For quarterback Jameis Winston, the question of whether he’ll throw at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis has become, according to his private quarterback coach, a game-time decision. Even if there’s no actual, you know, game to be played.
For quarterback Marcus Mariota, the decision has been made: He’ll throw.
Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that Mariota has informed teams of his decision to throw to the gaggle of receivers he mainly doesn’t know, who’ll randomly be assigned to run routes for Mariota.
Some view a player’s willingness to throw as a sign of competitive desire. Others view it as a business decision; players who choose not to throw are opting not to risk a bad performance that would then have to be redeemed at the player’s Pro Day workout, or during private workouts.
It’s the private workouts that perhaps are the most important to the process. Overlooked because the media doesn’t get an invitation to the party, that’s where teams get a chance to put the player through the paces and to decide whether he has the physical and mental skills to thrive. Last year, for example, the Vikings weren’t troubled by a poor Pro Day workout from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, because Bridgewater wowed the Vikings during a private workout.
Complicating matters is the reality that some members of the media will cajole quarterbacks into throwing at the Combine and/or criticize those who decide not to, in large part because that makes the made-for-TV event less interesting to cover and less attractive to watch.
