NFL training camps are less than a month away for most teams, and that’s good news for fans who have been waiting long weeks and months for the return of their favorite sport.
There are so many factors involved in winning games in the NFL, and those factors seem to grow more complex every season. Every move made on offense requires a countermove by the defense. Many of these maneuvers are made in the offseason, and training camp gives coaches the opportunities to turn theory into practice.
One area of the game that has not changed in decades is the role of the quarterback. The signal-caller has long been the single most important player on the NFL field, and while no quarterback wins by himself, it’s basically impossible to consider the playoffs a legitimate possibility – let alone a championship – without consistently sharp play from the QB.
This position has been the domain of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger for years. These four warriors have been battered and bruised at many points throughout their careers, but they have largely excelled. Brady and Rodgers are at the top of the quarterback rankings, with Brees slightly behind, and Roethlisberger a click or two further back.
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All have major mileage on their odometers. Brady is the oldest -- he will turn 41 this season, while Brees is 39. Roethlisberger is 36 and has made major noise about retirement, while Rodgers is 34 and has suffered two broken collarbones in the last five years.
The older generation of quarterbacks has been sensational, but they will be giving way to the next, and that will happen sooner rather than later.
The Eagles' Carson Wentz, the Rams' Jared Goff, the Texans' Deshaun Watson and the 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo are nearly ready to take their seats at the head of the table, and all four have the special qualities that will allow them to remain at or near the top once they get there.
Wentz suffered a serious knee injury in Week 14 when he suffered an ACL/LCL tear against the Rams. This is usually an injury that keeps a player out of action for nine to 12 months, but the 25-year-old Wentz has the benefit of youth and remarkable healing powers working in his favor.
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All reports indicate that he is well ahead of schedule and he is on track to open the season under center when the Eagles kick off Sept. 6 at home against the Falcons. Coach Doug Pederson does not want to make any public pronouncements -- “We will not rush him” -- but all signs point to Wentz being ready.
Wentz was on track to win the MVP award last season, as he had a 33-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio when he suffered the injury and had thrown for 3,296 yards while completing 265 of 440 passes. He threw four TD passes in four different games and also topped the 300-yard mark four times.
But more than the numbers, Wentz came through with his best throws in the biggest moments as the year progressed. Whether it was at the end of close games or early in the third period, when the Eagles were distancing themselves from their opponents, Wentz would come up with the on-the-money throw when it was needed most.
He is a brilliant leader when healthy, and there is every indication that he will be in top form in 2018.
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Goff would not have been mentioned in this story a year ago. He looked like a dumb rookie under former coach Jeff Fisher, even revealing he did not know the sun rose in the east in front of the HBO “Hard Knocks” cameras.
More than that, he could not pick up the Rams’ offense and looked unsure of what to do whenever he was given an opportunity. However, when offensive guru Sean McVay was given the keys to the kingdom, Goff’s game grew exponentially.
Goff had a 28-to-7 TD-to-interception ratio with five 300-yard games, as he completed 296 of 477 passes for 3,804 yards.
There is every reason to believe that Goff will pick up where he left off in 2017 and that his 2016 season, when he threw five TDs and seven interceptions, can be thrown out.
If Goff can get off to a sharp start in the first four games, he would have answered all the key questions and taken his seat with Wentz near the head of Table 2.
Garoppolo, meanwhile, earned a reputation as the Patriots’ quarterback of the future during his time as an understudy to Brady. But when the incumbent did not want to give up his seat at the party, coach Bill Belichick traded him to the 49ers, and Garoppolo aced his tryout. In six games, he threw for 1,560 passing yards with seven touchdowns and scored another TD rushing.
The Niners may have been premature with their reward, as Jimmy G signed a five-year, $137.5 million contract that made him the highest-paid player in the league until Kirk Cousins exceeded that several weeks later.
Garoppolo understands how to play the position, and his education under Belichick and Brady should pay off for years to come. He has a strong arm with a brilliant release, and he is accurate. If he stays healthy, he should be able to keep the 49ers in most games.
Watson was on track to win Rookie of the Year until he suffered his knee injury in practice befor Week 9. His ACL injury is not as bad as Wentz’s, and he has had longer to recover. Watson had a 19-to-8 TD-to-interception ratio, and he went 3-2 as a starter before suffering his injury.
He tore up the Chiefs with five TD passes in a single game and he is a game-changing runner when healthy.
Watson has to prove he can pick up where he left off before his injury, but if he can, he has a chance to become a dominant NFL quarterback.