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Quarterback busts of the past decade
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Part One
Drafting a franchise quarterback is always a gamble. For every Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger, there's a Joey Harrington and J.P. Losman. Let's take a look at the signal callers who were drafted in the first round this decade who didn't pan out. This article will cover the first three major busts of the decade.
David Carr
1st overall pick in 2002, Houston Texans
The expansion Texans needed a face for their franchise, and the best way to do that is to draft a quarterback. Most mock drafts had Carr going to Houston, so it was no surprise when they used the first overall pick in the draft to take him. Carr, a Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner in college, had the prototypical physical tools to be a good quarterback (6-3, 220 pounds, and good arm strength). Combined with his leadership and experience at Fresno State, he seemed like the perfect candidate to lead the Texans for years to come.
Why he failed
Statistically, Carr had an average career in Houston. He threw for 13,391 yards with 59 touchdowns and 65 interceptions while completing nearly 60% of his passes. He was very durable as well, starting 75 of 80 games in his five year tenure with the team. The most glaring stat, however, is that he was sacked 249 times in that time, including 76 times his rookie year in 2002 and 68 times in 2005. It's almost impossible to expect a quarterback to succeed when he's always on the run. While Carr did deserve some of the blame for not getting rid of the ball quick enough, it's impossible to put the majority of the blame on him considering the Texans drafted only one offensive lineman in the first two rounds of the draft from 2002-06 (Chester Pitts). Carr did not have the intangibles elite QB's show, but he was set up to fail. Andre Johnson was his only legitimate receiver, and the weaknesses that filled the Texans roster were impossible to overcome. It's hard to believe Carr couldn't have been a decent starter had he not started his career with a more stable franchise.
Where is he now?
After being cut following the 2006 season, Carr signed with the Carolina Panthers to back up Jake Delhomme. His 58.3 QB rating and 1-3 record as a starter that year kept his stay in Carolina short. He's been Eli Manning's primary backup in New York for the past two seasons.
Joey Harrington
3rd overall pick in 2002, Detroit Lions
I'll let Barry Wilner from Football Digest describe how he thought Joey Harrington would turn out:
This guy is a winner. Maybe it was a bit much to put that Joey Heisman poster up in New York City, but Harrington can do without that award. He'll get a lot more recognition and glory once he hits the pros than he ever would have by winning the Heisman. He has size, the ability to elude pass-rushers, and the guts to stick in the pocket and take a hit. Mostly, he is a leader.
Why he failed
Eight seasons and four teams later, Harrington didn't turn out to be the next coming of Joe Montana. Far from it actually. His 55% completion percentage and 60/62 TD/INT ratio in Detroit didn't do him or the team any good. So why did he fail? The blame should be put equally on him and former Lions general manager Matt Millen. Millen was a complete disaster as GM, and his poor drafts helped the team implode and lead toward their 0-16 season in 2008. Harrington was merely an overrated product on a terrible team; he was talented, but did not have the intangibles or team to be successful. Plus, having three head coaches in four years didn't help. People loved to hate Harrington, but he was not the central problem in Detroit; Millen was.
Where is he now?
The Lions traded Harrington to Miami in 2006 for a sixth-round draft choice to back up the newly signed Daunte Culpepper. Culpepper last only four games, and Harrington started 11 games for the Dolphins that year before being benched before the season finale for Cleo Lemon. After starting 10 games for the Falcons in 2007, he became the third-string quarterback in New Orleans in 2008. The 31-year-old is currently a free agent.
Patrick Ramsey
32nd overall pick in 2002, Washington Redskins
Coming out of Tulane, Patrick Ramsey was considered a project with a lot of potential upside. Unfortunately for him, he was drafted by another unstable organization, the Washington Redskins.
Why he failed
Ramsey was never given time to develop into a good player. He was repeatedly started and benched by coach Steve Spurrier in 2002-03, with the trend continuing with Joe Gibbs in 2004. After being named the starting quarterback for the Redskins in 2005, he was benched after one game and never started another game for Washington. He threw 33 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in 23 starts for the team during a four year span. Ramsey did not have stability, and while it was unlikely he'd ever develop into an elite starter, he was never given the opportunity.
Where is he now?
He jumped around the league following 2005, going from the Jets to the Broncos to the Titans before being released earlier this month. He's currently a free agent.
Check out all three of their NFL profiles:
David Carr: www.nfl.com/players/davidcarr/profile, Joey Harrington: www.nfl.com/players/joeyharrington/profile, Patrick Ramsey www.nfl.com/players/patrickramsey/profile
Photo credit: (Wikipedia Commons/Conman33)
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