Cleveland is allegedly where quarterbacks go to die, a city littered with the remains of Johnny Manziel, Brandon Weeden, and Tim Couch. In reality, New York might actually be the new official quarterback wasteland.
Recently, Business Insider created a chart that shows just how many quarterbacks each team has drafted since 1999. Surprisingly, the Jets -- not the Browns -- are situated atop that chart with 10 drafted quarterbacks. Unsurprising, the Browns couldn't even manage to win something they're supposed to be experts in: failing to develop college quarterbacks into NFL-caliber players.
No NFL team uses more draft picks on quarterbacks than the New York Jets https://t.co/38fEKGbhKJ pic.twitter.com/hEXLKAy6nv
— BI Sports (@BI_Sports) March 24, 2016
So, a few notes about that chart:
-
The Jets' 10 drafted quarterbacks are Bryce Petty, Tajh Boyd, Geno Smith, Greg McElroy, Mark Sanchez, Erik Ainge, Kellen Clemens, Brad Smith, Brooks Bollinger, and Chad Pennington.
-
Though the Jets top the list, they only used a first-round pick on a quarterback twice since 1999. The Browns might have drafted two fewer quarterbacks since 1999, but four of their eight quarterbacks were first-rounders. So, the Browns still earned the distinct honor of drafting more busts.
-
As for the Redskins, they selected three of their quarterbacks (RG3, Jason Campbell, and Patrick Ramsey) in the first round.
-
Only two of the Broncos' nine quarterbacks were first-round picks, but they still lose points due to Tim Tebow.
-
Only two of the Ravens' quarterbacks were first-rounders and one of those two quarterbacks (Joe Flacco) is the team's starter. So, they get a pass.
-
The 49ers' only first-rounder is Alex Smith, but they get downgraded because they passed on Aaron Rodgers to select Smith.
-
The Patriots snagged Tom Brady in the sixth round so their ranking is irrelevant.
-
As Jared Dubin noted to me, the Cowboys really only selected two quarterbacks because they turned Isaiah Stanback -- a college quarterback -- into a receiver.
Oh, and the Jets still don't have a quarterback, the Browns just signed former Washington first-rounder RG3 and seem poised to take a quarterback with the second pick in the draft, the 49ers are in a spot to draft whichever quarterback the Browns pass on, and the Broncos are currently rolling with former Jets first-rounder Mark Sanchez.
The cycle continues.