Stephen McGee (1 Viewer)

[Red Apples]

As a 38 year old man myself, I think we should start thinking what happens to the Dallas Cowboys after Jon Kitna goes down.The Cowboys #2 QB is Stephen McGee, who was drafted in the 4th round in the 2009 NFL Draft, out of Texas A&M.Pro Football Weekly said:

The fifth quarterback of the draft came off the board with the first pick of the fourth round, giving Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee a chance to stay at home with the Cowboys. McGee has the athletic ability to be effective behind a heavy-footed offensive line, and could be groomed to replace Tony Romo. After suffering an injury early in the season, McGee fell out of the starting lineup as a senior under a new head coach looking to rebuild the program, but he stayed positive and has the type of intangibles so highly desired at the QB position.”

In the pre-season ESPN.Com said:

“IRVING, Texas -- Nobody expects perfection from quarterback Stephen McGee during the preseason. But the Dallas Cowboys' front office and coaching staff needs to see poise and production to have proof that McGee is a worthy developmental project. If that doesn't happen, then drafting a quarterback will be a priority next April. The Hall of Fame Game was a step in the right direction for McGee, who will get the majority of the quarterback snaps during the preseason. His stats certainly weren't spectacular -- 12-of-22 for 116 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions -- but the coaches liked his poise, command and decision-making. "I'm out here to have fun and compete, make the throws I'm capable of making, make the plays that they give me and just be smart with the football," McGee said. Nobody doubts whether McGee has the tools to be an NFL quarterback. He has good size (6-3, 222 pounds), arm strength and athletic ability (4.66 40-yard dash). He showed his toughness on a weekly basis while running coach Dennis Franchione's option-oriented offense for the Aggies. He's a smart guy whose Wonderlic score was reportedly among the top 10 in his draft class. He was as impressive in interviews as he was on the field during the scouting combine. That explains how a quarterback who had a disappointing career at Texas A&M ended up being selected with the first pick of the fourth round in 2009. But there's still a big question about McGee: Can he actually play? The Cowboys have five preseason games to figure out the answer. McGee was much too hesitant during his rookie training camp, when veterans would occasionally mock his pocket presence by pretending to pat a football for several seconds. He earned praise during offseason workouts for making quicker decisions. Now, it's on to the next step. "You want him to make quicker, better decisions," coach Wade Phillips said.”

In Game 4 of the pre-season McGee threw for 304 yards and 1 TD

“McGee, Buehler lead Cowboys over DolphinsARLINGTON, Texas -- David Buehler kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired, lifting Dallas past Miami 27-25 in the preseason finale Thursday night.The pressure kick capped a convincing night for Buehler, who handled only kickoffs as a rookie last season. He also made field goals of 51, 45 and 40 yards, all with plenty of room to spare.Third-string quarterback Stephen McGee played the entire game for Dallas. He threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Sam Hurd against Miami's starters, then led the game-winning drive in the final 2 minutes.The Cowboys' backups held their own against Miami's starters in the first 1 1/2 quarters. Reserve linebacker Victor Butler sacked Chad Henne on his final two plays, forcing fumbles on both.”

 

[Sabertooth]

For those of us running away with our leagues he's the kind of option we need to be looking at. Its isn't so much that you bet on the guy, but the situation. QB1 Dallas = fantasy points.

 

[Bri]

I thought he wasn't ready yet.

It would be interesting to see him in a game, but if Kitna gets hurt they're signing someone else too. At this point in his career, Kitna has to be determined to do what he can to play as long as he can.

IIRC young Kitna (before big $ deals) was pretty tough and came from NFLE or Arena league or both.

 

[The Comedian]

I don't see the point. Not like they're looking for a quarterback of the future.

IF Wade Phillips get fired, then maybe. Otherwise, no way - every coach on that staff is coaching for their jobs, and only a miracle 8-8 turnaround and a shot at a wild card will save them. That's not happening with McGee.

 

[Hoss_Cartwright]

Just going from memory here, but didn't he look absolutely awful in the preseason?

 

[Sabertooth]

Just going from memory here, but didn't he look absolutely awful in the preseason?

4th in the NFL in passing yards. NFL.com has all kinds of stats over there, instead of going from memory you could check it out for yourself. I'll link to it right here to make it easier for you.

Right Here. Just click in this hyperlink and if will take you right on over there.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Just going from memory here, but didn't he look absolutely awful in the preseason?

4th in the NFL in passing yards. NFL.com has all kinds of stats over there, instead of going from memory you could check it out for yourself. I'll link to it right here to make it easier for you.

Right Here. Just click in this hyperlink and if will take you right on over there.

Being fourth in the preseason in passing yards doesn't mean a heck of a lot. He got a lot of opportunity is all it means. I only saw one of his games and he didn't look good at all, and looked to scramble at the first sign of trouble instead of looking for an open WR or checkdown - but that's to be expected from a young project QB.

 

[Sabertooth]

Just going from memory here, but didn't he look absolutely awful in the preseason?

4th in the NFL in passing yards. NFL.com has all kinds of stats over there, instead of going from memory you could check it out for yourself. I'll link to it right here to make it easier for you.

Right Here. Just click in this hyperlink and if will take you right on over there.

Being fourth in the preseason in passing yards doesn't mean a heck of a lot. He got a lot of opportunity is all it means. I only saw one of his games and he didn't look good at all, and looked to scramble at the first sign of trouble instead of looking for an open WR or checkdown - but that's to be expected from a young project QB.

It means he wasn't "absolutely awful" if not much else.

 

[Bri]

Just going from memory here, but didn't he look absolutely awful in the preseason?

4th in the NFL in passing yards. NFL.com has all kinds of stats over there, instead of going from memory you could check it out for yourself. I'll link to it right here to make it easier for you.

Right Here. Just click in this hyperlink and if will take you right on over there.

Preseason stats are tricky though. I mean we're only talking about 524 yards and 304 of them came in the last game of preseason with very few of them against quality players from the Dolphins. And (for McGee and anyone) 600 yards over four games stinks so right off the bat it's all gotta be taken with a grain of salt.At some points in preseason games, it's college level talent playing against college level talent. It is not NFL caliber as most of them are sent packing.

It's gotta be the eyeball test and what you read and all from those that are watching IMO.

Charlie Whitehurst of Seattle, for example, has similar stats and he was impressive. I thought he was better than Hasselbeck and the team even responded to him better. I know the perils of starting an inexperienced QB, but on that team I'm surprised Carroll didn't just do it. Whatever ya want from a QB, Whitehurst did in preseason.

From what I understand, McGee's not ready. They got him 8 or so passes to close out games and get some experience and then let him have at it the last week. It did not in anyway come across like he's done so well let's give him a full game, but instead that they didn't want to get their key cogs hurt.

He didn't run in preseason. I know traditionalists like that, but what's the point in having his speed then? I think that's another sign he's not ready yet too. It's not a leap to predict he will run for some first downs when he's a comfy NFL QB.

None of this is knock on McGee. He was supposed to be a developmental project and he is.

 

[Road Dogg]

he's feelin 'bout as faded as my jeans

 

[Red Apples]

From Blue Star

A Case for Stephen McGee as Starting QuarterbackThere's preseason, obviously, but that only gives you a look at how they run an offense made up of the soon-to-be-released against a defense populated by guys who will be standing behind them on the unemployment line. There isn't enough time at practice to spread snaps around and the NFL did away with the European league that helped give a shot to future starters like Jake Delhomme, Shaun Hill, Kurt Warner and Jon Kitna.That last name brings us back to the Cowboys, the object of our obsession here at Blue Star. Kitna is going to be the starting quarterback for Dallas while Tony Romo is convalescing. It will be his first extended run as a starter since 2007 and Monday night's appearance made it clear that some rust has built up on his game in the last three years. At 38, he has no future as a starting quarterback and even a spectacular performance down the stretch wouldn't do much to help the Cowboys in the years to come.Romo's injury also bounces Stephen McGee up a rung on the ladder, which means that the 2009 fourth-rounder closer to playing in a regular season game than at any other point in his short career. Judging by the way he played in the preseason, that's a fairly scary thought. Rusty as Kitna was, he at least has the muscle memory of an NFL quarterback. McGee, on the other hand, made his bones as an option quarterback in college and got drafted as a project that's still in its early stages. How do you move that project forward, though? If McGee can't get on the field right now, with Romo injured and the season already heading down the drain, when will he get a chance in a game that will actually test his abilities? This seems like a pretty good shot to figure out what the Cowboys have on their hands so that they can still salvage something out of a season that's shaping up to be profoundly and totally disappointing.We're not making an argument that McGee is going to change that, but finding out what he is as a player would be a worthwhile accomplishment amid the wreckage. The upside is that he's good enough to move up to primary backup duty next season or even good enough to tempt another team to offer up some draft picks in a deal for his services. Even if you find out that he's not a realistic backup candidate going forward, that can be spun as an upside if the Cowboys upgrade themselves at the position. There are cons to the McGee argument. If he's totally overwhelmed, you could see the rest of the team shut down and start going through the motions because they feel the organization has given up on winning. It's happened before for teams with lame duck coaches and poor quarterback play. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if that happened, an infusion of young talent via draft picks wouldn't be the worst thing for this franchise, but there's not much chance Jerry Jones's ego would let it happen.And if that's the case, you can always go back to Kitna and play out the string with the veteran. McGee offers something more, though, and it would be worth the Cowboys' time to figure out if they want what he brings to the table.

 

[Shutout]

Just going from memory here, but didn't he look absolutely awful in the preseason?

Yes. Someone posted a good stat line above but that was against a lot of guys that got cut the next day in that 4th game. In the game that I saw him play against regular NFL guys, he looked absolutely lost. Not that he can't throw or can't move but, the best way I can describe it is he looked like a guy that didn't expect to play or hadn't looked at his playbook or practiced. He just didn't seem to understand at all what he was running.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

I think kitna is going to do well. He's had some big seasons. He has weapons here. I heard him on Sirius today saying he's been in this or similar base system 10 years and he's very comfortable w playbook.

 

[Texasmouth]

McGee will get killed in the NFL this year. He is two years away from being a solid backup in my opinion.

 

[EBF]

I don't see the point. Not like they're looking for a quarterback of the future.

I think they drafted him exactly because they thought he had the potential to become Romo's eventual replacement. I feel like Jerry Jones has alluded to as much in the past.I have been holding McGee in several leagues for what seems like an eternity waiting for a moment like this. He has all of the physical attributes needed to be successful in the NFL, but it remains to be seen whether or not he can master the mental and intangible aspects of the position. The Romo injury is good for him because it creates the possibility of an immediate opportunity. Remember, no one assumed that Romo himself would replace Bledsoe until he got an opportunity and ran with it. I think it's unlikely that McGee will do the same partially because it's unlikely that he'll do as well as Romo did when he won the job and partially because Romo probably has more job security than Bledsoe ever did. Still, McGee is well worth a dynasty flyer if you have the roster space.

 

[Ridgelake]

Don't count on it.

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives...ant-showed.html

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones appeared Tuesday on KRLD-FM. Here are some highlights from the interview:

On putting Stephen McGee in the game now that the playoffs seem unlikely:

No. You don't do that in my opinion. It will be that really. The bottom line is we go with Kitna. We get him ready to play the games. We've got 10 games left. I've been there before and you don't have the luxury of giving up games. It's a tough job developing a quarterback, but you don't give up games. You say, 'Well, Jerry, what do you got to lose?' You just don't do that. There's a lot of collateral aspects to this thing that you got to consider when you start just going in there and working on an "if" situation at quarterback. I've been there and we've done that. And it was not successful.

This is a lesson Jerry learned from Tuna. Tuna refused to put Drew Henson into games because he wasnt ready. Tuna has seen young QBs ruined because they were put in before they were ready. Everything indicates that McGee isnt ready. Based on what Jerry's said, they won't play him unless the absolute, positively have no other choice.

 

[Bri]

Don't count on it.

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives...ant-showed.html

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones appeared Tuesday on KRLD-FM. Here are some highlights from the interview:

On putting Stephen McGee in the game now that the playoffs seem unlikely:

No. You don't do that in my opinion. It will be that really. The bottom line is we go with Kitna. We get him ready to play the games. We've got 10 games left. I've been there before and you don't have the luxury of giving up games. It's a tough job developing a quarterback, but you don't give up games. You say, 'Well, Jerry, what do you got to lose?' You just don't do that. There's a lot of collateral aspects to this thing that you got to consider when you start just going in there and working on an "if" situation at quarterback. I've been there and we've done that. And it was not successful.

This is a lesson Jerry learned from Tuna. Tuna refused to put Drew Henson into games because he wasnt ready. Tuna has seen young QBs ruined because they were put in before they were ready. Everything indicates that McGee isnt ready. Based on what Jerry's said, they won't play him unless the absolute, positively have no other choice.

I hated that though back then. IMO Jones learned from Parcells to have a book of "patented" responses.

One could have said Hutchinson and Quincy Carter weren't ready. (I think one under BP, both under Jerry)

The response works now.

 

[Bri]

IF you have experience with Texans or have lived in Texas or somesuch, I'd be curious what you think of this:

The gist of this was said by radio personality "Galloway" after they drafted McGee and it's been ringing in my ears lately:

Texas has some excellent college football programs. Romo is the now and the future IMO. Kitna is the veteran backup. Then there's this third spot for a developmental guy. Texans have an especially high appreciation for their own. Like most football fans, they love their QBs. This may just be a PR spot that businessman Jerry thought of. If Graham Harrell (Packers 3rd string, Texas HS and Texas Tech) or any other Texas college QB that did well was there, we'd be having the same discussions and their fans would be reacting favorably to it. This might just be a genius PR plan by Jones and they have no intention of playing the guy.

Someone in the studio said something like "aww cmon"

and he replied something like "tell me another 3rd string QB in the NFL that gets this much attention"

 

[Clifford]

I don't see the point. Not like they're looking for a quarterback of the future.IF Wade Phillips get fired, then maybe. Otherwise, no way - every coach on that staff is coaching for their jobs, and only a miracle 8-8 turnaround and a shot at a wild card will save them. That's not happening with McGee.

if McGee sees a snap this year I will be shocked. Only way he goes in is if Kitna is hurt.