Perspective

I've heard on a couple of occasions, most recently by NFL Network's Bucky Brooks, that defensive-minded head coaches might be more inclined to draft, or at least favor, a quarterback like Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel. Offensive-minded head coaches likely prefer a more traditional, pocket-passing quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater. Brooks went on to say that the defensive-minded coach would lean toward the unpredictable, dual threat quarterback because he knows how difficult it is to prepare for that sort of offensive threat. Hell, he may even draft that quarterback simply to avoid ever having to prepare for him. For an offensive-minded head coach, it's more about the system. He wants a quarterback that fits his system. I hadn't really considered this aspect of a coach's perspective when it comes to quarterback preferences. By this thinking, new Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer might put Manziel at the top of this draft's quarterback list.

I can accept the idea that defensive coaches can better understand the headaches caused by gifted, athletic quarterbacks. I don't think that Peyton Manning keeps opposing coaches up at night. He's very predictable. You pretty much know that nearly all of his throws are going to come from the pocket. Stopping him is a whole other story but there really is no suspense as to what he's going to try and do. You don't have to make much of an effort to keep him in the pocket since he's quite content to stay right there. Colin Kaepernick, a healthy Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, and perhaps, in a couple of years, Johnny Manziel will keep defensive coaches up late, sweating for solutions. They have to contend with so much because these quarterbacks can do so much.

I don't really think that this thinking holds true so much for all offensive coaches. No doubt there are some coaches so set in their ways that they have to have that quarterback that perfectly fits their in-the-pocket-down-the-field passing system. I just think that there are more and more coaches, offensive coaches, that are looking for mismatches. Football is all about mismatches. Finding them and taking advantage of them. Unpredictable quarterbacks create mismatches. They can extend plays. They can expand the playbook. So, these dual threat quarterbacks aren't appealing only to defensive coaches.

Being able to move the ball through the air is still the #1 skill that every NFL quarterback must possess. Slow, immobile quarterbacks can still find a home in the league as long as they can put the ball where they are supposed to and score touchdowns often. I think that this idea of a coach's perspective when it comes to quarterback preference is an interesting one. It's certainly not a rule written in stone. Just two years ago, Chuck Pagano, the defensive-minded head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, drafted Andrew Luck over the versatile and dangerous Robert Griffin III. Luck is a terrific athlete. He can hurt a defense with his feet but he's still considered more of a traditional, pocket passer. I think that the perspective of a coach comes into play when their team is deciding between two, differing quarterbacks rated about the same. The decision, then, will, of course, come down to their preference. For the defensive-minded coach, the quarterback that keeps them up at night. For the offensive-minded coach, the quarterback that best fits the passing system in place. Makes sense.