We know the 2021 NFL Draft will be in Cleveland from April 29-May 1. Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence appears to be the top prize … if the team with the top pick needs a quarterback. What teams that will be seeking help at the position appear to be most likely to have a shot at Lawrence?
Carolina Panthers
How sweet would it be for the Panthers to have Trevor Lawrence simply shift his tack from North Carolina to South Carolina? Matt Rhule has plenty of leash when it comes to turning around a team that is sinking fast. Don’t expect miracles in his first year. And with Lawrence as the prize, losing could be a prize.
Chicago Bears
The quarterback from North Carolina isn’t working out, so why not get in play for the one from the Palmetto State. If Mitchell Trubisky continues on his road to nowhere and Nick Foles takes over for the Bears, they could find themselves trying to make a play — or playing poorly enough — to find themselves in the Lawrence Stakes.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons don’t figure to be weak enough to earn the top spot in the draft. However, Matt Ryan isn’t getting any younger and at some point soon Arthur Blank and Atlanta need to think of its next-generation at quarterback.
Detroit Lions
The Lions are in a similar spot to Atlanta with Matthew Stafford aging and taking his share of lumps. It’s also entirely possible Matt Patricia won’t find the winning formula in 2020. That happens and the next Lions’ coach could be in a position to draft Lawrence.
Washington Redskins
Ron Rivera did not draft Dwayne Haskins. If the new Washington coach gets the feeling the former Ohio State quarterback is not the answer, he isn’t going to wait around and watch Haskins fail. A season like 2019 and Washington could be in a position to choose Lawrence. Lets’s only point to Arizona and Josh Rosen and Kyler Murray to realize how fast the QB carousel whirls.
Jacksonville Jaguars
If Gardner Minshew II is a rookie flash, then don’t be surprised to see Jacksonville as a major player in this race. The team has headed in the wrong direction two seasons in a row and could easily make it a bottom-feeding trifecta.
Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr never seems to leave his fixed seating on the QB carousel. However, a poor year in the first season in Vegas and, he likely won’t see the end of the season as a starter. Marcus Mariota isn’t the long-term answer. If Jon Gruden isn’t in play to take Lawrence at the top of the draft, could he trade up to try and land the Clemson star?
New England Patriots
Have to have some fun, right? If Jarrett Stidham doesn’t prove to be the answer in 2020, why wouldn’t Bill Belichick and the Pats do everything to try and land the Clemson QB. Then again, the Patriots don’t necessarily need the pick of the litter to thrive.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As long as we are having fun, if the Tom Brady — and Rob Gronkowski — experiment doesn’t work in Florida, the Bucs are going to be desperate for a franchise quarterback. The odds of failure are long for the Bucs’ dynamic duo but anything can happen.
