Quarterback is the position that makes everything go — or stop — when it comes to football. A look at how each of the 32 NFL teams is positioned at the critical position heading into the NFL Draft.
32. Washington Redskins
Dwayne Haskins was a risky pick based on the history of Ohio State quarterbacks in the NFL. His rookie season did nothing to end those who doubt his ability. There are going to be serious issues in Washington for Ron Rivera if the former Panthers coach has to call on his former QB in Carolina to start in 2020.
31. Cincinnati Bengals
This situation is likely to change drastically when the Bengals make the first pick in the draft. They are expected to take LSU’s Joe Burrow, who could step into a tricky situation on the worst team in the league. Meanwhile, Andy Dalton lingers. He’s solid but isn’t going to take the team anywhere. Ryan Finley wasn’t ready in 2019 and it is unlikely he will see much daylight.
30. New England Patriots
Talk about the most precarious of positions. The Patriots go from a six-time Super Bowl winner and the G.O.A.T. in Tom Brady to Jarrett Stidham and perennial backup Brian Hoyer. Does Bill Belichick have something up his sleeve for 2020?
29. Los Angeles Chargers
Philip Rivers is gone after a long and strong run that ended with a thud in 2019. Tyrod Taylor always seems to be in the right place at the wrong time. Will he get bumped by a rookie with the Bolts the way he was in Cleveland by Baker Mayfield? Easton Stick is hanging around but doesn’t feel like a long-term solution. Pick a QB in the first round wouldn’t be shocking and Taylor would have read this book before.
28. Chicago Bears
Will Nick Foles bump former No. 2 overall selection Mitchell Trubisky from the starting role in Chicago? And if he doesn’t, does that mean the Bears will continue to have troubles at the quarterback position. Matt Nagy is going to have to figure this out and fast.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars
Nick Foles was the $88 million answer to the Jaguars’ quarterback situation. How did that work out? Amazing Doug Marrone lasted longer than the Super Bowl-winning Eagles QB. Gardner Minshew is fun and had some solid run as a rookie. Was jettisoning Foles for the former Washington State star a smart play? It better have been if Marrone wants to be around after 2020. The other name on the roster is Joshua Dobbs.
26. Miami Dolphins
Ryan Fitzpatrick was a fun watch in 2019 and delivered his usual share of big games. He returns for another season in Miami. The former Harvard guy works as the starter to keep the spot warm for a potential draft choice — Tua Tagolaivoa? — or to act as a tutor for said rookie. Josh Rosen seems destined to be on the list of overhyped busts when it is all said and done.
25. New York Giants
Daniel Jones stepped in and took over after Eli Manning was the man for Big Blue basically since the second half of 2004. Jones showed flashes. He also showed the ability to fumble at an alarming rate. That doesn’t get corrected in the Giants are going to have issues. Colt McCoy manages to pick up years toward a pension. The Giants have to hope Jones stays healthy because McCoy can be injury-prone. Hard to imagine what the Giants saw in McCoy in Washington that led to this move.
24. Cleveland Browns
A year ago, everyone would have thought the Browns were set for a long time at quarterback. Baker Mayfield stepped in as a rookie and wowed. Fast forward to 2019 and Mayfield took many steps back. He is saying the right things about having to mature and made many mistakes, Correcting them on the fly won’t be easy. A shaky situation.
23.New York Jets
Sam Darnold has not played a full season in his first two years, missing three games in 2018 and ’19. He has to show he can be durable enough to start 16 games. The Jets never get it right. There is always something troubling with Gang Green. Adam Gase hasn’t made many friends. David Fales and Mike White are the backups, who need to be ready.
22. Detroit Lions
The Lions find themselves in a similar situation to the Atlanta Falcons. Matthew Stafford has been the quarterback for 11 seasons. He is coming off 2019, where he missed half the season. It is never too soon to start looking for your next quarterback when the current one is 32 and has been injured. Chase Daniel is a career backup and David Blough was a nice story on Thanksgiving. Neither are the answer if Stafford goes down again.
21. Indianapolis Colts
Have to feel for Jacoby Brissett. He inherited the job with Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement. Brissett was 7-8 as a starter in 2019 and played while injured. Then, he wakes up and finds the Colts have given a mega-million one-year deal to Philip Rivers, coming off one of the worst seasons in his career. Brissett might want to stay warm if Rivers’ poor play with the Chargers in 2019 was more a sign of age than a fluke. Absolutely remarkable Chad Kelly is the third-string QB. Not exactly your solid citizen.
20. Denver Broncos
Joe Flacco, we hardly knew ya. The Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Ravens had a short, injury-riddled run in Denver. That opened the door for Drew Lock to impress at the end of the season. The Missouri product heads into his second season and if continues to show the kind of play he did in going 4-1 as a starter, Denver would be in strong shape. The backups are Brett Rypien, Jeff Driskel and Brandon Allen. John Elway has to hope Lock is the answer.
19. Las Vegas Raiders
For the time being Derek Carr is the quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders. Feels like that could have been written for the past couple seasons and not been debated. However, the former No. 1 pick remains as the starter until Jon Gruden calls him off. Marcus Mariota has come over from Tennessee, but he did not show what a No. 2 overall pick need to display as a Titan. DeShone Kizer? Seriously?
18. Philadelphia Eagles
Real simple for the Birds: Can Carson Wentz stay healthy enough to be the quarterback over the long haul? He started 16 games in 2019 and went 9-7. The Eagles are banking on the former No. 2 overall pick, who was 11-2 in 2017 before being injured. Otherwise, he is 21-22 as a starter. It won’t take long for the boobirds to surface in Philly. Nate Sudfeld and Kyle Lauletta currently are the backups.
17. Los Angeles Rams
Jared Goff was 24-7 in 2017 and ’18. In his first and fourth years combined, he was 9-14 as a starter. The Rams have committed to their former No. 1 overall pick with big bucks. John Wolford is the backup … for now. Will be interesting to see how much magic Sean McVay can work to get Goff back to his second- and third-year production.
16. Tennessee Titans
The commitment to Ryan Tannehill with the four-year, $118 million contract means the former No. 1 pick of the Dolphins feasted after his 2019 salary drive. Will he be the man to take Tennessee to the Super Bowl or was that a one-and-done run? Tannehill is 49-49 as a starter in his career. He has to be much better for this bet to pay off.
15. Carolina Panthers
By all appearances, Teddy Bridgewater will take over the quarterback duties for the Panthers in 2020. The roster also includes XFL star P.J. Walker and Will Grier. Bridgewater did a stellar job for the Saints when Drew Brees was out due to injury. However, the players around him won’t be as strong as they were in the Big Easy. Would be nice to see him succeed. Also, have to wonder how much loyalty coach Matt Rhule will have to Walker. The two were together at Temple University.
14. Arizona Cardinals
With Kyler Murray heading into his second season, the Cardinals appear set for the long run at quarterback. He needs to avoid the sophomore jinx that bit fellow Oklahoma Heisman winner Baker Mayfield. The backup is Brett Hundley, so Kliff Kingsbury needs to hope Murray stays upright. The future is bright at quarterback with Murray calling the signals.
13. Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is sort of like Lamar Jackson. Not as a talent, but as the future of the Buffalo Bills. He also has to find a way to stay healthy and keep improving. The Bills look like they have finally found a stable quarterback. He simply has to stay on the field.
12. Dallas Cowboys
Once the Cowboys get their contract situation with Dak Prescott set, they should be in good shape at quarterback. That’s good shape, not great shape. Prescott has gone 40-24 in four seasons as a starter, However, he was 13-3 as a rookie. That means he has been six games over .500 in the last three seasons in a timid division. The backups are Cooper Rush and Clayton Thorson. Jerry Jones needs to settle things with Prescott and hope the former Mississippi State QB stays healthy.
11. Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins gives the Vikings solid play at quarterback and the team has locked into the veteran for a few years. He played well in 2019 and Mike Zimmer has to hope the team continues down the path it found last season. Sean Mannion is a solid backup. Jake Browning feels like someone destined for the practice squad in Minnesota or elsewhere.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Can 43-year-old Tom Brady reward the faith of Bruce Arians and the Bucs’ brass or will this go down as a sad second act? The wideouts are great, arguably the best Brady has had. It was a risk that had to be taken. Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin are the subs. How long can Tampa Bay go before drafting another quarterback they hope will be its future?
9. Atlanta Falcons
Everything is set for the short run with Matt Ryan playing quarterback in the Falcons’ new uniforms. Ryan has been the picture of health, starting 16 games every season except last year when he played 15. He will be 35 when 2020 kicks off. The backup is Matt Schaub. Danny Etling is also on the roster. Dan Quinn has to start looking toward the future as Ryan is not getting any younger.
8. San Francisco 49ers
Everyone is unhappy with Jimmy Garoppolo except for John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. He was traded for Tom Brady in the world of critics. On the block for other teams. He remains in San Francisco and is 21-5 overall as a starter. Wonder how many QBs have won that many games in their first 26 starts? C.J. Beathard and Nick Fullens are backups and the Niners have to hope they don’t see the field much.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin has to hope Ben Roethlisberger is healthy and able to play through 2019. If he returns to form, the Steelers are set for now and short-term future. At some point, they likely will look beyond Mason Rudolph. Devlin Hodges was a fun story. Just not sure he is more than a page in a book of Pittsburgh’s history.
6. New Orleans Saints
One more year for Drew Brees. Then the wait for Canton. Sean Payton will then have to show his cards whether he thinks Taysom Hill is a true NFL starter at QB or if New Orleans needs to look for another quarterback through trade, free agency or the draft.
5. Green Bay Packers
The present and near future are set with Aaron Rodgers. While the great quarterback will be going into his 16th year, remember he sat for his first three seasons. That can be offset by the beating he has taken and the fact that he is going to be 37. Could the Packers look for their next quarterback and have him sit for a few seasons while Rodgers ends his Hall-of-Fame career? History has a habit of repeating itself. Tim Boyle and Manny Wilkins don’t figure to be that guy.
4. Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson is large and in charge. If John Harbaugh can find a way to keep the dazzling league MVP healthy, Baltimore is in great shape for the next decade or more. That said, remember the dual-threat quarterback Cam Newton was before the shots he took had consequences.
3. Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson is the man for the present and long future. Pete Carroll has a great one in charge of the offense. One of the best of his time, and in the long run, could be of any time.
2. Houston Texans
The Texans have a rock start at quarterback in Deshaun Watson. He can do it all and does it all. Love his game. He simply has to stay healthy and they need to keep his bank account fat. The other QB on the roster is someone named Alex McGough. Protect Watson at all costs.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
You make a QB the 10th overall pick in the draft and you wind up with the face of the NFL after three years in Patrick Mahomes. No team is in better shape at quarterback than the Chiefs. All Mahomes has to do is avoid quarterback sneaks and to stay healthy. Another MVP season would not be surprising. One interesting addition was Jordan Ta’amu, who played well in the XFL. Barring injury or blowouts, don’t expect to see anyone at QB except for No. 15 in KC for a long time.
