Decade Debate: 5 Biggest Quarterback Busts

When fans think of biggest quarterback busts, the first one that usually pops into their heads is Ryan Leaf. But when it’s all said and done, the biggest quarterback draft bust of all-time might have come from this decade. As part of our ongoing Decade Debate series, here is a top 5 ranking of the biggest quarterback draft busts of the past decade, as well as a separate list of two signal callers that might be well on their way to bustville.

5. Byron Leftwich (Year Drafted: 2003)

Things didn’t start off poorly for Leftwich. After the Jaguars took him with the seventh overall pick in 2003, Leftwich led them to a 9-7 record in his second year and helped Jacksonville earn a 12-4 record and a playoff berth in his third year before an ankle injury cost him the remaining five games of the season. But after returning from the injury in time to receive a 28-3 beat down from the Patriots in the postseason that year, things went downhill for Leftwich. He suffered another ankle injury in 2006 (one that cost him all but four games of the season) and then he was released in 2007 in favor of David Garrard. He was signed by the Falcons in September of that year, but was a minor disaster and couldn’t hold off Joey Harrington for the starting job. He did win a Super Bowl ring as Ben Roethlisberger’s backup with the Steelers in 2008, but he once again failed as a starter in 2009 after the Bucs signed him in the offseason. Even though he did have some success in the league, Leftwich never lived up to his top-10 billing. His big arm was a hit in college, but his slow release has often doomed him in the NFL and now it appears he’s destined for a life as a backup.

4. Michael Vick (2001)

Some will point out that since Vick brought the Falcons to the playoffs twice (which included an upset win over the Packers in Green Bay and a trip to the NFC Championship Game), and that his athletic ability was unrivaled as a quarterback that he shouldn’t even be on this list. Those that criticize him will point out his involvement in the dog-fighting scandal that sent him to federal prison for two years and how he never matured as a passer. But the bottom line is that Vick was one of the biggest draft busts of the decade because he was supposed to revolutionize the quarterback position and he barely scratched the surface as a passer. His work ethic was also suspect at best and although it wasn’t solely his fault, he failed to get the Falcons back to the playoffs after taking them to the NFC title game in ’04. Let’s not forget that he also cost the Falcons millions once he was arrested and sent the franchise into the depths of NFL hell before new GM Thomas Dimitroff saved it last year with some shrewd moves (i.e. hiring Mike Smith, signing Michael Turner and drafting Matt Ryan). Where would the Falcons be if they didn’t trade their 2001 first round draft pick to the Chargers in order to select Vick? Think about this: They could have been the ones that wound up with LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees.

3. Joey Harrington (2002)

“Joey Blue Skies” was supposed to save the Lions’ franchise when the team selected him with the third overall pick in 2002, but instead he was a disaster from the start. Harrington had all the physical tools to succeed in the NFL, but he could never handle the mental aspect of the game. When fans in Detroit started to criticize him for his horrible play, he sought the help of a sports physiologist in order to help him cope with the pressure. When he finally moved on to Miami and then Atlanta later in his career, he appeared more confident but his production was just never there. In his six seasons in the NFL, he never had a passer rating better than 77.5 and didn’t throw less than 12 interceptions in a season outside of the eight he threw in 2007 with the Falcons. (He only played in 12 games that year.) Perhaps the most maddening thing about Harrington is that he would sometimes show a flash of potential that would make you think: he’s not as bad as everyone makes him out to be. Then he would promptly throw a pick-six or drill a pass at the shoe tops of one of his receivers to confirm just how bad he really was. Making matters worse, the guy has the personality of a wet wipe. When asked to judge his performance or of his teammates, Harrington would often give a clichéd response about how the team was moving in the right direction or how they were getting better. After one of his horrid performances, his constant optimism would make you want to puke.

2. David Carr (2002)

In some respects, it’s almost unfair to deem Carr a bust because he certainly was put in an undesirable situation after being drafted by a franchise team. Carr never had a capable offensive line in front of him and the Texans didn’t have a running game to help take the pressure off him and dynamic receiver Andre Johnson. That said, just because he didn’t have much of a supporting cast around him doesn’t give him a free pass from making this list. Carr rarely showed signs of developing as a passer, which is why the Texans felt the need to trade for Matt Schaub in 2006 and release the former first overall pick. Outside of mop-up duty for the Giants the past two years, Carr has never completed more than 68.3% of his passes and has always had trouble with interceptions and fumbles. Since entering the league, he has lacked the basic fundamentals as a quarterback, which is why he’s on his third team in eight years and shows zero signs of becoming a starter again.