It’s obvious who should take the first hit for the Washington Redskins next fall. The answer is so clear that anyone who thinks otherwise needs to have their brain examined. Maybe new head coach Joe Gibbs should order Patrick Ramsey to have a CT scan before mini-camp takes place.
Not only should Mark Brunell be a starting quarterback right now, he shouldn’t have to compete for the job until at least 2005. Simply put, Brunell is a proven NFL quarterback, and Ramsey isn’t. Brunell has started for eight seasons (except 2003), while Ramsey has yet to start 20 games. Owner Dan Snyder gave Gibbs an unspoken mandate to make the Super Bowl in the next three seasons. Who is most likely to achieve this?
There is no legitimate argument anyone can make for Ramsey to start earlier than a healthy Brunell in 2004. Let’s look at some of the reasons given why Ramsey should start:
-Ramsey is the quarterback of the future – There is no doubt that Ramsey has the potential to solidify the Redskins’ quarterback situation in the coming years. If the organization believes Ramsey is the man for years to come, he will have to take over the starting job one day. However, you will have to endure growing pains if you take on the job or when you do. Ideally, a third-year quarterback who has started for part of his first two years should be ready to start spicing up his game. In Ramsey’s case, everything he has learned in his first two seasons must be discarded. The coaching staff needs to handle Ramsey like a rookie. This is not an ideal situation to claim a starting quarterback job. With up to a third of the roster changing, new players must transition with a proven quarterback.
-Ramsey has a huge advantage: If this is a reason to give a quarterback a starting job, then Browning Nagle, Rick Mirer and Heath Shuler should start in this league. Ramsey has potential, but he’s not sure of anything. Even though he posted good stats when playing at Tulane, he did so on a pass-friendly offense against the middle of a major competition. He cannot be fairly evaluated in his first two seasons, because he did not receive legitimate NFL training and was not in a proper offensive system. A year from now, after you’ve been evaluated by an offensive team with nearly 70 years of NFL experience, it will be determined how many advantages you actually have. This determination must be made in the field of practice, not in the FedEx field.
-Ramsey’s toughness earned him the right to lead the team in 2004 – Since when have NFL games been won for the ability to take a beating? There’s a lot more to being an NFL quarterback than sitting in your pocket and taking a beating. While his attitude and competitiveness were excellent in a very bad situation last year, that doesn’t mean he can be an effective NFL quarterback. Ramsey’s toughness withstood his teammates, but to maintain that respect, he will have to produce yards, points and wins. He will be in a much better position to produce in 2005 when he has a year under this coaching staff.
What has not been mentioned is how Ramsey’s response to this situation makes it clear that he is not ready to lead this team. After the Redskins announced they were acquiring Brunell, Ramsey’s agent publicly campaigned for a trade, where Ramsey could start. Given that he can earn nearly $ 2 million in incentives, it’s understandable why he wants to start somewhere in the league. However, you accepted the contract when you signed it, and you may not want to risk your image for more than $ 2 million when you could earn between $ 30 and $ 100 million before your career ends. Any dispute should have taken place behind closed doors. The fact that you tried to force this publicly calls into question your ability to be a professional. Taking a beating doesn’t make a quarterback a pro. There are thousands of people who would have received the same physical beating for their base salary last year.
Snyder has been scrutinized for many personnel movements since he owned the Redskins, and with good reason. Brunell could be the most expensive backup quarterback in the NFL next year. At least Ramsey will probably have a year to rest his body and learn how to be an NFL quarterback. Maybe you should learn to bite your tongue while doing it. If he’s going to be the quarterback that people think he can be, it will be a good lesson.
