Part of me feels like that if POB doesn't play this year, he could miss his chance at starting. If he red shirts this year and loses the battle next year to Lee the best he can hope for is being back up.
Then, in 2018, he could again be backup to Lee if he's granted another year of eligibility. If Lee is done, by that time maybe Gebbia breaks out and takes the job forcing POB to backup duty again.
That's why I think burning the redshirt to groom him a bit in a real game atmosphere would do wonders. I think the reason he looked so bad in the spring game was due to atmosphere jitters. With the influx of recruiting the QB position it wouldn't hurt long term.
If POB never ends up starting, it will be because he wasn't good enough. Whether or not he redshirts doesn't really have anything to do with it.
A worse scenario, in my opinion, is burning his redshirt to get him garbage time this year, then next year as a sophomore, when he hasn't really grown into his potential, he gets beat out by Lee. All of the sudden you have a junior POB with just as talented guys behind him having to fight for even a chance.