The Super Bowl quarterbacks and the Eagles search for a quarterback
Baltimore's Joe Flacco and San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick are the two quarterbacks in the Super Bowl. Neither has reached a Pro Bowl -- yet. (Kaepernick is in his first season as a starter.) During the next two weeks, the talking point topic of "elite quarterbacks" will become popular.
The Super Bowl quarterbacks and the Eagles search for a quarterback
Zach Berman, Inquirer Staff Writer
Baltimore's Joe Flacco and San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick are the two quarterbacks in the Super Bowl. Neither has reached a Pro Bowl -- yet. (Kaepernick is in his first season as a starter.) During the next two weeks, the talking point topic of "elite quarterbacks" will become popular.
It generates debate, but there's no consensus on what an "elite" quarterback is. Is it someone who wins 60 percent of his games? Is it someone who makes the Pro Bowl every year? Does an elite quarterback require a Super Bowl ring?
I've stated before, in chats and on Twitter, that the Eagles' decision at quarterback this offseason is the most important one they'll make -- even more important than their coach. (Shameless plug -- there's a chat at 1 p.m. tomorrow) While this might be a slight overstatement, the fact remains that the Eagles have a great unknown at quarterback.
The Eagles need a solution at the position, and the rise of the Redskins this season illustrates what can happen when a team finds the right player. The option might not be Michael Vick or Nick Foles, as Jeff McLane pointed out last week. And there's much discussion about this being a relatively weak year for quarterbacks in the draft and free agency.
Of course, the 49ers had a similar situation to the Eagles when Jim Harbaugh inherited the 49ers, and all they've done the past two seasons is win. So the right player in the right system could be the solution.
But where does a team find him? That topic was analyzed in a November Inquirer story:
Of the 32 opening-day starters in the NFL this season, 26 were selected in the first and second rounds. And most of the elite quarterbacks are high-first-round picks. Of the 16 Pro Bowl quarterbacks taken in the first round in the last 20 years, 13 were taken in the top 11 picks. In April, general manager Howie Roseman said a team is "betting against the odds" when taking a quarterback after the first round
The goal is to make the postseason, of course, so an examination of this year's playoff quarterback shows that a first-round pick is helpful -- but not a neccessity. (See detais below) Neither Super Bowl quarterback was a top 11 pick, but neither has reached the Pro Bowl. Seven of the 12 starters were first-round picks, and nine of 12 were taken in the top two rounds.
This is fairly similar to the season-opening percentage in the NFL, and Tom Brady has long been an outlier. Perhaps more noteworthy is when the quarterbacks started with their teams. Only Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Brady, and Matt Schaub did not become regular starters during their rookie seasons. Only Peyton Manning and Schaub have switched teams. So half of the starters in the playoffs were identified as the team's potential franchise quarterback in the draft and given the starting job for their first career game.
There will be reports in the coming days that the Eagles are looking at quarterbacks in the draft. And they should. The Eagles have prime draft position, and if they find a quarterback they like, they should strike. The two Super Bowl quarterbacks is evidence that there's no clear formula for finding a winning quarterback, but the best teams still find a quarterback early -- and never let him go.
That's where the stories of Kaepernick and Flacco are worth analyzing. Neither quarterback drew a consensus as a probable franchise player, or else he would have been a Top 10 pick. But published reports from both years show that the team targeted the quarterback, and were determined to get him. In fact, both teams traded up in the draft to get the player. So watch closely if Chip Kelly or the Eagles targets a particular quarterback in the first two rounds this spring, and if so, the moves made to get that quarterback.
PLAYOFF QUARTERBACKS
49ers - Colin Kaepernick, 2nd round (No. 36 overall); Year 2, Game 10
Ravens - Joe Flacco, 1st round (No. 18); Year 1, Game 1
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Falcons - Matt Ryan, 1st round (No. 3); Year 1, Game 1
Patriots - Tom Brady, 6th round (No. 199); Year 2, Game 3
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Packers - Aaron Rodgers, 1st round (No. 24); Year 4, Game 1
Seahawks - Russell Wilson, 3rd round (No. 75); Year 1, Game 1
Texans - Matt Schaub, 3rd round (No. 90); Year 1, Game 15 (Became a regular starter Year 4, Game 1) [NOT ORIGINAL TEAM]
Broncos - Peyton Manning, 1st round (No. 1); Year 1, Game 1 [NOT ORIGINAL TEAM]
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Vikings - Christian Ponder, 1st round (No. 12 ); Year 1, Game 7
Redskins - Robert Griffin III, 1st round (No. 2); Year 1, Game 1
Bengals - Andy Dalton, 2nd round (No. 35); Year 1, Game 1
Colts - Andrew Luck, 1st round (No. 1); Year 1, Game 1
I viewed tape of Geno Smith, Ryan Nassib, Mike Glennon, and Barkley and I don't seem any of them worthy of the top 10 picks in the 1st round. In fact, it would be a stretch to consider that any of them are worthy of a 1st round grade.— sbmedlg- and your credentials are........what you drink beer and offer no evidence to support your general observation....you watched tape eh? My guess is you saw a little flash on the NFL Channel and decided to open up your pie hole..........I consider reading your opinion the most wasted five second of my entire life
- Gonna go way out on a limb here and guess that you are a Democrat, Tim?
I guess he didn't realize that the comments were for NFL GMs only. Or anybody who agrees with your opinion. Oh wait...you didn't give one, you just threw out insults.
Yup, democrat.— smfree31 - Who pee'd in your Cheerios this morning, Tim? Sbmedlg was just offering his opinion, no where does he state it's FACT, yet you jumped on him like two teenagers at a school dance. Take it easy dude!! Relax. Exhale. There ya go. — CoettaGarner25
- DUMP VICK...Vick is an old washed-up turn-over machine that has LOST SEVEN GAMES IN A ROW...DUMP VICK — jim35
- We get it, Jim, you don't like Vick AND are very keen at cutting and pasting since you've posting this same garbage on every article regarding the Eagles. Get a life. — CoettaGarner25
- I think Vick still has great instincts and some talent left. I was down on him this season, but after I saw Foles and how bad the O-line was, i gained new respect for him. If Vick had a good line, and did not feel so impelled to stay in the pocket all the time and to go back to his main gift of running, he might have a break out year.— Larry Byrd
- What games were you watching? For the past two years, Vick has been behind a better line than Foles, yes posted similar numbers to a 3rd round rookie. Not inspiring for a 33 year old veteran... By break out year, do you mean a femur or a rib? — chris_r
- Exactly right. Foles played half the season, and he still took more shots than most QB's. Vick can't be blamed for the Eagles troubles, because there were a lot of problems on both sides of the ball. The thing we can say is that through all the hits and injures, he still wanted to play. Most other QB's would have given up. But Vick practically played until he was couldn't see anymore.
— DJackFan - Compelled to sty in the pocket LOL Vick is overrated always was, can't take a hit, can't read a defense, looks to run first, and not that accurate of a passer. Look at the successful QBs big tough and strong leave the running to the running back. Its a skill nice to have but not that important. Vick is average at best — phillysmart
- Can't take a hit? What have you been smoking? He got hammered! How many times did he did nailed from his blind side where the defender came after him unimpeded? Vick's main problem is his height or lack of it. Often he is throwing to a spot with out seeing the action. Brees is only 6' as well but gets a heel of a lot better protection so he isn't dealing with defensive linemen in his face. I'm not saying Vick should stay, only addressing a ridiculous comment. — DelValLifer
- Oh, so many teams go the the playoffs that being a 'playoff quarterback" doesn't mean much. narrow the field to teams that win Conference titles and those QBs being first rounders and it's not all that important an indicator. being a "better team" means more $ to spend on a single player and that said it worth it to pay more to get a 1st round pick. One player does not make a team but one player may make a good team a much better team. Better teams, by definition, are better at picking talent and lesser teams pick players that are "consensus" quality. Tom Brady and Aaron Rogers didn't start until after their first years, and so too Colin K. Look at 1st rounders that start yr 1 gm 1 and MOST aren't on Conference winning teams, 'cuz the team isn't just one guy, right?!!!— Mark Howard
- Larry, you are right but listen to what you wrote. Vick is 32 and still waits too long on plays. Essentially, you are asking Vick to stop being Vick.— Bobby G
- @Bobby G- No, Andy asked Vick to stop being Vick and he took a beating for it. I agree with LB behind a good line Vick would have been great and if allowed to do what he does(escape bad situation on the field) behind that porous line we had this season thing would have turned out different, we might have at least made the playoffs.— realtruth
- Has there ever been a quarterback who at 32 resurrected his career by running the ball more? Vick was getting run by from behind by defensive linemen this year.— AreaMan
