With the NFL draft less than a week away, it’s time to take a look at the teams that still have unresolved quarterback situations and what their potential options could be.
Carolina and Seattle appear to be the two most QB desperate teams unless for some reason you are a fan of Sam Darnold and Drew Lock. They pick 6th and 9th respectively in the draft, but most draft experts don’t think any of this year’s college QBs are worthy of a top 10 pick.
That said, don’t be surprised if Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett go in the top 10 as Atlanta picking at #8 could also use a long-term answer at quarterback. As we have learned from previous drafts, QBs usually get selected higher than they deserve due to the scarcity of potential elite QBs.
But before we get too carried away with the draft, let’s take a look at a few quarterbacks who could potentially be traded before or after the draft to resolve a teams QB situation.
The biggest name possibly on the market is Cardinal’s QB Kyler Murray. Any team with a need at quarterback would be crazy not to pick up the phone and call Arizona about his availability because he certainly has more talent and upside than anyone else available via trade or the draft.
A week ago I would have said there was a 75% chance he gets traded, but since then Arizona has said they have no desire to trade him while Murray commented that he’d like to remain a Cardinal. But in an offseason that has seen Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill traded, anything is possible.
Two other trade candidates are Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garappolo. Mayfield will almost assuredly get traded with Carolina or Seattle the most likely destination. Garappolo is less likely to be traded as not only is he coming off surgery, but the 49ers may want to hedge their bets a bit in turning over the starting QB spot to Trey Lance.
Other teams looking to improve their quarterback talent, more long term that short, are Washington (11th pick in the draft), New Orleans (16th & 19th), Pittsburgh (20th) and Detroit (2nd & 32nd).
The Commanders traded for Carson Wentz this offseason so they may want to see if he could be the long-term answer first before using the 11th pick on a QB. The Saints re-signed Jameis Winston to a 2-year deal, but I’d be surprised if they didn’t use one of their two 1st round picks on a longer-term answer at quarterback.
The Steelers signed Mitch Trubisky to take over the QB reins, but I view him as more of a short-term bridge. I think they will use the 20th pick on a QB, although Willis & Pickett, the consensus top 2 QBs in the draft, could be off the board by then. Maybe the Steelers are high on one of the other available quarterbacks or perhaps they trade up to get Willis or Pickett.
Detroit is in a perfect position with the last pick in the 1st round to grab the best remaining available quarterback. Jared Goff isn’t viewed as the long-term answer, so grabbing a QB they can develop for the next year or 2 would seem to be a no brainer decision for the Lions.
While Willis and Pickett are the consensus top 2 QBs available in the draft, in mock drafts I have seen 5 different QBs selected as the first quarterback off the board, so anything is possible. Willis has the mobility, arm strength and athleticism that excites NFL General Managers, but he is raw. He has a lower floor than the other QBs available in the draft but has the highest ceiling.
Pickett has the highest floor of any of the QBs as he was a 4-year starter at Pittsburgh. In his senior year he threw for 4,319 yards with 42 touchdown passes plus he ran for 233 yards and 5 TDs. He is the most NFL ready of the available QBs, although some NFL scouts are leery of his small hands which led to 27 fumbles in college. I have seen Pickett play several times and with his awareness, passing ability and mobility I can envision him as a top 12 QB in the NFL in a couple of years.
The next 3 quarterbacks to be drafted are Matt Corral from Ole Miss, North Carolina’s Sam Howell and Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder. Although I don’t expect 5 QBs to get drafted in the 1st round, it’s possible any one of those 3 could go in round one. If not, they will certainly get selected in the 2nd round, as all are future NFL starters.
Is it possible the Miami Dolphins could use their 3rd or 4th round pick on a QB? That is very doubtful since it is unlikely any of the top 5 QBs will last until the Fins pick at #102. Miami is set at backup QB with Teddy Bridgewater, but he was only signed to a 1-year deal, so Miami drafting a quarterback wouldn’t be a shocker if they find good value.
The draft starts on Thursday April 28th. Could Murray, Mayfield or Garoppolo be traded by then? It’s definitely possible. Could there be some trades to move up or down in the draft before or on Thursday? That is also possible. This has been perhaps the craziest NFL offseason in history, and it could get crazier in the days ahead.
