How do the Chiefs rivals feel about their talent at quarterback for the 2020 season?
Success in the National Football League largely begins and ends with how a team is set up at the quarterback position. The number of teams with excellent pass catchers and pass rushers who have sat at home in January makes for a long list, which is why teams move heaven and earth every offseason to try to position themselves for a franchise quarterback—or at least someone who could grow into that role.
For the teams in the AFC West, only one team has an automatic answer in the role of starting quarterback. For everyone else, there is hope in one form or another but each team also has a certain amount of risk and/or uncertainty at the position.
For our latest AFC West round table, we asked experts who cover each of the Chiefs rivals about their quarterback situation and how they feel about the talent there for the 2020 season.
Denver Broncos
Sayre Bedinger, Predominantly Orange: Everyone in Broncos Country is extremely excited about Drew Lock. He had a great finish to last season and, with the weapons put around him this offseason, you can feel the anticipation among Broncos fans.
It’s going to be easy to set unfair expectations for him, but everyone has to keep in mind he’s still a young player. Not every second-year QB is an MVP like Carson Wentz (until he got hurt), Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson, but the optimistic section of Broncos fans are like, “Why not?”
Lock has a great head on his shoulders and seems like he pays really close attention to detail, something the Broncos haven’t had since Peyton [Manning]. In fact, Lock’s whole package is something the Broncos haven’t had since Peyton. It’s exciting, but we know there will be some growing pains.
Las Vegas Raiders
Brad Weiss, Just Blog Baby: While Raider Nation was clamoring for the team to make the move to Marcus Mariota as soon as Jon Gruden called him a “dazzling playmaker,” there is no competition there.
Mariota has actually struggled a lot this summer, and is having issues with his accuracy and staying on the field. He missed almost a whole week of camp, and Derek Carr, like he always does, has looked great. Mike Mayock has even gone on to say what a leader Carr is, and how much he has taken control of the team since the move to Las Vegas.
If Carr falters in 2020, sure, we may see Mariota, but right now, Carr is the unquestioned starter, and it is not even close.
Los Angeles Chargers:
Jason Reed, Bolt Beat: All signs are pointing to us not seeing Justin Herbert in 2020. Of course, things can happen, and all it takes is an injury or someone underperforming, but I do not think we will see Herbert start a game in 2020.
It seems to have to do more with the team really believing in Tyrod Taylor as the starting quarterback and recognizing how valuable it is for a rookie quarterback to sit for a season. This is especially true if the offensive line is not performing and it is not looking like the O-line is going to be all that great in 2020.