AFC stock reports: Chiefs struggle with identity, Colts out of playoff picture

AFC teams in the hunt for a rookie QB

The 2020 NFL Draft is looking spectacular with loaded position groups. It’s also a year in which a plethora of AFC teams will/should be looking to find their next franchise quarterback. The race for number one quarterback prospect continued with an epic showdown between the top two candidates on Saturday afternoon. Tua Tagovailoa and Joe Burrow faced off in a game that did anything but disappoint with LSU winning over Alabama 46-41.

While those are the top two prospects on most analysts boards, there are plenty of second-tier quarterbacks that could find their name being called in the first round. Given the overwhelming need for quarterbacks as many in the NFL are close to retiring, it will be interesting to see how many teams make a move in the first round to get their guy.

Some names to keep an eye on are Justin Herbert out of Oregon, Jordan Love out of Utah State, Jalen Hurts out of Ohio State, Jacob Eason from Washington, and Jake Fromm from Georgia if he elects to come out. Many of these players would be round two and three selections in most years, but it could get interesting in 2020.

Taking a look at teams that are currently at the bottom of the league and looking to grab a quarterback with their first pick are the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals from the AFC. Some teams from the NFC could include the Chicago Bears, who have seen some of the worst football from their third-year quarterback. Minnesota could be looking to move on from their quarterback following 2020. The Washington Redskins just took Dwayne Haskins, but his job is not safe. Tampa Bay, much like the Titans, are probably a team that wants to move on from their top drafted quarterbacks after five years.

Then you have to take a look at teams with aging quarterbacks like Philip Rivers, Tom Brady, and Matt Ryan. There are plenty of organizations that should be considering a first-round selection for a quarterback. Pittsburgh would have been a good mention here, but they traded their first-round pick to the Dolphins for Minkah Fitzpatrick earlier this season.

Tua has been criticized to some extent for his surrounding cast of first-round picks at Alabama. There’s no reason to think that he’s going to be a bust in the NFL. He has shown the ability to not only have success from the pocket, but the athleticism to escape the pocket and extend plays. While he doesn’t have the elite arm strength to push the ball across the field, he does have good arm strength and velocity to fit the ball in tight windows. His mobility could be attractive for teams like Miami, Tennessee, and Carolina, who all tend to value escapability.

Burrow, on the other hand, is a typical pocket passer who is comfortable moving around within the pocket instead of bailing outside. He’s not as athletic and doesn’t have as strong of an arm, but that doesn’t keep him from making plenty of big plays. The LSU product has shown the ability to trust his playmakers against man coverage down the sideline with great accuracy. He also shows excellent ability to exploit coverages over the middle of the field.

Teams that are hesitant to make a move on mobile quarterbacks and want the traditional one will fall in love with Burrow. New Orleans, New England, and Cincinnati feel like good fits.