With the offseason beginning, the Indianapolis Colts have several needs to address in the 2020 NFL draft. The biggest among them is the quarterback position.
Sitting with the No. 13 overall pick, the Colts will likely have their eye on a quarterback prospect. However, they won’t be the only team looking to find its quarterback of the future. In fact, there are a handful of teams that could potentially grab a quarterback before the Colts even get on the clock in the first round.
Here are five teams ahead of the Colts that could be looking to draft a quarterback:
Cincinnati Bengals | No. 1 overall | Current QB: Andy Dalton
It is almost a foregone conclusion that the Bengals are going to take quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick. Even with rumors that he might not want to play for them, this pick has been locked for months now, and everyone’s focus is now on who will be selected after him.
Miami Dolphins | No. 5 overall | Current QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick
It has been fun seeing Fitzpatrick enjoy his final years in the NFL, and he’s still under contract through the 2020 season. So there’s a chance he sticks around for another year. The Josh Rosen experiment lasted just three games before he hit the bench again. The Dolphins are primed to take a quarterback with their first pick.
The likely fit is with Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, especially with the encouraging news surrounding his injury status. The Dolphins might even be a trade-up candidate all the way up to No. 3 overall if they want to secure their future at the quarterback position.
If the Colts are feeling a trade-up, there is a chance they may have to look at moving ahead of the Dolphins.
Los Angeles Chargers | No. 6 overall | Current QB: Tyrod Taylor
It is almost a guarantee now that the Chargers are going to look at a quarterback. Unless they do something unpredictable and sign Tom Brady, the Chargers are a team that are likely looking to find their next quarterback following the Philip Rivers era, which lasted for 16 seasons.
Now that the Chargers and Rivers are mutually parting ways this offseason, the former could use that first-round pick on a quarterback. Now that they are building for the future, finding their next quarterback is the main objective. This could be the spot where Justin Herbert goes.
If the Colts do what is expected and sit at the No. 13 spot, they could see the first three quarterbacks get taken within the top-six picks.
Carolina Panthers | No. 7 overall | Current QB: Cam Newton
As the offseason progresses, Newton’s health will be a major topic of discussion not only for the Panthers but for quarterback-needy teams as well. The Panthers aren’t 100% committed to Newton given his recent history of injuries, and it was made clear that’s how the organization feels after David Tepper’s comments.
The Panthers could be looking to move Newton for some draft picks. They aren’t in any situation to win now so their rebuild could be in full effect. That could include drafting a young quarterback and developing him—with or without Newton on the roster.
The Panthers are somewhat of a wild card because we won’t know more until an update is given with Newton, but the Colts will have to watch the Panthers moves closely.
Oakland Raiders | No. 12 overall | Current QB: Derek Carr
This is more of a longshot and one that could certainly turn the other way, but there is a world where the Raiders target a quarterback in the first round. This is more of a hypothetical than the other four on the list, especially because Derek Carr is still on the roster.
But the future for Carr in the Raiders organization is unclear. It might be a longer shot for the Raiders to draft a quarterback, but it isn’t outside the realm of possibilities. Of all the teams here, I would expect the Raiders to target a quarterback less.
