ESPN Insider: 2018 NFL QB Tiers - 50 execs rank starting QBs

[viman96]

Philly got lucky the majority of their moves worked out last year. Their moves did not work the previous season. TBD if they can maintain winning. IMO the current roster has maybe 1-2 years left. They have 11 or more players that will be in the 30+ club. They are getting old fast and have key players with injury history.

 

[Verdict]

Why would I kill the messenger? At this point in his career, that's 100% accurate for Prescott. He's a good QB but just won't wow you yet. I could make an argument for Goff, Cousins and Mariota to be Tier 2 though.

Ruthlessraper should be in tier 2. Too inconsistent. Putrid on the road the last few years.

 

[jterrell]

Not sure what position group you see as weaker than last year. They are better at OL, DL, RB, WR, TE and CB. The only place I see any real issues are possibly at LB. and that can be handled at cut downs.

Eagles released 4 guys: Celek, Curry, Worley(traded from Torrey Smith) and Kendricks.
They lost like 12 guys in free agency. Robinson being huge. Curry, Burton (likely better than the draft pick this year). Beau Allen and the Kicker were all legit players though.

They drafted 1 top 120 guy.
They signed 4(above minimum salary guys), and traded for Bennett.

It's really just simple math. The team lost a lot of overall proven vet talent and didn't bolster it with much.

They look fine at this point roster-wise though it is very old.
The comp draft should provide 2-3 extra picks next year but those will be later on and may need time to develop.
At a time when you are cap strapped you won't have much young depth behind the vet guys you can no longer afford.
At least not as it stands.
There are moves to be made and we will see how it all shakes out.

 

[jterrell]

The Eagles are sitting 44M OVER the cap for 2019.
That's terrible cap management.
It just is.
Only two teams are more than 3M over, JAX and PHI both teams who were desperate. But PHI easily finishes last in cap totals for 2019.

Philly really got it all right in 2017 and they shook off the trophy-less yoke but they really need to get their cap cleaned up before they mire Wentz with a Romo-like cast for much of his career.

PHI only one pick in the top 120 last year. It was 49th and they took a 2nd TE that can't block.
They've only had four total draft picks in top 100 in the previous two seasons.
They have one of the oldest teams in the NFL.

Trading Wentz for a windfall of young, cheap players would be the move for sure.
They may also wanna consider something more extreme like moving off Fletcher Cox for a windfall.
He's primo for sure but also costs a fortune and won't be getting cheaper.
Like with any superstar at some point his cost will upend his salary and they'll be stuck with a huge dead cap bill to remove him.

of course I meant trading Foles not Wentz!

 

[Kevinicus]

ESPN pushing the stupid "carries his team" nonsense. That line of thinking is an insult to all the other players and is indicative of not understanding the concept of team sports.

 

[visionary]

Cool story bro.
Now lets discuss reality.

The Eagles didn't even lose their best Tackle. They did lose the 35 year old LT who was once a top 5 LT.
They did lose the starting MLB but had an ascending Nigel Bradford along with Kendricks(a former starter) and Corey Nelson(of Dallas) for good LB play.
They've now lost Kendricks.
RB? LOL. They lost a 3rd down back but had 2 other young 3rd down back types.
They had Ajayi, Clement, Blount, Smallwood.
Sproles is 3rd on the depth chart at best.

And they did lose a QB who was balling out but had also had 10 good games, EVER.
They replaced him with a guy who knew the system, had 30 NFL starts with a Pro Bowl and had played for the Coach for 5 of his 6 years.

Dallas by comparison lost their best defensive player, best offensive player, 2nd best offensive player and All Pro(and historically most accurate in NFL history) Kicker.
That's not mentioning Irving being out 8 games, Gregory being on year long suspension, losing Hitchens for a stretch where we had no Lee or Hitch, having Awuzie miss 6 games, Lewis miss most of camp, Scandrick missed 5 games and played with a plate in his hand.

People who claim the Eagles and Cowboys played through comparable player attrition are completely full of crud.

This is garbage and you know it
Every single team goes through injuries every year and ANY INDEPENDENT person would look at the eagles injuries and ours and would clearly say that the eagles lost a lot more than we did

If we had lost Dak, you would be the first one in here telling us "how can the cowboys be expected to win without their starting QB" yet the eagles lose their starting franchise QB and its no big deal , lol

You're making yourself look foolish arguing that we lost more resources than the eagles did
Of course your love for Garrett blinds you to the facts

 

[kskboys]

Watson's going to have to learn not to run so much and how to protect the ball more. To me, he's also tier 3, especially since there isn't a true #1 receiver on that team. I see Hup as more of a really good #2.

Hopkins not a #1? Dude..........I don't even know what to say!!!! Hopkins is top 5.

 

[kskboys]

Luck is clearly tier 1. If he can get healthy.

 

[CPanther95]

Ruthlessraper should be in tier 2. Too inconsistent. Putrid on the road the last few years.

Huh?

Road Records:
2017: Brady & Ben: 7-1, Brees: 4-4, Rodgers: 1-3 (only road win was against the Cowboys)
2016 & 2017: Brady: 15-1, Ben: 12-4, Brees: 7-9, Rodgers 5-7.
Last 3 years: Brady: 18-4, Ben: 16-8, Rodgers: 10-10, Brees: 10-14

A whole bunch of teams would love to be that "putrid".

 

[kskboys]

You don't think Hopkins is a "true #1 receiver"?

Yeah, my list is Antonio Brown #1, then Julio Jones, then Hopkins as the 3nd best WR in football.

 

[DFWJC]

You don't think Hopkins is a "true #1 receiver"?

About as true as it gets, imo

 

[kskboys]

No I don't, although his lack of big numbers is probably also due to their lack of a franchise QB or anything resembling it other than Watson since the franchise began. There's also the lack of a franchise RB to take pressure off the passing game.

Hopkins has put up huge numbers every year except 16, when he had Osweiler n Savage throwing to him, and even then he was 78/954.

Bats, I really think you need to take the time to see some Texans games this season. I have to say, you are off on your assessment of him. This dude's a freak who always gets open.

 

[CPanther95]

Yeah, my list is Antonio Brown #1, then Julio Jones, then Hopkins as the 3nd best WR in football.

I'm not quite as enamored with Julio as the vast majority of people (still top 5 though), but in a debate between AB vs Hopkins, you could make a very strong case for Hopkins.

 

[Oldschool-boys]

Dak's at his best when he's handing off to Zeke.

 

[kskboys]

I'm not quite as enamored with Julio as the vast majority of people (still top 5 though), but in a debate between AB vs Hopkins, you could make a very strong case for Hopkins.

Antonio is a freak.

Also, Josh Gordon, but I just can't rank him that high until he proves he can stay in the league. Might be #1 overall.

 

[Batman1980]

I'm not quite as enamored with Julio as the vast majority of people (still top 5 though), but in a debate between AB vs Hopkins, you could make a very strong case for Hopkins.

I always saw Julio as the receiver Dez would've been if he actually put in effort to be as good as he could be. Julio's probably a bit more explosive.

Yeah maybe I'm just holding Hup's size against him, Brown is another example of a diminutive receiver who gets it done in spite of his size.

 

[cern]

I think an elite rb is more valuable than an elite wr.

 

[CPanther95]

I think an elite rb is more valuable than an elite wr.

You think just like Jerry.

We'll certainly know more after this year.

 

[Batman1980]

I think an elite rb is more valuable than an elite wr.

You can scheme out the best WRs, the only exception I can think of is Bob Hayes. It is harder to scheme out elite RBs. There's a reason there's a lot of 1000 yard rushers and a lot less 1000 yard receivers. Even in a league where the passing game is favoured. Nobody touches the ball more than the QB and the RB other than the C.

 

[NFLJUNKY]

Eagles released 4 guys: Celek, Curry, Worley(traded from Torrey Smith) and Kendricks.
They lost like 12 guys in free agency. Robinson being huge. Curry, Burton (likely better than the draft pick this year). Beau Allen and the Kicker were all legit players though.

They drafted 1 top 120 guy.
They signed 4(above minimum salary guys), and traded for Bennett.

It's really just simple math. The team lost a lot of overall proven vet talent and didn't bolster it with much.

They look fine at this point roster-wise though it is very old.
The comp draft should provide 2-3 extra picks next year but those will be later on and may need time to develop.
At a time when you are cap strapped you won't have much young depth behind the vet guys you can no longer afford.
At least not as it stands.
There are moves to be made and we will see how it all shakes out.

Sorry for the delay. But who was lost that may be a difference maker from last year? Robinson? We actually upgraded that spot. Sydney Jones slides right in. Or put Mills in the slot and Jones outside. And there are two other guys who have shown up this spring. I call that a net gain.
Curry? We are replacing his 2.5 sacks with Bennett and his 8.5 sacks add to that a much improved Barnett and again a net gain. Celeb/Burton? We signed Rogers from GB and drafted the best TEin the draft. For a team with suspect safety’s and a rookie MLB I think you should be worried.
Blount? We have Ajaye all off season and Clement after his 100 yards receiving in the SB. Plus we get Sproles back. Regardless of his production he still has to be accounted for. We upgrade WRs as well. Mike Wallace is a much better option than Smith. And we found out what a monster Alshon Jeffery is during the post season.
The plan is to drop older players and draft their replacements. But we should have another run in us this season. What teams would like to do is contend with their QB on rookie deals and hope by the time they have to jettison players he is strong enough to carry the team for the reload. The Pats have done that brilliantly. To a lesser degree GB has as well. N.O., And the Steelers have to.