Looking At The NFL Starting Quarterback Positions For All 32 Teams
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With the season over, we somewhat go into the next mode of the neverending NFL season: the off-season.
This is where we analyze who needs what and go from there. DISCLAIMER: I'm not into Mock Drafts save for the teams I really follow (Falcons, Lions) so you really won't get a whole lot of draft tidbits from me, before or after. Plus, it is a crapshoot as is. We've seen teams who draft BEAUTIFULLY and people give them high marks (Cleveland) and then in 2 years go back and say it was an epic disaster. So that is why I really don't do that part.
What I will go with right now is the quarterback position as we start the off-season. It is the spot that really defines the team in a nutshell. If you have at the very worst a competent quarterback and is the face of the franchise, you're good to go. So instead of analyzing all the teams, I will break it up into categories I view of quarterback situations in the NFL.
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VERY SAFE AND SECURE AT THE SPOT: Falcons, Lions, Packers, Colts, Patriots, Raiders, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Titans. All of them really have no issues in the foreseeable future in regards to contracts (some are coming up soon but shouldn't be an issue at all-Ryan & Stafford). And they are either elite or near elite as you can get.
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PRETTY SAFE AND SECURE AT THE SPOT: Ravens, Panthers, Chiefs, Eagles, Chargers. These 5 have quality quarterbacks that can get the teams to that next level. I know it may be a bit early for Carson Wentz to be put up here, but I think he has earned it so far. As for Cam being here and not on that top echelon, it is all dependent on his mentality. And right now he is in a fragile state of mind. Hence, if he has another bad year, 2018 will be one the Panthers may have to address that situation.
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
DO OR DIE WITH THEIR CURRENT QUARTERBACK: Bengals, Texans, Jaguars, Dolphins. Andy Dalton has had a solid career to this point, but the issue persists that he can't win the big game and he is not considered an elite quarterback at all and has fallen in that same category as what Stafford, Ryan, and Romo have been the last few years. But unlike those guys, there isn't a lot of hope it seems with Dalton. Brock Osweiler had a disastrous year in Houston after being paid big bucks. Another repeat and he will probably get shown the door, so he must improve his play. Bortles needs to show he is worthy of a 1st round pick next year as he crashed and burned in 2016. But out of all of them, Ryan Tannehill is probably the closest to go to that next level, but he needs to step up and have a big year for Miami in 2017.
Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
SAFE AT THE SPOT, BUT MAY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AN APPARENT: Giants, Saints. While Eli hasn't even come close to hinting of retirement, he is in his mid 30's. While he could play a few more years, his inconsistencies has been frustrating for Giants fans at times and if he slips more and more, it will have to be very soon. For Brees, he probably could play at a high level for a few more years, but the Saints may need to think of somebody to groom while Brees prepares to ride off in the sunset.
Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE AN APPARENT: Cardinals. Let's face it, Carson Palmer's best days are long gone. One more year for him is probably what you have left. Arizona needs to either draft somebody like DeShaun Watson or Mitch Trubisky and give them a season behind a veteran like Palmer before handing over the keys to the Arizona car.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
BRETT FAVRE SITUATION: Steelers. Looks like Big Ben is now playing the same game as Brett Favre did in Green Bay, contemplating retirement. It wouldn't be overly shocking to see the Steelers look into the draft for a quarterback if Roethlisberger is starting to play this game.
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TEAMS WHO NEED TO ANSWER THEIR QUARTERBACK CONTROVERSIES: Cowboys, Vikings, Bills. A great debate in Dallas is whether or not Romo could have led the Cowboys over the Packers in the divisional playoffs over Dak Prescott. And it sounds like the franchise is divided. Honestly, play the best bet and make Dak the starter while get something for Romo. The more hectic situation is the one in Minnesota, where the Vikes surrendered a first round pick for Sam Bradford to replace the injured Teddy Bridgewater. The question is will Bridgewater be ready by the start of the season and if so, who do you start? For all the hassle fans give him, Bradford did nothing to hurt his cause in 2016. To add on, you traded a 1st rounder for the guy. Do you actually keep Bradford and send Bridgewater elsewhere or do you just have Bridgewater ride the pine for another year and go through this again? It sounded like Tyrod Taylor was the man in Buffalo, but final week switch back to EJ Manuel makes people wonder what is going on with the Bills.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
BIG RISK: Redskins. Kirk Cousins is not elite by any means, but is a solid, serviceable quarterback. It doesn't sound like he will return to Washington, but the Redskins are making a big risk not keeping him and it could be very costly to everybody involved. That is, unless the Skins are hoping for Josh Rosen in 2018.....but I don't see Daniel Snyder wanting to stand pat and let Washington fall apart.
Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
YOUNGSTERS WON'T CUT IT: Broncos, Rams. Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch are probably not the answers Denver hoped for this year, though the offensive line let them down. But neither one looks like they have the "it" factor of being a stud. And Jared Goff, while too early to tell somewhat, looks to be more of a product of an Air Raid system in college that is not working over in the NFL. In other words, he looks to be more of an Andre Ware 2.0.
Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
DESPERATELY NEED QUARTERBACKS: Bears, Browns, Jets, 49ers. The Jay Cutler rollercoaster looks to be ending in Chicago. The Browns while at times had flashes of brilliance from Cody Kessler, need a signal caller in the worst way. The Jets are a wreck at quarterback. And San Francisco is by all means going to let Kaepernick walk (though he wasn't doing a whole lot the last couple of years). So either drafting a quarterback, swinging a trade to get somebody like Romo, signing Cousins, or something else is their best bet. But given how these 4 teams have been in shambles for a while, I wouldn't expect common sense to win out (though San Francisco has new management now).
So that is it. Which teams will make the changes to upgrade the quarterback position or which teams will stand pat? Either way if you're one of the teams needing one and you stand pat in 2017, you will be a top pick in 2018.
-Fan in the Obstructed Seat
