Ryan Mallett manifesto- PatriotsLife roundtable


The below is a discussion of various opinions on what to do with veteran backup QB Ryan Mallett. With large amounts of cuts coming, it will be interesting to see what happens. Feel free to comment below to discuss, connect with the individual writer on their twitter (handles found below), or discuss with the group @PatriotsLife.

William Stiles (@TheFib0624)

Ryan Mallett is not a bad quarterback, and I can't say that enough. He's good enough if you have no other options to go to of value, but in this case we have the talented rookie Jimmy Garoppolo. If I were starting a franchise today, I'd pick Jimmy G over Mallett every day. I'm sure most of us would, but the issue is this season. We've seen Mallett in several opportunities (against varying levels of competition), and he's had struggles with anybody above the scrub level. Jimmy G on the other hand has played up to any competition put in front of him, but has not truly been put up against a first team defense. I have to go by the eye test, and I'd give the more skilled backup the job. That's Jimmy Garoppolo in my book.

Beyond that discussion, it seems as if Patriots fans are waiting for the other shoe to drop. In seasons where his knee hasn't exploded, Tom Brady hasn't missed a game. I don't know why we're all suddenly concerned that this is the year our backup will play 4 mid-season weeks. I don't think this team wins the superbowl with anybody but Brady under center, and if the defense couldn't carry a young quarterback to victory against most teams in a 3-4 week span then we probably don't deserve to win it either. I think the question isn't who should come in if Brady goes down, it should be who do we keep to best maximize Brady's value while he's still playing.

Keeping two QBs likely adds an extra body on the offensive side. That could be a running back, and wide receiver, a tight end, or an offensive linemen to keep Brady upright. Adding one of those players maximizes Brady's value instead of minimizing the risks if Brady goes down. I'm not even saying cut Mallett off the final 53-ish players (suspended players don't count). Get through week 4, and if Brady is healthy/Jimmy G has progressed, then you could cut Mallett then to get suspended players under the 53 man roster. Personally, I'd cut him outright before the season starts, and give Brady the best chance to win every game he plays instead of trying to plan for slightly less risk of losing if Brady gets hurt.

Thome Widdison (@ETthomehome)

Ryan Mallett is in no mans land right now. He is neither the Patriots quarterback of the present OR future now that Jimmy G is here. Also he is entering the final year of his contract and was dangled as trade bait all offseason, with out any takers. All signs are pointing to Mallett not making it on to the 53 man roster. Which might not be a bad thing both parties though.

Mallett isn't going to start for the Patriots anytime soon. So he is just taking up a roster spot that could be used at depth somewhere else. As for Mallett himself, if he is released he can go to another team that he might actually have a chance to play for. He might bounce around a bit like Hoyer did but he does posses the physical capabilities to play in the league.

If he does make it to the 53 man roster than that would be a good indicator that Bill Belichick doesn't quite trust Jimmy Garoppolo in the event of something happening to Tom Brady.

Ned Brady (@TheRealNedBrady)

I've been unimpressed with Ryan Mallett throughout his Patriots career, but I'd be wary of starting the season with only Jimmy Garoppolo behind Tom Brady on the depth chart because of the steep learning curve the rookie faces in his transition from FCS level Eastern Illinois. There's clearly a lot to like about Garoppolo, and he's displayed the impressive accuracy and poise that made him a collegiate star in his two preseason appearances, but it's important that he's done so running a simplified version of the team's offense. The training wheels still haven't come completely off, which was expected considering he came from a very simple spread offense with a lot of one-read plays. See film review on Jimmy Garoppolo here.

It's also important to consider that Garoppolo's early success has come against vanilla preseason defenses. He has yet to encounter a lot of blitzes, disguised coverages, and other defensive wrinkles at the NFL level, and the complexity of NFL defenses far exceeds what he faced in college.

This isn't to say Garoppolo hasn't given us something to get excited about this August: the kid can obviously play. And it's not to say I have a ton of faith in Mallett, who I think ranks amongst the bottom half of backup QBs in the league. However, experience does matter at the quarterback position, especially when it comes to the mental aspects of the game. Given his background, it makes much more sense to let him sit and learn for a year, with Mallett there as a one-year stopgap should (knocks furiously on wood) something happen to Brady.

One final note: the suspended status of Brandon Browner and Brian Tyms makes it easier for the team to keep three quarterbacks through the upcoming roster cutdowns. Neither player counts against the roster limit during the four weeks they are suspended, which helps the Pats temporarily hold onto two more bubble guys who would be competing with Mallett for a roster spot. Yes, Browner and Tyms will ultimately have to be activated or cut after their suspension runs up, but at that point injuries and other circumstances will have likely createhd more space for them on the roster.

Peter Rogers (@petahrahgas)

Ryan Mallett has been 'bleh' at best for the Patriots.  When he was drafted, everyone was so hyped up on this guy because he had first round talent but off the field stuff bumped him down to the third.  Well, now honestly that looks like it was too high.  In all the preseason games I’ve seen Mallett play, he’s just never looked comfortable.  Never once did I see him and think, “I would be ok with him running this team if Brady went down, or even in the future when Brady retires” (which for the record, may never happen).  But for these past three years, I just thought that was what a backup QB looked like.

Well, in struts the ever debonair Jimmy Garoppolo who not only reminds us all what a capable backup looks like, but insures that when Brady does retire (if he retires), we will still have a handsome heartthrob at quarterback.  Mallett was lacking in that department.

But beyond Jimmy’s good looks, he just looks better in the pocket.  He looks confident, and honestly like a starting NFL QB, were Mallett always looked jittery or just nervous standing amongst big bodies.  Yes, there is some risk in cutting Mallett — or trading him (if you can get anything) — simply because if Tom goes down, Jimmy is now, as a rookie, leading the Super Bowl run.  But I’d be much more confident in Jimmy and Ryan.  Hands down.  Plus Brady isn’t getting injured.

Get rid of Mallett.