens seriously considered trading for Thigpen before ultimately opting to sign Cleo Lemon a little while back, league sources said.

Some team will come away with a solid prospect in Thigpen, and frankly, I’m not quite sure why the Chiefs didn’t give him more of a look before locking in on Cassel.

Thigpen overload lately.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Lex Luthor

Again, he was a first year starter on a horrible team with no offensive line.

I don't give a rat's ass if it was the first time he'd ever picked up a football. That's just an attempt at making excuses when it comes to the assertion that was made:

If you throw for 2600 yards in 11 games, you can't be too inaccurate.

3rd worst of those who qualified. The poster, KCDC, was talking out of his ass.

[Bane]

Originally Posted by Raised On Riots

Pollard sucks, but Thigpen should stay? You're slippin' brah, slippin' hard.

Here's MY case for Thigpen:

Easy now I never said Pollard sucks.I only said Id bet on LJ out lasing Pollard in KC.As far as Thigpen goes they can deal him if they like,thats fine,but getting rid of him doesnt make us SB ready.Everyone seems to think he stopped of from going 16-0 last year.

[OnTheWarpath15]

And the butthurt continue from the folks that thought Thigpen was the clear cut #2 coming into camp.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Define value.

I've yet to see anyone offer something of value, and the one team that is supposedly interested is balking at giving anything of real value.

I didn't make the point. La Canfora did. He was a writer for the Washington Post and now works for the NFL Network, so he has his share of contacts. Not saying it's perfectly credible information, but it goes against the ridiculous idea that so many on this board claim that he will never be a good NFL player and that no teams think he's worth a shit.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

And the butthurt continue from the folks that thought Thigpen was the clear cut #2 coming into camp.

But...but...it's THIGGY!

[Bane]

Hopefully Cassel will stay healthy and play well and we wont have to address the issue of who his back up is.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

And the butthurt continue from the folks that thought Thigpen was the clear cut #2 coming into camp.

someone could say this about you and the cassel situation also

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

And the butthurt continue from the folks that thought Thigpen was the clear cut #2 coming into camp.

The argument everyone is making is that he doesn't deserve a shot on this roster and that he'll be out of the NFL in a few years because he has no talent. Don't swerve the thread.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

The argument everyone is making is that he doesn't deserve a shot on this roster and that he'll be out of the NFL in a few years because he has no talent. Don't swerve the thread.

I don't think anyone is making that argument.

He's a fine backup.

The problems arise when reeruns write stat-based articles lauding him as some kind of potential long-term starter.

[Bane]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

I don't think anyone is making that argument.

He's a fine backup.

The problems arise when reeruns write stat-based articles lauding him as some kind of potential long-term starter.

Oh shit you said he's a fine back up!!!!! Look out!!!!

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

I didn't make the point. La Canfora did. He was a writer for the Washington Post and now works for the NFL Network, so he has his share of contacts. Not saying it's perfectly credible information, but it goes against the ridiculous idea that so many on this board claim that he will never be a good NFL player and that no teams think he's worth a shit.

The Kansas City Chiefs apparently don't think he's worth a shit, and IMO, neither do other teams, seeing as how nothing better than a 5th round pick has been offered.

If Thigpen wad the player you claim he is, teams would be fighting over his services. But that's not the case.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

I don't think anyone is making that argument.

He's a fine backup.

The problems arise when reeruns write stat-based articles lauding him as some kind of potential long-term starter.

I don't think there are many "pro Thigpen" people out there saying he should be a starter either. Most just want to see him develop on the bench and see what comes of him.

But go to any Thigpen thread. 90% of the posters say they can't wait for him to be gone. Many of them say that no GM thinks he's any good and some of them say he doesn't deserve to be in an NFL uniform. Almost all of them are saying that a GM is stupid to trade any kind of pick for Thigpen. Basically, almost all the posts say he's garbage and he always will be, and there is no chance he will ever be better than garbage.

I don't know why it came to people despising the man, but it has. And that's a shame.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

But go to any Thigpen thread. 90% of the posters say they can't wait for him to be gone.

Probably because there are drooling morons who pimp him at every chance. There are LITERALLY people around here who think Thigpen deserves more of a chance to be the starter.

That gets really tiresome. We're supposed to be moving on from half-baked shit. We have a real quarterback, just STFU about the guy warming the bench.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

someone could say this about you and the cassel situation also

You could, but as usual, you'd be full of shit.

Once they passed on Sanchez, I was over it. I still don't think Cassel will become a true franchise QB, but he's ours now - so I hope like he'll I'm wrong.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

The argument everyone is making is that he doesn't deserve a shot on this roster and that he'll be out of the NFL in a few years because he has no talent. Don't swerve the thread.

He got his shot and apparently whiffed.

It's funny that so many have given Pioli a pass so far, but are implying he's an idiot for choosing Croyle and Gutierrez over him.