Batch thinks Steelers might groom Jones to replace Roethlisberger

Quote :

Posted by Mike Florio

With the arrival of quarterback Bruce Gradkowski via free agency and quarterback Landry Jones via the fourth round of the 2013 draft, it’s highly unlikely that Charlie Batch’s 11-year run with the team will continue.

So Batch can speak his mind. That’s precisely what he did regarding the team’s decision to draft Jones.

“[U]ltimately, I think this isn’t about replacing me,” Batch told Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Big picture, maybe they’re thinking, ‘Can we develop Landry Jones to be the starter? Maybe two years from now, he could be our guy for the next 10 years.’ We don’t know. But with the contracts for quarterbacks these days, he’d certainly be a heck of a lot cheaper than Ben at age 34 or 35 or 36.”

Batch has a point, to an extent.. As quarterback cap numbers grow while the salary cap doesn’t, it’s getting harder to build a team around the guy who throws the ball.

Still, G.M. Kevin Colbert didn’t sound like a guy who is thinking about moving on from Roethlisberger during last week’s visit to PFT Live.

“You look at the great quarterbacks, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, they’re in their mid-30s, and Ben’s just 31,” Colbert said. “We think there’s a lot of football and we hope there’s a lot of football left in him, and hopefully it’s even better than he’s been for us. It’s our job to maximize these years that he has left, and we really think that he has a nice stretch in him.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/29/batch-thinks-steelers-might-groom-jones-to-replace-roethlisberger/

My initial reaction to this story was: Damn it, Charlie!

But the more I think about it, Ben thrives when he's playing with a chip on his shoulder. He likes being doubted. What would be a negative situation for most quarterbacks could be a positive for Ben.

I agree with Charlie soon you won't be able to afford anybody but your Qb

Unless Ben experiences some severe injury within in the next two years, it's unlikely that Landry has a shot at being a starter. I'm not even sure he's starter material, anyway.

If Ben has a good year next year, he'll probably have his contract extended. Ben hasn't done anything to have a fire lit under his ass. If the lineman step it up next year, we'll be in good shape.

looking at contract wise he could be right. if jone develops as a QB. you don't need a big gun in Haley's offense'

glad the Steelers got younger at the QB position tho.

Batch seems a little angry over the development, honestly, and I believe he'll change his tone when the realization kicks in.

I was hoping the Steelers would go QB in this years draft for depth reasons, and I was satisfied when they chose Landry. He'll be a good backup for years in Pittsburgh, but I don't think he'll sniff the starter spot. He needs to beat out Grad, first, and Ben's likely extension after the coming season will have him sitting on the bench for the next three or four years. Maybe even more.

I think we'll KNOW when the Steelers are ready to groom Ben's replacement when they select a QB with one of the first 32 picks of a future NFL Draft.

Drafting Ben's eventual replacement really isn't that far fetched of an idea. The Steelers MO has always been to let aging high priced vets go and Ben fits that bill perfectly. Do you really think the FO is going to sign a 34-5 year old qb to a $25,000,000 per year contract? You can play the homer card and say Ben won't ask for that, but that will be market value. Especially when you consider that qb's like Ryan, Stafford, Griffin, Kaepernick, Dalton,Wilson are all coming up for contracts.

Landry Jones has the makings of an NFL caliber qb and fits Haley's system perfectly. People complain about Jones' "happy feet", but Haley's offense is predicated on quick short throws which all but nullifies the pass rush and Jones' supposed happy feet. Jones can make every throw on the field, his pre snap reads are very good, a quick release, and he's very accurate. To me this was a calculated move by the front office. We won't know for a while if Jones will pan out, but he's got the pedigree and if he does Ben is gone.

supytalpeht wrote:

Drafting Ben's eventual replacement really isn't that far fetched of an idea. The Steelers MO has always been to let aging high priced vets go and Ben fits that bill perfectly. Do you really think the FO is going to sign a 34-5 year old qb to a $25,000,000 per year contract? You can play the homer card and say Ben won't ask for that, but that will be market value. Especially when you consider that qb's like Ryan, Stafford, Griffin, Kaepernick, Dalton,Wilson are all coming up for contracts.

Landry Jones has the makings of an NFL caliber qb and fits Haley's system perfectly. People complain about Jones' "happy feet", but Haley's offense is predicated on quick short throws which all but nullifies the pass rush and Jones' supposed happy feet. Jones can make every throw on the field, his pre snap reads are very good, a quick release, and he's very accurate. To me this was a calculated move by the front office. We won't know for a while if Jones will pan out, but he's got the pedigree and if he does Ben is gone.

this was my thinking when the Steelers hired Haley.

as an OC with Zona aging QB really good WRs and the rest of the team average made it to the Superbowl and damn near won it. all Haley's offense needs in a QB quick read quick release average arm QB. with the way college football has turn in to a pass fest league quick read quick read average arm QBs will be easier to find same with the quick WRs.

and how do you beat a great Steelers pass rush? with a quick read quick release QB.

with a good zone blocking o-line RBs should be easier to find.

I don't think this is true. Ben is too young to start grooming for his replacement and I don't think they would take someone that late for his replacement. It wouldn't surprise me if Jones either becomes trade bait or is eventually released a few years down the road.

steelerdude15 wrote:

I don't think this is true. Ben is too young to start grooming for his replacement and I don't think they would take someone that late for his replacement. It wouldn't surprise me if Jones either becomes trade bait or is eventually released a few years down the road.

As I said earlier, you'll know the Steelers are ready to groom Ben's replacement when they draft a QB with a first or second draft pick.

I think now is the right time to start looking for Ben's eventual replacement. That doesn't mean than Jones will be the guy, but I think it's best for the Steelers to come into the season with an open mind and all options on the table.

Replacing a solid franchise quarterback with another one right away isn't easy. The 49ers did it when they went from Montana to Young. The Packers went from Favre to Rodgers. The Patriots* went from Bledsoe to Brady. But those are the exceptions, not the rule. Most teams struggle for years trying to replace a franchise quarterback. Just look at the Steelers. After Bradshaw, they had to endure decades of quarterbacks like Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, Bubby Brister, and Kordell Stewart before finally getting another solid franchise QB in Ben.

If after a season or two they determine that Jones is the right guy to replace Ben, then they'll have to move on just like the 49ers moved on from Montana. Just like the Packers moved on from Favre. But if after a season or two they determine that Jones isn't the right guy to replace Ben, then they have to find someone else. The worst thing they can do is wait until Ben's career is over to start looking for his replacement. A few strikeouts would set the team back for years (possibly decades). No matter what Steelers fans want, Ben isn't going to play forever, and they need to have the next QB in place before he rides off into the sunset. If Jones isn't the guy, then they keep looking. If Jones is the guy to lead this team for next 10 to 12 years, then they'll have to make the move in a few years.

That's nothing against Ben and everything he's done for the Steelers. That's the reality of the business.

steelerdude15 wrote:

Ben is too young to start grooming for his replacement

This will be his 10th season in the NFL. And he's taken more abuse over the years than most QBs. His style of play, which he refuses to abandon, lends itself to taking more abuse. Being in my early 40s, I can tell you that your body doesn't hold up like it's able to when you're younger. There's a world of difference between 22 and 32. And with all the punishment he's taken, Ben's body is probably closer to a 35-year-old body than a 32-year-old body.

If we wait 2 or 3 more years, what happens if Ben starts breaking down (or retires) and we lose Jones, who turns out to be a solid NFL QB? Then we'd be forced to replace Ben immediately with the best available option. And what if he turns out to be a bust?

I think now is the perfect time to start looking for Ben's eventual replacement. As I said above, we don't know if Jones will be the guy. If he's not, it might take 3, 4, 5 more years to find the right guy. I don't think it's wise to wait until you need a franchise QB to start looking for one.

bayz101 wrote:

As I said earlier, you'll know the Steelers are ready to groom Ben's replacement when they draft a QB with a first or second draft pick.

A lot of good QBs have been drafted beyond the first and second round. And being a first-round pick doesn't guarantee a QB will be good. Here's the first-round picks from 2000-2010:

2000
Chad Pennington

2001
Michael Vick

2002
David Carr (BUST)
Joey Harrington (BUST)
Patrick Ramsey (BUST)

2003
Carson Palmer
Byron Leftwich
Kyle Boller (BUST)
Rex Grossman

2004
Eli Manning (SB)
Philip Rivers
Ben Roethlisberger (SB)
J. P. Losman (BUST)

2005
Alex Smith
Aaron Rodgers (SB)
Jason Campbell

2006
Vince Young (BUST)
Matt Leinart (BUST)
Jay Cutler

2007
JaMarcus Russell (BUST)
Brady Quinn (BUST)

2008
Matt Ryan
Joe Flacco (SB)

2009
Matthew Stafford
Mark Sanchez
Josh Freeman

2010
Sam Bradford
Tim Tebow (BUST)


28 quarterbacks were drafted in the first round between 2000 and 2010. Four of them have won a Super Bowl. But 10 of them were total busts. And that's a bit kind not to list guys like Jason Campbell, Mark Sanchez, and Alex Smith as busts.

Meanwhile, you've got Tom Brady (who was drafted in the sixth round) and Kurt Warner (who wasn't drafted) with a combined 4 Super Bowls ... one fewer than all the first-round picks between 2000 and 2010 combined.

The point is this ... sure you might draft the next Peyton Manning. But you also might draft the next Ryan Leaf. You can't determine how good a QB is going to be based on where he's picked.

supytalpeht wrote:

Landry Jones has the makings of an NFL caliber qb and fits Haley's system perfectly. People complain about Jones' "happy feet", but Haley's offense is predicated on quick short throws which all but nullifies the pass rush and Jones' supposed happy feet. Jones can make every throw on the field, his pre snap reads are very good, a quick release, and he's very accurate. To me this was a calculated move by the front office. We won't know for a while if Jones will pan out, but he's got the pedigree and if he does Ben is gone.

I agree. In case you can't picture Todd Haley seeing Landry Jones sitting on the big board in the 4th round ....

kirklandrules wrote:

supytalpeht wrote:

Landry Jones has the makings of an NFL caliber qb and fits Haley's system perfectly. People complain about Jones' "happy feet", but Haley's offense is predicated on quick short throws which all but nullifies the pass rush and Jones' supposed happy feet. Jones can make every throw on the field, his pre snap reads are very good, a quick release, and he's very accurate. To me this was a calculated move by the front office. We won't know for a while if Jones will pan out, but he's got the pedigree and if he does Ben is gone.

I agree. In case you can't picture Todd Haley seeing Landry Jones sitting on the big board in the 4th round ....

a interesting watch and this might be the main reason the Steelers drafted Landry Jones.

An interesting fact regarding whether it's too early to start looking for Ben's eventual replacement. Ben is 31 years old. When the 49ers acquired Steve Young, Montana was also 31. Young sat behind Montana for four years. When they made the switch, they didn't have to struggle for years trying to find Montana's replacement. They already had him, which made it a smooth transition.

effyou515 wrote:

a interesting watch and this might be the main reason the Steelers drafted Landry Jones.

That's good stuff.