The 2023 NFL Draft quarterback class should be relatively strong. Which three teams must take a quarterback under every and any circumstance? Lately, we’ve seen teams opt for trading for or signing a veteran quarterback in free agency to not have to deal with the process of drafting and developing one.
Usually, the teams that make a trade for a veteran signal caller are ready go to–their rosters are largely solid and seem to be missing the final piece. However, there are other teams in the NFL who are simply not at that level yet.
Perhaps they’re going through a rebuild, or perhaps their roster just isn’t that good. A few teams stick out as ones who must take a quarterback with their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. There seem to be some solid names to choose from, too.
Three teams who must draft a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft
Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr recently said his goodbyes to Raider Nation, so the split seems to be happening. I think Derek Carr is a rock solid quarterback who has been mostly consistent for nearly a decade. I also think he’s been given a raw deal in Oakland/Las Vegas, but I’m obviously not making the decisions here.
The Raiders and Tom Brady have already been connected to one another, as has Jimmy Garoppolo, both pending free agents who have strong connections with Raiders’ head coach Josh McDaniels. If the team were to sign either quarterback, they’d still need to draft a develop someone to take their spot.
Tom Brady is literally pushing 50 years old, an Garoppolo cannot stay healthy for a full season, so he can’t be trusted as a franchise quarterback. Vegas picks seventh overall, so they may have a chance to land someone at that current selection.
Three teams who must draft a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a total mess and need someone to right the ship. They now have fired two head coaches in as many years, which appears to be an unprecedented event. Davis Mills looked really solid as a rookie but has not been able to replicate or build on that performance from last year.
The off chance that he could have been the long-term answer in Houston appears to be gone. With the Texans picking second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, taking a quarterback has to be the choice here.
They obviously won’t be chasing a veteran to start unless it’s some type of bridge situation. They need a young and high-ceiling type player in the building, someone like Alabama’s Bryce Young. The roster is also horribly weak, so taking a quarterback now and trying to develop them might be the smart and long play here.
The rest of the roster needs a ton of work, so if and when the Texans to draft a signal-caller, I’d anticipate that they’d have a bridge QB in place to prevent throwing their new QB out onto the field immediately on such a weak team.
Three teams who must draft a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are in a weird place to me. The team has gone 7-10 in both seasons under Arthur Smith. They don’t appear to be nearly ready to contend but still seem good enough to win games. I think they’re in that irrelevant middle pack of teams.
Besides running the ball well, I’m not sure if they do anything else particularly well. They got “eh” quarterback play from Marcus Mariota, who seemingly left the team late in the season, and rookie Desmond Ridder.
I think what needs to happen here is the Falcons need to shoot for the stars. Their an irrelevant seven win team at the moment. They won’t finish at the bottom of the division or other standings but aren’t equipped to finish at the top.
Taking a big swing on a quarterback, and perhaps moving up in the first round to do so is a smart but risky move. Arthur Smith could already be on thin ice in Atlanta and trying to develop a young QB might save his job.
Atlanta does appear to be a well coached team, which also helps. What I could honestly see happen here is the team trying to bring Ryan Tannehill aboard if the Titans move off of him and then taking a quarterback in April.
Tannehill’s best football a couple years ago came under the play-calling of Arthur Smith. Tannehill could give them their best chance to win in a very week division and also buy them some time to develop someone.