5 historic NFL QBs who would crush it today

4. Ken O’Brien, Original Career: 1983 to 1993

While Boomer Esiason is known for his NFL career, Ken O'Brien is known for who he isn't. The New York Jets took Ken O'Brien with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft. It makes sense because the Jets really needed a quarterback at the time. The reason it doesn't make sense is because Dan Marino, who even at the time looked like a lock in terms of talent, was taken three picks later.

Obviously, nothing O'Brien can do would make him anywhere close to Marino, but getting away from that comparison could only help him. That pressure would topple anyone. If O'Brien was drafted today, he'd be able to gain momentum off what he did best, avoiding mistakes while still making plays. O'Brien had the lowest interception rate in the league three different times in his first five years.

In 1985, O'Brien had a league-low interception rate while also having a league-high average yards per attempt. He was airing the ball out while still avoiding the other team's hands. The Jets went 11-5 and this was by far his best season. It even happened as he was sacked a ridiculous 62 times.

If O'Brien played today, coaches would have kept him on that path. He would have played like Aaron Rodgers, who prioritized the talent around him and had a risk-averse style that still finished with touchdowns. It probably would have helped if he didn't play with the Jets, who just never put the right pieces around him. He was a very talented quarterback whose record was way below average. Today, we would see him either traded to a contender who needs a quarterback or to a team looking to build the offense around him.