Which currently Elite QBs have done the most with the least?

Talent around them?

Peyton Manning - The 2008 and 2010 Colts had some pretty poor talent, especially in 2010, considering the fact that they ended up with 1st Overall pick in 2012 after Peyton missed 2011 with Neck surgery. Manning had a 66% Completion Percentage, 33 TD's and 17 Int's and 91 QB Rating. A good year for any quarterback, but probably Manning's worst year other than his rookie season. In 2008, he had 27 TD's 12 Int's and a 95 QB Rating. In 2010, the PFF OL Rating was -20.5 and in 2008 it was -60. The 2010 Colts were 10-6 but they've played in a very poor division for years, and the 2008 Colts were amazingly 12-4. This is a strong testament to Peyton's greatness, bringing that talent level to such a high. However, Peyton has always had decent offensive weapons to work with including Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Marvin Harrison, Pierre Garcon, Anthony Gonzalez.

Drew Brees - Brees is having another great statistical season despite the Saint's struggles. He has a 70% completion percentage, 4000+ yards, and a 100+ QB rating. The talent around him this year is so-so I'd say. -38 OL Scores from PFF, He has an elite Tight End, but no really elite receivers. Colston is OK, and Cooks is a rookie, Stills is decent. New Orleans had pretty much the same skill players last year, but his Offensive Line performed much better, scoring +34 overall, and the running game was very strong, which is something Peyton hadn't had in any of his poor years in Indy. Brees without a good running game has not brought the Saints up a notch.

Tom Brady - Brady has always benefits from playing the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins six times a year. He has had a revolving door of receivers and tight ends going back forever, but he has for a long time now had a very strong offensive line. He had a +87 in 2007, +175 in 2009, +113 in 2010, +96 in 2011, +150 OL in 2012, +7 OL in 2013. Heck, in 2008, the OL was so good that Matt Cassell had a very above average year playing with such a good supporting cast. The one year where he hasn't had a good OL really is this year, where they scored a collective -47 on the OL. Brady is still having a good year, so I have to give that to him. But I think the scheme with tight ends such as Gronkowski, and short passing game to edelman, amendola, lafell, and so on and so forth helps. Plus the Patriots have a great D, allowing them to run the ball and not have to play catch up that much.

Aaron Rodgers - GB Has had above average to very good O-Line play going back to 2008, never having had a negative year, so Rodgers hasn't had to deal with overwhelming amount of pressure. He also has had very good skill players going back to the days with Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, now with Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, he has had Jermichael Finley for much of the time. He now has a very good running game with Lacy and Starks and a good O-Line and that has brought his game up to another level. So, I can't really see a season when he hasn't had good skill and o-line talent.

This brings me back to Eli, he had three seasons with what I consider really elite skill talent in 2009-2011 with players like Nicks, Cruz, Manningham, Boss, Bradshaw. His best season, 2011, he had a -106 collective blocking season from his OL, which really clarifies just how great of a year that was for him. Plus, he was in an inflexible system. This year, with a fledgling OL, one good receiver, and a slew of injuries, he is performing extremely admirably considering how bad the talent is around him, and a lot of that is the adaptive nature of the system. I think while he is not in the talent level of peyton, brady, brees, and rodgers, i think with proper talent around him, he can perform just as admirably.

Overall, I think Peyton, looking at what he did in Indy at the end of his career there though, is by far the best performer with the least talent around him on a consistent basis. Brady has had tremendous OL talent, Rodgers has had a a good mix of OL Talent and Skill Talent, and Brees has benefitted greatly from great skill players and his offensive system.