Fantasy News & Analysis

Premium Content Sign Up

Renner: NFL teams should stop talking themselves into bad quarterbacks

Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (10) reacts after his touchdown in the second quarter against the Houston Texans at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

The Franchise Quarterback™ — it’s the Holy Grail in today's NFL. Every team is looking for one, yet few are finding them. One of the side effects of this never-ending quest is that franchises are talking themselves into bad quarterbacks more and more often.

We’ve seen this cost numerous teams like the Bears and Jaguars realistic Super Bowl windows of late. For a number of different reasons, the concept of the “quarterback of the future” is dated. NFL teams should instead prioritize the “quarterback of the now.”

More Talent = More Options

This is the crucial fact for NFL GMs to realize in today's landscape: There's more talent at the quarterback position than ever before. Five years ago, Andy Dalton was considered an average to above-average starting quarterback in the league after leading the Bengals to a 12-4 record and an AFC North title. He was rewarded with a 6-year, $96 million deal that was not criticized at the time.

Today, Dalton can’t find a starting job at only 33 years old — feasibly the prime of his career by modern standards. While his performance fell off as the talent eroded in Cincinnati, his actual talent level hasn’t noticeably dipped, as evidence by his 69.5 passing grade this past year with the Cowboys. The fact that he's a backup is indicative of just how much talent has entered the league of late.

This year, Gardner Minshew earned a 66.0 PFF overall grade, which ranked 25th in the league. That's the highest overall grade for a QB ranked that low that we have ever seen. Here’s how the 25th-ranked QB in PFF’s rankings has graded in years past:

Year 25th-Ranked QB PFF Grade
2020 66.0
2019 61.1
2018 64.7
2017 62.6
2016 56.3
2015 61.1
2014 54.4
2013 60.6
2012 52.7
2011 37.4

This grade is only going to improve in the coming years with the influx of talent in the 2020 quarterback class. Currently, the top-three players on the PFF Big Board are quarterbacks, and as many as six could go in the first round.

DOMINATE FANTASY FOOTBALL & BETTING WITH AI-POWERED DATA & TOOLS TRUSTED BY ALL 32

Unlimited Fantasy League Sync
Fantasy Start/Sit Line-Up Optimizer & Waiver Wire
WR-CB & OL-DL Matchups, PFF Player Grades, & Premium Stats 2.0 Tools
Nathan Jahnkes Rankings - #1 Most Accurate Last 70 Weeks
PFF Best Bets, Player Props, & Power Ranking Tools
NFL Mock Draft Sim with Trades & Draft Grades

Already have a subscription? Log In

Subscriptions

Unlock the 2023 Fantasy Draft Kit, with League Sync, Live Draft Assistant, PFF Grades & Data Platform that powers all 32 Pro Teams

$31 Draft Kit Fee + $8.99/mo
OR
$89.88/yr + FREE Draft Kit