FanPost

Defending Kevin Kolb, Part 2: Comparisons To Other Traded QBs

Note from Jess: I was going to put together something like this, only less in depth. Now I don't have to. Awesome read, regardless the opinion on Kolb.

Okay, so some of you might be thinking, "Why the Hell is this Steelers' fan posting so much on this site?" Well maybe I am a little crazy. I prefer to think that I am adding some rational, thoughtful analysis to this site, which can spur some more rational and thoughtful conversations. My first post defending Kevin Kolb, was focused on comparisons of other free agent quarterbacks this year. This post is more an analysis of other QBs who were placed in similar situations as Kolb. I will also disprove a remark made that "no Pro Bowl QB has ever been traded."

I ended my last post by stating, "...Kevin Kolb will never be an elite QB, but I do believe he can be an above average QB (think Matt Schaub) and that is what the Cardinals need." So I took a look at above average QBs in the last decade or so and luckily (for my argument) there were some that are comparable to Kevin Kolb. Since I ended with the last posting with Matt Schaub I might as well begin there.


Matt Schaub:

Schaub was a third round pick in 2004 by the Atlanta Falcons. He was a back up to Micheal Vick but was used as a passer there for some plays. Matt Schuab dressed for 38 games but only started 2 of them. He was 0-2 in those starts. After three years with the Falcons he was traded to the Houston Texans for 2 second round picks. Lets see back up to Micheal Vick, traded for a second round pick, mutiple years with another team not as a starter. Sound familiar? I'll delve into the numbers of Schuab;

Team

Cmp

Att

Cmp%

Yds

TD

Ints

ATL (3years)

84

161

52.2

1033

6

6

2007 HOU

(4W-7L)

192

289

66.4

2241

9

9

2008 HOU

(6W-5L)

251

380

66.1

3043

15

10

2009 HOU*

(9W-7L)

396

583

67.9

4770

29

15

*= Pro Bowl

Schaub struggled his first year in Houston. Then showed slight improvement in his second season as a starter. Then finally in his third season as a starter he had a break out year. This is pleasing to see but lets look at some more guys who fit Kevin Kolb's situation.

Matt Hasselbeck:

Hasselbeck was a sixth round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 1998. After not starting a game, he was traded to the Seattle were GB swaped it's 1st and a seventh for Hasselbeck, a 1st and a third. Essentially a third round pick for Matt. Again a guy with little game experience, traded for a high-mid round pick, and a west coast QB. Similar sounding? I will go deeper into Hasselbeck's numbers;

Team

Cmp

Att

Cmp%

Yds

TD

Ints

GB ( 2 years)

13

29

44.8

145

2

0

2001 SEA

(5W-7L)

176

321

54.8

2023

7

8

2002 SEA

(5W-5L)

267

419

63.7

3075

15

10

2003 SEA*

(10W-6L)

313

513

61.0

3841

26

15

*=Pro Bowl

Hasselbeck had far less experience than Kolb with GB. Similar to Kolb he struggled his first year. Similar to Schaub he improved slightly his second year in the system. Keeping with the trend he had a Pro Bowl season in 2003. Hasselbeck then had a Pro Bowl year in '05 and led the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Both are/were West Coast QBs so this can be fairly accurate to Kolb.

Matt Cassel:

Oddly the third QB on this list named Matt and the third QB on this list with a situation similar to Kevin Kolb. Matt Cassel was a 7th round pick in 2005 by the Patriots. He had 15 games started with the Patroits the season Tom Brady was hurt. (10W-5L) Then he was traded to the Chiefs for the 34th overall pick. Let see... backed up a very good QB, not much playing time, traded for a high second round pick then sign to 6 year 62 million dollar contract. I see similarities. Here is his numbers;

Team

Cmp

Att

Cmp%

Yds

TD

Ints

NE (4 years)

349

555

62.9

3946

23

13

2009 KC

(4W-11L)

271

493

55.0

2924

16

16

2010 KC*

(10W-5L)

262

450

58.2

3116

27

7

*=Pro Bowl

Lets see Cassel struggled in his first year in KC. However his second year with the team (3rd as a starter) he followed the trend getting a Pro Bowl bid and taking the Chiefs to the playoffs. Like Kolb, Cassel accuracy was not up to par.

Kevin Kolb:

Okay so now I have shown you three QBs in similar situation as Kevin Kolb and how they faired. All of them in their third season as a full time starter drastically improved. Guess what next year is Kevin Kolbs second/ third season as a starter depending how you view the Philly thing. Here are his numbers;

Team

Cmp

Att

Cmp%

Yds

TD

Ints

PHI (4 years)

(3W-4L)

194

319

60.8

2082

11

14

2011 AZ (through week 8,

1W-6L)

129

227

56.8

1706

8

8

Kolb has had a little more experience than Schuab, but less then Cassel. His accuracy was better than Hasselbeck's and Cassel's but worse than Schuab's. All of these men went to a team that had many holes and were "rebuilding" or just "building" for the Texans. With this many similarities I can confidently project that Kevin Kolb will break through the proverbial "wall" sometime next year. We forget that the standard for QBs is usually their third year starting. It doesn't change even if you had prior seasons with another team. The future can look good for the Cardinals if they fix the other holes in the team. There was a couple of good signs again in the Baltimore game. I have listened to Kolbs' interviews and I like his intangibles. I think the statement that he is afraid of contact is a bit unwarranted. I will repeat again, I do not think Kevin Kolb can be elite.(i.e Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers or Big Ben ) I do think he can be as good or better than these QBs and that is all the Cardinals will need with a balance offensive and defensive team.

<em>This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Revenge of the Birds' (ROTB) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of ROTB's editors.</em>