Ian Book, after what is statistically the second-best career for a quarterback in Notre Dame football history, is off to the NFL. While he was a top-10 Heisman vote-getter this season and is the winningest coach in Notre Dame history, Book is not expected to be a high draft pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and that might just be the best possible situation for him.
Book will still be drafted, and he’ll still be in the NFL next season, but without the immediate pressure to be a starter.
Book actually may never feel the pressure as a starter, as his size and arm strength don’t match the traditional aesthetic that NFL scouts and GMs covet, and his stats don’t make up for that as they did for Kyler Murray. Any playing time Book gets will likely be as an NFL backup, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
He even could end up getting some playing time, like DeShone Kizer has, and earn a shot to be a starter long term.
As far as the NFL goes, there’s always a need for a quarterback. This year in particular it seems like there are between eleven and nineteen teams who have different levels of quarterback questions, from is it time to move on from Carson Wentz, to how do you replace Drew Brees, to what’s the first step in fixing the Jaguars?
Some teams may just need to get competition for the starting job in camp or may need their starter of the future. Others may just want to find a solid backup. Whatever the case, there are plenty of places where Ian Book may end up. Here are a few of those places:
Could Notre Dame football star Ian Book land in Chicago?
Drafting Mitch Trubisky ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, not to mention non-quarterbacks like Christian McCaffrey and Marshon Lattimore, did not work for the Chicago Bears. I think everyone feels safe saying that. The issue for the Bears is that they went 8-8, and in terms of the NFL Draft, that’s quarterback limbo.
Not good enough to make or win in the playoffs, but not bad enough to draft the next sure-fire guy. This year they’ll be drafting at pick No. 20 overall.
So, what do the Bears do? For one, they’ll likely need to trade or sign someone in free agency. Is this going to be Carson Wentz? Is it time for Matt Ryan or Matthew Stafford to find a new home? Either way, they’ll need a more affordable backup than Nick Foles, and that’s where the middle of the draft comes into play.
Ian Book is a great fit for a team like the Bears, who need to bring in competition for their quarterback room, and is likely trying to turn over the entire room, not just the starting quarterback. Would Book start in Chicago, probably not, especially if they start building their roster properly.
If the Bears keep Trubisky and just bring Book in as a backup, though, then there’s a good chance he is by midseason.
Ian Book to the Dallas Cowboys?
There are questions about Dak Prescott. First, how healthy is he, and will he be able to play in 2021 after his horrific compound fracture? Then, between the injury and his talent, where is his contract situation? Will the Cowboys ride Andy Dalton for another season, or do they go and reset the room.
One thing that isn’t a question is that they need a better third-string quarterback than Ben DiNucci, who was a fine quarterback at James Madison but isn’t the guy for any NFL team. Ian Book could easily step into DiNucci’s role of backing up Dalton while Prescott recovers, or the Cowboys find a new long term answer at starting quarterback.
That could easily transition into the regular backup role in Dallas or even the starting role depending on how things go for Book.
Again, this would be a pick the Cowboys would start thinking about in the middle rounds, but it’s certainly one where they would benefit greatly for their long term quarterback situation.
Ian Book to the Bucs?
Tom Brady probably won’t retire after this season, but it has to be coming soon, right? He may be the closest thing to Father Time in NFL history, or at least Gordie Howe, but even Howe retired eventually.
When he does go, what is the Buccaneers’ plan at quarterback? They’ll maybe try another free agent or go to the draft, but wouldn’t it be nice to have someone capable already on the roster?
Ian Book would make a great backup quarterback, who’d be willing to learn for a year or two, before competing to replace Brady. He could even be a potential stop-gap player while Tampa Bay figures out its next move.
None of that is to say Book would succeed as Brady’s replacement in Tampa, just to say that there is a backup role available that could lead to the opportunity to compete for a starting job down the road.
Atlanta Falcons could be making wholesale changes
Atlanta hit the reset button when they fired Dan Quinn, and while Matt Ryan is still a solid NFL quarterback and former MVP, it may be time to move on from him. They have a new head coach in Arthur Smith, and more often than not coaches want to bring in “their guy” at quarterback.
Now, that isn’t to say this is what Smith will do, but there’s a distinct possibility that he wants to bring in competition.
Book would make decent competition, and even if he’s only being brought in as a backup, he’ll be an improvement from Matt Schaub, who is apparently still in the league. Book would be a step up here and offer some potential down the line that a backup like Schaub does not offer.
The NFL is a funny place, and if you have the talent to play quarterback, even a little bit, you will usually get a chance to latch on somewhere. Book proved during his time in South Bend that he can defy the odds, and become a franchise guy, and maybe eventually he will get another chance to prove himself, this time at the next level.