What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

QB Tom Savage, 49ers (3 Viewers)

ESPN Texans reporter Sarah Barshop thinks Tom Savage will still be the starter at the halfway point of the season.

Barshop admits the pressure to turn the reins over to Deshaun Watson "will be enormous every time Savage makes a mistake," but she writes coach Bill O'Brien wants to keep the veteran in the job "for as long as possible." With a top-five defense and potentially a strong running game, all Houston really needs is a game manager under center, and Savage should have a better handle on the system than the rookie. Even so, it would be surprising if Watson does not make starts this year.

Source: ESPN

Jun 29 - 8:59 AM
Click to expand...
 
This could be very interesting to watch.  Savage has a much better arm and has the advantage of experience in a pro system both in college and now in HOU.  Watson is the much better athlete and will give HOU a dual threat that Savage can not.

It's obviously Watson's job to lose, even if Savage does start at the beginning of the season, but I can't help but think there could be some problems with Watson's passing game at the NFL level that may end up being too big to ignore.

 
Bronco Billy said:
This could be very interesting to watch.  Savage has a much better arm and has the advantage of experience in a pro system both in college and now in HOU.  Watson is the much better athlete and will give HOU a dual threat that Savage can not.

It's obviously Watson's job to lose, even if Savage does start at the beginning of the season, but I can't help but think there could be some problems with Watson's passing game at the NFL level that may end up being too big to ignore.
Click to expand...
When I think of this scenario I go back to knowing that the Texans have a great/top level defense and a good running game. Those two things can really mean you don't have to have an ascending star QB. You just need a guy that people can get behind and can threaten to put up some points, etc. I think Watson is that guy.

Without being able to put it into a clean little box, I think of it like this. With Savage, this is going to be a team that wins 27-20 games frequently, are going to be good, and will absolutely knowingly lose when it matters because they WILL run into that ugly, ineffective game, that game where they get behind early, etc, and that's just how their year will be.

With Watson, however,r his threat as a runner and just that additional dimension he gives them creates some kind of intangible spark (assuming he looks in the NFL like he did in games that mattered in college...a big if, granted).  

I can really see him coming out and having a RGIII rookie year, a Culpepper rookie year, a young McNabb year where its not about throwing for 380 and 4 TDs, its about that consistent pressure he puts on you when he's got that defense behind him and a running game. Maybe a Russell Wilson comparison is better. There's just that extra element present with players like him. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Shutout said:
I can really see him coming out and having a RGIII rookie year, a Culpepper rookie year, a young McNabb year where its not about throwing for 380 and 4 TDs, its about that consistent pressure he puts on you when he's got that defense behind him and a running game. Maybe a Russell Wilson comparison is better. There's just that extra element present with players like him. 
Click to expand...


Some odd comparisons.  Watson doesn't have the arm that any of those guys did.  I'll be very interested in seeing if he can make NFL Ds respect his passing game.  If he can't, then his game is one dimensional and is missing the primary job of the QB, which is to distribute the ball to his weapons.

 
Bronco Billy said:
It's obviously Watson's job to lose, even if Savage does start at the beginning of the season, but I can't help but think there could be some problems with Watson's passing game at the NFL level that may end up being too big to ignore.
Click to expand...
I'd have to ask what will it matter. Given their defense and division, adequate QBing from Watson should leave them at 10-6 give or take. Teams don't move on from QBs that win even if those wins are only lightly due to them. I don't view Watson as any sort of coach killer like Vince Young or young Mike Vick. He will come in, do the job, win them some games they should lose, and not be good enough to win them some other games. He could be "what if Tyrod Taylor was on Denver instead of Buffalo" or he could be "what if Alex Smith ran more in KC and had better receivers." Both of those should be long term careers. 

 
thriftyrocker said:
I'd have to ask what will it matter. Given their defense and division, adequate QBing from Watson should leave them at 10-6 give or take. Teams don't move on from QBs that win even if those wins are only lightly due to them. I don't view Watson as any sort of coach killer like Vince Young or young Mike Vick. He will come in, do the job, win them some games they should lose, and not be good enough to win them some other games. He could be "what if Tyrod Taylor was on Denver instead of Buffalo" or he could be "what if Alex Smith ran more in KC and had better receivers." Both of those should be long term careers. 
Click to expand...


Well, if that's the case it seems that you are making an argument for going with a competent vet to avoid rookie mistakes from beating your team.  That presupposes that Watson isn't just lights out and runs away with the starting job - something I am hypothesizing here that he won't do given the flaws in his passing game.

HOU already got burned with a strong team by making the mistake of going with a relative unknown newcomer at QB and having their passing O turn into a trainwreck.  I'm wondering if they have the stomach to roll the dice like that again given the window they seem to be in.

 
Bronco Billy said:
This could be very interesting to watch.  Savage has a much better arm and has the advantage of experience in a pro system both in college and now in HOU.  Watson is the much better athlete and will give HOU a dual threat that Savage can not.

It's obviously Watson's job to lose, even if Savage does start at the beginning of the season, but I can't help but think there could be some problems with Watson's passing game at the NFL level that may end up being too big to ignore.
Click to expand...
I don't have much faith in either of these guys. The<50 mph pass speed and turnover issues with Watson seem like they could be fatal flaws. I know it was limited time, but Tom Savage didn't appear like he had much to offer last year. 

 
thriftyrocker said:
I'd have to ask what will it matter. Given their defense and division, adequate QBing from Watson should leave them at 10-6 give or take. Teams don't move on from QBs that win even if those wins are only lightly due to them. I don't view Watson as any sort of coach killer like Vince Young or young Mike Vick. He will come in, do the job, win them some games they should lose, and not be good enough to win them some other games. He could be "what if Tyrod Taylor was on Denver instead of Buffalo" or he could be "what if Alex Smith ran more in KC and had better receivers." Both of those should be long term careers. 
Click to expand...
Watson's 30 interceptions over the last 2 seasons could be a sign that Watson is not the guy you paint him to be. 

 
Ilov80s said:
I don't have much faith in either of these guys. The<50 mph pass speed and turnover issues with Watson seem like they could be fatal flaws. I know it was limited time, but Tom Savage didn't appear like he had much to offer last year. 
Click to expand...


Savage won the two games last year where he had 20+ passing attempts.  Averaged around 63% completions and 230 yds with no picks.  If you're looking for a game manager who won't beat you with mistakes but can keep the chains moving, there you go.

 
Bronco Billy said:
Well, if that's the case it seems that you are making an argument for going with a competent vet to avoid rookie mistakes from beating your team.
Click to expand...
Well 1) Competent vets aren't available. If LAC wanted to trade Rivers then yes they should have done that instead but I don't think those deals were there. Watson is preferable to the vets that were available (Hoyer, Fitz, Glennon, Kaep). And 2) There's a lot of recent history of "already good" teams drafting rookies and doing well while they game manage early in their career - Wilson, Flacco, Bridgewater. I don't think you gain a lot by having a vet game manage, especially a known mediocre one, and you probably have to devote more of your salary cap to a mediocre vet. When Houston had a solid but known mediocre vet QBing, what happened? He completely fell on his face in the playoffs (Hoyer vs. KCC) and made mistakes even rookies shouldn't make.

 
Ilov80s said:
Watson's 30 interceptions over the last 2 seasons could be a sign that Watson is not the guy you paint him to be. 
Click to expand...


That's where I am too,  Between his poor decision making and his weak arm, I'm wondering if the NFL Ds aren't going to expose him.  Rookie QBs generally have a rough time in the NFL, even ones who didn't have these questions on their passing ability.

 
BTW, if I haven't made it clear by now, which I thought I had but perhaps not, I'm playing devil's advocate here.  I don't see Watson as a NFL starting level passer right now, but he does have his legs, intangibles, and a first rounder's margin of error when it comes to tolerance of mistakes.  I'm just wondering if it's the right time and place to throw him into the fire when there are legit questions about his passing game, and further wondering if the HOU coaching staff doesn't think the same way given where the rest of the team is.

 
Ilov80s said:
Watson's 30 interceptions over the last 2 seasons could be a sign that Watson is not the guy you paint him to be. 
Click to expand...
I don't view INTs as a fatal flaw for Winston or Watson. It shows they are imperfect prospects but doesn't mean they can't be winning NFL QB and avoid the pitfalls Griffin and Kaepernick had.

Since this is a Savage thread, what I'm pretty sure of is that if Watson does fail, the Texans will be replacing him in several years when Savage is some other team's backup or out of the league, not the next 2 or 3 years.

 
Bronco Billy said:
HOU already got burned with a strong team by making the mistake of going with a relative unknown newcomer at QB and having their passing O turn into a trainwreck.  I'm wondering if they have the stomach to roll the dice like that again given the window they seem to be in.
Click to expand...
Isn't Savage an unknown newcomer himself basically?

 
Bronco Billy said:
You think after 3 years that HOU doesn't have an inkling of what he can and cannot do?
Click to expand...
Osweiler started more games than he did and looked better before getting a full time gig.

and I'm guessing they don't think that highly of Savage since they traded a lot to move up for Watson.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Dr. Octopus said:
Osweiler started more games than he did and looked better before getting a full time gig.

and I'm guessing they don't think that highly of Savage since they traded a lot to move up for Watson.
Click to expand...


HOU didn't get to see Oz in practice, OTAs, TC, and PS for 3 years like they have Savage.  There was a reason DEN wouldn't come up to HOU's offer on him.  I'm not sure how those 2 events are comparable.

In any case, I'm not suggesting that Savage is the long term franchise answer for HOU.  If they thought he was, they wouldn't have burned the 1st rounder on Watson.  I'm just considering whether he might be the better solution for HOU at QB than Watson, especially for the coming year.  Not every 1st round QB pans out, as we have ample evidence to see. 

.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
DeAndre Hopkins endorsed Tom Savage as the Texans' starting quarterback.

First-round QB Deshaun Watson has been the talk of training camp but Hopkins still has faith in Savage to get the job done. "If anybody should be a judge of quarterbacks, I've played with the most quarterbacks in NFL history throughout my first four years," said Nuk. "So I put the stamp on Savage, and I think that's all that needs to be said about that." Having the team's top wideout in your corner is never a bad thing, but Savage will still need a great showing in camp to hold off Watson.

Source: Dan Graziano on Twitter
Click to expand...

 
Tom Savage will start the Texans' preseason opener.

It's not a surprise; Savage has taken every single first-team rep at Texans camp, and the Houston Chronicle's John McClain recently wrote Savage was "clearly" ahead of Deshaun Watson through two weeks of practice. On Monday, coach Bill O'Brien did confirm Watson and third-stringer Brandon Weeden "will play" Wednesday night against Carolina, but didn't give any playing-time specifics.

Source: Houston Chronicle 

Aug 7 - 3:47 PM
Click to expand...

 
Tom Savage completed 19-of-44 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions in the Texans' 20-14, Week 9 loss to the Colts, also committing a game-ending fumble.

Amazingly, the touchdown was the first of Savage's career. He now has one score through 149 attempts. It was a well placed seed to DeAndre Hopkins in tight coverage. Aside from that, Savage was positively dreadful, operating a gear slower than any other quarterback in the NFL. Anticipation is not a part of Savage's game, and he can't make up for it with mobility. He has zero athleticism in the pocket, yet operates like he has all the time in the world. Now a career 55 percent passer with a 5.83 YPA, Savage was bad enough today that it's fair to wonder if the Texans turn to T.J. Yates for Week 10.
Click to expand...

 
Tom Savage completed 22-of-37 passes for 252 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions in the Texans' 23-16, Week 12 loss to the Ravens on Monday night.

Savage also lost a fumble on a strip-sack by Terrell Suggs late in the fourth quarter that led to a Ravens field goal. His three turnovers were essentially the reason the Texans lost the game, and Savage now leads the league in lost fumbles despite sitting behind Deshaun Watson for multiple weeks. The first pick was thrown into double-coverage, and the second, late in the fourth quarter, sealed the loss. The only bright spot was Savage hooking up with DeAndre Hopkins seven times for 125 yards and becoming the first quarterback to throw for 250 yards against Baltimore this season. Savage gets the Titans on the road in Week 13.
Click to expand...

 
Texans coach Bill O'Brien said he will bench Tom Savage if he continues to commit so many turnovers.

"It has to get corrected," O'Brien said Tuesday. "If not, we'll have to go in a different direction." Savage has committed 12 turnovers in six appearances, including a mind-boggling seven lost fumbles. He lost a fumble and tossed two picks in Monday's loss to the Ravens while generating zero touchdowns. Savage has arguably been even worse than expected. The problem for Houston is that, unless they're willing to sign Colin Kaepernick, an upgrade won't be walking through that door. In-house "option" T.J. Yates would probably be worse than Savage.
Click to expand...
I mean, we all know the one move he can make to improve the QB situation, and TJ Yates ain't it.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Saints signed QB Tom Savage, formerly of the Texans.

Savage began last year as the Texans' starter but was quickly benched in favor of stud rookie Deshaun Watson. He got his job back when Watson went down with a torn ACL, but would later join Watson on IR after suffering a brutal concussion in Week 14. Arguably the league's slowest quarterback, it's a wonder that a team ever considered Savage a viable starter. All things considered, New Orleans isn't a bad landing spot for the 27-year-old, who now gets a cushy gig as the clipboard holder for future Hall of Famer Drew Brees.

Related: Texans

Source: Cameron Wolfe on Twitter 

Mar 14 - 5:54 PM
Click to expand...
 
According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, free agent Tom Savage is considered the "favorite" of veteran quarterbacks to sign with the 49ers.

The 49ers were already working out Savage, so this isn't too surprising. Garafolo and NFL Media's Jim Trotter believe a veteran quarterback won't be signed this week, however, because the 49ers need the roster spots to fill other positions. Whoever ends up signing will be C.J. Beathard's backup to start. Savage has more career interceptions than touchdowns and has a 5.7 adjusted YPA. There's no way that Savage is the best free agent quarterback available.

Related: 49ers

Source: Mike Garafolo on Twitter 

Sep 25 - 7:23 PM
Click to expand...

 
Tom Savage - QB -  49ers

49ers signed QB Tom Savage.

The NFL's "meritocracy" strikes again. The 49ers have wanted to add a third quarterback since Jimmy Garoppolo was lost for the season. For some reason they have settled on Savage, one of the worst quarterbacks we have ever seen take regular snaps in the NFL. Savage has zero movement skills or accuracy. It would be pure cataclysm for the 49ers were he forced into a game behind C.J. Beathard. Considering the reckless nature of Beathard's game, Savage could certainly see snaps. Second-year UDFA Nick Mullens is the other quarterback on the roster.

Source: Jordan Schultz on Twitter 

Oct 16 - 3:54 PM
Click to expand...
 
Dude is absolute trash. I know people don't like the personal opinion slants RotoWorld blurb writers take, but this guy isn't wrong.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Year end coach meetings, Black Monday coming
5 6 7
Replies
316
Views
8K
rockaction
rockaction
Joe Bryant
Ben Johnson - Bobby Slowik and "Hope"
Replies
24
Views
734
GregR
GregR
Ministry of Pain
Should we have a Committee to decide the NFC South? And now several of the 7 AFC Playoff teams are starting a back up QB!
Replies
27
Views
744
Grahamburn
Grahamburn

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 4 (members: 0, guests: 4)
Top