Young Guns: NFL QB Class Changing Before Our Eyes

Welcome to the Next Generation of NFL QBs

New York Jets

Kellen Clemens, 24
1-4…1-5…Push the damn button already! It should’ve happened weeks ago, but the clock couldn’t be ticking louder on the start of the Clemens era in the Big Apple.

Buffalo Bills

Trent Edwards, 23
Despite the brutal nature of their Sunday night loss to the Cowboys last week, it’s clear to anyone who’s watched enough of J.P. Losman that Edwards appears the more logical heir apparent in Buffalo.

Miami Dolphins

John Beck, 26
Whether it’s Beck or Lemon (28), the ‘Phins will need to stake their offensive future to a young arm as Trent Green may not make it to 2008. My vote is for Beck.

AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals

Carson Palmer, 27
Palmer has established himself as one of the elite and is possibly the only good thing going for the quickly-turning-to-the-Bungles. Tick-tick-tick…you hear that? It’s the foreboding sound of the time on the Ocho Cinco explosion.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger, 25
Rounding back into form, he’s going to be the leader on a team that’s going to be very good for the foreseeable future with a consistently stout D, Parker and Tomlin.

Baltimore Ravens

Kyle Boller, 26
OK, so maybe this is a stretch to strengthen a theory. Perhaps. But I don’t see the ole’ warrior McNair making it much longer. Remember #3 on the depth chart? A 23 year-old former Heisman tropy winner. Just saying…

Cleveland Browns

Brady Quinn, 23
It’s coming…but, for now, it’s the crusty veteran Derek Anderson (he’s all of 24).

AFC South
Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning, 31
The gold standard. Like Brady, the grandpa of the conference at the ripe old age of 31.

Houston Texans

Matt Schaub, 26

The Texans are clearly Schaub’s team. Which is good. Because they weren’t anybody’s team for awhile there.

Tennessee Titans

Vince Young, 24

The 2006 Offensive Rookie of the Year IS the future of the Titans franchise — even if he does throw funny.

Jacksonville Jaguars

David Garrard, 29

Consider The Legend dead wrong. Seems like the right guy for this kind of team.

AFC West

Presenting the AFC West. The NFL quarterback nursuery.

San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers, 25

Denver Broncos

Jay Cutler, 24

Kansas City Chiefs

Brodie Croyle, 23

Oakland Raiders

JaMarcus Russell, 22

NFC East

The trend continues in the NFC…

Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo, 27

New York Giants

Eli Manning, 26

Washington Redskins

Jason Campbell, 25

Philadelphia Eagles

Donovan McNabb, 30
The receding hairline is a dead giveaway. He’s officially old in this league. If recent seasons are any indication, he’s going to have a hard time putting his battered body through many more seasons.

NFC North
Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers, 23

It has to happen some day. Doesn’t it?

Minnesota Vikings

Tavaris Jackson, 24

Then, finally, there’s the senior citizens of the division with Kitna leading the Lions at 35 and Griese at the helm for the Bears at 32.

The NFC South and West are a mixture of young bucks and folks who are ready to go the way of the dinosaur along with their 30-something friends. A quick rundown.

Carolina Panthers: Who knows? Maybe Matt Moore (23)

Atlanta Falcons: Let’s say Leftwich (27) for fun.

New Orleans Saints: Brees (28) still has it, although through week six it’s been slow coming back.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Find me one fan of a mediocre team who wouldn’t take Jeff Garcia (37) as their quarterback this second. He is singlehandedly willing the Bucs to wins. Just like he did in Philly…Earnest Graham??

San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith (23). Not saying he’s going to be good…

Arizona Cardinals: Matt Leinart (24). See above.

St. Louis Rams: Marc Bulger (30). Something about this feels like it’s getting time for some young, fresh blood behind center.

Seattle Seahawks: Matt Hasselback (32). See above. Although the ‘Hawks could use it in the backfield as well.

Wrap it all up and you’ve got the average starting QB just under 27 years-old. And it’s not hard to imagine some of the elder statesman vacating their spots and making the way for young arms very shortly. Should be an interesting next few years. Who will populate the next “class” of elite behind the “seniors” Brady, Brees and Manning? Early candidates include Palmer, Roethlisberger and Romo.