| Young isn't quite where he needs to be in Buffalo. (US Presswire) |
In case you’ve forgotten, Vince Young used to be a legitimate starting NFL quarterback, winning 30 of 47 starts in Tennessee, earning the 2006 AP offensive rookie of the year award and making two Pro Bowl squads (2006 and 2009). Notice, I didn’t say he was a great quarterback -- because he wasn’t and because he actually might have been slightly worse than average -- but that he was legitimate.
Last year in Philadelphia, though, he didn’t even seem like a legit backup. Forget all the Dream Team hullabaloo. When he actually played in relief of Michael Vick, Young was actually quite terrible (still, even after that disappointing year, he believes he's starter material).
Not surprisingly, Young wasn’t retained by Philadelphia and eventually, he signed with Buffalo to compete for the right to back up Ryan Fitzpatrick.
And while coach Chan Gailey said he’s satisfied with what he’s seen from Young so far in the offseason, Gailey also admits that Young still is struggling to learn the Bills offense.
"He has done a very good job, considering the circumstances," Gailey said, via the Buffalo News. “He had to come in and try to learn all of that stuff. It is very difficult.
"It would not have been as hard two years ago, but we are in so much more of an advanced stage now than we were two years ago. He is trying to learn what the base concepts are and how we have advanced to where we are today without the benefit of going through the baby steps."
Gailey also conceded that, at this point, Tyler Thigpen has a little lead on Young for the chance to back up Fitzpatrick. Which shouldn’t be surprising since Thigpen played for Gailey last season and was with Gailey when he was the Chiefs offensive coordinator. But there’s still time for Young to learn the offense. He’d just better do it sooner rather than later.
"It has been tough on [Young], but he has got a natural feel for playing the position," Gailey said. "That is going to be another good battle in camp."
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