Quarterback Rankings: No. 28

Dec 16, 2012; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne (7) drops back to pass against the Miami Dolphins in the first quarter at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

Every two days, Rishi Pochiraju will reveal a quarterback on his grand list of quarterback rankings. Each quarterback will receive a grade out of 50 – 10 points for each category. Up next: number 28.

#28. Chad Henne, Jacksonville Jaguars

I didn’t forget about Blaine Gabbert. After evaluating the position, I came to a conclusion that Chad Henne is simply the best quarterback on the Jaguars roster. He made the most of his opportunities last season after Gabbert got hurt, and it showed.

Receivers Cecil Shorts III and Justin Blackmon excelled with Henne at quarterback rather than Gabbert, partly because of Henne’s experience and poise. He was once a solid starter with Miami. He had another opportunity in 2011, but his season was ended with a shoulder injury.

Many thought Henne’s career was over, but with Jacksonville, he seemed to have resurrected it last year. He showed tremendous upside and ability after his 2011 campaign ended in horrible fashion, but he still has much to work on in order to prove (again) that he’s a solid starter.

Physical traits and athleticism

The Jaguars’ most solid quarterback last season has good height and size, listed at 6-3, 230 pounds. He sometimes uses his relatively quick feet to get out of the pocket and make plays. While he doesn’t possess the physical combination of a perfect speed and size like someone such as Aaron Rodgers (a dual-threat quarterback), Henne does make effective use of his physical skillset. Grade: 6/10

Arm talent

Henne has a strong arm and is capable of stretching the field. He showed that with receivers Cecil Shorts III and Justin Blackmon, whose numbers increased dramatically when Henne became the starter. Henne operated well out of a clean pocket and was able to make accurate throws, but had trouble with his arm when his vision and clarity wasn’t there. Grade: 5.5/10

Mechanics

The wind-up on Henne’s throws seems to be relatively slow compared to the likes of Drew Brees and even Tony Romo (who has a surprisingly quick release), but Henne compensates for that with great zip on the ball. The ball gets to its target on time because of this – he is able to step into his throw and deliver an accurate ball when there is limited pressure around him and when he has clear throwing lanes. Grade: 5.5/10

Mental make-up

Henne often struggled to read blitzes, which resulted in sacks, unnecessary hits, and turnovers. However, he does seem to understand the game well, and will work to overcome the difficulties that surround the Jags’ offense and will continue to adjust to the system in Jacksonville. Grade: 5/10

Intangibles

There had been talk when Henne was with Miami that he lacked the necessary intangibles to be a leader and a solid player. I think that what he lacked was a supporting cast. Over the past year, he’s showed how much of a hard worker he is – he overcame major shoulder surgery to become a starter after going to a different team. He will need to prove himself again, however. Grade: 6/10

Overall impression

Chad Henne needs to be more consistent with his play during the course of one season. He will be a solid starter only if his decision-making improves and he doesn’t regress in any way in any aspect of his game. Overall grade: 28/50