6 NFL teams that should look to pick a QB in 2022 NFL Draft
The NFL's new year, which began shortly after Los Angeles Rams-themed confetti fell upon SoFi Stadium, is off and running.
After the show that Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow put on in Inglewood, the discussion around the importance of a franchise quarterback will be more intense than ever.
Teams looking for a new offensive energizer via free agency will be sorely disappointed.
The best options probably come with the rollercoaster antics of Jameis Winston or the injury-prone (Teddy Bridgewater).
Other options range from unproven (Tyler Huntley, Mike White), to experienced but inadequate veterans (Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tyrod Taylor), or past-their-prime stars from recent history (Andy Dalton, Cam Newton).
The upcoming draft in Las Vegas will likely serve as the best place to find a promising quarterback.
Which NFL teams should have quarterback on their draft's priority list?
Drew Lock single-handedly ruined the Broncos chance at the playoffs. https://t.co/IDzNfm6mw2
Denver Broncos
The post Peyton-Manning quarterback carousel continues to spin at full-strength in the Rockies.
Bridgewater performed respectably and remains one of the more inspiring stories in recent NFL memory (returning from a non-contact training camp injury that cost him all of the 2016 season) but combined with his continued medical woes it's clear he's not the long-term answer.
His latest injury gave 2019 draftee Drew Lock one last opportunity to win the franchise role back, but his subsequent showings back in control didn't impress.
With Lock potentially serving as a salary cap sacrifice, all three current Denver quarterbacks (including Brett Rypien) could be on the free agency list next season.
Barring something incredible this offseason, writing a quarterback's name on their draft card will be a necessity for the Broncos.
Houston Texans
The Texans continued to be saddled with one of the most puzzling quarterback conundrums in recent NFL memory.
Deshaun Watson and his legal proceedings remain on the roster. However, the general consensus is that he's played with last game with a Texas-flag branded bull on his helmet.
Third-round choice Davis Mills performed admirably in the wake of the Texans' albatross 2021 season, but there was nothing to truly suggest he's the viable long-term solution.
Set to choose third overall behind Jacksonville (who is set with Trevor Lawrence) and Detroit (saddled with Jared Goff and his giant contract), Houston could wind up kicking off the NFL's 2022 rookie quarterback sweepstakes.
Indianapolis Colts
To their credit, the Colts have recovered from Andrew Luck's abrupt retirement fairly well, all things considered.
They've gone 27-22 over the last two seasons with three different stopgap quarterbacks (Jacoby Brissett, Phillip Rivers, Carson Wentz) and appear ready to move on from the latest.
Wentz, after all, left a sour taste in the mouths of Colts with his shortcomings in the team's first-ever Week 18 game against lowly Jacksonville.
After navigating through the post-Luck abyss fairly well, it's time to find some long-term stability under center. The draft is the best place they'll find it, though they're in a bit of a pickle.
Thanks to, ironically, the Wentz trade, the Colts' first-round choice now resides in Philadelphia. Indianapolis' first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft won't come until the 47th overall selection.
The Steelers had a first-round grade on Mason Rudolph? https://t.co/ntdmpAs6oF
Pittsburgh Steelers
The obsession over finding the perfect franchise quarterback in the NFL requires that a team have not only its 2022 quarterback on the roster but also its man for 2025 as well.
Pittsburgh has tried to have a successor to Ben Roethlisberger on its roster, but, when called upon, none of them (i.e. Mason Rudolph, Joshua Dobbs, Landry Jones) showed any sign of being a potential starter.
This has left them in dire straits now that Big Ben officially chimed for the last time. Pittsburgh owns the 20th pick in the coming draft.
Seattle Seahawks
Another mediocre team without the comfort of its first-round pick (this one dealt to the New York Jets for Jamal Adams). The Seahawks may likewise be a team in transition with Russell Wilson's future up for debate.
Even if Wilson stays, the team should at least prepare for life without the soon-to-be 34-year-old. Lest they end up in the same situation as the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are woefully unprepared for life without Ben Roethlisberger.
Finding the successor to Wilson, should he stay, on day two of the NFL draft could be a good way to plant the seeds for the road ahead.
Taylor Heinicke expects to be in a quarterback battle for the Commanders starting spot next season.
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Washington Commanders
Injuries prevented Fitzpatrick from ruining the draft pick of Washington's NFL team. In some ways, Washington incumbent Taylor Heinicke is the perfect choice.
He's just serviceable enough to keep the team relevant and has a fun fact that can be repeated ad nauseam during game day broadcasts ("Heinicke was on an XFL roster!" is the new "Fitzpatrick went to Harvard!").
To that end, though, he's probably not a long-term solution for NFL quarterbacking. A new name could mean a new quarterback in Washington, which finds itself in 11th on the current NFL Draft board.