Tommy from Quinzee is fired up about the prospect of a red headed QB in Foxborough.
Cause he's racist.
"HE'LL BE OWAH FOOTBAHL SCALABRINE!!!"
As the most beloved and ballyhooed prospect to come out of TCU since LaDainian Tomlinson, we all have a heightened sense of interest where Red will end up playing football professionally. So rather than make you all dig through the muck and mire that are sports related internet rumors, we will compile them all here, team by team, as they come along. For the sake of brevity, we will only feature team's that have scheduled an interview or workout with Andy, look at their current QB situation and draft picks and make one of our patented hasty assessments from there. We will also give more credence to team's with picks in the 2-4 rounds (amendment: 1-3 rounds, because that's looking more and more likely) because we're optimistic and can't see Dalton lasting beyond there.
Today we'll take a look at another potential landing spot that will have Bill Simmons frantically searching for ways to compare the pick to Shawkshank Redemption, the New England Patriots.
QBs Currently on Roster: Tom Brady, Jonathan Crompton, Brian Hoyer.
Draft Picks: Round 1 (17, 28); Round 2 (1, 28); Round 3 (10, 28).
Why Rooster Fits: I suppose the "fit" here depends on what you expect from Dalton in year one. But unlike other situations where the team in question has an established starter for Dalton to play behind, the Patriots have a first ballot Hall of Famer who will be throwing passes for the next 5-7 years at least. In other words, if Dalton winds up in Massachusetts, he'll likely never see the football field unless Brady suffers another season ending injury. However, if you look at that depth chart which features a player that Spencer Hall and Co. over at EDSBS have lovingly dubbed a catfish as well as something called a "Brian Hoyer," it's clear that New England needs a competent backup in the worst way. And while you might not think Dalton sitting behind Tom Brady would be good for his career, I suppose you should check out exhibit A Matt Cassell in Kansas City who parlayed one season filling in for Brady into a multi-year deal. Clearly Belichik and his staff know a talent when they see it, and if they are to choose Dalton it is with the assumption that he could fill in for Brady in a tight spot. The fact that they've scheduled a workout with him shows that there is genuine interest.
Perhaps the biggest reason New England fits for Andy are the numbers - 6 draft picks in the first 3 rounds. They have some offensive line questions to shore up, and they're silly if they think they can ride Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis to success two years in a row so that will have to be addressed, but if there's any team who can take a flier on a backup QB as early in the game as Dalton should go, it's New England. I can't see them taking him with either of their first round picks, but as they hold the all important #1 pick in the second round which allows them to sit on their selection for nearly 24 hours, if Andy is still on the board, that could be a prime landing spot. And if he's still there at the 28th? You can probably mark it down.
Why Rooster Doesn't Fit: Brady, Brady and Brady. He's the most worshipped QB in the league not named Manning, and he's more accomplished. He basically has a lifetime pass under center in New England and I can't see any situation where he doesn't stick around into his late 30s. Of course you can point to the aforementioned lost season where Matt Cassell cut his teeth, but even if that happened I'm not sure Dalton would immediately beat out a QB who has been in the organization for multiple years like Hoyer. Personally, I don't think New England takes Dalton with the #1 pick in the 2nd round, and I don't think he'll be there when they pick again. With all the money they owe to Mr. Gisele, I'm not sure they pay high round money to a guy they hope will never see the field. And as far as the whole, "Well, there are worse things than learning behind Tom Brady" argument? Well, for those of you who follow the NFL blogosphere at all, Brady has pretty much distanced himself from that team in all but the most necessary of situations. He spends most of his time in California with his current wife and child as well as his bastardized spawn. That's what happens when you knock up a bertch then leave her for an upgrade. So, in other words, I can't see Tom Terrific sticking around in the off season or after practice helping Andy acclimate himself to the game.
I think this basically comes down to whether or not you think Rooster is destined to be a multi-year NFL starter at some point, or just a journeyman backup. Admittedly, there ARE worse places for Andy to learn the game, but knowing you're in a situation where there's a not-so-glass ceiling isn't good for anyone's development. Getting drafted is always better than not getting drafted, but if Andy had his choice of job, I don't think the Patriots would be at the top of his list.
