Poll: Starting QB 2006

I don't think Brunell has to take the team to the playoffs this year to justify his signing. He was brought in for what basically amounts to a 3-year deal. I would fully expect him to remain the starter for next year, Ramsey will stay at the #2 unless a quality trade offer comes along, and Campbell will remain as the #3.

To have to make the decision today, I would go with Mark Brunell. After all, our losses aren't his alone to own.

Matty i must say i disagree...i mean nothing against you of course...but i feel like it is undeniable that brunell was brought in here to win right away. If he hasnt done it for two years then i dont see how it couldnt have been better at the time to just keep Ramsey...and see what the guy could or couldnt do. Then at least we would have known for sure whether he had what it takes...and if not...we could have drafted someone else...ie cambell...and not to mention having money left over to sign a different guy that could have actually helped improve the team...either a d-lineman or helping retain peirce or just simply being in a healthier cap situation going forward.

I mean i am not blaming Gibbs...because he was of course doing what he felt was in the best interests of the club and could not know in advance what would have come out of it. However...if we do not make playoffs for the second year in a row that brunell has been starting...then there is no question in my mind that if we had it to do all over again...i would prefer to keep Ramsey...See what we had in him...and then draft someone else if he didnt workout. Therefore from my standpoint...if one agrees with that assessment...that if we do not make playoffs they would not have signed Brunell if they had to do it again...then i believe that is implicitly saying that he was not a good signing...thats just the way i see it though.

Matty i must say i disagree...i mean nothing against you of course...but i feel like it is undeniable that brunell was brought in here to win right away. If he hasnt done it for two years then i dont see how it couldnt have been better at the time to just keep Ramsey at the time...and see what the guy could or couldnt do. Then at least we would have known for sure whether he had what it takes...and if not...we could have drafted someone else...ie cambell...and not to mention having money left over to sign a different guy that could have actually helped improve the team...either a d-lineman or helping retain peirce or just simply being in a healthier cap situation going forward.

I mean i am not blaming Gibbs...because he was of course doing what he felt was in the best interests of the club and could not know in advance what would have come out of it. However...if we do not make playoffs for the second year in a row that brunell has been starting...then there is no question in my mind that if we had it to do all over again...i would prefer to keep Ramsey...See what we had in him...and then draft someone else if he didnt workout. Therefore from my standpoint...if one agrees with that assessment...that if we do not make playoffs they would not have signed Brunell if they had to do it again...then i believe that is implicitly saying that he was not a good signing...thats just the way i see it though.

Good point - I was thinking along the same lines.

That said, given Brunell's resurgence this year, I think he has the capability to live up to his expectations (i.e., winning and getting to the playoffs). However, the big "plus" for MB was that he played mistake-free football in preseason and at the start of the season. He certainly hasn't been doing that lately, and he needs to get back to that to be successful.

Brunell's comeback peaked in the couple of games after Dallas.

Now, he's back to a middle-of-the-pack QB. In passing yards, he ranks 15th (2,356 yards) and his QB rating is 13th (86.8).

Bring on Campbell next year, and keep Brunell as a seasoned veteran backup.

I think you also have to see it this way. A vital part of a young qb's development, especially in regards to a particular system, is to watch a veteran quarterback go out there and run the system. It helps the inexperienced guys see how things work, and it also helps to cut down on the "trial and error" time that it would normally take for QBs that are thrown into the fire from the start. The guys on the bench can see what works and what doesn't, or what the vet does to get out of bad situations. When a young qb sees how this is played on the field by the vet, then when he gets his chance, he is going to have a better understanding. Of course, ultimately, what helps the young guy out is to play, but at least he plays with a little more confidents in knowing he has an idea of how the system is supposed to be ran, rather than to basically go out there and guess. I think that is a big confidence booster for QBs like Ramsey and Campbell. The less mistakes they can cut down on before they even step out onto the field, the better they're going to play and the faster the development as well.

Brunell's comeback peaked in the couple of games after Dallas.

Now, he's back to a middle-of-the-pack QB. In passing yards, he ranks 15th (2,356 yards) and his QB rating is 13th (86.8).

Bring on Campbell next year, and keep Brunell as a seasoned veteran backup.

That's better than his career QB rating, and his third highest for a full season. He'll end up with ~3500 yards, which is, again, right around his average. The only stat that is really out of whack is the fumbles lost. He averages about 5-6 (with 2-3 lost) per year, but is on pace for almost 13 fumbles with 10 lost this year.

Maybe that says something, but I don't think he's "suddenly" a middle-of-the-pack QB. He is what he's always been, stat-wise.


http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/1032

Last year was a wash for Brunell, Gibbs was trying to adjust his scheme, he didn't have the weapons he does now, he was playing hurt and it's no secret that the offense as a whole struggled.

This year we saw some flashes of what Brunell and this offense is capable of. I just think it's premature to say MB's time is over already. I don't see Ramsey getting another shot as the starter unless he really outperforms Brunell during the offseason, and I think we can forget about seeing Campbell until 2007.

I'm open to a QB competition in 2006, for sure. It's just that Jason Campbell would have to be extremely impressive to supplant Mark Brunell in my opinion. Brunell is an above-average NFL QB right now, just has he always was in Jacksonville.

I'll stick with Mark Brunell. He is not the reason we're losing games. He's one of the reasons that we have a chance to win every game that we end up losing.

Last year was a wash for Brunell, Gibbs was trying to adjust his scheme, he didn't have the weapons he does now, he was playing hurt and it's no secret that the offense as a whole struggled.

This year we saw some flashes of what Brunell and this offense is capable of. I just think it's premature to say MB's time is over already. I don't see Ramsey getting another shot as the starter unless he really outperforms Brunell during the offseason, and I think we can forget about seeing Campbell until 2007.

I don't think your and his positions are mutually exclusive. I think NFLeurope's point was that making the playoffs will be the ultimate determinative factor in gauging his success. Yours (and the point I tried to make) seems to be that we can't know whether he's successful or not till after next year.

I think those two points are correct. MB has, through his improved performance this season, earned the right to start next year (IMO). We'll see what he does with it...