2020: Is the Golden Era of QBs over?

[SalemPats]

I think the new crop lacks the top 4 of Brady, Rodgers, Manning and Brees. But to be honest those 4 are in the top 10 and one could argue that the top 5 is Brady, Rodgers, Manning, Montana and Marino

 

[DarrylS]

I am not sure GM's & Coaches get it, not only do you need an accurate QB, who can manage the game and is intelligent, great coaching.. and a well balanced, deep team along with him...

GM's have always leaned toward the "shiny beads theory" of team building, they overpay for player X1, but because player X4 is inept they wind up meandering in mediocrity..

As great as #12 is, he benefits from the environment/team created by BB and his crew..

Short answer is no, after this crew of upper echelon qb's retire the quality will diminish.. unless another team figure out the our secret to success..

 

[PrairiePat]

I voted that QB play across the league will probably get better overall. While there won't be another Brady or Manning every generation, I think the rules will continue to favor QBs like never before. Add to that the fact that kids are getting better training at younger ages, and are being exposed to pro-style offenses in high school these days, and it seems likely that QB play overall will continue to improve as time goes on.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Little doubt the pure passer in the short term is going to significantly ebb. Longer term will always be a ???. As the college game and pro game evolve over decades we simply don't know the trained skillset of QBs will be coming out of college.

As someone mentioned in an earlier post, some of this is about running and the effect is has on continuity and longevity. QBs pushing the envelope to get the yards/make the play by running through hard hitting LBs and safeties has such a higher chance of being derailed by injury and all the ramifications that it can have on skills honing and longevity.

Another item is HC turnover and the patience needed/lacking by ownerships that want results the day after a hiring of a HC or a draft of a QB. This is likely to see huge peaks and valleys with QB play where a QB is on top of the world this season and one foot out of the league two seasons later.

 

[Ring 6]

There will always be marquee QBs because the best few will always be celebrated. It's not about talent level as much as talent level compared to your current peers.
Would ken stabler be better or worse if he was born 40 years later? Would drew Brees have been effective 40 years earlier playing a totally different style of QB?

Ultimately if you could get a time machine and go back and take the best 40 QBs in the NFL today and make them play a different sport instead they would be replaced by the 40 next best and the best of them would now be considered all time greats.

There is historical proof of this. Before integration black athletes were not allowed to play. Many of the best athletes were not participating yet everyone celebrated the best that did.
Do we discount jim Thorpe because he was only competing against a portion of his peers? Look at baseball. Some of the pre Jackie Robinson white dudes are still considered all time greats because they were great within a watered down pool.