Free Agent Quarterbacks 2012
By Gayle Saunders
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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
Vince Young Keeps Dreams alive for Eagles
By Gayle Saunders
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After Sunday nights battle with the Giants, what have we learned about Vince Young? We learned that Vince Young, still has that clutch playmaking ability.
Coming up big in big time games, is the reason why the Eagles signed Vince Young in the off season. Knowing Vick’s injury history, the Eagles knew they would need someone to fill in for him in case of injury and last night was a perfect example. If you trace back his football roots to the University of Texas and even with the Tennessee Titans, that’s the one thing that Vince has been known for.
If you saw the first three quarters of football played by Young Sunday night, you could easily say it was an ugly performance. However the last quarter was something of beauty. He came up huge on the final touchdown drive, going 7-for-9 for 67 yards and a touchdown to Riley Cooper in the back of the Endzone. Did I mention he ran off nine minutes of the clock?
On the night, Young ended up throwing for 258 yards,two touchdowns,three interceptions, and completed 64 percent of his passes. I’ll be honest, not a bad performance for having rusty wings.
With Michael Vick still nursing broken ribs, it’ll be interesting to see if Vince Young gets an opportunity to start. As we all know,Vick will make his best effort to play vs. the Patriots. For the time being, hats off to Vince for keeping the Eagles’ dreams alive.
Carson Palmer is an Oakland Raider!
By Gayle Saunders
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When it’s all said and done Carson Palmer got that move to west coast he wanted. The Bengals kind of got what they wanted, which was a desperate team to over pay. The Raiders also got what they wanted, a big name QB to get under the center for the black and silver.
Palmer sat tight and the cards played out well for both parties, as the Bengals have received Oakland’s 2012 first-round draft pick and a 2013 selection which could end up being another first-rounder.
“This deal is done,” said ESPN’s Chris Mortensen on SportsCenter Tuesday morning.
Mortensen reported that the Raiders were looking at Eagles backup QB Vince Young as a fallback plan, If the Palmer deal could not get done.
The USC alum will now get a chance to take a team with a 4-2 record perhaps on a playoff run. Its quite odd, when his old team with a rookie under center is also 4-2. Maybe they meet up in the playoffs when it really matters.
Jason Campbell’s contract is up at the end of the year, which means Palmer could slide in nicely for the next couple of years. Lets just hope he has something left in tank for Raiders nation to get excited about.
Titans Execs advise Owner to give Young the boot
By Gayle Saunders
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The Titans Senior management has spoken….and they believe its time to part ways with quarterback Vince Young. The only thing is…it’s Bud Adams final decision. At the moment Adams has yet to make a final decision on keeping coach Jeff Fisher as well.
Adams is well aware of the fact that Fisher will not stay if Young remains on the team. GM Mike Reinfeldt met with Adams and SVP Steve Underwood on Monday morning in Houston as Fisher finished up with physicals and held a team meeting in Nashville.
“I will make the decisions that I feel are in the best interest of the team,” Adams said in a statement released just before Fisher spoke to reporters Monday. “I do understand the time element involved and would expect to make these decisions in the near future.”
At the present time Fisher has one year remaining on his contract, and word on the streets is that he does not believe this team is a contender with Young on his team, according to sources close to the coach. Fisher will definitely not back down on the quarterback issue when he meets with Adams.
With Adams staioned in Houston, Texas most of the time it seems there has been a bit of a disconnect with what is going on in Nashville behind the scenes. Fisher has repeatedly stated his case and has said publicly that he wants to stay in Nashville.
If all does not work out in Tennessee look for Fisher to doing a year in broadcasting if he can perhaps get out of his contract or better yet a new coaching gig. With 16 years under his belt, Fisher is the longest-tenured coach in the NFL. Many teams will come knocking for his services
James Harrison and Aaron Smith Body Slam Vince Young
By Gayle Saunders
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Can you smell what James Harrison is cookin? because he must be getting ready for a career in the WWE after he shows the NFL world that his body slam skills are on point!
Titans put Young on IR but Owner Adams says Young is still his guy
By Gayle Saunders Follow Him on Twitter
Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher made it known that Vince young will need season-ending surgery on his throwing hand and that they will be putting him on injured reserve in the next couple days.
Vince Young was able to see a hand specialist on Monday, Titans Doctors recommended surgery to fix Young’s torn flexor tendon in his right thumb. Young was injured in the third quarter of Sunday’s game.
“He may want to get a second opinion. He may want to get two dozen opinions. Our doctor said for his position, it needs to be fixed,” Fisher said.
Rookie Rusty Smith will be the starter against Houston this coming Sunday. Smith is a sixth-round pick out of Florida Atlantic, and Tennessee is bringing in Chris Simms to back up Smith while Kerry Collins heals up for a couple more weeks with a strained left calf.
Fisher stated that even if Young was healthy enough to start, he would not play this Sunday because of his behavior after the game when he tossed his pads into the stands. A security guard, later had to go retrieve his shoulder pads. Then after the game Young had a heated argument with Fisher in the locker room following the loss, then he left the premises.
Owner Bud Adams had talked to Fisher and Young and told them to “get this thing settled” and work together to make matters better. Adams stated that Vince Young told him he wanted to return to the game. Bud Adams seems pretty adamant that he isn’t going to release the former No. 3 overall pick.
“Oh, God yeah. He is under contract. I wouldn’t want to let him go. We are going to pay him a lot of money,” Adams told Tennessee newspapers of Young who is due to receive $8.5 million in 2011.
Both Fisher and Young are under contract, and from what it looks like from the outside, both are not on the same page. Fisher’s contract also runs through 2011, he is in his 16th season which is the longest tenured coach in the NFL.
“My focus is on this football team. He’s not going to play anymore games for us this year because of the injury. We can deal with all that when the season is over,” Fisher said of trying to repair the relationship with Young.
Vince Young 99 yd game winning drive vs Cardinals
Vince Young – “The Drive” 99 Yards vs Cardinals
BREAKDOWN – AFC South
By Steve O’Reilly
For many years now the South has been under the rule of King Peyton Manning, he and his men have taken control of the Division in 2003 – 2007, the Titans took it in 2008, than the Colts again in 2009. That’s quite a while, but when you have great Wide Receivers, a great O-Line and a future Hall of Fame QB then you would expect nothing else. For the other teams, it’s really been a matter of how to knock them off their perch. The Texans have tried to build a team that can compete with them on an offensive level while the Titans are almost the exact opposite. Tennessee likes to control the game on the ground and play smart, ball control style offense that hopefully will keep Peyton on the sidelines. Jacksonville has tried to do with Defense and a solid running game as well. The problem is, no one has been able to do it yet, save the 08 Titans that went 13-3 and one game better than the Colts. So what does 2010 have in store for this Division? Standard operation perhaps but maybe not….let’s Breakdown the South!! Read more
HIT OF THE DAY: Rodney Harrison tees off on Vince Young
In a pre-season game in 2007 Vince Young became a victim of “The Blind Side”. Harrison hit Young with a textbook hit they teach you in pee-wee football! He didn’t see it coming but he felt it!
