For me it's more than just letting him sit and get acclimated to the speed of the game as well as learning the little nuances of playing the QB position. It's about setting him up for success and not failure. Where is his go-to receiver? Is the right side of the O-line good enough so that he's not having to run for his life all the time? Can our running game take the pressure off of him if he's struggling (and he will struggle)? Can the defense get him the ball and keep games close?i think flaccos the right comparison not from a playing stand point but from the where he supposedly had to sit for a year or two before he should play...all he did was lead the ravens to the postseason and win i think it was 2 games when he got there his rookie year...
and he's a much more statue at the position than ryan tannehill is...i just don't get the let the kid marinate on the bench stuff...especially for david garrard or matt moore...not if the competitions close
Flacco had to start unexpectedly his rookie season cause the starting QB that year got hurt in camp...but Flacco had all those elements I mentioned. Great defense, great running game with McClain, McGahee and Rice, go-to receiver in Derrick Mason (who wasn't in the QBs ear all the time like Chad Johnson will be) and a safety valve TE in Todd Heap. Compare what was around Flacco as a rookie to what's around Tannehill and you'll see the disadvantage you'd be putting Tannehill in over Flacco. Same with Matt Ryan who had Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, Michael Turner, a good O-line blocking for him and a very good defense. I just don't see those weapons around Tannehill. There was a reason the Colts went heavy on offense after drafting Luck...they want to set him up for success...Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen, T.Y. Hilton, Vick Ballard (who I really like), LaVon Brazill in addition to Reggie Wayne and Donald Brown (who'll be used properly this year)...is putting a lot of weapons around your franchise QB.