During the Browns-Ravens game the discussion was how John Harbaugh drafted Lamar Jackson because of how he played QB vs the traditional NFL QB. Apparently his thoughts are that there are only a handful of straight drop back QBs with Tom Brady ability (actually only one), but you catch the implication. However, there are many more scrambling, running style QBs that are very successful - Lamar, Mahomes, and Kyler Murray are the prime examples and to a lesser Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson - and even lesser Hurts and Tua.
I guess you can add in that college linemen that play in front of these QBs are also taught differently, so coming to the NFL they need to re-learn/think their play styles to block for stay in the pocket QBs.
I do not know why that resonated with me last night because I have certainly read it here several times, that the NFL QB position should evolve to the mobile, running QB style of play. Of course the down side is injury, but that is true of any position.
In a weird sense, it may ween the NFL off the $40 mill QB trend as there will be more of the running style QB available each year. Meaning that teams will use their QBs for 4 or 5 seasons and just draft another instead of re-signing at a crazy number, saving $25 mill per season and that is a huge concern. Won't happen all the time but it likely reduces the need to overpay QBs.
I think people forget how long it takes teams to find a Mahomes, Jackson, etc. Some teams try for decades. It sounds reasonable to a fan (i'd like to think I'd do it) but there's too much uncertainty coming out of college to take that risk. So many of the top QB's have been busting left and right and what GM/HC wants to be the one to let a top QB go and get burned?
It puts tremendous pressure on the team to draft very well. You also have to stay healthy and it is hard to keep quality depth.
Your best shot at a Super Bowl is winning on a rookie contract. Eli, Ben, Brady (3), Wilson, Warner, Mahomes. Wentz/Foles. I think you can put Dilfer and Johnson who both were very economical QB's.
I think have a QB who can run is far different than a running QB. All the QB's who have won SB's had very good skills throwing from the pocket. The couple outliers had all time defenses. Playoff football makes you win from the pocket imo. Then you have a longer season against bigger, faster and stronger players than the college game. Lamar has been a outlier staying healthy.
Drop back, scramble to avoid a sack and extend a play: More current style. Mahomes, Murray and even Tua here. They will scramble quickly in order to avoid a sack. They will take off and run if they see an opening. Rarely, running as a designed play.
Drop back, pass as first option, run as second option: Jackson and Hurts in that category. These players don’t look much at scrambling to extend plays. If a receiver isn’t open, they will run. Probably one or two designed runs for them in every game. Some of these QBs may last (Jackson?) but most won’t get a second contract with the original team if they can’t stay on the field or learn to play within the other categories.
Drop back, scramble to avoid a sack and extend a play: More current style. Mahomes, Murray and even Tua here. They will scramble quickly in order to avoid a sack. They will take off and run if they see an opening. Rarely, running as a designed play.
I forggt to finish my statement by making this point: Size of the second or third contract based on production and availability. If a QB is only available for 12-13 games per year, the second contract has to reflect that. Wentz should never have gotten that big contract extension from the Eagles. Now that he appears to have changed his style a bit, he has more value and may justify the contract he originally agreed to with the Eagles.
Drop back, pass as first option, run as second option: Jackson and Hurts in that category. These players don’t look much at scrambling to extend plays. If a receiver isn’t open, they will run. Probably one or two designed runs for them in every game. Some of these QBs may last (Jackson?) but most won’t get a second contract with the original team if they can’t stay on the field or learn to play within the other categories.
When you try it with a QB not as talented as Lamar, you get Jalen Hurts. Once teams figure out how to slow down the run game, his shakiness from the pocket can have disastrous outcomes.
I think Shurmur was exactly right. In today's NFL with coverage schemes becoming better disguised, QBs need to figure out a way to find time to make plays. Patrick Mahomes is the best example of this, but Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray and DeShaun Watson are others.