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2013 NFL Free Agency: Browns

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The one thing I can tell you about ESPN's QBR is that they definitely over inflate for game winning drives and devalue blowouts.

Which seems to be highly unfair to QB's.
 
Brandon Weeden is older and not nearly as good as Smith.

If you don't want Smith because he is only on the borderline of elite QB, that's fine.

But Weeden has shown absolutely zero evidence of developing, so when you say they could win a ring with Pops it just sounds too ridiculous to sound credible.

This post is just oozing irony. Cuz there weren't many people that saw "evidence" with Alex Smith after one year, either. Weeden has more physical tools than Smith ever will. He's going to have a pretty nice staff to work with, a year under his belt, a good OL, and some up and coming skill players to work into what should be a pretty exciting scheme.

Now, I'm not proclaiming him to be some sure fire bet, but he deserves another year and I'm willing to bet he gets one...at least.
 
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitAl03.htm

8th column from the right, no?

Trust me, I don't use that solely to make my opinion of a qb. I value the famous "eye test" probably as much as any stat you can find. :)

That column is the ESPN QBR as it'st he same in the link below (Smiths stats this season were still good for 7th on that list but it was the QBR one that was refered to as being broken)

http://espn.go.com/nfl/qbr

The numbers I was using wouldbe from the "Rate" as lsited on the page you linked which is the standard Quarterback Rating
 
This post is just oozing irony. Cuz there weren't many people that saw "evidence" with Alex Smith after one year, either. Weeden has more physical tools than Smith ever will. He's going to have a pretty nice staff to work with, a year under his belt, a good OL, and some up and coming skill players to work into what should be a pretty exciting scheme.

Now, I'm not proclaiming him to be some sure fire bet, but he deserves another year and I'm willing to bet he gets one...at least.

I'm sorry, but trying to compare 29-30 Weeden to 22 year old Alex Smith just isn't a valid comparison.
 
I didn't really come in to argue the validity of ESPN QBR, as it is just another stat to be taken into account. To me, most stats can be flawed.

The 49ers let him walk this past off-season. Do you do that to a franchise qb? They then replaced him halfway through this season. The offense is obviously so much better than than it was before and better than it has been ANY year Smith was QB. Harbaugh is a really good coach, and knows what Smith can give him.
 
If you don't want Smith because he is only on the borderline of elite QB, that's fine.

He threw for 17 touchdowns last year. He threw for 12 touchdowns this year in 8 games... a pace of 24 touchdowns. Not even close to borderline elite.

Brandon Weeden is older and not nearly as good as Smith.

But Weeden has shown absolutely zero evidence of developing, so when you say they could win a ring with Pops it just sounds too ridiculous to sound credible.

Here are Weedens numbers throughout 15 games this year:

CompAttPctYdsTDInt
201229751757.433851417
2012 (16 Game Pace)31655157.436101518

Just for shits and gigs... lets ignore Weedens dreadful performance in his first NFL game ever. I know this isn't technically 'allowed'... but for shits and gigs, lets see what his 16 game pace would be without that game.

CompAttPctYdsTDInt
No Game 132555059.137331614.8



Now here are Alex Smith's numbers from 2011 and 2012 (16 game projected using 8 played games... disregarding two games of limited playing time).


CompAttPctYdsTDInt
201127344561.33144175
2012 (16 Game Pace)29041869.433182410

I honestly don't see how you can say Weeden is not nearly good as Alex Smith... when Weeden has been in the league exactly one year compared to Alex Smith's eight. Weeden was not allowed to audible once and had a shit head coach who couldn't coach himself out of a paper bag... and Smith has arguably one of the best head coaches in the league. Shurmur's game plan downplayed Weeden's strengths and exposed his flaws... Harbaugh's game plan exposed Smith's strengths and downplayed his flaws.

And yet... their numbers aren't that far apart. Obviously Weeden has a high amount of interceptions... but come on. It's his first year and Shurmur sucks. This divide between "Borderline Elite" Alex Smith and Brandon Weeden doesn't exist.

If Brandon Weeden starts at least 8 games next year... I guarantee his 16 game pace will be much better than Alex Smith's 16 game pace this year.

If you think Alex Smith could have won a ring with San Fransisco's current crop of players... then Brandon Weeden sure as hell would also. I just don't see how you can say otherwise. I mean this years stats for Weeden are nearly identical to Smith's stats from last year... you know, when the 49ers almost went to the Superbowl? Sure he had more INTs... but he is a rookie, that's to be expected. This post of yours sounds too ridiculous to sound credible.
 
Last edited:
Dennis Manoloff ‏ @ dmansworldpd
Schefty, on if 49ers were to eat Alex Smith roster bonus and cut him: "then there would be more speculation on whether Smith's next stop...

Dennis Manoloff ‏ @ dmansworldpd
".....would be Kansas City, Cleveland or some other quarterback-needing nfl city." Schefty is piped in; he didn't name 2 teams by accident.

Dennis Manoloff ‏ @ dmansworldpd
Schefty name-dropping KC and Cle as possible destinations should Alex Smith get released tells me # browns are serious about Smitty.
 
Norv Turner inherited Alex Smith in SF, he didn't draft him. His skills don't seem to fit the Chud/Norv offense. I don't see him as a target for the Browns. Of course I could be wrong. I have no inside info but just speculating that his talents don't line up with what appears to be the offensive philosophy.

I think Weeden's skills line up with what Chud/Norv are looking for more so than the other options we have on the team and in FA/draft. I don't think they love him but I think with all the options and their associated costs, I think Weeden will be their guy next year. I think they will bring in someone to seriously challenge him in preseason but at the end of the day, I don't think they have very many great options and Weeden will win the starting job.
 
Schefter said on Mike and Mike that Smith and Cleveland are a good fit and we may make a run at him.
 
If Smith is a good fit in Cleveland, then we know Chud certainly has no say on the player personnel. Brandon Weeden, Derek Anderson, and...Alex Smith...yeah I don't think so
 
I could see him as a stop gap while we wait for actual 'good' quarterbacks to come out in the draft. Keeps the team afloat and helps us win games while we look for the guy that will be the 'downfield passer' Chud mentioned at his PConf.

The problem with Heckert and Mikes plan was they didn't do anything to keep the team near .500 to keep some of the heat off of the rebuild. Lets be realistic you want to rebuild the right way but the coach wants to win as many games as possible or we can be in this same situation in 2 years.
 
I highly doubt it, although I'd welcome him with open arms. Great player.
 
So... we're going to have a vertical passing attack........ with a QB who's not known to throw downfield?

I like Alex Smith, but not for an offense that is planning on having a vertical passing attack.
 

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