Brian Brohm Gets Second Chance

Once considered a top prospect and possible first overall draft pick, Brian Brohm soon became an afterthought. Drafted 56th overall in the second round by the Green Bay Packers, Brohm was squeezed into an already crowded quarterback depth chart with little chance of ever starting for the Pack.

The situation proved to be too much for the young quarterback. He lost confidence and, eventually, lost his roster spot too. Green Bay put him on their practice squad just two seasons after entering the league as one of the most prolific passers in college football.

From star to afterthought in just two short off seasons. Luckily for Brohm, he found a new home and to be quite honest, it couldn't have worked out better for him.

The Buffalo Bills signed Brohm off the Packers' practice squad on November 19, 2009. Just a few weeks later he found himself starting his first ever NFL game behind a patchwork offensive line and in a system he barely knew.

Don't feel sorry for Brohm though, that was valuable experience and an ice breaker to help build his, previously shattered, confidence.

So Brohm entered this season in a much better situation than the one in Green Bay. He was in a, truly wide open, quarterback competition. Even better, all four quarterbacks involved in this race for the starting spot were new to the system and new to the coaches. Even ground, and a perfect opportunity for Brohm to show why he was so highly touted in college.

Brohm started off a little shaky in rookie mini camp (in which players with less than two season were invited to participate). By all accounts and reports, Brohm was struggling to pick up the system.

However, the third year signal caller has shown significant improvement over the course of mini camps and OTAs since rookie camp. More importantly, he has showed he knows how to run the red zone offense, drawing some compliments from both the Buffalo News and WGR550 who publish reports following each practice.

His steady improvement has been something encouraging for the young prospect. It is my opinion that he has the most upside out of any quarterback on the roster currently. That may not be saying much however. Incumbents Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick have shown little more than being able to be adequate backups. Some fans may argue that Edwards has shown more than that, but it really is hard to judge a player who hasn't completed a full season healthy since high school. Edwards is an intelligent player with solid mechanics and above average accuracy. However, his laundry list of injuries and his unwillingness to throw the ball down field have done little to impress me, or pretty much anyone else.

So in a wide open competition against Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Levi Brown (seventh round pick out of Troy), Brohm has just as much a shot as anyone to be the Bills' new starter.

Brohm has drawn praise from new head coach Chan Gailey. Gailey stated at the end of Buffalo's mandatory minicamp that Brohm as made "a jump" in the competition. But what does that mean? A jump from third to second? A jump from second to first? A jump from third to first? We will not know until camp.

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"The last two weeks he's made a jump in my opinion. I thought he practiced well. We'll have to see how he progresses once we get pads on and all that. But I thought he made a good jump."- Chan Gailey

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Brohm however, has expressed that he is ready to take a hold of that starting spot.

"I've had two years in the NFL to get used to everything and get myself prepared," Brohm told the courier journal. "I feel like I can fully compete for this starting job. I feel like I'm ready to take charge out there. We'll see what happens. But I feel like I'm at a position where I'll be able to put my best foot forward and make a legitimate run at the starting job."

Potential? Check.
Opportunity? Check.
Confidence? Check.
Support? ...

Well, Gailey may have said Brohm has practiced well, but we won't know if he "supports" the young QB until training camp opens up later this month.

However, there is one big-name who has already publicly voiced support of Brohm. Thurman Thomas.

“I’ve got my money on Brian Brohm,” Thomas told WGR. “There’s just something about him. When I was over there, we had a great conversation. He was picking my brain about how Jim Kelly used to do things.”

Thurman went on to say:

“He told me ‘I got kind of lazy and didn’t put in the work I was supposed to put in,’” (referring to Green Bay).

Brohm however does not appear to be lazy this off season. He is putting in a lot of work and making the most of his reps. He is making big plays, plays in the red zone and plays on the run. He is at the very least keeping the quarterback competition close.

At this point in time, that's about all you can ask of Brohm. He still has time to seize the job.

Gailey says that no matter what his depth chart looks like headed in to training camp, it is subject to change.

If Brohm could take a hold of the starting spot, he may just keep it. His college resume is impressive and he is young yet. The league is filled with stories of late bloomers and players that took a few seasons to adjust.

I have to say, I'm pulling for the guy. But who wouldn't be amongst the Buffalo faithful if he somehow turned out to be one of the biggest steals in NFL history and lived up to his college potential?

One thing is for certain, he has a second chance and he better seize the day if he ever wants to start in this league.