LA Chargers: How the quarterback carousel affects the Chargers

CARSON, CA - NOVEMBER 03: Tyrod Taylor #5 of the Los Angeles Chargers warms up before playing the Green Bay Packers at Dignity Health Sports Park on November 3, 2019 in Carson, California. Chargers won 26-11. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - NOVEMBER 03: Tyrod Taylor #5 of the Los Angeles Chargers warms up before playing the Green Bay Packers at Dignity Health Sports Park on November 3, 2019 in Carson, California. Chargers won 26-11. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) – LA Chargers
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) – LA Chargers /

The unlikely category

This category is going to be made up of teams who currently have their long term franchise guy and a competent backup. Most teams only carry two quarterbacks on their roster, except for the Las Vegas Raiders who seem to be always linked to every available quarterback despite currently having four on their roster after signing Mariota.

First and foremost, you have the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. They clearly have their long term quarterback. They also just brought back Chad Henne, who is a very capable backup and is someone very familiar with their system. As I mentioned on the previous slide, they just signed Ta’amu as their third-string/project quarterback.

Next, you have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They simply cannot afford to invest precious draft capital in a quarterback after “winning” the Brady sweepstakes. Could they take one late? Sure, they could, but they have a very short window here and need to take every advantage at getting impact players at other positions to support Brady.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to trade up several times in the draft to get more players in rounds one through three. They do have Ryan Griffin still under contract who was last year’s backup to Winston.

The New York Giants also fit into this category after signing Colt McCoy to be Daniel Jones‘ primary backup. Similar to the Buccaneers, the Giants need to take every chance they can to fill out their roster to support their quarterback of the future.

They have big-time needs upfront on both sides of the ball and their offense pretty much tanked once Saquon Barkley got hurt last year. They need to do a better job of supporting Jones and his development.

Then you have other teams like the Browns who are set with Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum. The Bills with Josh Allen and Matt Barkley.  The Bears with Mitchell Trubisky and Foles. The Lions with Matthew Stafford and Chase Daniel.

The Vikings with Kirk Cousins and Sean Mannion. The Texans with Deshaun Watson and AJ McCarron. The Panthers with Bridgewater and Walker. The Falcons with Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub. The Ravens with Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin lll. And finally the Cardinals with Kyler Murray and Brett Hundley.

All of those teams are unlikely to draft a quarterback this year, in my opinion.