It seems 2012 will have to be dubbed “The Year of the Rookie Quarterback,” because we are going to have more rookie quarterbacks starting on Week 1 than ever before in the NFL. For the first time ever, five rookies will lead their teams onto the field from the most important position in football.
This is even the first time four have done it, let alone five.
Pete Carroll shocked the world when he made Russell Wilson the fifth of the group. Along side him are Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Brandon Weeden and Ryan Tannehill. The first two were set to start the moment they were taken No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2012 NFL draft, and when Weeden was taken No. 22 it was assumed he would get the starting nod, but Tannehill and Wilson are complete surprises.
Both have wowed their respective coaching staffs enough to warrant starting over proven veterans. Wilson’s case is the most surprising of the five considering what the Seattle Seahawks did this offseason to try and shore up their quarterback spot. After Matt Flynn had a scintillating performance against the Detroit Lions in the final week of the season last year, Seattle saw fit to pay him $19.5 million over three years.
That doesn’t feel like backup money, but obviously Carroll does not care about that. Wilson, a third-round pick, has had a terrific preseason, completing 67 percent of his passes, throwing five touchdowns to just one interception and turning in a 119.2 QB rating—best of the preseason so far.
Seattle made two moves today, but the second you could see coming. Tarvaris Jackson had been falling out of favor in Seattle, and the team traded him to the Buffalo Bills today.
It will certainly be exciting to watch these young players go straight from college to a starting NFL spot. How long this lasts is completely up to them.
Jeff is an NFL Featured Columnist for www.RantSports.com. He contributes mainly to the New York Giants and NFL Rumors pages. He also will occasionally touch on the NBA and humorous videos involving all sports.
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