Fitz: Proceed With Caution

by CBATL32 on Dec 23, 2010 3:23 PM EST

Look, I have grown to love Fitz as much as anyone. How can you not love the guy? He's made watching football fun again and he's helping our o-line and young WR's really develop. He's tough, gritty and smart. But there has been a lot of debate around here lately about him being a 'franchise QB'. I am not saying that he is, or isn't, capable of becoming a franchise QB. But my strong advice to OBD would be to draft a QB next year if they believe he can be a franchise QB.

Let me give you a perfect example of why I believe this so strongly. Back in 2008, Shaun Hill came out of his journeyman role to lead SF in the last 9 games of the season. He played very well putting up a nice 63% completion percentage, 2000 yards passing, with 13 TD to 8 INT. And that was playing on a team that didn't have much offensive talent around him. There was a lot of talk about him then, and his potential to develop into a starting caliber QB in the NFL.

I think this situation is very similar to what is going on with Fitz this year. I don't know if Fitz will turn back into a pumpkin in 2011 or if he'll turn into the next Kurt Warner. But I do know the 49ers passed on Josh Freeman the next year. I don't know if they didn't think Freeman was a franchise type prospect, or if they passed on a franchise type prospect because they liked what they saw in Hill. But, I can only assume that they'd be much happier right now with Josh Freeman taking snaps from behind center.

I hope and pray that Fitz turns into the second coming of Kurt Warner. And I know there are no guarantees with Newton, Luck, Locker etc. in the draft either. But one thing is for sure, I'd feel much better about our long term QB situation if we had BOTH Fitz and a top 10 QB from next year's draft on our roster next year. Hopefully either Fitz or the draftee will turn into our franchise QB. I like those odds.

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.

Tweet Comment 15 comments | 13 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Or they passed on Freeman

Because they still had a bunch of money tied up in Hill.

The player I would like least at #9 would be my sister’s cat, Captain Creamsicle. She does have a great work ethic and agility, but I’m really concerned that at 9 lbs., she’s too small to play safety in the NFL. She also bites way too often on play action and is easily distracted by someone waving string in the crowd. Lastly, her wonderlic score was pretty awful, answering "meow meow meow" for most of the questions- Dr. Brackish Okun

by mob16151 on Dec 23, 2010 3:28 PM EST reply actions

mo0ney tied up in alex smith

prolly more accurate

Go Bills because I'm a blind homer... sort of

by killascript on Dec 23, 2010 4:44 PM EST up reply actions

Yea

What I meant. Ooops.

by mob16151 on Dec 23, 2010 6:32 PM EST up reply actions

Rec'd

I agree.

" All that 8-8 means for a team that needs a QB upgrade is your to good for your own good." Bob Dicesare.

by buffalobacker on Dec 23, 2010 4:27 PM EST reply actions

Amen

and rec’d.

Starting the official Buffalo "Draft Owen Marecic in 2011" campaign.

I had a dream the night after the first round. Buffalo traded for Tim Tebow. Josh McDaniels is gone; does the new coach like Tebow as much? It could happen.

by Der Jaeger on Dec 23, 2010 4:38 PM EST reply actions

Can't argue the logic...

… my biggest concern is that Fitz turns into a pumpkin next year also. Seen it too many times in this league,. A back up plan is always smart business.

Those who would sup with the mighty must first walk the tribal path. Sup great warrior whilst the mighty bow their heads.

by Sean Yeterian on Dec 23, 2010 5:30 PM EST reply actions

Isn't out back up plan...

Brian Brohm and Levi Brown? Our should we draft ANOTHER quarter back bringing our total to 4 in 7 years?

Someone may need to get Edwards the P90x box set.
~TheAfghanTwilight

by Bell's Bills on Dec 24, 2010 8:02 AM EST up reply actions

It’d actually be 4 in 8 years. :)

Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford

by Brian Galliford on Dec 24, 2010 9:20 AM EST up reply actions

Not to many people are argueing Fitz is a franchise QB that I am aware of.

There are arguements that he is some one that you can build around, which doesn’t meet the criteria of a franchise quy. Then and again, a franchise guy is someone that has done it before and continues to keep doing it each season. Considering what Fitzpatrick has done, which is, he hasn’t done anything before because he is just starting to and that is repeat what he has done or hasn’t done before. What ever the hell that is supposed to mean is that we should draft a franchise guy because that franchise guy has never done anything before either. You get what I am saying. Let’s draft 8 franchise QB’s this year and move on. Then we will have eleven of them on the roster, and maybe one of them can run and catch and tackle and block and keep score and announce lineups etc…

YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde

by VanScottM on Dec 23, 2010 7:09 PM EST reply actions

Do I Sense...

a bit of sarcasm!

by mikeo76 on Dec 24, 2010 8:59 AM EST up reply actions

Perhaps, but Fitz is no Shaun Hill

It might be wise for the Bills to take a QB in the first-round IF there is someone they really like, but I do think Fitz has staying power because of his special talents. What makes him so good is his ability to read defenses and figure out where the best point of attack should be. He is also excellent at adjusting protections at the last minute and he has a very quick release. He also has great chemistry with Chan Gailey. None of those things are going to change, and they will continue to make him an above-average QB. The Bills will be just fine sticking with him for a while.

My own thought is that they would be better off using their first few picks on other positions where they really need help (especially LB and TE) and then looking for a QB in the middle rounds if they can find someone who Nix and Gailey believe will develop into a franchise-level passer in a couple of years. That’s the best insurance in the event that Fitz has in fact reached the top of his potential right now. If he has, then the new guy will be ready when we most need him, but if Fitz keeps developing and we find we have two first-rate QB’s we can trade one of them for some additional high picks.

by Macktruck on Dec 24, 2010 11:18 AM EST reply actions

SF didnt draft because they had money on alex smith

and that’s the reason why they didnt stick to shaun hill… shaun hill still played good in detroit….

you would create the same confusing situation if you draft a qb…. you are going to mess up everything that is good…. and fitz is way better than hill… 23 TDs in 12 games is way better than 13 in 9…

such so called “franchise” qbs come out every year when the fans are excited…. there is a next peyton manning every year …. there is a too good to fail qb every year…

by statcruncher on Dec 24, 2010 1:32 PM EST reply actions

and remember, if you make fitz the clear starting qb, you get a whole offseason to design and practice plays to his strengths…

he is only going to be better next year than this year…

by statcruncher on Dec 24, 2010 1:33 PM EST up reply actions

I get what your saying

But look at Shaun Hill then man woulda stayed the niners QB if they didnt have fifty million invested in Alex Smith (whom i liked the Bills to sign as a backup to Fitz but that’s a different story)

I still remember flying paper airplanes at One Bills Drive during a game against the Redskins during the strike year... my first Bills game.

I own a Rob Johnson signed jersey, so with that in mind if i like the Bills QB just expect him to fall on a football and break his ribs.

by John Paul King Baron on Dec 24, 2010 4:32 PM EST reply actions