Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1487 of 1503)

Throughout the preseason, we’ll take a look at the best – and worst – the NFL has to offer, unit by unit. Look for a new set of rankings every few days.

They are the field generals, the only voice in an offensive huddle and the guys that usually cashes in on the big payday. I’m talking, of course, of the quarterbacks.

While the starting quarterback position remains the focal point for offenses in the NFL, the backup spot has become much more important over the past decade, and a team’s third stringer is often a developmental piece for the future. Tom Brady, Matt Hasselback and Jake Delhomme were all backups before finally getting their chances either with another team or through injury.

So with that said, what teams not only have a starter that could lead their team to a possible Super Bowl, but also a backup who could capably fill in if there was an injury and a third stringer who might develop into a productive regular in the future?

THE TOP 10

1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch, Omar Jacobs
In just two seasons in the NFL, Ben Roethlisberger has already won a Super Bowl ring and owns a 27-4 record as a starter. Veteran Charlie Batch was a one-time starter and is one of the most dependable backups in the league. Fifth-round rookie draft pick Omar Jacobs has good size and could serve as Roethlisberger’s backup in the near future.

2. Indianapolis Colts
Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi, Shaun King
Peyton Manning is the only player to pass for 3,000+ yards in each of his first eight seasons in the NFL. Manning has started every game of his NFL career, which is the longest career-opening streak for a quarterback. Jim Sorgi has been better than advertised when given the chance to play and third-stringer Shaun King was once a starter in the league.

3. Seattle Seahawks
Matt Hasselback, Seneca Wallace, David Greene
The Super Bowl runners-up have a nice trio in starter Matt Hasselback and backups Seneca Wallace and David Greene. Hasselback led the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history and knows how to command a West Coast Offense. Wallace is an excellent athlete who will probably be looked at in other positions (remember that catch against Carolina in last year’s NFC Championship game?) just to get him on the field. The former University of Georgia alum, Greene, has the poise to develop into a player of the future.

4. Denver Broncos
Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler, Bradlee Van Pelt
Jake Plummer was efficient and didn’t make too many mistakes in Mike Shanahan’s offense last year in leading the Broncos to the AFC Championship game. First-round pick Jay Cutler from Vanderbilt will push Plummer on the field and it won’t be too long before he gets a chance to start. Bradlee Van Pelt would have been Plummer’s back up if it weren’t for the selection of Cutler. Van Pelt is athletic and will be a serviceable No. 3.

5. St. Louis Rams
Marc Bulger, Gus Frerotte, Ryan Fitzpatrick
This unit would have been rated higher if it weren’t for the continuing injuries that starter Marc Bulger has endured over the past two seasons. Bulger can still play in this league, but he has to prove that he can win in someone else’s offensive system other than Mike Martz. Gus Frerotte came to St. Louis with new head coach Scott Linehan from Miami and has spent most of his career as a starter. Ryan Fitzpatrick had a ‘where did this guy come from?’ moment in a game against Houston last year, leading the Rams to a huge come-from-behind victory. He struggled in his other three starts of the season, however.

6. Atlanta Falcons
Michael Vick, Matt Schaub, D.J. Shockley
Michael Vick is the most athletic quarterback in the NFL, but has to work on his accuracy in order to take his game to the next level. Vick has the speed, mobility and arm strength to carry the Falcons into the playoffs, but has also been injury prone. No other backup quarterback was as sought after by other teams in the offseason than third-year player Matt Schaub. Atlanta, and apparently other teams as well, think that Schaub has what it takes to lead a team to a Super Bowl. Rookie D.J. Shockley and former Virginia Tech QB Bryan Randal battle for the third spot.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars
Byron Leftwich, David Garrard, Quinn Gray
Bryon Leftwich has all the tools to succeed in the NFL and has been a solid starter in his first three seasons. He is 21-17 as a starter, but continuously finds himself on the injury report and must stay healthy to join the next level of starting quarterbacks. David Garrard is very dependable and went 4-1 as a fill-in starter for Leftwich last season. Quinn Gray has only played in one game in his career, but the coaching staff feels that he has decent potential.

8. Chicago Bears
Rex Grossman, Brian Griese, Kyle Orton
Perhaps no team has three better options to start at QB than the Bears. Rex Grossman has showed major signs of being a solid starter, but has been amazingly unlucky with injuries. Therefore, the team signed Brian Griese to be Grossman’s backup and the nine-year vet has extensive experience as a starter in the league. Kyle Orton was baptized by fire last year when Grossman went down, but hung in there and can at least manage a game (not to mention hold his liquor) if forced into action.

9. Green Bay Packers
Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Ingle Martin
There’s no question that Brett Favre is in the twilight of his career, but there is still no one tougher in the league. He will be the face of the Packers and their offense until he finally decides to hang the cleats up for good. Backup Aaron Rodgers is patiently waiting for his chance to take over, but while he’s waiting he continues to learn from one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game. Ingle Martin was selected in the fifth round of April’s draft and is someone who new head coach Mike McCarthy feels can fit into his system.

10. Arizona Cardinals
Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, John Navarre
Kurt Warner hasn’t been healthy since 2001, but is a Super Bowl winner and still demands respect from his teammates. Matt Leinart is the quarterback of the near future and might get his chance to start sooner than expected if Warner can’t stay healthy. John Navarre is unspectacular, but has experience starting in the league.

THE BOTTOM 5:

28. Oakland Raiders
Aaron Brooks, Andrew Walter, Marques Tuiasosopo
Aaron Brooks continues his downward slide from a once promising hopeful to a guy who makes terrible decisions with the football. He has the athletic tools, but this will be one of his last chances as starter if he can’t produce. Andrew Walter could be a starter soon in Oakland, but he’s inexperienced and Marques Tuiasosopo has probably seen his chance come and go as an operative backup.

29. Houston Texans
David Carr, Sage Rosenfels, Dave Ragone
No QB was sacked more than David Carr last year and he continues to struggle to develop chemistry with stud wide out Andre Johnson. Sage Rosenfels couldn’t win the starter’s roll in the Dolphins’ quarterback misery the past four years and Dave Ragone never took a snap last year.

30. San Francisco 49ers
Alex Smith, Trent Dilfer, Jesse Palmer
Alex Smith had a wretched rookie year last season, throwing 11 interceptions and just one touchdown. The former first-overall pick has the talent to be successful; he just doesn’t have much of a supporting cast. Backup Trent Dilfer could start again in a heartbeat, but “the bachelor” Jesse Palmer and Cody Pickett are rough, to say the least.

31. New England Patriots
Tom Brady, Matt Cassel, Corey Bramlet
Surprised? Don’t be. Remember, this ranks quarterback units as a whole, not just on a team’s starter. Tom Brady is the best in the league, but look behind him. Doug Flutie retired and that leaves Matt Cassel and Corey Bramlet. Bramlet wasn’t even with the Patriots until early May.

32. Cleveland Browns
Charlie Frye, Ken Dorsey, Derek Anderson
Charlie Frye was 2-3 as a starter last year and definitely is the future in Cleveland, but backup Ken Dorsey is 2-8 as a starter and Derek Anderson has never stepped foot into an NFL game.

Just three days after he called it quits, former San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins’ linebacker Junior Seau is meeting with the New England Patriots.

“Junior left a message for Chargers President Dean Spanos today alerting him that he may sign a contract and play for the New England Patriots,” the Chargers said Thursday in a statement. “If, in fact, he chooses to continue his playing career, we wish him good health and the best of luck this season. Junior’s place in the Chargers Hall of Fame awaits him when his career is over.”

The Patriots desperately need some bodies in their linebacker unit, since they lost Willie McGinest to Cleveland this offseason and Teddy Bruschi, Chad Brown and Monte Beisel are all dealing with injuries.

This should really come as no surprise since Seau made it public that he felt no team wanted his services. This guy still wants to play and who knows? He might. The guy has always played with emotion and dedication to the game and I’m sure he’s more than physically fit to play.

UPDATE: Seau made it official Friday with the Patriots.

Arizona finally reached an agreement with their future starting quarterback Matt Leinart on Monday.

Leinart agreed to a six-year deal that could bring the rookie up to $51 million. He will get around $14 million in guaranteed money, which seemed to have been the main issue for Leinart’s hold out.

The two-week hold started to get ugly as head coach Dennis Green criticized Matt Leinart and his representatives for rejecting “a more than generous” offer from the Cardinals.

Green’s criticism focused on what the coach said was far more than a 10th pick normally would receive. A grumpy Green was upset with the perception that Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill was being cheap.

“I’ve been here two years,” Green said. “All I know is when we set out a strategy, whether it be signing Bertrand Berry or drafting Larry Fitzgerald, Bill Bidwill has helped us get that player.”

One of the real issues Green has been upset is the fact that he has to stand by and watch Kurt Warner’s backup Jon Navarre throw two interceptions in Arizona’s first preseason game.

The deal is finally done, however, and now Leinart, Green and the Cardinals to mend fences and get down to work.

While in training camp, Clinton Portis lobbied hard for less playing time for starters as preseason neared.

Portis didn’t want himself or any other key component to be injured and therefore jeopardize the momentum that the Redskins had built after going to the playoffs last season.

In an unfortunate display of foreshadowing, Portis partially dislocated his left shoulder in a 19-3 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night.

He took one handoff for eight yards and then blocked for quarterback Mark Brunell. When Keiwan Ratliff intercepted Brunell’s sixth attempt, however, Portis extended his left arm to make a tackle and partially knocked the bone part of the way out the shoulder socket.

“After that 8-yard run, I was like, ‘Get me out of that game,'” Portis said. “That’s what I was thinking. It’s football. It can happen to anyone. It happened to me.”

“For whoever’s watching: Let’s get rid of some of these games,” Portis said. “Four games is ridiculous. Then you play a 16-game season and the playoffs behind that.”

Portis knows that this kind of thing can happen to any player at any time. It’s just unfortunate to have star players like Portis, who rushed for a club-record 1,516-yards last year, go down in just the first preseason game.

So, what does this mean for the Redskins?

Well for one, with no timetable set for Portis to return (at least not yet anyway), Ladell Betts will take over the starting roll. Betts rushed for 338-yards on 89 carries last year and did rush for 92-yards in a game against the 49ers.

Betts isn’t as shifty as Portis in between the tackles, but is a bigger back at 223-pounds and could share the load with special-teams guy Rock Cartwright.

The biggest thing that possibly dooms the Redskins is that they play in the NFC East and there is no room for error in a division that could house multiple playoff teams. However, Washington only plays two division games (at. Dallas Week 2; at. NY Giants Week 5) before their BYE week and that might give Portis enough time to return.

With Washington relying so much on Portis to open things up for Brunell in the passing game, this is going to put a lot of pressure on the Redskins defense to keep them in games. Brunell resurrected his career last year, but he needs a running game now, more than ever and can’t do it on his own.

UPDATE: Coach Joe Gibbs said that Portis will miss the remainder of the preseason, but the goal is to have him back by the season opener if his shoulder recovers from soreness in time for him to rehab.