ANTHONY RICHARDSON - WHAT IF WE TAKE HIM AT #6

[Karnage84]

With his numbers at the combine, Anthony Richardson is an absolute freak athlete. He was the highest rated RAS for QB's and I believe a top 3 or top 5 for all positions. 

If Brad Holmes and the Lions select Richardson to be our QBOTF but he can't develop into that guy, would it be a failure?

What if he was moved into a TE role (maybe a Taysom Hill type) and put up Kelce-ish numbers. Would it still be considered a failure?

[Lions017]

I wouldn't be upset if we took him at six. It's a good time to take a QB with our (early) extra pick and we are a great situation for him to sit and learn while still rotating in situationally. From what I have gathered he is actually more polished than a lot of people give him credit for in terms of decision-making and the tools are unreal. 

[Karnage84]

7 minutes ago, Lions017 said:

I wouldn't be upset if we took him at six. It's a good time to take a QB with our (early) extra pick and we are a great situation for him to sit and learn while still rotating in situationally. From what I have gathered he is actually more polished than a lot of people give him credit for in terms of decision-making and the tools are unreal. 

The way I'm looking at it, in this scenario, is that his athleticism does provide a hedge to his bust factor. If you're taking a guy like Baker, Darnold, Stroud, Levis, Young, etc. in the top 10, you need them to be an above average to elite QB as your starter, otherwise it is a failure. With an athlete like AR, if he fails as a QB, you can still have him play in multiple roles and get production out of him. You're not going to sign him to his 5th year option and you're going to be still on the lookout for that QBOTF but you're at least going to have a guy that can give you something. 

I was 110% adamant that we shouldn't be drafting a QB this year before free agency. Now that we've seen a lot of the holes get filled, I've softened that position a little bit more. I'm still not overall in favour of it but I can see how/why we would consider it and there is a pathway to get some production out of AR in year 1 without throwing off his development. 

[Superduperman]

Come on man, you're smarter than that. No one takes a QB at 6 overall and moves him to tight end. That would be a failure on top of a waste of resources on top of an idiot sundae.

If the Lions were to take Richardson, I'd be skeptical but excited for the possible huge upside, and I'd look forward to seeing him in the preseason. 

[Sllim Pickens]

8 minutes ago, Superduperman said:

Come on man, you're smarter than that. No one takes a QB at 6 overall and moves him to tight end. That would be a failure on top of a waste of resources on top of an idiot sundae.

If the Lions were to take Richardson, I'd be skeptical but excited for the possible huge upside, and I'd look forward to seeing him in the preseason. 

I don't think you take him at 6 and instantly make him a TE, but if he doesn't develop after a year or two, you can make the move then.  And mix in some wildcat with potential to throw in the meantime.  The point is if he doesn't work out at QB, he has some value at other positions.  

In regards to @Karnage84's question about moving him to TE, if any TE were going to put up Kelce numbers, I would take them at 6.  Its not likely but if he can match one of the best TE's of all time, then sure, do it.  I think the more likely scenario is he could put up Hockenson numbers at TE but likely can't block at all.  So it would still be a bust but not as big if he just sucks at QB and had no other value.  

I do think its worth the risk, dependent on who is available at 6.  As others have said, the team is in a position to be able to take one and if he develops and Goff has another year like he had, we can flip Goff for more 1st round picks and be in a great situation.  

[Superduperman]

Just now, Sllim Pickens said:

I don't think you take him at 6 and instantly make him a TE, but if he doesn't develop after a year or two, you can make the move then.  And mix in some wildcat with potential to throw in the meantime.  The point is if he doesn't work out at QB, he has some value at other positions.  

In regards to @Karnage84's question about moving him to TE, if any TE were going to put up Kelce numbers, I would take them at 6.  Its not likely but if he can match one of the best TE's of all time, then sure, do it.  I think the more likely scenario is he could put up Hockenson numbers at TE but likely can't block at all.  So it would still be a bust but not as big if he just sucks at QB and had no other value.  

I do think its worth the risk, dependent on who is available at 6.  As others have said, the team is in a position to be able to take one and if he develops and Goff has another year like he had, we can flip Goff for more 1st round picks and be in a great situation.  

tl;dr 

If you take a QB at #6 and he busts so hard you have to play him at TE, it's a massive failure. It's on the all time busts list.

[Sllim Pickens]

11 minutes ago, Superduperman said:

tl;dr 

If you take a QB at #6 and he busts so hard you have to play him at TE, it's a massive failure. It's on the all time busts list.

Didn't realize 6 sentences was too long to be worth reading if you're going to respond.  

I'll keep it short for you.  If Kelce type TE as he stated, not bust, even if drafted as QB.  If its Taysom Hill results, its underwhelming, but still has value.   And a QB busting in the top 6 is not an all time bust. 

[Just Want A Title]

1 hour ago, Karnage84 said:

With his numbers at the combine, Anthony Richardson is an absolute freak athlete. He was the highest rated RAS for QB's and I believe a top 3 or top 5 for all positions. 

If Brad Holmes and the Lions select Richardson to be our QBOTF but he can't develop into that guy, would it be a failure?

What if he was moved into a TE role (maybe a Taysom Hill type) and put up Kelce-ish numbers. Would it still be considered a failure?

I would consider it a massive bust if Anthony Richardson had to be moved to TE.  I think one of the more important decision points is whether or not taking Anthony Richardson this year would be a better path than waiting until 2024 with Bo Nix, Drake May, Caleb Williams or someone else that would step up.

[Karnage84]

2 minutes ago, Sllim Pickens said:

I don't think you take him at 6 and instantly make him a TE, but if he doesn't develop after a year or two, you can make the move then.  And mix in some wildcat with potential to throw in the meantime.  The point is if he doesn't work out at QB, he has some value at other positions.  

In regards to @Karnage84's question about moving him to TE, if any TE were going to put up Kelce numbers, I would take them at 6.  Its not likely but if he can match one of the best TE's of all time, then sure, do it.  I think the more likely scenario is he could put up Hockenson numbers at TE but likely can't block at all.  So it would still be a bust but not as big if he just sucks at QB and had no other value.  

I do think its worth the risk, dependent on who is available at 6.  As others have said, the team is in a position to be able to take one and if he develops and Goff has another year like he had, we can flip Goff for more 1st round picks and be in a great situation.  

Yes - I don't think you take him at 6 and go "we have our Kyle Pitts". However, you can get him in wildcat, goal-line situations, etc. Pitts put up over 1,000 yards in 2021, so I'd be good with a guy that can do 800 - 1,000 yards a season as a versatile weapon. 

Ultimately, you do this if you feel that he can develop as a passer knowing that you have a back up plan/alternatives if he struggles. 

[Karnage84]

5 minutes ago, Just Want A Title said:

I would consider it a massive bust if Anthony Richardson had to be moved to TE.  I think one of the more important decision points is whether or not taking Anthony Richardson this year would be a better path than waiting until 2024 with Bo Nix, Drake May, Caleb Williams or someone else that would step up.

If you have your eyes on Nix, May or Williams in 2024, we either a) Had a terrible season and are back in the top 6; b) Had a great season and acquired extra picks to keep us in the top 6 or c) Made a massive trade up to get back into the top 6.

If the Lions win the division and have a Vikings'esque type of year, we'd wind up with pick #23. 

To move up to #3 overall + QB premium is 2600 pts. 

That would look like at least:

• 2024 1st (#23)
• 2024 2nd
• 2025 1st
• 2025 3rd
• 2026 1st

We'd also need to have a willing trade partner who is in the top 3 and doesn't need a QB that also is ok to move into the 20's. 

 

[Sllim Pickens]

14 minutes ago, Just Want A Title said:

I would consider it a massive bust if Anthony Richardson had to be moved to TE.  I think one of the more important decision points is whether or not taking Anthony Richardson this year would be a better path than waiting until 2024 with Bo Nix, Drake May, Caleb Williams or someone else that would step up.

I hate this line of thinking because two years ago we were told we should wait for Malik Willis, Spencer Rattler, Matt Coral, and Kedon Slovis etc.  There is a mock draft from August 2021 that has us taking Carson Strong at #1 overall.  Point is you never know who will rise/fall from year to year and hoping you are in a spot to draft an elite QB next year means you are expecting to fail next year or mortgage your future to move up for one.  I don't think we will be in the spot to easily grab a sure thing at QB next year so if one is available this year that we like, take him.  And Richardson is probably as good of a prospect as most of those guys will be next year.  If he went back to school there is a good chance he is the #1 pick next year.  

[Superduperman]

Oh wait wait, can we do a "move Okudah to safety" thread? I mean while we're talking dumb ideas, let's get that classic out of the way

[LionArkie]

At the end of the day, if I'm going to take a risk on a qb...I want it to be for a qb. Not a qb who might be a better TE. Although everyone looks at his athletic profile and says "hey, that's awesome", he completed what 53% of his passes last year? Thanks, but no thanks. I want my QB to be able to hit the broad side of a barn. Otherwise, I'm drafting a TE who has a good arm... at 6. Thanks, but no thanks on AR.

This is a very old post on reddit, and since it is on reddit take it for what it is worth... but this is pretty much my sentiments on the qb position.

 

[Just Want A Title]

28 minutes ago, Sllim Pickens said:

I hate this line of thinking because two years ago we were told we should wait for Malik Willis, Spencer Rattler, Matt Coral, and Kedon Slovis etc.  There is a mock draft from August 2021 that has us taking Carson Strong at #1 overall.  Point is you never know who will rise/fall from year to year and hoping you are in a spot to draft an elite QB next year means you are expecting to fail next year or mortgage your future to move up for one.  I don't think we will be in the spot to easily grab a sure thing at QB next year so if one is available this year that we like, take him.  And Richardson is probably as good of a prospect as most of those guys will be next year.  If he went back to school there is a good chance he is the #1 pick next year.  

The flip-side to this is that if you take a QB because you have to take it becomes problematic.  If you are taking a QB in the first round you have to be "sold" on that prospect.  Taking a QB because you have to take a QB is how guys like Christian Ponder get over-drafted.

[Karnage84]

33 minutes ago, LionArkie said:

At the end of the day, if I'm going to take a risk on a qb...I want it to be for a qb. Not a qb who might be a better TE. Although everyone looks at his athletic profile and says "hey, that's awesome", he completed what 53% of his passes last year? Thanks, but no thanks. I want my QB to be able to hit the broad side of a barn. Otherwise, I'm drafting a TE who has a good arm... at 6. Thanks, but no thanks on AR.

This is a very old post on reddit, and since it is on reddit take it for what it is worth... but this is pretty much my sentiments on the qb position.

 

You're not drafting a TE with a good arm at #6... you're taking a guy that you feel can develop into being Lamar or Jalen but understand that his athleticism does provide you with an out if that's not the case. Instead of being left with a Baker or Sam Darnold, a highly touted QB that busts out and you're without the pick and the player, we'd have a highly athletic guy that could be moved into another position. 

If Jeff Okudah is best suited to play safety, why wouldn't that be something we should consider? The pick was made, the money has been paid out. What happened has happened and you can't go back on it. If he can offer up value as a solid contributing player on the team and lead to W's, I don't see why we'd hold where he was taken against him.