Washington Redskins Column

By: Maurice Barksdale

3/18/10

Which should come first:  The Quarterback or the Offensive Tackle?

I’ve seen this question debated a lot by Redskins fans recently.  And with the Skins having the 4^th pick in the upcoming draft, the answer to this question will be crucial in determining which player is ultimately selected with the pick. 

On one side you have the contingent who still believe that Jason Campbell can be a franchise QB but he just simply does not have a good enough offensive line to help him fulfill his potential.  On the other side you have those who believe that Campbell will never be a great QB, so the Skins need to draft a franchise QB now, while they are in a position to draft one.  Regardless of which side of this fence you’re on, one has to admit that the Redskins Offensive Line is in need of an upgrade of youth and talent.  But with a new coaching staff and General Manager in place, can they really afford to believe that Jason Campbell can make the ascension from being a serviceable journeyman to being an All-Pro caliber QB?

Over the years Jason Campbell has displayed several admirable qualities.  He has handled himself with class and professionalism from day one and has been known as a tireless worker.  He has the prototypical size and athleticism that you look for in a franchise QB.  But for some reason those qualities and physical attributes have not contributed to Campbell becoming an elite QB.  Some point to Campbell having to learn a new offensive system every year as a reason why.  Others say he does not have a true number one receiver to throw to, and last but not least many point to the age and lack of quality depth on the offensive line as the reason why Campbell has struggled. 

With the retirement of Chris Samuels, the Left Tackle position is wide open.  With several highly regarded Tackle prospects available, one might think that it’s a no brainer to draft Samuels’ replacement at number 4.  But again the question is: Which comes first, the Quarterback or the Tackle?  Does a great Offensive Tackle guarantee great Quarterback play?  In my opinion the answer to that question is no.  However, can a great QB help facilitate good offensive line play?  I think the answer to this question is yes.  Off the top their head, does anyone know the names of the Left Tackles who started for the Saints and the Colts in this past year’s Superbowl?  I would wager for most people the answer is no.  And maybe the reason for that is because with great QB’s like Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, an elite Left Tackle is simply a luxury for some teams and not a requirement.  And not to disparage whoever those Left Tackles are, but clearly with QB’s who can negate a pass rush by making their reads and getting the ball out their hands quickly, the need for a dominant Left Tackle isn’t quite as important.

Looking around the NFL it seems that in order to win consistently, an All-Pro caliber QB is a necessary ingredient.  One has to look no further than the NFC East Division where the Redskins reside.  McNabb, Manning, and Romo are all All-Pro QB’s.  All have above .500 career winning percentages as starters.  And all have led their teams to the playoffs on more than one occasion.  The same cannot be said of Jason Campbell, who boasts a 38% career winning percentage, and has never led the Redskins to the playoffs.  Campbell has pointed out recently that he achieved the best stats of his career in 2009, but unfortunately the stat that matters the most for QB’s is Wins and Losses. 

There is no need to be overly critical of Campbell, but the numbers speak for themselves.  Campbell has had long enough to prove what he is, and in my opinion, what the Redskins have in Campbell is a solid QB, who needs a near perfect situation in order to excel.  And I’m afraid that Mike Shanahan can’t afford to wait and see what might happen with Campbell “if” the Redskins get their Offensive Line significantly upgraded.  I believe if you don’t have a consistent All-Pro Quarterback on your team, then you need to keep looking until you find one because that’s the key to winning in the NFL.  And this is why I believe with the number 4 pick in the 2010 draft, a QB should come first for Redskins, before an Offensive Tackle.