2017 NFL Draft: 10 Teams That Need Quarterback the Most
Sep 18, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson talks with Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) during the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Ravens defeated the Browns 25-20. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
With the end of the season right around the corner, here’s 10 teams that need a quarterback the most in the 2017 NFL Draft.
From the Cleveland Browns to the New York Jets, the 2017 NFL Draft class will have plenty of quarterbacks for teams like these to choose from. Even if the 2016 season isn’t officially over, it’s never too early to take a look ahead for what could be in store at the end of April.
Coincidentally, the last two drafts have seen quarterbacks selected with the first two picks, but that’s unlikely to happen again this year when taking a closer look at the talent level. Quarterbacks like North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky and Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer certainly have first-round potential, but they may not be selected as early due to some of the talent on the defensive end.
Still, if there’s anything to take away from the NFL Draft over the years, it would be teams don’t need to use a first-rounder to find a great quarterback as plenty of great starters have been selected in the later rounds. So when looking at some of the teams on this list and their current starters, they could easily consider using a mid-round pick on a quarterback for insurance purposes.
Starting off with the Houston Texans, here’s a look at 10 teams that need to select a quarterback the most in the upcoming 2017 NFL Draft.
Nov 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) calls an audible against the San Diego Chargers at NRG Stadium. San Diego Chargers won 21 to 13. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
10. Houston Texans
For years, the Houston Texans have been looking for a quarterback to build the franchise around to help take the offense to the next level. In fact, the Texans have started each of the last three seasons with a different quarterback. Even though Brock Osweiler signed a lucrative four-year, $72 million deal with the team last March, there’s been plenty of uncertainty about his ability to be the team’s quarterback beyond the 2016 season.
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Between playing with one of the league’s top wide receivers in DeAndre Hopkins along with the fact that Houston doesn’t have a large lead in arguably the weakest division in football (they’re tied, in fact), it’s easy to understand why so many fans are frustrated with Osweiler in his first season. Any quarterback making that type of money should rank near the top of the league in multiple categories, but that’s been far from the case for Osweiler.
After winning the AFC South in 2015 thanks to having one of the league’s top defenses, the addition of Osweiler was supposed to make the Texans one of the favorites to represent the AFC in this year’s Super Bowl. Instead, the signing of Osweiler is turning out to be one of the biggest busts from the 2016 season as it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the quarterback in Houston.
Just in case, the Texans may want to consider using one of the their early draft picks on a quarterback for insurance purposes if Osweiler doesn’t work out in the long run.
Dec 4, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) reacts after the Bills rushed for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the second quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
9. Buffalo Bills
Back in August, the Buffalo Bills rewarded Tyrod Taylor with a hefty six-year, $92 million contract after a successful 2015 season in which he started 14 games and threw 20 touchdowns to go along with just six interceptions. What makes Taylor even more of a threat at quarterback is his ability to scramble with his legs, but that doesn’t mean the Bills are fully sold with him at quarterback.
The good news for Buffalo is the team has the option to pick up Taylor’s contract in 2017. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they ended up leaning towards the opposite direction when considering how inconsistent he’s been throughout the 2016 season. Sure, Taylor’s seen plenty of positives moments in his second season as the starter for the Bills, but there have also been numerous games in which he’s failed to throw a single touchdown.
A lack of weapons in the passing game is one way to look at it, but when seeing the amount of money Taylor is making to be Buffalo’s quarterback, it’s easy to understand why the team isn’t 100 percent sold in making him their long-term solution. If that was the case, the Bills would have rewarded him with a better contract option that involved more guaranteed money right off the bat instead of allowing them to have the option of picking up his contract next season.
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) throws during the second half against the Washington Redskins at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
8. Arizona Cardinals
Eventually, the Arizona Cardinals will have to face the tough decision of moving on from Carson Palmer as the veteran quarterback only seems to have another effective year or two left beyond the 2016 season. As bad as it sounds, it may not be a bad idea for the Cardinals to begin preparing for their quarterback of the future as they went from being strong favorites to win the NFC at the beginning of the season to most likely missing out on the playoffs.
With star players like David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona’s offense shouldn’t have any trouble ranking near the top of the league from a performance standpoint. But for some reason this year has been a major struggle. Obviously, the entire blame can’t be placed on the shoulders of Palmer, but he certainly hasn’t been as effective as he was in 2015.
Plus, it also doesn’t help Palmer that he’s going to turn 37 at the end of December. When looking at all of the talent at quarterback from the upcoming draft class, the last thing the Cardinals want to do is miss out on a golden opportunity for a possible future quarterback to build the franchise around.
Nov 13, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian (13) against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
7. Denver Broncos
There’s no question Peyton Manning has made a strong case to be considered one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL, but the main reason why the Denver Broncos managed to win the Super Bowl last February was due to their strong defense. The fact that Manning threw more interceptions (17) than touchdowns (9) in his final NFL regular season shows the Broncos were able to get by without strong play at the quarterback position, but unfortunately that hasn’t been the case in 2016.
Not only did Denver spend a first-round pick on Paxton Lynch during last year’s draft, but Gary Kubiak was hoping Trevor Siemian would turn out to be a surprise replacement for Manning at quarterback. While Siemian has displayed plenty of productive performances, it’s been frustrating to see him fail to take full advantage of having players like Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders in the passing game.
Most quarterbacks would kill to be in a position like Siemian’s with the Broncos, even if the offense has struggled for most of the 2016 season. Siemian certainly deserves some benefit of the doubt for his inexperience, but until he proves he’s deserving of being the long-term answer, it may not be a bad idea for Denver to consider all options heading into the draft.
Not to mention, Lynch hasn’t been anything to brag about either in the few times he’s made appearances as a rookie.
Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Cowboys defeated the Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
6. Minnesota Vikings
Remember before the start of the 2016 season when the Minnesota Vikings surrendered a first-round pick to acquire Sam Bradford from the Philadelphia Eagles after Teddy Bridgewater‘s devastating injury? At the time, the Vikings believed Bradford gave the team their best chance of remaining strong contenders in the NFC. While that seemed to be true for the first five games, all signs point to this being a regrettable decision.
What will make the Bradford trade an even tougher pill to swallow will be if Minnesota continues to struggle and ends up missing out on the postseason. Injuries are always considered a valid excuse, but that doesn’t bring back the team’s first-round draft pick they gave to Philadelphia.
The Vikings knew there was a possibility they would have to choose between Bradford or Bridgewater once the 2016 season came to an end, but what if neither quarterback ended up being the answer? If it wasn’t for poor quarterback play by Bradford, Minnesota would be in much better position for earning a spot in the postseason.
Instead, it looks like the Vikings will be spending the offseason trying to figure out what the future holds at the quarterback, whether it ends up being Bradford, Bridgewater, or someone completely different.
Nov 20, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) runs with the ball against the New York Giants during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
5. Chicago Bears
When looking at all of the drama and injuries surrounding Jay Cutler this year, it’s safe to say the Chicago Bears will spend part of their offseason trying to figure out what to do at the quarterback position. Cutler has proven to be one of the toughest quarterbacks in the league throughout his career when healthy, but it’s tough to ignore he’s in the middle of his eighth season with the Bears and has only recorded winning records in three seasons.
Even if Cutler’s only appeared in five games this year, he hasn’t displayed any remarkable performances to make the Bears want to keep him on board beyond 2016. After seeing how much this team has struggled over the last two seasons on offense, it’s clear Chicago needs a fresh start for numerous positions, especially at quarterback.
Matt Barkley has been making the most of the opportunity for unexpected playing time, but he’s obviously not the long-term answer the Bears are looking for. Despite everything that’s gone wrong this season, at least Chicago can take advantage of having a high draft pick in a few months. Whatever they decide to do, let’s just hope for the sake of the Bears this is the end of the Cutler era in Chicago.
Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) after a game against Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
4. San Francisco 49ers
Is there even a need to discuss why the San Francisco 49ers need to strongly consider drafting a quarterback in the offseason? As if having Blaine Gabbert starting at the beginning of the season wasn’t already sad enough, the next best option for the 49ers was Colin Kaepernick, which wasn’t much of an upgrade.
Chip Kelly proved in college his offense was most effective with a running quarterback, and while there was some excitement when Kaepernick took over the starting role, it’s clear he may not have what it takes to be a true starter in this league. Don’t be fooled by some of Kaepernick’s game logs as the important factor is the 49ers simply just aren’t winning games.
With the way this season is turning out, San Francisco needs to consider starting fresh in numerous areas, including head coach. If there’s anything to take away from Kelly’s last four years in the league, it would be he’s clearly not made for coaching at the NFL level.
Hopefully, the 49ers are smart by realizing a fresh start with a new head coach and a new quarterback is what this team needs the most to begin turning things around before it’s too late.
Dec 4, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos at EverBank Field. The Broncos won 20-10. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
At the beginning of the season, the Jacksonville Jaguars were considered a team to keep an eye on in the AFC as many believed they were ready to take the next step to become contenders. Unfortunately, it looks like the Jaguars are at least another year or two away before that happens after seeing how this season turned out.
It only seems like a matter of time before the team decides to part ways with Gus Bradley, but they also may want to consider the same for quarterback Blake Bortles. One year after emerging as one of the top quarterbacks in the league after throwing for 35 touchdowns, Bortles has taken a step back in 2016 as he’s mostly known for scoring points in garbage time.
The fact that it’s been three years and Bortles still hasn’t been able to make Jacksonville contenders in the AFC makes it seem like he’s not the best fit for the team. It doesn’t even matter that Bortles was a former first-round pick himself as he’s been given every opportunity in the world to prove himself this year, only to continue to be nothing but a disappointment as the Jaguars will finish the year with yet another losing record.
Dec 5, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty (9) and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) sit on the bench during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. The Colts defeated the Jets 41-10. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
2. New York Jets
The 2016 season has been filled with plenty of regrets, but nothing takes the cake more than the foolish decision by the New York Jets to pay Ryan Fitzpatrick $12 million to be their quarterback for one year. What makes this situation even more frustrating for the Jets is Fitzpatrick has won two games all year after nearly leading the team to the playoffs last season.
Throughout his career, Fitzpatrick was never really considered that much of a threat until 2015 after having a career year by throwing for nearly 4,000 yards to go along with 31 touchdowns. New York was hoping to see similar results when they gave in and decided to reward their veteran quarterback with that hefty one-year deal, but Fitzpatrick will only be remembered for being one of the biggest busts from the 2016 season.
Even if the Jets decide to give Bryce Petty more opportunities to prove himself, the safer route may be to just start over again in the draft. Isn’t it amazing to see a team with four quarterback options in the preseason have this much trouble in 2016? Hopefully, the Jets have learned their lesson about the type of quarterbacks they select in the future to avoid frustrating situations like the one from this season.
Sep 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) in action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles won 29-10. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
1. Cleveland Browns
When it comes to difficult quarterback situations, no team has suffered more during the 2016 season than the Cleveland Browns as Hue Jackson’s squad hasn’t been able to catch a break from injuries. The fact that Cleveland has seen five different quarterbacks under center this year shows how rough this season has truly been as this team has plenty to consider in the offseason.
There was plenty of hype surrounding Robert Griffin III when the former first-round pick signed with the Browns in the offseason, but unfortunately he suffered a devastating shoulder injury opening weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles. Griffin may seem deserving of another shot to prove himself, but the quarterback has a history of injuries keeping him off the football field.
With the potential to have two of the top picks in the first round thanks to a trade with the Eagles during last year’s draft, Cleveland needs to strongly consider using one of those picks on a new quarterback. The Browns have a history of struggling to find reliable starting quarterbacks, but maybe this could be the draft where they finally get it right.
After looking at all of the quarterbacks from this year’s class, Cleveland couldn’t possibly find a way to mess it up again, could they?