Kyle McCord, that quarterback who does a lot of difficult things well, has one glaring problem that could keep him from ever truly breaking out, and it all boils down to raw arm talent. For the Packers, this is the kind of thing that defines the ceiling for a backup quarterback, no matter how many other skills they bring to the table. We’re talking about the difference between a reliable option and someone who just can’t quite push it to the next level.
McCord’s Highs, But One Glaring Low
Look, McCord does some seriously impressive stuff. He was an extremely accurate college quarterback, whether at Ohio State or Syracuse, showing off ball placement that’s pushing elite. You gotta respect how he handles pressure in the pocket, stepping up when he needs to. He’s not gonna run away from everyone, but he can definitely pick up a crucial first down or two with his legs. And when it comes to making big throws, he trusts himself, which is a massive plus for any signal caller. But then you get to the arm talent, and that’s where things get murky. Dane Brugler, a respected voice, gave him a “solid arm talent” review, saying he “throws with adequate velocity and adds some arc when needed.” “Solid” and “adequate” are hardly glowing terms for what you need in an NFL starter, are they? It’s truly the only real issue in an otherwise promising profile.
Why Arm Strength Is The Game Changer
It’s maddening, isn’t it? We can track every single pitch a baseball player throws down to the MPH, but when it comes to quarterbacks, we’re all just guessing about arm strength for anyone outside of a Josh Allen. The writer of this piece is a big baseball fan, and they are spot on: if you put baseball nerds in charge, we’d have full tape-based analytics on velocity for every throw imaginable. This matters because, in the subjective evaluations, a starting NFL quarterback needs to be around a 50 on the 20/80 scale, while backups can sit in that 35-45 range. When you consider Matt Flynn, a guy who had all the quarterback soft skills but a borderline arm that held him back, or Scott Tolzien, who was smart but simply couldn’t push the ball at all, you see just how crucial that raw arm talent is. They were both Packers, too, so fans in Green Bay know this all too well.
What does this mean for McCord? His other skills are legit, but until that raw arm talent gets a serious boost, or at least a clearer evaluation that shows it’s more than “solid,” it’s going to be the biggest question mark hanging over his potential. He’s got the brains and the accuracy, but in this league, sometimes you just need to unleash a rocket. Will he be able to consistently make those game-changing throws when the pressure is on? That’s what McCord has to prove going forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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