After the instantaneous high fans get when their team selects a quarterback in the first round of the draft, there is often an accompanying realization that, while this person may end up helping your team a great deal, there is going to be a somewhat lengthy growing process before the quarterback is ready to deliver on ultimate expectations. This process is complicated by the stability factor at head coach, offensive coordinator, general manager and throughout a roster that should get progressively better while the QB is still on his rookie contract—but doesn’t always.
This column is an exercise in creating realistic expectations and somewhat of a best-case scenario for those coming into the league, colored by the fact that their coaches have limitations, their schemes have limitations and their coordinators come into the process with biases that will also affect the initial product.