This isn’t shaping up to be the year to need a quarterback in the NFL Draft, yet several teams already know where their priorities must lie this coming April.
The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants absolutely need to spend a high pick on a quarterback. The Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers almost certainly should, too, barring unexpected turnarounds from Will Levis and Bryce Young. The Cleveland Browns also need a change, although it’s fair to wonder whether ownership would support the use of a valuable draft resource on a player who could usurp Deshaun Watson, whose fully guaranteed contract runs through 2026. The Steelers may also be in limbo depending on how they feel about Justin Fields or Russell Wilson at season’s end.
Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins need a much better plan with their backup quarterback, while the New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and New Orleans Saints need to be thinking about the future. That group of teams can at least afford to pick their spots, which is better than forcing the issue. Then again, how often does a team turn a mid-round lottery pick into a franchise cornerstone?
The point is that we’re at the time of the year when teams need to be honest about their in-house evaluations. But just because teams determine they need a quarterback doesn’t necessarily mean they can acquire a quarterback.
Remember, the Giants tried last spring. When they couldn’t move up in the draft, they punted on the rest of the class rather than forcing themselves into taking someone they didn’t love. There’s something to be said for that, but that approach also increases the need to get it right the following year.
League evaluators are still trying to figure out where to rank the likes of Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Georgia’s Carson Beck, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Miami’s Cam Ward, and Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart, among others. They’re intriguing players, but it wouldn’t be overly shocking if there’s a repeat of 2022 when there wasn’t a QB taken in the top 10.
To complicate the hunt, there aren’t any proven veterans who are set to hit the market in free agency. The best of that group may come down to Sam Darnold and Fields, along with veteran stopgap options such as Wilson and Joe Flacco.
The 2026 class will be far more exciting with the likelihood of Arch Manning’s declaration. More than likely, a team that fails to solve its QB void next year will be in the running for that prized No. 1 pick.
The Athletic’s Week 7 QB rankings
What’s the difference?
Joe Burrow entered the NFL as the No. 1 overall pick in 2020 after guiding LSU’s historic offense to an undefeated championship run that captured the nation’s attention. He was, essentially, the Cincinnati Bengals starter from the moment he arrived.
Brock Purdy entered the NFL as the last pick of the 2022 draft after an obscure career at Iowa State. He was buried behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo on the San Francisco 49ers’ depth chart and only earned the starting job midway through his rookie season because of injuries.
Those labels are hard to shake, but it’s probably long overdue to consider Purdy among the game’s best quarterbacks.
Consider the pair’s regular-season stats since 2022.
We’re not so different, you and I
The numbers are remarkably similar. Burrow has a clear edge in passing yards, but that’s to be expected with Purdy operating Kyle Shanahan’s run-heavy system.
Burrow is also 5-2 in the playoffs, and he was outstanding in 2021 when the Bengals toppled the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. They were a defensive stop shy of beating the Rams in the Super Bowl.
But Purdy is 4-2 in the playoffs, where he’s been terrific while guiding the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game in 2022 and the Super Bowl in 2023. They were also a defensive stop short of dethroning the Chiefs in February.
Purdy hasn’t gotten the same shine because of the way he entered the league. He also doesn’t get as much credit for his performance because of the 49ers’ scheme.
It’s time for that perception to change. Purdy is undoubtedly among the game’s best.
This star continues to shine in Seattle. Watch Brock Purdy’s best plays from #TNFonPrime.
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— San Francisco 49ers (https://twitter.com/49ers/status/1845162871824711999?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) October 12, 2024
Maye day
Drake Maye delivered a strong starting debut against the Houston Texans, going 20-of-33 for 243 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also led the New England Patriots with 38 rushing yards and lost a fumble.