Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy hearts quarterbacks. I think we (Packer fans) all get that. But it’s still a little too much, sometimes. Lately, it seems the only news we have of how coach McCarthy is spending his days, all has something to do with big-name quarterbacks.
At the NFL Combine, McCarthy was asked quite a few quarterback-related questions. Not his fault, of course, but it seems the national media might view him as more of a QB Guru than a head coach. Ironically, as McCarthy was at the podium, an announcement came over the PA system that “some guy named Tebow will be at podium C.” In a matter of seconds, more than half of the media types got up and scurried out of McCarthy’s press conference.
At the NFL Owner’s meetings, also the week of the University of Florida’s Pro Day, McCarthy was quoted on Tim Tebow and expressed how he “would love the opportunity to develop him”.
The following week, McCarthy showed up a both the Oklahoma and Texas Pro Days, keeping a close watch on Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy. McCarthy’s comments were used as the basis of an article by the Dallas Morning News comparing the workouts of the two quarterbacks. While McCarthy may not have been there just to see those two quarterbacks, that was all he talked about (publicly, at least).
While McCarthy chooses to use quite a bit of his time obsessing over quarterbacks, I could understand that a bit more if it were quarterbacks the Packers were actually interested in. Can anyone possibly see the Packers drafting a top quarterback at mega dollars with Aaron Rodgers on this team?
What makes much more sense is what the Packers have been quietly doing with their scouts. The Packers have been working out later-round quarterbacks and I can definitely see the Packers taking a QB with one of their 5th round picks.
Noah Shepard of South Dakota State, a double threat during his college career as a passer (8900yds) and runner (2100yds), is one player it has been confirmed the Packers have worked out. Can you say Wildcat?
After being snubbed by the NFL Combine and impressing Packers director of pro personnel Reggie McKenzie at Tennessee’s Pro day, QB Jonathan Crompton has a private workout scheduled with the Packers April 13, according to Packer Report. Originally thought of as a late-round pick, Crompton is seeing his stock rise considerably and may end up out of the Packers reach.
In any case, my point is that as the Packers’ resident quarterbacks guru, Mike McCarthy, should be spending a lot more time looking at the guys Green Bay could actually pick, rather than the marquee quarterbacks that will go way too early for the Packers. Forget about Bradford, McCoy, Clausen and Tebow.
And please, I don’t want to hear about how you’re taking notes for the future. If you ever have a chance to work with one of those players, it most likely won’t be as the Packers head coach, so that doesn’t interest me.
As a selfish Packers fan, I want you focused only on things that will help the Green Bay Packers. Study the lesser-known guys and let Ted pick you up a new toy to play with in Round 5. Then develop away, Mike, and work your magic.
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Jersey Al Bracco is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.
Al-
I think MM was there to see all of the Oklahoma and Texas prospects. OL, OLB ect. If you are there might as well take in all the workouts including the QB. Why? Because even if you dont take them your rival might so you want to know as much about them as possible. The Vikings could get Colt and all of a sudden have a great QB for 10 years. Might as well know as much about him as possible. Know hiw good tosses from weak ones.
Keep your friends close and your enimies closer!!
I know that’s the logical explanation, but he just seems overly focused on the quarterbacks. No comments about any other players from him, just quarterbacks…
Al,
You have to remember, all this QB wisdom is coming from the guy who DIDN’T pick Aaron Rodgers in the draft. Let him opine about this QB or that QB, just don’t for the love of god let him pick our draft pick.
In fairness, he had plenty of company in getting that wrong, but I get your point…
Al,
He should be more interested in protecting the QB he has, not another QB to develop. It is one week from the end of FA, and absolutely no change in the O line. Oh wait, we did sign that great unsigned FA Stanley Daniels, a future all-pro.
I’d go no higher than a undrafted FA for a QB. Too many other holes to fill. GB has Flynn and Pizzoti for MM to play Dr. Frankenstien with. Hey there’s an idea, transplant Pizzoti’s (Harvard) brian into Flynn’s (LSU) body.
Priority #1 O line, Safety, CB.
Ron,
I knew I could depend on you to go the OL issue. I had completely forgotten about Daniels, thanks for reminding me.
I love the frankenstein idea!
Ya gotta admit I’m persistent. Or coud that be obsessed?
“single-minded?”
I think they look at all these players in the first round as prospects in case someone drops like A-rod did, they also need to know the value and skill of these players for possible trades, and for trading down.
For instant one of these players drops to the Pack at the 23 pick, more than likely we will not pick a QB, but will trade down. If we know how good this QB is, we can comand a high compensation.
Knowledge is power in the draft, its just good business sense.
In reality, I know why they do it, but it still annoys me he spends SO much time on it…
The only time he talks about QB’s is when he’s asked questions about them.
This is a non-story and a silly article.
Baaaaaa, Mooooo, Baaaaaa
I could be wrong but QB Aaron Rodgers is turning into one of the best QB’s in the NFL now. I’m not sure if Coach was wishing out loud or if he would truly consider it. I would suggest they work on the RB’s and let Rodgers continue to get better.
He’s arguably top-five or very close. if they can find a way to keep him off the ground, watch out.
The draft is all about misdirection and the Packers are one of the best at it. If you are drafting ahead of a team and they think you just might take a qb they are interested in, they might want to trade up. You, also, don’t want to let your competitors know who you are really interested in. Every team rates the players as to the round they think that the player will be drafted in. Teams always hope the player that they are interested in will fall to them. If you can convince a team drafting ahead of you that you will pick a player they want, they might draft that player ahead of you, when, in actuality, you really wanted the player they would normally have drafted. To make a poker analogy, the packers don’t show their cards until everyone else has made their bet.
OK, but with Aaron Rodgers as your QB, is any other team really going to believe you’d draft a first-round QB?
BF was the qb when they drafted Rogers, so they could draft another. Still think it’s misdirection.
To me it’s the similarity between the term quarterback and a certain McDonald’s dish (is it a dish? I coudln’t call it a “meal” either…). Hence McCarthy’s obsession with the double cheesed position…
You lost me on this one…
DAMMIT. Need to remember stop trying to be funny…
I think it is a good idea to talk about a player you are not interested in when it comes to the draft.
I fully understand that, but the extent of it still annoys me…
Some genuinely great information, Gladiola I discovered this. “The world is the sum-total of our vital possibilities.” by Jose Ortega y Gasset.
Sorry Al – you’re off base here. McCarthy does 4,287 things every day that all have something to do with his position as Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers. Just because the press chooses to write a few articles about McCarthy and quarterbacks doesn’t mean he’s “obsessing” over them. We don’t even know who he was at those Pro Days to look at. He can’t control the questions he’s asked.
I will admit I kind of know that. It’s one of those, “it sounded like an interesting premise at the time, but it just didn’t work out the way I envisioned it” posts. But thanks for reading and commenting anyway.