Notes From OTAs around the NFL: Tuesday was my first of about dozen days over the next few weeks at gthe Steelers’ facility to watch practice while doing a live radio show. The biggest news out of Pittsburgh is that Le’Veon Bell once again isn’t in attendance. But much as is the case with other
OTA Talk from Steelers’ camp and beyond
Your assumption that Bradford gives the Cardinals a better chance than Rosen in 2018 requires believing that his career statistics do not reflect his ability. In his last three years as a starter (’12, ’15, and ’16), neither Football Outsiders DVOA nor QBR has him better than 15th in any individual season. I know about the Vikings poor offensive line in ’16. His Eagles performance in ’15, which came under Chip Kelly, seems harder to rationalize. I think ratings are important because all of the QB numbers are so inflated now that without it they can sound impressive off by themselves. I will say that Bradford’s career 2.0% interception rate is a positive sign — I once rated quarterbacks historically based on a yards metric, and noted that, of the top 60 or 70 guys, all but two or three were also better than the league INT rate. Even someone like Favre wasn’t really bad INT wise — just average. To go the opposite direction, and say that every quarterback with a positive interception rate is also a ball mover, isn’t necessarily true, but I think a quarterback with a good interception rate is in control of his game and not overmatched.
Returning to Bradford and Rosen, speaking with precision about what rookies will do isn’t possible. That said, I shouldn’t take your words too literally, and strong statements are better than hedged and watered-down ones.