JustInFudge Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 This is fun for this thread; conquering hero and all. If we’re ranking quarterbacks, it isn’t close. Aaron Rodgersis the NFL’s best player. If we’re ranking quarterback situations … that could take a few thousand words. There’s little debate on football’s top signal callers. Rodgers, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have sat atop their lofty perches for years. But “years” is the key word here. How many do they have left? For Rodgers, the answer is plenty. For Brady and Manning, it’s unknown. That’s why having one of the league’s best quarterbacks doesn’t necessarily mean you have one of the best quarterback situations. There are variables beyond talent, with future production chief among them. This list will look dramatically different than a straightforward ranking based on 2015 expectations alone. Not that 2015 is completely discounted. Simply having a good quarterback locked down for one season is an achievement many teams can’t muster. But the focus is on the future, particularly the next 3-5 years. Note: The players listed are this year’s presumptive Week 1 starters. 1. Colts, Andrew Luck Hype sells jerseys, but it also brings the wolves to the door. Sports has a rich tradition of devouring its ChosenOnes™ just as quickly as it anoints them. That’s what Andrew Luck was staring down when he entered the league as its most feted player since Michael Vick. For every LeBron James, there’s a Freddy Adu. So which way did Luck break? Let’s just put it this way — he has more Adu. Still only 25, Luck has piloted three 11-win teams in three years, and come within one game of the Super Bowl. Detractors point to his turnovers as cause for concern, but just ask Brett Favre or Kurt Warner — you’ve got to risk some picks if you want to make some plays. Luck is cerebral. He is tough (100 sacks, zero games missed). He is athletic (he has four more career rushing touchdowns than Robert Griffin III). He is the best young quarterback in the NFL, and a building block to be envied by 31 other teams. 2. Packers, Aaron Rodgers The Packers have the best football player on the planet, and he happens to play quarterback. So why don’t they have the best quarterback situation? Age is undefeated. As Tom Brady and Peyton Manning can attest, Aaron Rodgersis still relatively young in quarterback years. But he’s not a spring chicken, either. Just ask his recent collarbone and calf injuries. Even by the most conservative of estimates, Rodgers should have 3-4 years of world-beating football left in his body. It’s just that Andrew Luck should have 10-11. Rodgers was the league’s top player in 2014, and should remain so for 2015. 2020? Luck’s odds are simply better. Throw in the fact that Luck’s Colts have already caught up to Rodgers’ Pack on the field — both teams reached the final four last season, while Indy has three playoff wins over the past two years to Green Bay’s one — and the game’s next best player gets the nod over its current one. 3. Seahawks, Russell Wilson You could argue Seattle has the league’s best quarterback situation and not be wrong. Russell Wilson has piloted back-to-back conference champions, and done so with a rogue’s gallery of “weapons.” His leading receiver in Super Bowl XLIX caught zero regular-season passes. Wilson lacks Luck’s size and Rodgers’ arm, but is arguably the most effective dual-threat quarterback of the modern era. Wilson’s deep shots are as well timed as his scrambles. He understands situational football, and how to avoid unnecessary hits as a runner. He is a humble superstar, albeit one who competes as fiercely as anybody in football. Luck vs. Wilson is open question, one that has yet to be settled. Both have married raw talent to football genius. For me, Luck’s size and arm talent give him the edge. That doesn’t mean I won’t be picking a different winner of this generation’s Manning/Brady debate five years from now. 4. Falcons, Matt Ryan Matt Ryan has never elevated talent in the manner of a Manning or Brady. But if you give him talent, he knows what to do with it. It’s shocking how rare of a quality this can be in today’s NFL. You could argue that Ryan is overrated since his mere presence alone does not guarantee competitive football. Ryan has overseen four- and six-win campaigns the past two seasons. By contrast, neither Manning nor Brady-led teams have won fewer than 10 games since 2002. But that does not mean Ryan is overrated, or that his numbers are empty. So Ryan rarely wins games by himself, so what. He does his job better than the vast majority of his peers, and never gets hurt. By the time the Falcons have to worry about their quarterback situation, Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush will be running for re-election. Ryan isn’t transcendent, but at least 80 percent of the league’s teams would be better off with him at quarterback. 5. Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger Ben Roethlisberger offers hope for any young quarterback who takes an inordinate amount of hits. That’s because no man this century has had more 300-pound assassins dive into his legs and knees. Roethlisberger has lived to tell about it, and did so last season in the form of a career year at age 32. Big Ben has battled injuries and missed games, but held up remarkably well, and lost little of his trademark shiftiness in the pocket. For someone who plays the game like Roethlisberger, there’s always the threat that the big hit is just one play away. But nothing in Ben’s recent history suggests he’s ready to slow down in the natural course of things. Ben is older and has taken lots of punishment. He’s also playing as well as he ever has, and appears poised to do so for at least 3-4 more seasons. 6. Saints, Drew Brees Drew Brees is underrated. He really is. Since arriving in New Orleans, Brees has as many Super Bowl titles as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. Four of the eight 5,000-yard campaigns in NFL history belong to New Orleans’ “6-foot-0” quarterback. He’s averaged 5,192 yards over the past four seasons, managing a 68.0 completion percentage and 7.9 YPA in the process. Brees is on one of the greatest runs the league has ever seen. But when considering quarterback situations, one of Brees’ numbers sticks out more than the others: 36. That’s the age he turned on January 15. He’s also coming off a “down” year of 4,952 yards and a 97.0 QB rating. Brees’ football mortality has Sean Payton transitioning to a run-heavy offense, one that no longer features Jimmy Graham or Kenny Stills. Brees’ time in New Orleans may go down as the most prolific in NFL history, but the end is closer than the beginning. If you’re looking five years down the road, Luck, Rodgers, Wilson and Ryan are all better bets than their taken-for-granted compatriot. 7. Lions, Matthew Stafford Matthew Stafford and Clayton Kershaw were childhood teammates. Stafford probably can’t throw a curveball, but has only slightly less arm talent than his south-pawed friend. Stafford spins a ridiculous ball, and is capable of placing it just about anywhere. So if he’s sports soulmates with Kershaw, why does he sometimes insist on throwing like Byung-hyun Kim? Stafford makes amazing throws. He’s also prone to inexplicable ones, and too often misses his target when he goes into gunslinger mode. That’s one of the reasons why, despite all the arm talent in the world, Stafford has averaged just 24 scores over the past three seasons. Stafford has a way of making his game feel lacking even when he’s on it. This isn’t necessarily fair. Stafford has led two playoff teams, and has a 41-touchdown campaign on his résumé. He simply must rein in his blunders, and focus on what makes him great. Stafford isn’t paid to throw sliders. He’s got perhaps the league’s best fastball, and can paint the corners (deep dimes to Calvin Johnson) with the best of them. 2014 hinted at subtle improvement. Still only 27, Stafford will be quarterbacking in Detroit for many years to come. It’s up to him to make sure they’re productive ones. 8. Panthers, Cam Newton Cam Newton versus Blaine Gabbert was once a debate. So is life on a spinning rock where the more we learn, the more it serves to highlight how little we truly know. Newton vs. Gabbert has been settled with extreme prejudice. What about Newton vs. Newton? Newton is one of the most unique talents in NFL history. He is a tank in human form, one with a howitzer for an arm. But even the best M4 Sherman could only take so many hits. Four years into his career, that’s the dilemma facing Newton for the next four. Defenses have few answers for a healthy Newton, but can he possibly stay healthy? The first step is obviously taking fewer unnecessary shots, but that would require fewer of the scrambles that make him so special. Better pocket awareness would be a godsend — Newton spins into so many punishing sacks — but can that be taught at age 26? The point could become moot if Newton’s come-and-go accuracy stops going more than it comes, but a 58.5 2014 completion percentage doesn’t hint at meaningful improvement in the near future. Newton is ranked this high because for now — and probably at least the next three years — his gifts outweigh his flaws. How his game evolves could be the difference between three more years or a decade as the Panthers’ answer at quarterback. 9. Patriots, Tom Brady Tom Brady has a legitimate claim to the title of “greatest football player ever.” That’s what 14 years of Super Bowl winning, record-breaking excellence will earn you. But those same 14 years are the reason New England no longer has one of the league’s best quarterback situations. Brady will be 38 when the Patriots host the Steelers on opening night. It’s an age where both Peyton Manning and Brett Favre have thrived, but a number that can’t be walked back. Brady is in the twilight of his career, as his deep-ball “accuracy” will attest. There’s little reason to believe Brady won’t be an elite player in 2015, but there’s even less reason to believe he’ll remain one in 2017, 2018 or whatever years lay down the road. It’s been an historic ride, but the end is near. We have no idea if Jimmy Garoppolo will be able to keep the car running. 10. Dolphins, Ryan Tannehill The third year was the charm for Tannehill, but only after Week 3 nearly cost him. That’s when Tannehill’s dreadful performance against the Chiefs had coach Joe Philbin declining to endorse him. It was an absurd ploy, but a reminder that Tannehill’s journey from top-10 pick to franchise quarterback has rarely been smooth. Tannehill has a woeful deep ball. That means he better be great at everything else. In 2014, he was, completing 66.4 percent of his passes while offering a legitimate running threat out of the read option. Tannehill excelled in OC Bill Lazor’s quick-hitting attack, and the Dolphins responded by trying to enhance it for 2015. With Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings as three of his top-four receivers, Tannehill will focus underneath, an area where he’s one of the league’s better quarterbacks. The Dolphins have identified Tannehill’s strengths. As long as they continue to play to them, he should be under center for a long time in South Beach. 11. Ravens, Joe Flacco Joe Flacco is the Twitter egg of quarterbacks. He has the personality and flash of a TSA agent. It’s an uninspiring approach to sports’ most glamorous position until you look at Flacco’s body of work. In seven years, Flacco has never missed a start. He’s also never thrown for 30 touchdowns, but that hasn’t stopped him from overseeing 10 playoff victories, including Super Bowl XLVII. If you’re still waiting for Flacco’s “breakout,” you can stop. The statuesque Delaware grad more-or-less entered the NFL in his final form. But that form won’t stop punching the clock, and won’t stop making the right passes at the right time. Flacco might lull you to sleep, but still only 30, he’ll keep his team in the Super Bowl race for years to come. 12. Giants, Eli Manning Forget Peyton Manning — Eli Manning is the kid brother of the entire league. Whereas Peyton has always made his bed and gotten home on time, Eli doesn’t always remember to set his alarm clock. Mistakes, typically in the form of interceptions, are made. But like a lot of kids with exalted older siblings, Eli has shined in the shadows, and made a habit of landing on his feet. Eli is five years younger than Peyton, but 2012-13 made it look his decline phase was another milestone he’d reach before his older brother. 2014 quashed that notion. Eli was reborn via Odell Beckhamand a precision offense, throwing for the second most yards and second fewest interceptions of his career. Manning is going to age just fine, and even though he has only one year remaining on his contract, he should do so in New York. 13. Cowboys, Tony Romo Tony Romo has never been better, but as is the case with everyone reading this article, he’s also never been older. Romo had a career-year at age 34, but only after undergoing back surgery each of the previous two offseasons. Amazingly, he missed just one game after suffering a “minor” back fracture in Week 8. Romo’s toughness is legendary, but how many more hits can the 35 year old take? Jerry Jones thinks five years worth. We’ll go with 2-3. The Cowboys will have a top-eight quarterback for however long Romo can stay on the field, but his injury risk means it might not be for as long as ol’ Jer would like. 14. Vikings, Teddy Bridgewater Daunte Culpepper led the league in passing in 2004. Since, the Vikings have had 13 different quarterbacks. There have been Hall-of-Fame stopgaps (Brett Favre), veteran retreads (Donovan McNabb, Matt Cassel), high draft picks (Christian Ponder) and completely inexplicable one-offs (Joe Webb, Josh Freeman). What there hasn’t been is a promising young player. The Vikings finally have one in Teddy Bridgewater, but is he franchise quarterback material? Bridgewater pretty much owns the short-to-intermediate areas of the field, displaying feathery accuracy and elite ball placement. He is composed in the pocket, operating cooly under pressure. But his grace is compensating for an almost complete lack of power. Bridgewater cannot drive the ball deep, and boasts the physical imposition of Jeff Van Gundy. He is not a big guy with a big arm. Bridgewater’s rookie year was the most promising first-year campaign by a quarterback since 2012. If he can build on that promise by further masking his flaws and adjusting to the league’s adjustments, he’ll be the Vikings’ first long-term solution under center in a decade. 15. Bucs, Jameis Winston Jameis Winston will become the 37th player to quarterback the Bucs when he comes under center in Week 1. He hopes to become the first to get a second contract. Yes, in 40 years of existence, the Bucs have never drafted a signal caller who signed a second deal with the team. That’s the legacy of ineptitude that Winston is up against. On the field, Winston appears more than ready to break the Bucs’ quarterback curse. Although a 66 percent passer at Florida State, Winston could be a little too Favre with the ball, tossing 28 interceptions in 27 games. But you don’t want a player who is afraid to pull the trigger in the NFL, and Winston’s decision making is better than his INT numbers imply. A student of the game with a cannon for an arm, Winston was not the No. 1 overall pick by accident. No rookie is a sure thing, but the odds are high Winston is quarterbacking the Bucs through contract two and beyond. 16. Chargers, Philip Rivers Philip Rivers began his career as an Eli Manning consolation prize and backup to Drew Brees. Not exactly the clearest path to winning hearts and minds. 10 years on, Rivers is Chargers football. He’s broken team records and overseen a boatload of wins (88 in nine seasons). But the franchise he’s the face of isn’t sure where it will be playing in 2016, and Rivers isn’t sure he wants to stick around for the answer. The contract-year quarterback let it be known in March that he won’t be signing an extension. He’s since softened his tone, but this isn’t the sort of thing that goes away overnight. Perhaps Rivers can be talked into a Chargers future, but it’s possible he doesn’t have one. If Rivers is gone in 2016, the Chargers won’t replace him as easily as they did Brees. 17. Broncos, Peyton Manning Peyton Manning comes with no assurances beyond this season. The greatest stat-sheet stuffer of all time doesn’t consider 2015 to be his “farewell tour,” but his quads may have more to say about it than his brain. It was Manning’s quads that derailed his 2014, and offered a frightening glimpse of the future for a quarterback who had seemed ageless since getting a new neck. Manning could be the league’s best quarterback this season, or he could suddenly look like its oldest. He’s a year-to-year proposition for a team in Super Bowl-or-bust mode. That’s a worrisome fact for a club without a proven backup. Manning’s years and Brock Osweiler’s lack of them mean Denver is just one hit away from the quarterback abyss. 18. Titans, Marcus Mariota Marcus Mariota has the physical and mental ability to be a franchise quarterback. Does he have the mentor? As a coach who has only had success with statuesque pocket passers in their prime, Ken Whisenhunt seems uniquely unsuited to transition Mariota from Oregon’s hyper-spread to the NFL. In a perfect world, it wouldn’t have mattered where Mariota landed. There should be 32 teams willing to take advantage of his unique talents. But it is not a perfect world, and Whiz is probably near the top of the list of NFL coaches who would/will try to make Mariota fit their “system” instead of vice versa. Maybe Whiz is tired of losing and will see the light. If so, Mariota could be the league’s next great dual-threat quarterback. If not, he could be hung out to dry by a losing coach for a losing franchise. 19. 49ers, Colin Kaepernick Colin Kaepernick is perhaps the most physically-imposing player to ever lead an offense, but his returns have been diminishing since he brought the 49ers within five yards of a Super Bowl title in 2013. His touch is poor and his progressions are poorer. That’s not a good thing for a fourth-year starter who just lost his mentor in Jim Harbaugh. Kaep has recognized something’s got to give in 2015. He spent the offseason working on his pocket mechanics with Kurt Warner, and has vowed to become more precise with his passes. But 1,117 throws into his career, will Kaepernick be able to remember his new tricks in the face of the blitz? It’s a question that will define the 49ers’ 2015 season, and Kaepernick’s future with the team. Kaepernick is a gifted athlete, one born to play quarterback. There’s just no guarantee he’ll be doing it for the 49ers in 2016 if his 2015 goes anything like his 2014. 20. Chiefs, Alex Smith Alex Smith plays quarterback like he’s terrified of running a red light. His eyes see green, but his body is a tensed coil waiting for yellow. This brand of Boy Scout football produced a 2014 where Smith didn’t throw a touchdown to a receiver. It’s hard to imagine a more preposterous “feat” for someone who plays a position where the whole point is throwing touchdowns to receivers. Nevertheless, full stops and counting to three also keep Smith out of trouble. In 30 games under center in Kansas City, Smith has committed just 17 total turnovers. His process at least produces the desired result. Smith is not the long-term answer in Kansas City. He’s also not a 2015 question mark. 21. Bengals, Andy Dalton Andy Dalton will be remembered long after his career is over. Not for his playoff victories — of which there will quite possibly be zero — but for setting the new standard of mediocrity. Dalton isn’t good enough for a long-term deal. The Bengals are paying their 2011 second-rounder as they go. But he is good enough to be comfortably ahead of A.J. McCarron. Dalton is the blurred line between good and bad, the frustrating realization that even quarterbacks this good/bad/maybe watchable/probably not are hard to find. Dalton is the poster child for the quixotic quest of finding an NFL signal caller. He will never be Peyton Manning, or even Joe Flacco. At least he’s not Kyle Orton. 22. Bears, Jay Cutler Systems, coaches and No. 1 receivers come and go. Jay Cutler just keeps underachieving. Cutler was a coach-killing catastrophe in 2014, sabotaging Marc Trestman’s offense to the degree that OC Aaron Kromer served as an anonymous, negative source for an NFL Network report. Cutler was benched for Jimmy Clausen, something that shouldn’t be possible in the CFL, let alone the NFL. The only reason the Bears haven’t moved on is a contract quirk that guaranteed Cutler’s 2016 salary before the start of the new league year. Cutler’s latest fixers are the impressive trio of coach John Fox, OC Adam Gase and QBs coach Dowell Loggains. Cutler reportedly has a “strong, personal relationship" with Loggains. That’s nice in theory, but like most things that are nice in theory with Cutler — his arm, his athleticism, his receiving talent — it’s unlikely to be the missing piece to the puzzle. After years of waiting on Cutler to finally deliver, the Bears have moved on to waiting out his contract. 23. Raiders, Derek Carr Derek Carr was fine as a rookie. Promising, even. He was not the indisputable answer to the Raiders’ post-Rich Gannon quarterback woes. Carr’s 5.46 YPA was the third lowest of the past five seasons, with only 2011 Blaine Gabbert (5.36) and 2010 Jimmy Clausen (5.21) posting worse marks. It was the second worst YPA in Raiders’ franchise history, and one of the worst of the 21st century. The list of quarterbacks to manage a lower YPA than Carr since 2001 reads like a who’s who of flops. Joining Gabbert and Clausen are Brady Quinn, JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bruce Gradkowski, Kyle Orton, Mark Brunell, A.J. Feeley, Ken Dorsey, Joey Harrington, Shane Matthews and Chris Weinke. Not exactly comforting company for Carr to keep. It’s true that Carr had an abysmal coaching staff and even worse supporting cast, but 5.46 is a major concern no matter the circumstances. Carr is tough as nails, and protected the ball as a rookie. He can read defenses and has an NFL arm. He’s just not the surefire solution to the Raiders’ quarterback conundrum, and is in fact far from it. 24. Jaguars, Blake Bortles Blake Bortles has the tools to be the next Ben Roethlisberger. He has the film to be the next Jake Locker. Physically impressive though he was, Bortles was a turnover machine as a rookie, tossing 17 picks in 475 attempts. He struggled to recognize coverages, which was one of the main reasons he took a league-worst 55 sacks. (The Jags’ atrocious line didn’t help.) Of course, this wasn’t entirely unexpected. The Jags knew Bortles was raw when they made him the No. 3 overall pick. They told anyone who would listen that Bortles would be “redshirted” as a rookie. That was never realistic in the modern NFL, but the point is, the Jags knew they weren’t drafting an overnight sensation. There were positives for Bortles in 2014. He scrambled for 419 yards, and showed subtle improvement as the year wore on. But from his footwork to his throwing motion, Bortles’ entire game needs refinement. Bortles’ book is far from written, but the Jags could have Locker 2.0 on their hands if Chapter 2 doesn’t blow Chapter 1 out of the water. 25. Cardinals, Carson Palmer Carson Palmer’s 2014 began with a shoulder injury and ended with a torn ACL. In between were six dynamite starts, but Palmer’s doomsday clock is ticking. Palmer is a crumbling statue who can’t be counted on to stay healthy for 16 games. That’s the bad news. The really bad news is that there are no reinforcements behind him. Drew Stanton is a pick-happy journeyman, and Logan Thomas was so shaky as a rookie that his practices got him benched. Palmer will keep the Cardinals competitive when he’s on the field, but quarterback is looking like the Achilles’ heel for an otherwise ascendant team. 26. Rams, Nick Foles Is Nick Foles the Rams’ best quarterback since Marc Bulger? Such is the depressing state of the position in St. Louis. The bar isn’t high for Foles. He simply has to be better than Sam Bradford. The Rams know they didn’t acquire the quarterback who posted a 27:2 TD:INT ratio in 2013. The question is if they’re even getting the 59.8 percent passer from last season. Foles’ pedestrian 2014 (before he broke his collarbone) came with a much more impressive supporting cast than the one he’s inheriting in St. Louis. That’s to say nothing of the brain drain between coaching staffs. Foles is not a special talent, and there’s a chance he’s not even an ordinary one. Heading into the final year of his rookie contract, the odds are no better than 50-50 that Foles will be back as the Rams’ starter in 2016. 27. Eagles, Sam Bradford If you think this is too low for the Eagles’ quarterback situation, I can tell you someone who doesn’t: Chip Kelly. The league’s first 30-minutes-or-less general manager spent the spring trying to redecorate his quarterback room, culminating in an extraordinarily-public pursuit of Marcus Mariota. Chip never came close to landing his college signal caller, leaving him with Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez and figment-of-your-imagination Tim Tebow. Bradford will start Week 1 … if his twice-torn left ACL is healthy. That won’t even be the hard part. Bradford is a 58.6 percent passer,with an equally uninspiring 6.29 YPA and 79.3 QB rating to boot. Bradford was never set up for success in St. Louis, but those are troubling numbers for any quarterback with 1,760 career throws. There’s still untapped potential in the No. 1 overall pick of the 2010 draft, but we don’t know if he’s the answer in Philly any more than Kelly does. Kelly’s actions are louder than any words when it comes to evaluating the Eagles’ quarterback situation. 28. Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick The Jets have three quarterbacks. As any good football fan knows, that really means they have zero quarterbacks. The third, fourth-rounder Bryce Petty, won’t play this season. That leaves Ryan Fitzpatrick to battle Geno Smith. Fitzpatrick is a journeyman who keeps getting released/traded, but also inadequately replaced. Three years on, the Bills haven’t come close to finding a quarterback as effective as “FitzMagic.” The Titans cut Fitz last offseason and promptly went 2-14. Houston apparently believes Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer is a better duo. They will be proven wrong. None of which is to say the Jets will be proven right. As for Smith, he’s flashed some good in two years, but more bad. He’s the owner of a career 25:34 TD:INT ratio. From his arm to his mobility, Smith is a more talented quarterback than Fitzpatrick, but is unlikely to beat him out in camp. That leaves Fitz for the start of 2015, and nothing but questions beyond. 29. Redskins, Robert Griffin III There are harbingers of doom, and then there’s getting benched for Colt McCoy in the year of our lord 2014. Robert Griffin III looked like the league’s most electrifying player since Michael Vick as a rookie, but injuries have robbed him of his unique athleticism. They haven’t robbed him of his penchant for drama, which has put him at loggerheads with coach Jay Gruden, a man who seems to have little interest in catering his “system” to RGIII’s strengths. It’s made for a toxic situation that appears to have little hope of a happy ending. Still only 25, it’s too early to write off Griffin’s career, but a departure from Washington is probably best for both sides. It’s likely to come in 2016, quite possibly after RGIII has again been benched for McCoy. 30. Browns, Josh McCown If Josh McCown is the answer, you’re asking yourself some pretty rough questions. McCown is a 36-year-old quarterback (in July) who has thrown nearly as many career picks (59) as touchdowns (61). He’s here because he played eight good games for quarterback guru Marc Trestman in 2013. He is desperation in the form of a quarterback, and a poor bet to hold off Johnny Manziel. Which brings us to Johnny Football. Manziel’s main concern as a rookie seemed to be proving every sanctimonious newspaper columnist right, showing stunning immaturity off the field and total ineptitude on it. The only thing he seemed prepared for was the after party. To his credit, Manziel has endeavored to get his life and career in order. He spent his offseason in a drug- and alcohol-rehabilitation center, and his transformation is already turning heads amongst his teammates. Manziel’s bust potential remains through the roof, but a second chance that appeared impossible three months ago now seems likely. 31. Texans, Ryan Mallett Bill O’Brien had an amazing first year as the Texans’ head coach, but his approach to the quarterback position leaves something to be desired. He’s jettisoned Ryan Fitzpatrick in favor of two inferior players, Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer. Mallett and Hoyer’s secret sauce was playing for O’Brien in New England, an accident of history that apparently makes them more qualified to quarterback in Houston than anyone else. It’s not that Fitzpatrick is some sort of elite option himself, but O’Brien has now wed himself to a quarterback situation that should be the envy of no one. A 27-year-old (in June) statue, Mallett has attempted 79 career passes, completing 53.2 percent of them. Hoyer was arguably the worst quarterback in the league last season, completing just 55.3 percent of his throws while posting a 2:9 TD:INT ratio over his final 186 attempts. “Waiting in the wings” is 2014 fourth-rounder Tom Savage, a player who had no shortage of struggles in the Big East/ACC. O’Brien has hit a lot of right notes in Houston, but quarterback isn’t one of them. 32. Bills, Matt Cassel Bad things happen when you draft the wrong quarterback. Bad things like luring this guy out of retirement. Bad things like committing to a career 59 percent passer who just turned 33 and missed the majority of 2014 with a broken foot. Bad things like having a playoff-worthy roster at every position but the most important. The Bills moved on from Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2013. They correctly diagnosed that he wasn’t a franchise quarterback. But in the land of E.J. Manueland Matt Cassel, FitzMagic would easily be king. Searching for their first playoff appearance since 1999, the Bills are shaping up to be a Goliath quarterbacked by a David. Or maybe a Jeff (Tuel). Either way, no team has a shakier quarterback situation, and no team will be working harder to upgrade it in 2016. http://www.rotoworld...situations?pg=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keysersoze Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I hate Miami, but this is a good move for them. Slightly overpaid for sure, but when you come across a potential franchise QB, you lock him up for the long run and ask questions later. Say what you will, but Tannehill beats the hell out of Geno and Fitzpatrick. I still think we're better than Miami overall, but their QB situation is far better than ours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmajet Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Maybe a slight overpayment, but if they did it next year, it would be more (as the cap and salaries keep rising); he is not top 5 and maybe not even top 10, but if the jets had him with their current team (at least on paper) we would have to be considered contenders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
win4ever Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 This is a pretty good move for them, because in this league you have to pay any QB with a semblance of talent, high end money. Even the backups make around 6 million or so, thus I don't think it's a bad deal at all for the Fins. They needed to lock him up, and I think Tanny followed the same thought he did with the Sanchez extension (obviously didn't work out) but I think the logic behind it is actually sound. If you wait until a QB is absolutely proven, then you are going to pay through your nose, so you have to take a calculated risk. They have a good WR core now, and a decent RB, so they should expect Tannehill to improve, and thus needed to get him under contract because if he just kept his current rate of production, he would've made much more on the open market. I think he did the same thing with Sanchez, thinking he was coming off a high year, and ready to improve, but it backfired with him. The Dolphins will be good, but as we found out with the Jets, it's a short window before the salary cap hamstrings you, and makes you paper thin when it comes to depth. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycdan Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 But not Joe Montana. Tony Montana maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Miami’s Gamble: What Does Tannehill’s New Contract Mean? AL PEREIRA/NEW YORK JETS/GETTY IMAGES NFL MAY 19, 2015 by BILL BARNWELL The Dolphins have secured their quarterback of the near future. Now they just need to figure out if that future was worth locking up. Miami already had starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill signed through 2016, but on Monday it came to terms on a contract extension that could keep him in town through 2020 and pay him up to $96 million. The structure and real value of the contract, however, make it clear the Dolphins are still evaluating their young quarterback. In fact, the deal vaguely evokes a disastrous figure from a member of this organization’s recent past. You can basically ignore those numbers above. The chances that Tannehill will play this deal out to that end are slim. If he flops, he’ll never see the end of the contract. If he continues to develop, the Dolphins will almost surely restructure the deal and give him an extension in 2019 or so. This is a contract designed by vice-president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum and general manager Dennis Hickey to basically secure Tannehill’s immediate future; simultaneously, it leaves the Dolphins with a series of options down the line that will allow them to retain their quarterback at a below-market rate and use the leverage from that rate to negotiate friendly terms on his next contract extension. To understand what the Dolphins did, let’s start with the hand they were previously holding. Entering the offseason, Tannehill was about to enter the final year of his rookie deal, which had a total cap hit of just over $4 million. That figure was entirely guaranteed, and most of it was the remnants of the $7.7 million signing bonus he received upon entering the league. In April, however, Miami elected to pick up Tannehill’s fifth-year option, which would have come in at $16.2 million. That figure was guaranteed for injury, so while Tannehill would have received the money if he were to have suffered a career-altering injury in 2015, the Dolphins would have had the ability to cut Tannehill for poor play before 2016 without owing him anything. With that leverage, the Dolphins were able to claw meaningful concessions out of Tannehill in the case that he does turn into a superstar. Reports suggest he’s getting $45 million in guaranteed money, but in the NFL, guarantees aren’t always guarantees. Jason La Canfora of CBS reports that Tannehill will immediately receive $21.5 million in fully guaranteed money for the first two years of the deal; the Dolphins must then decide in March 2016 whether to fully guarantee an additional $3.5 million of Tannehill’s salary for the 2016 season. That March deadline will repeat itself for the 2017 ($14.5 million guaranteed) and 2018 ($5.5 million guaranteed) seasons. The final three years of Tannehill’s deal, 2018 to 2020, come in at an average of $19 million, which the Dolphins can bail on without penalty. So what’s the right way to think about this deal? If you assume the Dolphins were already going to keep Tannehill in 2015 and 2016, it’s basically giving Tannehill about $7 million in new guaranteed money. In return, the Dolphins are likely getting extra cap space in 2016, where they already had a staggering $164 million committed after signing Ndamukong Suh this spring. They’re also getting the option to pay Tannehill for 2017 at a well-below-market rate and for 2018-2020 at a rate closer to (but still likely below) league average. That’s a very logical move by the Dolphins, who now retain the upside of having a possible top-10 quarterback signed for reasonable money over the next six seasons. If Tannehill continues to grow and his market value increases, the Dolphins don’t have to worry about a Joe Flacco situation. With Flacco, the Ravens were stuck with no negotiating leverage at the end of his rookie deal and were forced to give their Super Bowl–winning passer an onerous contract extension that has materially affected their planning over the past couple of seasons. Flacco’s cap hit almost doubles from $14.5 million to $28.5 million next year, which would leave him with the second-largest cap hit in football, coincidentally behind Suh. The Ravens will likely be forced to either restructure Flacco’s deal (which will create further cap problems in the years to come) or give Flacco another contract extension to get out from under the first one. Neither option is especially appealing, and you can see why the Dolphins would want to avoid that sort of situation by giving up a little extra money now. The worst-case scenario is exactly what Tannenbaum went through during the final days of his run with the Jets. After New York’s failed brief pursuit of Peyton Manning during the 2012 offseason, Tannenbaum responded to the news by basically giving his incumbent starting quarterback a hefty contract extension as an apology. That quarterback, of course, was Mark Sanchez. The structure of Sanchez’s rookie deal, signed before the current CBA, was different from Tannehill’s, but the concept of the extension was roughly the same. The Jets didn’t owe Sanchez any more guaranteed money, but the extension turned likely-to-be-earned figures into full guarantees totaling $20.5 million over the two ensuing years of the deal. Tannenbaum’s Jets then had three annual options on Sanchez at cap-friendly figures of $12.5 million, running through the 2014-16 seasons. The deal also cleared up $6.4 million in cap space for the Jets. The only way this sort of contract really fails is if the quarterback in question has a disastrous first season as part of the new deal and isn’t worth evaluating in his second year. That is, as you may remember, exactly what happened with Sanchez in 2012. His numbers continued to decline, and he was eventually benched during a game in December for Greg McElroy. The Jets unquestionably would have cut Sanchez after the year, and under the terms of his rookie deal, they could have done so while saving $5 million on their 2013 cap. Instead, they owed Sanchez $12.9 million because of the extension, a figure that would have risen to $17.6 million had they cut their starter. They were stuck keeping Sanchez on the roster and attempting to win with him around, a move that became irrelevant when he suffered a season-ending injury during the preseason. Tannenbaum wasn’t around for that drama. He was fired by the Jets after the 2012 season, almost assuredly in part because his bet on Sanchez had failed. That’s part of what makes this Tannehill deal so fascinating; Tannenbaum is making an essentially identical bet on a quarterback at a similar point of that passer’s career. It’s hard to imagine that it will fail as suddenly and destructively as Sanchez’s extension failed in New York, and I wouldn’t suggest that the Dolphins should have shied away from this sort of deal just because the Sanchez contract imploded, but there is some risk attached. To the Tannehilt Dolphins fans will say Tannehill is further along in his development than Sanchez was, and while I agree with that sentiment, it’s also not unfair to say Sanchez was perceived in some circles to be about as good of a quarterback at the time of his extension. Wins, you know. Sanchez received some undue praise for his 27-20 regular-season record (and his 4-2 mark in the playoffs) during his first three years in the league, ignoring that much of that came down to the work of his running game and defense. Tannehill has no such argument in his locker. The Texas A&M product has gone 23-25 during his first three seasons, and his performance over that time frame has also roughly been around league-average. Among the 22 quarterbacks who have thrown 1,000 passes or more over the last three seasons, Tannehill surrounds the middle of the pack in each of Pro-Football-Reference.com’s index statistics. He’s 16th in completion percentage, 14th in interception percentage, and 19th in passer rating. The other number we often use to assess a quarterback is the one that concerns me with Tannehill. He’s last in yards per attempt in the past three seasons, averaging a league-low 6.8. Throw in Tannehill’s propensity for taking sacks — which improved last year behind a massively rebuilt offensive line, but not by much — and he also finishes last in the Adjusted Net Yards Per Attempt Index. The only passers since 2000 to throw 1,000 passes over their first three seasons and post a worse ANY/A+ are Sam Bradford, Sanchez, David Carr, Joey Harrington, and Christian Ponder. Not overwhelming company. Tannehill backers will note that his completion percentage, passing yards, passing touchdowns, and passer rating have steadily improved over his three pro seasons. That’s promising, but again, there are reasonable concerns about the factors that aren’t being considered in those numbers. Tannehill’s usage rate went up dramatically as the Dolphins were unable to run the ball in 2013, resulting in a massive attempt spike that masked an otherwise stagnant second season. And while Tannehill’s numbers did rise impressively across the board last season, I wonder how much of that amounts to the change in his offensive scheme. While running a West Coast offense under Mike Sherman in Miami during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Tannehill rarely got the ball out on short throws and screens, which was curious given the issues with the offensive line. Tannehill averaged 8.7 yards in the air per pass attempt, which was the 12th-highest figure in football. Last year, under new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor in a hybrid attack, Tannehill threw screens more frequently, and his average yards in the air per attempt plummeted. The average Tannehill pass traveled just 7.4 yards in the air, which was 28th in the league. Only Russell Wilson, Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton, Blake Bortles, and Alex Smith threw shorter average passes. A difference of 1.3 yards per throw doesn’t seem like much, but it does help explain a fair amount of the spike in his completion percentage, which rose from 60.4 percent in 2013 to 66.4 percent in 2014. Charting numbers also agree with those considerations; Tannehill virtually never underthrew his receivers and had the fourth-lowest rate of “bad throws,” per Football Outsiders, last season. Naturally, then, the fear with Tannehill is that he isn’t doing enough to make opponents worry about him as a downfield passer. His performance on those deep throws did decline last year; after posting the league’s 21st-best QBR on throws 15 yards or more in the air between 2012 and 2013, Tannehill’s 81.9 mark was 26th in the league last year. While he certainly has all the arm strength he needs and is capable of some downright magical downfield plays, he hasn’t scared teams getting the ball deep. It’s fair to say that most observers point some of those problems toward the now-departed Mike Wallace. I’m not so sure. Wallace caught only 12 of the 36 deep passes thrown to him by Tannehill last year, but he also didn’t drop any of them (per ESPN Stats & Information). Miami’s other receivers dropped a combined six of Tannehill’s 28 other pass attempts of that distance. In all, with 5.9 percent of his deep passes dropped by receivers last year, only three other quarterbacks (Flacco, Andy Dalton, and Drew Brees) had their bombs dropped more frequently than Tannehill. Tannehill’s drop rate on those throws in 2012-13 (4.4 percent) was far closer to league average (4.2 percent), so those 2014 drops are likely a fluke that should resolve themselves this year. There are certainly other things to like about Tannehill. He’s a quietly effective runner, more so within the zone-read than as a scrambler. The Dolphins employed the read-option on 44.3 percent of their rushing plays last year, which was right behind the league-leading Eagles (44.5 percent). They quietly averaged the second-most yards per rushing attempt (4.7) in football last season, and on Tannehill’s 27 zone-read keepers, he averaged a whopping 10.3 yards per carry and picked up 14 first downs. As I think about this deal, though, I think more and more about Sanchez. That has little to do with Tannehill as a player and more with how each of those quarterbacks was perceived. Sanchez was a middling quarterback who managed to convince a meaningful subset of the league (including his general manager) that he was great because his team had won a bunch of football games. When the team around him collapsed, Sanchez wasn’t able to elevate his game, and the wheels quickly fell off Gang Green. Tannehill has his strengths and weaknesses, but as the Dolphins are still in the process of evaluating him as a passer, they’re still evaluating themselves as a franchise. Tannehill has been a league-average passer for a league-average team for three seasons, and it’s fair to wonder whether Tannenbaum thinks his new roster is going to take a leap forward into the playoffs. Hopes should be higher after adding Suh and hearing the news about Tom Brady’s four-game suspension, but this is still a roster with major question marks on both sides of the football. This is a wary, measured step in the direction of committing toward Tannehill, and simultaneously, it’s a wary, measured step for the Dolphins toward believing that they’re ready to take on bigger things in the AFC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdetroit Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Exactly what I was going to say. As Jets fans, we should know better than anybody how hard it is to find a QB. When was the last time a Jets QB posted numbers like Tannehill in yr 3?. When is the last time Tannehill won more than 8 games in a season? Oh yeah never Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdetroit Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 This is fun for this thread; conquering hero and all. If we’re ranking quarterbacks, it isn’t close. Aaron Rodgersis the NFL’s best player. If we’re ranking quarterback situations … that could take a few thousand words. There’s little debate on football’s top signal callers. Rodgers, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have sat atop their lofty perches for years. But “years” is the key word here. How many do they have left? For Rodgers, the answer is plenty. For Brady and Manning, it’s unknown. That’s why having one of the league’s best quarterbacks doesn’t necessarily mean you have one of the best quarterback situations. There are variables beyond talent, with future production chief among them. This list will look dramatically different than a straightforward ranking based on 2015 expectations alone. Not that 2015 is completely discounted. Simply having a good quarterback locked down for one season is an achievement many teams can’t muster. But the focus is on the future, particularly the next 3-5 years. Note: The players listed are this year’s presumptive Week 1 starters. 1. Colts, Andrew Luck Hype sells jerseys, but it also brings the wolves to the door. Sports has a rich tradition of devouring its ChosenOnes™ just as quickly as it anoints them. That’s what Andrew Luck was staring down when he entered the league as its most feted player since Michael Vick. For every LeBron James, there’s a Freddy Adu. So which way did Luck break? Let’s just put it this way — he has more than Adu. Still only 25, Luck has piloted three 11-win teams in three years, and come within one game of the Super Bowl. Detractors point to his turnovers as cause for concern, but just ask Brett Favre or Kurt Warner — you’ve got to risk some picks if you want to make some plays. Luck is cerebral. He is tough (100 sacks, zero games missed). He is athletic (he has four more career rushing touchdowns than Robert Griffin III). He is the best young quarterback in the NFL, and a building block to be envied by 31 other teams. 2. Packers, Aaron Rodgers The Packers have the best football player on the planet, and he happens to play quarterback. So why don’t they have the best quarterback situation? Age is undefeated. As Tom Brady and Peyton Manning can attest, Aaron Rodgersis still relatively young in quarterback years. But he’s not a spring chicken, either. Just ask his recent collarbone and calf injuries. Even by the most conservative of estimates, Rodgers should have 3-4 years of world-beating football left in his body. It’s just that Andrew Luck should have 10-11. Rodgers was the league’s top player in 2014, and should remain so for 2015. 2020? Luck’s odds are simply better. Throw in the fact that Luck’s Colts have already caught up to Rodgers’ Pack on the field — both teams reached the final four last season, while Indy has three playoff wins over the past two years to Green Bay’s one — and the game’s next best player gets the nod over its current one. 3. Seahawks, Russell Wilson You could argue Seattle has the league’s best quarterback situation and not be wrong. Russell Wilson has piloted back-to-back conference champions, and done so with a rogue’s gallery of “weapons.” His leading receiver in Super Bowl XLIX caught zero regular-season passes. Wilson lacks Luck’s size and Rodgers’ arm, but is arguably the most effective dual-threat quarterback of the modern era. Wilson’s deep shots are as well timed as his scrambles. He understands situational football, and how to avoid unnecessary hits as a runner. He is a humble superstar, albeit one who competes as fiercely as anybody in football. Luck vs. Wilson is open question, one that has yet to be settled. Both have married raw talent to football genius. For me, Luck’s size and arm talent give him the edge. That doesn’t mean I won’t be picking a different winner of this generation’s Manning/Brady debate five years from now. 4. Falcons, Matt Ryan Matt Ryan has never elevated talent in the manner of a Manning or Brady. But if you give him talent, he knows what to do with it. It’s shocking how rare of a quality this can be in today’s NFL. You could argue that Ryan is overrated since his mere presence alone does not guarantee competitive football. Ryan has overseen four- and six-win campaigns the past two seasons. By contrast, neither Manning nor Brady-led teams have won fewer than 10 games since 2002. But that does not mean Ryan is overrated, or that his numbers are empty. So Ryan rarely wins games by himself, so what. He does his job better than the vast majority of his peers, and never gets hurt. By the time the Falcons have to worry about their quarterback situation, Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush will be running for re-election. Ryan isn’t transcendent, but at least 80 percent of the league’s teams would be better off with him at quarterback. 5. Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger Ben Roethlisberger offers hope for any young quarterback who takes an inordinate amount of hits. That’s because no man this century has had more 300-pound assassins dive into his legs and knees. Roethlisberger has lived to tell about it, and did so last season in the form of a career year at age 32. Big Ben has battled injuries and missed games, but held up remarkably well, and lost little of his trademark shiftiness in the pocket. For someone who plays the game like Roethlisberger, there’s always the threat that the big hit is just one play away. But nothing in Ben’s recent history suggests he’s ready to slow down in the natural course of things. Ben is older and has taken lots of punishment. He’s also playing as well as he ever has, and appears poised to do so for at least 3-4 more seasons. 6. Saints, Drew Brees Drew Brees is underrated. He really is. Since arriving in New Orleans, Brees has as many Super Bowl titles as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. Four of the eight 5,000-yard campaigns in NFL history belong to New Orleans’ “6-foot-0” quarterback. He’s averaged 5,192 yards over the past four seasons, managing a 68.0 completion percentage and 7.9 YPA in the process. Brees is on one of the greatest runs the league has ever seen. But when considering quarterback situations, one of Brees’ numbers sticks out more than the others: 36. That’s the age he turned on January 15. He’s also coming off a “down” year of 4,952 yards and a 97.0 QB rating. Brees’ football mortality has Sean Payton transitioning to a run-heavy offense, one that no longer features Jimmy Graham or Kenny Stills. Brees’ time in New Orleans may go down as the most prolific in NFL history, but the end is closer than the beginning. If you’re looking five years down the road, Luck, Rodgers, Wilson and Ryan are all better bets than their taken-for-granted compatriot. 7. Lions, Matthew Stafford Matthew Stafford and Clayton Kershaw were childhood teammates. Stafford probably can’t throw a curveball, but has only slightly less arm talent than his south-pawed friend. Stafford spins a ridiculous ball, and is capable of placing it just about anywhere. So if he’s sports soulmates with Kershaw, why does he sometimes insist on throwing like Byung-hyun Kim? Stafford makes amazing throws. He’s also prone to inexplicable ones, and too often misses his target when he goes into gunslinger mode. That’s one of the reasons why, despite all the arm talent in the world, Stafford has averaged just 24 scores over the past three seasons. Stafford has a way of making his game feel lacking even when he’s on it. This isn’t necessarily fair. Stafford has led two playoff teams, and has a 41-touchdown campaign on his résumé. He simply must rein in his blunders, and focus on what makes him great. Stafford isn’t paid to throw sliders. He’s got perhaps the league’s best fastball, and can paint the corners (deep dimes to Calvin Johnson) with the best of them. 2014 hinted at subtle improvement. Still only 27, Stafford will be quarterbacking in Detroit for many years to come. It’s up to him to make sure they’re productive ones. 8. Panthers, Cam Newton Cam Newton versus Blaine Gabbert was once a debate. So is life on a spinning rock where the more we learn, the more it serves to highlight how little we truly know. Newton vs. Gabbert has been settled with extreme prejudice. What about Newton vs. Newton? Newton is one of the most unique talents in NFL history. He is a tank in human form, one with a howitzer for an arm. But even the best M4 Sherman could only take so many hits. Four years into his career, that’s the dilemma facing Newton for the next four. Defenses have few answers for a healthy Newton, but can he possibly stay healthy? The first step is obviously taking fewer unnecessary shots, but that would require fewer of the scrambles that make him so special. Better pocket awareness would be a godsend — Newton spins into so many punishing sacks — but can that be taught at age 26? The point could become moot if Newton’s come-and-go accuracy stops going more than it comes, but a 58.5 2014 completion percentage doesn’t hint at meaningful improvement in the near future. Newton is ranked this high because for now — and probably at least the next three years — his gifts outweigh his flaws. How his game evolves could be the difference between three more years or a decade as the Panthers’ answer at quarterback. 9. Patriots, Tom Brady Tom Brady has a legitimate claim to the title of “greatest football player ever.” That’s what 14 years of Super Bowl winning, record-breaking excellence will earn you. But those same 14 years are the reason New England no longer has one of the league’s best quarterback situations. Brady will be 38 when the Patriots host the Steelers on opening night. It’s an age where both Peyton Manning and Brett Favre have thrived, but a number that can’t be walked back. Brady is in the twilight of his career, as his deep-ball “accuracy” will attest. There’s little reason to believe Brady won’t be an elite player in 2015, but there’s even less reason to believe he’ll remain one in 2017, 2018 or whatever years lay down the road. It’s been an historic ride, but the end is near. We have no idea if Jimmy Garoppolo will be able to keep the car running. 10. Dolphins, Ryan Tannehill The third year was the charm for Tannehill, but only after Week 3 nearly cost him. That’s when Tannehill’s dreadful performance against the Chiefs had coach Joe Philbin declining to endorse him. It was an absurd ploy, but a reminder that Tannehill’s journey from top-10 pick to franchise quarterback has rarely been smooth. Tannehill has a woeful deep ball. That means he better be great at everything else. In 2014, he was, completing 66.4 percent of his passes while offering a legitimate running threat out of the read option. Tannehill excelled in OC Bill Lazor’s quick-hitting attack, and the Dolphins responded by trying to enhance it for 2015. With Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings as three of his top-four receivers, Tannehill will focus underneath, an area where he’s one of the league’s better quarterbacks. The Dolphins have identified Tannehill’s strengths. As long as they continue to play to them, he should be under center for a long time in South Beach. 11. Ravens, Joe Flacco Joe Flacco is the Twitter egg of quarterbacks. He has the personality and flash of a TSA agent. It’s an uninspiring approach to sports’ most glamorous position until you look at Flacco’s body of work. In seven years, Flacco has never missed a start. He’s also never thrown for 30 touchdowns, but that hasn’t stopped him from overseeing 10 playoff victories, including Super Bowl XLVII. If you’re still waiting for Flacco’s “breakout,” you can stop. The statuesque Delaware grad more-or-less entered the NFL in his final form. But that form won’t stop punching the clock, and won’t stop making the right passes at the right time. Flacco might lull you to sleep, but still only 30, he’ll keep his team in the Super Bowl race for years to come. 12. Giants, Eli Manning Forget Peyton Manning — Eli Manning is the kid brother of the entire league. Whereas Peyton has always made his bed and gotten home on time, Eli doesn’t always remember to set his alarm clock. Mistakes, typically in the form of interceptions, are made. But like a lot of kids with exalted older siblings, Eli has shined in the shadows, and made a habit of landing on his feet. Eli is five years younger than Peyton, but 2012-13 made it look his decline phase was another milestone he’d reach before his older brother. 2014 quashed that notion. Eli was reborn via Odell Beckhamand a precision offense, throwing for the second most yards and second fewest interceptions of his career. Manning is going to age just fine, and even though he has only one year remaining on his contract, he should do so in New York. 13. Cowboys, Tony Romo Tony Romo has never been better, but as is the case with everyone reading this article, he’s also never been older. Romo had a career-year at age 34, but only after undergoing back surgery each of the previous two offseasons. Amazingly, he missed just one game after suffering a “minor” back fracture in Week 8. Romo’s toughness is legendary, but how many more hits can the 35 year old take? Jerry Jones thinks five years worth. We’ll go with 2-3. The Cowboys will have a top-eight quarterback for however long Romo can stay on the field, but his injury risk means it might not be for as long as ol’ Jer would like. 14. Vikings, Teddy Bridgewater Daunte Culpepper led the league in passing in 2004. Since, the Vikings have had 13 different quarterbacks. There have been Hall-of-Fame stopgaps (Brett Favre), veteran retreads (Donovan McNabb, Matt Cassel), high draft picks (Christian Ponder) and completely inexplicable one-offs (Joe Webb, Josh Freeman). What there hasn’t been is a promising young player. The Vikings finally have one in Teddy Bridgewater, but is he franchise quarterback material? Bridgewater pretty much owns the short-to-intermediate areas of the field, displaying feathery accuracy and elite ball placement. He is composed in the pocket, operating cooly under pressure. But his grace is compensating for an almost complete lack of power. Bridgewater cannot drive the ball deep, and boasts the physical imposition of Jeff Van Gundy. He is not a big guy with a big arm. Bridgewater’s rookie year was the most promising first-year campaign by a quarterback since 2012. If he can build on that promise by further masking his flaws and adjusting to the league’s adjustments, he’ll be the Vikings’ first long-term solution under center in a decade. 15. Bucs, Jameis Winston Jameis Winston will become the 37th player to quarterback the Bucs when he comes under center in Week 1. He hopes to become the first to get a second contract. Yes, in 40 years of existence, the Bucs have never drafted a signal caller who signed a second deal with the team. That’s the legacy of ineptitude that Winston is up against. On the field, Winston appears more than ready to break the Bucs’ quarterback curse. Although a 66 percent passer at Florida State, Winston could be a little too Favre with the ball, tossing 28 interceptions in 27 games. But you don’t want a player who is afraid to pull the trigger in the NFL, and Winston’s decision making is better than his INT numbers imply. A student of the game with a cannon for an arm, Winston was not the No. 1 overall pick by accident. No rookie is a sure thing, but the odds are high Winston is quarterbacking the Bucs through contract two and beyond. 16. Chargers, Philip Rivers Philip Rivers began his career as an Eli Manning consolation prize and backup to Drew Brees. Not exactly the clearest path to winning hearts and minds. 10 years on, Rivers is Chargers football. He’s broken team records and overseen a boatload of wins (88 in nine seasons). But the franchise he’s the face of isn’t sure where it will be playing in 2016, and Rivers isn’t sure he wants to stick around for the answer. The contract-year quarterback let it be known in March that he won’t be signing an extension. He’s since softened his tone, but this isn’t the sort of thing that goes away overnight. Perhaps Rivers can be talked into a Chargers future, but it’s possible he doesn’t have one. If Rivers is gone in 2016, the Chargers won’t replace him as easily as they did Brees. 17. Broncos, Peyton Manning Peyton Manning comes with no assurances beyond this season. The greatest stat-sheet stuffer of all time doesn’t consider 2015 to be his “farewell tour,” but his quads may have more to say about it than his brain. It was Manning’s quads that derailed his 2014, and offered a frightening glimpse of the future for a quarterback who had seemed ageless since getting a new neck. Manning could be the league’s best quarterback this season, or he could suddenly look like its oldest. He’s a year-to-year proposition for a team in Super Bowl-or-bust mode. That’s a worrisome fact for a club without a proven backup. Manning’s years and Brock Osweiler’s lack of them mean Denver is just one hit away from the quarterback abyss. 18. Titans, Marcus Mariota Marcus Mariota has the physical and mental ability to be a franchise quarterback. Does he have the mentor? As a coach who has only had success with statuesque pocket passers in their prime, Ken Whisenhunt seems uniquely unsuited to transition Mariota from Oregon’s hyper-spread to the NFL. In a perfect world, it wouldn’t have mattered where Mariota landed. There should be 32 teams willing to take advantage of his unique talents. But it is not a perfect world, and Whiz is probably near the top of the list of NFL coaches who would/will try to make Mariota fit their “system” instead of vice versa. Maybe Whiz is tired of losing and will see the light. If so, Mariota could be the league’s next great dual-threat quarterback. If not, he could be hung out to dry by a losing coach for a losing franchise. 19. 49ers, Colin Kaepernick Colin Kaepernick is perhaps the most physically-imposing player to ever lead an offense, but his returns have been diminishing since he brought the 49ers within five yards of a Super Bowl title in 2013. His touch is poor and his progressions are poorer. That’s not a good thing for a fourth-year starter who just lost his mentor in Jim Harbaugh. Kaep has recognized something’s got to give in 2015. He spent the offseason working on his pocket mechanics with Kurt Warner, and has vowed to become more precise with his passes. But 1,117 throws into his career, will Kaepernick be able to remember his new tricks in the face of the blitz? It’s a question that will define the 49ers’ 2015 season, and Kaepernick’s future with the team. Kaepernick is a gifted athlete, one born to play quarterback. There’s just no guarantee he’ll be doing it for the 49ers in 2016 if his 2015 goes anything like his 2014. 20. Chiefs, Alex Smith Alex Smith plays quarterback like he’s terrified of running a red light. His eyes see green, but his body is a tensed coil waiting for yellow. This brand of Boy Scout football produced a 2014 where Smith didn’t throw a touchdown to a receiver. It’s hard to imagine a more preposterous “feat” for someone who plays a position where the whole point is throwing touchdowns to receivers. Nevertheless, full stops and counting to three also keep Smith out of trouble. In 30 games under center in Kansas City, Smith has committed just 17 total turnovers. His process at least produces the desired result. Smith is not the long-term answer in Kansas City. He’s also not a 2015 question mark. 21. Bengals, Andy Dalton Andy Dalton will be remembered long after his career is over. Not for his playoff victories — of which there will quite possibly be zero — but for setting the new standard of mediocrity. Dalton isn’t good enough for a long-term deal. The Bengals are paying their 2011 second-rounder as they go. But he is good enough to be comfortably ahead of A.J. McCarron. Dalton is the blurred line between good and bad, the frustrating realization that even quarterbacks this good/bad/maybe watchable/probably not are hard to find. Dalton is the poster child for the quixotic quest of finding an NFL signal caller. He will never be Peyton Manning, or even Joe Flacco. At least he’s not Kyle Orton. 22. Bears, Jay Cutler Systems, coaches and No. 1 receivers come and go. Jay Cutler just keeps underachieving. Cutler was a coach-killing catastrophe in 2014, sabotaging Marc Trestman’s offense to the degree that OC Aaron Kromer served as an anonymous, negative source for an NFL Network report. Cutler was benched for Jimmy Clausen, something that shouldn’t be possible in the CFL, let alone the NFL. The only reason the Bears haven’t moved on is a contract quirk that guaranteed Cutler’s 2016 salary before the start of the new league year. Cutler’s latest fixers are the impressive trio of coach John Fox, OC Adam Gase and QBs coach Dowell Loggains. Cutler reportedly has a “strong, personal relationship" with Loggains. That’s nice in theory, but like most things that are nice in theory with Cutler — his arm, his athleticism, his receiving talent — it’s unlikely to be the missing piece to the puzzle. After years of waiting on Cutler to finally deliver, the Bears have moved on to waiting out his contract. 23. Raiders, Derek Carr Derek Carr was fine as a rookie. Promising, even. He was not the indisputable answer to the Raiders’ post-Rich Gannon quarterback woes. Carr’s 5.46 YPA was the third lowest of the past five seasons, with only 2011 Blaine Gabbert (5.36) and 2010 Jimmy Clausen (5.21) posting worse marks. It was the second worst YPA in Raiders’ franchise history, and one of the worst of the 21st century. The list of quarterbacks to manage a lower YPA than Carr since 2001 reads like a who’s who of flops. Joining Gabbert and Clausen are Brady Quinn, JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bruce Gradkowski, Kyle Orton, Mark Brunell, A.J. Feeley, Ken Dorsey, Joey Harrington, Shane Matthews and Chris Weinke. Not exactly comforting company for Carr to keep. It’s true that Carr had an abysmal coaching staff and even worse supporting cast, but 5.46 is a major concern no matter the circumstances. Carr is tough as nails, and protected the ball as a rookie. He can read defenses and has an NFL arm. He’s just not the surefire solution to the Raiders’ quarterback conundrum, and is in fact far from it. 24. Jaguars, Blake Bortles Blake Bortles has the tools to be the next Ben Roethlisberger. He has the film to be the next Jake Locker. Physically impressive though he was, Bortles was a turnover machine as a rookie, tossing 17 picks in 475 attempts. He struggled to recognize coverages, which was one of the main reasons he took a league-worst 55 sacks. (The Jags’ atrocious line didn’t help.) Of course, this wasn’t entirely unexpected. The Jags knew Bortles was raw when they made him the No. 3 overall pick. They told anyone who would listen that Bortles would be “redshirted” as a rookie. That was never realistic in the modern NFL, but the point is, the Jags knew they weren’t drafting an overnight sensation. There were positives for Bortles in 2014. He scrambled for 419 yards, and showed subtle improvement as the year wore on. But from his footwork to his throwing motion, Bortles’ entire game needs refinement. Bortles’ book is far from written, but the Jags could have Locker 2.0 on their hands if Chapter 2 doesn’t blow Chapter 1 out of the water. 25. Cardinals, Carson Palmer Carson Palmer’s 2014 began with a shoulder injury and ended with a torn ACL. In between were six dynamite starts, but Palmer’s doomsday clock is ticking. Palmer is a crumbling statue who can’t be counted on to stay healthy for 16 games. That’s the bad news. The really bad news is that there are no reinforcements behind him. Drew Stanton is a pick-happy journeyman, and Logan Thomas was so shaky as a rookie that his practices got him benched. Palmer will keep the Cardinals competitive when he’s on the field, but quarterback is looking like the Achilles’ heel for an otherwise ascendant team. 26. Rams, Nick Foles Is Nick Foles the Rams’ best quarterback since Marc Bulger? Such is the depressing state of the position in St. Louis. The bar isn’t high for Foles. He simply has to be better than Sam Bradford. The Rams know they didn’t acquire the quarterback who posted a 27:2 TD:INT ratio in 2013. The question is if they’re even getting the 59.8 percent passer from last season. Foles’ pedestrian 2014 (before he broke his collarbone) came with a much more impressive supporting cast than the one he’s inheriting in St. Louis. That’s to say nothing of the brain drain between coaching staffs. Foles is not a special talent, and there’s a chance he’s not even an ordinary one. Heading into the final year of his rookie contract, the odds are no better than 50-50 that Foles will be back as the Rams’ starter in 2016. 27. Eagles, Sam Bradford If you think this is too low for the Eagles’ quarterback situation, I can tell you someone who doesn’t: Chip Kelly. The league’s first 30-minutes-or-less general manager spent the spring trying to redecorate his quarterback room, culminating in an extraordinarily-public pursuit of Marcus Mariota. Chip never came close to landing his college signal caller, leaving him with Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez and figment-of-your-imagination Tim Tebow. Bradford will start Week 1 … if his twice-torn left ACL is healthy. That won’t even be the hard part. Bradford is a 58.6 percent passer,with an equally uninspiring 6.29 YPA and 79.3 QB rating to boot. Bradford was never set up for success in St. Louis, but those are troubling numbers for any quarterback with 1,760 career throws. There’s still untapped potential in the No. 1 overall pick of the 2010 draft, but we don’t know if he’s the answer in Philly any more than Kelly does. Kelly’s actions are louder than any words when it comes to evaluating the Eagles’ quarterback situation. 28. Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick The Jets have three quarterbacks. As any good football fan knows, that really means they have zero quarterbacks. The third, fourth-rounder Bryce Petty, won’t play this season. That leaves Ryan Fitzpatrick to battle Geno Smith. Fitzpatrick is a journeyman who keeps getting released/traded, but also inadequately replaced. Three years on, the Bills haven’t come close to finding a quarterback as effective as “FitzMagic.” The Titans cut Fitz last offseason and promptly went 2-14. Houston apparently believes Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer is a better duo. They will be proven wrong. None of which is to say the Jets will be proven right. As for Smith, he’s flashed some good in two years, but more bad. He’s the owner of a career 25:34 TD:INT ratio. From his arm to his mobility, Smith is a more talented quarterback than Fitzpatrick, but is unlikely to beat him out in camp. That leaves Fitz for the start of 2015, and nothing but questions beyond. 29. Redskins, Robert Griffin III There are harbingers of doom, and then there’s getting benched for Colt McCoy in the year of our lord 2014. Robert Griffin III looked like the league’s most electrifying player since Michael Vick as a rookie, but injuries have robbed him of his unique athleticism. They haven’t robbed him of his penchant for drama, which has put him at loggerheads with coach Jay Gruden, a man who seems to have little interest in catering his “system” to RGIII’s strengths. It’s made for a toxic situation that appears to have little hope of a happy ending. Still only 25, it’s too early to write off Griffin’s career, but a departure from Washington is probably best for both sides. It’s likely to come in 2016, quite possibly after RGIII has again been benched for McCoy. 30. Browns, Josh McCown If Josh McCown is the answer, you’re asking yourself some pretty rough questions. McCown is a 36-year-old quarterback (in July) who has thrown nearly as many career picks (59) as touchdowns (61). He’s here because he played eight good games for quarterback guru Marc Trestman in 2013. He is desperation in the form of a quarterback, and a poor bet to hold off Johnny Manziel. Which brings us to Johnny Football. Manziel’s main concern as a rookie seemed to be proving every sanctimonious newspaper columnist right, showing stunning immaturity off the field and total ineptitude on it. The only thing he seemed prepared for was the after party. To his credit, Manziel has endeavored to get his life and career in order. He spent his offseason in a drug- and alcohol-rehabilitation center, and his transformation is already turning heads amongst his teammates. Manziel’s bust potential remains through the roof, but a second chance that appeared impossible three months ago now seems likely. 31. Texans, Ryan Mallett Bill O’Brien had an amazing first year as the Texans’ head coach, but his approach to the quarterback position leaves something to be desired. He’s jettisoned Ryan Fitzpatrick in favor of two inferior players, Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer. Mallett and Hoyer’s secret sauce was playing for O’Brien in New England, an accident of history that apparently makes them more qualified to quarterback in Houston than anyone else. It’s not that Fitzpatrick is some sort of elite option himself, but O’Brien has now wed himself to a quarterback situation that should be the envy of no one. A 27-year-old (in June) statue, Mallett has attempted 79 career passes, completing 53.2 percent of them. Hoyer was arguably the worst quarterback in the league last season, completing just 55.3 percent of his throws while posting a 2:9 TD:INT ratio over his final 186 attempts. “Waiting in the wings” is 2014 fourth-rounder Tom Savage, a player who had no shortage of struggles in the Big East/ACC. O’Brien has hit a lot of right notes in Houston, but quarterback isn’t one of them. 32. Bills, Matt Cassel Bad things happen when you draft the wrong quarterback. Bad things like luring this guy out of retirement. Bad things like committing to a career 59 percent passer who just turned 33 and missed the majority of 2014 with a broken foot. Bad things like having a playoff-worthy roster at every position but the most important. The Bills moved on from Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2013. They correctly diagnosed that he wasn’t a franchise quarterback. But in the land of E.J. Manueland Matt Cassel, FitzMagic would easily be king. Searching for their first playoff appearance since 1999, the Bills are shaping up to be a Goliath quarterbacked by a David. Or maybe a Jeff (Tuel). Either way, no team has a shakier quarterback situation, and no team will be working harder to upgrade it in 2016. http://www.rotoworld...situations?pg=1 I agree with Mallett and Cassell being the worst starting qb's in the nfl but mariota over Smith, Dalton and Palmer? Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTM Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 At least when he gave big money to Pennington the dude had already won a playoff game. Tanny just crippled the Dolphins cap for half a decade for a QB who can't even break .500. no.. Pennington was coming off a very bad season and signed relatively speaking, a larger deal.. second biggest at the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southparkcpa Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Huh? I hated the Penny experiment, but Pennington with a stronger arm had the potential to be borderline HoF. Southparkcpa with a stronger arm to be a HOFer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFJF Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 . When is the last time Tannehill won more than 8 games in a season? Oh yeah never I see wins as more of a team stat, but if you feel that one single player is solely responsible for wins and losses then you're certainly entitled to your opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetBlue Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Hopefully he chokes a little, struggling to live up his contract Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdetroit Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I see wins as more of a team stat, but if you feel that one single player is solely responsible for wins and losses then you're certainly entitled to your opinion. Tannehill isn't a winner. The dolphins collapses last two seasons didn't exclude him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFJF Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Tannehill isn't a winner. The dolphins collapses last two seasons didn't exclude him. The league is full of QB's who weren't winners...until they were. I guess they should've just told him to take his 66% comp pct and 27 TD's and take a hike. Even if he has improved statistically every year in the league, he's not a winner. No point in keeping him on the roster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obrien2Toon Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Dolphins have a young, mediocre qb. Probably the worst thing that can happen to a franchise. Hes what Andy Dalton is to the Bengals. We are better off having a young, crappy qb like Geno as we know he sucks and will keep looking for a young, elite qb. bingo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdetroit Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 The league is full of QB's who weren't winners...until they were. I guess they should've just told him to take his 66% comp pct and 27 TD's and take a hike. Even if he has improved statistically every year in the league, he's not a winner. No point in keeping him on the roster. He's a stats guy like I said let me know when he has a winning season. I would have kept him but not at $16 mil per year if that's the case Russell Wilson is worth $32 mil. Andrew Luck with a garbage roster makes the playoffs every year. It's a team sport but the qb is by far the biggest factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdetroit Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 bingo! Dalton is a good comparison they are similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slats Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Omar Kelly2m However, for the extra $7M the Dolphins got cap space in 2016, and locked up Ryan Tannehill at a bargain rate for the final 3 years. Blogger / Podcaster Omar Kelly3m If the Dolphins had carried on with Tannehill's old deal & tagged him it would have run then $38M over 3 years instead of $45M over 3 years. Blogger / Podcaster I'm a little surprised at the size of this thread. Tannehill is a decent QB, the fish are smart to want to hold onto him. My only criticism would be this: In typical Tannenbaum fashion, he's paid a premium a year or two early, for a little cap space and the hope that Tannehill is elite (and a relative bargain) a couple years from now. Tannehill is better than Sanchez, but this extension feels eerily similar to Sanchez'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTM Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I'm a little surprised at the size of this thread. Tannehill is a decent QB, the fish are smart to want to hold onto him. My only criticism would be this: In typical Tannenbaum fashion, he's paid a premium a year or two early, for a little cap space and the hope that Tannehill is elite (and a relative bargain) a couple years from now. Tannehill is better than Sanchez, but this extension feels eerily similar to Sanchez'. Except that Sanchez was a proven consistantly BAD player, where as Tannenhill has flirted with average Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vudu Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Waste of money for a mediocre qb Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Except that Sanchez was a proven consistantly BAD player, where as Tannenhill has flirted with average Progress for Tannenbaum, I guess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Southparkcpa with a stronger arm to be a HOFer. Don't flatter yourself. You suck at reading defenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Had Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 He's a stats guy like I said let me know when he has a winning season. I would have kept him but not at $16 mil per year if that's the case Russell Wilson is worth $32 mil. Andrew Luck with a garbage roster makes the playoffs every year. It's a team sport but the qb is by far the biggest factor. Sanchez has a great winning record post season and led the jets to the playoffs a couple times...too bad he's gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Sanchez has a great winning record post season and led the jets to the playoffs a couple times...too bad he's gone. There's always one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 There's always one. Might as well send out the Bleeding Green bat signal and start a "Was Chad Pennington the 2nd greatest Jet QB of all-time?" thread and have some fun. This is going to be a long summer for those of us without lives outside of football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Might as well send out the Bleeding Green bat signal and start a "Was Chad Pennington the 2nd greatest Jet QB of all-time?" thread and have some fun. That would almost be like bragging we got a top 5 QB in a 2 QB class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southparkcpa Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 That would almost be like bragging we got a top 5 QB in a 2 QB class. How this team has failed to secure and develop a QB in 25 years is alarming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 That would almost be like bragging we got a top 5 QB in a 2 QB class. Not really, no. Bryce Petty was drafted 3 rounds later than Chad Pennington. It was kind of a no-brainer to get a QB in the mid-rounds this year. But don't let me stop you from being underwhelmed! Your snark gives me strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 How this team has failed to secure and develop a QB in 25 years is alarming. Agreed. Let's hope this regime is different. As has been mentioned in another thread, I believe Petty's system at Baylor has some similarities/shared elements with what Chan Gailey has tried to do in his career. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Not really, no. Yes. Really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Yes. Really. Explain it to me like I'm 5. How are those 2 ideas anything close to similar other than the fact that QB's are involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Explain it to me like I'm 5. How are those 2 ideas anything close to similar other than the fact that QB's are involved. FIGHT FIGHT!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Explain it to me like I'm 5. How are those 2 ideas anything close to similar other than the fact that QB's are involved. :moves SpongeBob toys aside, sits down on rocking horse that your mother got for you: OK little Jetsfan80, it doesn't matter if Chad Pennington is the second best Jets quarterback of all time, because all of them but one were not good. And it doesn't matter if Bryce Petty is a top 5 quarterback prospect, because all of them but two of were not good. Now wipe the snot off your face and go get a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southparkcpa Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Agreed. Let's hope this regime is different. As has been mentioned in another thread, I believe Petty's system at Baylor has some similarities/shared elements with what Chan Gailey has tried to do in his career. We'll see. It would be friggin awesome if we could have a 4th round pick become our solid starter. Montana was a 3rd, Wilson a 3rd etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 It would be friggin awesome if we could have a 4th round pick become our solid starter. Montana was a 3rd, Wilson a 3rd etc.. True but RJF just clearly explained why Petty is guaranteed to amount to nothing and now I'm sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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