Ranking the QBs
The return of NFL training camps is just about upon us. And with that being the case, USA Today just released this:
Ranking NFL quarterbacks by team:
NFL rosters are essentially set until training camps open later this month. In the meantime, USA TODAY Sports has analyzed each team's depth chart and is ranking units throughout the league before providing an overall hierarchy of talent.
Quarterbacks --
Top 5:
1. New England Patriots: Go ahead — ding Tom Brady for his unspectacular arm strength, subpar athleticism or say he's profited from unprecedented coaching continuity and brilliance. But does a tenable argument that he's not the best in the business right now — and forevermore — honestly remain? Don't kid yourself. And after he played meaningful snaps effectively in 2016, Jimmy Garoppolo's presence makes any notion that another team has a better QB situation virtually indefensible.
2. Green Bay Packers: When it comes to pure arm talent, atomic clock accuracy, the ability to leverage mobility in or out of the pocket and execute at crunch time, is anyone better than two-time MVP and Hail Mary maestro Aaron Rodgers? He probably needs more rings to cement himself on the quarterbacking Mount Rushmore, but it can be argued no more physically talented passer has played the position. Watch Brett Hundley in preseason — he might be the kind talent the Packers can spin off for a high draft pick down the road.
3. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan was dialed in from start to finish in 2016 — at least until the fourth quarter of that last game anyway. Still, the league MVP had one of the finest individual seasons of any quarterback in league history, taking a meteoric jump in his ninth year. The question now, was it an aberration, or can he keep it up?
4. Pittsburgh Steelers: Everything appears to be in place for Ben Roethlisberger to put together an MVP season ... assuming he doesn't miss four games with ... something. Landry Jones is the backup, but rookie Josh Dobbs could push him.
5. Seattle Seahawks: Statistically, 2016 was Russell Wilson's worst year, largely because he was fighting knee and ankle issues that limited his mobility behind a line that got him sacked 41 times. Still, for a guy who wasn't highly regarded entering the NFL five years ago, he's blossomed into one of its best passers. Wilson has a great arm, uses surreal escapability to sidestep rushers and extend plays rather than bail out of them, always keeps his eyes downfield and rarely makes a killer mistake.
Bottom 5:
28. Houston Texans: They're standing firm behind nominal starter Tom Savage. But when you trade up to get a guy in the first round — especially one as promising as Deshaun Watson — it's only a matter of time before Savage goes back to the bench.
29. Los Angeles Rams: Several metrics would suggest Jared Goff was the league's worst quarterback in 2016 — not what the Rams were hoping for after paying a king's ransom to draft him No. 1 overall. But let's let Sean McVay, part of Kirk Cousins' development in Washington, get his hands on Goff, 22, before we bury the kid. But if he falters, Sean Mannion might step in and surprise.
30. San Francisco 49ers: Yes, Brian Hoyer has his limitations. And, yes, he's almost certainly no more than a placeholder. But over the last two seasons, Hoyer has 25 TDs vs. seven INTs. In 2014, he was 7-6 in Cleveland. Props. He'll have a job in this league for another dozen years. Matt Barkley also showed he can do more than hold a clipboard last year.
31. Cleveland Browns: Cody Kessler showed as a rookie he might be more than backup material. Maybe. Brock Osweiler is trying to prove he can revive his career. Maybe. DeShone Kizer could display he was worthy of being a first-round pick after all. Maybe. And — maybe — the Browns will be picking yet another passer in next year's first round.
32. New York Jets: USC's Sam Darnold isn't officially a Jet ... yet. But the most likely ways for the Trojans star to steer clear of this seeming inevitability are 1) Pull a Peyton Manning, whose return to school prevented him from joining the NYJ in 1997 or 2) Hope Christian Hackenberg fools everyone and performs far better than expected once he makes his belated pro debut.
And then, there's the Bears, just outside the Bottom 5. Wonderful.
27. Chicago Bears: Whether they go with Mike Glennon or fan-not-so-favorite rookie Mitchell Trubisky, there's a reasonable chance for decent results if the pass protection doesn't get those guys killed like it did Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer and Connor Shaw in 2016.
As a Bears fan, the upcoming season looks neither encouraging nor promising. Not just because of the QB position. Because the "Monsters of the Midway" have lost their hunger to win.... their fight instinct.... their determination to once again rule the division.
They are Bears with no teeth.
Here's the link to those USA Today rankings:
And here's another good study of QB rankings going into the 2017 season:
Out for now......
Matt
