McCoy’s Quarterback Of The Future: Ryan Mallett
June 26th, 2014
Bucs superstar Gerald McCoy has very firm opinions when it comes to quarterbacks.
And one of the more interesting ones was delivered this offseason via an NFL.com podcast.
(Joe really enjoys summer, when Joe can dig into his stack of untouched, old Bucs nuggets. Players report back for training camp in just 28 days! But there’s still plenty of interest in the meantime.)
McCoy sat down with goofy Dave Dameshek and opened up on various NFL topics. No. 93 planted a flag for the future of Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett, who is entering the final year of his contract as understudy — with rookie Jimmy Garoppolo lurking on the Pats roster.
“Ryan Mallett, I’ve watched Ryan Mallett because we practiced against him the last couple of years. Ryan Mallett is going to be special whoever he plays for. He’s a Tom Brady in the making,” McCoy said.
“And I really love Tom Brady. I’ve watched this guy prepare in practice over the past couple of years. And my respect for that guy went to an all-time high because I’ve watched. It’s easy to watch a person in the game. But when you see how a person prepares throughout the week or through in an offseason, I haven’t seen him in the offseason, but I do watch the way he prepares in practice. And his focus in practice, how it’s not a joke to him. He’s not talking between plays. And when he’s in, he’s in. He’s zoned in. He’s locked in.”
Joe was intrigued to hear McCoy’s take on Mallett and Brady. It was also good to hear that McCoy, and hopefully other Bucs, got something out of those joint practice session with Bill Belicheat and New England.
While every last Bucs fan is praying Tampa Bay has figured out its quarterback situation for 2014 — and beyond — with the anticipated career year ahead for Josh McCown, Mallett, 26, could be a guy the Bucs consider if Bucs QBs don’t get it done this year.
Keep in mind Bucs general manager Jason Licht was Bill Belicheat’s right-hand personnel guy when Mallett was selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. And Licht just hired Jon Robinson, the Patriots director of college scouting for the past five years. There’s a lot of knowledge of Mallett in the Bucs front office.
For those curious, in the podcast, McCoy named Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Brady as elite NFL quarterbacks.
June 26th, 2014 at 10:30 am
No Josh McCown or MG8. As Elite. Maybe this year
I would say russel wilson since he won the super bowl
June 26th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Interesting. For McCoy to single out Mallett is unusual. I liked Mallett with Arkansas but it’s kind of easy to forget the guy is around. Who knows how good he is? He’s taken fewer than 200 snaps on the field, probably a lot less. The Pats may not be as high on Mallett as others though, and they know more about him than anyone.
June 26th, 2014 at 10:58 am
“Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett, who is entering the final year of his contract as understudy”
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Imagine that, Mallet looks like the next Tom Bradee.
Well, after four years of holding the clipboard for Tom I would think he’d take on some of his characteristics, prolly even use the same aftershave. …and then again, he could be another Matt Cassel, who once backed up and was compared to Tom too. Who then struggled mightily after he left the Patriots system.
Just imagine how much MG8 will absorb while as an understudy under McCown, who in his own right seems to be a great tudor, and someone Glennon can emulate. Better than learning from Freeman.
Why are you even talking about next season? We haven’t even played this season and you act like all is lost. All Gerald did was state the obvious, but you took it as a chance to slight our QBs, again, and endorse the enemies QB for next year, when we haven’t even been to training camp yet this year much less played one snap in the regular season. Give it a rest, already.
June 26th, 2014 at 10:59 am
Remember Matt Cassel looked really good with NE too.
June 26th, 2014 at 11:10 am
Both Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers each were a 4 year & 3 year back up, respectively, to HOF Joe Montana & future HOF gunslinger Brett Farve. In each case though the back up assumed the QB position of their team. Not sure how he’d fair in a brand new system!
June 26th, 2014 at 11:11 am
And Mallet has a stronger cannon than our current QB of the future. I’ve always felt like he’s a prototypical NFL QB, but I personally like Glennon better.
June 26th, 2014 at 11:16 am
@ForgotAboutDre
You raise a good point. I would only say that Cassell may not have been observed in the same environment as McCoy observed Mallett.
Cassell became hot because of games played. The team around him helped to make him look good.
Kind of like Josh McCown when you think about it.
June 26th, 2014 at 11:20 am
@Mitch
Steve Young was actually voted as the Bucs most valuable player or something like that the year he was traded to San Fran, so he was already showing skills.
It’s been my observance that players that at least flash greatness during opportunities are worth investing time in. Like McCoy did with his playing opportunities before and between his injuries.
Then you have someone like a Bowers, who comes to camp out of shape every year and who never flashes greatness. People like that are worth cutting.
June 26th, 2014 at 11:22 am
Mallet would have been of equal or better competition for Glennon this year…not that we could have had him.
That’s really what I wanted…someone that was serious competition for Glennon so he wasn’t handed his position promotions without earning them.
June 26th, 2014 at 11:39 am
Here we go again with Ryan Mallett!!!
I respect GMC’s opinion but let’s be real, there have been a lot of “practice champions” over the years. In my opinion, there’s not enough game tape on the guy to declare one thing or another.
AND, in typical Buc fan fashion, we’re talking about replacing our QBs! For crying out loud, there’s a new HC, OC, and a buttload of new faces and they have yet to play a snap!
June 26th, 2014 at 11:56 am
Joe says
“Keep in mind Bucs general manager Jason Licht was Bill Belicheat’s right-hand personnel guy when Mallett was selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft.”
And still Licht called Glennon the QB of the Future,
June 26th, 2014 at 12:31 pm
Ryan Mallet in his 3 year career = 1 completion out of 4 regular season attempts. I guess the Anyone but Glennon crowd can talk up how that one completion was for 17 yards. Yup sounds like a guy I want to have over a guy with a one year decent 13 game sample of work, or he’ll even McCown’s sample of work is far better than Mallet’s
June 26th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
Joe doesn’t give it up. A pro football scout he’s not.
June 26th, 2014 at 6:47 pm
ToesOnTheLine Said:
“Ryan Mallet in his 3 year career = 1 completion out of 4 regular season attempts. I guess the Anyone but Glennon crowd can talk up how that one completion was for 17 yards.”
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17 yards? Sign him up!!!!!
June 26th, 2014 at 7:24 pm
Absolutely sign him up, I just know he is further along in his career than Glennon and has the physical tools required to run Tedford’s offense (even though none of us know what that said offense is). Maybe we can trade New England Brett Smith for…oh, um never mind 🙂
June 26th, 2014 at 9:57 pm
Why the he’ll does New England need Mallet when they have Freeman? OH That’s Right, they cut Freeman! Sorry you Mike Glennon Haters.
June 26th, 2014 at 10:55 pm
@Bonzai I didn’t know that! I wasn’t around when Steve young played for the bucs. Good point. I agree with you, mostly, but Mallet hasn’t had a chance to showcase anything really since he’s confined to running a vanilla offense in the preseason & a back-up to, a future HOF, Tom Brady.
June 27th, 2014 at 8:30 am
@Bucfan77
Um Freeman has never played for the Patriots.. Maybe you shouldn’t comment on something unless you actually know what you are talking about?
June 27th, 2014 at 11:41 am
Wait, we condemn our former 3rd round pick as nothing more than a career backup but think that NE’s former 3rd round pick could be a QB of the future? Interesting. Not saying that either position is wrong, just that that take is interesting.
June 28th, 2014 at 10:56 am
Are we still talking QBs? And now add Mallet to the mix? I was waiting for the subject to go away, but I guess I’ll have to wait for Preseason so L&L set things straight once and for all on the first string QB subject.