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“Quarterbacks-If You Have One-Lucky You”

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The NFL is a quarterback’s league. Just ask the most recent Super Bowl winners how important it is to have a Peyton Manning, a Cam Newton, a Drew Brees, a Tom Brady, an Eli Manning or a Ben Roethlisberger.

And if you don’t have one, then you are the Buffalo Bills, the Rams, the Jaguars and others, where post season games are something you watch on television.

Around the NFL road map, everyone, who doesn’t have one, is trying to get one.

The devastating dislocated kneecap injury that felled Vikings young star Ted Bridgewater, led to the big trade of a 1st and 4th round Vikings choice to go get Eagles veteran Sam Bradford.

Dallas, shaken by another back injury to Tony Romo, and knowing they are (1-10) in games he does not start, rolls the dice by bringing in just released Mark Sanchez, whose baggage has now gone thru the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos camps.

In LA, where they are so excited to see the Rams back, comes the reality that the first pick in he draft Jared Goff, is so far behind the learning curve, that he is listed 3rd on the opening day depth chart. Rams fans will have to cheer journeyman Case Keenum to start the year.

Denver said goodbye to the greatness of Peyton Manning, then watched Brock Osweiler jump ship to get free agent riches in Houston. They must think they have the second coming of Tom Brady, the 6th round pick who is turning into a Hall of Famer. So Trevor Siemian, a 7th round pick out of Northwestern, has been anointed their starter.

Of course the Texas overpaid, at 15M per season, for Osweiler, who won all of 5-games last year in rallying the Broncos till the league caught up to him.

In Philadelphia, follow the Eagles philosophies, as it bounces all over the street like a rubber ball. They signed free-agent Chase Daniel, dealt for Sam Bradford, then spent their high first round pick on North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz. Bradford is gone, Daniel is a backup, and Wentz, who played one half in preseason before getting hurt, will start this weekend.

And then there is Cleveland, where Robert Griffin III will become the 25th different starting QB for the Browns since 1999. Think about that, 25-in 17-years. Makes you long for the days of Milt Plum and Frank Ryan. Surely no one has ever equaled Otto Grahame.

In San Francisco, where the Colin Kaeperneck flag fire still burns, Blaine Gabbert will start, this after washing out in Jacksonville a couple of years back.

By Sunday, there could be as many as 9-new quarterbacks making starts in the season openers. All this smacks of desperation moves by clubs, front office execs and coaches.

Quarterbacks. If you’ve got one you are lucky. If you don’t have one, you are in trouble, just a couple of days before the NFL openers.

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