If there’s such a thing as a big preseason game in the NFL, Saturday was it for Matt Leinart. With a chance to firmly grasp the starting quarterback job for the Arizona Cardinals, Leinart didn’t deliver.

He completed just four of 12 passes, threw three interceptions, and registered a quarterback rating of 2.8. Reports started flying almost immediately after the game that Cards’ coach Ken Whisenhunt would announce that Kurt Warner would be the starter for Arizona’s season opener against San Francisco on September 7th. That announcement hasn’t come yet.

The criticism of Leinart has been thick and widespread. Coming into his third year in the league, he was supposed to be the starter, and was considered by many the savior of the franchise thanks to his impressive college resume’. Cliff Brown of Sporting News Today wrote a piece on Monday entitled “What if Leinart simply isn’t good enough?”. On their afternoon talk show on KTAR-AM, John Gambadoro and Mark Asher discussed with callers if the Cardinals are writing Matt Leinart off. It seems everyone is tip-toeing around calling Matt that ugly word bestowed upon draft picks that don’t pan out…bust.

What constitutes being a bust? How long does it take before you can label a highly-drafted QB a bust? I’ll use my own definition. A bust is a quarterback who has not taken a firm grasp of his team’s offense, entrenched himself as the starter, or become a leader on and off the football field after 3 full seasons in the NFL. How’s that?

I arrived at the 3-year threshold by judging what’s going on in San Francisco. Alex Smith, drafted #1 overall in 2005, was beaten out for the 49ers’ starting job by a guy whose name sounds like a suburban sports bar, J.T. O’Sullivan. (I borrowed that line, but hey, it’s funny.)

Using my own criteria, Matt Leinart has not taken a firm grasp of his team’s offense, he has not entrenched himself as the starter, or become a leader on or off the field. The only thing Leinart’s got going for him on that scale is that he’s got a full season left to improve before he packs up the truck and moves full time to Bustville.

In the last 11 NFL Drafts, 21 quarterbacks have been taken in the top 12 selections, and using the above stipulations, nine of them are unmitigated busts, and others are flirting with the idea of joining the club.

The Busts:

• Ryan Leaf - Drafted 2nd overall by the San Diego Chargers in 1998. Signed a 4-year, $31.25 million contract. Started 21 games in 3 NFL seasons, went 4-17. Threw 14 touchdown passes and 36 interceptions. He is the standard by which all busts are judged. While the guy drafted right ahead of him, Peyton Manning, is re-writing the record books, Leaf is coaching men’s golf at West Texas A&M University. I’m not kidding. Married a Washington State cheerleader, so its not all bad.
• Tim Couch - Drafted 1st overall by the Cleveland Browns in 1999. Lasted only 5 seasons in the NFL, all with the Browns, and went 22-37 in 59 career starts. Granted, the Browns were an expansion team when Couch joined them in ‘99, and that didn’t help matters. He actually did help guide the Browns to the playoffs in 2002, where they lost in the AFC Wildcard game to Pittsburgh. But he didn’t even take a snap in the playoffs due to injury. He was done by 2003, but attempted several comebacks, including one with Jacksonville in 2007. He did marry a former Playboy Playmate of the Year, so its not all bad.
• Akili Smith - Drafted 3rd overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1999. Posted a woeful 3-14 record as a starter in 4 seasons with the Bengals, throwing only 5 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. Had a career passer rating of 52.8. If not for the existence of Ryan Leaf, Smith would be the standard that all busts are judged against. He has since been released by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. I don’t know if he ever married a hot chick, so this could be all bad.
• Cade McNown - drafted 12th overall by the Chicago Bears in 1999. McNown, the lefthander out of a Southern California school (sound familiar?) only lasted two years in the NFL, with the Bears. Had a record of 3-12 as a starter, with 16 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Was a member of the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers in 2001 and 2002, but never played. Man, 1999 was a lousy year for quarterbacks coming into the NFL. Interestingly enough, dated Playboy Playmate Heather Kozar, right before she married Tim Couch. She sure could pick ‘em.
• Michael Vick - Drafted 1st overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. I know what you are saying, and yes Vick did have some good numbers, is the best running QB of all-time, and led the Falcons to the NFC Championship Game in 2004. But, there was an off-field issue with Michael…maybe you heard about it?
• David Carr - Drafted 1st overall by the Houston Texans in 2002. Carr was thrown to the wolves from day 1 with the expansion Texans, and went 22-53 as a starter in 5 seasons with Houston. He also got sacked more than Paris Hilton on prom night (or a random Tuesday night for that matter), leading the league in being knocked down by burly defenders three different times. Did set an NFL record in 2007 for worst hairstyle by a quarterback. Now a backup with the Giants.
• Joey Harrington - Drafted 3rd overall by the Detroit Lions in 2002. What can you say…another bust? Might still be the 3rd most hated man in Detroit (behind Matt Millen and Ron Artest) three years after he left. Career record of 26-50 with the Lions, Dolphins and Falcons. By all accounts, he’s a really nice guy, which gives him an advantage over most on this list.
• Byron Leftwich - Drafted 7th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003. Leftwich is the only guy on this list who actually has a winning career record a 24-22, and a touchdown to interception of 52 to 38, but was beaten out in Jacksonville by David Garrard. Wait a minute, on second thought, Byron’s way better than everyone on this list, even though he’s now the backup in Pittsburgh. Strike this from the record, sorry Byron.
• Alex Smith - Drafted 1st overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2005. The newest member of the list. See above.

After seeing these guys, there’s no way Leinart is a bust, yet. But if you listen really closely, you can hear the clock ticking. Quiet down Vince Young, it’s ticking for you too.

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