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They Got It Right....For The Most Part; Top 64 Quarterbacks

By John Bena

Don't know if you had the chance to check it out, but ESPN.com has ranked the Top 64 Quarterbacks in the NFL, and while you might suspect who is #1 on the list, it is our own Jay Cutler that we are concerned with.  I was actually quite content with where Cutty fell, and look forward to a follow-up piece the gang has forthcoming today.

Here is the Top-10 list, my thoughts, and the comments they made about Cutler.  Also included are where some of Cutler's draft-mates rank as well as where Patrick Ramsey falls in --

1. Tom Brady -- Duh!!!

2. Peyton Manning -- Statistically "down" in '07 means nothing.  Peyton is still 1a to Brady's 1.

3. Brett Favre -- Anyone who knows me knows I have a problem with this.  Yes, the Packers are having a solid season, but Favre is NOT the 3rd best QB in the League.  He just isn't.

4.  Tony Romo -- Quite the ascent for Romo.  I'll reserve judgment until he does it in the playoffs.

5.  Ben Roethlisberger -- Ben still makes too many crucial mistakes, at crucial times, against solid competition, to be a big-time QB.

6.  Carson Palmer -- Palmer has never been the same since the injury.  Still as gifted physically as anyone, the problem with Palmer is upstairs, and frankly he may never get it back.

7.  Matt Hasselbeck -- Probably the most under-rated, under-appreciated QB's in the League.  You always get the sense that the bottom could fall out on Hasselbeck at any time.

8.  Drew Brees -- I swallowed hard at first glance, but after further review Brees deserves to be in the Top-10, for now.

9.  Donovan McNabb -- Absolutely NOT!  McNabb has been mostly overrated his entire career, and this ranking takes the cake.  The best thing for all parties involved would be for McNabb and the Eagles to go their separate ways.

10.  David Garrard -- Are you kidding me?  David Garrard is the 10th best QB in the NFL....ALREADY?  That doesn't seem right.  Don't get me wrong, Garrard has played well, but he is like Trent Dilfer to me, a guy that just manages the game.

11.  Jay Cutler -- Not bad..  Cutler has a losing record as a starting QB, so putting him any higher would be tough, but the fact that he checks in ahead of guys like Bulger, Rivers and Eli Manning shows the respect he has already garnered.  Scouts, Inc had the following thoughts --

Easily one of the most impressive young quarterbacks in the NFL. He is a natural fit in coach Mike Shanahan's West Coast offense. He is a smart, instinctive player with a gunslinger mentality. He has a big-time arm that Shanahan loves, and he plays with a calm demeanor in the pocket. He is a young player who is only going to get better the more his plays.

Of course, Cutler will always be tied to the other QB's drafted in the 1st Round with him.  Below are the rankings and ESPN's comments for some of his classmates --

15. Vince Young --

Young is an intriguing young player who places a lot of pressure on opposing defenses with his outstanding athleticism, arm strength and ability to scramble and make plays with his legs. He hasn't had as much success this season because offensive coordinator Norm Chow's game plans haven't always taken advantage of Young's strengths as much as they did last season. That said, Young is still far from the finished product, especially as a passer, but he will continue to improve the more he plays.

22. Matt Leinart --

Before his injury, Leinart was far from impressive this season in a new offensive system. He is an ordinary athlete and doesn't have a big arm, but he has some swagger to him and throws a very catchable, accurate ball. Leinart could benefit from sitting behind Warner for another season to learn what it takes to succeed in this league.

26. Tarvaris Jackson --

Jackson has played very well lately and things might finally be slowing down and starting to click for him. He has a thick, strong body and excellent athletic ability, but he remains very raw and simply does not throw the ball accurately enough. It is going to take more than just putting a few games together in a row to make us believers, but it certainly is a promising start.

27. Kellen Clemens --

Clemens is well-built, smart and athletic enough to make a few plays with his feet. He throws the ball well but is obviously extremely inexperienced and has quite a ways to go before catching up with the speed of the league. He has a lot of upside and will be given every opportunity to grow but could also use more help from his supporting cast.

47. Brodie Croyle --

Croyle has been easing into the starting job in Kansas City and appears to be the heir apparent. He has a good arm to go along with adequate size and scrambling ability. He has improved on his ability to look coverages off and is willing to go to his checkdown receivers when the downfield routes are not there.

Is anything worse than being a Kansas City Chiefs fan??  Brodie Croyle, the future of the Chiefs franchise, is ranked 47th. FORTY-SEVENTH!!!  Behind tha likes of Alex Smith(29), Aaron Rodgers(30), JaMarcus Russell(36), Brady Quinn(37) and Billy Volek(39).  Three of those guys have yet to start an NFL game.  The future truly is bright in Kansas City.

As for Denver's backup?

62. Patrick Ramsey --

Ramsey is a veteran QB who has seen starting action in the past. He has a good arm and decent pocket presence. His release is inconsistent and his quickness in reading coverages is lacking.

I personally have no problem with this.  I have never been that high on Ramsey and this just seems to prove my bad feelings.

As for the piece the guys at Scouts, Inc. are releasing today?  Here is the tease --

COMING THURSDAY: Asked to evaluate 11 young starters, a group of NFL experts singled out Denver's Jay Cutler as most likely to reach elite status. Also, Hall of Famer Steve Young assesses each young QB in a video report.

That's what I am talking about!  When that stroy comes out, I'll be sure to talk about it here!

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