Cal Baxter

Former 4th round pick here.. Former Journeyman backup here.. I think there is a massive misunderstanding about how an NFL practice is structured. The only time mid round pick rookies and backups get meaningful reps is in training camp, and they are never with the ones unless you are competing or starting that next preseason game. Regular season practices have 10-12 plays per period.. that’s team run, team pass, team blitz pickup, and some teams still do a 7v7 period… But for the most part that’s are 30-40 live full speed reps of the actual gameplan practiced on Wed, Thursday and Friday in the NFL. These team periods alternate between O and D with backups and PS players and even some guys that will play significant roles on Sunday, serving as scout team “look” squads for those periods. This is where we backups get our reps. You have to try and translate what the scout team play is into your offense and play it accordingly. Honestly this is a lot of times more beneficial to you as a QB because you’re getting reps against a full defense of starters at full speed, the minus being that it’s not necessarily your offensive plays your running. Folks don’t understand, it’s incredibly difficult, probably the hardest job in all of sports!!! to be a backup QB, for this very reason. Because of limited to no reps and same expectations.. And that is you must come in and perform at the same level as the guy you replaced for your teammates, coaches and your own career security. You come in and struggle an you’re evaluated of that performance, right or wrong, the league makes it’s judgements about you, that’s why it’s so hard for backups to have long careers that weren’t at one point full time starters (nod to guys like myself & my buddies @ChaseDaniel and @danorlovsky7 ) Yes it stinks that that’s the situation SS came into. I’ve been there, LITERALLY, with the Browns, as a rookie, as a mid round pick. So have many other rookies.. you play, you learn and grow and get better.. or you don’t. Absolutely reps help, Absolutely he’ll be better with a full week of prep. But those are the hands as backups we’re dealt in those moments and we have to make the most of them. SS will be better with reps for sure, we all are!