NFL draft: Several teams could be looking for new quarterbacks in 2017
Does your team need a quarterback? On the surface, the list might not appear to be that long, but when you dig down there could be a dozen or more teams seeking help at the position, at least with a true developmental option.
Some teams need immediate help, which could come in the form of a veteran addition or a first-round pick. Other teams might have some flexibility and can wait a bit. That’s what the Dallas Cowboys did, and it netted them the best Day 3 QB draft pick in several years in Dak Prescott.
The brilliant QB class of 2004 has offered us three potential Hall of Famers in Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, but as they are reaching their mid-30s and the 200-games-started mark (something only nine other quarterbacks have done), their respective teams must think about long-term replacements as well.
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We’ve ranked our list from biggest QB need to lowest among the dozen teams most likely to seek help next season — whether it be via free agency, trade or the 2017 NFL draft, which could offer a fair crop but maybe not one as steeped in talent as the 2016 group.
Chicago Bears — We’ve ranked them No. 1 because the handwriting is on the wall for Jay Cutler, and he’s likely to finish his unfinished Bears career with a starting record below .500 and one season ending with a spot in the playoffs. Brian Hoyer could be kept as a bridge QB, but he’s a free agent to be. No. 3 Matt Barkley is nothing more than a placeholder. Connor Shaw is more likely to take that roster spot and push whatever rookie they draft, perhaps even with a top-five pick. Yes, we believe that even with questions over the future of head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace, we feel safe projecting the team adding a quarterback of some note this offseason.
Cleveland Browns — We put them here, even though some might argue they’re the team in most need of help at the position. We disagree slightly in that, even in pulling Cody Kessler from Thursday’s game, we think Hue Jackson believes there’s something to groom; call it tough love, if you will. Plus, Robert Griffin III remains on the roster and could return from injured reserve before the season ends to convince the brass to give him another year. Kevin Hogan might be nothing more than a dart throw. But there’s something about the Browns’ promises to be meticulous and their mostly strong praise for Kessler that has us thinking they will not invest heavily in a quarterback next spring, despite having two first-round picks. Call us crazy.
San Francisco 49ers — Has Chip Kelly seen enough in Colin Kaepernick to think he’s the guy to run the offense going forward? We doubt it, even with some respectable moments. It’s just too streaky, and the things Kelly demands in his quarterbacks — quick, precise thinking — isn’t exactly what Kaepernick brings to the table. Amid all this consternation of whether Kelly might run back to college has come a stiff rebuttal from the 49ers, who insist he’ll be around another year. And think about this: Kelly really hasn’t been able to pick his own QB in the NFL. Nick Foles was a holdover from Andy Reid. Matt Barkley was a Howie Roseman/Philadelphia Eagles pick. The Niners didn’t take a QB until Round 6 last year in Jeff Driskel, and he’s on the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad now. We think Kelly should be able to ID at least one quarterback in the 2017 NFL draft he would like to work with, and frankly he deserves that privilege.
New York Jets — Oh, what to do here? GM Mike Maccagnan offered few tangible thoughts of his long-term vision, but it’s clear that Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith likely are moving on at season’s end. Bryce Petty will get his shot, and he could make the most of it. Christian Hackenberg is likely juiced in with how high they drafted him. So does it make more sense to draft another quarterback in 2017 or bring in a veteran such as Cutler or Tony Romo? We think the latter is more likely, as Todd Bowles will want stability for his team and a chance to win now and cool his hot seat a bit. Bowles watched the effect Carson Palmer had on the Arizona Cardinals when he coached the defense there and could go a similar route.
Houston Texans — The Texans are not giving up on Brock Osweiler yet, but the early returns have been ugly. He basically has 2017 to prove himself before the Texans make the decision on whether to bring him back for the final two years of his contract; that’s the way his deal is structured. Let’s face it: They passed on Derek Carr because of his last name and it has set the franchise back a few steps. They have to draft someone whom Bill O’Brien believes in. If we had to guess which QB that might be, keep an eye on UNC’s Mitch Trubisky, who might be a first-round prospect, and Washington State’s Luke Falk, who likely figures more in the Round 2 (or lower) range as two who might fit what the Texans want to do offensively.
Arizona Cardinals — Palmer’s regression this season can be attributed partially to a nagging hamstring injury, but the results have some people thinking that Bruce Arians will want to find a potential replacement in the upcoming draft. The Cardinals have not been the same dangerous, deep-ball team they have in the past, with Palmer struggling on his accuracy downfield. So look for Arians to tab a strong-armed quarterback (Trubisky?) to groom as Palmer’s successor.
Washington Redskins — This is one of the harder situations to figure out, as Kirk Cousins has the team in contention while playing on the franchise tag and trying to prove he’s worth a long-term deal. It’s hard to argue with his recent results, but the team’s prior hesitancy to give him big money has us thinking that there’s at least a chance they don’t offer him the megabucks. Either way, we suspect they could draft another QB to compete with Nate Sudfeld for a roster spot, but the need clearly goes up if they can’t (or don’t want to) sign Cousins at $20 million-plus per year. They might offer him a Kaepernick-type contract that is worth big money but allows the team to get out from under it in decent shape in a few years if things don’t continue to work out.
Kansas City Chiefs — Last week, we tickled a few fancies when we mocked Deshaun Watson to the Chiefs late in Round 1. Then we watched Watson have an occasionally brilliant but also frustrating performance in the loss to Pitt that was as much about his maddening turnovers as it was for his 580 pass yards. Alex Smith’s contract likely keeps him the starter (or at least on the roster) next season, and Reid clearly likes Foles. But adding a talented project makes perfect sense for Reid, even in the first few rounds of the draft. They’re a well-built team with few major holes that needs to upgrade at the position long term. Reid loves drafting QBs, and we think he will — perhaps higher than people think.
Denver Broncos — Have you read Charles Robinson’s piece on Romo’s next move yet? Perhaps the most eye-opening throwaway line is where Charles speculates that John Elway could make a play for Romo, and wouldn’t that be spectacular? Let’s face it: Trevor Siemian is just a stand-in, and Paxton Lynch is the likely future there. But could we see a two-year rental of Romo in Denver? Absolutely. It almost makes perfect sense if you think about it. The Broncos could deal Siemian to a team such as the Bears (or whomever) for slightly better return than the late seventh-rounder they spent on him and let Lynch continue to develop steadily. Never rule out Elway for making a bold move to land a potential game-changer, so their need clearly is more from the veteran pool than from the draft.
San Diego Chargers — They’ve drafted two quarterbacks in the past decade, Jonathan Crompton and Brad Sorensen, as late fliers. Rivers has been so good for so long, and he could continue to defy time with his play. But the Chargers would be wise to spend a middle-round pick on a quarterback. The unknown here is if Mike McCoy will continue to be the coach, so not knowing what offensive system the team might run gives us few clues what they might seek at the position. But they most certainly can upgrade over Kellen Clemens, and there’s no developmental QB on the roster.
New York Giants — Manning is an incredibly durable performer, and even with his ups and downs on the field he’s not going anywhere soon. Still, we’d like to see the Giants invest a little in the position and give the Giants a possible successor to Eli if he falls off in the years to come. They drafted Ryan Nassib in Round 4 in 2013 and likely will watch him hit free agency this offseason with the desire to prove himself elsewhere. Taking a QB in a similar range this coming year makes sense.
Pittsburgh Steelers — Landry Jones has stepped up his game in a few relief appearances, and Zach Mettenberger might be worth kicking the tires on. But could they use another quarterback? We say yes. With Roethlisberger missing time each of the past two seasons and turning 35 in March, there’s little downside to taking a chance on a talented player in need of work. There are some Roethlisbergian traits in Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes — less physically so and more in his freewheeling style — that could make him a fascinating understudy. But will Mahomes go too high for the defensively starved Steelers to take a shot on him?
Podcast: Will Tony Romo ever play for Dallas again? Plus: Week 11 NFL picks
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
