The position of is the most important in football, and I previously ranked my top 12 NFL quarterbacks heading into the 2015 season. But what about the quarterbacks who didn’t make that list? With the 2015 regular season right around the corner, which quarterbacks are the most overrated? Below is a list, in no particular order, of the four quarterbacks I believe are the most overrated as we head into the 2015 NFL season. My believing these quarterbacks are overrated could be because of their contract with respect to their production, fans or teams believing they are better than they actually are, or a combination of both.
MOST OVERRATED NFL QUARTERBACKS HEADING INTO THE 2015 SEASON
CAM NEWTON, CAROLINA PANTHERS
The Panthers gave Cam Newton a new contract this offseason, which was a mistake. The former Auburn Tiger did set records as a rookie, and he is freakishly athletic, but he is not the strongest passer. It’s very difficult to believe a team will win a Super Bowl with Newton under center, and I don’t think it will ever happen.
The former Heisman Trophy winner failed to lead Carolina to the playoffs in his first two seasons in the league, and he has won exactly one playoff game in his first four seasons in the NFL. And that one win came against an Arizona Cardinals team that was starting their third string quarterback. Newton threw 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2014 and fumbled the ball nine times. Newton makes too many mistakes and he is not a leader. There are different ways to lead (vocally, by example, etc.), but Newton hasn’t proven he can be a leader in any capacity. Until Newton limits his mistakes, improves from the pocket, and becomes a true leader, he will continue to be overrated, and his team will struggle to win playoff games.
JAMEIS WINSTON, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Buccaneers selected Jameis Winston with the number one overall pick in this year’s draft. They are hoping he can help turn the franchise around. It’s incredibly difficult to see that happening. I have stated on multiple occasions that I wouldn’t have selected the former Florida State Seminole with the number one overall pick, or even at all. The former Heisman Trophy winner is athletic and he has talent, but he has been known to make bad decisions on, and especially, off the field.
His off field problems have been well documented, but suffice to say, Winston has some serious maturing to do, and it’s not entirely clear if he’ll be able to grow up enough and lead a team. In 2013, the season he won the Heisman Trophy, Winston had a terrific season, throwing 40 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 14 games, en route to a winning a national title. But he regressed in 2014, tossing 25 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in 13 games, and the Seminoles lost in the Semi Finals of the first ever College Football Playoff. Winston will struggle with the speed of the game in the NFL and the smaller windows he will have to work with. It’s hard to imagine he is capable of maturing and making better decisions, on and off the field, at the pro level.
JAY CUTLER, CHICAGO BEARS
Jay Cutler possesses a lot of talent, particularly a cannon of an arm. But a strong arm does not a quarterback make, and he has still struggled during his NFL career. His problems are mainly mental, and those issues have led to too many turnovers. In 2014 Cutler threw 28 touchdowns (tied for 10th), but he also had 18 interceptions. That’s pretty much what the former Vanderbilt quarterback does though. For his career, Cutler has thrown 180 touchdowns and 130 interceptions, and that is not a recipe for success.
There are different ways to lead (some are rah, rah guys who get in the faces of their teammates, other lead quietly, and by example), but Cutler has failed to be a true leader in Chicago’s locker room in any capacity. It’s true that there aren’t 32 elite quarterbacks in the NFL, so not every team can have a Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers, but Cutler has done little to show he is worth the huge seven-year contract he signed ($54 million guaranteed),which will pay him $16.5 million in 2015. Cutler needs to be a better leader, make smarter decisions, and utilize the talented receivers he has around him. He just hasn’t proven he is capable of doing that on a consistent basis.
COLIN KAEPERNICK, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
True, Colin Kaepernick helped lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2012 after he took over for an injured Alex Smith, who was then jettisoned to the Kansas City Chiefs. But that run in 2012 was nothing more than San Francisco catching lightning in the a bottle. Teams have now figured out they need to limit the damage Kaepernick can do with his legs, and to make him throw from the pocket more.
In 2014, the athletic quarterback threw 19 touchdowns (tied for 17th) and 10 interceptions, and fumbled the ball eight times. Last season he ranked 17th in passing yards (3,369) and 24th in completion percentage (60.5). It’s difficult to believe Kaepernick will take the 49ers, or any other team, to the Super Bowl again. Many fans still believe he is one of the better quarterbacks in the league, but teams have figured him out, and he’s simply not that good from the pocket. But he is still due to make $15.2 million in 2015.
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 28: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers in action against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium on December 28, 2014 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
