Are Smith and Raye a package deal?

WillistheWall · 2010-01-06T13:42:47-08:00

Okay, I was wondering about this last night. Smith is likely back as the starter for next year, but the whole HOF QB thing coming up gave me something to think about. Lets say one for instance one did become available, and we made a trade. Just for example lets say Philly gets blasted by Dallas in the Playoffs and they decide to go with Kolb so they make McNabb available for a 1st rounder or something. Obviously Smith would be out, and it would be only fair to cut him so he could get a shot with another team. Then the question becomes, without Smith why keep Raye? The main reason to keep an average coordinator like Raye is it makes it easier to have continuity when you have an OC nobody else wants as a head coach, and the continuity is easier for the QB. But if we have a whole new QB there's nothing for him to continue, so would we be better off getting a whole new OC and getting a guy who runs the WCO or something? Again I'm not saying I WANT this to happen, I thought Smith played pretty well and I'd like to see him get the chance to continue to work with the same players and the same OC and get some chemistry going. I don't DISLIKE Raye either, he has some decent plays, plays that should've worked if a guy didn't miss a block here or a guy didn't drop a pass there. It's not his fault players miss blocks, drop passes, or commit STUPID penalties. But basically I'm asking if there's no Smith, then why keep Raye? And the flip side, if we did fire Raye(which I HIGHLY doubt will happen as long as we have the same QBs), why keep Smith and make him go back to another system? So basically are they a package deal, all or nothing? We're either stuck with both or neither?

Jan 6, 2010 at 1:47 PM

D_Niner
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Posts: 8,508

There's more players on O than just the QB...

Keeping J-Raye if Alex stays or goes is our best option for total O improvement; but, on the flip side, if we got rid of Raye, I don't see much value in keeping Smith (unless we brought back Norv)...

Jan 6, 2010 at 1:56 PM

Dreskee
Info N/A

If that did happen and smith was gone then raye is gonna be yelling at alex, "Hey hold the door Im comin out right behind u." Meaning alex goes so does raye.

Jan 6, 2010 at 1:56 PM

WillistheWall
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Posts: 22,848

Originally posted by D_Niner:
There's more players on O than just the QB...

Keeping J-Raye if Alex stays or goes is our best option for total O improvement; but, on the flip side, if we got rid of Raye, I don't see much value in keeping Smith (unless we brought back Norv)...

Yeah but if you're bringing in a new QB, is it worth keeping Raye when the new QB isn't going to have any continuity with him anyway? I wouldn't mind taking Norv back but I'm sure he's not going to get fired.

Jan 6, 2010 at 2:00 PM

D_Niner
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Posts: 8,508

Originally posted by WillistheWall:
Originally posted by D_Niner:
There's more players on O than just the QB...

Keeping J-Raye if Alex stays or goes is our best option for total O improvement; but, on the flip side, if we got rid of Raye, I don't see much value in keeping Smith (unless we brought back Norv)...

Yeah but if you're bringing in a new QB, is it worth keeping Raye when the new QB isn't going to have any continuity with him anyway? I wouldn't mind taking Norv back but I'm sure he's not going to get fired.

It's easier for an experienced QB to learn a new system that the O has been running for a year than it is for an entire O to start over learning a new system. It's not just a QB. It's receivers, lineman, and running backs that need to know the system as well. Part of our O woes were on Players not named Alex Smith running the wrong routes or blocking the wrong guy because they were new to the system...

Jan 6, 2010 at 2:11 PM

SanDiego49er
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I think it makes a lot of sense to keep Raye if we keep Alex as our starter.

Jan 6, 2010 at 2:46 PM

hondakillerzx
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Posts: 19,281

they will both be back next season and i think its possibly the smartest move Singletary can make. i want to see this team go into next season with a set offense in place. not that dr jekyl and mr hyde s**t they had this year. switching philosophies mid-season can never happen smoothly. and i think the plays they had after alex took over were limited because they didnt intend on using a shotgun type offense. with a little o-line help this offense could be very potent next year. smith did everything asked of him according to singletary so we'll see them both back next season.

Jan 6, 2010 at 6:01 PM

tohara3
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Posts: 31,134

Originally posted by hondakillerzx:
they will both be back next season and i think its possibly the smartest move Singletary can make. i want to see this team go into next season with a set offense in place. not that dr jekyl and mr hyde s**t they had this year. switching philosophies mid-season can never happen smoothly. and i think the plays they had after alex took over were limited because they didnt intend on using a shotgun type offense. with a little o-line help this offense could be very potent next year. smith did everything asked of him according to singletary so we'll see them both back next season.

Agree. We need a set offense & go from there to expand during the offseason.