Mar 7, 20195 min read

The Quarterback Carousel Needs to End in Washington

Welcome back to The Burgundy and Gold Report. With the NFL Combine wrapped up, teams will put together their draft boards and trek to individual pro days in the weeks to come. The question among fans will be, will this be the year that the Redskins find their franchise quarterback?

One thing is for sure, The Quarterback Carousel Needs to End in Washington and Free Agency will not have the answer.

The consensus around the league is Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray will be the #1 quarterback off the board and could go first overall. Murray eased concerns during the combine, checking in a shade over 5-10 and weighing 206 lb, but that’s where the combine ended for Murray who elected to sit out during field testing. The Oklahoma signal caller will have teams evaluate him based on his impressive 2018 Heisman season. Murray’s intrigue will surely grow over the coming weeks and a top 3 selection looks likely.

As for the Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins, he did little to increase or decrease his stock. Haskins displayed a strong arm and looks to be QB2 in many early draft boards. Although Haskins considers himself a pocket passer, his slow 5.02 second, forty-yard dash time and limited collegiate production should be concerning for teams looking for a franchise quarterback. With the Giants, Jaguars, Broncos, Dolphins and Redskins all potentially looking for quarterbacks, Haskins won’t last long and should be selected in the top 10.

It’s no secret that The B&G Report‘s ideal situation would be for Washington to land Missouri signal call Drew Lock with their 15th overall selection. Lock showed up to the combine with the same playful arrogance that he displayed while interacting with the media during the Senior Bowl. His confidence showed on the field as well and his stock will surely continue to grow.

Lock displayed a strong arm with good anticipation during passing drills and looked to have a firm grasp on all the passing concepts asked of him. Running the forty-yard dash in 4.70 seconds seemed to be the icing on the cake for Lock’s combine workout.

On some boards Lock has moved all the way up to QB2 and rightfully so. Hoping for Lock to last to 15 now seems like a fantasy. Lock would provide the strong arm with mobility that Jay Gruden covets. If the Redskins want to solve their quarterback problem, trading up seems to be imperative considering the drop off after the top 3 quarterbacks are gone. A Round 1 jump from #15 to #10, could come at a modest cost and assure the Skins get their signal caller of the future.

Combine Rumor

The talk around the combine, reportedly, was Murray’s potential to be the top quarterback drafted. Arizona who holds the #1 overall selection is rumored to be interested in Murray. New Cardinals Head Coach, Kliff Kingsbury has no attachments to the current quarterbacks on the roster and could be on the lookout for a new signal caller.

The former Texas Tech coach brings his version of the “Air Raid” offense to Arizona, which base concept features 3 to 4 wide receiver sets with receivers asked to learn a limited route tree. Some in the draft community believe Murray would be perfect for Kingsbury’s quick strike passing game.

It would be naive to think that the Cardinals didn’t have a plan in place, when they hired the inexperienced Kingsbury. The possibility of giving their new coach Murray to run his style offense, just seems like an opportunity to good to pass up.

Kingsbury & Murray have known each other since the Heisman winner was in HS. They became aquatinted when the new Cardinals head coach attempted to recruit Murray while coaching at Texas Tech. The two have stayed in touch over the years. Murray was asked how he’d feel playing for Arizona & Kingsbury and answered with an emphatic “Very Comfortable”.

Tony Pauline of draftanalyst.com recently wrote that the rumor has some legs to it.

“Kliff Kingsbury was telling people it’s a done deal that the Cardinals will select the Oklahoma Sooners’ quarterback with the first pick of the draft”.

But didn’t the Cardinals Draft a quarterback in 2018? They did, in fact, and selected UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen with their 10th overall selection. Selecting another quarterback in round 1 for the second consecutive year would be unprecedented, but Arizona could become a better team with the move, as could Washington if they acquire Rosen.

It’s also important to remember that this time of year, teams are notorious for planting smokescreens, particularly during the combine. In Arizona’s case they could be drumming up the value for the first overall pick, in hopes that a team will sell the farm for the former Sooner QB. The idea of Murray running an NFL offense should having many intrigued. The comparisons to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will only increase as the process continues.

Draft Day Trade Scenario

If the Cardinals decide to select Murray with the first overall pick, Rosen will have suitors. Although he has been criticized for his 2018 production in Arizona, where he was sacked 49 times losing 10 fumbles, I would urge fans to watch his UCLA film when he actually had an offensive line and weapons in the passing game.

Although the Cardinals might believe they can recoup a 1st rounder for Rosen, it is highly unlikely. With three years remaining on his rookie deal, whoever trades for Rosen will get a bargain with an opportunity for a 5th year contract option. As it stands, a team would only be on the hook for $6,239,388 over the remaining three years of the contract.

It’s likely Arizona could get a 2019 2nd round draft pick for Rosen, but the Cardinals should also welcome assets with a projected $37 mil plus in available cap room per overthecap.com.

If Lock isn’t drafted by the Redskins, acquiring Rosen would be the next best way to sure up the quarterback position. It could get tricky if they rely on a draft day trade to get it done, so hammering out details for Rosen prior to the draft would be imperative. Other teams will also be in the market for a quarterback, so Redskins will have competition.

Although the Cardinals are a bad team, the 46 sacks and 10 fumbles by Rosen in 2018 is a bad look for the quarterback. A change of scenery and a West Coast system might better suit Rosen, but the cost should not involve Washington’s 1st or 2nd round selections.

A deal involving the Redskins 77th overall pick in the 3rd round, 4th round in 2020 and receiver Josh Doctson should entice Arizona to make the move. Some have mentioned a deal could get hammered out days before the draft, but that would take away Arizona’s leverage. This move has the Redskins written all over it. At best, Rosen would be the signal caller of the future while sitting behind McCoy until the inevitable injury occurs or at worst a competent backup under a modest backup QB salary.

Thanks for check out another B&G Report. It’s all hope & predictions this time of year, but one thing is for sure there is nothing like draft season!