First off, I’d like to apologize for getting this out late today. I wanted to spend a bit more time with this piece and I also wanted to give AA’s newest writer (the elder Best) the opportunity to have his first post stick around at the top for as long as possible.
That being said, I’m here now, and I’m ready to roll with my take on the Chiefs issues at the quarterback position and why I think they’re making a mistake by entrusting the future of this franchise to Brodie Croyle.
I’ll preface my thoughts with a quick statement on Croyle and why I truly like him as a person/player on the team – Croyle is a team player through and through, and while his durability is certainly an issue of major importance, his desire to succeed is not. No one will ever accuse Croyle of being too soft emotionally to handle the rigors of playing the QB position in the NFL, and he is a class act both on and off the field.
But all that aside, his detractors will rightfully question his physical ability to handle the kind of routine beating he’s going to take as the starting QB of the Chiefs, especially after watching him go down yet again in the first game of this season. He has never been a durable player at any level, suffering multiple injuries throughout his career that have derailed his individual accomplishments and his team’s chances of post-season success.
It is true that injuries cannot be predicted and therefore cannot be used as the sole qualification for determining how well a player will perform on any given Sunday, but that being said, when a player who has all the talent in the world ends up on the injury report on a semi-routine basis, it should give the franchise and fans cause for major concern. Croyle is a perfect example of that, and while many are calling for his immediate benching regardless of how long he’s out of commission, I’m not one of them, as I still think he gives us the best chance at winning – especially when you take a look at the rest of our QBs and see Tyler Thigpen, Damon Huard, and now Ingle Martin staring back at you.
Nevertheless, I have come to the conclusion that Croyle is just one of those guys that will never live up to his potential for the Chiefs, because of his inability to stay on the field and off the injury report. I hate to say it and I promise I will gladly eat my words if he comes back to play at a fairly high level this season, but it’s time for the Chiefs to begin making contingency plans for acquiring a quarterback via the draft or free agency that will be able to come in and consistently perform at a high level without getting injured.
That QB could come in any form, as long as they have demonstrated an ability to effectively lead a professional offense and stay healthy at the same time. It would obviously be preferable to get a QB that is relatively young considering the Chiefs current youth movement, but if they continue to put all of the other pieces in place, there is no reason why they should not pursue a veteran signal caller, who could thrust this team over the proverbial hump and into the playoffs.
The long term success of this franchise will be measured in large part by the Chiefs decisions in the coming days, weeks, and months of this season with regard to their future plans at the quarterback position.
If they choose wisely and develop a quality plan to acquire a proven talent that has demonstrated an ability to lead his offense without suffering a litany of injuries, then I think the Chiefs current rebuilding strategy will inevitably be judged to be a successful one. On the flip side, if they choose to continue down this path of sticking by Croyle to the end, with no apparent alternative available should he falter or get hurt once again, then I think they will be viewed in a negative light no matter the success of the rest of the team in the near future.
Like I said before, I really like Brodie Croyle and hope that he will prove me wrong in the near future by getting back on the field and staying healthy while putting up consistently strong numbers for a Chiefs offense that is capable of hanging tough against good defenses. But as of right now, his future with the team is definitely in doubt and I am hopeful that the Chiefs make a sound decision by bringing in a legitimate quarterback to provide insurance for the team should Croyle fail to deliver once again.
This is not the time to quibble over supposed quarterback controversies; we need solid leadership in the huddle to direct our young and talented corps of players towards a bright and shining future.
Brodie Croyle is running out of opportunities to be that player, and by continuing to pretend that he’s the team’s only option in the future, the Chiefs are essentially sacrificing their long-term success to prove a point about their ability to draft a quality quarterback. And that is a mistake that neither Herm nor Carl will survive to explain should it materialize in the near future.
Chris Kolb is the owner and lead writer for KCChiefsFanatic.com
FanSided Sports Blog
Kings of Kauffman
NFL Mocks
Stock Car Spin
Loading ...
Bolt Beat
Just Blog Baby
Predominantly Orange
Ramblin' Fan
