Free Agent Quarterbacks 2012
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
Best Available:
Drew Brees – Saints - Arguably the most accurate signal-caller in the league today, Brees epitomized the evolution of the NFL’s passing game with his record-breaking performance in 2011, and is in line for a monumental payday. A six-time Pro-Bowl selection who nearly surpassed Dan Marino’s long-held mark of 5,084 yards earlier in his career, Brees shattered the total as the leader of New Orleans’ potent offense this past season, posting MVP-caliber numbers (5,476 yards, 46 touchdowns, 14 interceptions). Drafted by San Diego in 2001, he has already won a Super Bowl in his career, but interested teams aren’t likely to have a chance at acquiring him in free agency, as the Saints are all but guaranteed to lock him up with big bucks.
Matt Flynn – Packers - Unlike Brees, Flynn is far from proven at the NFL level and has started merely two games since coming into the league as a seventh-round draft pick in 2008. However, his value skyrocketed with an eye-popping performance in relief of Aaron Rodgers to close Green Bay’s nearly perfect regular season. Though he’s faced questions regarding his size and arm strength, Flynn has flourished as an accurate passer with the Packers, lighting up Detroit for 480 yards and six touchdowns this past season. His work as an injury replacement vs. New England in 2010 has also garnered attention, and while he is nowhere near a surefire free agent acquisition, his upside as a starter is through the roof thanks to this season.
Kyle Orton – Chiefs - While he doesn’t compare to Brees and Flynn in terms of pure talent and upside, Orton brings a sense of stability to the table as one of the top free agent quarterbacks heading into 2012. At 29 years old, he’s likely still got a handful of quality seasons left, and while he’s never wowed anyone as a starter, his intermediate arm strength and experience could go a long way for a team in need of a veteran first-stringer. Originally a draft pick of the Bears in 2005, he found success in Denver after being traded to the Broncos as part of the Jay Cutler deal, but was ultimately waived after the emergence of Tim Tebow this past season. Picked up by the Chiefs, he played sparingly while battling injuries, but could land another starting gig on the market this offseason.
Quarterbacks
Drew Brees
Matt Flynn
Kyle Orton
Chad Henne
Alex Smith
Jason Campbell
David Garrard
Vince Young
Josh Johnson
Shaun Hill
Byron Leftwich
Sage Rosenfels
Brady Quinn
Drew Stanton
Donovan McNabb
Chad Pennington
Rex Grossman
Dennis Dixon
Chris Redman
Josh McCown
Charlie Whitehurst
Luke McCown
Charlie Batch
Jake Delhomme
J.P. Losman
Dan Orlovsky
Derek Anderson
A.J. Feeley
Caleb Hanie
David Carr
Kellen Clemens
Kyle Boller
Mark Brunell
Jeff Garcia
Kevin O’Connell
The Elite 8
Well, we are down to the Elite 8 in the NFL and it’s nothing but the cream of the crop for the rest of the way! How do you rank the remaining playoff teams? The NFC is looking lean and mean right now with the performances of the Saints and Giants, the AFC has still yet to see their two big boys play while the feel good stories look like they might be at the end of their journey. So how do they stack up 1-8 in their odds to win it all, here is how we see it! Read more
49ers: Working Out Former NFL QB Daunte Culpepper
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
Its true folks, the 49ers are now working out former NFL QB Daunte Culpepper. At the moment the 49ers are looking for a veteran QB badly.
Enter Daunte Culpepper. Yes trust me “Everybody get your roll on” Daunte Culpepper, to back up Alex Smith. Last season with the UFL’s Sacramento team Culpepper threw 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in the eight of his starts.
After the debacle last pre season game, its possible that Alex Smith got roughed up a bit behind that fragile offensive line.
Right now the 49ers have 3 young rookies on the depth chart behind Alex Smith, that includes second-round choice Colin Kaepernick who is #2 on the depth chart. Looks like the team would rather have a veteran step into play vs. throwing Kaeperninck to the wolves.
With an inexperienced line and poor communication between them, giving up sacks could be the norm in San Fran. I’m not quite sure that the 49ers really want to damage the confidence of Kaeperninck this early in the season. Somebody should have Troy Smith on speed dial…just saying.
49ers Name Alex Smith starting QB for the second time
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
The San Francisco 49ers have announced for the second time that their starting quarterback will be Alex Smith.
Coach Singletary made it know to the media on Tuesday morning. The 49ers who are (4-8) have a must-win game this Sunday at home against their NFC West rivals Seattle Seahawks.
On Oct. 24th Alex Smith dislocated his non-throwing left shoulder and hasn’t played since. Alex was cleared to play several weeks ago, but Singletary opted for Troy Smith to switch things up. despite being medically cleared several weeks ago. At the moment Singletary has chose to pick a starting QB each week and go from there.
“Our quarterback is going to be Alex Smith,” Singletary told KNBR. “We felt at this time, Alex with his experience and all of the other things, he would give us the best chance to win at this particular time, at this time of the year. Still very confident in what Troy has been able to do and would not rule out at any point in time him playing again. Right now it’s just a matter of looking where we are in the season and the opportunity we have before us.”
On the year Alex Smith has completed 143 of 242 passes for 1,554 yards and nine TDs and nice interceptions and has been sacked 13 times this season. His quarterback rating is 75.0 This could perhaps be Alex Smith’s last time to shine for the 49ers as he is in the final year of his contract with a team trying to end a seven-year playoff drought.
Troy Smith, who has went 3-2 in the last five games is 66 for 126 and has passed for 1,023 yards and four touchdowns, including throwing for 356 yards in a 23-20 overtime victory over the St. Louis Rams.
“I think the most important thing is the guys understand I’m going to go with the guy I figure will give us the best opportunity to win. I think they know that about me,” Singletary told the radio station. “We’re trying to win games and that’s really the bottom line. Because of the experience, obviously [Alex] knows the playbook. He’s been here, has been in the system, has gone through training camp, the whole nine yards. I just feel that right now he gives us the best chance to win.”
Troy Smith: 49ers Go with a new Smith
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
49ers QB Alex Smith will not be in the lineup up this weekend due to a seperated shoulder, however Coach Singeltary has turned to Ex Raven QB and heisman trophy winner Troy Smith.
Most people would have thought David Carr would take the start but Singeltary will take a shot with Troy Smith. With the Niners off to a 1-6 start, Singletary has little to lose by taking a gamble. Singletary said Troy Smith had never taken first-team snaps in practice with the Niners before this week, but that he’s catching on pretty quickly.
Singletary made it known on Wednesday that Troy will get his first NFL start in three years against the Denver Broncos at London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Singletary chose the former Ohio State stud ahead of Carr, who played against Carolina after Alex Smith was injured on Sunday but threw a costly late interception that led to the winning field goal for the Carolina Panthers.
“Troy Smith gives us a good opportunity to win this game,” Singletary said. “I talked to David Carr about it. He understands. We had a couple of conversations about it. That’s a personal thing between he and I, and I’m going to leave it there. Troy Smith is our starting quarterback.”
Troy Smith has spent the last threes years of his career with the Ravens where he only had two starts back in 2007. Troy Smith does have the mobility that Alex Smith and Carr don’t possess. Look for the 49ers to take advantage of his scrambling ability to give the 49ers offense some extra options.
“The way that you prepare as a professional athlete, you have to be prepared when your number is called. And that’s exactly where I’m at,” he said. “I think the easiest way to get through to your teammates that you’re serious about what’s going on is to know exactly what your job is, know exactly what everyone expects from you and go out and execute,” Troy Smith said. “At the same time you have to respect your boundaries. I believe in not stepping on anybody’s toes, I believe in getting in where you fit in.”
With Troy Smith stepping in the lineup he will get the opportunity to link up with old Ohio State teammate wide receiver Ted Ginn, whio is actually one of his best friends from childhood and his favorite target during his Ohio State days. Both of them played together in high school in Cleveland and then again at Ohio State, and Ginn stated that he can’t wait to get out on the field to play together again.
“It’s great to be able to get back in tune with a guy that you’ve been playing with your whole life,” Ginn said. “For us to go out and continue our journey that we’ve been (on) so far is great.”
Alex Smith starring in “We want Carr”
Fantasy Football – Week 3 Pickups
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
QB’s
Week 3 Pickups
Josh Freeman – Buccaneers Believe it or not Freeman has been a top-10 quarterback each of the first two weeks and is also tied for sixth-best on the season, Freeman has four TDs . He’ll face the Steelers in Week 3, and then he’ll be on a bye. You might be ready to play him after that.
Kyle Orton – Denver Orton has produced for the Broncos and for fantasy owners in 2010. Orton’s targets are Eddie Royal, Demaryius Thomas, Jabar Gaffney, and Daniel Graham. There is some potential in that group, especially with Thomas back and healthy. .
Alex Smith – San Francisco Smith has some nice weapons to play with in San Francisco, which always make him worth a start depending on the opponent. Right now he’s struggled to get Crabtree in the mix…once they get their chemistry back things could get brighter.
Mark Sanchez – New York Jets Sanchez got busy in the 2nd half against the Patriots. He had 3 passing touchdowns. You have to remember that the Jets will continue run the rock with Greene and Tomlinson, which doesn’t mean huge numbers in the passing game but he has his good days ahead of him as Dustin Keller has come alive.
Bruce Gradkowski – Raiders Bruce gets the nod. either way you can expect a gutsy performance. Keep a watch on him, he could provide a spark plug for the passing game in Oakland. But don’t plan on relying on Gradkowski as your savior.
Jimmy Clausen – Carolina Clausen is a shaky start, but if you need someone to fill in he’s worth putting in. The Panthers tote the rock heavy and will rely on the run game more than Clausen’s shoulders.
Ryan Fitzpatrick – Buffalo Fitzpatrick has been named the starter in Buffalo, Its tough to see a huge upside for the Buffalo offense. But Ryan is 5-4 as a starter that is the only positive I have for you. The Bills offensive line is really suspect and their big receiving threat is Lee Evans. (I’ve been waiting years for him to produce for fantasy) No Bueno!
RB’s
Thomas Jones – Kansas City Todd Haley continues to rely heavy on the savvy vet Thomas Jones. Jamaal Charles is always a threat to steal carries or some how take his position. Charles is the more explosive option, but Thomas Jones is getting more touches case and point.
Marshawn Lynch – Buffalo Lynch got allot of love and was used heavily on Sunday, but will still has Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller to deal with going forward. He might be worth a bench spot depending on your situation and desperate need.
Donald Brown – Indianapolis Brown got a nice amount of touches on Sunday. He touched the ball 17 times against the G-men and brought in a score. Brown is def worth a bench spot on your roster.
Michael Bush – Oakland Problem is Darren McFadden has been doing his thing this season, where does that leave Michael Bush. Bush is no longer a starting option however he should steal touches from McFadden down the road.
Jason Snelling – Atlanta Snelling had a tremendous game filling in for Turner and Norwood. The Falcons will rely on the run as much as possible, Michael Turner pays the light bill, but Snelling will get his “shine on” from time to time. Turner’s groin is back to normal so they say but keep Snelling on your bench in the time being.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis – New England Patriots did have the Wutang of Running backs however, Maroney and Faulk are now gone…that’s right gone! So between Fred Taylor & Sammie Morris look for Green-Ellis to get some carries in there. Bill Belichick will rely on no feature back, which scares us all!
Mike Tolbert – Chargers if you own Ryan Mathews Tolbert should be looked at. He had a good game in his opener against the Chiefs, he had two carries for 26 yards. Mathews left with an injury and Tolbert got 95 total yards and two scores. Important fact is Tolbert got his first score while Mathews was still in the game. Looks like you can add “vulture” to Tolberts resume. He is a must-grab for any Mathews owner.
John Kuhn – Green Bay Brandon Jackson didn’t quite impress like we thought he would as a starter, Which allowed Kuhn to steal some carries. Kuhn could likely see 5-8 carries a game. Kuhn is an option if you are desperate.
Rashad Jennings – Jacksonville Maurice Jones-Drew didn’t play the whole game, which opened up a window for Jennings to get some stats. Jones-Drew will lock on to the starter position as the main feature. Jennings is worthy to hold a spot on your bench, nothing more nothing less. Maurice Jones-Drew goes down he’s your guy!
Chris Ivory /DeShawn Wynn– New Orleans
Reggie Bush is probably out up to 4-6 weeks, DeShawn Wynn or Chris Ivory will be happy to take some snaps from Thomas. Ivory is still nursing an injury so Wynn looks like he has a slight advantage. If healthy Ivory is my pick though.
WR’s
Devin Hester – Chicago Many people let Hester go after week 1, It might be time to go scoop him back up! He rebounded nicely in week 2 and is worthy of starting position, especially since Devin Aromashodu got the bench. Jay Cutler has out performed himself this season and with the numbers up as well as attempt he’s bound to get in the mix. Knox is considered thee guy in from the WR corp. If you cant get him your next best target is Hester.
Demaryius Thomas – Denver Thomas was out week 1 due to injury. He made his NFL debut last week and he had an impressive 8 grabs with 97 yards and a TD. Denver has a need for a big wide receiver, and Thomas is that guy!
Louis Murphy – Raiders With Gradkowski in the mix he could be targeted early and often. Last week Murphy had 6 catches for 91 yards and a score. He was the No. 1 receiver for the Raiders this past Sunday. Raiders next 3 opponents are Arizona, Houston and San Diego expect them to try and air it out.
Kevin Walter – Texans You cant ignore that he now has scores in both games this season. His stat line in the comeback against the Redskins were 11 receptions and 144 yards. With Owen Daniels not completely healthy they look to involve Walter a bit more.
TE’s
Dustin Keller – New York Jets In week 1 Keller was a no show stats wise. However Keller pulled in 7 receptions, 115 yards, and a touchdown PLUS 9 targets in week 2. Look for Mark Sanchez’s to favor Keller down the stretch. Even though the Jets are run heavy, Keller could still be productive.
Marcedes Lewis – Jacksonville In week 1 Lewis had 2 targets BUT they were both for touchdowns. In week 2 he pulled in 5 receptions and 70 yards with 9 targets however he did not score. If your in need grab him up now..but if you can wait make sure you keep your eye on him this week and act fast…that’s if he is still there by then.
Tony Moeaki – Kansas City Moeaki has a whopping 14 targets and a score in 2 games which has put him on the fantasy map. Look for Matt Cassel to rely on him in the passing game. The kid has upside, and could possibly be the teams second leading receiver behind Bowe
Aaron Hernandez – New England Hernandez had 6 grabs for 101 yards against the Jets, In week 1 he was targeted only twice. But for a rookie you have to admit he’s off to a good start, he has to compete with the like of Moss & Welker and fellow rookie TE Rob Gronkowski. Keep your eye on his production, It looks like Brady’s confidence is already there with the youngster.
Brandon Pettigrew – Detroit Against the Eagles Pettigrew pulled in 7 receptions and 108 yds with 8 targets. Pettigrew is definitely talented but you have to remember Tony Sheffler is still hanging around as well. Either way you look at it, he’s worthy of keeping your eye on for the next couple of weeks until he shows us that he can be consistent.
BREAKDOWN – NFC West
By Steve O’Reilly
The NFC West is a Division that is wide open and depending who you ask, can be had by anyone. The Cardinals have the most talent, arguably, followed closely by the 49ers. The issue with the Cardinals however is Kurt Warner is gone and the new starter, Derek Anderson, leaves some a bit nervous as to how far he can take them. The Niners are young but made strides in 2009 and if they continue along that path they should be tough to beat, the issue with them is the same as the Cardinals, how much do you trust their QB. In their case it’s former 1st Overall pick Alex Smith. For the Seahawks, they brought in a new Head Coach from USC and some new players to boot but of all the NFC West teams they have the best Quarterback…when he’s upright! The St. Louis Rams also have a #1 Overall pick on their roster and he too plays Quarterback, his name is Sam Bradford and the kid from Oklahoma has been turning some heads. What lies ahead for all these West Coast squads? Let’s take a spin around the Division and break it all down!! Read more
QB Alex Smith Owns Greg Ellis
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith showed he had major balls and flattened Oakland Raider Greg Ellis, who is a defensive end. I don’t know which is crazier, your quarterback blocking a defensive end or your defensive end capable of being absolutely owned by a quarterback.
Who’s No. 1? Smith, Carr battle for 49ers’ starting QB spot
No. 1 overall selections in the NFL draft three years apart, Alex Smith and David Carr are now competing to be the No. 1 quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. Read more
