Where does Philip Rivers rank among the NFL's top QBs?

There was a lot of talk about Philip Rivers during the offseason. Many people thought that his days were numbered in San Diego, but he's going to start 2015 as the signal caller once again for the franchise. He has a pretty steady arm, but he never really gets the respect he deserves. As we get ready for the upcoming season, where does he rank among the NFL’s elite?

In order to get in that upper echelon of quarterbacks in the NFL, a guy basically has to win a Super Bowl. That means Philip Rivers is always going to be on the outside looking in unless he can get some hardware. Players such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger have all hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. They are all on contending teams as well, so there is a chance that they add to their total this season.

Out of all the quarterbacks who have not been able to win a Super Bowl trophy, the only one who seems to be ahead of Rivers is Andrew Luck. He really took a huge step forward last year, and making the playoffs in three consecutive seasons is impressive. People in fantasy football money leagues feel like he's going to be the best overall quarterback in the game sooner rather than later.

Speaking of fantasy football money leagues, Rivers also doesn't get the credit he deserves. Many people see him as a pretty average quarterback, as he comes in around 15th in projections for 2015. It does not help that he is not a big runner, but it also goes to show that fantasy football should not be the way to judge quarterbacks.

If there's one thing that keeps Rivers out of the conversation as a top-flight quarterback other than championships, it's the fact that he does not have a huge arm. That is a physical limitation more than anything, as he is certainly competitive enough to make up for most of that. However, he is still working on trying to be talked about in the same way as some of the other grades playing the game right now.

The Chargers have been fairly competitive during Rivers’ era, but the closest they've come to a Super Bowl berth was when the team reached the 2007 AFC Championship. One special run could change everything, but for now, the 12-year veteran is one of the head guys in that class of players just below the very best.

Rivers is currently on the final year of his contract. The Chargers are hoping to agree on an extension before training camp starts on July 30th. Last season he threw for 4,286 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions. He also became the team's all-time leader in career completion percentage and passer rating.