Kevin Kolb Doesn't Fare Well In NFL QB Rankings

Kevin Kolb has not had the year he had hoped he would have. Yes, he got a starting job throwing to Larry Fitzgerald. Yes, he has a brand new contract that pays him millions. But he has struggled, he got hurt and was even in the middle of another (albeit brief) QB controversy due to his injury. Now he is getting dumped on by SI.com's Jim Trotter. Trotter ranked the starting QBs now that the 'fourth quarter' of the 2011 season has begun and Kolb finds himself with not so distinguished company.

Trotter has him near the bottom -- 28th of 32. While he has not had a great year, it seems hard to put him all the way down there, especially since Caleb Hanie, Colt McCoy and T.J. Yates all are ranked higher.

Wrote Trotter:

"It has been a miserable season for Kolb, who was acquired in a major trade with Philadelphia. When he's not taking hits in the pocket, he often appears to be looking for the pass rush. And he definitely appears uncomfortable holding the ball in the pocket. Perhaps Sunday's overtime win over Dallas will boost his confidence."

What Trotter failed to note was how after the first quarter of the season he was on pace for over 4000 yards and that with a terrible defense, he had led the offense to be within a possession at the end of the games.

Now, as you all know, I have been a Kolb supporter for some time. He has been a disappointment, but in my eyes the disappointment is due to much higher expectations out of the team overall. Last year it seemed that the team was decent QB play away from the playoffs. It turns out that the team needed a lot more, especially without an offseason when a new defensive system was put in place.

The bottom line is this. We know Kolb has not played particularly well. But I don't think there is a world that exists that could put Hanie, Yates or McCoy ahead of him. Even other QBs like Tarvaris Jackson or Josh Freeman have been far from good.

I know that Kolb has been the subject of hundreds of debates in the comment threads here on the site. I'm still on board. His second half play against the Cowboys makes me believe that better days are either here or near on the horizon.

As for the ranking, he is too low, but honestly not that far off.