Tag: Justin Herbert

Report: Duke Tobin attended Oregon game to scout QB Justin Herbert

The Bengals were reportedly checking in on Oregon QB Justin Herbert.

The quest to evaluate the top passers in the 2020 NFL draft continues for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Most recently, it sounds like the Bengals had top brass checking in on Oregon Ducks passer Justin Herbert.

According to James Crepea of the Oregonian (via ESPN’s Ben Baby), Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin was in attendance at the Ducks’ November 16, 34-6 win over Arizona.

There, Herbert put on a show with 333 yards and four scores, moving the needle to a 69.6 completion percentage with 28 touchdowns against three interceptions on the season.

The Bengals were probably going to do due diligence on Herbert either way given the trajectory of the team’s first-round pick this year. But checking in on Herbert seems more important than usual in the wake of the serious injury to potential No. 1 overall pick Tua Tagovailoa out of Alabama.

Herbert remains a top-10 candidate even if he hasn’t had the hype of other passers lately. Cincinnati reportedly traveling to see him again reaffirms the direction the franchise will likely take this offseason.

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Future QB Rankings: Rating all 32 NFL teams’ situations from worst to best

Touchdown Wire ranks the 32 NFL teams in terms of stability and potential at the game’s most important position over the next 3-4 seasons.

 

Future QB Rankings: Rating all 32 NFL teams’ situations from worst to best

Touchdown Wire ranks the 32 NFL teams in terms of stability and potential at the game’s most important position over the next 3-4 seasons.

Tom Brady might be the best quarterback ever, but he’s not the best in the NFL right now. He certainly won’t be the best in 2022.

He’s human, after all, and at age 42, regression is inevitable even for someone with six Super Bowl rings. That puts the New England Patriots in an uncertain situation at quarterback two or three years down the road. The New Orleans Saints, with 40-year-old Drew Brees under center, find themselves in a similar scenario.

Other teams, such as the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers, likely will face difficult personnel decisions at the quarterback position much sooner than that. Only a handful of teams, notably the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks, appear secure in their quarterback situation for years to come.

All this got us thinking about the quarterback situations of the future — and where each of the NFL’s 32 teams ranks in terms of preparedness at the game’s most crucial position.

By quarterback situations, we mean the full overview of each team’s quarterbacks group, including backups and a potential succession plan, if necessary. For this exercise, we will define the future as three to four years down the road.

To help form these opinions, we consulted with a blue-ribbon panel of one former head coach, two former general managers and one current general manager. They were asked for their thoughts on each team’s quarterback situation. They provided insight to inform our rankings.

With that in mind, we present Touchdown Wire’s future quarterback rankings for every NFL team, from worst to first:

32. Miami Dolphins

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this season, many observers accused the Dolphins of tanking to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and presumably select a quarterback. Since then, Miami (2-8) has been eclipsed by the ineptitude of Cincinnati (0-10) and Washington (1-9), so the Dolphins might not get the first QB off the board. Currently, the Dolphins have Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen on their roster. Rosen has failed in his playing time. There’s no way he’ll be back next year. The Dolphins have the option to hang onto Fitzpatrick, 36, who’s currently under contract next season at $5.5 million. It makes sense to keep Fitzpatrick around for one more year to help groom a young quarterback. That could be LSU’s Joe Burrow, Alabama’s Tua Tagavailoa (although his recent hip injury now complicates his draft status), Oregon’s Justin Herbert or Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts. Two members of my panel said they like Burrow better than Tagovailoa. Either way, it’s going to take some time to develop a young quarterback.

31. Chicago Bears

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For the moment, Mitchell Trubisky is Chicago’s starting quarterback. But it doesn’t appear that he will be in that role next year — although he remains under contract and the team holds a fifth-year option on the No. 2 overall pick from 2017. Given his level of play this season, it’s highly unlikely he will receive the option year, and he might not even see 2020 with the Bears — although the cap hit for cutting him would be slightly more than $9 million. The Bears are 4-6 after going 12-4 last year. There’s one main reason for the decline. That’s Trubisky. My panelists say he’s holding the offense back and could end up keeping a good team out of the playoffs. All four panelists agree Trubisky should be nothing more than a backup. Current backup Chase Daniel’s contract expires after this season. So there’s no telling who will be Chicago’s quarterback next year. Maybe the Bears will draft a quarterback. But with a talented roster already in place, the Bears should be first in line to sign New Orleans backup Teddy Bridgewater as a free agent.

30. Cincinnati Bengals

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Veteran Andy Dalton has been benched, and the Bengals are giving rookie fourth-rounder Ryan Finley a shot. There should be no turning back to Dalton, even though he remains under contract for 2020 with a $17.5 million scheduled salary. The Bengals can cut Dalton after the season without any salary cap ramifications. It’s too early to judge Finley. Cincinnati is going to end up with an early draft pick and could have a shot at Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert or Jalen Hurts. The Bengals will be starting over. But, given their current state, that’s not a bad thing. “Dalton had more than enough time and couldn’t win consistently,” one panelist said. “I have no idea what they have in Finley. But they have to draft a quarterback if they’re sitting there at No. 1 or 2.”

29. Washington Redskins

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The current situation is a mess. Veterans Colt McCoy and Case Keenum, who clearly aren’t the answer, each is in the last year of their contract. The Redskins have little choice but to play rookie Dwayne Haskins, who has five interceptions and two touchdown passes, the rest of this season. Call it an audition for Haskins. But this situation is complicated because the Redskins currently have interim coach Bill Callahan, who took over when Jay Gruden was fired. There will be a new coach next year, and he might not like Haskins. With an early draft pick likely, the new coach might want his own guy. Give up on Haskins after only one season? Arizona did it with 2018 first-round pick Josh Rosen after drafting Kyler Murray. All four of our panelists said Haskins was overrated when he was drafted.

28-25 / 24-21 / 20-17 / 16-13 / 12-9 / 8-5 / 4-1

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Should Tua Tagovailoa enter the 2020 NFL Draft?

Many believe Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has taken his last snaps in a Crimson Tide uniform, after injuring his hip in a contest against Mississippi State which resulted in season-ending surgery. The question that continues to loom is if he …

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Many believe Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has taken his last snaps in a Crimson Tide uniform, after injuring his hip in a contest against Mississippi State which resulted in season-ending surgery.

The question that continues to loom is if he should enter the 2020 NFL Draft and forego his senior season, or rehabilitate his injury and play one more year at the collegiate level before going pro.

Yahoo! Sports college football analyst, Pete Thamel, weighed in on what it would mean for Tagovailoa, financially, and the ramifications of his future decision.

Thamel explains that Tagovailoa was clearly one of the best quarterbacks eligible for the draft and probably the No. 1 overall pick.

With this season-ending injury, among other health issues he’s had in the last two years, teams may be thinking twice in 2020 about selecting him early.

“It’s very difficult, you don’t know what you’re drafting,” said a veteran NFL executive. “I see him maybe going toward the end of the first round.”

Being selected towards the end of the first round is still not bad, but having been projected to be the first player taken, it has to hurt your morale.

But there’s more than just morale involved, as Thamel goes on to explain.

The difference in the money from being the No. 1 overall pick to the No. 32 overall pick in the first round could cost Tagovailoa more the $25 million.

It is expected that his recovery could take upwards of six months. As Thamel explained in his piece, this would mean NFL teams won’t have the opportunity to see Tagovailoa before the draft.

This is a very heavy draft class when it comes to quarter backs.

Names like Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert and others are expected to go in the first round.

This is also a very “quarter back friendly” draft. Many teams are either looking for their quick-fix at the position now, or they are seeking out the future signal caller for their franchise.

Should Tagovailoa decide to enter the draft now and leave his final year of eligibility behind, he will almost certainly not be the first quarterback taken, and will likely fall late in the first round, as the one senior NFL executive had claimed.

However, if he is looking for one more year to prepare and fully heal before entering the NFL, he could stay with Nick Saban at Alabama one more year and enter the less-crowded quarterback class of the 2021 NFL Draft.

There are a lot of concerns surrounding this decision, because if he goes pro now, then the question asked would be “Well, where would he be if he stayed one more year?”

If he stays at Alabama he runs the risk of furthering any of his current injuries and damaging his draft stock even more, or he may even not play at the same level he has been over the last two seasons, which could cause him to drop even further in the draft.

This is something Tagovailoa will have some time to think about and talk over with his family to see what the best course of action may be.

For now, all we can do is speculate and weigh the options visible to us.

 

2020 NFL mock draft: Updated 3-round projections after Week 11

See how Tua Tagovailoa’s season-ending injury impacts Luke Easterling’s latest three-round projections for the 2020 NFL draft

We’re halfway through November, which means while the NFL playoff picture is starting to come into clearer focus, so is the top of the board for next year’s NFL draft.

While the league’s worst teams are jockeying for position at the top of the first round, the nation’s top college prospects are trying to take advantage of key opportunities in big games down the stretch.

Here’s an updated look at how the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL draft could shake out, using the latest updated order after Week 11 games:

1. Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

For the longest time now, it’s seemed Tua Tagovailoa was written into this spot with permanent marker. But Burrow’s performance so far this season has launched him into the No. 1 overall conversation, while a hip injury has ended Tagovailoa’s season. Burrow looks like the real deal in every way.

2. Washington Redskins | Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

Another franchise in disarray, Washington needs to add as much talent as possible, regardless of position. They already have their quarterback of the future in Dwayne Haskins, so they need impact players elsewhere on both sides of the ball. Young is a monster of a pass rusher with all size, athleticism and technique to be a dominant player at the next level.

3. New York Giants | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama

Offensive tackle is a bigger need and a more premium position, but GM Dave Gettleman has proven he’s willing to go for the dynamic playmaker over the pick that seems to make more sense. Jeudy is an explosive pass-catcher and the most polished route-runner in college football.

4. Miami Dolphins | Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

After his season-ending hip injury, Tagovailoa is obviously the biggest wild-card in this year’s class. He’s since had successful surgery, and is expected to make a full recovery. That being the case, I’m leaving him in this spot for now. If his recovery has any setbacks that cause him to miss key workouts leading up to the draft, his stock could still take a hit.

5. New York Jets | Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia

If Sam Darnold is ever going to develop into the franchise quarterback the Jets drafted him to be, he’ll need a franchise left tackle to keep him upright. Thomas is the best of a deep class, and would be an immediate upgrade for New York.

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Latest 2020 NFL mock draft has Bucs passing on both Tagovailoa and Herbert

The latest 2020 mock draft from Draft Wire has the Buccaneers looking to shore up their offensive line.

The Bucs sit at 3-7 right now and at the bottom of the NFC South.

With another losing season potentially in their future, Tampa Bay could find itself sitting at or near the top of the 2020 NFL Draft. The good news for them, should they decide to move on from quarterback Jameis Winston, is that next year’s draft will likely be filled with talented young signal-callers.

So, if one of the top quarterbacks in the 2020 class falls into their laps, the Bucs will have to draft them, right? Not according to the latest mock from Draft Wire, which predicts the Buccaneers taking Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs in the seventh spot, passing on both Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. (LSU’s Joe Burrow is pegged to be the top pick by the still-winless Cincinnati Bengals.)

While Wirfs would certainly help shore up the offensive line, would the Bucs really pass up the chance at drafting either Tagovailoa or Herbert? Tagovailoa’s recent hip injury might scare some teams away, but Herbert looks to be the ideal quarterback for a guy like Bruce Arians.

To check out the rest of mock draft, click here.

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2020 NFL mock draft: Latest 3-round projections

Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling updates his three-round projections for the 2020 NFL draft

We’re 10 weeks into the NFL regular season, and the college football season is hitting crunch time, with playoff pushes starting at both levels.

It’s crunch time for some of the nation’s top prospects, as well as the pro teams fighting for position at the top of next year’s draft board.

Here’s an updated look at how the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL draft could shake out, using the latest updated pick order:

1. Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

For the longest time now, it’s seemed Tua Tagovailoa was written into this spot with permanent marker. But Burrow’s performance so far this season has launched him into the No. 1 overall conversation, while another high-ankle injury has dinged Tagovailoa’s stock. Don’t be shocked if there’s a different QB in the top spot come next April.

2. Washington Redskins | Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

Another franchise in disarray, Washington needs to add as much talent as possible, regardless of position. They already have their quarterback of the future in Dwayne Haskins, so they need impact players elsewhere on both sides of the ball. Young is a monster of a pass rusher with all size, athleticism and technique to be a dominant player at the next level.

3. New York Giants | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama

Now that Odell Beckham, Jr. is gone, the Giants need a true No. 1 target to help Daniel Jones reach his full potential. Jeudy is one of the most polished, explosive pass-catchers we’ve seen in years, and he’s well worth a top-three pick.

4. Miami Dolphins | Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

Aside from the injuries, it’s hard to find a flaw in Tagovailoa’s game. A few months ago, it would have been hard to imagine the Dolphins landing him without getting the No. 1 overall pick, but thanks to Burrow’s soaring stock, he just might fall into their lap here.

5. New York Jets | Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia

If Sam Darnold is ever going to develop into the franchise quarterback the Jets drafted him to be, he’ll need a franchise left tackle to keep him upright. Thomas is the best of a deep class, and would be an immediate upgrade for New York.

6. Atlanta Falcons | Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State

In today’s NFL, you can never have too many quality corners. The Falcons may have more pressing needs elsewhere, but with this pick, they land one of the fastest-rising prospects in the country. Okudah is keeping up the trend of sending blue-chip defensive backs from Columbus to the pros.

7. Cleveland Browns | Tristan Wirfs | OT | Iowa

After all the offseason hype, the Browns have struggled mightily this season. They need to give Baker Mayfield everything he needs to succeed, and that means improving things up front. Wirfs would be an instant upgrade at either tackle spot.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Grant Delpit | S | LSU

Despite investing heavily into their secondary in recent drafts, Tampa Bay still needs help on the back end. Without a worthy tackle prospect still on the board here, the Bucs opt for the best playmaker in the defensive backfield, getting a versatile playmaker who can line up all over the field.

9. Denver Broncos | Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn

Offensive tackle is the bigger need, but the talent is too good to pass up elsewhere. Brown is a rare athlete for his size, with the explosiveness and power to be a dominant force up front. He’d be a much better use of a top-10 pick than reaching for he next-best tackle.

10. Arizona Cardinals | A.J. Epenesa | EDGE | Iowa

The Cardinals have lots of young talent, but they need more difference-makers on defense. Epenesa is a disruptive force who can line up inside or on the edge, making him the kind of versatile prospect Arizona should be targeting.

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Which QB would former Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum covet as QB1?

Mike Tannenbaum appeared this morning on ‘The Golic and Wingo Show’ to discuss which 2020 NFL Draft QB he would covet as QB1.

The Dolphins made the decision this offseason to relieve former Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum of his duties with the team, instead electing to elevate general manager Chris Grier to total control over the Dolphins’ direction and philosophy as a football team. That decision has yielded a drastic change versus what Dolphins fans have been accustomed to for nearly a decade — an intriguing shift into unfamiliar territory that will provide Miami with much more flexibility in how they choose to approach their roster rebuild.

But what would the Dolphins’ quarterback preferences look like if Tannenbaum were still on the team? Would he like the hot new name, Joe Burrow? Or what about the Alabama prodigy, Tua Tagovailoa?

The correct answer? None of the above.

Tannenbaum preferring Oregon’s Justin Herbert to both Tagovailoa and Burrow is hardly surprising — but is a clear indication that the Dolphins made the right decision to elevate Chris Grier within the organization. This isn’t to say that Herbert will be a bad professional quarterback, he very well may be a very good one. But the justification of the position for Tannenbaum? It stems all around Herbert’s size, while ignoring that Joe Burrow is listed at 6-foot-4, 214 pounds and Tua Tagovailoa checked in last March at 230 pounds, according to Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Senior Bowl.

Never mind the fact that Justin Herbert has experienced a broken collarbone and a concussion thus far in his college career. To presume Herbert is durable and “built to last” because of his frame while ignoring Burrow’s frame and Tagovailoa only missing 6 quarters of action over two years of action is an old-school way of thinking — and quite frankly in ineffective one. The NFL has drafted “smaller” quarterbacks 1st-overall in each of the last two seasons, to prioritize a player over other contenders based on height and a misplaced faith in durability is all Miami fans need to know about the man who used to call the shots.

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