PFF Looks At Pass Distribution of Rookie Quarterbacks

Mike Clay of Pro Football Focus had an interesting article today comparing the pass distribution between rookie quarterbacks and veteran quarterbacks. Clay wanted to examine if the theory that rookie quarterbacks throw to tight ends more than veteran quarterbacks. To get his results he looked at every aimed pass (Pass Attempts – Throw Aways – Batted Balls – Hits – Spikes) from every rookie quarterback over the past three seasons.  That gave him 3,355 aimed passes from 22 QBs, and the results were pretty surprising.

You need to click on the article to see everything that he broke down because the detail he broke it down to is really impressive.  It turns out that rookie quarterbacks and veteran quarterbacks throw to the tight end almost the exact same percentage of the time on average. 

Now Jake Locker might be forced to throw to Jared Cook a lot early in the season (if Locker is the starter early on) because he will have limited talent on the outside if Kenny Britt ends up getting suspended.