About the Author
The name's Ben Heck. I am 17-years old, and about to start my senior year at Queen Anne's County High School in Centreville, MD. I stand at 5 feet 8 inches and weigh 140 pounds. I am a Marylander, but I have been a Pittsburgh Steelers fan my entire life (my dad is from Pittsburgh).
I love writing, and talking about sports here on AGM, and I plan on going to a University to major in communications and/or sports management.
2007 AGM Most Improved Writer
2008 AGM Fantasy Football Champion
2008-09 AGM Fantasy Basketball Third Place Finisher
2009 AGM Fantasy Baseball Sixth Place Finisher (out of 14 teams)
Also check out my work at http://www.badnewsbloggers.com//
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2009 NFL Free Agency Outlook: QB's
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With the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl being completed on Sunday, the 2008-09 NFL season is officially in the books. The next big thing (besides the scouting combine and '09 draft in April): Free agency.
There is over 15 noteworthy free agent QB's this off-season, a detailed list follows.
Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals (UFA)
2008 stats: 67.1 comp %, 4,583 pass yards, 30 TD's, 14 INT's, 97.4 QB rating
Will he stay? Warner has said multiple times that it depends on what teammate Anquan Boldin ends up doing, but I'm not buying into that talk. Despite losing offensive coordinator Todd Haley (new head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs), Warner will return to Arizona in 2009. Warner isn't getting any younger, obviously, and I just don't see the point in changing teams and learning a whole new system at this stage in his career. Yes, Warner will be an Arizona Cardinal come training camp at the end of July.
Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans (UFA)
2008 stats: 58.3 comp %, 2,676 pass yards, 12 TD's, 7 INT's, 80.2 QB rating
Will he stay? This is much like the Warner case. Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher has already said Collins will be his starter if he returns, so I don't believe that Collins would want to go anywhere else. The Titans are in position to win now and Collins--like Warner--is nearing the end of the line in this league. Collins returns and leads Tennessee back to the playoffs, with a little help from Chris Johnson and LenDale White, of course.
Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (UFA)
2008 stats: 64.9 comp %, 2,712 pass yards, 12 TD's, 6 INT's, 90.2 QB rating
Will he stay? I really think he should be signed to at least a one-year contract with Tampa Bay, but it doesn't appear as though that will happen. Tampa owner Malcolm Glazer seems as though he's trying to start over fresh after firing Jon Gruden (hiring 32-year old Raheem Morris as his replacement) and re-signing 27-year old QB Luke McCown. I think Garcia, 38, is done in Tampa Bay.
Chris Simms, Tennessee Titans (UFA)
2008 stats: 50 comp %, 7 pass yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 58.3 QB rating (1 game)
Will he stay? I just don't see the point. Tennessee has two more than capable QB's already (Collins, if they choose to bring him back, and VY). They can't bring back Collins and Simms and this, to me, is a no-brainer, select the proven veteran over the questionable veteran. Who cares if he has the same genes has Phil Simms... he hasn't proven he's worth it just yet.
J.T. O'Sullivan, San Francisco 49ers (UFA)
2008 stats: 58.2 comp %, 1,678 pass yards, 8 TD's, 11 INT's, 73.6 QB rating (9 games)
Will he stay? Despite the ugly '08 stats, I think O'Sullivan will become valuable to San Francisco. If head coach Mike Singletary worked with his offense a little more this off-season, maybe O'Sullivan will get a little more help on offense and his stats will improve with time. I would choose O'Sullivan over Shaun Hill any day. J.T. stays on the west coast.
J.P. Losman, Buffalo Bills (UFA)
2008 stats: 60.6 comp %, 584 pass yards, 2 TD's, 5 INT's, 62.3 QB rating (5 games)
Will he stay? Losman has been getting pretty banged up in Buffalo, causing him to miss a lot of football and even lose his starting job a couple times to the younger Trent Edwards. I say Buffalo chooses to save money and not bring him back, turning to Trent Edwards as their franchise QB instead.
Byron Leftwich, Pittsburgh Steelers (UFA)
2008 stats: 58.3 comp %, 303 pass yards, 2 TD's, 0 INT's, 104.3 QB rating (5 games)
Will he stay? I think it would be a good idea to snag Leftwich back up and keep him for another year, at least. But, I don't think it will happen. Leftwich wants to play football, and he won't be doing much of that in Pittsburgh behind Ben Roethlisberger. He has already expressed an interest in being Chicago's starting QB. We'll have to wait and see what happens.
Joey Harrington, Atlanta Falcons (UFA)
2008 stats: N/A
Will he stay? Harrington was listed as a Falcon, but did not take a single snap all season long. In fact, rookie QB Matt Ryan was the only Atlanta Falcon to take a snap under center the entire season (including the playoffs). Harringon has always been a draft bust in my eyes, so I really don't see him signing with a team this season, or any other season for that matter.
Kyle Boller, Baltimore Ravens (UFA)
2008 stats: N/A
Will he stay? Simple answer here: no. Boller lost his shot during the preseason when he suffered a back injury. When healthy, Troy Smith will be available at QB in case of a Joe Flacco injury. Flacco took over for Baltimore right away and never flourished, and Boller is no longer needed on the sidelines in Baltimore, and I don't think he was even ever a fan-favorite. There's a chance an injury-ridden team could pick him up during the season, but he will not be of impact.
Rex Grossman, Chicago Bears (UFA)
2008 stats: 51.6 comp %, 257 pass yards, 2 TD's, 2 INT's, 59.7 QB rating (4 games)
Will he stay? Head coach Lovie Smith seemed to have made it mighty clear that he wanted Kyle Orton to be the starter. Grossman is still injury-prone and has not been worth the hype he received at a younger age. Grossman is done in Chicago, but I would not be surprised if he was able to get a gig with another team rather quickly. Like, say, Kansas City or Oakland?
Dan Orlovsky, Detroit Lions (UFA)
2008 stats: 56.1 comp %, 1,616 pass yards, 8 TD's, 8 INT's, 72.6 QB rating
Will he stay? Both Orlovsky and over-the-hill Daunte Culpepper will be out of Detroit. Soon. Detroit will draft Matthew Stafford out of the University of Georgia with the number one overall pick in the '09 NFL draft. The 0-16 Lions are looking for a fresh start, like many other teams out there. Keeping Orlovsky and Culpepper would not be very smart, unless Culpepper is standing on the sidelines with the clipboard while Stafford is out on the field managing the game for Detroit.
Charlie Batch, Pittsburgh Steelers (UFA)
2008 stats: N/A
Will he stay? With as much as I've enjoyed watching Batch play (when Ben Roethlisberger is either injured or taking the afternoon off to get some rest), I think the Steelers and this 34-year old veteran who has two Super Bowl rings to his name (XL, XLIII) will part ways. It's not even worth signing him to a one-year deal. He has done his job (mentoring Big Ben), it's time to move on, Charlie!
Up next: Running backs!
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