If the OL can play even average in protection, we should see him this season. He’s a gamer or he’s not. Why leave a years worth of experience on the table?
I've thought it over a bit and accepted that there's no way that Josh McCown is going to keep this kid on the bench. Researching into Jeremy Bates I have pause for some cautious optimism. I know the right thing for a 20 year old stepping into a bad OL when he makes literally all of his mistakes under pressure is to play right away. But thems the breaks. Bowles and Mac don't want to sit around for another year and get themselves fired and he will be the best QB on the team day one. The league is different than it was. Lots of guys less talented in college have stepped in day one and hit the ground running. He's tough and he's talented if it's sink or swim I think he's got a good fighting chance even in less than ideal circumstances. I'm not worried about the fumbling, he'll learn to put two hands on the ball this offseason and that doesn't break your confidence the way picks do. This whole offseason Bates has to teach him when the rush is getting there to recognize when he needs to give up on the play. There are situations where you can try to make something happen, but you have to limit your exposure in many cases that he didn't recognize this season. It'll be a lot to learn to adjust to the next level and change that fundamental part of his game at the same time. But that's the way it is. Every game he starts at home I'll have my ass in the seat at the stadium. Something I haven't said or wanted to do in a long time.
Steve DeBerg was one of the best play action QB's but was not a great QB. A guy like him could teach young kids a lot about the game. MCCown, not sure what he can offer skill-wise but he seems like a good guy to learn work ethic, study film, how to be a pro etc. The off the field maturity is every bit as important as the on the field skills for a young QB. Suckchez alluded to it as well as he had the reputation for not working hard enough early on.
