GunnerBill Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 1 minute ago, machine gun kelly said: I didn’t say I wouldn’t take Winston over Barkley. I’m saying both have flaws and I suffered watching Winston for years down here. He can single handedly lose a lot of games for any team. Bridgewater was a guy you could depend on and proved it last year when Brees was out. Anyone who is a backup has flaws. That doesn't mean you should take a guy who has more flaws just because he is a good soldier which the Bills are doing with Barkley IMO (and they are far from the only team).
Gambit Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 Seriously!? We're back to this problem yet again... We may finally have our franchise QB and people are yet again back to discussing our backup? I'm more worried about the right side of our Oline and whether or not Knox can actually catch.
nucci Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 How many teams have good backups? Some teams don't even have good starters. 2
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 I'm responding to the OP before I read the other posts. First > Which teams really have "Legit Backups"? One example that comes to mind is Vegas. If your "Legit Backup" is competing for the starting job.... Mariota VS Carr.... what does that say? (not to mention that some teams are looking for a Legit Starter) 10 minutes ago, nucci said: How many teams have good backups? Some teams don't even have good starters. you beat me to it.
JESSEFEFFER Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 2 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said: We have the deepest, most talented roster since the Marv Levy / Jim Kelly Super Bowl Era. I just wish we had a Frank Reich. Funny you should say it this way. Frank did not start a game until his 4th year. He never looked good in the preseason games and fans questioned having him on the roster. He lacked any elite QB traits but would eventually hold the distinction of having lead his team back from the biggest deficits in both the NCAA and NFL. His leadership was elite. In his first start he brought his team back from behind on MNF against the Rams. We came to understand how his personal faith translated to being unflappable in leading his team in a tough spot. We have seen Barkley just one time leading the first team offense with a week of game preparation. That's all he had was a week of prep. It was a tough spot and he lead the Bills offense to a blowout of the Jets. It may be true that Matt is very much like Frank but let's hope that we never get a larger sample size to get the full measure of how similar he is.
ziltoid Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 It remains to be seen, but their RBs could make up for some backup QB shortcomings. Josh is out for 2-3 games? I could totally see Barkley guiding the ship appropriately. Totes Mcgoats.
GunnerBill Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 18 minutes ago, nucci said: How many teams have good backups? Some teams don't even have good starters. I listed 9 guys who were available this offseason and are definitively better than Matt Barkley. Are any of them "good"? Well by virtue of being a backup you are not "good" but there are those guys, plus Brissett, plus RGIII, plus the teams who have newly drafted guys currently acting as backups - Tua, Herbert, Love, Hurts... all of whom I would definitely rather have than Matt Barkley. It isn't that Barkley isn't an NFL backup level QB.... I think he is, but he is at the bottom end of the backup list and I think there were guys out there this offseason that they could have brought in to compete. 1
JESSEFEFFER Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 7 minutes ago, GunnerBill said: I listed 9 guys who were available this offseason and are definitively better than Matt Barkley. Are any of them "good"? Well by virtue of being a backup you are not "good" but there are those guys, plus Brissett, plus RGIII, plus the teams who have newly drafted guys currently acting as backups - Tua, Herbert, Love, Hurts... all of whom I would definitely rather have than Matt Barkley. It isn't that Barkley isn't an NFL backup level QB.... I think he is, but he is at the bottom end of the backup list and I think there were guys out there this offseason that they could have brought in to compete. Gunner, I think you are thinking too much like a scout and not enough like a person in charge of constructing a team. That's the value of a Frank Reich type backup. He is good for QB1, is comfortable with his role because he is fully aware of his limitations and can rise to the occasion when called upon and given time to prepare. Many of these other candidates would not check those boxes. Matt might check all 3.
nucci Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 20 minutes ago, GunnerBill said: I listed 9 guys who were available this offseason and are definitively better than Matt Barkley. Are any of them "good"? Well by virtue of being a backup you are not "good" but there are those guys, plus Brissett, plus RGIII, plus the teams who have newly drafted guys currently acting as backups - Tua, Herbert, Love, Hurts... all of whom I would definitely rather have than Matt Barkley. It isn't that Barkley isn't an NFL backup level QB.... I think he is, but he is at the bottom end of the backup list and I think there were guys out there this offseason that they could have brought in to compete. Yep, I wasn't really defending Barkley. With the strange off-season it's possible they just wanted to stay as is.
GunnerBill Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 2 minutes ago, JESSEFEFFER said: Gunner, I think you are thinking too much like a scout and not enough like a person in charge of constructing a team. That's the value of a Frank Reich type backup. He is good for QB1, is comfortable with his role because he is fully aware of his limitations and can rise to the occasion when called upon and given time to prepare. Many of these other candidates would not check those boxes. Matt might check all 3. Yea you are in the school of better to have a guy who is good when he doesn't have to play. I am in the school of better to have a guy who is good when he does. I think the NFL groupthink on this question is way outdated.
HOUSE Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) If I am Brandon Beane, I keep the quarterback that knows the players and system, the Achilles heel is the newly signed QB who struggles for 3 games before he can get you a win. The available QBs are not any better, some are way worse. So why are Bills fans so down on Barkley ? Because he looked like ***** in a a meaningless game while playing with 2nd and 3rd stringers the last game of the season but they forget how well be played with the starters. Lets also remember Matt Barkley is on the last year of his deal so you will most likely get a well motivated player this year. Edited August 17, 2020 by HOUSE
P Riv Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 Totally agree with the OP. We really do need a veteran QB as a backup/insurance, but also as a mentor to the young guys. This is pretty standard across the league since there really was a league and I think the Front Office is taking a risk when they really didn't need to. Could be a major eF up. 1
cd1 Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 2 hours ago, HOUSE said: Barkley made Zay Jones look like a pro-bowl WR that day. ? 1
nucci Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 16 minutes ago, P Riv said: Totally agree with the OP. We really do need a veteran QB as a backup/insurance, but also as a mentor to the young guys. This is pretty standard across the league since there really was a league and I think the Front Office is taking a risk when they really didn't need to. Could be a major eF up. all teams have a backup vet mentor? ...and I hate the term mentor. A backup Qb wants to be a starter to play and make big money
Buffalo Boy Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said: After graduating college and playing in the USFL for a couple of seasons Jim Kelly finally joined the Bills. He didn't have a winning season with the Bills until his third season. Let's give Allen a little more time to see where he ends up. I think Josh might end up being special in his own right. Not too many Jim Kelly's out there. That ‘86 season with Kelly was painful. Those not old enough to remember , there was a lot of criticism of him for all the inopportune picks he threw. That was after a couple of “ Pro” seasons in the USFL where he was lighting it up. I do agree that backup QB is scary and I wanted Dalton Bigtime when he was available. Let’s hope Jake Fromm is capable of leading a ball control O because I have little faith in Barkley. Edited August 17, 2020 by Buffalo Boy 1
Mark80 Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 Honestly, you could say that losing pretty much every starting QB in the league would be a teams achilles heel with only a few exceptions. Backup QBs are backups for a reason. If we are only worried about our backup QB situation, then we are in damn good shape.
SoCal Deek Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 Think back just two years and you’ll see what a real QB problem looks like going into a season! Peterman? Really? People....please! 1
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 1 hour ago, GunnerBill said: If you wouldn't take Jameis Winston to win you a game over Matt Barkley you are mad. I get your point, and a lot of NFL teams still seem to agree with you, but I think the approach of having a backup who is great in the meeting room and in the locker room but bad when he has to play is outdated and flawed. Winston, Dalton, Keenum, Mariota, Flacco, Foles (I get he might end up the starter), Kyle Allen, Hoyer were all out there this offseason. Blake Bortles still is. They are all obviously superior to Barkley on the field regardless of what they do or don't bring to the film room. I'd have liked the Bills to bring one of them in to compete for the #2 job. If the season is sunk by Barkley needing to play multiple games I think that question will be asked of Brandon Beane. And it will be legitimate. Gotta remember free agency is a 2 way street. Winston struck out and signed somewhere where he thought he could help re-establish value under brees/payton. Dalton probably wants to be in texas. Keenum got 18 million. Flacco can't suit up til September and he looked terrible last year. Foles was traded. Kyle Allen went to Rivera where he thinks he has a shot to start. Hoyer went to NE for a chance to start. Cam went to NE for a chance to start.
GunnerBill Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 1 minute ago, dneveu said: Gotta remember free agency is a 2 way street. Winston struck out and signed somewhere where he thought he could help re-establish value under brees/payton. Dalton probably wants to be in texas. Keenum got 18 million. Flacco can't suit up til September and he looked terrible last year. Foles was traded. Kyle Allen went to Rivera where he thinks he has a shot to start. Hoyer went to NE for a chance to start. Cam went to NE for a chance to start. For sure. And maybe the Bills tried. I hope they did. I just think if they are content standing pat with Barkley that is a tad worrying to me.
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted August 17, 2020 Posted August 17, 2020 5 minutes ago, GunnerBill said: For sure. And maybe the Bills tried. I hope they did. I just think if they are content standing pat with Barkley that is a tad worrying to me. Right. Could've called Dalton's agent and felt him out - no idea. I doubt they wanted keenum/mariota at that cost.
Recommended Posts