T.K.O.
03-16-2010, 08:12 PM
With fresh start in Denver, Quinn could get chance to flourish
By Vic Carucci | NFL.com
Senior Columnist
The recent spin of the NFL's quarterbacking merry-go-round reminded me of a phone call I received about a month before the 2007 draft from an angry Charlie Weis. It didn't matter that we had collaborated on a book about his coaching career a year earlier. Weis wanted me to know, in a way that he would communicate displeasure over an official's call, that my mock draft for NFL.com had a glaring omission in the top five: Brady Quinn.
Weis was entering his third season as Notre Dame's football coach. He and Quinn had enjoyed two prolific years together. And Weis was absolutely convinced that Quinn not only was the best quarterback from the Class of '07, he was certain he would soon become the third-best quarterback in the NFL behind another of his former pupils, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
Three years later, Quinn and Weis have new employers that will allow them to cross paths at least twice per year. Both also have a chance to make the most of their fresh starts in the AFC West -- Quinn, as a member of the Denver Broncos, and Weis, as offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs.
With new Browns president Mike Holmgren deciding that Quinn's limited playing time in three seasons was enough proof that he wasn't going to live up to first-round expectations (and that he apparently wasn't worthy of Holmgren's legendary quarterback-fixing prowess), he made a trade with Denver that hardly qualifies as a blockbuster: fullback Peyton Hillis, a sixth-round pick in 2011, and a conditional pick in 2012. But it does put Quinn in one of the two places that give him his best chance to flourish.
The ideal spot would have been Kansas City, where he would have been reunited with the last coach who knew exactly how to get maximum production from him. Denver is a close second, though, for a couple of reasons. First, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels was New England's quarterbacks coach when Weis was the Patriots' offensive coordinator and employs the same scheme that Weis ran at Notre Dame. McDaniels also will give Quinn the same coaching points that he received in his Fighting Irish days. Second, although all indications are that Kyle Orton has the inside track to retain the starting job in Denver, it isn't as if he has any sort of stranglehold on it. Quinn should have a legitimate shot to win over McDaniels between now and the start of the regular season.
By Vic Carucci | NFL.com
Senior Columnist
The recent spin of the NFL's quarterbacking merry-go-round reminded me of a phone call I received about a month before the 2007 draft from an angry Charlie Weis. It didn't matter that we had collaborated on a book about his coaching career a year earlier. Weis wanted me to know, in a way that he would communicate displeasure over an official's call, that my mock draft for NFL.com had a glaring omission in the top five: Brady Quinn.
Weis was entering his third season as Notre Dame's football coach. He and Quinn had enjoyed two prolific years together. And Weis was absolutely convinced that Quinn not only was the best quarterback from the Class of '07, he was certain he would soon become the third-best quarterback in the NFL behind another of his former pupils, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
Three years later, Quinn and Weis have new employers that will allow them to cross paths at least twice per year. Both also have a chance to make the most of their fresh starts in the AFC West -- Quinn, as a member of the Denver Broncos, and Weis, as offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs.
With new Browns president Mike Holmgren deciding that Quinn's limited playing time in three seasons was enough proof that he wasn't going to live up to first-round expectations (and that he apparently wasn't worthy of Holmgren's legendary quarterback-fixing prowess), he made a trade with Denver that hardly qualifies as a blockbuster: fullback Peyton Hillis, a sixth-round pick in 2011, and a conditional pick in 2012. But it does put Quinn in one of the two places that give him his best chance to flourish.
The ideal spot would have been Kansas City, where he would have been reunited with the last coach who knew exactly how to get maximum production from him. Denver is a close second, though, for a couple of reasons. First, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels was New England's quarterbacks coach when Weis was the Patriots' offensive coordinator and employs the same scheme that Weis ran at Notre Dame. McDaniels also will give Quinn the same coaching points that he received in his Fighting Irish days. Second, although all indications are that Kyle Orton has the inside track to retain the starting job in Denver, it isn't as if he has any sort of stranglehold on it. Quinn should have a legitimate shot to win over McDaniels between now and the start of the regular season.