It's always nice to have an ace up your sleeve. Here are four stealthy, backup QB aces for you to keep hidden -- right up until the moment when you spring a brilliant roster move on your unsuspecting league.
1. J.T. O'Sullivan, QB, Lions: The co-MVP of NFL Europa has been on
the rosters of about half a dozen NFL teams, showing potential but
never finding an opportunity. Well folks, O'Sullivan just moved into
the No. 2 spot behind Jon Kitna in Mike Martz's wide-open offense. Call
me superstitious, but I remember the ascension of Kurt Warner, and I'm
watching O'Sullivan very closely this preseason. Kitna has always been
a healthy guy, but if the Lions struggle and Kitna continues to turn
the ball over, O'Sullivan could get his chance this season. He's
attracting absolutely zero fantasy buzz, but he's one snap away from
taking control of a potentially explosive offense.
2. Brian Griese, QB, Chicago: It hasn't gotten much play in fantasy circles, but the truth is finally leaking out via the Chicago media. Griese -- never the best locker room guy -- didn't like the fact that Lovie Smith spared Rex Grossman the hook in 2006. Now Smith -- and apparently others on the team as well -- are unhappy with Griese's offseason work. Translation: The veteran QB that every jackleg analyst said should have been starting for the Bears last year could be on the way out.
This is worth noting for three reasons: 1. With the Bears offense looking sharper than ever in the early going, Griese's fall from grace means that Grossman goes into 2007 with the starting job sewn up tight; 2. The team's understated displeasure with Griese could mean that he's available for offseason trade; 3. If that doesn't happen within the next three weeks, don't be surprised if Griese drops down the depth chart to No. 3.
In other words, if you're looking to draft Grossman's backup, don't invest in Griese. On the other hand, if you're looking for the guy who might be the next starter in Atlanta, stay tuned.
3. Kyle Orton, QB, Chicago: People tend to forget that Kyle Orton won 10 games as a rookie starter in 2005. He didn't look great doing it, and he sat quietly as the emergency QB in 2006. But Orton has been wowing observers in Bourbonnais for the past two weeks and the improvements to his body and his game could wind up altering calculations around the league.
Regardless of any other moves, it's entirely possible that Orton will claim the No. 2 job behind Grossman this summer. That's good for the Bears -- Orton is under contract and has flashed the potential to grow into something more than what Griese already is. But that's also the kind of package that could make Orton more attractive than Griese to someone like Rich McKay, pondering life after Michael Vick in sultry Flowery Branch. Griese would be a fill-in; Orton would be a direction for the franchise.
Either way, keep a tight watch on the news wires if Joey Harrington looks less than stellar this preseason. With rookie Chris Leak at No. 4, Bears GM Jerry Angelo might feel pretty good about trading his No. 2 or his No. 3 to the Falcons.
4. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay: The thing about monitoring backup QBs is you're looking for players with the talent to do something if given the opportunity, plus situations in which success could be possible. You're not so much predicting the future as looking for futures that could be valuable.
Rodgers is best remembered around the league as one of the biggest draft-day sliders in recent years. He went from the consensus No. 1 pick in March 2005 to a late first-round selection in April, and the Rodgers story became one of presumed failure: Scouts had picked over his game and found it wanting; he didn't have the accuracy to succeed; he didn't have the arm. And besides: Who wants to be the guy who follows Brett Favre in Green Bay?
I'm saying, look again this offseason. Rodgers has apparently grown into the job the past two seasons, and could be ready to do something if Favre gets hurt. Yes, I know Favre is the iron man, but he's not Superman. Put another way, Favre is a fugitive from the Law of Averages, and Rodgers is the man who'll be stepping into the starting role and the rest of his career when Brett finally gets carted off the field (which is apparently the only way he'll leave the game).
The irony? I think the Packers could be a better team under Rodgers than they are under Favre, whose self-centered old-guy antics aren't great for team-building. If you're drafting Favre you're drafting him as a backup, so there's no sense in drafting Rodgers, too. But call it a hunch: I like this guy as a free-agent longshot. Keep your eye on him.
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