Sluggo, I think this is about the perfect post on this topic. You're right - the calmness and 'command' he showed in his limited time shows he has the right demeanor to be a successful QB. No question, the potential is there.

What we really don't know is, well, I would say two things:

1) the 'football IQ' stuff - the going through progressions, the recognition of defenses, recognition of where a blitz is coming from, the ability to shift blockers, audibles, etc. - all that kind of stuff. The offense with Willis was so cut back, and he was very much 'one guy, and if that guy isn't open, cut and run'. Does he have the makeup to be able to do those types of things? By the way, these were also knocks against him coming out of college... we just don't know because he's never been put in that position, really.

2) What's gonna happen the day he comes up against a Philadelphia type defense that will absolutely destroy you with just their front four, let alone if they add pressure? No defense Willis played against ever really did that - on passing downs, they pretty much laid back in coverage.

I remember Anthony Dilweg. He went through the 1989 preseason and looked REALLY good. We thought, ok, we have a decent backup at least, and if Majkowski ends up sucking, we can maybe try him. Then, the 1990 preseason happened. Not sure if it was game 3 or 4, but they played Kansas City that preseason. And KC blitzed, like, every, single, play. And Dilweg folded like a cheap suit. Every game up to that point, he looked pretty good - on time, accurate, solid. But that game, it was pretty much proven that he simply could not handle pressure. He cracked. And was never the same QB. He did ok week 1 that year against the Rams, but looked awful week 2 vs. Chicago (which was still playing the 1985 4-6 type defense, constant blitzes, etc. - they absolutely killed him). And after Majik went down in 1990, Dilweg came back in, and every team did the same thing - constant, relentless pressure. And he just couldn't stand up to it. By the end of 1990, we knew that we didn't have a backup QB at all.

How would Willis respond to that? Answer: we just simply don't know.

So yeah, I agree 100% with Sluggo. There is definitely potential there, but there's a lot of unknown and "he's never been put in that position" there also...