Positional Review - Quarterbacks

I often lay awake at night and wonder if the city of Chicago will ever shake the QB monkey off of our collective back.  I don't know if it will happen this year, but I hope we can start making a step in the right direction.  Thankfully, Angelo is making a lot of wholesale changes this year by getting rid of some garbage (Miller, Walker, and Moose) and has accepted the need for us to pursue O-line help.  These things are all reasons to be thankful in this frigid February.  In spite of everything we are still going to be lost when it comes to Quarterbacks.  We don't know who the starter is going to be (presumably Grossman or Orton), and unless one of them makes the leap we may be in trouble for another year.  I will say it again, unless one of our guys makes the leap, we are not going to get that much better at this position.

On one hand I can say I know what the team currently has at the position, but then on the other hand I can't.  We saw each quarterback perform and give themselves up for consideration to be the QB of the future.  Some may saw we know what we have with Griese and Grossman with the only variable being Orton.  I believe that we don't really know what we have in Grossman or Orton.  Grossman could be our starter and with a better line he could excel.  The same argument can be made for Orton.  Therefore, in reality we will have to look forward to training camp to see who wins out and give them a fighting chance to prove themselves.  I believe one of our own will start next year (unless Angelo has the balls to trade for someone in which case that throws a wrench in everything).  With that in mind this piece is going to look to the draft, potential trades and free agency to see who we can grab that may make an impact in the future.

Draft:
Ahh the Draft, the draft is a wonderful place where teams can shrewd enough to draft Tom Brady in one of the last rounds.  Alternatively, teams can be lucky enough to take Peyton Manning in the first.  Where the dreams of many young men are either established or crushed.  This year we don't have a lot of options, and since we won't be taking somebody in the first round we get to play QB roulette. In any case here are the top ten available QB's according to nfldraftcountdown.com.

1. Matt Ryan Boston College 6-5 218 4.90  
   
2. Brian Brohm Louisville 6-4 224 4.80  
   
3. Chad Henne Michigan 6-2 224 5.15  
   
4. Joe Flacco Delaware 6-6 230 4.90  
   
5. Andre' Woodson Kentucky 6-5 230 4.80  
   
6. John David Booty USC 6-3 215 4.95  
   
7. Colt Brennan Hawaii 6-3 190 4.85  
   
8. Erik Ainge Tennessee 6-6 220 5.05  
   
9. Josh Johnson San Diego 6-3 195 4.75
   
10. Dennis Dixon Oregon 6-4 205 4.60

I like the way they lay out the prospects here.  Ryan appears to be the consensus favorite everywhere you go and people like Kiper Jr. are making an argument that he could be taken with the first pick.  This could throw the draft for a loop, but in any case I see Ryan and Brohm going in the first round.  After that things can get tricky.  We could use our pick on Flacco in the second round, but that is if he is still there.  There has been a lot of hype about him here on WCG, but after the Senior Bowl he is no longer an unknown.  Furthermore, he could catapult up the rankings after the combine.  He may not even be there in the second round.  If he isn't available I wouldn't mind an investment in Henne, Woodson, or Booty.  I think all three have a chance to be good with Booty probably coming out in front.  The issue with taking someone is the risk.  Last year we took Leak but cut him.  This year I fear that we may take one of these guys and let him go because we have "too much money invested" in Griese.  I am glad the Bears have been making cuts, but I don't think they are about the let the Grease man go.  This will make things hard as it seems that, barring a major trade, the position is Grossman's or Orton's to have.  I would love to take Flacco, Henne, or Booty and give them some time to grow, but I just don't know how that is going to look.  Who knows, Grossman is an UFA and maybe the team is planning to let him go, hand the position to Orton and draft someone in case Orton doesn't work out.  We will just have to wait and see.

Free Agents
This is a moot point to me.  I really don't see who the Bears could sign aside form Derek Anderson who appears to be staying in Cleveland anyway.  I really can't think of one FA QB I would want.  If anyone disagrees let me have it in the comments.

Potential Trades
This may be where the money is.  Weather it is a high profile guy like McNabb, or somebody who is a backup like Brady Quinn,  I would be behind something like this as long as we get quality in return.  Nothing would please me more than to dump Griese and get a young gun or McNabb.  A lot of people appear to have mixed feelings about Donovan, but I really believe he could succeed here.  He is a good QB and could possibly have some rejuvenation if he were to come back to Chicago.  In all honesty, aside form a lesser know player I really believe that McNabb is our only option when it come to trading for a big name.

Conclusion
Unfortunately, this position has so much uncertainty attached to it.  We don't know if Grossman is going to be here.  We don't know what Orton truly has in him if he were to be given the team.  We don't know weather the Eagles want to trade McNabb, or who will be available in the draft.  I hope that after Free Agency kicks in and as the draft gets closer we will have a better idea of what we will have at the position, but as far as I am concerned Orton is the only constant thing we have right now and we could be without Griese and Grossman next year.  This is going to be the one position that will have to be watched closely as the off-season wears on.