QB Luis Perez
Ben Roethlisberger, please come back and save this offense. The issues don’t stop here, but for the most important position on the field & for the extreme lack of production of it in 2019, Steelers fans can not stress this enough. Big Ben is desperately needed. However it’s understood his time is nearing its end in the NFL, and if not Walker or Jordan Ta’amu as Christian states in his article, Luis Perez from the New York Guardians has the tools to be a quality signing.
Unlike Phillips, Perez wasn’t a division I talent that got the bad of the end stick. Instead, he was someone that led Texas A&M Commerce to a D-II Championship in 2017 & was a First Team All-American that eventually ended up on LA Rams practice squad as a UDFA in 2018. However, released in September, Perez was then drafted 5th overall in the AAF’s quarterback draft.
Unable to finish his season with the Birmingham Iron due to the shutdown of the league & briefly bouncing around to the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions in 2019, it wasn’t until he was traded to the XFL’s New York Guardians from the Los Angeles Wildcats to show what he offers as a QB. Beginning as a second-string behind Matt McGloin, the Perez showcase didn’t begin until week 3 where he took off immediately.
Subbing in for McGloin, the poise and accuracy in Perez’s game led to a debut 39-yard touchdown drive, completing 4 out of his 5 passes. A small sample that only foreshadowed what the next the two weeks would like for Perez, he would lead the Guardians to a 2-0 record while completing 71% of his passes on the season for 189 yards & 2 touchdowns.
As a QB, Perez has a natural release when he throws & can drive the ball downfield.
Then Luis Perez slides one to Teo Redding for 20 yards pic.twitter.com/e5NyTaFu9Y
— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) February 29, 2020
Unsure why it took so long for the Guardians to realize their better QB was on the bench, Perez also doesn’t panic when under pressure.
Luis Perez!!! pic.twitter.com/UWHioxN9nh
— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) February 29, 2020
A very intriguing possibility for the Steelers, there will be options in the draft being a QB class that has more to offer than in recent years, but the bargain & talent with Perez will only add more competition to anybody’s team.