Quote:You equate being ready to being better than Henne.  The two are not linked. 

 

There it is.

 

Being better than Henne, in itself, is not the same as being ready to be a full time starting QB in the NFL, even if it means he is the best QB on the team.

 

His physical tools can be such that he is a better QB than Henne now.

 

But without refinement of his mechanics, without reps in the offense, without knowing how to study and discern coaches tape at the level of an accomplished NFL passer, etc., he won't be effective.  He won't make the players around him effective.  In fact, he will make them less effective than they otherwise might be.  He, and the team, will end up being unsuccessful.  The fans may turn on him, and then we're back to square one.

 

My other concern about rushing in Bortles rests with the offensive line.  If you put him in before the offensive line has had a chance to gel, you could subject him to hits he may not otherwise take behind a more cohesive unit.  You could subject him to injury that may preclude him from ever realizing the potential the team saw in him to make him the 3rd overall pick, and leaving the team looking for another franchise QB in 2-3 years (see Cook, Greg).  Let Henne take the pounding behind the OL until they have the necessary cohesion to protect whomever is behind center.

 

I do not assert that Henne is anything other than a liability at QB in the overall scheme of things.  But for Bortles' development, his protection, and for the good of the team, his insertion into the starting line up should not be rushed.

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