A Forum on the 2009 Quarterback Class: Part Three

Today is the third and final day of the quarterback forum with with Tampa Bay Bucs blogger Pat Nohe of The Pewter Plank and New York Jets blogger Marc Greenberg of The Jet Press. This will conclude our discussion regarding Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman.

Part one focused on player evaluations. Part two put each quarterback in the context of their team and we discussed what the results might be if the quarterbacks swapped teams. Part three looks ahead at which quarterback has the brightest future and which guy has been the best value to date.

Who has the brightest future?

Zac (Lions) – This is a really hard question to answer considering there are so many unanswered questions with Matthew Stafford. Those that haven’t watched him much might be quick to dismiss him in this case but he was drafted number one overall for a reason. We’ve seen flashes of it in Detroit but there is certainly no guarantee that he will stay healthy enough for his start to shine to its potential. Josh Freeman is my safe pick and Matthew Stafford is my pick on the condition that his injury problems are a thing of the past.

Marc (Jets) – Brightest future has to go to Sanchez. Two seasons, two AFC championships? he could be the next McNabb. (wait, that may not be a good thing).

Pat (Bucs) – I’m obligated to say Freeman because he could be the first franchise QB in the Buccaneers history and I really do think he has all the tools to be elite. But if I’m really honest, any of the three could become a top-tier passer. Stafford may have the best attributes of them all if he can stay healthy, Sanchez should have a chance to win for the next few years and Freeman is on a loaded young team himself. They’re all in good positions to have big futures.

Who has been the best value so far?

Zac – Josh Freeman. He has and advantage in this category built into his game because he was the last of the three drafted but he has done enough to prove that he is not a step down in talent. Getting as much with less is a perfect recipe for value. Freeman also took a much bigger step forward developmentally than Sanchez did and Stafford hasn’t played enough to make his case.

Marc – Tough question here. Sanchez has played in every game his first two seasons. Freeman has played 1.5 and stafford is at below 1 season. Freeman signed a contract with 10 million in guarantees to Sanchez’s 28 million guaranteed. To Woody Johnson and the Jets, that was money well spent. Sanchez is a franchise QB who hopefully will be the Jets starting QB for the next 8 years.

Pat – Freeman, just by virtue of salary and production. It’s really not much more than that, because of where he went Freeman earns considerably less money than both Stafford and Sanchez and he produces at the same level.

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