In the NBA, they say you are the player you are going to be after 3 seasons. Significant jumps up in performance after that window are extremely rare.
Football is far more varied, with some positions having very small windows (RB, DB, Lber), others having large windows (QB, OL, Canadian LOL). Because QBs have long windows (MBT, Khari, Zach), it can be hard.
Most people still write off the first year for a QB. I don't think we've seen plenty of guys step in early and succeed. Even the NFL is cooling off on the 1 year on the bench for top pick QBs. But the 2nd pro TC is a huge checkpoint. Especially up here. You would expect any rookie to take a decent-sized step forward going into their 2nd TC in general or up here.
The next step forward is moving up to being QB2. Not a huge difference between being QB3 and being on the PR Very few snaps come your way, the team's prep for you is minimal, you likely spend more time with the QB coach than the OC in the prep time before a game. But as a QB2, that all changes. You get snaps in each practice, you get coached, even just to run a scout team, you are involved more in play install, and heavily involved with the game on the sideline. You go from chucking balls on the side to anyone who wants to warm up and standing around to signaling and talking to the sideline coach (QB or OC) on most snaps.
After that, it gets hard as you need primary reps to progress and show it.
Next week, on Tuesday, Wilson will have been here for 2 years. He's had 2 full TCs, and he's been QB2 for 14 games in the CFL. Including 2 playoff games and appearing in the GC.
From TC 1 to the end of TC2, and both pre-seasons, he hasn't shown improvement. He's Poised, Athletic, and has the Arm. He hasn't shown even flashes of the ability to locate the ball, throw on time, get the ball out to a spot on time, read the D, or run an offense.
Dru brown struggled early to the point he only got on the roster for 2 games in 21. He was bad in the preseason, he was worse in the late-season window that we worked him in. 22 TC, he came in having taken a big step forward. He led the game-winning drive in W1 after Zach got knocked out and moved up the chart. Late that year, he got a chance and stepped up big again. At 23, he's the best backup QB in the league. 24, he's QB1 for ott.
Wilson is now at the point, time line-wise, where Dru was when he beat up on BC and put up 350 yards. But his progress is that of a rookie in his first training camp. Pigrome was gone from here in his first year, and gone from the league after 2. Sean McGuire was a depth guy one year, then QB2. He flopped and was gone at the end of his 2nd year. Prukop was in Tor for 2.5 years, then here for 2 years, then EDM for 1. Strevy was here 2 years, went to the NFL, came back, and now is nearing the end of 2 years, has one foot out the door. Or he sure should.
It's not impossible that Wilson still takes a step forward. But it is getting to be extremely unlikely. Even if he takes a good step forward, that makes him a decent QB2. Not a QB1 candidate. He's a year away from being a year away.
We have failed to work him in this year, despite some good opportunities to do so. He really needs one in the final window of this season. And he needs to show serious progression.
Except Mr.Perfect. Would've been perfect if he caught that.