Which QB in 2021 NFL Draft will be the best?

[remydat]

Yes, sacks and fumbles do involve processing. If you can’t read a defense at all, you’re going to hold the ball too long and get sacked. If you don’t have the mental awareness while running to protect the ball., you’re going to fumble.

All rookies struggle to process. But Fields mistakes are often worse than typical rookie mistakes, and that has some concerned. Writing him off? Not even close. But completely dismissing the issues? No.

He holds the ball too long because he is throwing it farther than most. Processing is an issue but bigger issue is his desire to go downfield. Again he is like Cutler in that regard. Cutler could process fine. He just trusted his arm too much and didnt like to checkdown.

 

[TonyDogs]

Yes, sacks and fumbles do involve processing. If you can’t read a defense at all, you’re going to hold the ball too long and get sacked. If you don’t have the mental awareness while running to protect the ball., you’re going to fumble.

All rookies struggle to process. But Fields mistakes are often worse than typical rookie mistakes, and that has some concerned. Writing him off? Not even close. But completely dismissing the issues? No.

Not so sure I agree. Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson almost always lead the NFL, or are top five in sacks every year... would you say they struggle to process?

I would argue that a quarterback like Fields, who likes to hold onto the ball because he wants the big play or is waiting for someone to get open isn't struggling to process, he simply wants to push the ball downfield, similar to the quarterbacks listed above.

 

[Visionman]

Not so sure I agree. Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson almost always lead the NFL, or are top five in sacks every year... would you say they struggle to process?

I would argue that a quarterback like Fields, who likes to hold onto the ball because he wants the big play or is waiting for someone to get open isn't struggling to process, he simply wants to push the ball downfield, similar to the quarterbacks listed above.

Not worth debating with you then. One day, MAYBE we will be able to mention Fields in the same sentence with those guys ( we’ll, not Watson). Not even close now. He doesn’t hold the ball because he wants to. He does it at this point because he has to. The end…

 

[Discus fish salesman]

Saw a lot of the Broncos game yesterday. Drew Lock struggles to process. You can just watch him standing there not realizing what is unfolding in front of him.

 

[E.F.Hutton]

A lot depends on the talent their respective teams put (or don't put) around them. Jones went to a team that has a very good line, brilliant OC, and one of the best head coaches in history. True, the Patriot receivers are pretty much average but the cherry on top is the emphasis on the run game - which takes a lot of the pressure off Jones.

Contrast that with the Jags - they have even less talent than the Bears and then went out and hired Urban Meyer. The Jets hired a slightly better coach but the talent around Wilson is still bad to average. Same story with Fields, The Bears did upgrade the line. But their receivers, while pretty good now will get worse when Robinson leaves. Depending on whom they hire as head coach, and the staff he hires, Fields could be in the best position to succeed.

If I were betting my money would be on Trey Lance. True, he hasn't had a very good year but his supporting cast is much better than the other QB's (except for Jones) and Shanahan is a very good HC/OC. I mean if Shanahan can make Jimmy Glassman Garoppolo into a Super Bowl winner imagine what he can do with a talented QB.

 

[playthrough2001]

Yes, QB development and expectations have changed since Terry Bradshaw in the 70s...lol.

And the football challenged like you would have had the pitchforks out for all of the other players I mentioned too…

 

[playthrough2001]

A lot depends on the talent their respective teams put (or don't put) around them. Jones went to a team that has a very good line, brilliant OC, and one of the best head coaches in history. True, the Patriot receivers are pretty much average but the cherry on top is the emphasis on the run game - which takes a lot of the pressure off Jones.

Contrast that with the Jags - they have even less talent than the Bears and then went out and hired Urban Meyer. The Jets hired a slightly better coach but the talent around Wilson is still bad to average. Same story with Fields, The Bears did upgrade the line. But their receivers, while pretty good now will get worse when Robinson leaves. Depending on whom they hire as head coach, and the staff he hires, Fields could be in the best position to succeed.

If I were betting my money would be on Trey Lance. True, he hasn't had a very good year but his supporting cast is much better than the other QB's (except for Jones) and Shanahan is a very good HC/OC. I mean if Shanahan can make Jimmy Glassman Garoppolo into a Super Bowl winner imagine what he can do with a talented QB.

When did Jimmy G. win a Super Bowl?

 

[E.F.Hutton]

When did Jimmy G. win a Super Bowl?

My bad - he went to a Super Bowl. Not a SF fan so don't keep up with them all that close. Still an impressive feat considering his average talent and inability to stay healthy.

 

[TonyDogs]

Not worth debating with you then. One day, MAYBE we will be able to mention Fields in the same sentence with those guys ( we’ll, not Watson). Not even close now. He doesn’t hold the ball because he wants to. He does it at this point because he has to. The end…

The end of what? Was that supposed to be a mic drop? I agree, he has to hold the ball... because his receivers are the absolute worst at getting open in the NFL... and that's a fact according to PFF.

It's interesting that you'd rather defend an obvious bias against your own quarterback than compromise and admit that his rookie season has been at least on par with the other rookies, ones who have struggled as much as him despite being better "processors".

My original question was an easy one, what makes Wilson and Lawrence better processors than Fields? You took this every where in order to avoid the obvious answer... nothing makes them better processors than Fields... it was an entirely made up rhetoric, one that was racially motivated. You can't say that black quarterbacks are dumb, at least, not on TV... so they change the language... "he can't process"... etc etc.

The fact that someone would defend that is ridiculous, especially coming from a Bears fan, especially when it's been proven that Fields doesn't have a processing issue, not any more than any other rookie.

 

[ILoveDick]

And the football challenged like you would have had the pitchforks out for all of the other players I mentioned too…

Nope. I used to be a "wait and see" guy. I used to give guys the benefit of the doubt. Jay Cutler was the last time a guy was pulling the wool over my eyes.

They get a couple years now. Justin has until late next year.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Rookie QBs on bad football teams struggle - crazy!

 

[playthrough2001]

Nope. I used to be a "wait and see" guy. I used to give guys the benefit of the doubt. Jay Cutler was the last time a guy was pulling the wool over my eyes.

They get a couple years now. Justin has until late next year.

I’m sure he’ll have trouble sleeping at night once he’s aware of your deadline.

 

[ILoveDick]

I’m sure he’ll have trouble sleeping at night once he’s aware of your deadline.

It's for me, not him.

 

[Probie2429]

Mac Jones probably has the longest career due to the situation he is in, but I don’t know if he ends up being a star. Probably ends up like Andy Dalton. Few good years then bounces around the league as a back-up/borderline starter.

Fields can be the best out of the bunch, but I don’t know if his body will hold up based on what I’ve seen this year.

Lawrence has star potential but JAX is a bigger dumpster fire than the Bears.

 

[RubberBanMan]

Nope. I used to be a "wait and see" guy. I used to give guys the benefit of the doubt. Jay Cutler was the last time a guy was pulling the wool over my eyes.

They get a couple years now. Justin has until late next year.

Or what? You’ll act like you already have been?

 

[Visionman]

The end of what? Was that supposed to be a mic drop? I agree, he has to hold the ball... because his receivers are the absolute worst at getting open in the NFL... and that's a fact according to PFF.

It's interesting that you'd rather defend an obvious bias against your own quarterback than compromise and admit that his rookie season has been at least on par with the other rookies, ones who have struggled as much as him despite being better "processors".

My original question was an easy one, what makes Wilson and Lawrence better processors than Fields? You took this every where in order to avoid the obvious answer... nothing makes them better processors than Fields... it was an entirely made up rhetoric, one that was racially motivated. You can't say that black quarterbacks are dumb, at least, not on TV... so they change the language... "he can't process"... etc etc.

The fact that someone would defend that is ridiculous, especially coming from a Bears fan, especially when it's been proven that Fields doesn't have a processing issue, not any more than any other rookie.

You original question is dumb, because it doesn’t matter. I care how Fields looks and develops, not them. Them sucking does not make Fields any better. Bringing race into it is just the cherry on top of your stupidity…

 

[TonyDogs]

You original question is dumb, because it doesn’t matter. I care how Fields looks and develops, not them. Them sucking does not make Fields any better. Bringing race into it is just the cherry on top of your stupidity…

Yet you chose to answer it anyways. If you're unable to take a step back and look at the entire tapestry it just proves how stubborn and thick-headed you are. Race doesn't play a factor in Fields development or what kind of quarterback he will be, but it did play a huge role in determining his draft stock and initial breakdown. That was my point.

If it makes you feel any better, there have been plenty of white players who were similarly discriminated against. Christian McCaffery comes to mind, as do the Bosa's... however, it never affected their draft stock. But questioning a man's mental capacity and intelligence is straight up disrespectful, especially when he's proven himself to be capable and intelligent.

 

[Canth]

Way too early to tell which rookie will be the "best" from the 2021 class. Even then, what metric will be used to determine that? QB Rating? QBR? Actual Wins? Playoff wins? Superbowl wins? If one guy has a lower qb rating, less actual wins, but sneaks into the playoffs, gets hot, and then wins a Superbowl or 2 does that make him better than the guy that consistently wins but can't make a playoff push?

 

[Visionman]

Yet you chose to answer it anyways. If you're unable to take a step back and look at the entire tapestry it just proves how stubborn and thick-headed you are. Race doesn't play a factor in Fields development or what kind of quarterback he will be, but it did play a huge role in determining his draft stock and initial breakdown. That was my point.

If it makes you feel any better, there have been plenty of white players who were similarly discriminated against. Christian McCaffery comes to mind, as do the Bosa's... however, it never affected their draft stock. But questioning a man's mental capacity and intelligence is straight up disrespectful, especially when he's proven himself to be capable and intelligent.

I question what he’s done, or not done, on the field so far. Many a QB has had the football smarts and/or physical talent yet failed to put it all together to be a successful NFL QB. A favorite HC candidate of some, Byron Leftwich, is one.

And Fields didn’t fall in the draft because of race, any more than Rogers fell in his draft because of it. Or Vick, who didn’t fall at all. The same problems he has now were the issues of why he wasn’t picked top 3. There was no conspiracy, no matter how much you may want there to be one…

 

[Canth]

As far as Fields goes, I will just post this here. It was posted before, but I think is still relevant:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1472983815824019463

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1472964862837940227

So, Fields has shown improvement over time. There is no reason to think that a guy with his talent and work ethic has already hit his ceiling during his rookie year in such a crappy, disorganized, and undisciplined offense.

Yes, he has had some bad games - some truly horrible outings (CLE and TB) that skew his overall numbers down. However, like shown in those tweets above, the overall progression of Fields is positive. He has improved as he has played. I would think that anyone watching the games objectively would see that as well. Even more impressive to me is how he bounced back after some of those truly bad outings. He learned from them and played a -lot- better the very next week. Yes, he has things to work on - ball security/handling being a top item, footwork, reads, etc. Nobody is saying he is perfect or a finished product right now. IMO, all the things Fields needs to work on are correctable with good coaching and being put in an offense that makes sense and/or doesn't shoot itself in the foot every drive.