SB Nation User Blog: BigManChili

3rd QB Battle - John Parker Wilson or D.J. Shockley

BigManChili — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:30:54 -0000

Going into the preseason, it was as sure of a sure thing as someone could really be sure that Chris Redman had a lock on the backup QB spot behind Matt Ryan. Chris Redman, who is on the wrong side of 30, isn't going to be around forever, however. His eventual replacement as official "Clipboard Holder For Matt Ryan": ?

The 3rd QB Battle was one of the most anticipated position battles heading into preseason, even if it (hopefully) will have no bearing on the regular season at all. How did the two candidates, John Parker Wilson (formerly of Alabama) and D.J. Shockley (formerly of Georgia) fare? Join me after "The Jump"!

(All stats courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons official Twitter feed, @Atlanta_Falcons)

John Parker Wilson: Saw action in 3 games, 19-27 for 135 yards, 0 TDs 0 INTs, 0 sacks, 0 fumbles, 81.6 QB rating

D.J. Shockley: 10-26 for 109 yards passing, 0 TD, 3 INT, 2 sacks, 2 fumbles, QB Rating: 3.5

You know, I originally intended to make this post a big production, complete with (hopefully) some game film showing exactly why each guy was (and wasn't) suited for the #3 job. After looking at these stats, I don't think any further debate is necessary.

What do you think?

Poll

Who is going to be the Atlanta Falcons #3QB entering the regular season?

John Parker Wilson

52 votes

D.J. Shockley

5 votes

Jeff George

3 votes

60 votes | Poll has closed

Roddy White wants a new deal

BigManChili — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:05:34 -0000

Rowdy Roddy White's contract expires after this season. Two years ago, we thought he was overpaid for a guy who didn't top 1,000 yards in his first two seasons. The last two seasons? Well, he's collected almost 2,600 yards. His rookie contract expires after this season, and he recently talked to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution about wanting a new deal.

“We haven’t come to an agreement,”White stated, but he added that he's not demanding the new contract before the season. "Whenever it happens, it happens,” White said. “We’ll just wait around for it.”

However, there's an issue: The pending CBA negotiation.

When the owners opted out of the current CBA, they set gears into motion that will result in 2010 being an uncapped year. This is where things get confusing. Many of the free-agency rules will change, including one that directly applies to this situation:

"Players must complete six years of service to be eligible for unrestricted free agency in the uncapped year.

If Roddy White isn't signed to a contract extension during this season, he won't be an unrestricted free agent (necessitating a franchise tag of upwards of $9M). He'll be restricted free agent, and we can keep him at 110% of his 2009 cap number ($2.28M), and we'd get a chance to meet any offer he receives or be compensated with a 1st and 3rd round pick from his new team.

For the record, I don't see why we wouldn't resign him this season like we resigned Jenkins and (The U.S.S.) Babineaux last season. I just wanted to make everyone else aware of this situation.

Any thoughts?

Musings on the safety position...

BigManChili — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:45:00 -0000

So, Lawyer Milloy is gone. Want to know why? Peter King's got the details:

"3. I think if you want to know why the Atlanta Falcons whacked safety Lawyer Milloy on Sunday night, all you need to know is this: He was a gigantic pain in the rear end. Clubhouse lawyer, yakker, complainer. Totally not a Mike Smith, one-for-all, all-for-one guy." MMQB, Monday February 23, 2009.

Anyone heard anything more about this? I knew his on the field performance had declined, but did anyone know that he was a locker-room cancer too? I always thought he was one of those "fading veteran leadership presence" guys.

At the combine, we interviewed two possible replacements, Alabama S Rashad Johnson and Missouri S William Moore. Both project to be SS. If not them, the FA class is rather thin at the safety position. Ravens S Jim Leonhard would be an upgrade, as would (franchised) Rams S O. Atogwe.

I think we'd all prefer to Leonhard or Atogwe and use the high pick for a linebacker, but if none of those options pan out I have a couple other ideas I want to run by you guys.

1. Solve our possible glut of cornerbacks and our safety problem with one fell swoop: Move Von Hutchins back to free safety for the time being, and shift Erik Coleman over to SS.

2. Sign free-agent SS Gibril Wilson (the guy who hates your running back), and make him a run-down SS and use the aforementioned Coleman/Hutchins combo on obvious passing situations.

As an aside, I know Wilson isn't considered an elite safety by any stretch of the imagination, but he was 7th in the entire NFL with run plays with 87 (and best safety by far; runner-up was Milloy with 58), and his average stop was after only 4.7 yards (average is somewhere around 6.7-7 yards), so he could more than replace Lawyer Milloy's run-stopping production. Can he really be as bad as Milloy at covering the pass?

3. Make Thomas DeCoud the starter at FS/SS.

Any thoughts? These are obvious worst-case scenarios in my eyes, but are they really THAT bad?