ERIC ROSENTHALHAGERSTOWN
I know that coaching staff is high on Kellen Moore, but if Dak would get injured, doesn't it make so much more sense to turn to Cooper Rush? Watching these preseason games, it's like night and day between these two backup quarterbacks.
Bryan: I don't disagree with how Rush has performed in these preseason games. I will say from my experience in this league (since 1992), coaches will always go with the player that they feel will give them the best chance to win. You might not believe this, but with the right game plan there are things Kellen Moore can do that Cooper Rush can't at this point. Moore has been in these regular season games, the speed and how quickly you have to process information comes at you fast. I am not saying that Rush won't one day pick all this up, but I promise you that if he had to play in a regular season game that he could look as just as poor as Moore.
David:This is why we play the games, right? One preseason performance isn't enough to convince anybody, but with each passing week it gets harder to deny how impressive Rush has been. I honestly would like to see how Rush performs against a higher level of competition. But having said that, I don't think this coaching staff is quite ready to move on from the more experienced option. If Moore struggles against Oakland, then I think it becomes time to either think about promoting Rush – or think about bringing someone else in. Of course, I can't say the coaches will agree with me.
DEXTER PARRISHVIRGINIA BEACH, VA
I have not seen Byron Bell be effective at all on the offensive line and I have him as a third backup lineman behind Chaz Green and Joe Looney. With his cost would it be more effective to cut Bell in place of maybe Nate Theaker or another offensive lineman yet to be determined? I feel it would be very costly both monetarily and in development if we keep Bell at this point.
Bryan: Bell is not as bad as you've offered here. He does give you the flexibility to have a player that could line up at guard or tackle. To his credit, he has done a really nice job of managing his weight, which is tough on an older player. I will say that if you find a veteran player that is better than him, I have no problem making that switch. Nate Theaker is not ready to play, so I would not have him on my 53-man roster but that's not to say he couldn't develop down the road.
David:The back half of the offensive line depth chart is confusing. You've got about six guys that I feel very confident will make the team – Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, La'el Collins, Jonathan Cooper and Chaz Green. After that, you have to figure out who else to keep and who can do what. Joe Looney, Byron Bell and Emmett Cleary can all do multiple jobs, but at what level and how many of them do you need? Ultimately, I think Bell's ability to play both tackle spots and both guard spots helps him make this team.
