A Young Man’s Game

Quite frankly, the NFL preseason can be dull at times. Starters only play one to two quarters (if any), while rookies and journeymen get the bulk of the remaining snaps. Preseason games are entertaining, however, in that they give inexperienced players the chance to shine and earn playing time during regular season. This time is especially important for young quarterbacks. Many of them have never started a game or had any significant playing time, so preseason games can drastically improve their development.

I’ve noticed an interesting trend this year that may have not been so prevalent in years past. It seems that teams are now less hesitant to name rookies or second year quarterbacks starters for the beginning of the regular season. Just today, rookie Ryan Tannehill and second year QB Jake Locker beat out more experienced veterans (Matt Moore and Matt Hasselbeck) and secured the starting jobs on the Dolphins and Titans, respectively. These cases are unlike situations on other teams with young starting quarterbacks because of the veterans already in place. Teams like Jacksonville and Carolina also have less experienced QB’s as starters, but there isn’t really any other competition for those spots. Teams are now excepting the risk of inexperienced/unproven quarterbacks, where coaches were more likely to stick with solid veterans in past seasons.

Tannehill is an especially unique case. Fellow QB Matt Moore led the Dolphins to a respectable finish last season as was assumed by many to take the reins this year until Tannehill proved himself. It appears head coach Joe Philbin has had less and less confidence in Moore after signing recently-injured David Garrard and now picking a rookie ahead of him. It will be interesting to see how Tannehill performs in the remainder of the preseason and beginning of the regular season, especially after so many scouts and draft experts pegged him as a multi-year developmental project at quarterback. 

With Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III also getting starting jobs this season, the crop of young quarterbacks in the NFL is stronger than even. Keep an eye on all of them as the season progresses. As history has shown, many will succeed, but even more will likely fail.