NFL's Best QB Situations
If we’re ranking quarterbacks, it isn’t close. Aaron Rodgers is 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 soccer commercials 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 Rodgers is 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.
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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 Beckham and 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 coolly 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. Manuel and 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.
