2. Easton Stick
The LA Chargers drafted Easton Stick in the fifth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft and he actually started to turn some heads during the preseason. While nobody expected him to compete even for the backup job with Tyrod Taylor on the roster, Stick gave Charger fans some highlights and some things to look forward to.
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With the Chargers using a fifth-round pick on a quarterback, it appeared as if the team would try and experiment with a Taysom Hill-like role with Stick. Stick is definitely a better passer than Hill and has the athleticism to play in that hybrid-type role for the Chargers.
We have already seen with New Orleans that if done correctly, having an asset like Stick in the offense can extend drives and have an overall impact on the offensive production.
Even after using a draft pick on Stick, the Chargers did not turn to him once in 2019. We know that he is not the future plan of the quarterback position, as the team is likely going to draft a quarterback in the first round, which could make the selection of Stick questionable.
Why not fill out the depth in other areas of the roster instead of using a fifth-round pick on a quarterback that is not going to play? It does not make sense, and that is why Stick will have a bigger impact in year two.
Having Taylor under center is going to help that as the Chargers could get creative with the athleticism of both quarterbacks and truly draw up things that even the Saints aren’t doing with Drew Brees. With the rookie quarterback being the traditional backup, the team does not have to worry about risking injury to Stick and then not having a second-string quarterback.
Taylor is not a traditional quarterback in the sense that he can take over a game and win it, like some of the greats in the league can do. Thus, the Chargers need to utilize the thing that he is elite at, which is in the athleticism department, and get creative with Stick alongside him.