Quote:
Originally Posted by SMC
No, I disagree.
It's easily, in hindsight, to say that was a mistake, but the singular mistake, the biggest mistake this franchise arguably made in decades was entrusting the development of the team's most valuable asset to Schitty and Cavanaugh.
It is not hyperbole to say that Sanchez was the Jets most important draft pick since Joe Namath. Sanchez was coachable coming out of USC. He wasn't a lazy ahole or injury prone, which is the qualities that usually undermine high 1st round QBs.
Sanchez had his warts, but all 1st round QBs do. The Jets job was to develop his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. The best course wouldve been to sign a placeholder veteran in 2009 and let Sanchez sit. Of course, being coached by a bona fide offensive coaching staff, rather than the abomination the Jets had in place.
The Jets committed professional malpractice in developing Sanchez. Not only did they have the wrong staff to develop him, they put him in a situation where he couldn't learn.
A popular argument here is that Sanchez had a great situation 2009 with a veteran team, strong D, and strong running game. The WR group was weak, but improved with Braylon acquisition. But in actuality this was a bad situation for a rookie QB with 16 collegiate starts. You can't tell a rookie QB "Don't screw up and we'll win it for you." The QB can't learn that way. He'll be too focused on trying to avoid mistakes rather than make them and learn from them.
Then we had the musical chairs at WR, the receiving corps changing every year and Sanchez couldn't gain the proper comfort level.
Sanchez sucks and and is ruined right now, but it didnt have to be that way. Say he sucked from the beginning all you want, but I strongly believe that any first round QB that is coachable and not injury prone can be developed into, at least, a solid starter under the proper coaching.
|
Excellent analysis.
Sanchez did himself no favors by not being mentally tougher. I truly believe that he would not be an overly accurate QB or great at reading defenses, wherever he went. Not to be mean, by I don't sense that he is the most intelligent person in the huddle.
But he did have talent to work with; a good enough arm, excellent athletic ability and a flair for the dramatic. Unfortunately the Jets failed him, as you pointed out.
The "brain trust" should not have babied and coddled him. They should have read his personality and put pressure on him to earn his starts. And while they are doing that the team needed to hire a real QB coach-and a veteran offensive coordinator, who could tailor the offense to his strengths, build his confidence and mechanics. Then allow him to make mistakes in games instead of paralyzing him with the fear of....making a turnover
None of that was done; Ryan instead brought in his good friend along as the QB coach. Cavenaugh should be out of the job for his role in destroying Sanchez yet Rex stubbornly keeps him in the position.