Just a reminder on how stupid NFL teams can be

One thing that's been bothering me recently, with the draft coming up, is...how in the hell did Aaron Rodgers fall to the 24th pick in the 2005 draft? If you'll recall, Rodgers was the presumptive #1 pick for most of the offseason, until a week or two before the draft when all of a sudden Alex Smith became the #1 pick, and Rodgers tumbled all the way to 24th overall. It's worth noting, too, that that was a terrible draft, making it even more astonishing he fell that far.

Some of the teams that passed on Rodgers were the 49ers obviously, plus the Dolphins (Gus Frerotte? Sage?), Browns (Kelly Holcomb?), Chicago (sexy Rexy!), Tampa Bay (Gruden, who loved to collect QBs, didn't collect an actual good one), Tennessee (ancient Steve McNair, drafted Vince Young a year later), Washington (they ended up drafting Jason Campbell one pick after Rodgers), Carolina (Jake was still viable at this point, but man would that team be in good shape with Rodgers), and the Oakland Raiders (Rodgers played right down the road, but when you've got Kerry Collins and Marques Tuiasosopo you have no need). Just look at those names!

As far as I can tell, here's why Rodgers fell (and even at the time, these reasons seemed suspcious; now they're laughable to the point that all NFL personnel who bought into them should be fired); "Questions about Rodgers involve his throwing mechanics, ability to consistently deliver the long ball, and even his coaching. California coach Jeff Tedford has groomed a significant number of excellent college passers who have not always translated to the pros. Kyle Boller, his most recent draftee, has struggled early in his Baltimore Ravens career."

I can remember the questions about his throwing mechanics; the Packers have tweaked them a bit and it's not a problem (and never was). I can REALLY remember the Tedford stuff, which is really the reason he fell. Kyle Boller had just busted big-time in Baltimore, along with Tedford QBs like Joey Harrington and Akili Smith. Well, we all know that QBs who play under the same coach are all the same right? Phil Simms, Vinny Testaverde, Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo...all played under Parcells, all the same right? How fucking stupid. And yet that was big news at the time; "Rodgers is just another Tedford project." It's like the NFL was unwilling to admit they had been completely wrong on Harrington, Boller and Smith (the latter two never being worthy of their draft status), and instead projected their anger onto Jeff Tedford. "It's Jeff Tedford's fault that Kyle Boller sucks, not mine for ever believing Boller had talent in the first place." How fucking stupid.

I also love that his deep ball was a concern. Have you seen Aaron Rodgers throw the deep ball? It's pretty damn nice; Greg Jennings certainly wouldn't complain. But here's the amazing thing; Alex Smith couldn't throw the deep ball either. We have to remember that the 49ers chose Alex Smith instead of Rodgers, and every concern you might have about Rodgers, you should have had doubly over Alex Smith. Deep ball? Smith never threw the ball downfield at Utah. Coaching? Urban Meyer designed an offense specifically for Alex Smith's skillset that obviously wasn't going to translate to the NFL.

The reason I've been thinking about Aaron Rodgers recently (and I just love reliving this stuff; just look at how stupid those criticisms were) is because there's a very good chance Jimmy Clausen will free-fall tomorrow. Remember all of those mediocre QBs who nonetheless somehow forced their teams to pass on Rodgers? There's a good chance that's happening tomorrow, with Kansas City (Cassel), Seattle (Whitehurst/the walking corpse of Hasslebeck), Cleveland (Delhomme/Wallace), Oakland (Russell/Gradkowski), Buffalo (Fitzpatrick/Edwards), Jacksonville (Garrard), Denver (Orton/Quinn), and San Francisco (Alex Smith) all passing on Clausen and honestly walking into next season with that list of mediocre QBs starting for them. What Aaron Rodgers had is something that the NFL consistently underestimates, and that's touch and accuracy. Well guess what Clausen's strengths are as well. And the criticisms of Clausen are just as stupid as they were for Rodgers.

NFL teams are typically pretty smart. They scour the Earth to find guys like Tony Romo and Marques Colston. DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora played at Troy; Vishante Shiancoe played at something called Morgan St. So the NFL definitely does it's homework in searching for players. And yet every year it overthinks the obvious; namely that your QB situation is mediocre and should be upgraded. It's easy to talk yourself into thinking that Orton and Garrard are fine, and that you should focus on other positions instead. It's easy to come up with reasons not to draft somebody, and in the case of Rodgers and Clausen (probably; we'll see tomorrow) they found them. I just have a very strong feeling that in 5 years, much like with Rodgers, numerous NFL teams are going to be kicking themselves that they didn't see the obvious, and that's that their QB situation wasn't good and that Clausen can throw the football.

The Packers got lucky when Rodgers dropped as far as he did, and now I'm praying that Clausen falls far enough that Minnesota can get him. My god, he would be a perfect successor to Favre. In fact, if he falls past Buffalo at 9 (a near certainty; Chan Gailey doesn't like pocket passers, and I'm not kidding. Chan Gailey remains the only man in football who's been able to slow down Calvin Johnson, with his hand-picked Reggie Ball at QB) I want Minnesota to trade up and get him. The Vikings can use depth at corner, and along the offensive line, and probably at RB, but you know what? That can be figured out later. The opportunity for a good team to get a good young QB just doesn't happen often, so Minnesota needs to seize the moment if it happens. Be bold and get your QB of the future.