The NFL is a quarterback’s league.
Make no mistake about it, the man under center is the most important player on the field and his effect on the game is unrivaled by any other position. In the NFL, the formula is basically simple: if you have a good quarterback you have a chance to be successful. If you’re lacking at the position, you’re odds of being at the bottom of the barrel are high.
As such, teams are often scrambling to find a capable passer, as the supply of quality quarterbacks does not meet the demand of 32 NFL franchises. Every year, teams look to the draft in the hopes of securing the player to take them to the next level. It is expected that both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will be top ten picks on April 30th’s opening round of the draft, and the hope is that they will develop into franchise quarterbacks.
2015 Breakout Quarterback Candidates
The laws of the game are simple. If you don’t have a franchise passer, you’re looking for one. It’s generally accepted that there are approximately five to seven elite quarterbacks, and outside of that there is an oft-used term to describe a solid NFL starter: a “top fifteen quarterback”. It’s generally accepted that these are the players with whom an NFL team can win a Super Bowl. In 2015, there are a handful of signal callers poised to make the leap into this aforementioned top fifteen, or at a minimum, take the next step toward it. With that in mind, let’s look at a few breakout quarterback candidates for next season.
Sam Bradford, Eagles
It seems like it’s been an eternity since the St. Louis Rams made Sam Bradford the first overall selection of the 2010 draft. Two torn ACL’s, a less-than-stellar cast of weapons, run-based philosophies, and general inconsistency have plagued the former Sooner over the course of his five years in the NFL.
Then, just when it seemed as if people were ready to write him off, Bradford’s fortunes turned: he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Assuming the Eagles don’t trade up for Mariota on April 30th, Bradford figures to enter Week One as the club’s starter and the results could be very exciting.
Bradford has always been an exceptional arm talent. He wouldn’t have been a number one pick if that weren’t true. In Chip Kelly’s offense, Bradford finds himself with an opportunity to finally reach his lofty potential. Kelly loves to run the football, but the Eagles throw plenty as well. In 2014, the team had 621 pass attempts which was fifth most in the entire league. The only time Bradford even approached that number of attempts in St. Louis was in his first season, when he won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors while throwing the ball 590 times.
In Philly, Bradford have the opportunity and volume that could see him set new personal bests in every statistical category. At only 27 years of age, Bradford’s best football is still ahead of him. It could be an exciting season for the former Heisman winner.
Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins
With all of the success that quarterbacks from the 2012 draft have had, Ryan Tanehill is often overlooked. 2015 might be the season where that changes. Since being selected 8th overall in that much bally-hooed class, Tannehill has proven to be a solid NFL starter, but there is an excellent chance he takes a big step forward this year.
Entering his fourth year as a starter, and coming off his most successful season as a pro, Tannehill finds himself in a position to succeed when September rolls around. In 2014, his first year in new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor’s scheme, the former Texas A & M star broke 4,000 yards passing for the first time, while tossing 27 touchdowns passes versus only twelve interceptions Those very solid numbers propelled the Dolphins to an 8-8 record and things are looking up for the future.
Tannehill figures to have the best array of weapons he’s ever had at his disposal this year as the ‘Phins traded for former Saints’ speedster Kenny Stills, and signed former Browns’ tight end Jordan Cameron to a two-year deal in free agency. Additionally, impressive rookie Jarvis Landry is entering his second season and figures to take a big step forward as well. Trading Mike Wallace away doesn’t hurt as much as one might think. Wallace is a quality player, but he and Tannehill never really clicked and developed the chemistry the Dolphins had hoped for when they signed Wallace to a huge contract two years ago.
With young weapons at his disposal, organizational consistency and continuity in the off-season, and a defense that could be greatly improved (Hello Ndamukong Suh), Tannehill is poised to have his best season to date, both statistically and in the win column.
Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings
After an up-and-down start to his NFL career, Teddy Bridgewater settled nicely down the stretch in 2014. The 32nd pick in last year’s draft acquitted himself quite well as he settled into the Vikings offense, and finished the year as the most impressive rookie signal caller in the league. A lot of people thought that he would function largely as a game-manager in his first season, and while that was true at times, his statistics illustrate what he’s capable of over the long haul.
Bridgewater came on in relief of the injured Matt Cassell in Week Three, but didn’t make his first start until a Week Four contest against the Atlanta Falcons. In his 13 and a half games last season, Bridgewater posted 2,919 passing yards, 14 touchdown passes, and 12 interceptions. On the surface, those numbers sound decent enough for a rookie quarterback, but they become much more impressive when you factor in his 64.4 completion percentage (11th best in the league), his 7.26 yards per attempt (14th in the league), and his 209 rushing yards (10th in the league). For a rookie quarterback, those are very impressive figures.
Bridgewater enters the 2015 off-season with a year of experience under his belt, and as the unquestioned starter on a team that showed plenty of potential in 2014. It would be very surprising if the 22-year-old Bridgewater didn’t take a big step forward in his sophomore year. Fellow second-year quarterbacks Blake Bortles and Derek Carr have similar upside, but Bridgewater’s immediate potential puts him on this list.
Robert Griffin III, Washington
It’s still too soon to give up on RGIII. After his remarkable rookie campaign, years two and three of his NFL career have been disappointing, to be sure, but there is not doubt that injuries have been the main culprit.
Since sustaining that ACL tear in a his first post-season contest, Griffin has never been healthy long enough to develop any rhythm under center. The former 2nd overall pick of the 2013 draft will enter the 2015 season as healthy as he’s been since his rookie year, and still has DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon to throw to. Yes, reports exist of a rift between RGII and head coach Jay Gruden, but the talent that Griffin has flashed at this level warrants giving him some recognition on this list.
While he was limited to nine games last season and was largely ineffective putting points on the board with only six touchdown passes, the former Baylor star flashed a bit of his rookie form over the last three weeks completing no fewer than 65.9 percent of his passes and maintaining a yards per attempt of no fewer than 8.2, while also demonstrating a bit of his signature running ability in those contests.
In fact, Griffin finished the year with a completion percentage of 68.7, a YPA of 7.9, and a quarterback rating of 86.9. That’s an excellent completion percentage, and above average YPA, and a serviceable QBR. Was he really that bad? The numbers say “no”.
The jury is still out on what kind of a career RGIII is going to have, but as he enters what amounts to a contract year (It is unknown if Washington intends to pick up his fifth year option) the motivation is there for a man who has much to prove. It can’t be known for certain what is going on in the club’s locker room, but what’s clear is that there isn’t enough information present to write off a player with Griffin’s unique talents.
Every year, several players emerge and become household names. While it isn’t as common an occurrence at the quarterback position, the four aforementioned signal callers have as much chance as any of reaching new levels of success in 2015. It will be very interesting to watch their respective seasons play out.
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
