Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
Finally, this is the group the LA Chargers find themselves in. This is the group of teams that are likely taking a quarterback. We’ll get to the LA Chargers situation later on, but we’ll start with the most obvious team here in the Cincinnati Bengals. They are taking Joe Burrow first overall, you can book that now.
The only way I can see them not doing so is if the Miami Dolphins for some insane reason came to them and offered all three of their first-round picks this year, which is not happening. Burrow is a no brainer for the Bengals an Ohio homegrown kid. Might as well have him sign his deal now.
The Dolphins are the next team I’ll mention here. They reportedly are interested in Herbert, and with the current lockdowns and lack of pro days happening that might very well be their pick. However, all signs are pointing to them being locked in an arms race with the Chargers for the rights to draft Tagovailoa.
Both teams have been linked to him and ultimately I think one of them is going to have to trade up and take the former Alabama standout. The Dolphins are loaded with draft capital over the next two years thanks to the overly generous behavior of Bill O’Brien but I fully expect them to take a quarterback this year and use next year’s picks to support the quarterback they take this year.
Next are the New England Patriots. Brady is obviously gone, as is half of last year’s all-time great level defense. They are loaded with draft picks this year and they’ll get their fair share of compensatory picks after losing almost all of their core players. So they’re in a good place in terms of that draft capital but Bill Bellichick is approaching 70 years of age.
Do we really think he’s going to go into the first year of the post-Brady era with Brian Hoyer or Jarret Stidham as his starting quarterback? I fully expect them to take a quarterback this year and who knows, maybe Matt Patricia throws a bone to his former boss and trades with them instead of the Chargers or Dolphins.
Now for the Chargers…