The TMG DraftZone is back, and it's time to talk about the upcoming NFL Draft. Last year, interior lineman were a dominant feature on everyones draft boards. It was The Big Uglies that were in the spotlight. In 2012, it will be the pretty boys. Wide receivers, running backs and cornerbacks will get a lot of attention. But the quarterbacks will rule the day.
The top two prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft are quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. The Indianapolis Colts hold the #1 Overall Selection, and have already indicated they will take Luck. St. Louis has the second pick, and with Sam Bradford already entrenched as their signal caller, teams will be falling over themselves wanting to trade and move up to get Griffin. Jeff Fisher is the new head coach of the Rams, but he may as well be a reincarnation of Monty Hall in Let's Make A Deal.
But beyond Luck and Griffin, quarterbacks already on rosters or free agents will be the reason this year will be The Quarterback Draft. The Colts have a decision to make with Peyton Manning. Do they pick up his option for $28 million, and have him serve as a mentor to Luck? Do they sign him and trade the longtime face of the franchise? Do they make a clean break and let Manning become a free agent? Or does Manning say he has had enough, that three neck surgeries are two many for a quarterback, and say it's time to retire?
My gut feeling is that the Colts will not pick up the option on Manning, and that Peyton will retire. But if the right situation comes around, I could also see Manning moving to a contending team for one last run at a championship that would cement his legacy, and that team could be the New York Jets. Woody Johnson, the owner of the Jets, has publicly supported his quarterback Mark Sanchez, but has also indicated he could pursue Manning if he were available. For arguments sake, let's say the Jets sign Manning. What happens to Sanchez? There is no way he will sit behind Manning, then move back into the starters role after a couple of seasons. His own teammates, albeit anonymously, have criticized his play and work habits. It would not be far fetched that he would demand a trade, and a team like Washington, Miami or Cleveland could be a possible landing spot.
Speaking of which, those three teams are the most likely to trade up with St. Louis to select Griffin. But if Sanchez is available, he could be a less costly move to upgrade the quarterback position. Because the team that trades with the Rams for the second pick will be mortgaging their draft future to get Griffin. Last year, Atlanta traded 5 draft picks to Cleveland to move up to #6 and select Julio Jones. It will take a deal of that magnitude this year to get the Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor. The Browns have the leverage of being able to trade those picks from the Falcons, and they have Colt McCoy in place now who could quarterback the team until Griffin is ready. But after watching Cam Newton and Andy Dalton do what they did in 2011 without the benefit of OTA's and a shortened training camp, and after watching Griffin play last year, he needs to get the ball right away. I believe he will.
The most intriguing free agent quarterback will be Matt Flynn from Green Bay. Intriguing because of excellent results from a small sample size. He started one game against New England in 2010, and played well in a loss. He then started the final game of the 2011 season against Detroit, and set franchise records for yards and touchdowns in a game. And considering the Packers history, those are impressive records. But the question isn't if a team will take a chance on Flynn, it will be which one will.
Finally, what will Denver do in regards to Tim Tebow. John Elway has stated that Tebow will be the teams starter going into training camp, but that endorsement is as lukewarm as a three day old pot of coffee. Brady Quinn is a free agent, and not likely to return, and the only other quarterback on the Broncos roster is Adam Weber, who spent the year on the practice squad. Tebow may have turned the season around for Denver, but the injuries he suffered in the playoff loss to New England should be a warning for the Broncos. No matter how big and tough a quarterback is, if he is a running quarterback he is going to get beat up. Tebow proved that his biggest weakness is as a pocket passer, and I would not be surprised if Weber gets a good look in training camp and in preseason games with the first team starters. If Elway decides to move Tebow, Jacksonville could be a landing spot. You have a new owner looking to fill the stadium and put a winner on the field, and having a hometown hero like Tebow could accomplish both. As long as Tebow can stay on the field.
The 2012 NFL Draft will be dominated by the quarterbacks. Both incoming and already there. Things will start to fall into place once the Colts and Peyton Manning decide what each one is going to do. After that, the dominoes will start falling into place. I can't wait for the push that gets everything going. Let the NFL Draft Season begin.
