After joining CSC, I wrote a FanPost titled "Top 15 QB's." For those who remember, the article was poorly written, incoherent and lacked a unified theme (basically, the same as my writing now). However, the theory itself was still good.
The point of this post is to ask yourself, honest and truthfully: "Which quarterback would I want as head of my team, now and in the coming years?" This question may seem simple since the Saints have a potential Hall of Famer in Drew Brees.
But is it? Brees is 32 years old, is a damn good quarterback and has a great track record. However, imagine you could replace Brees with any in the league without regard to contract, the teams system or any other variable. Just replace talent with talent. Whom would you choose?
Make the jump to see my top five picks and the reasoning behind them. Then give your own top five. Keep in mind, we'll be discussing the second tier of quarterbacks later, so don't get ahead of yourself.
1. Aaron Rodgers
No, I'm not trying to stir up debate or cause some controversy. My honest-to-God answer is that Rodgers was the best quarterback last year if you include the post season. Maybe Brees would have been if his defense didn't do the Super Bowl shuffle instead of tackling drills. But as of the end of the 2010 season, I would want Rodgers. He is young (28), he can work with poor O-line play, he can do his job with little running game and can still play like an other world quarterback. The Atlanta game made him look like Brees in the 2009 Patriots game...utterly dominant.
2a. Drew Brees
Maybe it's my homerism but I won't put Brees much lower on the list. I don't believe he's in decline, just the victim of circumstance. He made some bad plays (22 of them) and it hurt the Saints. If he doesn't become a smarter football player (read: take a sack instead of trying to make something out of nothing) it will have me worried about his future ranking. As of right now, however, I can still confidently state that he is a top three quarterback regardless of anyone else's opinion.
2b. Peyton Manthing Manning
Did he have a bad year in 2010? Yes. However, just like Brees, I'm putting the blame on circumstance. He was playing with guys pulled off the streets and did the best he could. Personally, I think during the Chargers and Cowboys games he just lost "it." By "it" I mean his confidence; he started to lose belief in himself. Manning, at 35 years old (at start of 2011 season), better watch out to make sure he doesn't fall fate to decline.
4. Tom Brady
I'm going to be honest, I've never been a believer in Brady. I know, I know, he has three Super Bowl rings and is simply a clutch quarterback. But I still don't trust him. I can't point out any stats without hindering my case at the same time. Since these rankings are all simple gut checks, I'm going to say I don't like putting him this high. He's a good quarterback, but in my opinion, does not belong in the conversation with the rest.
5. Phillip Rivers
Since this is a front page post, I won't refer to him as PBD as I would like to. However, the guy is simply good. He can throw a bomb like it's nothing, can work with no-names at wide receiver, has only a decent run game and can put the team on his back. Would I feel confident in my team if this guy is leading that 4th quarter drive? Yes, the guy has some serious talent and to downplay that would be a crime. Still don't like him though.