Chiefs rule the roost in AFC West quarterback rankings
By Matt Conner
12. Kevin Hogan, Denver Broncos
If you’re wondering how a former Chiefs player slipped in here, you can thank the Denver Broncos. Hogan entered the NFL as a fifth round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft of former GM John Dorsey.
Hogan is vying for a roster spot with the Donkeys as they’ve completely remade the depth chart at quarterback. He gives the Broncos some youth and experience mixed together for the third QB spot on the roster behind Drew Lock and Joe Flacco, although Hogan has yet to stick with the Chiefs, Cleveland Browns or Washington Redskins. Because of that, we’ve got him hovering just above some UDFAs and, of course, Peterman.
11. Cardale Jones, L.A. Chargers
Cardale Jones is old news. We know. He’s also a good bet to be cut in just a month after the Chargers drafted Easton Stick. But here’s the thing about Jones that we also knew when he was drafted: he was going to take a long time to develop.
So far, Jones has yet to turn the corner that some thought he might when he was taken in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Three seasons later, we still don’t know if/when Jones will ever become a productive quarterback in the NFL, but we also won’t knock him just yet for not having arrived. Developmental players need time to develop and there’s a very, very slim chance that Jones could still make it. That makes him better than a few of the quarterbacks on our list.
10. Brett Rypien, Denver Broncos
One of this year’s most interesting rookie free agents landed in a nice spot with the Denver Broncos who are hoping that one rookie can work some long-term magic already. Rypien is perhaps reminiscent of a Trevor Siemian, a prospect with late-round grades who could potentially make a mark as an efficient, intelligent prospect with an accurate short game.
Rypien proved himself to be a good study at Boise State from the outset and put up a whopping 90 touchdown passes in his four years in the Mountain West. He’s never going to be the kind of gunslinger Elway has been searching for with Paxton Lynch and now Drew Lock, but he’s quite intriguing as a low-ceiling prospect who can hang around and turn into a dependable backup option. Denver did well to bring him in after the draft.
9. Easton Stick, L.A. Chargers
When a team has a franchise quarterback without an obvious timeline, it’s common for them to take frequent flyers, so to speak, in the later rounds of the NFL Draft hoping to work some Brady-esque magic. The hope is to unearth the next great quarterback who can eventually grow to take the baton without investing the sort of high-end assets that would offer a greater guarantee of success. In short, the Chargers hope that Easton Stick, this year’s fifth round pick, is a winning lottery ticket.
Stick is certainly an interesting prospect, including the name that sounds straight out of a sports equipment catalog. He intrigues as a small-school prospect that also recently gave Carson Wentz to the NFL. The program at North Dakota State didn’t skip a beat with Stick running things over Wentz, but that’s likely more about coaching and the overall scheme. Stick took his licks for both arm and accuracy issues, but the Chargers clearly like his dual-threat talent as a quarterback (41 rushing touchdowns).
He’s still likely going to struggle, but that’s the nature of most late round QBs. It will be interesting to see how he looks in 12-24 months.