By Chris Yingling | Echo
Fads can be fun, but they eventually die off.
And the NFL's fad of young running quarterbacks is finally starting to wane.
The future of NFL quarterbacks changed in the supposed revolutionary year of 2012. Robert Griffin III (RGIII) provided a unique play style for the Redskins, Russell Wilson found his running groove with the Seahawks, Cam Newton entered his second year of hard running with the Panthers and Colin Kaepernick broke playoff records with his legs.
The NFL quickly strayed from the conventional quarterback. A signal caller was valued more for his legs than his arm. His 40-yard dash time meant more than his accuracy drills. Moving the sticks by scrambling for yards meant more than firing a bullet pass for a third-down conversion.
But now their legs have worn out.
Out of the successful quarterbacks from 2012, only Andrew Luck has consistently stayed in the top 10 of NFL quarterbacks. RGIII has struggled with injuries, Newton hasn't thrown a good game all season, Kaepernick has regressed from his Super Bowl appearance two seasons ago and even Wilson hasn't found a consistent game.
The shell-shocked NFL defenses of 2012 game-planned around the running quarterback. When RGIII ran circles around opponents, teams took notice and found a way to limit these running quarterbacks. Suddenly, rushing the quarterback had unforeseen risks. Protecting ribs and knees became a priority, and the quarterback's injury status was constantly up in the air.
Now, the running quarterbacks are being asked to stand in the pocket to avoid getting hit. Trying to stay in one position to find a downfield target is like learning a whole new system of quarterbacking without the option of running the ball.
Some teams haven't gotten the memo. The Buffalo Bills drafted EJ Manuel with the intent of turning him into an RGIII-esque playmaker. Rex Ryan and the New York Jets took a shot with Geno Smith as a dual-threat quarterback to revamp the franchise.
Both quarterbacks were drafted last year. One is now riding the bench and the other has been deemed incompetent by most fairweather football fans.
The teams of the NFL have noticed the success of Andrew Luck, the young quarterback with the largest chance of making a significant legacy for himself. He's established his game of making accurate throws and standing strong in the pocket. He only runs when he needs to pick up first downs or dive for the end zone.
The college quarterback sphere has now become an unusually scrutinized pack of athletes. Dual-threat prospects like Mississippi State's Dak Prescott and Oregon's Marcus Mariota hold question marks above their heads, while Connor Cook's status rises as the NFL reverts to loving the conventional strong, accurate quarterback.
Say goodbye to your favorite quarterback with wheels. He'll be obsolete in the next few years.
