Young QBs crashing NFL party

League loaded with potential stars

They always come in waves.

Since the NFL's merger in 1970, you could not mention Bart Starr without throwing in Len Dawson, a dash of Joe Namath and a hint of Johnny Unitas.

What would Fran Tarkenton have been without Bob Griese, Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw and Dan Fouts? And, of course, besides stonewashed jeans, big hair and the outstanding music of the '80s, you had Joe Montana, John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly, with Warren Moon serving as a bridge to Troy Aikman and Steve Young in the '90s.

These days, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are the Canton-bound standard-bearers, even as it seems Brett Favre, entering his 17th season with the Green Bay Packers, took over under center from Starr.

Yet there is something of a chill in the air on the eve of the 2007 NFL season, a seeming changing of the guard when it comes to the game's glamour position.

Consider: Fifteen of the NFL's 32 starting quarterbacks -- including former N.C. State star Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers -- are in their fifth season or fewer in the league, the equivalent of being a redshirt senior in college. Isn't that when a signal-caller is supposed to peak in that environment? Plus, of those 15, seven will start their teams' season-openers for the first time.

Say hello to the young guns: the Washington Redskins' Jason Campbell, the Denver Broncos' Jay Cutler, the Minnesota Vikings' Tarvaris Jackson, the Arizona Cardinals' Matt Leinart, the Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo, the Houston Texans' Matt Schaub and the Tennessee Titans' Vince Young.

That's not counting such established-yet-relative youngsters as the Cincinnati Bengals' Carson Palmer, who is in his fifth season, the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger, who already has won a Super Bowl, and the exasperating Rex Grossman of the reigning NFC champion Chicago Bears.

Then there are such up-and-comers as 49ers third-year pro Alex Smith, the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NFL draft, Buffalo's J.P. Losman, the Bills' first first-round quarterback selection since Kelly, and the Jacksonville Jaguars' David Garrard, who is in his sixth season and has unseated Byron Leftwich.

Waiting for a chance are guys such as Aaron Rodgers -- when Favre finally hang it up --rookie Brady Quinn in Cleveland and this year's No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell -- whenever he comes to terms with the Oakland Raiders.

Perhaps not since the days of the Super Bowl being longer than the Super Bowl pregame show has the NFL been so loaded with young, exciting and potential stars under center.

"Three things are happening," Raiders senior administrator Artie Gigantino said. First, he said, "Colleges are doing a better job of preparing guys."

The rise of offseason organized team activities also is a factor and helps more than the now-defunct NFL Europa, he said.

"And third, guys are staying healthier," Gigantino said. "Look at Manning and Brady. Those guys don't miss a game. "

With younger quarterbacks often being a team's highest-paid player thanks to huge signing bonuses, they might be thrown into starting whether they are ready or not.

The horizon is dotted with the next generation in such college gunslingers as Louisville's Brian Brohm, Southern California's John David Booty, Kentucky's Andre Woodson and Hawaii's Colt Brennan.

It's a generational thing, after all, and they come in waves.