The Top 5 Quarterbacks in 2009

Quarterback. It's sometimes called the most important position on the field. The QB is the gunslinger, the game manager, the signal caller, he is special.

Brett "The Jet" Favre, who will be regarded as one of the best of all time, has waved goodbye for the final time and he isn't gonna be back.

He may have been in an unfamiliar shade of green when he left, but he's gone. Face up to it.

But when next year comes, who will be the top five quarterbacks in the league. Favre used to grace this list but now, we've found someone new. Sit back and get ready for the ride, folks.

Honorable Mention: Matt Cassel

Before last year, Cassel hadn't started a game since high school (1999) but after Tom Brady went down with a knee injury in Week 1, Cassel stepped in and seemed to get better every week.

Cassel would be spending this season on the bench if he wouldn't have been traded to the quarterback-hungry Kansas City Chiefs.

With Tony Gonzales along with Dwayne Bowe, Cassel should have an all-right year and hopefully lead the Chiefs to the playoffs. Last year, Cassel started 15 games and completed 327 of 516 pass attempts for 3,693 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

5. Carson Palmer

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is probably the biggest surprise on the list. Coming off of a year in which he only played in four games (75 of 129, 731 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions), Palmer has lost receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh but gained former Favre target Laveranues Coles, who was released by the Jets.

Chad Johnson is still in the fold and Palmer looks to have a great comeback year.

4. Kurt Warner

Look people, it's Kurt "The Ageless Wonder" Warner. Warner led the Arizona Cardinals to victory and helped three of his receivers (Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston) to 1,000 yard seasons.

Oh yeah, and he led the Redbirds to their first-ever Super Bowl. They lost, but you gotta admire the veteran.

Last year, Warner started all 16 games and completed 401 of 598 passes for 4,583 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.

His WR's will look pretty much the same so it could be a hard year on the Cards' opponents.

3. Drew Brees

Drew Brees usually sits as this spot. He's good, but not good enough to beat out Manning or Brady.

Last year, the undersized quarterback started all 16 games and completed 413 of 635 passing attempts for 5,069 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.

Brees barely missed breaking Dan Marino's yardage in a season record but became only the second QB after Marino to throw for over 5,000 yards in one season.

If the Saints don't get the running game on track this year, look for more of the same.

What's remarkable is that Brees didn't have the big receiver Marques Colston for some of the year because of Colston's thumb injury.

Colston and popular tight end Jeremy Shockey look to be healthy for the season, and Drew Brees looks to have another great year.

2. Peyton Manning

No surprise. Peyton Manning is a great. He was named the MVP of the 2008 season and also named to the Pro Bowl.......again.

Manning hasn't missed a game yet to injuries and doesn't intend to break that streak this year.

Former Colts head coach Tony Dungy has retired, but I don't look for that to hurt Manning.

Manning started all 16 games last season and completed 371 of 555 pass attempts for 4,002 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

1. Tom Brady

Who can forget the knee damaging hit that Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard put on Tom Brady during the Chiefs' season opener against New England?

The newlywed Brady should have another great season along with star wideout Randy Moss. The last time that these two got together, Brady threw 50 touchdowns and they went to the Super Bowl.

Look for Brady to win the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award at the end of the year.