The QBs of the 2007 NFL Draft: The Worst Single Position of Any NFL Draft Class Ever?

We are now more than 2 1/2 years into the NFL careers of the players who were drafted in 2007.

If you scroll down the list of first round draftees, several names will jump out at you of players who have already carved out solid beginnings to their careers.

In a few cases, some of the first round draftees from 2007 have proven to be franchise cornerstones worthy of high picks: Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Darrelle Revis, Ted Ginn Jr, to name a few.

In other cases, however, the players drafted in 2007 have proven to be worth far less than what their draft position might suggest. This is no more evident than with respect to the two QBs drafted in the first round in 2007: JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn.

My goodness, what wasted first round picks those two are proving to be.

And amazingly, Russell and Quinn are not alone. Several other QBs were taken in 2007, none of whom have amounted to much of anything. Let’s review the carnage.

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Seriously, How the Hell Could Things Get Any Worse in Cleveland?

A couple of things struck me recently regarding how bad things are in 2009 for the Cleveland Browns and their fans.

Anyone who has watched a game this season knows just how bad the team is, but a few things have happened this week that go beyond the offensive offensive numbers (repetition intended) and the record to truly illustrate what a putrid season this has become.

First off, there may be no bigger indictment of the sorry state of the Browns than this: the Detroit Lions, a team that went 0-16 a year ago and has won only one game this year, is a 3.5 point favorite over the Browns this weekend.

But wait…there’s more.

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Breaking News: Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe Suspended For Using Performance Enhancing Drugs

Via KCChiefsBlog.com, Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe has been suspended for using performance enhancing drugs.

His suspension will reportedly begin immediately.

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Josh Cribbs Injury Update: Possible Concussion, Released from Hospital

The Browns got their asses handed to them again last night in another embarrassing offensive performance that culminated in a 16-0 shutout.

But nothing the offense did (or didn’t do) could match the collective fear and frustration felt when Josh Cribbs needlessly went down on the last play of the game and then had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.

Let’s forget for a moment how asinine it was for the team to run a “hook and ladder” play with the game out of reach and get to the important stuff: this morning’s Josh Cribbs injury update.

The latest Cribbs injury update, according to the Plain-Dealer, is that Cribbs was taken to the hospital immediately after last night’s game and is being evaluated for a concussion.

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Packers, McCarthy Lay an Egg in Firing Longtime Employee Mike Wood

For the Green Bay Packers and coach (for now) Mike McCarthy, this is starting to feel like one of those star-crossed seasons that teams and coaches have during which things just seem to go wrong at every turn.

A story in yesterday’s Journal-Sentinel provides yet another example, and honestly doesn’t make a damn bit of sense from the Packers’ perspective.

A longtime Packers employee, Mike Wood, was fired by the Packers because McCarthy claimed that Wood told him not to “lay an egg” a couple of days before the epic Packers-Vikings game at Lambeau. Wood claims that he said nothing of the sort and merely told the coach to have the team ready to “kick some butt.”

I wonder why the hell it even matters, especially in relation to the employment of a loyal, 22-year employee.

Of course, this is the same coach who famously pushed for another longtime Packers employee to leave…but I digress.

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More Reaction to Jamal Lewis’ Theory For Browns Croppy Play in 2009

No folks, that’s not a type there in title. Croppy is the intended word.

And the beautiful photoshop work featured in this post is the fruit on our own Ryan Russell’s labor of Browns love, in response to the most colorful and nonsensical figurative part of Jamal Lewis’ pre-practice rant about Eric Mangini earlier today.

Via the OBR:

“If you look at this like it’s a farm, we (the players) are just the crops. We’re just the crops. We’re just the crops. You’ve got to take care of your crops. You’ve got to nurture them. And if you don’t, when it comes harvest time, your crop isn’t going to be any good.”

Full size picture (Eric Mangini included!) after the jump.

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NFL Quarterback Power Rankings

No position in the NFL is more highly scrutinized, debated, and discussed than the quarterback. It’s impossible to build a consistent winner without one (and people who follow the Cleveland Browns would tell you that it’s impossible to find one period).

After this weekend’s Packers loss to the Bucs, Aaron Rodgers was a popular topic of conversation on Twitter. I made the comment that he has not shown me that he has the “it” that people always talk about when it comes to QBs. Some agreed and some disagreed, but it got me thinking about where Rodgers falls in relation to today’s crop of QBs.

Thus, I set out to rank the quarterbacks currently holding starting NFL gigs, taking into account their current age and skill level, future potential, past accomplishments, and the general confidence level I would have if that player was the QB of my team.

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Chicago Bears Blown Out at Home by Arizona Cardinals, Lose 41-21

The Bears defensive problems were yet again exploited today by Arizona and their potent offensive game. Kurt Warner threw for 5 TD passes, which tied a career high for the 38-year old.

The Cardinals came into the game without Anquan Boldin, but that didn’t slow down the team at all. Larry Fitzgerald had nine catches for 123 yds and two touchdowns, while Steve Breaston also tallied a TD catch. It was all Arizona in the first half as Warner had four TDs and Arizona went into the half with a 31-7  lead.

The Bears’ defense looked like a high school defense in the first half as they couldn’t stop the Cardinals’ run or passing game. The Cardinals scored on every drive they had in the first 30 minutes.

It was embarrassing to watch the Bears get manhandled on their own turf, and the fans let them know that by booing after every Arizona TD.

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Sunday Night Football: Dallas at Philadelphia Preview and Prediction

Who isn’t excited for the showdown on Sunday night?

The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles are two franchises that despise one another, which always makes for quality television, as well as a good game too. Yet, let’s not forget the last time these two teams met in December of 2008, which was a complete blowout and hardly a game Cowboys fans want to remember.

Losing to their most hated rival 44-6 on the final weekend of the season clearly was not a happy ending or cherry on top of a topsy-turvy 2008 season. For the Cowboys that game has been erased from their minds and currently the squad focused on the 3-game winning streak that has them at the top of the NFC East standings.

Ever since Tony Romo as been at the helm, the Cowboys are 11-1 in November, which includes a win against the Eagles in Philadelphia in 2007. This game means more for to the ‘Boys than the Eagles, especially with all the hype that surrounded this team last season and the scrutiny they continue to receive on a weekly basis.

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Steelers-Broncos Monday Night Football Preview and Prediction

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Pulled Pork Stew

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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The Circle City Holds its Collective Breath (Update: Indy Now Hyperventilating)

If an entire city holds its breath, does everything in that city turn purple?

Will the city ultimately “pass out?” (Which I guess would be manifested in power outages, stalled cares, and the like…)

Will bloggers strain to adequately develop forced metaphors instead of getting right to the point?

Well, we’re going to find out, because the entire city of Indianapolis is about to hold its collective breath while it awaits the results of yet another Bob Sanders visit to see Dr. James Andrews.

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Week 9 Injury Updates: Devin Hester, Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, Donald Driver, More

As we do every Friday, let’s roll through the NFL injury report and assess the carnage from a fantasy perspective.

Cardinals-Bears Injuries

Devin Hester injury update: Hester has missed two straight days of practice because of an ankle malady. As with Boldin, Hester’s participation on Friday will help determine whether he plays on Sunday or not.

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Chiefs Fans Join Activism Trend: Demand Season-Long Deactivation of Larry Johnson

Who knows what will come it, but Browns and Chiefs fans are fed up, pissed off, not taking it anymore, and letting the management of their beloved teams know about it.

Two Browns fans recently announced their plans to lead a protest during the 1st quarter of next week’s Monday nighter between the Browns and Ravens in Cleveland. The plan has received plenty of national pub and even merited a meeting with Browns owner Randy Lerner yesterday.

In Kansas City, fans are petitioning Chiefs GM Scott Pioli to not allow Larry Johnson back on the field.

Their reasoning?

He is close to becoming the franchise’s all-time rushing leader, needing 80 yards to pass Priest Holmes, and they do not believe that Johnson is worthy of sitting atop that esteemed list.

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Greatness: Norman Chad on NFL Relocation to LA

Norman Chad is one of the most unique sportswriters in the business today. Without question, he is one of the funniest and most entertaining, filling his columns with an insightful whimsy that can be a breath of fresh air from the life-or-death nature of so many sports perspectives.

Our very own AJ Kaufman emailed me a link last night to Chad’s most recent column on the possibility of the NFL relocating back to LA. As Midwesterners, it’s difficult for us to have a truly informed perspective on this topic.

But luckily, that’s why we have Norman Chad. Excerpt and link after the jump:

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Browns ’soul searching’ continues; GM Kokinis escorted out, Kosar could be in

Just hours after “soul-searching” about the fate of his Cleveland Browns, team owner Randy Lerner put his frustration to action with the removal of Browns General Manager George Kokinis, who was reportedly seen being escorted out of the Browns practice facility in Berea on Monday morning.

The Browns were not saying whether Kokinis resigned or was fired. However, late speculation from various media sources is, Kokinis was dismissed “with cause.”

The beleaguered — and largely absent — Kokinis, hired at the suggestion of Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini, seems to have been made the sacrificial lamb for the Browns 1-7 season, its anemic so-called offense, and the general frustration, malaise, and chaos that has been the Cleveland Browns organization since Mangini took the helm early this year.

As of Tuesday, Cleveland NBC affiliate, WKYC Channel 3 and the Lake County News-Herald have reported that Lerner has been speaking with former Browns GM Ernie Acorsi about the idea of possibly becoming the Browns next general manager with the purpose of grooming former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar for that role.

However, The Plain Dealer is reporting that Acorsi, is in retirement with no desire to go back to work.

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