Should Stafford start as a rookie? A statistical and historical examination

Brian Burke at advancednflstats.com has taken a very interesting look at whether it's in any way beneficial or harmful to start a rookie QB in his first year, or to have him on the sidelines, ball cap on head, clipboard in hand. Burke looks at the record of QBs drafted in the first and second rounds from 1980 to 2004. It gets a little heady and math geeky, but the bottom line? Some rookie QBs are ready to go from the jump, and if you have one of those, he tends to be successful over the course of his career. Further, it appears that a coach holding back from starting such a ready rookie QB has no particular benefit. Debate the subject in The Den.

---