NFL: 5 Quarterbacks on the Verge of a Breakthrough

We figured out who the best quarterbacks were a long time ago. Those guys get enough lip service to have churches constructed and filled on Sunday. One of the biggest problems with the glamour of the NFL is that a lot of guys can go overlooked. Even when they're doing all the right things, a bad game will set them back permanently in the eyes of fans and analysts.

These 5 NFL quarterbacks, through the good and the bad, have shown flashes of being able to compete at the next level. Everyone on this list has what it takes to be an elite NFL player.

Colt McCoy

Colt McCoy scrambles for a 17 yard TD run against New England

There is a lot to like about Colt McCoy. He's an intelligent, hardworking young quarterback with great short to intermediate accuracy and all the leadership intangibles. He was surprisingly overlooked last season.

McCoy came into the starting position with maybe the toughest possible situation out of any QB this year. Playing in the division where the Ravens and Steelers defenses were first and third in the league with 14.5 and 16.9  points per game respectively is a nightmare for any rookie.

McCoy did this while throwing to what has to be the worst group of wide receivers in the NFL. Benjamin Watson is a thirty year old tight end, who in his best season to date had put up 643 yards with the Patriots. He's a mediocre pass catching tight end, at best.

With McCoy throwing to him, Watson came up with a career-high 763 yards, highest on the team. The next most consistent option was Peyton Hillis, who caught an astounding 61 passes at running back last season. Mohamed Massaquoi did put up 13.4 yards per reception, but, you have to catch the ball more than 49% of the time it's thrown to you to actually be considered productive.

McCoy's overall performance is not outstanding for a rookie, but considering his situation it looks a lot better. He had a 61 percent completion rate, and threw for 1576 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also ran for a 17 yard touchdown on a scramble in the video above. The interesting thing about McCoy's stats is seven of the interceptions he threw came against the Ravens and the Steelers, and six of them happened during the last two games of the year.

In the end, out of eight games, McCoy posted two terrible performances, two stellar ones, and four solid ones. His arm strength might be an issue someday, but that's been said about other quarterbacks before. The Browns drafted Greg Little, who could turn out to be a very solid possession receiver.

The offensive line is set with Joe Thomas and Alex Mack locking down pass rushers. If McCoy can get some help, we might see the Browns be relevant again, and the AFC North might turn into the toughest division in the NFL.

Matthew Stafford

Stafford throws a nice fade to Burleson

It's become clear that Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton can't be starting quarterbacks in the NFL. They've served well, but if Matthew Stafford ever fixes his glass shoulder and comes to play, I think we might see the rise of another great quarterback.

The games he started in 2010 were superb. Before he re-injured his shoulder in game one against the Bears, he had already put up 11 completions in 15 attempts for 83 yards. He was able to come back for two more games, injuring himself again in week 9 against the Jets. In weeks 8 and 9 against Washington and New York he was 46/81 for 442 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. Lions fans have a reason to be excited about their team for the first time in over a decade.

The latest reports are saying that Stafford's arm looks great. He's throwing the ball well and has even done some training sessions during the lockout with teammates. Stafford was only helped by the draft. Now he has Titus Young and Mikel Leshoure to complement the Lions' already-dangerous offense.

Stafford has all the ability and all the weapons, if he stays on the field this year he could be a top quarterback and the Lions could be a top team. The Lions kept many games within three points this year under Shaun Hill's guidance, and although Hill is very solid backup, he doesn't have Stafford's elite skills.

Stafford will also benefit greatly from a revamped Lions defense. If he can pick apart defenses as well as the Lions' pass rush can pick apart other team's offensive lines, the Lions could be serious contenders.

Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler is clearly a quarterback with great talents. He can sling the ball down the field with precision and cut through the high swirling winds in Soldier Field with ease. When he's on, he's on fire. Watch and be amazed by how he put the ball in between defenders for a pretty Greg Olsen touchdown. Then, watch and be amazed at how he throws the ball right to DeAngelo Hall four times in one game.

Out of everyone on this list, Jay Cutler might have the most brilliant moments, but he's also prone to moments of lunacy. He is the most mistake-prone quarterback to enter the league since Jake Plummer. Cutler also seems resistant to coaching, and he doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks of the risks and mistakes he makes. He has Brett Favre's mentality, minus the charm and the sex scandals.

Cutler played fairly well this year, especially considering the offensive line he had to work with. Every defense the Bears faced looked like the Big Bad Wolf blowing down the straw house. Drafting Gabe Carimi in the first round will definitely help, and they will undoubtedly have to add depth in free agency just to get the line from terrible to mediocre. 

However, his receivers are also subpar. The situation isn't as bad as it is in say, Cleveland, but its definitely not good. The number one wideout is Johnny Knox, who can come up big in some games but wouldn't be a number one receiver anywhere else in the league.

Cutler does benefit from the receiving abilities of running back Matt Forte and tight end Greg Olsen. Olsen isn't a great pass catcher, picking up only 400 yards on the year, but he did see the end zone five times.

Another year in a consistent system, and Cutler could work wonders. If he can keep the ball safe (from himself), watch out. He could be incredible.

Matt Cassel

A pretty flea flicker to Dwayne Bowe

Matt Cassel has had a peculiar career. He went to college at USC, where he backed up not only Carson Palmer, but also Matt Leinart. The Patriots had to sift through a lot of talent to find him in the draft, but sometimes Darth Hoodie just knows.

Cassel came into the starting role after Tom Brady's knee was obliterated in game one versus the Chiefs in 2008. He started the remainder of the year, and with the help of a strong supporting cast threw for 3700 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

The next year he was traded to the (then) woeful Chiefs, who still hadn't recovered from the loss of Trent Green, and the retirement of two Hall of Fame linemen, Will Shields and Willie Roaf.

The receiving corps was in shambles, Dwayne Bowe spent as much time on the bench as he did on the field (a method often employed by Todd Hayley to break wide in wide receivers), and Chris Chambers was aging and ineffective. Cassel clearly suffered in this system, posting an awful 69.9 rating, which was almost a 20 point drop from his 89.4 in New England.

Cassell was sacked 42 times, and fumbled the ball 14 times. Both were league-highs. He turned the ball over 19 times in 2009.

Fast forward to 2010. The Chiefs have added a solid rookie tight end, Tony Moaeki, and Hayley's secret recipe for receiver success has turned Dwayne Bowe into a touchdown magnet. The offensive line is deeper and more experienced, and the Chiefs have added a starter in Ryan Lilja.

Cassel's ball security increased dramatically. He threw only seven interceptions all season, two of which came in the final game, and he took only 26 sacks all year. More than anything, Cassel gained confidence in the pocket, and connected well with his top receivers, Bowe and Moaeki.

The most crucial part of his development may have been the result of his playing time, as he had scarcely played in his college or professional career up to that point, which many scouts think may have stunted his development.

Cassel's main weakness is often said to be the deep ball, and while he does have the ability to throw downfield it often lacks oomph and precision. The addition of Jonathan Baldwin at receiver may greatly improve his game, but in the end his inability to throw deep could keep him from reaching the next level.

Josh Freeman

Next year Josh Freeman stands a serious chance of breaking through to the next level and being considered truly elite.

In 2009, Freeman started nine games and looked pretty bad, ending the year with a passer rating of 59.8. His pedestrian performance and the Bucs recent history of failure suggested the team would crumble in a division with the Saints and Falcons.

But somehow, against the odds, Josh Freeman put it all together. He led the Bucs to a 10-6 record and helped them record five fourth-quarter comeback victories on the year. If you add two more comebacks from his nine games as starter in 2009, he's brought the Bucs to seven victories in 25 games on fourth-quarter comebacks alone.

Once could just be an accident. Twice might be a coincidence. Seven times out of 25 is a trend, and a good one.

If Josh Freeman was a real life superhero, his sidekick would be named Mike Williams. The first-year receiver had the best debut season for a wideout since Randy Moss, putting up 961 yards and 11 touchdowns with an average of 15.1 yards per reception.

Josh Freeman ended the season with 25 touchdowns, six interceptions and a final passer rating of 95.9. Freeman proved he can put the Bucs on his back and lead them to victory, and with the rest of the squad looking solid you can count on Josh Freeman to continue to play at the top of his game. You can put a ring on it.