NFL Off-Season QB Search 2018- Free Agency, Trade or Draft
Draft
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are the revolving door of the NFL when it comes to finding a QB. From Brady Quinn to Johnny Manziel, Cleveland is known by many to be a team who may not have the capability of finding a QB through the draft. While the Browns have neglected to go all in on one QB with a high draft pick, that is exactly what I believe they should do in this year’s draft. Let’s face facts folks, veterans like Kirk Cousins or Alex Smith are not going to Cleveland and while I like rookie DeShone Kizer, the team has benched him multiple times leading me to believe they may not view him as their future at QB. Maybe there isn’t a superstar QB in this draft but since the Browns passed on Carson Wentz in 2016 and DeShaun Watson this past draft, they cannot afford to do that again.
New York Giants
New York has not had the best season thus far and with a struggling Eli Manning nearing the end of his career, why not find his replacement. The Giants are on pace to finish with a top 5 draft pick and with there being rumors about Head Coach Ben McAdoo potentially losing his job after the season there is no better way to rebuild then with a fresh start at QB.
Los Angeles Chargers
Like New York, the Los Angeles Chargers are at a cross roads with their QB situation for the future and if they too finish with a top 10 draft pick, this would give them a perfect excuse to find their next QB to take over for Philip Rivers. Maybe the Chargers don’t reach for a QB in the first round but needless to say look for them to address the position early in the draft.
Free Agency/Trade
Denver Broncos
Not too long ago the Denver Broncos were Superbowl champions with one of the best defenses in the league and a future Hall of Famer leading them at QB. Since then, they have been a rudderless ship with no direction at QB and it may finally be time to close the book on the Trevor Siemian/Paxton Lynch era and look once again to the free agent or trade market for a QB. The Broncos are a talented team who have the capability of turning around their playoff hopes relatively quickly; all they need is a QB and preferably one who is able to step in day one and lead the team back to the playoffs.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Right now as we speak the Jacksonville Jaguars are a winning team. Not only does Jacksonville have one of the best defenses in the league but they also bolster one of the more exciting run games led by rookie Leonard Fournette. While hopes are high for the young team, that hope could shortly fizzle away if they continue to build their offense around QB Blake Bortles. While Bortles did show some promise early in his career, he has since regressed in his role and with that the Jaguars offense is not able to function at a high level in the pass game. Even though Jacksonville is a young team, the best option for them at QB would be to get a veteran who has experience in the playoffs. Tom Coughlin returned to Jacksonville this off-season and with New York maybe looking to rebuild, maybe Coughlin can persuade Eli Manning to join him down south where maybe, just maybe, he can help lead another team to the Superbowl.
Wildcards
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are not having a good season and with Carson Palmer out for the season with an injury, Arizona may be looking for a new QB in the off-season. The main reason why this team is a wildcard in this conversation is the future of Head Coach Bruce Arians and Carson Palmer. If Arians and/or Palmer stay in Arizona for another season, maybe they look at QB in the draft in hopes of grooming someone behind Palmer for the future. If Arians and/or Palmer leave though, Arizona may have themselves a situation where they sign a veteran QB as a stop gap option while the new head coach figures out the direction of the offense moving forward. Either way the future of the Cardinals at QB will be an interesting situation to minor this off-season.
Buffalo Bills
This week it was announced that Buffalo would bench QB Tyrod Taylor for rookie Nathan Peterman in a move that should signal the exit of Taylor at the end of the year. The reason why this team is wildcard is because we simply don’t know how the team views Peterman and what Head Coach Sean McDermott wants in a QB. Does McDermott view Peterman as the Bills QB of the future? Does McDermott want a QB in the draft? These are the types of questions that puts Buffalo in the wildcard conversation and until we know more about Peterman, only questions will surround the Bills QB situation.
New York Jets
Before the season started, I predicted the Jets to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season and fighting for a top 3 draft pick. Not only have the Jets shown some flashes this season but they have also played themselves out of a top draft pick as well. With journeyman QB Josh McCown playing well this season it would seem apparent that maybe the Jets don’t need a top QB after all. Maybe the Jets should look in free agency for a QB or maybe even a trade. The reason why they are a wildcard though is because maybe the Jets do have their eyes set on a QB with their first round pick and where they pick in the draft could have a big impact. The Jets are not one of the worst teams record wise in the league but they are also not a playoff team which puts them right in the middle leading them to being one of my wildcard teams in the QB hunt his off-season. To put it in simpler terms; I wouldn’t be shocked if they drafted a QB in the first round or if they went all in on a free agent QB like Kirk Cousins.