A Look at the 2018 Quarterback Carousel
Every team wants to win football games, and for most, this starts with the quarterback position. Several teams this offseason will be searching for quarterbacks. This includes the likes of playoff teams like the Jags and Vikings. Some teams will look to draft a guy to develop, or pick up a veteran, and others could be in the market for both. For the sake of this exercise, let us also assume all of these teams have missed out on the highly sought after Kirk Cousins.
A new reason to Believe
Kicking off my quarterback carousel talk, we go to Quarterback purgatory, the Cleveland Browns. I think the Browns are in the market for both a veteran and a rookie. The veteran I think that would fit here the best is Sam Bradford. My reasoning behind this is because I assume most teams wouldn’t be looking to give Sam Bradford another shot at being a starter, but the Browns could sign him with an oppurtunity to start. Assuming they are drafting one of the young gunslingers in April, Bradford could serve as the mentor and temporary starter as they groom the future behind him. He would also be able to serve as a competent back up once they move on to the younger guy. The Browns have enough money to pay whatever wage he thinks he deserves. The rookie I think we see wearing the ugly brown and orange is Josh Allen, now the question becomes, “ why?”. Well, Allen has all the raw skill one could want. While I am not a big fan of the athletic quarterback from Wyoming, I understand why some may fall in love with him on paper. He has speed, arm strength, and seems to have good football IQ. However, I think the main reason the Browns land him, is because they aren’t afraid to take risks as an organization. They will take a gamble on the project QB, hoping it pays off in the long run, rather than drafting a safer bet with a lower ceiling, like Mason Rudolph.
Replacing Broadway Joe
Following the Browns in the race to have the worst Quarterback play for the longest period of time, we have the New York Jets. The Jets proved this past season that they are closer to a winning team than we thought. Many experts had them pinned as the worst team in the NFL, and despite the inconsistency at the quarterback position, they had some success. In my oppinion, the Jets should get a veteran and try to win now. However if they don’t land their guy, they could draft someone, so I’ll assume they will do one of the two. From the veteran group, I think this team is your most likely Kirk Cousins landing zone, however considering I’m ruling him out, I’m going with Case Keenum. Keenum showed this past year there is a way to win with him at the helm of the team, as he led the Vikings to the second best record in the NFC, taking over in Week 2. I think the Jets front office is on the right track as to how and build a winner, and will value the above average game manager. That would mean they can spend the 6th pick on a pass rusher or corner to further strenghten the quality of a talented, young defense. Now if they don’t land him, they may turn to Nick Foles, or draft Baker Mayfield. Again, this is a quarterback I’m personally not a fan of, however Mayfield has loads of arm talent and all the leaderships skills you could imagine. While I think his personality is more Johnny Manziel and less Tom Brady, the Jets could be willing to look past any character flaws if it translates to wins on the football field.
The big apple gets two new faces
JOSH ROSEN. I rest my case. If you didn’t see a New York Giants jersey when I said that, you’re wrong, as there is no chance he doesn’t land in New York. Rosen is the only answer as far as I’m concerned. The Giants won’t be in the market for a veteran because Eli Manning is still there, but a rookie could be very handy for the future, so why wouldn’t they grab the best one in this class at the second pick?
Elway gets his guy
Some teams here have a “win now” mentality; the window is closing and they are a quarterback away from competing at a high level. The Denver Broncos are the best example of this, which is why they will look to add a former Super Bowl MVP. That’s right, I think the answer the the Broncos quarterback woes is Eli Manning, wait no, Nick Foles. The window is closing and Foles has the arm talent to deliver them somewhere with the pieces they would already have in place around him. The Broncos are still fairly loaded on the defensive side of the ball and have the skill position players to utilize Nick’s skill set. However, if the Broncos seek a younger answer that isn’t Paxton Lynch, they should try to land Rosen. However, I see him going top two, so Sam Darnold could be a potential fit here. He has a skill set that could be groomed more into a John Elway type player. He has the raw arm strength to push the ball down the field and is also quite mobile.
The desert gains a new ranger
Carson Palmer just walked away, leaving the Arizona Cardinals with an even larger question mark at quarterback than what they would of had with him. Depending on how the Cards view themselves, they could either go rebuild and take a risk, or try for a bigger free agent to win now. I think this team is in rebuild, and I also believe they will trade up and draft a guy. Despite the fact that I don’t like him, I see Lamar Jackson as the potential guy here. His raw athletic ability will sell someone on him, and they are a team with loaded at the skill position, which would accommodate Jackson. Him and Johnson in the same backfield is a potential recipe for a record breaking rushing attack.
SKOL nation losses all three
If this happens, it might be a pure meltdown, but just for fun let’s work through it. Minnesota Vikings, they have three quarterbacks up for resigning. Bradford is too injury prone, Keenum wants too much, and Teddy wants to move on. Well have no fear, as there is another quarterback seeking a new start. AJ McCarron is a free agent, and the Vikings may have the most quarterback friendly offense in the NFL. I’m convinced that they could throw anyone back there and still win 10 games. McCarron has the mindset and arm talent to run this offense efficiently, and serve as a stop gap.
It’s always snowy in Buffalo
I really, and I mean really hope Mason Rudolph is excited for lots of snow. I’m much higher on Rudolph than most, however I have picture him landing on the Buffalo Bills out of pure necessity. I’ve already laid out where every other highly rated quarterback from the 2018 class will go, and the Bills are in the market as they aren’t sold on Tyrod Taylor or Peterman. With all other options exhausted, the Bills wait until the second round or trade back with their other first round pick and grab the gunslinger from Oklahoma State.
The best of the rest
There are still several other teams that should be exploring the options at quarterback; some for backups and some for starters. The Titans, Saints, Chargers, Steelers, and Chiefs are all teams that are looking to add one to their roster, I can reasonably see them taking a late quarterback in the draft like Mike White from Western. I also expect one to take a run at a guy like Teddy Bridgewater if the price is right. The New England Patriots, and Jacksonville Jaguars are two teams who are almost guaranteed to pull the trigger on a quarterback in the draft, as both could see that they need one for the future, one to follow the great Brady, the other to follow the, well not so great Bortles. Kyle Lauletta is a great candidate for this role as he almost screams Patriot, and could finally be the heir to the Brady throne.
Quarterback is one of the most important positons in the league, and there will be a lot of action this offseason.
