Well, a smart team can evaluate QBs properly and not pay tons of money for busts. That's the problem that wasn't fixed by firing Godsey.
I would be willing to doubt that he never leads the league in passing like Schaub did, so IMO the idea that he'll measure up to Schaub is VERY unlikely let alone end up better. As to Mallett, paying ANYTHING for him was an overpay given that they cut him during the season. I'm fine with you having your opinion about Jimmy G and I don't consider you a mouth breather simply because we disagree on that. Time will tell how good he ends up, perhaps the Patriots are giving up on a future superstar QB that will be the first good move the Browns have made in seemingly forever. It could happen....but I'm not holding my breath.
Why are y'all still talking about Jimmy G in the Texans' section? He is not coming. Texans are not trading for him. Give it up. He will be in Cleveland, San Fran, or Chicago.
Just curious can anyone name 5 backup QB that went to a new team by way of trade or FA that had success?
Brett Favre Does Matt Schaub count? The good ones were home grown. Steve Young. Aaron Rodgers. Tom Brady.
Favre Schaub Brees Alex Smith Sam Bradford (haha jk) That's top of my head.. But yea, home grown seems to work out better because... get this... if the QB was actually good, he would either not be a backup, or the team he was on had someone reeeeeaaaaaallllyy good in front of him.
Its also as unique a situation as there ever has been in the NFL. How many 39 year old QB's in the history of the game were still playing at their ultimate physical peak (as Brady is now), breaking all sorts of individual game passing records, and becoming even more efficient (with less tools at his disposal... imagine what he would have done all year with a healthy Gronk?). All those other situations (Young/Montana, Favre/Rodgers, Manning/Luck) featured either built-in regression or a major injury to the starter. The 49ers, in particular, were forced to rely on Young... and once he proved himself over a full season, they stuck with him and traded Montana. The Colts ended up gambling against Peyton's health.... and in the end, can anybody say they for-sure wouldn't have been closer now to having won another SB had they traded the rights to Luck for a king's ransom, and got those last 2 MVP-like seasons from Manning? I know they still have Luck for the foreseeable future... but you have a guy who's obviously not the next "greatest QB of all time", is showing signs of breaking down, and has now missed the playoffs the last 2 seasons with a team that has zero direction.
He's a HOFer that wasn't drafted by the team that he became a HOFer for.... yes, he counts. Drew Brees was also let go due to the Chargers deciding to go with a younger drafted player... and he ended up becoming better than Philip Rivers ever was.
Technically, they were all "failed" starters.... their teams had decided to go in another direction. Given the propensity for most cities to love whoever the backup QB is... not sure which one is actually worse.
Wasn't sure if he counted because he was back up for a couple of years before taking over. I think the original question was meant to emphasize the theory that not very many backup QBs take over starting duties on another team the next year and become successful.
So what? What they used to be doesn't matter, only what they bring to the team that acquires them. The "backup" requirement is concocted for no justifiable reason. None of Brees, Bradford, or Smith fit into their previous teams' long term plans as a starter. All three have succeeded since by any measure. The fact is that QBs are successful just as often when acquired this way as other positions. The NFL emphasizes developing through the draft so trades and FA aren't common for any position, not just QB. Kurt Warner went undrafted yet won two NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl MVP. Warren Moon also went undrafted yet became a 9 time pro bowler and was among the greatest ever. Brad Johnson was signed as a FA in Tampa after a being shown the door in Washington, then went on to win a Super Bowl one season later. As mentioned earlier, Favre was a failure when traded for because of his extracurricular behavior, much like a QB the Texans took a chance on recently. People only argue against one and not the other because of hindsight. It's not actually hard to find examples, you just need to not have your mind made up before thinking.
