MattRyan

TJ Wengert·Feb 18

Frankly, everything I am going to say about Mendoza, you have probably heard before.

At Cal, he posted 12 big-time throws. This season at Indiana, that number jumped to 23. His big-time throw rate climbed to 5. 7%. At the same time, his turnover-worthy plays dropped from 17 at Cal (3. 5%) to just 12 this year (2. 6%). That is the exact growth I needed to see. Decision-making has always been a strength. He has always been accurate, and he has always had the arm to make throws outside the numbers. What stands out most on tape, though, is how clean and repeatable everything looks. Mendoza is almost boring in the best way. Once the ball leaves his hand, you already know it is going to the right receiver, and it is going to the correct location. Left shoulder, right shoulder, chest, numbers—he consistently puts the ball exactly where it needs to be. The other defining trait is his response to adversity. The interception against Iowa. The pick-six against Oregon. Every time something bad happens, he immediately bounces back. He is fearless in the pocket, willing to take hits, and still deliver accurate throws under pressure. I love so much of what Mendoza brings to the table. The big question is not whether he is QB1 in this class for me—he is. The question is ceiling. Is he a QB10–QB14 type long term? Or can he push past that and become more than a solid starter? Throughout this process, my primary comp has been Matt Ryan, with some Kirk Cousins mixed in. The accuracy, the timing, the willingness to stand in and throw, and the competitive edge all show up. He does so many small things right that translate cleanly to the NFL. Fernando Mendoza is the best quarterback in this class. Now we find out whether he settles in as a good starter—or becomes something closer to a true difference-maker at the next level.

Doug Haller·Feb 6

The future of Kyler Murray, the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NFL Draft and signed to a five-year, $230.5 million extension in 2022, is in doubt. Murray this season played in only five games because of a foot injury, finishing on injured reserve. A bulk of the fan base moved on from Murray months ago, and it appeared the Cardinals did as well. Did LaFleur convince the Cardinals that it’s worth keeping Murray, as awkward as that might be? Did he tell them he could win with journeyman Jacoby Brissett, who put up numbers in place of Murray and is under contract for one more season? Did he tell them they must draft a quarterback in April or sign someone else in free agency? LaFleur has been around different types of quarterbacks throughout his career — Johnny Manziel with the Cleveland Browns, Matt Ryan with the Falcons, Jimmy Garoppolo and Nick Mullens with the 49ers, Zach Wilson with the Jets and, of course, Matthew Stafford with the Rams. He should know what he needs for his West Coast offense to be effective. After dismissing Gannon, Bidwill suggested the right head coach could quickly reverse Arizona’s direction, just as Mike Vrabel did for the New England Patriots, Ben Johnson did for the Chicago Bears and Liam Coen did for the Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s a nice thought, but all three teams were in a more secure place at quarterback. And none play in the NFC West, which this season was the best division in football.