In so many ways, I think the way some people view QBs is detrimental to all of them. It's pretty much the only position in which serious weight-training is considered an option, to take or leave. Well, aside from punters and kickers.
I can readily see that at a certain point in a QB's career, it's not going to make that much difference. But when they're just starting out? A rookie or their first few years? It's gonna have an impact.
Tom Brady is perhaps the single best example of this. He came into the league as a skinny kid, whose combine performance may have been the worst all time. But he worked his butt off to get bigger and stronger, and that included his arm. Now, of course, most of his age-defying excellence is likely due to football IQ, not physical strength, etc. But when he first came into the league, it mattered. His ability to improve his physicality was crucial.
I see the same issue with Goff. His arms are pipe cleaners. He's skinny and a bit awkward in his movement skills and his throwing style. When a QB isn't that strong, he has to use far more of his body to get some juice on his throws, and that can -- and usually does -- create issues with mechanics. It also means more time for each throw. If Goff seriously builds himself up physically, however, he won't need to throw with his entire body to get velocity. He'll be able to do it with a flick of the wrist.
All of that said -- and I think this is the main reason why many are reluctant to push weight-training on QBs -- you can screw up mechanics by overdoing it too. But there's a simple answer for that, straight from the "Doctor, doctor!! It hurts when I do this!!" handbook.
Don't do that.
Sports medicine and sports science in general have come a long way, and they factor that in. They factor in the sometimes delicate nature of throwing motions and the potential effects of too much new muscle. They know enough about all of that to prevent it.
In short, Goff can radically improve his arm, his running ability, his movements skills, and his ability to take a hit in the pocket, once he gets serious about weight-training and builds up his body. I'm worried that if he doesn't, he's just never going to be "special," and you shouldn't ever give up a king's ransom in draft picks for just "good."
