This is unlikely to be the year they need a quarterback in the NFL draft, but some teams already know where their priorities will be come April.
The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants absolutely need to pick high on a quarterback. The Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers almost certainly should, barring an unexpected turnaround from Will Levis and Bryce Young. The Cleveland Browns need change, too. But one wonders whether ownership would support using precious draft resources on a player who could usurp Deshaun Watson, whose contract is fully guaranteed through 2026. The Steelers could also fall into disgrace depending on the situation. What do you think about Justin Fields and Russell Wilson when the season ends?
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 think about the future. That team group at least has the luxury of choosing their own spot, which is better than forcing the issue. So how often do teams turn mid-round lottery picks into franchise cornerstones?
The point is that it’s time for teams to be honest about their internal assessments. But just because a team decides it needs a quarterback doesn’t necessarily mean it can get one.
Remember, the Giants tried last spring. When they couldn’t move up in the draft, they punted the rest of the class rather than force them to take someone they didn’t love. There’s something to be said for this, but this approach also increases the need to get it right in the following years.
League evaluators are still trying to figure out where 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 will rank. They’re intriguing players, but it wouldn’t be overly shocking to see a repeat of 2022 without a QB in the top 10.
Further complicating the hunt is the lack of proven veterans ready to hit the free agent market. The best players in this group could be Sam Darnold and Fields, as well as veteran stopgap options like Wilson and Joe Flacco.
The 2026 class will become even more exciting with the possibility of Archie Manning declaring. Perhaps a team that fails to address its QB void next year will be competing for that precious No. 1 pick.
The Athletic’s Week 7 QB Rankings
What is the difference?
Joe Burrow entered the NFL as the No. 1 overall pick in 2020 after leading LSU’s historic offense to an undefeated championship that captured the nation’s attention. He was essentially the starter for the Cincinnati Bengals from the moment he arrived.
Brock Purdy entered the NFL as the final 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 due to injuries.
Those labels are hard to shake, but it’s probably long past time to consider Purdy the best quarterback in the game.
Consider the regular season statistics of both men after 2022.
We are no different, you and me
| Joe Burrows (2022-24) | Brock Purdy (2022-24) | |
|---|---|---|
|
start |
32 |
31 |
|
record |
19-13 |
20-7 |
|
% complete |
68.4 |
68.0 |
|
passing yard |
8,362 (261.3/game) |
7,283 (234.9/game) |
|
Tank destroyer passes |
62 |
53 |
|
INT |
20 |
19 |
|
Evaluation of successful applicants |
99.4 |
108.9 |
|
rushing yards |
439 (13.7/game) |
284 (9.2/game) |
|
Rush Tank Destroyer |
6 |
3 |
The numbers are surprisingly similar. Burrow has a clear edge in passing yards, but that’s to be expected given Purdy runs Kyle Shanahan’s run-heavy system.
Burrow is also 5-2 in the playoffs and had a standout performance as the Bengals took down the Chiefs in the 2021 AFC Championship Game. They were a defensive stop afraid of beating the Rams in the Super Bowl.
But Purdy played well while leading the 49ers to a 4-2 record in the playoffs and a trip to the 2022 NFC Championship Game and 2023 Super Bowl. They also had a stymied defense before taking down the Chiefs in February.
Purdy hasn’t had the same sparkle because of the way he entered the league. He also doesn’t get much recognition for his accomplishments because of the 49ers’ scheme.
Now is the time to change that perception. Purdy is without a doubt one of the best players in the game.
This star continues to shine in Seattle. Watch some of Brock Purdy’s best plays. #TNFonPrime.
More info at https://t.co/vpdsX5r07D 🎥 pic.twitter.com/NXCjGiaonF
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 12, 2024
mayday
Drake Maye had a strong starting debut against the Houston Texans, throwing for 243 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also led the New England Patriots with 38 rushing yards and lost a fumble.
Drake Maye DIME catches his first career touchdown pass!
📺: #HOUvsNE On CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/psTLjZvOoK— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
Maye had the most passing yards against the Texans this season, which is impressive considering they played Anthony Richardson, Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold, Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen. You could argue that his totals are worth an asterisk considering the lopsided scoring, but let’s not dock Maye too much in his first career outing against a quality defense while the Patriots’ entire offensive operation surrounding Maye is in disarray.
Maye has certainly endured some challenges. His accuracy was excellent, especially in the beginning, but he fell into the groove with a rushing drive in the first half. Maye delivered the exclamation point with a spectacular 40-yard touchdown to Kayshon Boutte. The throw helped the sophomore wideout get separation late against cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. This was probably the best throw by a Patriots quarterback since Tom Brady donned one. uniform.
deeper
Berkeley: Drake Maye, Patriots gave fans what they crave — a glimpse into the future
Once Maye becomes comfortable enough to make more consistent throws, which he did more of in the second half, he will grow even more on offense. He’ll also eventually get a confidence boost, though it may take more time considering the state of New England’s offensive line.
That being said, Maye’s performance should take some of the heat off Jerod Mayo. The first-year head coach has had some inconsistencies in his quarterback descriptions over the past few months, and rival executives have taken notice. Then, people around the league wondered if Mayo had rushed the decision to start Maye last week, perhaps taking some heat from the losing streak and breaking plans to get Maye into action.
Additionally, the Patriots’ offensive line has been one of the worst units in the NFL, and those problems have been made worse by injuries. Maye was under a lot of pressure on Sunday, especially with his two backup tackles playing for much of the game.
However, he still performed better than Jacoby Brissett in five starts. Maye led the Patriots in completions and passer rating (88.3) of the season and had more touchdowns in his debut than Brissett did all season (2).
This was an encouraging start. Now Maye will take center stage Sunday morning in London when the Patriots meet the Jaguars, who have given up the most passing yards in the NFL.
Maye debuted at No. 23 in the rankings as his draft stock likely pushed his ceiling higher. This is also a fitting spot, as fellow rookies Caleb Williams (No. 19) and Jayden Daniels (No. 22) debuted slightly higher in Week 1.
claim the fourth
Bonix is ​​a battler. His competitiveness helped the Denver Broncos nearly erase a 23-0 deficit, scoring 16 points in the final quarter against the Chargers on Sunday in a game that appeared lost before the fourth quarter.
But the question is whether the Broncos were too conservative with Nix before the fourth quarter or whether the defense is slacking on looks with some of these leads.
Breaking it down by quarter, Nix was much more productive in the fourth quarter, and it wasn’t even close. He has the most completions (41), yards (428), touchdowns (5 including passes and runs), first downs (28 including passes and runs), highest completion percentage (69.5), and passer rating (5). 93.0) was obtained.
It’s not like the Broncos start the game in neutral. The Knicks recorded 97 pass attempts in the first half and 101 passes in the second half this season. But there’s something about the way he thrives in “must have” fourth quarter situations.
that @oregonfootball connection!
Bo Nix finds Troy Franklin for his first TD catch!
📺: #LACvsDEN On CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/FU4T8eKNT8— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
The Broncos then trailed the Seahawks (26-13), Steelers (13-0) and Chargers by double digits in the fourth quarter as well. Nix wouldn’t be the first quarterback to improve his statistical output in “garbage time.”
Because it is early in the Knicks’ career, it is important to find bright spots in the rookie’s performance and highlight them. It will be interesting to see if Nix can take another step forward in his development as the Broncos implement some of their fourth quarter success early in the game.
Ranking Remarks
Who was eliminated: Derek Carr, oblique injury (21st last week); Gardner Minshew, bench (last week, 27th); Jacoby Brissett, bench (last week, 30th)
Long story short, Carr is expected to miss at least one game, so he was removed from the rankings. Anthony Richardson remains ranked (rather than Joe Flacco) as his recovery timeline is more uncertain. If the Colts had set a clearer timetable for Richardson’s injury, elevating Flacco firmly into a starting role, it would have led to an adjustment in the rankings.
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(Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
