Now it's time for the big boys.
You know me -- I hate intros -- so let's just get this party started...
TIER 5: No Man's Land
31. Tyrod Taylor, Browns - Frascella's 2017 Rank: 19th, 2016: 21st
At this point it's a foregone conclusion -- kids like Darnold, Jackson and Josh Rosen are going to bypass Tyrod within the next couple years.
However, in the interim, Taylor is still coming off a season where he led a weak Bills team to the postseason, despite an inexplicable benching by head coach Sean McDermott (in favor of Nathan Peterman, no less!). Taylor bounced back from his one-game benching and finished off a solid year in which he threw only four interceptions, with an 89.2 QB rating which placed him ahead of Derek Carr (who made the Pro Bowl) and Cam Newton. Tyrod's no world-beater, but he's been an effective scrambling QB in this league. Obviously now, injury and Baker Mayfield have derailed his season.
30. Jameis Winston, Bucs - 2017: 26th, 2016: 18th
I just don't think he's sustainable as a long-term starting quarterback. His decision-making hasn't gotten much better with time -- perhaps it's even gotten worse? -- and the rest of the league is limiting turnovers like never before. Winston has top-20 talent at his position, but in the big leagues you have to put it all together. We haven't seen that from him, yet. Perhaps he is best off as a high-upside backup QB.
29. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bucs - 2017: 37th, 2016: 37th
One guy is 36 years old, and the other is 24. One guy is white, and the other is black. One guy is 6'4", 227 lbs, and the other is dramatically over-listed at 6'2".
And yet, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston are essentially the same player. Both can wow you with high-scoring, lights-out individual performances. Both can also make you want to smash your smart TVs into a million little pieces. Those are the swings with gunslingers -- and trust me, both Winston and "FitzMagic" are gunslingers. It's like Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday out here.
28. Marcus Mariota, Titans - 2017: 17th, 2016: 9th
Just isn't getting any better. Maybe he's getting worse, too. Eleven touchdowns to eight interceptions is an embarrassingly bad split these days. And yet, somehow, Mike Vrabel's Titans keep finding ways to be very competitive, game to game.
27. Joe Flacco, Ravens - 2017: 29th, 2016: 17th
Apparently "Joe Cool" is going to be a highly "coveted" free agent this offseason?
Joe Flacco will likely be a huge free agent target this upcoming offseason https://t.co/EJKwkM4MfQ— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 17, 2018
I find that rather interesting. I don't think he has much left; apparently neither do John Harbaugh and the Ravens. I suppose the Jaguars, Giants or Raiders could be potential landing spots. I don't expect Flacco to ever get back into my top 20, though. Injuries and lazy play; bad combination.
TIER 4: Stuck in the Middle with You
26. Dak Prescott, Cowboys - 2017: 16th, 2016: 15th
Just kind of a boring guy to write about. We all know he is limited. The Cowboys' offensive coaching staff does a nice job hiding Prescott's many flaws and protecting his confidence, but the fact remains that he isn't a franchise-caliber quarterback. To me, he's just a placeholder until someone more talented comes along.
25. Andy Dalton, Bengals - 2017: 20th, 2016: 20th
Do any of us actually feel like the Bengals are going somewhere with "The Red Rocket," long-term? I know I don't. He's good enough to be a starter in this league, but he'll never be a consistent top-tier guy. If Dalton is your No. 1, your franchise is just treading water.
24. Alex Smith, Redskins - 2017: 12th, 2016: 16th
Prior to his devastating broken leg, Smith's statistical drop-off once again validated the world-class coaching talent of Andy Reid. Not to mention the fact that it helps to have Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill around. Not sure if we'll ever see Smith as a starter again; probably unlikely.
23. Nick Foles, Eagles - 2017: 49th, 2016: 39th
I mean, is there any doubt that this guy is the best backup quarterback in the world?
"Philly Special" baby! Philly Special!
What Foles did last postseason still sends chills up my spine. Let's just look at the cold, hard numbers:
NFC Divisional Round win over the Falcons: 23-30 (76.7%) for 246 yards and no picks in freezing-cold, barely-playable conditions.
NFC Championship Game, 38-7 beatdown of the Vikings: 26-33 (78.8 percent!!) for 352 yards, 3 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Like...what? Where did that come from??
Super Bowl victory over the Pats, 41-33: 28-43 for 373 yards!! Three touchdowns and one pick. And oh yeah, he was named Super Bowl MVP.
Don't think I need to say much more. Nick Foles is a superhero in my book.
22. Case Keenum, Broncos - 2017: 21st, 2016: 38th
Hasn't been as impressive as he was with Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs in Minnesota, but Keenum has, at the very least, established himself as a back-end starting quarterback in this league.
21. Derek Carr, Raiders - 2017: 14th, 2016: 6th
Who knows what to make of this guy at this point? Did you know he was a Pro Bowler for three straight seasons before this? Jon Gruden, Carr and the Raiders have been a laughingstock this season, but apparently Carr was a stud in the past?
I forgot already. Doesn't really seem like Gruden wants to move forward with Carr, either. He's done an awful lot of talking about A.J. McCarron and now Nathan Peterman. Hell, "Chucky" was even talking up Christian Hackenberg at one point. Anyone but Carr, I guess.
Carr's mental toughness seems to be in question this year. Even his teammates don't appear to be completely behind him. He's clearly at a crossroads in his enigmatic career.
20. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins - 2017: 24th, 2016: 22nd
Continues to show flashes of potential, but lacks the football IQ and pure QB skillset to be a top-tier player at his position. Tannehill is athletic and looks the part, but he's injury-prone and his performance is inconsistent.
19. Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers - 2017: 31st (pre-starts for SF), 2016: 25th
Clearly has the talent to be a top-15 QB, but we'll have to wait and see if he can thrive after a return from ACL surgery. Some players simply don't come back the same. Time will tell, in this case.
18. Eli Manning, Giants - 2017: 22nd, 2016: 14th
Garoppolo is probably better than Eli at this point, but durability matters. Garoppolo has a nearly non-existent track record as a starting quarterback, whereas Eli started 210 consecutive games at one point.
Eli has been a central point of discussion in New York this season. Did the Giants make a franchise-crushing mistake by passing on Sam Darnold with the No. 2 pick in the draft? Eli bullied the franchise around when he was crying about his benching last season; were GM Dave Gettleman and new head coach Pat Shurmur worried about similar shenanigans this year? Did they think, eh, Saquon Barkley is a stud -- we'll just let Eli keep his job?
I guess we'll never really know what went on behind the scenes, but the fact is that Eli has been serviceable -- at best -- this season. He's 11th in the league with 3,689 passing yards, but his 92.1 QB rating has him behind Carr, Prescott and even Nick Mullens. Eli's 18/9 TD-INT is below-average, and his overall performance has been up and down. He should be a year or two away from retirement.
17. Mitchell Trubisky, Bears- 2017 (rookie season): 39th
Trubisky's a tricky one -- a layperson would look at the Bears' surprising success and think wow, their young, franchise quarterback has really emerged this season. But that really isn't the story of Chicago's superb season -- rookie head coach Matt Nagy has maximized the talent on his roster. He has been positive, innovative and completely effective. Of course, Chicago's D has been one of the best in the league, as well.
On the bright side, Trubisky has improved. He's athletic and often showcases a strong arm, but he misses easy throws and remains a bit raw. Hopefully for Bears fans, Nagy will continue to bring him along. For now, in terms of size, skillset and athleticism, Trubisky reminds me a little too much of Blaine Gabbert and Tannehill. He's already better than those two, but I'm not sure he'll ever be a superstar (which is the goal when you draft a kid No. 2 overall).
16. Baker Mayfield, Browns - Rookie
From the beginning, Mayfield has distanced himself from his talented rookie counterparts. His draft class was initially thought to be a two-horse race between Darnold and Rosen, with Allen as the "upside gamble" (kind of like Trubisky). But Baker impressed everyone in interviews. He didn't miss a throw in high-pressure workouts. He always showcased superior knowledge of the inner-workings of the most difficult position in pro sports.
So, the Browns pulled the trigger with the No. 1 overall pick. I have no problem admitting this: I vehemently disagreed with them. Prior to the draft, I personally compared Mayfield to Prescott, Jared Goff, McCarron and Brian Hoyer. I know that's quite a mixed bag, but I wasn't crazy high on Baker. You can tell from my comparisons that I saw him landing somewhere in the 20s in my QB rankings, long-term. I felt the Browns should have drafted Barkley first, then Darnold or Rosen fourth (assuming the Jets took Baker at 3).
Nevertheless, Baker has done what he's always done -- exceed expectations. Those of us who watched Hard Knocks knew he was better than Tyrod without ever taking a snap in an NFL regular season game, and once the rambunctious rookie got his chance, he grabbed it and never looked back. Baker Mayfield knows what he wants to do with the ball. He has natural instincts at the quarterback position. He makes decisive reads and delivers the ball on time.
He has the "magic," otherwise known as the "IT" factor.
Can you believe it? Things are finally looking up in Cleveland.
Stay tuned for my top 15!
NFC Championship Game, 38-7 beatdown of the Vikings: 26-33 (78.8 percent!!) for 352 yards, 3 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Like...what? Where did that come from??
Super Bowl victory over the Pats, 41-33: 28-43 for 373 yards!! Three touchdowns and one pick. And oh yeah, he was named Super Bowl MVP.
Don't think I need to say much more. Nick Foles is a superhero in my book.
22. Case Keenum, Broncos - 2017: 21st, 2016: 38th
Hasn't been as impressive as he was with Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs in Minnesota, but Keenum has, at the very least, established himself as a back-end starting quarterback in this league.
21. Derek Carr, Raiders - 2017: 14th, 2016: 6th
Who knows what to make of this guy at this point? Did you know he was a Pro Bowler for three straight seasons before this? Jon Gruden, Carr and the Raiders have been a laughingstock this season, but apparently Carr was a stud in the past?
I forgot already. Doesn't really seem like Gruden wants to move forward with Carr, either. He's done an awful lot of talking about A.J. McCarron and now Nathan Peterman. Hell, "Chucky" was even talking up Christian Hackenberg at one point. Anyone but Carr, I guess.
Carr's mental toughness seems to be in question this year. Even his teammates don't appear to be completely behind him. He's clearly at a crossroads in his enigmatic career.
20. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins - 2017: 24th, 2016: 22nd
Continues to show flashes of potential, but lacks the football IQ and pure QB skillset to be a top-tier player at his position. Tannehill is athletic and looks the part, but he's injury-prone and his performance is inconsistent.
19. Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers - 2017: 31st (pre-starts for SF), 2016: 25th
Clearly has the talent to be a top-15 QB, but we'll have to wait and see if he can thrive after a return from ACL surgery. Some players simply don't come back the same. Time will tell, in this case.
18. Eli Manning, Giants - 2017: 22nd, 2016: 14th
Garoppolo is probably better than Eli at this point, but durability matters. Garoppolo has a nearly non-existent track record as a starting quarterback, whereas Eli started 210 consecutive games at one point.
Eli has been a central point of discussion in New York this season. Did the Giants make a franchise-crushing mistake by passing on Sam Darnold with the No. 2 pick in the draft? Eli bullied the franchise around when he was crying about his benching last season; were GM Dave Gettleman and new head coach Pat Shurmur worried about similar shenanigans this year? Did they think, eh, Saquon Barkley is a stud -- we'll just let Eli keep his job?
I guess we'll never really know what went on behind the scenes, but the fact is that Eli has been serviceable -- at best -- this season. He's 11th in the league with 3,689 passing yards, but his 92.1 QB rating has him behind Carr, Prescott and even Nick Mullens. Eli's 18/9 TD-INT is below-average, and his overall performance has been up and down. He should be a year or two away from retirement.
17. Mitchell Trubisky, Bears- 2017 (rookie season): 39th
Trubisky's a tricky one -- a layperson would look at the Bears' surprising success and think wow, their young, franchise quarterback has really emerged this season. But that really isn't the story of Chicago's superb season -- rookie head coach Matt Nagy has maximized the talent on his roster. He has been positive, innovative and completely effective. Of course, Chicago's D has been one of the best in the league, as well.
On the bright side, Trubisky has improved. He's athletic and often showcases a strong arm, but he misses easy throws and remains a bit raw. Hopefully for Bears fans, Nagy will continue to bring him along. For now, in terms of size, skillset and athleticism, Trubisky reminds me a little too much of Blaine Gabbert and Tannehill. He's already better than those two, but I'm not sure he'll ever be a superstar (which is the goal when you draft a kid No. 2 overall).
16. Baker Mayfield, Browns - Rookie
From the beginning, Mayfield has distanced himself from his talented rookie counterparts. His draft class was initially thought to be a two-horse race between Darnold and Rosen, with Allen as the "upside gamble" (kind of like Trubisky). But Baker impressed everyone in interviews. He didn't miss a throw in high-pressure workouts. He always showcased superior knowledge of the inner-workings of the most difficult position in pro sports.
So, the Browns pulled the trigger with the No. 1 overall pick. I have no problem admitting this: I vehemently disagreed with them. Prior to the draft, I personally compared Mayfield to Prescott, Jared Goff, McCarron and Brian Hoyer. I know that's quite a mixed bag, but I wasn't crazy high on Baker. You can tell from my comparisons that I saw him landing somewhere in the 20s in my QB rankings, long-term. I felt the Browns should have drafted Barkley first, then Darnold or Rosen fourth (assuming the Jets took Baker at 3).
Nevertheless, Baker has done what he's always done -- exceed expectations. Those of us who watched Hard Knocks knew he was better than Tyrod without ever taking a snap in an NFL regular season game, and once the rambunctious rookie got his chance, he grabbed it and never looked back. Baker Mayfield knows what he wants to do with the ball. He has natural instincts at the quarterback position. He makes decisive reads and delivers the ball on time.
He has the "magic," otherwise known as the "IT" factor.
Can you believe it? Things are finally looking up in Cleveland.
Stay tuned for my top 15!
No comments:
Post a Comment