If you thought the Brock Osweiler experiment disaster would scare NFL teams away from handing inexperienced free agent quarterbacks huge contracts, you were wrong. At least according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who says Buccaneers backup QB Mike Glennon is in for a lucrative offseason.

Via ESPN.com:

“[Mike] Glennon is an unrestricted free agent and could fetch $13-15 million per year on his next deal — maybe more depending on the number of teams bidding.”

While not a cap-crippling number, $15 million is a lot to offer a quarterback with only 18 starts under his belt. Glennon does have a nice TD-INT ratio (30-15), but his efficiency numbers are underwhelming. That he was never able to beat out Josh McCown, one of the league’s worst starters over the last few seasons, for the starting job in Tampa is also a red flag.

Some team will be desperate enough to give Glennon what he’s asking for, much like the Texans did with Osweiler. A general manager will turn on Glennon’s tape and see his large frame, fawn over his strong arm and think “With the right team around him, this could be a franchise quarterback.”

That same GM will ignore that he gets happy feet if there’s a pass rusher anywhere in his vicinity, gloss over all of the back-foot throws he makes against imaginary pressure and make excuses for his sub-60 completion percentage and 6.51 average yards-per-attempt.

That’s what these teams desperate for quarterbacks do. The Texans ignored Osweiler’s wonky mechanics and woeful accuracy and gave him $37 million guaranteed because he beat the Patriots on Sunday Night Football and is really tall. It’s the same mistake NFL teams have been making since the league started holding an annual draft: They drool over guys who simply look like franchise passers and somehow miss out on those who may not look the part but actually possess the features of a franchise quarterback.

There is a lot to like about Glennon. In a clean pocket, he does look like a franchise quarterback. With the right offensive line in front of him and a competent set of receivers around him, he would look like a quarterback worthy of a $15 million-a-year deal. But the same would be true for a rookie taken after the first round. Just look at what Dak Prescott is doing in Dallas for only $545 thousand.

So here’s some free advice for the QB-needy teams out there: Save your money by passing on Glennon and all of these other flawed passers set to hit the free agent market, then use that money to build a good supporting cast and your quarterback problem will take care of itself.


http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/12/mike...bay-buccaneers