Now that the Washington Redskins have pushed all their chips in for RGIII, the NFL teams in need of a starting quarterback have one less name on their list, and the quarterback carousel takes another turn. Here is a look at the names still on the market and where they could end up.
Peyton Manning > Denver Broncos
Somehow Denver actually makes sense. You know that it killed John Elway to witness Tebowmania last year. Elway was a big, strong-armed quarterback, and that is exactly what he wants for the Broncos.
The offense will be his to mold. Knowshon Moreno will try to turn into the stretch back that Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai became. Demaryius Thomas will be a downfield threat, and another receiver will be either drafted or signed.
Tim Tebow > Jacksonville Jaguars
Wait. How did his name get added to this list? Well it is clear that if Denver grabs Peyton, Tebow is done in the Mile High City. What better destination that the struggling Jags? It all adds up.
New Jaguars owner Shahid Khan has gone on record to say that he would have drafted Tebow, and who better to revitalize the struggling franchise in the state that he once dominated? The franchise would all of a sudden become relevant, whether they win games or not.
It would be interesting to see how Tebow would do with a true feature back like MJD. He demands touches, but is also an excellent safety valve as an option out of the backfield and could become Tebow’s best friend.
Matt Flynn > Miami Dolphins
Long thought to a possibility for Peyton, the Fins will fall back on their secondary option with the former Aaron Rodgers protege. He is no Marino, but he could become a second-tier pivot in the league if he can develop some chemistry within Joe Philbin’s familiar offensive attack.
Brandon Marshall, Reggie Bush and the often forgotten Daniel Thomas provide an excellent offensive foundation. Along with a stellar line littered with the likes of former top pick Jake Long and former Gator Mike Pouncey, Miami could develop quite the offensive attack this year.
Flynn is unproven, yes. But in the right situation, he might be able to be something a little more than Matt Cassel on the Chiefs. Hopefully better than the Kevin Kolb experiment in Arizona, but there are no guarantees when backups hit the market.
Ryan Tannehill > Cleveland Browns
I know what you’re thinking: There is no way the Brows pick Tannehill fourth overall!
But the way the market is shaping up, there is a chance that the Browns will have no choice but to make the Aggie the third pivot taken in the first four picks this year. They need an upgrade on Colt McCoy, and while Tannehill has no business going this high, it may be time to reach.
He has a big a pro arm, but struggles with accuracy at times. If it were not for Landry Jones and Matt Barkley pulling out of the draft, we would not even be hearing about Tannehill, but with the lack of names available, a team like the Browns will panic.
Remember last year? Ponder. Locker. Names you did not expect to hear that early, but teams panic on the draft floor. Months and months of preparation come down to a few minutes on the floor when executives have to make a choice. A potential franchise pivot is often too hard to pass up.
Do not be surprised when the Browns do this.
Kevin Kolb > ???
Arizona’s desperate pursuit of Peyton Manning underscores “a loss of confidence in Kevin Kolb,” reports ESPN’s John Clayton. The question is whether the Cardinals can come back to Kolb if they lose out on Manning. Once coach Ken Whisenhunt sours on a quarterback, as he did with Matt Leinert two seasons ago, he has no problem cutting the cord. Even when the team has spent significant capital on that quarterback.
If Kolb is released, and there’s a strong chance he could be before March 17th, when a massive roster bonus is due, then one of the other teams trying to ride this carousel – perhaps the Seattle Seahawks, who seemingly can’t get a date with Peyton, or the Cleveland Browns, who lost out on the RG3 sweepstakes – will take a long look in Kolb’s direction.
Of course, there are other names out there in the draft. Nick Foles. The elder statesman himself, Brandon Weeden. The tower that is Brock Osweiler. One will end up in Seattle. One in Kansas City. One in Arizona.
The QB carousel keeps on turning, but this is likely where they will land when the dust settles.
