McCarthy to get 'red shirt' year

[MAD GAINZ]

You're not going to find an exact comp, but there have been several QBs who turned a crap career around. 

Alex Smith was the #1 overall pick, but five different OCs in 5 years stunted his development. When he finally got some stability, he went to three Pro Bowls. 

Rich Gannon did almost nothing with three teams in 12 years. He goes to Oakland where Gruden's WCO fits him like a glove and he goes to 4 straight Pro Bowls and won the MVP. 

Len Dawson might be the best one. He was drafted 5th overall, struggled in Pittsburgh for three seasons, was traded to Cleveland where he also did nothing and was released after his 2nd season there. At the age of 27, he was picked by the Texans/Chiefs where he was a perfect fit for Hank Stram. Dawson was voted MVP his 1st season there and he went on to win three championships and a Super Bowl.

Vinny Testaverde and Ryan Tannehill come to mind as well.

Yep and someone mentioned Geno Smith above and I'll add Case Keenum (even though he wasn't highly drafted).  When we talk about Darnold having his best year, many of us aren't expecting or projecting him to be a top 10 QB or our next franchise guy.  Just be good enough to give McCarthy time to develop at his own pace until we're ready to make the change.  

We just don't want Darnold to completely crap the bed by Week 4 and then be forced to flip flop him and Mullens all season while "start JJ" crescendo builds to a fever pitch.

[MaroonBells]

Yep and someone mentioned Geno Smith above and I'll add Case Keenum (even though he wasn't highly drafted).  When we talk about Darnold having his best year, many of us aren't expecting or projecting him to be a top 10 QB or our next franchise guy.  Just be good enough to give McCarthy time to develop at his own pace until we're ready to make the change.  

We just don't want Darnold to completely crap the bed by Week 4 and then be forced to flip flop him and Mullens all season while "start JJ" crescendo builds to a fever pitch.

Darnold's best year was 2019, with 3,000 yards, 19 TDs and 13 INTs. His WRs that year were Robby Anderson, Josh Bellamy and Jamison Crowder. His starting TE was Ryan Griffin. 

Barring injury, or replacement, it would take some sort of epic meltdown for Darnold to not beat those marks with Jefferson, Addison, Hockenson and the best OL he's ever had. But what does that look like? I'd guess somewhere between Mullens and Cousins.

[FLVike]

Darnold's best year was 2019, with 3,000 yards, 19 TDs and 13 INTs. His WRs that year were Robby Anderson, Josh Bellamy and Jamison Crowder. His starting TE was Ryan Griffin. 

Barring injury, or replacement, it would take some sort of epic meltdown for Darnold to not beat those marks with Jefferson, Addison, Hockenson and the best OL he's ever had. But what does that look like? I'd guess somewhere between Mullens and Cousins.

Cousins started last season going 1-4 and barely beating the league's worst team. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Darnold will be much better than that in the first 5 games.

[purplefaithful]

Cousins started last season going 1-4 and barely beating the league's worst team. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Darnold will be much better than that in the first 5 games.

I might take that bet looking at the front end of the Vikings schedule:

@NYG
49'ers
Texans
@GB
Lions

[StickierBuns]

Cousins started last season going 1-4 and barely beating the league's worst team. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Darnold will be much better than that in the first 5 games.

'Cousins' started 1-4? lol. In the first 5 games, he threw 13 TDs to 4 INTs.....he then went on to throw only 1 more INT until he got injured. But they did have like 7 or 8 fumbles in those first 5 games? 

Always interesting! 

[MaroonBells]

Cousins started last season going 1-4 and barely beating the league's worst team. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Darnold will be much better than that in the first 5 games.

But Cousins was terrific in those 5 games, throwing for 1500 yards, 13 TDs and 4 INTs. He was either leading the league in passing at the time or he was very close. The story of those games was zero running game, a defense that had not yet found its footing and a ridiculous amount of fumbles.

[StickierBuns]

https://twitter.com/honestlyqu/status/18...8408122424

[purplefaithful]

But Cousins was terrific in those 5 games, throwing for 1500 yards, 13 TDs and 4 INTs. He was either leading the league in passing at the time or he was very close. The story of those games was zero running game, a defense that had not yet found its footing and a ridiculous amount of fumbles.

KC is not a HOF'er but....Fck, we're going to miss that efficiency and production. 

The team got behind him too.

[FLVike]

'Cousins' started 1-4? lol. In the first 5 games, he threw 13 TDs to 4 INTs.....he then went on to throw only 1 more INT until he got injured. But they did have like 7 or 8 fumbles in those first 5 games? 

Always interesting! 

In today's NFL the QB gets the glory for winning but also the blame when losing.  The 1-4 start last season, even though it was much on other circumstances,  Cousins was the QB so he bares the losses.
No matter what anyone thinks,  wins and losses are all that matter so if we go 2-3 it is better than last season   period. But I actually think we do better than that.

---

I might take that bet looking at the front end of the Vikings schedule:

@NYG
49'ers
Texans
@GB
Lions

I don't bet. But if I did you wouldn't like the outcome. You would win a little money but you wouldn't like the outcome.

[JimmyinSD]

KC is not a HOF'er but....Fck, we're going to miss that efficiency and production. 

The team got behind him too.

That explains it then, because his IOL was rarely in front of him when he needed them to be.