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It's a cliche, but the NFL is a quarterback-driven league. Teams without quarterbacks capable of running an offense and completing throws early and often, and when it is easy and when it is hard, do not win Super Bowls. If a team wants playoff success, they need a good quarterback.
Unfortunately, those quarterbacks don't hit free agency and teams rarely trade them. Even if a team is prepared to trade their franchise quarterback, players like Russell Wilson have proven that teams should be hesitant to accept. With those two options off the table, unless a team wants a bridge quarterback, that leaves the NFL Draft.
Taking the right quarterback in April is the cheapest and most proven way to succeed in January and February. The right quarterback can turn a franchise around or serve as the final piece to the puzzle. Here are three teams that need to sell out and get a young quarterback this April:
#1 - Indianapolis Colts
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Despite playing mostly watchable seasons, the Indianapolis Colts have seen as much turnover at quarterback as any franchise since they cut ties with Peyton Manning. Aside from a few years with Andrew Luck, the team has alternated veterans in each of the past six or seven years, depending on how one counts.
It is time for the veteran-dependent Colts to fully put Andrew Luck's retirement behind them and get back to the NFL Draft in a serious manner. Of course, they've drafted quarterbacks in recent years, but they haven't picked any of the top prospects. The players that they have chosen have been lower-tier guys and, unsurprisingly, have failed to gain traction for the team.
Will the Colts pick a new quarterback in the NFL Draft?
Will the new era under the next head coach start with a bang in the NFL Draft? The Colts pick fourth overall and are at a spot where they are guaranteed to get a player they're hyped about.
#2 - Houston Texans
The Houston Texans picked quarterback Davis Mills in the third round of the NFL Draft, and the pick was stunning. Expected to lose Deshaun Watson at the time, they selected a quarterback who had thrown for seven touchdowns and three interceptions in his final year in college.
Not only was the statistical performance nearly a scratch in those categories, it was a step back from the previous year. In his junior year, he had thrown for 11 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games. Put simply, a quick online search would have disqualified the quarterback from their shortlist. Instead, he has become the main plan over the past two years.
In his rookie year, the quarterback failed to gain traction, throwing for 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions during a 2-9 run. However, the team doubled down on him once again. In 2022, he went 3-10-1 and threw for 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 15 games.
Put simply, it is time for the team to take advantage of their second overall pick and make a move for a quality prospect.
#3 - Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are in the midst of a rebuild in the wake of the firing of head coach Matt Rhule earlier this season. The team experimented with Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, but neither player worked out. If the team wants to start off their new era correctly, they need to find a young quality player to pair with new head coach Frank Reich.
Since Cam Newton ran out of steam, the team has not finished above .500. It is time to hit the reset button and endure a rookie year of lessons for the quarterback before hoping to hit the ground running in 2024.
The New York Giants would be in this spot if not for the fact that their playoff win stuck them squarely near the back of the line in the NFL Draft. Daniel Jones has proven to not be the successor Eli Manning fans had hoped for. Even if he's coming off a playoff win, always be wary of players who only succeed in contract years.
