Analysts praise Pennington signing

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http://www.miamiherald.com/1262/story/635757.html

Analysts praise Pennington signing

By BARRY JACKSON
Miami Herald

The Dolphins' signing of Chad Pennington was widely praised Saturday by longtime NFL executives and prominent quarterbacks-turned-TV analysts.

''This,'' CBS' Boomer Esiason said, ``was a no-brainer. They will be a smarter and tougher team, and now they've got a good quarterback who has a point to prove.''

Said CBS' Phil Simms: ``Pennington has all the intangibles, extremely meticulous. Maybe he doesn't throw it hard enough sometimes, but if his arm is as weak as the public perceives it, he wouldn't survive in the NFL this long.''

Longtime former Packers, Raiders and Falcons executive Ken Herock said Pennington ``gives Miami a couple more wins. Instead of being the 29th or 30th team, this moves them up seven, eight spots. If I can get an upgrade at quarterback, I do it. And they've done it.''

Aside from Brett Favre to the New York Jets, Joe Theismann called Pennington's pickup ''as important an acquisition as any team'' made this summer.

Former Redskins and Texans general manager Charley Casserly, of CBS, said, ``Pennington is the best quarterback on Miami's roster. He's got more strengths than Josh McCown, and I would pick him over McCown. If you're developing young quarterbacks, you have to have a role model. Now they have a guy to point to -- running an offense, leadership, efficiency.''

Said ESPN's Ron Jaworski: ``Josh McCown has the stronger arm, but Chad gives you a better chance. Excellent move. What the young quarterbacks can learn being around him is invaluable.''

But what about the arm strength? ''He can get the ball deep because he has great anticipation,'' Casserly said.

Dolphins tight end Sean Ryan, who played with Pennington last year, downplayed the arm strength issue, noting, ``He always got the ball where it needed to be. He puts great touch on the ball and knew where his receivers were going to be. And he's got an inner drive that's unsurpassed.''

Esiason said Pennington ``does not have a quick release. It's methodical, but he's got a very catchable pass, is a high-percentage guy and is as unselfish a player as there is in the NFL.''

What about the argument that because the Dolphins are rebuilding, they should play Chad Henne immediately? That would be a mistake, the analysts said.

'Too many people say, `We need a future quarterback,' '' Simms said. ``The Dolphins are worried about winning games now.''

Esiason gives this example: 'If Pennington is at the line and the defense they're facing is overloaded, he can change the play and go the other way. A young quarterback can't do that because he hasn't seen that. At least the guys in the huddle now know that the guy giving them the plays knows what he's doing. A rookie has big hub-cap eyes like, `What the heck is going on?' ''