QB Drew Stanton on IR (1 Viewer)

[Ron_Mexico]

I'm not really sure what everyone has their panties in a twist about.The surgery will basically take him out of training camp. No training camp essentially means no chance at a backup gig for a rookie, particularly for this offense. No backup gig means no need for him to be on the regular roster.He can work out, and be around and still learn the playbook etc. in the regular season - he's not suspended, and he's on the payroll. And even if he COULD "practice" with the team, he wouldn't get any reps because the team is no longer going to be practicing the offense in general, they are going to be preparing for the next week's game. That means there is really not a whole lot for Stanton to do in regular season practices anyway.This is actually a smart move IMO.

Can he stand on the sidelines during practice? If so, then I retract much of my comments. If not, then this is an idiotic move that absolutely has the chance to stunt his professional growth.

I agree. I assume this also means he can't play in any preseason games. I don't care what kind of sugar-coating you put on this, it sets his development back a year, probably was a huge blow to his confidence considering that everything we've heard about his surgery says it's basically nothing. The ability to play in preseason games was likely gone, but it sounds like he might have been able to take a few snaps in the fourth game, and, hell, this just seems really dumb to save one roster spot. He could have been practicing with the practice squad team at the least and getting a feel for NFL speed. No, no argument can make this a smart move. Incredibly, incredibly stupid.

totally agree, unless there is more to this story that still remains unreleased.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

I'm not really sure what everyone has their panties in a twist about.The surgery will basically take him out of training camp. No training camp essentially means no chance at a backup gig for a rookie, particularly for this offense. No backup gig means no need for him to be on the regular roster.He can work out, and be around and still learn the playbook etc. in the regular season - he's not suspended, and he's on the payroll. And even if he COULD "practice" with the team, he wouldn't get any reps because the team is no longer going to be practicing the offense in general, they are going to be preparing for the next week's game. That means there is really not a whole lot for Stanton to do in regular season practices anyway.This is actually a smart move IMO.

Can he stand on the sidelines during practice? If so, then I retract much of my comments. If not, then this is an idiotic move that absolutely has the chance to stunt his professional growth.

I agree. I assume this also means he can't play in any preseason games. I don't care what kind of sugar-coating you put on this, it sets his development back a year, probably was a huge blow to his confidence considering that everything we've heard about his surgery says it's basically nothing. The ability to play in preseason games was likely gone, but it sounds like he might have been able to take a few snaps in the fourth game, and, hell, this just seems really dumb to save one roster spot. He could have been practicing with the practice squad team at the least and getting a feel for NFL speed. No, no argument can make this a smart move. Incredibly, incredibly stupid.

It doesn't set him back a whole year. Being around an NFL team by itself, sitting in meetings, learning the offense, things like that, are very important. He was not going to play this year. Being on IR doesn't do as much as people think, since 3rd stringers don't get practice time anyways. I think people are overreacting to this because they think Stanton was going to play this year, and that was highly unlikely before this happened.

 

[Koya]

I'm not really sure what everyone has their panties in a twist about.The surgery will basically take him out of training camp. No training camp essentially means no chance at a backup gig for a rookie, particularly for this offense. No backup gig means no need for him to be on the regular roster.He can work out, and be around and still learn the playbook etc. in the regular season - he's not suspended, and he's on the payroll. And even if he COULD "practice" with the team, he wouldn't get any reps because the team is no longer going to be practicing the offense in general, they are going to be preparing for the next week's game. That means there is really not a whole lot for Stanton to do in regular season practices anyway.This is actually a smart move IMO.

Can he stand on the sidelines during practice? If so, then I retract much of my comments. If not, then this is an idiotic move that absolutely has the chance to stunt his professional growth.

I agree. I assume this also means he can't play in any preseason games. I don't care what kind of sugar-coating you put on this, it sets his development back a year, probably was a huge blow to his confidence considering that everything we've heard about his surgery says it's basically nothing. The ability to play in preseason games was likely gone, but it sounds like he might have been able to take a few snaps in the fourth game, and, hell, this just seems really dumb to save one roster spot. He could have been practicing with the practice squad team at the least and getting a feel for NFL speed. No, no argument can make this a smart move. Incredibly, incredibly stupid.

It doesn't set him back a whole year. Being around an NFL team by itself, sitting in meetings, learning the offense, things like that, are very important. He was not going to play this year. Being on IR doesn't do as much as people think, since 3rd stringers don't get practice time anyways. I think people are overreacting to this because they think Stanton was going to play this year, and that was highly unlikely before this happened.

It comes down to this:WILL STANTON BE ALLOWED TO BE ON THE SIDELINES FOR ALL PRACTICES AND GAMES?If so, then I see little difference between IR and not taking any snaps but being on the roster.If not, this is a typical lions debacle and the loss of an important year for the kid.

 

[sholditch]

But he could play with the practice squad, right? Wouldn't that alone have been worth wasting the roster spot? Say Kitna has his typical meltdown year after a decent one, and throws something like 22 ints vs 16 tds (happened twice before), where are they then? Starting JT O'Sullivan who they know is not the long terms answer, and him sucking just as bad as Stanton would have, yet there is no long-term benefit for the team. And if we are prepared for at least the possibility that history repeats itself with Kitna, then what situation are they in next year if they decide not to keep him? I'm not saying that's likely, but it's not so unlikely that you're safe betting the farm that it won't happen. And if it does, you have a competition between a journeyman nobody and a QB that's never played a single down in the NFL, regular season or preseason. I'm sorry, that's just incredibly dumb. It's not forward thinking and its taking a gigantic risk for what? A fifth safety on the roster? It's not like the Lions are so stacked with talent they can't afford to waste a single spot. No, this was incredibly dumb. A really bad risk/reward.

 

[Holy Schneikes]

Wow. Some of you guys really love the drama.The kid is ruined because he won't be able to "practice" his first year. Riiiight.From Detroit Fee Press:

Stanton can’t practice with the team while on injured reserve, but he probably wasn’t going to get many reps anyway during the season. He can still sit in on meetings to learn the offense and work out at team headquarters.

Even WITHOUT injury, lots of QBs don't "practice" their first year (outside of training camp). TC is where the guys pick up the offense, and he's going to miss that regardless.This ain't going to do squat to Stanton's long-term outlook. It's not going to "ruin his confidence" (where in the heck would THAT come from?). It's just going to allow Detroit to carry a guy who has actually been through training camp to be on the active roster during the season.And to you guys poo-pooing the value of a roster spot, you are kidding yourselves. There are tough cuts every year by every team. Every team would like to carry an extra guy at two or three different positions, but they can't because of roster limitations. To say POSSIBLY getting Drew Stanton one or two series' in a late preseason game is worth more than a regular season roster spot is strictly fantasy football, not real football.Relax fellas, Stanton's career is not over.

 

[sholditch]

great but your post says nothing to address the possibility that Kitna could throw out a complete stinker which he's been known to do in the past as my post states. I don't think it ruins Stanton's chances of being a starting QB. It severely hampers his chances of being a starting QB in 2008 IMO, but doesn't destroy them. What it does is put the Lions in a no-win situation if Kitna sucks, and let's face it, ints in the 20s when you've been in the league this long is not good.

 

[Raging weasel]

Was his right knee the same one he tore up in the Alamo Bowl a few years ago when that dufus John L. Smith had him covering punts?

yes it's the same one but Matt the Md says this injury had nothing to do with the first one I didn't like the pick then and like it even less now.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

great but your post says nothing to address the possibility that Kitna could throw out a complete stinker which he's been known to do in the past as my post states. I don't think it ruins Stanton's chances of being a starting QB. It severely hampers his chances of being a starting QB in 2008 IMO, but doesn't destroy them. What it does is put the Lions in a no-win situation if Kitna sucks, and let's face it, ints in the 20s when you've been in the league this long is not good.

The Lions have a much better offensive line.The RB depth is much better.

The WR depth and talent level is much better.

Kitna has another year of experience in Martz' offense.

The Lions had a ton of injuries last year and no depth.

It doesn't matter if Kitna didn't have back to back good years in the past, because there are reasons for that. I don't see one thing that is worse this year for Kitna compared to last year.

 

[Holy Schneikes]

great but your post says nothing to address the possibility that Kitna could throw out a complete stinker which he's been known to do in the past as my post states. I don't think it ruins Stanton's chances of being a starting QB. It severely hampers his chances of being a starting QB in 2008 IMO, but doesn't destroy them. What it does is put the Lions in a no-win situation if Kitna sucks, and let's face it, ints in the 20s when you've been in the league this long is not good.

So assuming Kitna stinks or get injured, you think a rookie 2nd round draft pick, who's mechanics have been completely torn down and rebuilt, who is coming off of knee surgery, and who didn't go through training camp would be a signficant improvement over their current backups and would save the 2007 season? Hmmmm.... I don't see the "win" in starting Stanton in that situation at all.As far as 2008 goes, I and others have plainly stated why we believe the IR designation has very little impact on his chances of starting in 2008. His chances of starting in 2008 went down when it became clear he would miss 2007 training camp. After that, the IR designation did very little to alter his chances one way or the other.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

But he could play with the practice squad, right? Wouldn't that alone have been worth wasting the roster spot?

Wrong. He never would have cleared waivers.

 

[dudaman]

Before everyone gets all hot and bothered about next year, there is a very real possibility that Martz lands a job as a head coach somewhere else and Stanton being schooled at Mike Martz university is now a pipe dream. This is a guy who needed a lot of work and who knows what he'll end up as should Martz score a job in another city.

 

[Da Guru]

Last year it was Brian Calhoun, a 3rd round pick. This year it is Stanton. Now, I'm a fan of both players, and you can't predict injuries, but this is awfully frustrating for a team that needs to move forward and develop their young talent. As fantasy owners, it is like being in a dynasty league and burning your 2nd/3rd round choices year after year..My main gripe with this, if it's not a "serious" injury, is that the juice isn't worth the squeeze. "Stanton can’t practice with the team while on injured reserve" - so, effectively, Millen and Co. decided it's more important to have O'Sullivan on the roster then to take the short-term hit of Stanton rehabbing and allow him to practice and develop during the season so that the team is better in the long-term. That's the part I don't quite get.. Give me the long-term benefit of developing Stanton, your 2nd round pick, over keeping O'Sullivan, a free agent who bounced around every other team in the NFC Central before landing here circa NFL Europa.. Am I alone in my thoughts? Maybe someone else can help me with my perspective here..

My feeling is that Kitna is the guy for this year and next. Why even take a chance on Drew getting nicked again.I did not like this pick from the start, but we have to live with it.