The mock turned out idiotic, sure, but if we are at #5, and Moore, Mendoza, and Simpson all declared, I don't think it's a crazy price to pay to move to #1. It all depends on the evaluation. There is a lot of ball left to be played, but say Mendoza or Moore improve their stock to the point where there is a consensus #1. Would I then trade effectively what we got for Q to move up from 5 and grab that guy? I would. We would have the very best QB prospect this year and still have 2 seconds this year, and 3 firsts next year. This does not sound bad at all to me. The key is for someone to separate himself. If not, then moving to #1 is not so critical. But if someone does separate, I like that deal.
It just seems like QBs are not performing well whenever London is the QB coach. He was QB coach for the Falcons in 2021 and 2022. Matty Ice went from 60 before him to 52, then 45. Ridder was the rookie there, 3d round pick who started 4 games, and nothing really came out of him. He was QB coach for the Titans in 2023. Tanny started 8 games and took a nose dive that year to 36 QBR from 51 before. Levis was drafted top of the 2nd round that year, 33d overall. Had a great 1st start, but ultimately finished with 34 QBR. Nothing came out of him. Malik Willis, 3d round pick, was also on that roster, but didn't play much and was non-consequential. He was QB coach for the Seahawks in 2024. Geno from the Pro Bowl season 60 QBR went to 50. He is our QB coach now. Fields from 47 QBR a year before went to 38. Maybe an argument can be made that he never worked with good QBs and some were bad prospects, some were on decline and it could be true. But it sure looks like everyone he touched turned into shit. Unfair, perhaps, but he certainly hasn't helped anyone, that much we can say for sure. Even Fields, he was not known to be completely unplayable. Up until now he was drafted high, he was traded, he was offered decent contracts. Objectively he was known to be underachiever but not total shit. Now he is known as unplayable shit. So, we can debate whether it was London's fault or not in these cases to some extent, but we cannot debate that he didn't show a lot of potential to help a QB. I would prefer to find someone else. Maybe once the firings are done, a few good QB coaches can shake out from these teams. We can also look at some QB assistants from top OCs.
Pretty silly to contribute that all completely to the QB coach and not at least factor in the player, situation, receivers, coordinator, etc. QBR is a goofy stat IMO too. ESPN made it up like 15 years ago. Your bottom paragraph starts out reasonable and then you say we cannot debate that he didn’t show potential. Based on exactly what? My whole point is that the QB coach is probably mostly irrelevant. Justin Fields sucks. We know he sucks. As @BroadwayAaron stated in different words; no coach should be judged on their ability to try to turn him from a pumpkin to a princess. London is the least of our problems. Engstrand looks like a good coordinator and we have a good offensive supporting roster right now. That’s a good thing.
I used QBR stat as an illustration for the obvious: all QBs either sucked under him or got worse or both. But you don't need QBR for that, we all know Geno, Fields, Ryan, and Tanny got worse when he coached them, and none of the younger guys amounted to anything. I am not judging him for not turning Fields into a princess, but it seems like no one he worked with turned into anything good, and most got worse. These are just facts. And he worked with multiple guys, I provided a decent sized list. Where is the potential you speak of? Any QB that does well under him will be his first. Now you are telling me QB coach is irrelevant, but QB is the most important position in sports, and we have never been able to develop anyone there. Our QBs always sucked. Maybe it is a least a little relevant? Tbh, I don't know, but it feels like based on the overall resume (not just Fields) we should be able to find someone with more potential. And btw, it would be be good to have someone there with potential who could be Tanner's successor if he really does very well with another QB.
