NFL: 5 quarterbacks poised to break out in 2015

Evan Massey

Nov 23, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; St. Louis Rams quarterback

Sam Bradford

(8) before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Which five quarterbacks are poised to have breakout seasons in 2015, and what must they do in order to have those breakout seasons?

The 2014 NFL season was a very exciting and entertaining year, and the New England Patriots now sit atop the league as reigning champions. There is no doubt that it has become a quarterbacks league, and teams need a legitimate starting quarterback in order to take the next step towards their championship hopes.

Robert Griffin III

The Washington Redskins have been an absolute disaster over the past couple of seasons, and quarterback Robert Griffin III has been part of that disaster. He had quite a few issues last year with head coach Jay Gruden, but he has already been named the starting heading into the 2015 season by Gruden. Griffin ended up throwing for 1,684 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions.

During the 2014 season, Griffin missed a good chunk of games due to an ankle injury and played in just nine games. He also missed a couple games due to the play of Colt McCoy later on in the year, but obviously is still viewed as the Redskins’ starter. This is likely the last chance that he will be given by Washington, and he will take full advantage of that.

At just 25 years old, Griffin needs to stay healthy first and foremost to turn his career back around. That is the biggest thing that needs to happen for him to take the next step in 2015. He still has a very solid arm and the athleticism to make some plays for his teammates, and he doesn’t have anything to lose this year.

Expect to see Griffin enter the 2015 season much more confident than he has been in years past, and to take the next step. He has been looked at as a bust over the past couple of seasons, but many are forgetting the dominance that he showed in his rookie season. That side of Griffin is still there, he just needs to stay healthy and on the field to prove it.

Next: Derek Carr

Dec 28, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Raiders 47-14. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Carr

Derek Carr has given the Oakland Raiders and their fans a big reason to be excited about the upcoming season. He put together a very impressive season as a rookie last year, and is without question capable of taking a big leap forward in his second NFL season.

He ended up throwing for 3,270 yards, 21 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. Those numbers show a lot of potential for the future, and he has the work ethic to reach that potential. Jack Del Rio inherited a very impressive quarterback to begin his coaching career with the Raiders.

There is no question that Carr has all of the tools to take a major leap forward next season. He didn’t get the legitimate number one wide receiver that the Raiders were trying to get for him, but they are likely to address that need in the NFL Draft. Oakland’s running game also still has plenty of weaknesses, but they feel fairly confident that the duo of Latavius Murray and Trent Richardson can handle things.

Oakland is banking on Carr being their future at the quarterback position, and they won’t be disappointed. Assuming he continues to play smart football with the above average decision-making that he showed last season, he is going to put up a monster season in 2015.

Next: Nick Foles

Mar 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams quarterback Nick Foles (center) is introduced to the media at Rams Park. Foles is joined by Rams head coach

Jeff Fisher

(left) and general manager Les Snead (right). Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Foles

There is no question that the St. Louis Rams made a good trade to acquire Nick Foles from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Sam Bradford. They had expected Bradford to be their long-term quarterback when they drafted him first overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, but injuries completely ruined his last two seasons.

Foles ended up breaking his collarbone last season, but still put together a decent statistical year. He threw for 2,163 yards and 13 touchdowns, but did end up throwing 10 interceptions as well in eight games. That being said, he showed the full potential that he possesses back in the 2013 season when he took over the starting job from Michael Vick.

During the 2013 season, Foles threw for 2,891 yards and 27 touchdowns in 13 games, while throwing just two interceptions. He showed off impressive arm strength, but more importantly the type of accuracy that makes great NFL quarterbacks.

Obviously there are some question marks surrounding Foles after the 10 interceptions in eight games that he threw last year, but he is still just 26 years old. Every young quarterback makes some mistakes with the football, but Foles is going to have more talented targets than he had in Philadelphia. The situation is perfect for both the Rams and Foles, and he is going to be a force to be reckoned with this coming season.

Next: Sam Bradford

Nov 9, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; St. Louis Rams injured quarterback Sam Bradford against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Sam Bradford

Flipping over to the other side of the Nick Foles for Sam Bradford trade, the Philadelphia Eagles are very excited with what they’re getting in Bradford. He has torn his ACL in two straight seasons, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t turn things around in 2015 and stay healthy with a new team.

Bradford started showing star potential in the seven games that he played with the Rams in 2013. He threw for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns, while throwing just four interceptions. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL for the first time in that season, and then tore another just before the start of this season as well.

Why can he turn things around in Philadelphia? There are quite a few reasons, but first of all he will have a lot of pressure taken off of his shoulders due to having DeMarco Murray in the backfield with him. He is without question the best running back that Bradford has ever played alongside, and it will force defenses to respect the run and keep the pass open a bit more.

The talent that Bradford showed in the seven games that he played in 2013 is still there. Chip Kelly’s offense is going to be a new thing for Bradford, and he’ll have quite a few talented wide receivers to work with in Riley Cooper, Josh Huff, Jordan Matthews and likely one more that they’ll pursue in the NFL Draft. Bradford is finally being given a fresh start, and he will take full advantage of this chance.

Next: Jay Cutler

Dec 28, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. The Minnesota Vikings win 13-9. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Jay Cutler

The Chicago Bears have revamped their entire coaching staff, and Jay Cutler will now be working with head coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase. Those two coaches are big upgrades over the Marc Trestman offense that Cutler has been trying to run for the past couple of seasons.

Rumors have been swirling all offseason long about the Bears being interested in trading Cutler, but that isn’t going to happen. Cutler met with the Bears and both sides came away excited to work with each other in the 2015 season. Chicago fans don’t have much confidence in Cutler, but he is poised to have a big year in the new offense.

Brandon Marshall was traded away, but the Bears still have Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett, Eddie Royal and of course Matt Forte. Those four weapons are going to be plenty good enough for Cutler to put up one of the best statistical seasons of his career. All that he needs to do is make better decisions and not force the football into coverage down the field.

Cutler has a very bad reputation, but the Bears’ new coaching staff obviously sees something in him. There are going to be a lot of critics heading into the season, but 2015 is going to be the season that he finally shuts them up. Expect to see Cutler come through with a big season and begin to turn his reputation back around.

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Evan Massey

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers both the NFL and NBA. He has worked for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net, and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.