The future of the NFL remains in doubt thanks to an ongoing dispute between the league’s owners and the association formerly known as the Player’s Union.
While the labor talks and appeals processes are taking place, the NFL Network has put together a list of the leagues top 100 players.
It’s hard for me to discern the top overall football players because of the various positions. Even the different positions have different roles depending on which team a player is on.
Starting with quarterback, I’m going to list what I believe are the top 10 players at each position going into the 2011 season.
Considered by many the most important position in sports, quarterbacks are judged by their ability to win. Of course, there are the other statistics (passing yards, TDs, QB rating, etc). But, at the end of the day, teams want to know if their signal caller can eventually lead them to a Lombardi Trophy.
1. Tom Brady (New England Patriots): After already owning 3 Super Bowl rings and an MVP award, Brady let everyone know he’s still got it after missing the 2009 season. By throwing for 3900 yards, 36 TD’s and only 4 INT’s, Brady earned his second MVP award.
2. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers): It’s not just that Rodgers led the Pack to a Super Bowl victory, it’s how he did it. Green Bay had probably the most injuries in the league last year. Rodgers stayed calm and led the 10-6 Packers to three road playoff victories on their way to the Lombardi Trophy.
3. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts): Manning had one of his worst seasons in 2010, but after being considered the best QB for so long, it’s hard to drop him too far. With the Colts addressing their offensive line in the draft and hope that their receivers get back to full strength health-wise, lets see if Manning will rebound from his 22 INT year.
4. Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints): At 6’0, Brees is short for a QB but he’s the best in the league at maneuvering in the pocket. Behind one of the best O-lines in the NFL, Brees should reach 4000+ yards for the 6th straight year.
5. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers): If Big Ben led the Steelers on a game winning drive in the Super Bowl, he’d be ranked higher. Instead, 2010 will be remembered for his 4 game suspension to start the season and the 2 INTs he threw in the big game.
6. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers): If it just came down to passing yards, Rivers would in the top 3. But, wins are a huge factor as well. Rivers must improve on his 3-4 postseason record to gain better recognition.
7. Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles): Even at the age of 30, Vick may have the most upside on this list. After two years away from football and one season as a Wildcat option, he started 2010 as Kevin Kolb’s backup. Vick took over in the middle of the first game and became the MVP runner-up. If there is a training camp, working with the first unit will make Vick even better.
8. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons): After playing hurt for a lot of the 2009 season, Ryan showed why he was the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2008. By trading up to draft Julio Jones, the Falcons are positioning Ryan to be one of the best.
9. Matt Schaub (Houston Texans): Schaub definitely puts up the numbers to be considered a top QB. Unfortunately they don’t always translate into wins. With the changes Houston has made defensively, Schaub may start leading them to more wins.
10. Tie: Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens) and Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): It would’ve been tough leaving either of these guys off the list. Both have quickly established themselves as franchise QBs who’ll be around for a long time. Both teams improved immediately when the drafted these guys. The biggest difference is Freeman is surrounded by a much younger core of teammates.
Next up: Running Back
Nice list Haran,
I do think that Chiefs QB Matt Casell should receive some recognition
He did after all lead his team to their best record in years and to the Post Season
I would rank him about #9 or #10… Schaub for all his stats has still never led the Texans to the Post-Season and with all that Talent that surrounds him
Also, QB M Sanchez has led the NY Jets to 2 AFC Championship Games in his first 2 Years which is lot more than most on this list have achieved
Where’s Donovan McNabb ???
I’ll take Vick over every stiff on this list including Brady….These stiffs wouldn’t last 3 games behind our offensive line. Also the refs help alot of these guys on the list during games. Where’s Sheli? I like Rothlesberger though,,,he’s a tough SOB….
Philliip Rivers over Michael Vick? Give me a damn break….Where’s corn on the Kolb?
No love for the ham ripper huh?
Paulman’s Top 10 NFL QB’s
#1) A Rodgers
#2) T Brady
#3) M Vick
#4) P Manning
#5) B Rosthlisberger
#6) D Brees
#7) P Rivers
#8) M Ryan
#9) J Flacco
#10) E Manning/M Cassell
Best 5 Young QB’s moving up the list
#1) M Sanchez
#2) J Freeman
#3) S Bradford
#4) R Fitzpatrick
#5) C McCoy
Over-Rated and on their way down and out
#1) E Manning
#2) J Cutler
#3) D McNabb
#4) C Palmer
#5) A Smith/M Hasselback
chill songs, vick was rated exactly where he should be on that list, maybe if Kolb had a line he could have been on that list. Where’s the wheel barrow?
#1 Kevin Kolb
#2 Tom Brady
#3 Peyton Manning
#4 Drew Brees
#5 Aaron Rodgers
…
🙂
Vick had a good year, but Rivers is a better QB, as are Manning, Brees, and Big Ben… This is a QB in the NFL list… not a fantasy QB list, to put Vick above Brees, Manning, Rivers, and Ben is insanity.
I dont like dissing people on this site but vick has one good year and he is better than peyton manning and tom brady? wow why do i even bother with this website.
@ my man paul…..You make a good point about Cassell, but that’s why lists like these start good debates. I had a hard enough time with Flacco and Freeman, both of whom I believe have more upside than Cassell.
Also, part of why Cassell made the playoffs is because of playing in the AFC West. The Chiefs and the Bucs had identical records though.
Point well taken Haran
To Vricchini, my Top 10 list is how the QB’s played last season and how I think they will perform next season. I believe that P Manning and D Brees who are both great QB’s and are obviously much more accomplished than Vick, but I think both are now on their downside of their careers with their best days behind them.. I ranked Vick high for I believe he has a lot more upside and that he and his teammates have just scratched the surface with the Eagles friendly QB system and the young talent that surrounds him.. I think Brady doesn’t have the Talent or consistent running game that he had a couple of years back but is still the games best overall QB.. I placed A Rodgers at the Top for he has complete command of the offense,that team and they have a solid nucleaus at all the Skill positions.
My list was by no means a top list of the best QB’s as far as what the yhave achieved thru their careers but simpley a ranking of who is playing best at the QB position now.. and for his upcoming season based on their teams talent and their performanc of last Season..
CT Top 10 QB’s
Brady
Manning
Brees
Rodgers
Vick
BIg Ben
Matt Cassel
Phillip R
Matt Ryan
Eli Manning
Paulman,
Vick ahead of Peyton? How much kool aid have you been drinking? Vick is a great player, but he has barely cracked the top 10 in my opinion. He showed a severe dropoff the second half of the season after defenses figured him out–just as it happened before prison. The test is this year–what Vick is the player we have, the one from the first 6-7 games or the player from the back half of the season. Either way, I would take Peyton 8 days a week over Vick at this point.
Paulman’s Various Lists
QB’s who need to put up or shut up in 2011
#1) T Romo
#2) J Cutler
#3) D Garrard
#4) D McNabb
#5) J Campbell
#6) C Palmer
#7) V Young
#8) T Jackson
#9) A Smith
#10) J Claussen
#11) C Henne
QB’s who need to stay healthy and play a full season to see what they can do
#1) M Stafford
#2) K Kolb
#3) T Tebow
Most Under-Rated QB
#1) K Orton
Most Over-Rated QB
#1) Eli Manning
Best-Dressed QB
#1) McNabb/Vick
Worst Dressed QB
#1) McNabb/Vick
QB’s to make name for themselves in 2011
#1) R Fitzpatrick
#2) A Dalton
#3) C Kaepernick
QB’s who wished they changed their last names
#1) Brady “Quinn the Eskimo”
#2) Kevin “Cobb Salad” to go
#3) Jay “The Cutler Did It”
#4) Matt “Charles Scwaub”
#5) Vince “Forever Not Young”
To Fran35,
I guess you didn’t read my post above where I stated my Top 10 Rankings are for last year performance and what I expect from this yeatrs Performance
P Manning is a HOF QB and one of top 3 QB’s to ever play the game, but his play dropped off last year and I expect it will continue as he gets older with less mobility, lhas little help in the running game and a O/Line in transition.. I expect QB Vick to have better #’s and more wins in 2011 than I do Peyton Manning which is no knock on Manning, but the window for the Colts is closed due to the Colts having many holes and they are team in decline in my opinion while Vick and Eagles window is wide open for the next couple of seasons….
Ok Ok Ok…everyone has made some great points on their top 10 Qb picks. Some i agree with, and some I disagree with. The biggest question I’ve been thinking about over the last couple of days since the top 100 players list came out(from last year etc) is how can Romo be rated ahead of Mcnabb. I mean sure Mcnabb had a crappy situation with the shannahans and all, but he was still better than Romo who was injured and still sucks. Do the multiple playoff victories, 4 NFC championships and 1 superbowl have any weight at all? I don’t believe this list was compiled by the players 100% bc #5 still had a better year than Romo. Just sayin…
LMBAO @ SONGS ” I’ll take Vick over every stiff on this list including Brady….”
3900 yards, 36 TD’s and only 4 INT’s..and who were his WR’s again ?
Brady is Best QB hands down..
Tony Romo is on the list because he’s a cowboy…No other reason…He was ass before the injury last year and choked every year before that.
This is the only city that don’t give love to their top rated QB’s…
The top 2 quarterbacks in Eagles History are first Mcnabb then Cunningham, yet “Jaws” get more love from the philly phinest….I wonder why?
If Mcnabb was white …he would be a legend in this town but now after all he did for the city…He’s just an after thought.
That’s why this town is cursed….No honor…No Superbowl.
Mcnabb was a model citizen, family man, and a great quarterback in Philadelphia…and I know it’s pissing some of you guys off that now it looks like Michael Vick will round off the list of the top 3 quarterbacks in Eagles history.
Jaws was ass! Hoying was ass! Now Hoying Jr. is on his way out!
Get behind your team and respect the QB’s who have put the Eagles on the national map and then Karma might fall in your favor.
Jaws took the Eagles just as far as McNabb, and further than Cunningham ever did. Plus, Jaws was a tough SOB, not some momma’s boy crying all the time about every perceived slight. The people of Philadelphia don’t have time for a momma’s boy.
If McNabb was white he would be treated the same way – just like Mike Schmidt. Because they were both douchebags.
You’re exactly correct Songs. I’m with ya on that one buddy.
Songs, you could not be more wrong about our city, if mcnabb were white it would have been worse because clowns like you and others would have been with me but worse with your criticism because he’s white, mike Schmidt isvthe best baseball player in the city’s history and I am proud to say I booed his ass, and Irish is correct, he is a douche just like your boy mcnabb, get of this race thing, get a job
I cheered Mike Schmidt…and any other city would have heraled him as a hero…maybe it’s not race,….May the philly fans are a bunch of unappreciative assholes.
No songs, it’s about attitude, work ethic, not color, Brian Dawkins, beloved, Allen inversion, beloved, chuck bednarik, same, Randall Cunningham, my favorite eagle, mcnabb couldn’t carry his jock, mike Vick shows the same winner attitude, and the ultimate warrior and jakedogs favorite Bernard Hopkins, these are the guys we support, not that clown mcnabb, get it, and Kolb has the same make up, that’s why we were so glad to see him get his chance, maybe Vick better suited for this team, but it is not and never will be about race, Ryan Howard, stud, best sllugger in the bigs and way underrated, before him dick Allen, what stud, great baseball player, then maybe it was about race, not now, not now, let it go, stay thirsty my friend
I thought D McNabb was white … Didn’t Bernard Hopkins say something to that effect just last week.. Good Grief..
I have a good question
Who here would have thought trading our 1st round pick in 2007 only to recieve Stewart Bradley, C J Gaddis, and a 2012 1st round pick was a good idea?
Think twice before you guys here feel the Eagles would be geniuses for trading Kolb for a 1st rounder….
The Geniuses wasted time and squandered a chance to get talent that could have helped a very talented team in 2007….and who’s to say they will not turn around and pick up another Stewart Bradley and C J Gaddis again for this first rounder we may get for Kolb?
I think we can successfully conclude that the Kolb pick was a serious mistake ……and I wonder how many guys here would still take Kolb over Vick today?
I haven’t heard anyone say that Kolb was better than Vick for at least 5 months. You are beating a dead horse. Enough already! As far as your comments go:
1. The top 2 quarterbacks in Eagles History are first Mcnabb then Cunningham, yet “Jaws” get more love from the philly phinest….I wonder why?
Answer: Because the other two were annoying. And who is giving him love anyway? I haven’t heard anyone talk about Jaworski since 1985. By the way, I remember booing him.
2. If Mcnabb was white …he would be a legend in this town but now after all he did for the city…He’s just an after thought.
No, he was annoying like Mike Schmidt. For being the best third baseman of all time, Schmidt had to wear a mask on the field one day after making another nasty comment about the fans. He was as humorless then as he is today, but still funnier than McNabb.
Jerome Brown is a legend. Reggie White is a legend. Brian Dawkins is a legend. McNabb is annoying and he choked often. White people even loved Alan Iverson, and he gave them plenty of opportunities not to.
The only thing you wrote that I could possibly agree with is that Stewart Bradley stinks and CJ Gaddis was beyond stinking. You actually made me laugh for once, because he does symbolize the kind of player the Eagles generally draft. White Philadelphians grow up idolizing black ballplayers. They didn’t initially like Vick because 1) he had constant problems with the law 2) he never won anything with Atlanta 3) he killed dogs and was in the Federal penitentiary for a couple years as a result. Once he started winning for the Eagles, well their memories got shorter and shorter. It was very nice of you to cheer for Mike Schmidt, though–I didn’t. Me? I tried to hold a bat like Wes Covington.