Backup QB (merge)

[magakillsez]

I think Chandler Harnish is actually looking pretty good in the preseason games, he can serve as a backup.  But without the experience of a real game, we may need to get a veteran quarterback who have the experience asa backup too.

[#12]

If Luck goes down for four games, is Harnish good enough to win two of them and save your season?  That's basically what you are looking for in a backup. 

[ConBro]

I'm onboard with the idea of bringing in Fitzpatrick. He is a good solid QB that can win games for you. I know that he was released for a reason, but I will even go as far as to say that Fitz is better than some other starting QBs in the league.

 

I say bring him in for camp at least. Harnish showed promise last pre-season, but a competition would help drive him for sure.

[Franklin County]

Harnish is my vote. On a side note wasnt the Big Mac a QB to at one point in his career?

[GoColts8818]

I want to say first I like Harnish and I will have no issues if Harnish ends up being the back up QB.

 

However, I would find it ironic that after people spent years killing the Colts for having Sorgi and Painter who were six round picks with little experience backing up Manning that Colts fans would be fine with Harnish who was a seventh round pick being the back up. 

 

I know Harnish played well last year in the pre-season but I also remember Painter playing well against other teams third stringers and guys who never had a shot at making the final roster when he first got here too.  To the point people were shoving Sorgi (who only became popular once he was gone) out the door to make room for Painter to be the back up and some I kid you not were on this very forum saying Painter could be the bridge QB between Manning and whoever the replacement ended up being.  I guess that fits the old becareful what you wish for thing you might just get it. 

 

Again, I like Harnish and I am not going to complain if he ends up being the back up QB but I am not exactly going to complain if the Colts bring in someone with more experience either. 

[colts 101]

I'd be surprised if we don't have a total of at least four quarterbacks on our roster to start camp. While I'm not opposed to Harnish getting the backup spot, he must earn it.

Agreed. I'd like to see a couple of free agent QBs push him to the limit. Then..may the best man win.

[Zachris]

If he would come rather cheap, Hasselbeck would be a great mentor for Luck.

[RomanianColtsFan]

Sorry, but Andrew Luck doesn't need another QB  mentor. He may need a second pair of eyes, but not a mentor. Harnish should be just fine for Luck , just like Holcomb, Sorgi, Painter were just fine for Peyton. 

[John Waylon]

matt barkley.

 

Let him play in a few blowouts, and then we'll trade him.

[Zachris]

Sorry, but Andrew Luck doesn't need another QB  mentor. He may need a second pair of eyes, but not a mentor. Harnish should be just fine for Luck , just like Holcomb, Sorgi, Painter were just fine for Peyton.

I disagree, he is a second year QB. Harnish isn't fine for Luck, if we can bring in someone like Hasselbeck. He has been around a lot longer, played for various teams. His eyes would be better than a rookie.

[Balzer40]

I want to say first I like Harnish and I will have no issues if Harnish ends up being the back up QB.

 

However, I would find it ironic that after people spent years killing the Colts for having Sorgi and Painter who were six round picks with little experience backing up Manning that Colts fans would be fine with Harnish who was a seventh round pick being the back up. 

 

I know Harnish played well last year in the pre-season but I also remember Painter playing well against other teams third stringers and guys who never had a shot at making the final roster when he first got here too.  To the point people were shoving Sorgi (who only became popular once he was gone) out the door to make room for Painter to be the back up and some I kid you not were on this very forum saying Painter could be the bridge QB between Manning and whoever the replacement ended up being.  I guess that fits the old becareful what you wish for thing you might just get it. 

 

Again, I like Harnish and I am not going to complain if he ends up being the back up QB but I am not exactly going to complain if the Colts bring in someone with more experience either. 

 

 

 

I think if Harnish was 2-3 inches taller and played at a more recognizable college, he would have been no lower than a 4th rd. pick. His talent is much better than what Sorgi or Painter ever dreamed of having. Harnish's biggest weakness is genetics. He has great athleticism and a good arm. His accuracy still needs more refining, but IMO he's way better than Sorgi or Painter.

[Andy]

Kuharsky seems to be wetting his pants over the Colts getting Hasselbeck.

 

I think Harnish should be fine as a backup. The Colts should however look for a 3rd stringer to put on the PS or to have at traning camp. 

[Superman]

Hasselbeck is the ideal backup, but I don't think we have the ideal circumstances for someone of his stature. He can go somewhere with a less secure quarterback situation and get some serious reps, and maybe even a few starts. If I were him, I wouldn't have the Colts on my list.

[HtownColt]

@mortreport: Teams interested in Matt Hasselbeck: AZ, Buff, Chi, Cin, Cleve, Indy, NO, NYG, SF & Tampa,...and list could grow.

[John Waylon]

PAINTER!!!

 

 

Bring #7 home!

[RomanianColtsFan]

@mortreport: Teams interested in Matt Hasselbeck: AZ, Buff, Chi, Cin, Cleve, Indy, NO, NYG, SF & Tampa,...and list could grow.

 

If that's the case he should cost too much for what he's worth at this point in his QB career.

[bahhummbug]

Sorry, but Andrew Luck doesn't need another QB  mentor. He may need a second pair of eyes, but not a mentor. Harnish should be just fine for Luck , just like Holcomb, Sorgi, Painter were just fine for Peyton. 

Agree and disagree do not mind Harnish as a backup at all,but as far as an mentor every NFL player has an mentor and needs that motivation and veteran poise.Even our Luck would have gained greatly from Peyton even if Peyton was holding Lucks clipboard

[Superman]

If that's the case he should cost too much for what he's worth at this point in his QB career.

 

That doesn't mean there's going to be a bidding war for him. He's a 38 year old backup quarterback. How much would anyone be willing to give him?

 

What it does mean is that he'll be able to pick what he thinks is the best situation for him, whether that's signing with one of the teams mentioned, or sitting it out until training camp and going to a team that isn't as strong at quarterback as they thought they'd be. If I were him, I'd probably pick the latter option, wait for the Niners or the Bucs or whoever to realize how much their backups quarterback sucks, and sign a week or two into training camp.

[RomanianColtsFan]

Agree and disagree do not mind Harnish as a backup at all,but as far as an mentor every NFL player has an mentor and needs that motivation and veteran poise.Even our Luck would have gained greatly from Peyton even if Peyton was holding Lucks clipboard

 

I just think "mentor" is not the appropriate word in this case. If you look at my original post I admitted that he needs another pair of eyes, somebody to point out aspects of the opponent's game from film study or something that he saw while holding the clipboard, but mentor? Way to much.   

[Coltswarriors]

Hasselbeck would be a great get.

 

Great, smart vet willing to help Luck develop even more.

[Coffeedrinker]

And forget the talk of 'liking what you saw' of him in the pre-season.    You saw nothing.   All you saw was Harnisch playing against the 3rd string defenses.    Talk about scrubs?!?    Come on now.    My mother looks good in the pre-season against 3rd string defenses and she's been dead for more than 20 years!   (but she had quite the arm!)

 

Harnisch maybe the back-up next year.   But I don't see it for this year.   Not if we're serious about being a playoff contender -- and we are.

 

A couple of comments about this.

 

1.)  Perhaps YOU saw nothing in the preseason but most of us see a lot.   We see, how quickly he drops back, how he reads the defense pre snap, how he goes through progressions, how his throws are, is the placement on the ball the correct spot for where the defender was, how his internal clock is (does he feel the pressure) how he moves around in the pocket, does he throw it to the open receiver, on hand-offs does he place the ball in the correct spot for the RB?  On PAP does he show the ball too long or too short?  Does he turn get turned around quickly, does he use his outlet receivers, does he have the arm strength to make most or all of the throws that will be required.  If you are not looking at those things why even watch the preseason.

 

2.)  This is more general because a lot of posters make comments similar to "my mother or my grandmother would look good..."  No she would not.  It's nothing but a stupid comment that, I think, is used by posters to try and hide the fact that they have very little football knowledge but the result is just the opposite, it exposes, to all who read the forum, that the poster has very little football knowldege

[MarquisJ]

*sending my clipboard holding highlights to Mr.Irsay as we speak*

[Superman]

A couple of comments about this.

 

1.)  Perhaps YOU saw nothing in the preseason but most of us see a lot.   We see, how quickly he drops back, how he reads the defense pre snap, how he goes through progressions, how his throws are, is the placement on the ball the correct spot for where the defender was, how his internal clock is (does he feel the pressure) how he moves around in the pocket, does he throw it to the open receiver, on hand-offs does he place the ball in the correct spot for the RB?  On PAP does he show the ball too long or too short?  Does he turn get turned around quickly, does he use his outlet receivers, does he have the arm strength to make most or all of the throws that will be required.  If you are not looking at those things why even watch the preseason.

 

2.)  This is more general because a lot of posters make comments similar to "my mother or my grandmother would look good..."  No she would not.  It's nothing but a stupid comment that, I think, is used by posters to try and hide the fact that they have very little football knowledge but the result is just the opposite, it exposes, to all who read the forum, that the poster has very little football knowldege

 

Thing is that bad quarterback play stands out like a sore thumb, whether it's preseason or not. You can tell when someone has bad footwork, or if their delivery is awkward, or if they aren't comfortable with the route combinations, or if they are inaccurate passers, and so on. It's very obvious.

 

It's also obvious when someone hits all their keys and does a good job as a backup.

 

Most backup quarterbacks, especially in preseason, are somewhere in between those two. They aren't knocking it out of the park, they're plagued by bad blocking or bad receivers and never quite get into a rhythm, they have trouble reading defenses, etc. But you usually see the talent in there somewhere.

 

Even for the guys who look great as backups, that doesn't necessarily translate to real game situations. But you don't write it off when someone looks good. You're encouraged by it, and you hope that positive performance is an indication that you have a good backup. But you also hope you never have to find out.

[RomanianColtsFan]

This

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/1997661

[Drewbacca]

This

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/1997661

Lets hope veterans min

[B-B]

This

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/1997661

 

Also mentioned by PFT

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/18/hasselbeck-already-talking-about-deal-with-colts/

[Fx Stryker]

What is the point of Harnish if they are going to keep him pushed down.

[B-B]

What is the point of Harnish if they are going to keep him pushed down.

 

I'd think they hope no one signs him off the practice squad, then when Luck has more years of experience and doesn't need anymore Veteran knowledge, let him be backup

[NewColtsFan]

A couple of comments about this.

 

1.)  Perhaps YOU saw nothing in the preseason but most of us see a lot.   We see, how quickly he drops back, how he reads the defense pre snap, how he goes through progressions, how his throws are, is the placement on the ball the correct spot for where the defender was, how his internal clock is (does he feel the pressure) how he moves around in the pocket, does he throw it to the open receiver, on hand-offs does he place the ball in the correct spot for the RB?  On PAP does he show the ball too long or too short?  Does he turn get turned around quickly, does he use his outlet receivers, does he have the arm strength to make most or all of the throws that will be required.  If you are not looking at those things why even watch the preseason.

 

2.)  This is more general because a lot of posters make comments similar to "my mother or my grandmother would look good..."  No she would not.  It's nothing but a stupid comment that, I think, is used by posters to try and hide the fact that they have very little football knowledge but the result is just the opposite, it exposes, to all who read the forum, that the poster has very little football knowldege

 

I repeat....

 

3rd string defenses.    There's nothing to see.

 

Put another way....   Matt Flynn played two regular season games for Green Bay,  and many teams still don't know what Flynn is, or isn't.   Kevin Kolb played more than that for Philly.   Got himself a big contract with Arizonal, who traded for him.   Turns out he's not that good.    And all of was based on regular season games.    Much more of a true read than pre-season games, especially when Harnsish was the 3rd QB in.....

 

So,  if you want to be impressed with what Harnish did in the pre-season.....   be my guest.   Maybe he turns out great and is the real deal.    But I wouldn't count on it.    I think your view is a fan's view.   Wishful thinking.   Maybe it turns out,  but it's not because of anything you saw....

 

Sorry,  but that's my view....   as unpopular as it may be...

[Superman]

I'd think they hope no one signs him off the practice squad, then when Luck has more years of experience and doesn't need anymore Veteran knowledge, let him be backup

 

He'd have to clear waivers after camp -- again -- to be back on the practice squad. If he has a good camp and preseason -- again -- that might not be plausible.

 

We were always going to bring in more quarterbacks to compete for the backup spot. Just because we bring in a vet doesn't mean Harnish doesn't have a shot at #2, nor does it mean we won't carry three (we probably won't, but we could).

[Coffeedrinker]

I repeat....

 

3rd string defenses.    There's nothing to see.

 

Put another way....   Matt Flynn played two regular season games for Green Bay,  and many teams still don't know what Flynn is, or isn't.   Kevin Kolb played more than that for Philly.   Got himself a big contract with Arizonal, who traded for him.   Turns out he's not that good.    And all of was based on regular season games.    Much more of a true read than pre-season games, especially when Harnsish was the 3rd QB in.....

 

So,  if you want to be impressed with what Harnish did in the pre-season.....   be my guest.   Maybe he turns out great and is the real deal.    But I wouldn't count on it.    I think your view is a fan's view.   Wishful thinking.   Maybe it turns out,  but it's not because of anything you saw....

 

Sorry,  but that's my view....   as unpopular as it may be...

Actually, I didn't make any comment about if I thought Harnish was good enough to be a back-up QB for the Colts.  My response was just in regards to your comment about not being able to tell anything because he went against back-ups.  And the fact that you just repeat it does not make it any more so.  A lot can be gleaned(sp?) from the preseason... that is why they have preseason games.  It's really a shame you can't see it, you're missing a fun part of the game.

[NewColtsFan]

Actually, I didn't make any comment about if I thought Harnish was good enough to be a back-up QB for the Colts.  My response was just in regards to your comment about not being able to tell anything because he went against back-ups.  And the fact that you just repeat it does not make it any more so.  A lot can be gleaned(sp?) from the preseason... that is why they have preseason games.  It's really a shame you can't see it, you're missing a fun part of the game.

 

Coffee....

 

You made a nice list of what can be seen by watching the pre-season game.   I've got no real argument with that.   All I'm trying to convey (if not to you, then to others who wanted Harnisch as the back-up)  is that there's much, much, much more to judging the position than the things you listed.   And what you listed isn't enough to decide that Harnisch (or any other young, inexperienced player)  is ready to be a quality back-up in the NFL.

 

I'm not trying to argue with you or be difficult.....   apologies if it came out that way...

 

Hope this clarifies my view of things a bit more....