Friday, February 16, 2007

David Carr and Tarvaris Jackson

Aquiring David Carr does not mean abandoning Tarvaris Jackson.

If the Vikings sign somebody like Jeff Garcia, it is time and the way of all flesh which requires we would have him for 1-2 years. It will be accepted, practically required, that Jackson then will take over the reigns. Hopefully he'd be ready.

If the Vikings sign somebody like David Carr, it is the Vikings' choice to have him for 1-2 years. If he is average, then they can have him for a short time and turn it over the Tarvaris Jackson. If he is good...well, then they never have to turn it over to Jackson.

When you have a QB with "potential," you don't know whether he's actually going to be a good quarterback. At best, it's a 50-50 proposition. At best. If the Vikings get a 1-2 year solution with the intention of starting Tarvaris Jackson around 2008, what do they do if Jackson turns out to be no good? Then the Vikings get to suck.

But what if they had options? Who says you can't have 2-3 good young QBs on your roster, and find out which one can turn into a franchise QB? If the Vikes have two guys who could become the QB for the next 10 years, well, then they've got twice as good a chance at finding their franchise QB than if they have one.

I do this on Madden all the time: when I draft a QB, I don't KNOW that he's going to become a star. I hope he will, and I've invested in him, but I don't know. Then, if a QB with potential opens up cheaply or in a later round, I'll get him too. If that first option doesn't work out, there's a chance the second option will. You just never know.

The idea that you are only allowed to have one QUARTERBACK OF THE FUTURE, and that if you acquire another QB under 30 you have given up on your QUARTERBACK OF THE FUTURE is ludicrous.

Tarvaris Jackson may be the Vikings' franchise QB. He may not. But there is no reason to bank on it, to set the franchise up in such a way that requires him to be the franchise QB by 2008 or 2009. It can only help to have other options, to have somebody else who might be able to take that franchise QB label. Jackson is a second round pick--he's actually cheaper than a lot of backup QBs, so there's no reason not to keep him. Carr makes a fair amount right now, but if after one year he proves worth it, great, and if he doesn't, you can either abandon him or renegotiate his contract.

It just makes too much sense to bring in David Carr. He'll be 28 in 2007. Perhaps he went through is growing pains with another team so he doesn't have to with the Vikings (if Jackson does become the guy, expect some early struggles like in 2006). He may turn out to be the Viking QB of the future. He may not. And bringing him in to play QB for the Vikes is a long, long way from Childress and company saying "we were wrong about Jackson; he'll never be the franchise QB." Either could, and if both are good, then all the better.

17 comments:

  1. I agree completely. Carr's contract, potential and his accuracy would definately make him a worthy acquisition. And if he doesn't pan out next year, well, he can back up Tarvaris for a year. And if he does, Tarvaris will have two years to get ready to be a star. Works for me.

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  2. Anonymous1:26 AM

    you support david carr with his 7 win season as the highlight of his career. texans want to get rid of him because he sux. never had less than 11 interceptions in a year, 48 tds with 53 interceptions for his career, fumbles the ball worse than culpepper, owner Bob McNair is quoted as saying "David has been inconsistent, and we've said that. We've got to get better consistency there, either with David or some additional help." doesnt have backup from coaches or ownership. if the texans want him out, why should the vikings want him in?

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  3. Anonymous1:27 AM

    and he has a pro-bowl wider reciever to throw the ball to.

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  4. "If the Patriots don't want Jim Plunkett, why should the Raiders want him?"

    "If the Buccaneers don't want Steve Young, why should the 49ers want him?"

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  5. Anonymous9:33 AM

    David Carr is worth the risk. T-Jax isn't ready, he proved that at the end of last year. Fans won't be able to handle the growing pains he will need. He is still at best, 2 years away from being a solid NFL QB.

    I am all for the vikes trying to get David Carr.

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  6. Anonymous7:51 PM

    you cant compare david carr to those two... cmon, look at the houston texans organization they wouldnt know a good qb if they landed joe montana back in the day... for god's sake they drafted a defensive lineman over REGGIE BUSH! just because carr was a first round pick doesnt mean squat. he cant read defenses, his bad decision making skills have cost him his job at one of the worst franchises in the league... the reason why he has so many interceptions and fumbles is because he cant read nfl defenses. jake plummer is going to come in and mark my words "make the texans playoff contenders". carr stinks and every nfl analyst thinks so too. i got a feeling that most of these people that dont like tj are racists. cuz when you look at the kids talent, its beyond anything that carr has in every aspect accept nfl experience. i know a guy named ROMO that didnt have any experience either and beat out a guy named BLEDSOE...

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  7. Anonymous7:53 PM

    besides, the vikes wont waste that kind of money on a perennial loser like carr.

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  8. Anonymous4:49 PM

    If Jackson never starts he'll never be ready. If they bring in some other guy, like Carr, they will be stuck with his big contract and be forced to start him. Jackson becomes a FA in 3 years. If he's just sitting on the bench here I don't why he'd just sign somewhere else. Play the kid and see what he can do. If he's a bust they can look another direction in 2-3 years and trade for some other first round bust like Alex Smith. We don't need David Carr's contract right now.

    Who was that moron saying Plummer is going to turn around the Texans? That team needs a lot more than a QB.

    As for the Madden thing and drafting two QB's your stratagy is all wrong. You trade draft picks and old players for young players. The draft is a complete crap shoot I usually trade away the majority of my day one picks.

    Trade for guys like Antonio Cromatrie, Manny Lawson, Boss Bailey, Donte Whinter and Maurice Jones-Drew.

    Some projects that turn out to be complete studs are guys like Drew Carter who is 6'4 and has 96 speed. He's rated a 60 something overall but because of his height and speed turns out to be a monster reciever if you develop him. You trade almost nothing to get him but he's unstoppable in after 3 seasons.

    In 05 Madden I used to sign Trung Candatate (sp?) who would turn into a 90 something overall in 2 seasons. That guy was crazy fast in that game.

    In 06 my guy was Sececa Wallace. Do that preseason drill that lets you boost his THP. His THA and AWR go up just by making plays with him in the regular season and playoffs with player progression.

    My 07 QB is D.J Shockley. Costs almost nothing to get him and he's awsome after a few years.

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  9. Anonymous4:55 PM

    in my madden, im already on the 09 season and tarvaris jackson is a 93 ovr and got the league mvp award two times already. billy mcmullen is now an 87 and won a mvp award also. jerome mathis is a burner and hes going to take the best wide reciever award this year. but as you know madden is not real life and things dont happen the same way.

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  10. Anonymous6:56 PM

    all I know is Carr had the worse offensive line in football...how often did they guy get hammered and got right back up? Put a good line in front of him and he'll be fine. I like TJack too though.

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  11. Anonymous1:03 AM

    the radiers were MUCH worse.

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  12. Not having two competing "quarterbacks of the future" probably has a fair amount to do with the fragile ego of quarterbacks, which is only exacerbated by the media. When's the last time you ever heard of a "free safety controversy" or a "left guard controversy"?

    And as for the "never had fewer than 11 interceptions" thing...I can think of at least one quarterback out there who, before this season, never had fewer than double-digit interceptions in a season, had 9 this year, and has averaged 15.4 per season (compared to Carr's high of 15, period). Yeah, I'd hate to have that guy on my team.

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  13. Anonymous9:15 PM

    OMG DID YOU JUST COMPARE PEYTON MANNING TO DAVID CARR??????

    WOW. what the hell is wrong with you?

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  14. Anonymous9:17 PM

    just look at the touchdowns if you are still confused...

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  15. Anonymous9:18 PM

    carr has never had more than 16 and peyton has never had less than 26....

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  16. well, I ought to get a David Carr post going nearer the top.

    Keep in mind, Carr played for Chris Palmer (who didn't do much for Tim Couch) and Dom Capers (who has NEVER had a QB throw for 20 TDs). Coaching could make a difference.

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  17. Anonymous1:09 AM

    john clayton reported today that the houston texans are basically not going to trade carr unless they get a great deal in return. he said that they plan on starting him next season.

    quite frankly im happy about the decision.

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