By Rob Staton
Jimmy Clausen held his pro-day today. I'm not going to say pro-days are a waste of time, because events like this (and with Sam Bradford) are at least to see guys have recovered from surgery and are healthy. However, trying to take anything out of the performance is a major stretch. If a guy shows a nice big arm - so what? He's not throwing with anyone in his face or on the run. If a guy shows good touch an accuracy - same issue. You learn about these guys by watching the tape. They've essentially been glorified fitness tests for Bradford, Clausen and Colt McCoy. For Tim Tebow, it was a chance to look at a new throwing motion so a slight difference. But we're none the wiser as to how that new motion incorporates into a game. Today proved Clausen is healthy. It didn't shed any light on where he will go in the draft.
Brian McIntrye passes on information that the Seahawks held a private three-hour work out with Clausen. I think the decision was made not to draft Clausen the day Charlie Whitehurst signed for two years. I understand the argument that suggests the Notre Dame QB could still be considered, but the Seahawks have put themselves in position to not draft a quarterback this year. This work out is as much to do with leverage. Let's say Clausen is still there at #14. If rumours this week are true that the Seahawks want to trade that pick for a 2011 first rounder and a 2010 second round selection - it makes sense to try and make teams believe they're interested in Clausen. Do I think the Seahawks will actually draft him? No. The source of recent rumors is legitimate and worth noting. If you believe the links - and I trust the source implicitly - it's Eric Berry or Trent Williams if available at #6.
8 comments:
I can't agree with you about Pro days, Rob.
Think about Colt McCoy. One of the biggest problems with the film is that McCoy throws about 5 hitch/screen/slant/drag routes for every pass that actually goes 7 or more yards downfield. It's an absolute pain to assign a grade to McCoy's arm strength or his downfield accuracy because there are not many instances on tape. Or watching Tebow/Bradford/McCoy drop back - something that isn't necessarily on film, but that is vital to their success in the NFL. A lot of these spread offenses and such "hide" the weaknesses a QB has - forcing them to throw several downfield passes can relay information about what kind of shape they are in, if their arm can consistently throw downfield, and for a lot of guys - their velocity. That's not even considering injuries, weight gain (Bradford), or new throwing motions (which you touched on in regards to Tebow).
Would it be as good as these guys doing that against live competition? No. But it sure beats going off of nothing or very limited snaps.
Rob,
Regarding the Williams/Berry at 6 rumor: does this source have a past example or two where he/she was right?
@Matthew Baldwin,
The source correctly predicted the signing of FA WR Ruvell Martin, who wasn't really on anyone's radar.
I was hoping for a higher profile example, but I guess the point remains the same. Right is right.
I disagree with your assessment on not taking a QB Rob. I would actually think it might be the opposite. One could view this as CW is a bridge for this year or next and letting Clausen compete for the starting job while we get a O-line worked out. CW takes all the hits the first year and a half and Clausen comes in once the line gels.
It would be a sad day for Seattle to pass on a talent like Clausen just to make a mistake look better.
Oh well, we can pray that the QB's of next year do not get riddled like the QB's of the past three years. Oh, no chance of that. Best we lose all our games then, to make sure we get the "sure" thing in Clausen.
What a joke. If this team has no balls to draft Clausen, but is willing to draft the guy who got Bradford killed... ghesth, what a joke.
The draft has become a mockery of bullshit.
Excuse me, sure thing in "Locker"
Guy will probably blow a knee.
Like fudwamper and Michael, I don't see anything on the current QB roster that prohibits us from taking a potential franchise QB in the first round. Matt Hasselbeck for starters: it's not just that he's 34 and that he's been injured and declining in recent years - it's that I don't see how he fits into the Bates system. He's only under contract for one more year. What does he offer this club? It's not like he can provide veteran leadership given that it'll be his first year in a new system. I'm really baffled as to why he hasn't been moved. If it's about selling tickets, then draft Tebow, but if we want to win games, it's time to get a franchise QB. Whitehurst is at best a transitional guy - he's too old to be the QB of the next decade like Clausen could be. As for Teel, unless Bates sees something special in him, he's just practice squad clutter.
As for "the rumor," I trust that the 12th Man has a source in the Seahawks organization that has told him accurate and useful info in the past on at least one occasion (Ruvell Martin). I question whether 12th Man's source can be completely trusted in this instance. Either that source is only partially in the know, in which case they can't pass on the whole story because they don't know it, or else that person is a true insider, in which case he's almost surely pushing an agenda of some sort. That could be a personal agenda or an organizational agenda. I won't speculate further. But it's safe to say that Trent Williams vs. Eric Berry is a massive oversimplification and there's gotta be a lot more possible directions the Seahawks may go in in two weeks, including a last minute trade of Hasselbeck and a draft of Clausen, even as high as #6.
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