Brett Ratliff's future

CLEVELandMILIDH

From "Waiting For Next Year"

With Derek Anderson being released and Brady Quinn being traded, speculation now surrounds the third of the three quarterbacks that held down the position last season in former New York Jet Brett Ratliff.
The Browns are almost guaranteed to be taking a quarterback at some point in the upcoming NFL Draft, a player that would be the assumed future at the position.

Alas, the roster spot will likely be at the expense of Ratliff – a guy that was once also thought to have a shot at being the starting quarterback for the Cleveland franchise.

Acquired in the trade that sent the fifth overall selection to the New York Jets last April, Ratliff was a target of then new head coach Eric Mangini as he attempted to round out the quarterback spot. Along with Kenyon Coleman, Abe Elam and Eric Barton, Ratliff was a guy that Mangini was very familiar with. When the trade was made, it was later reported that the deal had hinged on the inclusion of Ratliff.

SI.com’s Peter King labeled the young quarterback a “deal breaker” and “more than a throw in.” He lit up training camp and continually earned the praise of Mangini.

“The amount of development this guy made through his work ethic, his intelligence – all those things – was impressive,” said Mangini one year ago. “That type of substantial progress, I thought was really encouraging, so I like that a lot about him.”

The head coach was not exactly on his own island when it came to his favorable opinions on Ratliff. Before acquiring Mark Sanchez via the draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper thought that Ratliff could vie for the starting spot in the Big Apple.

“I’d say Brett Ratliff is a guy off the radar nationally that I know [the Jets] have high hopes for,” said Kiper. “He could be that diamond in the rough.”

But all of this may be for naught with the addition of team president Mike Holmgren who will undoubtedly be hitching a cart on to his guy. The trade for Seneca Wallace was a textbook acquisition to add a quarterback that knows hissystem. Jake Delhomme has been signed as a veteran presence that will not only be a vocal part of the Browns locker room, but one that will provide a learning experience for whomever is selected approximately one month from today. Ratliff, unfortunately, is not Holmgren’s guy – he’s Mangini’s.

Had Holmgren opted to trade for the future of the franchise, whether it be Kevin Kolb or someone of similar ilk, Ratliff may have had a chance to stay on the Browns as the third quarterback. The danger in this move is that the Chico, California native has not exactly earned a shot to prove his worth on the field.

On the flip side of the coin, Ratliff’s 2009 preseason numbers were not exactly stellar. While his training camp was strong, his three appearances on the field of play were not. Ratliff completed 43.2 percent of his pass attempts, tossing one touchdown and three interceptions. It also has to be assumed that Mike Holmgren has done his due diligence on Ratliff prior to deciding to make the moves for Wallace and Delhomme. Given the notion that Tom Heckert, Eric Mangini and Holmgren all have input on team-based decisions, it has to be assumed that Ratliff’s potential has at least entered into a discussion or two.

When Holmgren was brought on to be team president, he said that he felt that there were already pieces in place from which to build. Once a quarterback is drafted in April, it will become even more apparent that none of said “pieces” were players that stood under center just one year ago.

Riffer X

Ratliff is outtie. BTW, where they coming up with him having a strong training camp last year? Hell, Bartel was better.

Bag O'Browns

What you saw out of Ratliff last year was the fact he could throw the football a good distance and that he could do a good impersonation of a poor man's Derek Anderson. This is an imatation many of us would rather not ever see.

Gotta agree with Riffer too, Bartel was better in training camp and if all things were fair , he would've made the team over Ratty.

jrb12711

I remember well before the draft (before Mangini was even fired) that a growing number of people in the Jets camp felt Ratliff was going to start for them week one after Favre left. I figured when we got him that maybe who knew, maybe he was that diamond in the rough. I'm still surprised (somewhat anyway) that Mangini didn't give him a start around week 9-10 because as the article states he really wanted this guy. But, it's time to move on. Maybe someone else sees that idea and we can get a little value for him.

bonedawg

Dammit, I just bought a Ratliff jersey!

DAWGPOUND16

lol

DeadWombat

If Ratliff is still on the team, its because Mangini can't bear to lose his excellent coffee fetching abilities.

Earl34

I would guess that Ratliff would be the odd man out. He clearly didn't show in a Cleveland uniform what he did in a Jet uni. That said, is it beyond the realm of possibility that he's traded out of town instead of just released?

CLEVELandMILIDH

I dont think they'll just release him, they'll bring him to training camp, maybe some body gets hurt and he makes the team. If not they'll put him on the practice squad and maybe somebody picks him up but I dont think they'll just release him

Gips

nmills said:
I dont think they'll just release him, they'll bring him to training camp, maybe some body gets hurt and he makes the team. If not they'll put him on the practice squad and maybe somebody picks him up but I dont think they'll just release him

I agree, ratty will be in camp...it never hurts to have extra competition and a potential backup should delhomme suffer pre-season injury however i look at ratty as 3 steps below DA and pretty much a waste of time and valuable roster space after a QB is drafted, ratty is an example of mangini's pet projects and his poor judgement when determining talent at QB so lets hope hecktard and MH dont bend to his incompetence in the offensive department..

Mr. T

IMO Ratliff's only job will be to throw balls during camp drills, so the real quarterbacks wont throw their arm out.

ballpeen

nmills said:
I dont think they'll just release him, they'll bring him to training camp, maybe some body gets hurt and he makes the team. If not they'll put him on the practice squad and maybe somebody picks him up but I dont think they'll just release him

They can't put him on the practice squad. Players cannot have played more than nine regular season games or been on the active roster for an entire year. I believe he was active the entire year.....he may have been active the entire year with the Jets.

CLEVELandMILIDH

@ballpeen said:
They can't put him on the practice squad. Players cannot have played more than nine regular season games or been on the active roster for an entire year. I believe he was active the entire year.....he may have been active the entire year with the Jets.

didnt no that, so if they do release him and if nobody picks him up then can he go to practice squad? Or is he just outta football untill somebody puts him on there roster

ballpeen

nmills said:
didnt no that, so if they do release him and if nobody picks him up then can he go to practice squad? Or is he just outta football untill somebody puts him on there roster

The rules don't start over if a player is cut and goes to a new team. Once you have accrued the above mentioned amount of experience, you are either a member of a team or you aren't.

ballpeen

I agree.

You also have to consider injuries in other camps.

It never hurts to have a player some other team might trade for, and that doesn't have to mean Ratliff...maybe Wallace.

With all that goes on in camp, 4 qbs is no where near too many. In many camps teams will enlist the help of local HS QBs to help toss balls around. You have all sorts of drills that require someone throwing a football.