(12-02-2019, 10:00 AM)hb1148 Wrote:

(12-02-2019, 06:58 AM)The Real Marty Wrote: Yes, which to me means, some decent run blocking and a high-caliber TE.  When you have a guy who can improvise like he can, you need guys who can be open short.  Plus, our lack of a TE right now means we don't have any offensive flexibility to deal with the way opposing teams are defending us.

A quality TE would make a big difference, it seemed to open up a lot of options for Minshew. Even with O'Shaughnessy, who no one would confuse with a pro-bowler, seemed to make a big difference and the offense hasn't been quite the same since he went out. With another year of experience for Minshew, some work to improve the offensive pass blocking and a quality TE, this offense could take big strides next year.

I do have a little concern that a completely new staff might want to find "their guy" at QB and Minshew get relegated to the bench again.

That is a concern of mine as well. You never know what a new staff might do. They might want to keep Minshew on the bench so they can get/develop their own guy. I look at situation like Josh Rosen who was drafted to Cardinals who were terrible and didn't want him. (And the new staff wanted Kyler) Only to be traded away to another bad team who also really doesn't want him and put him on a short leach before they benched him. Granted Minshew's situation hasn't been terrible like Josh's. But two teams gave up on Josh. And he was a first rounder.  (And I'm not even sure how good of a QB Josh could be because he's been put in two unfortunate situations.)

Maybe a new staff will want to draft another QB in the first and give him a chance. And might not consider doing a QB competition either with GM. I had read the debate that was going in the one of the threads about whether it's better for a QB to sit or play. I think that you could learn from doing both things, but I think that QB could really get a lot of valuable experience and show growth, if they are given the opportunity to play/develop on the field. I've seen enough young QB's who started right away/early do this, especially over the past few years. I saw several people various places say that Lamar Jackson really couldn't throw, but since he's been playing he's improved a lot as a passer. I think that getting the experience on the field has helped him. 

I've seen seen other young QB's grow on the field as well. Including someone like Jacoby Brissett who has alternated from being a backup on the bench/starting due to injury/ to now being a full time starter with Luck's retirement.  I've seen Jacoby grow and turn into at the very least a solid and competent starter. (I actually think he's underrated). And I believe a lot of that growth came from learning/working things out on the field. I think that something like that could happen with Gardner. I think the more he plays, the more he could grow and develop, it really just be a matter of how much he will grow and can he become consistent. If he's sent back to the bench again for another QB, might not see that happen, (maybe at least for a while.) I wish he could get to start at least a full year or two and get some support to see what he can develop into. It would be nice if he turn into a good long term starter.

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