Most Valuable Quarterback

Posted by Danny Goldin on February 16, 2011   Jump To Comments

Nearly a year back, when this blog was just a baby, I wrote a 2-part column (Part 1 & Part 2) about Aaron Rodgers’ place among the NFL’s elite QBs. I concluded that he was the 4^th-best QB in the league, a stance that was met with much dissension (and by much, I mean 2 comments).

A year later, I’d like to ask a slightly different, but mostly similar question. Who is the most valuable QB in the NFL? That doesn’t necessarily mean, “Who would you take if you had to win 1 game” or “Who would you most want to run your team in 2012 (if there is a 2012)? By most valuable, I mean this; If you were starting an NFL franchise and had a chance to pick any QB in the NFL, who would it be?

Aaron Rodgers: The most valuable QB in the NFL

I’ll save you the suspense. The answer, hands down, is Aaron Rodgers. He’s THE most valuable QB in the NFL.

His regular season numbers speak for themselves. He and Philip Rivers are the only 2 QBs with QB ratings over 100 each of the past 2 seasons. Rodgers has tallied AT LEAST 28 passing TDs and 4 rushing TDs in each of his 3 years as a starter. And his playoff numbers? How about a 121 QB rating in his 1 game last year, and a 110 QB in 4 games this year. Yeah, that’s right; he played 4 playoff games and won the Super Bowl with a brilliant performance over arguably the best D in the NFL.

He’s 7 years younger than Peyton Manning, 6 years younger than Tom Brady, 5 year younger than Drew Brees, 3 years younger than Michael Vick, and 2 years younger than Rivers. And please, let’s not bring Big Ben into this argument. Numbers aren’t everything, but they’re CERTAINLY a factor.

In determining the most valuable QB in the NFL, age is most definitely a factor in the case against Manning, Brady and Brees. And playoff success (or lack thereof) can be held against Vick and Rivers.

Case closed. Rodgers is the most valuable QB in the universe. Hand over the belt.