NFL: From Tom Brady To Jimmy Clausen, Ranking the NFL QBs in 2011
With only one game left to play in the NFL season (two if you count the Pro Bowl), most teams are already setting up their plans for next year. Many are lucky to have a solid quarterback; others are searching for someone to lead their team in 2011, whether through the draft or free agency.
I ranked each team's quarterback for the upcoming season. The elite quarterbacks are a given near the top, but have any rising stars cracked the top ten?
Free agents who seem likely to fall to a certain team will be added to the list, as will rookies who might be starting, though I tried to limit those.
32. Jimmy Clausen, Carolina Panthers
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Jimmy Clausen is not an NFL quarterback and won't be. Those that passed on him in the 2010 NFL Draft feel a lot better after seeing how he was this season.
He'll be going nowhere this year, and the Carolina Panthers are probably disappointed that Andrew Luck decided to go back to school.
31. Cam Newton, Washington Redskins
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Cam Newton is not NFL-ready yet, but the Washington Redskins will stick him in anyway.
They may open the season with Rex Grossman, but they'll move to Newton for the majority of the season. The first season will be tough on him, especially given the state of the Washington Redskins.
30. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks
3 of 32
That one great playoff performance aside, Matt Hasselbeck has very little left in the tank.
His stats this season were not very good, but Seattle may keep Hasselbeck for another year and let him ride out his career.
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29. John Skelton, Arizona Cardinals
4 of 32
My gut-feeling is that the Arizona Cardinals won't gamble on any quarterbacks in the first round. Even if they do, John Skelton will be the QB for the majority of the season.
He's not that good, but he at least has the drive to win. That's better than you can say about some quarterbacks.
28. Donovan McNabb, Tennessee Titans
5 of 32
McNabb with the Tennessee Titans? What am I thinking?
In short, I'm thinking that if anyone can get McNabb back to his former self and get things moving again, it's Titans' coach Jeff Fisher.
Do I think it will work out? Unfortunately, no.
McNabb struggled with the Redskins this past season, and the Titans don't have that many weapons for him to utilize. Unless Kenny Britt suddenly morphs into an elite receiver, it will be a long year for McNabb.
27. Colt McCoy, Cleveland Browns
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I would love to put Colt McCoy higher, and I think he'll be a good quarterback in the NFL later on, but as of right now, I have to put him near the bottom, mainly because he's got no one to throw to while having to face secondaries led by Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu.
26. Kevin Kolb, San Francisco 49ers
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I could see the San Francisco 49ers drafting a quarterback, but I could simultaneously see them trading for one that's tired of where he is now. Kolb teaming up with Harbaugh could end up working out well, as Kolb has shown flashes of greatness when given the opportunity.
There will be a learning curve for Kolb, and he will struggle as everyone involved gets used to the new surroundings. I expect a good end to his year and a great 2012, though, if he does end up in San Francisco.
He shows great promise, even if others may not think so.
25. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills
8 of 32
I like Ryan Fitzpatrick. I think he's a better quarterback than both J.P. Losman and Trent Edwards, and could be good enough for the Buffalo Bills.
The problem is, the Bills have been struggling so much that they need a great quarterback to fight back in the AFC East, and Fitzpatrick isn't great.
Either way, the management will give him one more year to prove himself, as well as another year to prove most people wrong. He'll have a solid year like he did this past season, but if he can't start winning, it won't matter.
24. Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos
9 of 32
I'm prepared for the backlash from Tebow fans for having the audacity to put him this far down.
By doing this, I'm not saying he'll be a bust, or even bad in the NFL. I'm saying that while he's shown promise with the Denver Broncos this year, he's still green.
2011 will be a time of transition for Tebow. He will iron out his weaknesses as he gradually turns into an NFL quarterback. People will complain he's overrated halfway through the season, when he will be playing exactly how management expects.
Whether or not he will be a bust will be determined by 2012; 2011 is a learning year for Tebow, and his stats will reflect that.
23. Jason Campell, Oakland Raiders
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Raiders quarterbacks are a pain to rank, since there are so many other things to factor in. Campbell's a decent quarterback, but as much as the Oakland Raiders loved him, he actually took a step backward this past season, completing under 60 percent of his passes on not that many attempts.
Beyond that, Hue Jackson's promotion might hurt him, since the two seemed to work well when Jackson served as offensive coordinator. They still might be an effective tandem, hence the problem with the Raiders: They could be great, but they could also be bad, and we won't know until halfway through the season.
22. Kyle Orton, Miami Dolphins
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Why will Orton be a part of Miami's team? I don't think the Dolphins will fall in love with any remaining first-round quarterbacks, and will pick up Orton to compete with Chad Henne.
Orton will win thanks to his chemistry with Brandon Marshall.
Kyle Orton is a very good passer, but not that good of a quarterback. He can put up 350-400 yards without a second thought but still lose; we get those types of quarterbacks in the league once in a while.
Brandon Marshall will have a great year again thanks to Orton, but he's not really going to lead the Dolphins anywhere. I don't see Orton completing 60 percent of his passes, either.
21. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
12 of 32
Were the New York Jets good because of Mark Sanchez, or because of other players? I'd have to say the latter.
Stats may not say the whole story, but the fact is Santonio Holmes made the Jets' QB better. If Holmes leaves in free agency, there's going to be trouble.
I actually see Sanchez relapsing in 2011 and having stats more like 2009, but I'm hoping that I'm wrong. As long as he can win the tough games in the playoffs, that's what matters, not the mediocre stats.
20. Vince Young, Minnesota Vikings
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The hiring of Craig Johnson by the Minnesota Vikings convinces me that Vince Young will land here. He has shown flashes of greatness when given the chance, and for at least one season he will be given that opportunity in Minnesota.
The only question becomes whether or not Leslie Frazier can handle Young's attitude.
19. Eli Manning, New York Giants
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I can't seem to figure out Eli Manning.
On one side, he has increased his completion percentage and touchdowns every year for the past three seasons. On the other side, he has done the same with interceptions. He can't use poor protection as an excuse, either, since he got much better protection this year than he usually does.
In 2011, I can't see him throwing 25 picks again, but that total isn't going to go down that much. It's a shame since he's efficient; the only problem is he's efficient for both teams.
18. David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Garrard seems to get a lot of flack, which is odd to me.
While many are great passers but not so good quarterbacks, Garrard is a much better quarterback than a passer, if that makes sense. His stats are anything but flashy, but could anyone else be getting the Jacksonville Jaguars near a playoff spot with their offense?
Beyond that, he had a career-high in completions and touchdowns in 2010, so he knows both when and where to throw the ball.
17. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
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After having a rather poor 2009, Stafford showed promise in 2010 before injury took over. Despite the attack by linebacker Zack Follett, I think Stafford will have a pretty solid season in 2011 for the Detroit Lions.
If he goes back to his 2009 self, then it will be a long year in Detroit, but the team seems to finally be rallying. Then again, the Browns won their last four last year and look what happened.
16. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
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There are several people we have seen on this list who are very good passers, but only decent quarterbacks, and Carson Palmer is perhaps the best example of that. He never returned to his prime years, so anyone expecting great years from him in the future is greatly mistaken.
If his interceptions continue to stay at that level and he stops winning games then he'll continue to tumble in the ranks.
15. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams
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The St. Louis Rams rookie quarterback has firmly entrenched himself in the middle of the quarterback ranks, and will look to gradually move up over the next couple years.
His stats are decent, but made better when you factor in his lack of good receiving targets. Hopefully, for his sake, the Rams pick up Julio Jones in the draft. If they do, you can move him up a spot here for 2011.
14. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
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For all the hatred that Cutler has received these past weeks, he's really a better quarterback than most that Chicago has seen in the past decade. He has to slow down on the interceptions and focus, but remember that he doesn't have any particularly great targets to throw to either.
He at least deserves a spot in the top-half, as long as he doesn't throw 26 interceptions again like in 2009.
13. Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs
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I might catch heat for having him this far down, but I'm not convinced that Matt Cassel suddenly went from an average quarterback to a great one in a single season. He certainly improved, but if much of it was due to the guidance of Charlie Weis, then I expect a regression in 2011.
Even with all the positives in his game this past year, he still failed to break the 60-percent completion mark.
12. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
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Despite having to carry the weight of being a Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Tony Romo's actually done a fairly good job. He is very efficient in his throws, and while it remains to be seen if his excellent 2009 season was the exception rather than the rule, he seems ready to break out in 2011.
Yes, he's no good in the playoffs, but at least he gets the team that far.
11. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
22 of 32
The Houston Texans may have stunk last year, but it was not because of Matt Schaub and the offense. He had a down year for him this past season, but nonetheless put up some very good numbers. Having a target like Andre Johnson helps as well.
Schaub's a tough quarterback to rate, since he puts up very good numbers, but he's not going to be ranked with the elite, so all he can do is keep putting up the points and hope the defense is quasi-decent next year.
10. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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After this past season, I think Josh Freeman has the makings of an elite quarterback. He may not be there yet, but he has shown a great arm, and has made the Tampa Bay Buccaneers suddenly great again.
Yes, they missed the playoffs, but it doesn't help that Brees and Ryan are higher up on the countdown. I expect a big year from this guy nonetheless.
9. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
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Joe Flacco has emerged as a great quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, and like the next guy up continues to get better every year. It helps that he seems to have found a rhythm for how often to throw given how balanced the Ravens offense has become.
Anyone who can change the Ravens' offense from a run-based game has to be a top ten quarterback.
8. Matt Ryan, Altanta Falcons
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No's. 8-6 are really close together, and I think with one more great season, Matt Ryan will move past the next two.
Matt Ryan has gotten better every year he has played, and I expect his 2011 stats to be rather comparable to this past year's. It helps that he has a great target in Roddy White to throw to.
7. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
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I was tempted to put Ryan above Brees, but I think Brees' 22 interceptions this year will be sorted out in the offseason. If that's discounted (which it shouldn't be, but nonetheless), then he has shown himself to be a great quarterback and an amazing passer.
He led the league in completion percentage two straight years while throwing 4,000+ yards without much of an issue. I do worry about durability though, just because he threw over 650 passes this year, beating his record from his 5,000-yard season.
6. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
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Unfortunately, with the issues he had this season, Peyton Manning seems to be nearing his end as an elite quarterback. That doesn't mean he's going to be bad; far from it.
His 'decent' is many other quarterbacks' 'great,' so things will be fine in Indianapolis for a few years.
This past season, he led the league in both completions and attempts while notching 17 interceptions. He is still efficient, completing about two-thirds of his passes, but I expect these numbers to slip gradually the next couple seasons, so his ranking takes a hit if we're looking ahead to 2011.
5. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
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Philip Rivers could very well be the best passer in the league, or among them at least. From that perspective, he is a great quarterback, though I would not put him on the level of the top three.
Last season, he threw for over 4700 yards, and if he wants to do that again in 2011, he probably could, whether it wins games or not.
4. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles
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There's no question that Michael Vick is back, and NFL fans have stood up and taken notice.
Not only has he not lost his step after being out of football as long as he was, but I think he's better than ever.
This year, he went from a running back who can throw into a bona fide quarterback. I expect him to remain just as good next year, and hopefully he'll play all 16 games.
3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
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I might not like to admit it, and I could use the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense as an excuse, but the fact of the matter is that Ben Roethlisberger is an elite quarterback.
No matter who is his running back or who are his wide receivers, he knows how to find the open man and make plays.
A Super Bowl win will only cement his status as a current top three quarterback in the league.
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
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Yes, I have Aaron Rodgers over Ben Roethlisberger and the like. Despite a slew of injuries, including to the Green Bay Packers running back and Rodgers' go-to tight end, the QB has had just as great a year as he always does.
Now, he's making his Super Bowl debut, and even if he loses, I think he's proven that he's an elite quarterback in the NFL.
1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
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Say what you will, but the man who will likely win the MVP Award is the best quarterback, and will be the best one going into the 2011 season. He makes his teammates not only better, but into elite players even if they aren't all that good without him (i.e. Deion Branch).
He's the best at what he does, and has yet to show signs of slowing down like Peyton Manning did.
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