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I really think McKay & Co. are going to regret bringing back Ty Detmer. Detmer is only a #3 QB, and has almost no ability/talent to challenge Schaub for the #2 job.

I know the team wants to develop Schaub, but how much development is he going to get if he has the #2 job handed to him. At least last year, he had the chance to compete with Detmer for it, and he won the job with stellar play during the preseason.

There were so many decent backup QB prospects that could have at least challenged Schaub for the job including: Shaun King, Rick Mirer, Doug Flutie, Charlie Batch, Kordell Stewart, and Jeff Blake. None of these names particularly excite me and probably maybe 1 or 2 would actually take the #2 job from Schaub, but I think as long as there was some competition, then things are okay.

Detmer will bring no competition to the position and in fact will only be competing with some undrafted rookie or NFL Europe castoff for the #3 job, a position that he should win, but even if he does lose it, how much does that help the team? Not at all, what is an undrafted rookie going to do to upgrade our QB position? Absolutely nothing.

I would say not bringing in a competent veteran backup this off-season is the biggest mistake McKay and Mora could have made this off-season, and they've done so.

These two are falling into the same exact trap that cost Reeves any type of success in 1999 and 2003, by not improving/securing depth behind their key players. In '99, it was Jamal. In '03, it was Vick. And I fear again in '05 it will be Vick again. Vick going down is the one thing that will prevent Mora from being the first Falcon coach to ever take the team to consecutive winning seasons. It's questionable (in my mind) even with a healthy Vick if we can pull that off this year, so without one there is absolutely no chance.

I'm sure most disagree with me, but I'm really upset by this, and I would really hate to say "I told you so" in a couple of months.

Seems nobody else wanted to comment on this, but I'll throw my two cents in the ring... Of the names you list, the only ones *I* would entertain would be Flutie and Mirer, and I'm not all that sure about Mirer. Third string is third string no matter how you look at it and they're not there to make the second string guy play better. Sure, Flutie is getting long in the tooth, but he *can* win. Jeff Blake has been a loser his entire career and always will be and I would be VERY disappointed if they signed him. King's hands are too small and he'll be like Blake in the long run if he continues to play, with far too many fumbles to be a winner.

I suppose they could still go after Flutie if they were to have a change of heart; as I type this, he's still available as far as I can tell. I personally would stay pat otherwise.

Dennis

If we get down to third string then who that player is will probably the least of our problems. If Schaub dosen't get motivated without being pushed by some cast-off then he isn't the guy we need. A well versed third-string back up can be a tremendous help in schooling the younger guys ahead of him.

BB4V: 100% agreement! I doubt McKay and Co. would bring a guy into the fold that required pushing in order to have a desire to improve. Also, let's be realistic about this: Schaub knows he'll never be the #1 guy here. The only way he'll make himself marketable in a few years is if he performs when the opportunities arise and the only way that happens is if he continues to improve. Basically, his career depends on it...

Well cap, Doug Johnson was also in a similar boat, and pretty much every reserve QB we've signed over the years has been in a similar situation, where they must perform in order to open greater opportunities down the road.

For Danny Kanell, he signed here in hopes that after 2 or 3 seasons he could find a lucrative starting job elsewhere.

Doug Johnson needed to play well in 2003 in order to land a good starting job around the league the following year in free agency.

Kurt Kittner was in the same exact boat as Schaub is now when he was drafted in '02, since he knew that Vick wasn't going anywhere.

It's not about motivation. I'm sure Schaub is motivated to improve, but the problem is now and always has been with issues behind our starting QB is ability. Frankly, I don't think Schaub has the ability (yet) to be relied upon to win more than 20% of his starts. And basically IMO a competent backup QB can win nearly or more than 50% of his starts. Schaub is a long way from that. Detmer is definitely a longer way from that. ANd now Bryan Randall is even further from that.

Bottom line, if Vick goes this year, we can expect similar results that we saw in 2003, in which we'd be lucky to go 2-11 in his absence.

As always is the case with young QBs, it's hard for them to command a team. Unless of course you get a rare case with a player like Vick who is extremely talented so his teammates have confidence in him or a rare guy like Elway or Roethlisberger who just have "it" when a young 23 or 24 year old QB is under center, his teammates lack confidence in his ability to get them the ball. I'm sure Schaub impressed guys last summer with his performance in preseason, but his performances in the regular season were not awe-inspiring. Why should guys like Peerless Price, Dez White, Crump, etc. feel that the team can be just as successful with Schaub as it is with Vick?

Now, if Schaub beats out a veteran QB like Jeff Blake or someone who actually has a record of being a decent QB, then that can inspire confidence in his teammates that they can win.

Schaub was given the #2 job last year. Sure, he had a good preseason to back it up, but he has yet to truly earn the #2 job. Just like Vick was given the #2 job back in '01, and Graz back in '98. It's just a simple fact that when you are developing a young QB, you "give" him the #2 job in order so he can get the most reps as possible.

Schaub should be at the point in his career where he doesn't need a "knowledgeable" guy like Detmer working behind him. Wouldn't someone who has actually played within the past 3 years be more of a benefit to Schaub? Detmer knows the offense, but what does he know about what it takes to get it done on the field? He hasn't played forever!! He's rusty and so any on-field tips he offers should be taken with a grain of salt. Shouldn't someone like Jeff Blake or some of the other available backup QBs be more of a help for young QBs like Vick & Schaub because they can help them develop more on the field? Detmer can only help in the classroom. We need a guy that can help out on the field.

Pudge: And I honestly think DJ and Kittner did their best. Unfortunately, neither of them have 4.2 speed and behind the o-line that was in place in 2003 (Whitfield, Claridge, McClure specifically) what pocket QB could be successful?

We've replaced 2 of those 3 and I really hope Matt Lehr replaces McClure this year. McClure is the #26 rated center in sacks allowed last season, the lowest ranking of any o-lineman on our team.

With the offense the falcon's run Flutie would be perfect.He is not tall like vick but understands the offense and how to use his receviers and backs.Vick could learn alot from a guy that knows the system plus flutie is or was more than Schaub a running QB.We blame the off line,receviers but if flutie came in and starting lighting in up what does that say about vick? Fluite would not challenge vick as the no1 QB but is there for support,knowledge and a second string QB competition for Schaub.