Courtesy NFLfreaks.com

Ask the average NFL fan, coach or GM who is the best quarterback, and 70 percent or more will likely say Peyton Manning.

We love Manning, but for our NFL's Best series, we choose Cincinnati's Carson Palmer for our quarterback.

Okay, we know Manning led his colts to a Super Bowl win last season, and his statistics are incredible. We also know he's been surrounded by the best talent in the NFL for his entire career. Not to diminish Manning's accomplishments, but we just believe that great players should make their teams better -- not the other way around.

What Palmer has done in just three full seasons in the NFL is truly remarkable.

First, he's resurrected what was one of the NFL's worst franchises, turning the Bengals into playoff contenders each year. In fact, if Palmer hadn't blown out his knee on the first series in the 2005 playoffs, Pittsburgh might not have won the Super Bowl.

Carson Palmer is the absolute protypical NFL quarterback. If there were an assembly line knocking out great ones, they'd all look like Palmer -- 6-5, 230 with a cannon for an arm.

The statistics are all palpable -- 65 percent completion rate, over 7.3 yards per attempt, 78 touchdown passes and just 48 interceptions in three NFL campaigns. You want a big-play guy passing the ball? How about Palmer's 52 passes of 20-plus yards in 2006.

Sure, Palmer has a great supporting cast, but his secondary weapon, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, has emerged only with Palmer's arrival. Before Palmer, Houshmandzadeh's best year was just 41 catches. He's averaged 80 in his last three years, with Palmer tossing the football.

Great quarterbacks, we believe, are the complete package -- size, arm, decision-making and true leadership.

In other words -- Carson Palmer.

Other Players in this Series
Larry Johnson -- Best Pure Runner
Anquan Boldin -- Best Wide Receiver
LaDainian Tomlinson -- Best All-Around Player