Quarterback Talk

Don't forget Kyler Murray too...

@the-gipper said:

I am sure there are a number of others....though isn't Murray signed to play baseball?   What abut Hurtz?  (Tua....not eligible, I do not believe)

McSorley

Did we say Drew Lock?  Walterfootball has him #1 prospect..over Haskins.    And  Pat Shurmur's son who plays for Vanderbilt.

I was not sure on that myself..

Hurtz will eventually be asked to play another position. He just doesn't have the arm talent.

Lock will be coming out but there is zero chance he is the #1 qb prospect on the board. He has all the measurables but his accuracy and decision making are not good.

This is a very down year for qb's both in FA and in the draft. 2020 is absolutely stacked. I think there is a 0.000000001% chance Haskins stays in school now that Herbert left. He is the #1 qb on the board for most teams and unless he gets hurt or does something stupid, he will be a top 15 pick in the draft. I personally don't think he or any qb in this draft will be a top 10 pick, but when it comes to qb's and the draft you never know. 

If I was a GM of any team needing a qb desperately, ie the Jaguars, Redskins, Giants I think this is the time to give the Raiders a call. If I'm the jags, i offer 2019 1st (this is going to be top 10), 2nd and 5th round, 2020 1st, 3rd round and 2021 2nd rounder for carr. That team needs a qb desperately. The giants should make the same offer. I'm not sure Carr is that good of a qb but he is better than anything else in this draft right now. Haskins has potential but with those teams, I'm not sure you have time to wait. 

I'm hoping the book is out on TT and no one signs him to try and be a starting qb. I would love for the browns to bring him back for around $5 mil per year and then take a chance on a qb later in the draft (stidham?). I think the qb room is in a good place and if TT tests the waters and realizes there just are not any opportunities for him to start, then it would be awesome if he came back. Just because, if he is still there in the 5th round or later, the browns should draft Murray. Why? To hold his draft rights for at least a year. They have 10 picks. Sometimes you throw a dart in the wind to see if it sticks.

@the-gipper said:

I guess I cannot get out of the habit...of talking about QBs that may be available either in the draft or as free agents.  The Browns have gone 2 decades now where it was necessary for us to have these kinds of discussions, that I apparently just cannot let it go.

This is a great thread topic, and thank you for creating such a detailed and thoughtful post. From everything I read, it's an abysmal year for needing a QB. In fact, the one guy I'd want is Murray from Oklahoma, but like you guys said, he's committed to baseball, and I'm not sure he's allowed to enter the NFL draft. I haven't followed college football as closely this year, mainly because my Seminoles somehow deteriorated to the worst team in earth, but every time I watched Murray, my jaw dropped. 

I absolutely love the idea of somehow signing Josh McCown as our backup. Although aged, he's a freak of nature that maintains his physical health better than most players, and I'd LOVE him back with us. He's going to transition into coaching soon, but I'd certainly take him back to work with Baker. Josh is also one of the best human beings in the league, and he is well-liked by basically everyone. 

I'll be honest, it feels extremely strange (awesome) NOT to be fixated on our QB situation. Like, what do we even do NOW?! Lol! We continue to build and add pieces, and we literally don't even know what THAT process looks like, hehe. We can add depth and not pray for drafting a starter at every pick. I mean, as amazing as Dorsey did on this last draft, there are still questions about a VERY high pick in Austin Corbett, and also Chad Thomas, DE from 3rd round that I was NOT pleased with at all (when drafted). 

Nobody gets every pick right, but I'm guessing we're looking for a stud DT, LB (Collins will be cut or traded IMO), and you can never have enough CBs (especially with Denzel's unfortunate concussions. Ugh). Offensively, I think we're much better off. We have Corbett for depth at guard and/or center, and we also have Desmond Harrison as tackle backup. Our starting tackles aren't quite as strong as the interior guys, but I don't think there's the same pressure to replace them like there was just 2 months ago. Like I said, we can start building DEPTH and developing players without the immediate urgency of years past. Crazy right? 

Some will say we still need WR help, and they might be right, but like our tackles, I don't see it as being anywhere near as urgent with the arrival and subsequent play of Breshad Perriman. This is a former 1st round pick with uncommon speed and better than average size. It's funny to think that we somehow don't have giant, glaring needs on offense when you look back at our team just a season ago. Think about how terrible we were, especially in the red zone. Now, we have young and talented players across the board at our skill positions. Callaway scares me to death, only because I don't trust him. I'm having "Josh Gordon Syndrome", and I'm worried that Callaway will screw up during the off-season. 

If Callaway can keep it together and we can bring back Kitchens, he could make a very nice sophomore improvement. He already played well considering he didn't play football last year, and while he made some mistakes, the talent is obvious. How about Landry? His play and attitude were desperately needed by our team, and Perriman, Higgins, and Ratley round out a nice little crew. 

If I was a team in need of a QB, I'd be terrified this draft. I just don't see many guys that can step in right away and play. I'm so thankful for our team drafting Baker Mayfield, that I almost can't believe it. I mean, my wife just busted me again this morning watching Baker highlights, and she said, "Don't you ever get tired of watching these same videos?!" 

Nope. Not even close, baby. 

@the-gipper said:

I guess I cannot get out of the habit...of talking about QBs that may be available either in the draft or as free agents.  The Browns have gone 2 decades now where it was necessary for us to have these kinds of discussions, that I apparently just cannot let it go.

So...with this caveat:  The Browns do not need a starting QB, I will look at the teams that do perhaps need one and might draft of sign a FA

A. Chargers.... young QB to ultimately replace 37 year old Phillip Rivers

B. Broncos?....or will  Case Keenum be their QB of the future....why do I think not?

C. Saints.....young QB to replace 40 year old Drew Brees?

D. Jaguars.....definitely need a new QB

E. Dolphins.....should they be looking for a replacement for the very mediocre  Tannehill?

F. Redskins...I don't know the status of Alex Smith...who will be 35

G. Giants....likely to want to replace 38 year old Eli Manning

H. Patriots.....replacement for  42 year old Tom Brady

I. Cincinnati?  I don't know if either Dalton or Drexel is their future

J. Pittsburgh....Ultimate replacement for 37 year old BR?  Or are Dobbins and Rudolph the goods there?

So, that is 10 potential teams wanting to look for a possible current...or future QB.

But I don't see a lot out there, do you?

1. Free agents.   Who may be out there:    To me the top dog in this category has to be Nick Foles.   I would think that a team talented on defense would want to take a stab at him:  i.e. mainly:  the Jaguars.   Foles is proving, clearly, that he can come in and win games as a backup (one of the best ever at that it seems).  But would he have the goods to be a team's permanent starter rather than a relief pitcher par excellence.  Teddy Twatwater.  To me, he is completely unproven and of question able value. But some people seem to think he may be some team's savior (mostly black TV commentators)...again...unproven.   Tyrod Taylor....I honestly do not see him as more than what he is here:  a fairly steady, reliable backup QB.  Of course, I am sure that Josh McCown would be available (Browns maybe even? if TT leaves?)

2. Draft.      A big piece of this pie has been taken off the shelf:   Justin Herbert, QB Oregon, has announced he will return to college.   (though I suppose he could change his mind)    This just might spur  Duane Haskins, OSU  to jump to the pros.   I think he would be in very high demand at the top of the draft. Top 5 even with a trade up by say, the Giants, who seem the most natural team in the draft order to take him.  I thought he would be 50/50 to come out....because he loves playin for Ohio State, but Herbert's withdrawal may change his mind.   Beyond Herbert and Haskins, here are other names that may be bandied about...though where they may fall, I don't know:

• Brett Rypien. College: Boise State. Year: Senior. ...
• Shea Patterson. College: Michigan. Year: Junior. ...
• Daniel Jones. College: Duke. Year: R-Junior. ...
• Jake Browning. College: Washington. Year: Senior. ...
• Jarrett Stidham. College: Auburn. ...
• Clayton Thorson. College: Northwestern. ...
• Will Grier. College: West Virginia. ...
• Ryan Finley. College: N.C. State.

I have two comments.

1) I think the teams with the aged guys you mention are probably behind the curve and should have already been looking.

2) Does a guy like Flacco suddenly emerge as a possible #2 for the Browns in the event the guy gets released but still has some fuel in the tank?

Shea Patterson is returning next year, FYI.

Flacco is owed like 15 mill next year.  If they cut him.  Dead money.

@the-gipper said:

One other guy that may be available, especially to a team like the Jags who are looking for a veteran QB...besides Foles.....is Joe Flacco.   If Jackson is going to be taking over in Baltimore, I suspect that Fluko would not be happy as an understudy....and I don't think the Ratrapers would like to pay a backup QB the kind of money that Flacco is set to make next year.

Also...the other veteran who MIGHT come available is Andy Dalton.....as, apparently, despite having a contract for next year, it is NOT guaranteed; and the Bengals could just let him go and suffer no cap hit...if they were inclined.

So...in theory...the only QB to start the season next year in the AFCN who started this year is BR. 

Ravens for sure moving on from Joe, Bengals will listen to trade offers for Dalton and be interested at the right price. Queen City Kitties will have to decide if 2018 was an injury riddled fluke year- or not. They get blown out by the Steelers Sunday, it may be enough to finally blow Marvin out the door along with them. 

Below  my short takes...   

@the-gipper said:

I guess I cannot get out of the habit...of talking about QBs that may be available either in the draft or as free agents.  The Browns have gone 2 decades now where it was necessary for us to have these kinds of discussions, that I apparently just cannot let it go.

So...with this caveat:  The Browns do not need a starting QB, I will look at the teams that do perhaps need one and might draft of sign a FA

A. Chargers.... young QB to ultimately replace 37 year old Phillip Rivers maybe

B. Broncos?....or will  Case Keenum be their QB of the future....why do I think not? Broncos less than thrilled with Keenum

C. Saints.....young QB to replace 40 year old Drew Brees? Nope, Teddy B. is waiting in the wings, maybe guy in low rounds

D. Jaguars.....definitely need a new QB but they're screwed with Bortles albatross contract ($21 mil cap hit, $16 mil dead money), as far as FAs & trades go. No one is going to want Bortles humongous contract. And as I posted a few weeks ago, on top of that the Jags are in the lowest reaches of Cap Hell.  (only team in worse shape next year is the Eagles)  

E. Dolphins.....should they be looking for a replacement for the very mediocre  Tannehill? 50\50 there 

F. Redskins...I don't know the status of Alex Smith...who will be 35 as I've said elsewhere Smith's injury may be career threatening, if Flacco ends up anywhere . I'll posit it's here

G. Giants....likely to want to replace 38 year old Eli Manning should have done that in 2018

H. Patriots.....replacement for  42 year old Tom Brady Tom is finally showing "diminishing skills". Top qb prospects will be long gone by the time they draft in the first. 

I. Cincinnati?  I don't know if either Dalton or Drexel is their future My crystal ball says Andy is back, shopping in the lower rounds. 

J. Pittsburgh....Ultimate replacement for 37 year old BR?  Or are Dobbins and Rudolph the goods there? They drafted Rudolph to be their QBOTF, they need serious help on the defensive side. Shazier may never come back, and Joe Haden isn't getting any younger. 

So, that is 10 potential teams wanting to look for a possible current...or future QB.