If you were an NFL General Manager (1 Viewer)

[David Yudkin]

Who would be your Top 5 on your list? Remember this is for 2009 only, real NFL, not fantasy. Factor in whatever you want . . . stats, leadership, ability to get to the post season, age, turnovers, health, etc. All players come as they are currently, so do not assume 100% health if anyone is hurt . . . you take on the risk.

 

[Rounders]

1. B.Roethlisberger

2. P.Manning

3. D.Brees

4. D.McNabb

5. P.Rivers

 

[T Bell]

Peyton.

It's really not even close for me.

 

[Tau837]

Peyton Manning is a nobrainer.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

1 - Brady

2 - Rivers

3 - Brees

4 - Peyton

5 - McNabb

If I was starting a franchise right now ( I know it's not the question) I would have to consider Matt Ryan

 

[Andy Dufresne]

1. P. Manning - Dude's just a winner. Unfortunately for him, his team was bitten by the injury bug and a poor defensive performance at the wrong time.

2. Roethlisberger - Very close to Manning. Already won a Super Bowl, is a warrior that plays through injury, and comes up big in pressure situations.

3. Brees - Too many picks, but I believe those are attributable to lack of running game. Excellent anticipation overcomes physical limitations.

4. Rivers - I like his cocky ("fiery" would be more polite) attitude. Showed this year that he can deliver even without a top filght receiving corps.

5. Rodgers - It's not his fault his team can't play defense.

 

[David Yudkin]

1 - Brady2 - Rivers3 - Brees4 - Peyton5 - McNabbIf I was starting a franchise right now ( I know it's not the question) I would have to consider Matt Ryan

Not phased at all by Brady's health?And for the other guys that already posted, to stimulate a little more dialogue I was hoping to get more than just "It's Manning and no one else."

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Leaving Tom Brady off for now then since we cannot assume health:

1. Peyton Manning - His leadership ability, strong arm and decision making makes him an east first choice

2. Drew Brees - One of the smarter QBs in the league and has shown an ability to get it done with a variety WRs

3. Donovan McNabb - very under-rated in most circles. The guy has been part of a winning team for virtually his whole career. Has th mobility to by time and find the open WR. His accuracy is not elite but effective enough.

4. Jay Cutler - Has progressed tremendously each season. Has a strong arm and the confidence to lead

5. Kurt Warner - The situation around him is more improtant than most other QBs but he still has the ability to read defenses and get the ball to the right spot.

I should probably replace Cutler with Rivers - but its just a personal preference.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

1 - Brady2 - Rivers3 - Brees4 - Peyton5 - McNabbIf I was starting a franchise right now ( I know it's not the question) I would have to consider Matt Ryan

Not phased at all by Brady's health?And for the other guys that already posted, to stimulate a little more dialogue I was hoping to get more than just "It's Manning and no one else."

his health is in question right now. But He's the guy I would want.

 

[CrossEyed]

P. Manning

Roethlisberger

Brees

Rodgers

Ryan

 

[David Yudkin]

1 - Brady2 - Rivers3 - Brees4 - Peyton5 - McNabbIf I was starting a franchise right now ( I know it's not the question) I would have to consider Matt Ryan

Not phased at all by Brady's health?And for the other guys that already posted, to stimulate a little more dialogue I was hoping to get more than just "It's Manning and no one else."

his health is in question right now. But He's the guy I would want.

You can take whomever you want . . . just checking to see if you were considered the health element (or didn't see that in the OP).

 

[T Bell]

And for the other guys that already posted, to stimulate a little more dialogue I was hoping to get more than just "It's Manning and no one else."

Well if I could pick "any" QB, why would I need to list names beyond my first choice, Peyton? My top-five list would be:1. Peyton2. Brees3. Rivers4. Rothlisberger5. WarnerIf Brady was healthy, he'd be my #1.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Everything I'm seeing about Brady possibly missing 2009 would keep him off my list. Of course, if he's ready to go by training camp, he moves immediately to #2 on my list, but for now :

1 - P. Manning

2 - Roethlisberger

3 - Brees

4 - Romo

5 - Rivers

 

[Q-Bert]

1 - Brady

2 - Rivers

3 - Brees

4 - Peyton

5 - McNabb

If I was starting a franchise right now ( I know it's not the question) I would have to consider Matt Ryan

Not phased at all by Brady's health?And for the other guys that already posted, to stimulate a little more dialogue I was hoping to get more than just "It's Manning and no one else."

Then you probably should have excluded Manning. If this were a poll I would expect Manning to get 75%+ of the vote.I would take Manning and it isn't even close.

 

[David Yudkin]

1 - Brady

2 - Rivers

3 - Brees

4 - Peyton

5 - McNabb

If I was starting a franchise right now ( I know it's not the question) I would have to consider Matt Ryan

Not phased at all by Brady's health?And for the other guys that already posted, to stimulate a little more dialogue I was hoping to get more than just "It's Manning and no one else."

Then you probably should have excluded Manning. If this were a poll I would expect Manning to get 75%+ of the vote.I would take Manning and it isn't even close.

It's a hypothethical situation . . . so make it a wish list if you were an NFL GM and maybe the first 4 on your list weren't available.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Everything I'm seeing about Brady possibly missing 2009 would keep him off my list. Of course, if he's ready to go by training camp, he moves immediately to #2 on my list, but for now :1 - P. Manning2 - Roethlisberger3 - Brees4 - Romo5 - Rivers

Tony Romo? Really?If you need a guy to throw an INT at the worst possible time, he's only 2nd fiddle to Brett Favre. Other than that, I think a lot of QBs would look as good or better than him in that offense.

 

[Chase Stuart]

1. Manning

2. Brees

3. Brady

4. Rivers

I think the next spot is hard. How much better will Ryan do? If even a little, he deserves consideration. What about Cutler? Will Chad do what he did again? How much better would Ben be with a regular OL? Does Warner still have enough in him? How good is Romo on another team? I don't love Eli or Schaub or McNabb or Delhomme or Rodgers, but I could see someone putting them at five.

All that said, while those guys would all be in the mix, I'd probably side with Romo. He was banged up this year, but in '07 he was clearly a top five QB. I'd assume at 29, he'd be one again if healthy. So I'd put him there.

 

[David Yudkin]

Interesting so far in that Warner has had back to back stellar seasons yet is not getting a ton of consideration. He could actually be available (even though this is theoretical).

Big Ben could be on his way to a second ring . . . but with the Steelers defense putting him on another team may not net the same results.

And McNabb and his 5 NFCC game appearances is also getting only partial love.

No talk at all about Hasselbeck, who in several other years could be argued was a Top 5 QB but SEA was a total mess with injuries this year.

Certainly there is no right or wrong answer here.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Interesting so far in that Warner has had back to back stellar seasons yet is not getting a ton of consideration. He could actually be available (even though this is theoretical).Big Ben could be on his way to a second ring . . . but with the Steelers defense putting him on another team may not net the same results.And McNabb and his 5 NFCC game appearances is also getting only partial love.No talk at all about Hasselbeck, who in several other years could be argued was a Top 5 QB but SEA was a total mess with injuries this year.Certainly there is no right or wrong answer here.

Warner is in the top 10 somewhere for me.McNabb is just too much of a drama queen for me. If I knew I was getting the post-benching Donovan, I'd be more interested.Hasselbeck's back concerns me.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Everything I'm seeing about Brady possibly missing 2009 would keep him off my list. Of course, if he's ready to go by training camp, he moves immediately to #2 on my list, but for now :1 - P. Manning2 - Roethlisberger3 - Brees4 - Romo5 - Rivers

Tony Romo? Really?If you need a guy to throw an INT at the worst possible time, he's only 2nd fiddle to Brett Favre. Other than that, I think a lot of QBs would look as good or better than him in that offense.

Yes, I'd take a shot with him. Manning was once labeled a choker too, and now he's at the top of almost every list in here. Romo is young, mobile, can throw, and he's a leader. I don't think it's an accident that Dallas averaged 26 ppg when Romo was active and 14 ppg in the 4 games he missed. I'd still much rather have a guy who has proven he can win the big game, though, which is why he falls below Manning, Brady, and Roethlisberger. Eli, on the other hand, is just too inconsistent for me. He looks lost without Burress to throw to, while Ben was able to adjust to Plax's absence much better.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Big Ben could be on his way to a second ring . . . but with the Steelers defense putting him on another team may not net the same results.

The Steelers' defense is good almost every year. It's no accident that they went empty handed from Bradshaw's retirement until Roethlisberger's drafting.

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

2. Roethlisberger - Very close to Manning. Already won a Super Bowl, is a warrior that plays through injury, and comes up big in pressure situations.

Quoting Andy Roddick about Novak Djokovic: ""He's either quick to call a trainer or he's the most courageous guy of all time."Kind of how I feel about Roethlisberger. The guy puts out the impression that he's the most battered player in the league, wincing if someone even looks at him funny. And the media buys into it. Time to stop the act already and man up.

 

[Chase Stuart]

While it's understandably important when ranking the resumes of QBs to see how they've done in the playoffs, I'm not sure how important it is going forward. If you rolled the dice on Jeff Hostetler, Trent Dilfer, Doug Williams, Jim McMahon, Brad Johnson, Mark Rypien or even a guy like Favre because of having that ring, you would have struck out. As great as Favre was, he wasn't exactly a playoff superstar after winning his ring. And that's the situation we're talking about when we're looking at Eli, Ben, etc. Winning the ring separates them from other QBs in the annals of NFL history, but I don't think it makes them more likely to win the ring in '09, which is the only thing this thread is asking about.

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

1) Brees

2) P. Manning

3) Rivers

4) Rodgers

5) Cutler

 

[Evilgrin 72]

2. Roethlisberger - Very close to Manning. Already won a Super Bowl, is a warrior that plays through injury, and comes up big in pressure situations.

Quoting Andy Roddick about Novak Djokovic: ""He's either quick to call a trainer or he's the most courageous guy of all time."Kind of how I feel about Roethlisberger. The guy puts out the impression that he's the most battered player in the league, wincing if someone even looks at him funny. And the media buys into it. Time to stop the act already and man up.

Come on. We have no idea how bad some of his injuries are or aren't, and I've heard similar things saying he overstates injuries, but when it comes down to it, he plays. Look at the hit he took on MNF against the Chargers a few eyars back, add in the multiple thumb injuries, the concussions, the shoulder speraration, the emergency appendectomy, the motorcycle accident that nearly killed him - then look at the number of games he's missed. Compare that to most QBs not named Manning or Favre.

 

[jonessed]

QBs have relatively long careers so I would still go with Manning. After that it would be Brady, Rivers, or Brees.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

While it's understandably important when ranking the resumes of QBs to see how they've done in the playoffs, I'm not sure how important it is going forward. If you rolled the dice on Jeff Hostetler, Trent Dilfer, Doug Williams, Jim McMahon, Brad Johnson, Mark Rypien or even a guy like Favre because of having that ring, you would have struck out. As great as Favre was, he wasn't exactly a playoff superstar after winning his ring. And that's the situation we're talking about when we're looking at Eli, Ben, etc. Winning the ring separates them from other QBs in the annals of NFL history, but I don't think it makes them more likely to win the ring in '09, which is the only thing this thread is asking about.

Steelers regular season record since Ben took over : 56-24 (.700)Steelers regular season record in the 5 years prior : 44-36 (.550)

Steelers playoff record under Ben : 6-2 (.750)

Playoff record previous 8 games : 4-4 (.500)

He took an already pretty good team and made them VERY good. Not just any QB could have done that. That's why Ben is #2 on my list behind Manning. You can take a snapshot of portions of almost any current QBs career and make them look good, but this is the entire 5 years Ben has been a starter encapsulated here with comparisons against the same number of games prior, not a cherry-picked cut-off.

 

[AnonymousBob]

What's the rest of my team look like?

If money plays no role in my decision then I'd go with Peyton and take my chances.

I would be happy with a McNabb, Warner, Big Ben, Rivers, Brees.

 

[Domination]

I think that this is an interesting conversation, but I think it has something to do with the team that they are on. For instance Warner should get consideration on the Cards, but not on the Bills< Lions, or some lesser team.

If you are giving me one year...

1) McNabb- he has gone his whole career of making the most out of very little, so I think he could suceed on any team. Especially if they actually had some weapons.

2) P Manning- he proved this year that he needs time to get the in tune with his WRs, and is why it takes young WRs a while to succeed on his team. He is the best QB in football, but he gets rattled and if you put him on a team with less weapons and/or o-line I think his numbers would not be as gaudy.

3) Big Ben- he is a winner, and proves that when the game is on the line. He has succeeded this year with a mediocre o-line, and in the past he has put up the big numbers when needed.

4) Brees- he has put up ridiculous numbers the last few years, but that is what his team needed him to do. I think he is an extremely smart QB, and if put in a situation that he didn't need to throw as much, I think his Int numbers would go way down.

5) Cutler- he has improved ever year and is a good leader. Only Brees had more passing attempts this year, and I think that is why his numbers looked as they did. He can lead with no support, but make good decisions and would be highly successful with a better RB or defense.

6) Brady- after careful consideration I would take Brady on one leg over the rest.

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

2. Roethlisberger - Very close to Manning. Already won a Super Bowl, is a warrior that plays through injury, and comes up big in pressure situations.

Quoting Andy Roddick about Novak Djokovic: ""He's either quick to call a trainer or he's the most courageous guy of all time."Kind of how I feel about Roethlisberger. The guy puts out the impression that he's the most battered player in the league, wincing if someone even looks at him funny. And the media buys into it. Time to stop the act already and man up.

Come on. We have no idea how bad some of his injuries are or aren't, and I've heard similar things saying he overstates injuries, but when it comes down to it, he plays. Look at the hit he took on MNF against the Chargers a few eyars back, add in the multiple thumb injuries, the concussions, the shoulder speraration, the emergency appendectomy, the motorcycle accident that nearly killed him - then look at the number of games he's missed. Compare that to most QBs not named Manning or Favre.

Dude, you know me. I'm skewed.But like Andy Roddick said, Big Ben is Novak Djokovic on the football field. Makes you wonder what injuries are real and which ones are not.

 

[Kevin Ashcraft]

This also hinges on what your definition of success is for a QB. If you see football the way most mainstream people do, as the QB wins or loses the game/season, then you will probably prioritize that higher than individual QB performance.

If you view QBs as part of a team that wins or loses games/seasons, then you will more than likely prioritize how a QB performs his role regardless of result.

Given that, I come down in camp #2 and would easily take Peyton Manning. You are virtually guaranteed 4K passing yards, a 2-to-1 TD-INT ratio and a guy who has never missed a game due to injury.

My next 4....just talking 2009...

2. Phillip Rivers

3. Drew Brees

4. Kurt Warner

5. Tom Brady

If I knew Brady were healthy, he would jump to #2.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Peyton Manning, and no one is even close. Brady is the only one who would be close (and it would be a toss-up), but with the uncertainty of him and his injury, you cannot go with him in this scenario.

 

[Jason Wood]

For 2009 only with no consideration to the offensive system or 2010 and beyond?

1) Peyton Manning...

2-32) Does it really matter?

 

[PatsWillWin]

1. P. Manning

2. D. Brees

3. D. McNabb

4. P. Rivers

5. B. Roethlisberger

Brady would be #1 if healthy.

 

[PatsWillWin]

Peyton Manning, and no one is even close. Brady is the only one who would be close (and it would be a toss-up), but with the uncertainty of him and his injury, you cannot go with him in this scenario.

How hard is it to read the OP?

 

[buster c]

5-pennington

4-brees

3-warner

2-brady

1-peyton

 

[Mikey16x]

Drew Brees and a Defense.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Peyton Manning, and no one is even close. Brady is the only one who would be close (and it would be a toss-up), but with the uncertainty of him and his injury, you cannot go with him in this scenario.

How hard is it to read the OP?

It wasn't hard at all. What's your problem?

 

[s_ezy]

Warner

Manning

Brees

Rivers

Big Ben

 

[PatsWillWin]

Peyton Manning, and no one is even close. Brady is the only one who would be close (and it would be a toss-up), but with the uncertainty of him and his injury, you cannot go with him in this scenario.

How hard is it to read the OP?

It wasn't hard at all. What's your problem?

That people can't read the OP. Unless your answer is 1. Peyton Manning, 2. Peyton Manning, 3. Peyton Manning, 4. Peyton Manning, 5. Peyton Manning. Either way I'm none too pleased sir.

 

[beachbum]

Who would be your Top 5 on your list? Remember this is for 2009 only, real NFL, not fantasy. Factor in whatever you want . . . stats, leadership, ability to get to the post season, age, turnovers, health, etc. All players come as they are currently, so do not assume 100% health if anyone is hurt . . . you take on the risk.

1- Manning... every quantifiable metric points to him as #12- Brees... accuracy, leadership3- Warner... one of the best QBs against the blitz in any era4- Big Ben... strong, mobile, all-weather (sounds like a car tire)5- Rivers... skill-set, toughness6- Penny... intelligence, accuracy, game-management I know you said five, but to watch what Pennington did with the least talented team in the NFL was truly remarkable; If I were a GM I would take Pennington in a heartbeat, as his age and skill set mean that I could compete with him for several years and/or use him to groom a younger, franchise QB; he's a great piece around which to build

 

[MDSkinner]

JMO but just given that it would be for one year.

1. Manning

2. Roethlisberger

3. McNabb

4. Brady (even with injury potential)

5. Brees

Brees would probably be higher, but to me he is more of a stat monster than a winner (and if I were picking for one year, I would be wanting a guy who is a proven winner). Brady would be #2 if not for the injury but even with the injury he is at #4. I would probably have Rivers, Eli and Ryan as just behind these guys.

ETA: Warner would undoubtedly be #3 or #4 on this list if not for the mention of retirement that he had this year. If he is guaranteed to play next year, he is also on this list and certainly and knocks out Brees at minimum.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Peyton Manning, and no one is even close. Brady is the only one who would be close (and it would be a toss-up), but with the uncertainty of him and his injury, you cannot go with him in this scenario.

How hard is it to read the OP?

It wasn't hard at all. What's your problem?

That people can't read the OP. Unless your answer is 1. Peyton Manning, 2. Peyton Manning, 3. Peyton Manning, 4. Peyton Manning, 5. Peyton Manning. Either way I'm none too pleased sir.

Ah, okay, I see your point now. I got sidetracked typing about Brady and forgot to put 2-5. My bad. *smacks self in the forehead*My top 5:

1. Peyton Manning

2. Drew Brees

3. Ben Roethlisberger

4. Jay Cutler

5. Kurt Warner

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

I think it's interesting that Cutler and Romo are left off most of these lists. Not saying I disagree, but it's interesting nonetheless.

 

[Da Guru]

1. Drew Brees- Wild card pick.....I would love to see what Brees could do if the Saints had a great defense. So many times Brees has to do too much to really know what kind of QB he is.

2. Peyton- Like him or hate him the guy knows the game inside and out.

3. A heathy Tom Brady (see above)

4. Big Ben- Big, strong and tough as nails..will make a few mistakes here and there but can do so much. IE: Game saving tackle on the Bettis fumble that put the Steeler sin a position to win the SuperBowl.

5. Phillip River..I used to hate him but am starting to admire his grit and tough play. The guy is a leader.

First alternate Kurt Warner- Not sure than any QB sees the field better than Warner. Puts his WRs in good position to make plays. Downside is his age and lack of mobilty.

 

[TheDirtyWord]

The no-brainers:

1) (Peyton) Manning

2) Brees

...I feel these guys don't even deserve explanation. Now onto the other candidates.

Since this is a 2009 list, I think you have to eliminate Brady. If it was longer term, it's a maybe only because you figure that while the injury was severe, at some point he'll return to form. But it's taking a big bet that form will be in 2009.

Warner is a guy who if you allowed him to take his WR's, then I would say yes. He's also 37. This is an age where QB skills can deteriorate. I suspect the team that has Warner will find out the hard way when that is for him. Whether it's in 2009 or not is certainly debatable. But these two factors IMO push him outside the Top 5.

I think Philip Rivers has really shown alot in the last year. He's turned into a guy you love to hate. But the man played on a torn ACL and didn't skip a beat recovering from it. Toughness personified and now has the production to match. He's #3 for me.

Pittsburgh now looks like a good bet to get another SB title. And that would give Big Ben two. I just can;t help but thinking that while he's been very good (and clutch)...he's also been very fortunate. Not many QB's get to stand side by side with a defense like that for long periods of time. I think I'll come back to him.

He gets grilled alot and seems to not engender alot of loyalty or love, but Donovan McNabb produces year in year out. Now this was the first year in awhile that he played all 16, so his durability is something you have to keep an eye on. But his running days appear over and that can only help.

I know he's only been in the league 16 games, but I had the advantage of seeing Matt Ryan for 16 games. All I can say is that as a fan, I feel completely comfortable with the game in his hands and I suspect he'll only get better from here. But is he elite yet? I don't think you can bet on the come on a Top 5 list.

As far as physical tools, you can't go wrong with Jay Cutler. he certainly put it together this year and I like how he was unafraid this past off-season to call out Brandon Marshall. He's got to learn to keep his emotions and comments a little bit more under wraps. Everyone knew it was the Broncos defense that couldn't stop anyone that caused them to miss the playoffs. But as the QB, you shouldn't chime in.

Tony Romo I would have put on this list probably this time last year and coughed up Dallas' loss to the Giants bad luck. But he seems to be increasingly unreliable in crunch time moments. In addition, I don't sense that the rest of the team takes their lead from him. I think he still has shown the tools to be on this list, but his development seems to have stagnated in terms of becoming more than just the guy who throws Witten & Owens the ball. Compare the elevation of Rivers to the heart and soul of the Chargers via his actions of the past 1-2 years versus Romo's celebrity status as QB for the Cowboys and you'll get my point.

So, I would say

3) Rivers

4) Cutler

5) McNabb