Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady will surely remain where 26 NFL coaches and evaluators voted the New England Patriots quarterback entering the 2014 season: solidly in the top tier of players at the position.
While Brady validated his credentials, the recently completed 2014 NFL season could change perceptions for some of the quarterbacks we evaluated over the summer. Another survey will be helpful once teams without clear starters gain clarity at the position. In the meantime, here's a look at quarterbacks who could move up, quarterbacks who could move down, what the survey got right (or wrong) and why a quarterbacks coach from another team thinks Russell Wilson's late interception in the Super Bowl shouldn't work against him in future evaluations.
QBs who could move up
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Some of the voters thought Roethlisberger had declined from the top tier into the second group. He was seventh overall in the voting and trailed only Philip Rivers among players in the second tier. Six of the 26 voters did think he belonged in the top tier. More could agree after Roethlisberger threw 20 touchdown passes with only two interceptions against teams that finished with a winning record. The Steelers went 6-1 in those games.