Detroit Bloggers thoughts on Stanton (1 Viewer)

[sholditch]

We've talked about Stanton a little bit so I thought I would post this small bit of opinion on him. Don't know if this guy is one of AB's trusted sources

4. From what I hear, Rod Marinelli and Matt Millen are quietly high on Drew Stanton. I've said and written before that I never bought into the instant predictions -- many coming from folks with an Ann Arbor connection and an axe to grind -- that Stanton was a bad choice as a second-round pick in 2007. He didn't look great in drills. But on the field, he's a player. He's an athlete-quarterback who makes plays, and that's what that position is about. Players need to know that their quarterback doesn't have to follow the dotted lines to make plays. Stanton has done that for two games. He's still behind Jon Kitna and Dan Orlovsky, and could remain the No. 3 QB. But he's making a move with quality play, and not because others are collapsing.

link

 

[Anthony Borbely]

We've talked about Stanton a little bit so I thought I would post this small bit of opinion on him. Don't know if this guy is one of AB's trusted sources

That source is Mike O'Hara, who has covered the Lions for the Detroit News for a good 30 years.

 

[valhallan]

I really wish we could get a better handle on Stanton. There's so much upside with those receivers, but it's hard to hang onto a guy who may never see the field. If the team performs as well as O'Hara thinks, won't Kitna start the whole year?

 

[sholditch]

yes. it's a very frustrating and hard situation to read.

 

[Mr Capicollo]

I don't think this is that difficult to read. Here's what I'm seeing:

- Stanton will not begin the year as the starter;

- Stanton has higher upside than Orlovsky, and probably Kitna too, but he can't beat out Kitna at this point to start;

- Stanton is therefore the future, and is nicely paired long term with the WR's on that team;

- Stanton is a stash and hold in dynasty, with roughly similar value to other the top young backups like Kolb or Quinn;

- Stanton isn't worth having on the roster to begin the season in redraft, but you should grab him midseason if the Lions are losing and likely to miss the NFL playoffs.

 

[EBF]

4. From what I hear, Rod Marinelli and Matt Millen are high on Drew Stanton.

That's it, folks. Cross him off your boards.

 

[jurb26]

Stanton was my highest ranked QB last year. Really hoping he pans out.

 

[TwinTurbo]

I still think Stanton is as good of a prospect as Brady Quinn or Trent Edwards. Time will tell but this guy has the talent if he can improve in his decision making and consistency.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

I don't think this is that difficult to read. Here's what I'm seeing:- Stanton will not begin the year as the starter; - Stanton has higher upside than Orlovsky, and probably Kitna too, but he can't beat out Kitna at this point to start; - Stanton is therefore the future, and is nicely paired long term with the WR's on that team; - Stanton is a stash and hold in dynasty, with roughly similar value to other the top young backups like Kolb or Quinn; - Stanton isn't worth having on the roster to begin the season in redraft, but you should grab him midseason if the Lions are losing and likely to miss the NFL playoffs.

 

[Chumpson]

4. From what I hear, Rod Marinelli and Matt Millen are high on Drew Stanton.

That's it, folks. Cross him off your boards.

 

[swirvenirvin]

Like mentioned already he is a gamer, more of maybe a Jeff Garcia, he doesn't have the strongest arm or the most accurate, but he can make plays when it counts, and it seems to me that his college game is starting to carry over in the pros

 

[*****]

4. From what I hear, Rod Marinelli and Matt Millen are high on Drew Stanton.

That's it, folks. Cross him off your boards.

They're high on something.

 

[valhallan]

4. From what I hear, Rod Marinelli and Matt Millen are high on Drew Stanton.

That's it, folks. Cross him off your boards.

Touché. However, Marinelli seems to have some semblance of cerebral function. I'm normally a talent-regardless-of-situation guy (love Trent Edwards) but the Detriot receivers are too juicy to ignore.

Stanton hasn't had a regular season start, so IMO we'd be silly to write him off.

 

[EBF]

4. From what I hear, Rod Marinelli and Matt Millen are high on Drew Stanton.

That's it, folks. Cross him off your boards.

Touché. However, Marinelli seems to have some semblance of cerebral function. I'm normally a talent-regardless-of-situation guy (love Trent Edwards) but the Detriot receivers are too juicy to ignore.

Stanton hasn't had a regular season start, so IMO we'd be silly to write him off.

Stanton will probably get his chance. Like most young quarterbacks, he'll probably fail miserably. He's not a bad stash guy. Just don't expect much aside from a modest value bump when he's named the starter. That said, I'm convinced that the Millen regime is hopeless. I gave him the benefit of the doubt for a few years because it looked like he may have learned some lessons after the first couple of years, but it's becoming clear to me that this team is a rudderless ship. They've got a poor man's Jake Delhomme at QB and a skinny third rookie at RB. Their defense scares no one. In fact, I can't even name a single one of their DBs off the top of my head. They lost Shaun Rodgers and they have no talented pass rushers. The only thing that might keep this team out of the cellar is the fact that the Bears and Packers have no proven talent at QB.

Detroit will probably finish something like 5-11 or 6-10 this year. It might finally be enough to convince the owner to scrap the Millen/Marinelli monster and start anew. When that happens, all bets are off with Stanton. He could very easily get John Becked in April. I have a hunch that he'll see the field this year though. That might be a good time to sell.

 

[Hipple II]

That's probably healthier than being high on Jeff smoker..the whole blog as good, as I bet lions fans saunter in here i'm tacking it down

Thoughts on the Lions at the Halfway Point:I don't believe in a final blog, because there is no way to know what's final. It's what it is now. Make sense?Here are some thoughts, opinions and predictions, with the Lions halfway through the exhibition season:1. When the 2008 schedule came out in the spring, I wrote how the Lions could win nine games. It wasn't a prediction, just a somewhat humorous way of predicting how a 9-7 season could happen.From what I've seen, I was wrong. The Lions will win nine games, maybe more. They're super fast on defense, they will build a running game and protect the quarterback, and they have talent at wide receiver. I say 9-7 is the standard for this team. Whether that earns a playoff berth remains to be seen, but this team will not fall apart, unless it is shredded by injuries.2. Calvin Johnson is one of the 10 best players in the NFL right now. Forget about how the Lions should have drafted Joe Thomas or Adrian Peterson last year. They got the right guy. What a player. Herman Moore set the standard for Lions receivers. Johnson is meeting it.3. Tatum Bell is playing -- or NOT playing -- his way into being the odd man out at tailback. He plays and acts like he really isn't interested in playing football. He doesn't seem to be engaged with the team in any manner. His performance has been dreadfully lackluster, and it looks like he has lost his desire to play. Kevin Smith, Aveion Cason, Artose Pinner and Brian Calhoun all are ahead of him.4. From what I hear, Rod Marinelli and Matt Millen are quietly high on Drew Stanton. I've said and written before that I never bought into the instant predictions -- many coming from folks with an Ann Arbor connection and an axe to grind -- that Stanton was a bad choice as a second-round pick in 2007. He didn't look great in drills. But on the field, he's a player. He's an athlete-quarterback who makes plays, and that's what that position is about. Players need to know that their quarterback doesn't have to follow the dotted lines to make plays. Stanton has done that for two games. He's still behind Jon Kitna and Dan Orlovsky, and could remain the No. 3 QB. But he's making a move with quality play, and not because others are collapsing.5. The Lions have more good, young players on the roster than at any time since Jerry Ball, Bennie Blades, Chris Spielman, Barry Sanders and Herman Moore were coming into their prime. Just to name a few, and in no particular order, Ernie Sims, Calvin Johnson, Roy Williams, Gosder Cherilus, Jerome Felton, Kevin Smith, Andre Fluellen, Daniel Bullocks, Gerald Alexander, Ikaika Alama-Francis (watch him develop this year), Jordon Dizon, Dan Orlovsky and Stanton will form the nucleus of the team. Add Langston Moore, a nose tackle who's only 27. Rod Marinelli has what he wanted -- a young, lean, fast team that hustles.6. In two games, Jon Kitna hasn't been touched. Amazing. 7. A home playoff game for the Lions? Don't count it out. They're getting better faster than anyone thought -- especially me.

 

[Bob Magaw]

i agree that no way stanton starts right away, he probably does have more upside than kitna or orlovsky, & could start as soon as later in the season if the lions fall out of contention... otherwise, as soon as '09...

the lions WRs are appealing (obviously), though not sure roy will be there long term... that said, calvin johnson has a chance to be the top WR in the league (he has the upside of any of the other young stud WRs that would be in the conversation for top WRs in an initial dynasty draft... braylon edwards, andre johnson, larry fitzgerald, etc)...

i think the lions emphasis on the running game will be good for kitna & the WRs, & they could surprise, though i don't see them making the playoffs... i do think they want to find out what they have in stanton at some point...

i also agree that he could surprise & end up with similar upside to the other top QB prospects from the class of '07...

throws an ugly ball but is a gamer (he hurt himself earlier in his career at michigan state by volunteering for punt or kick coverage duty as a gunner... he is tough and has some intangibles & leadership qualities)...

 

[bcr8f]

Haters. Watch him play before writing him off.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Lion's beat writer Tom Kowalski wrote about Stanton this morning.

Link

Lions' Stanton much improved since camp opened

by Tom Kowalski | Analysis

Tuesday August 19, 2008, 12:15 AM

ALLEN PARK -- Three weeks ago, there were some serious concerns about Detroit Lions quarterback Drew Stanton. His passes were wobbly and off the mark, he had almost no command of the huddle and his confidence was wavering.

About Stanton's performance early in camp, Lions offensive coordinator Jim Colletto said "Holy mackerel.'' And not in a good way.

After Stanton's performance in Detroit's 27-10 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals, though, the situation is changing drastically.

Stanton still needs to work on his accuracy in the pocket, but he's a different quarterback. Considered a "gamer'' when president Matt Millen drafted him in the second round last year -- and this was definitely was a "Millen pick'' -- Stanton is raising some eyebrows.

He threw a perfect pass on a 50-yard bomb to Brandon Middleton, setting it up with a 10-yard scramble on third-and-8. Late in the game, Stanton scored on a 10-yard run on a naked bootleg.

The knock on Stanton, of course, is that he's using his legs too much and he can't get away with that for extended periods in the NFL's regular season. True enough, but Stanton's moving the team the best way he knows how and that's all that matters.

Quarterbacks aren't paid to complete passes, they're paid to win.

Offensive tackles are paid to block, receivers are paid to catch passes, linebackers are paid to make tackles, but quarterbacks are paid to win. That's why they earn more than everybody else. Everything falls on them. There are no style points.

Stanton may not throw the tightest spiral you've ever seen, but he moves the offense, scores points and is playing winning football.

The temptation is to say he's got a long way to go, but the real story is how far he's come so fast. Stanton does not resemble -- in any way, shape or form -- the guy who was wearing the No. 5 jersey at the start of camp. At that time, Stanton had no chance to unseat Dan Orlovsky as the No. 2 quarterback.

That, too, might be changing.

 

[sholditch]

Lion's beat writer Tom Kowalski wrote about Stanton this morning.

Link

Lions' Stanton much improved since camp opened

by Tom Kowalski | Analysis

Tuesday August 19, 2008, 12:15 AM

ALLEN PARK -- Three weeks ago, there were some serious concerns about Detroit Lions quarterback Drew Stanton. His passes were wobbly and off the mark, he had almost no command of the huddle and his confidence was wavering.

About Stanton's performance early in camp, Lions offensive coordinator Jim Colletto said "Holy mackerel.'' And not in a good way.

After Stanton's performance in Detroit's 27-10 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals, though, the situation is changing drastically.

Stanton still needs to work on his accuracy in the pocket, but he's a different quarterback. Considered a "gamer'' when president Matt Millen drafted him in the second round last year -- and this was definitely was a "Millen pick'' -- Stanton is raising some eyebrows.

He threw a perfect pass on a 50-yard bomb to Brandon Middleton, setting it up with a 10-yard scramble on third-and-8. Late in the game, Stanton scored on a 10-yard run on a naked bootleg.

The knock on Stanton, of course, is that he's using his legs too much and he can't get away with that for extended periods in the NFL's regular season. True enough, but Stanton's moving the team the best way he knows how and that's all that matters.

Quarterbacks aren't paid to complete passes, they're paid to win.

Offensive tackles are paid to block, receivers are paid to catch passes, linebackers are paid to make tackles, but quarterbacks are paid to win. That's why they earn more than everybody else. Everything falls on them. There are no style points.

Stanton may not throw the tightest spiral you've ever seen, but he moves the offense, scores points and is playing winning football.

The temptation is to say he's got a long way to go, but the real story is how far he's come so fast. Stanton does not resemble -- in any way, shape or form -- the guy who was wearing the No. 5 jersey at the start of camp. At that time, Stanton had no chance to unseat Dan Orlovsky as the No. 2 quarterback.

That, too, might be changing.

This makes him sound a lot like Vince Young, except slower...Not sure if this piece inspires confidence or not. OK, here's what I really, really don't get. Everyone, including the local press and on this board, seems to think that he's better than Orlovsky. So why is he behind him? Just because he started camp so early?

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Lion's beat writer Tom Kowalski wrote about Stanton this morning.

Link

Lions' Stanton much improved since camp opened

by Tom Kowalski | Analysis

Tuesday August 19, 2008, 12:15 AM

ALLEN PARK -- Three weeks ago, there were some serious concerns about Detroit Lions quarterback Drew Stanton. His passes were wobbly and off the mark, he had almost no command of the huddle and his confidence was wavering.

About Stanton's performance early in camp, Lions offensive coordinator Jim Colletto said "Holy mackerel.'' And not in a good way.

After Stanton's performance in Detroit's 27-10 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals, though, the situation is changing drastically.

Stanton still needs to work on his accuracy in the pocket, but he's a different quarterback. Considered a "gamer'' when president Matt Millen drafted him in the second round last year -- and this was definitely was a "Millen pick'' -- Stanton is raising some eyebrows.

He threw a perfect pass on a 50-yard bomb to Brandon Middleton, setting it up with a 10-yard scramble on third-and-8. Late in the game, Stanton scored on a 10-yard run on a naked bootleg.

The knock on Stanton, of course, is that he's using his legs too much and he can't get away with that for extended periods in the NFL's regular season. True enough, but Stanton's moving the team the best way he knows how and that's all that matters.

Quarterbacks aren't paid to complete passes, they're paid to win.

Offensive tackles are paid to block, receivers are paid to catch passes, linebackers are paid to make tackles, but quarterbacks are paid to win. That's why they earn more than everybody else. Everything falls on them. There are no style points.

Stanton may not throw the tightest spiral you've ever seen, but he moves the offense, scores points and is playing winning football.

The temptation is to say he's got a long way to go, but the real story is how far he's come so fast. Stanton does not resemble -- in any way, shape or form -- the guy who was wearing the No. 5 jersey at the start of camp. At that time, Stanton had no chance to unseat Dan Orlovsky as the No. 2 quarterback.

That, too, might be changing.

This makes him sound a lot like Vince Young, except slower...Not sure if this piece inspires confidence or not. OK, here's what I really, really don't get. Everyone, including the local press and on this board, seems to think that he's better than Orlovsky. So why is he behind him? Just because he started camp so early?

Because of inexperience. Remember, Stanton did not play or practice last year. He is basically a rookie. He is behind Orlovsky as far as being the backup, but far ahead in terms of being a long-term prospect.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Here is more on Stanton from local beat writer Nick Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press.

Link

• How excited should the Lions be about Stanton at this stage?

Excited. Just not too excited yet. Stanton has looked like the swashbuckling quarterback we remember from Michigan State, making plays with his legs as well as his arm.

But he has done it late in exhibitions against third-teamers, and it remains to be seen whether he can do that against starters at this level.

But considering where Stanton was not too long ago, he has made great strides. Martz changed his mechanics last year, and he sat out the season with a knee injury. He looked terrible at times in the off-season and early in training camp. President Matt Millen called him a gamer who needed to play.

When Stanton got a chance to play, his athleticism and competitiveness came out -- and his confidence followed. He looks like a new guy. He still has a long way to go, but he looks like he's on the right track.

 

[sholditch]

Thanks AB. I'm going to hang on for this season and if he isn't starting by 09 probably drop.