What I’m hearing: NFL insiders skeptical there’s a franchise-caliber QB available in draft

MOBILE, Ala. — This is not shaping up to be The Year of the Quarterback.

Teams in search of a quarterback this offseason are facing a major dilemma. The prospect pool is way down, to the point where some personnel executives around the NFL don’t believe there’s a franchise signal-caller in the draft, and the veteran market doesn’t have a prized asset, either.

Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are still viewed as the top pair of quarterbacks in the draft class, and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart seemed to have won the week at the Senior Bowl to generate buzz among teams as a potential first-rounder.

But not all draft classes are created equal.

Over the past month, numerous front office sources echoed a common refrain to The Athletic: They would not rank any of the draft prospects ahead of the six quarterbacks who were selected in the first round last year.

“I would guess 90% of the people here (at the Senior Bowl) would feel that way,” one executive said this week.

That sentiment will put teams at the top of the draft in the danger zone. The Tennessee Titans (No. 1 pick), Cleveland Browns (No. 2), New York Giants (No. 3), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6), New York Jets (No. 7) and New Orleans Saints (No. 9) could all be in the market for a QB. The Giants and Raiders have made no secret over their desperation to find a long-term answer at the position.

A couple of executives highly skeptical of the class, though, believed it’s much too dicey to take a QB in the top five this year, especially with Texas’ Arch Manning and a host of other promising prospects eligible for the 2026 class.

“If the Giants select (the wrong QB), it could set the franchise back years,” one of those executives said.

The Titans, who have a need at QB, have a fascinating decision ahead of them with the top pick. They have a new regime after hiring general manager Mike Borgonzi, and it’s believed by some that they prefer Ward to Sanders. However, the Titans met with Sanders for about an hour last week at the East-West Shrine Bowl, according to a league source. That’s viewed as a longer time than usual to meet with a prospect in that type of setting.

It could be chalked up to pure due diligence or even a smokescreen. But because evaluators want to meet with Sanders to see where football lies on his list of priorities, the extended meeting could also be a strong sign of their serious interest in the son of the Pro Football Hall of Famer. Deion Sanders, by the way, called into Shedeur’s meeting with the Titans, the league source said.

It also can’t be ignored that Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker recently said they “won’t pass on a generational talent with the first pick.” Considering the general lack of excitement over the quarterback class, it’s conceivable Brinker was referring to a player at another position, perhaps Colorado cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter or Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter. A few executives also believed the Titans would be better off trading the pick.

The debate between Ward and Sanders is interesting. Ward has the bigger arm and is more physically gifted, but he needs to be more disciplined with the football. Sanders had better tape and is the more accurate passer, but he doesn’t have an electric arm.

And again, teams are curious whether Sanders will fully dedicate himself to being a great player at the NFL level, which is something they hope to uncover over the next couple months of meetings. If teams like what they learn, Sanders will likely be a high pick. If not, one executive went so far as to predict he’ll fall out of the first round.

There’s also the wait-and-see approach. Dart might have worked his way into the first round this week in Mobile, even though he’s not perceived as a surefire starter, because quarterbacks are in such high demand. Dart’s case may be comparable to Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix, who weren’t considered first-round locks this time last year but have so far validated their teams’ aggressive draft-night approaches.

Alabama’s Jalen Milroe is another early-round possibility. Milroe is loaded with natural talent but needs time to refine it and develop into a more accurate passer. If he isn’t rushed into a bad situation, there’s a chance he could eventually materialize as a starter.

Of course, teams will also explore the veteran market, but there are more temporary fixes than long-term solutions. Sam Darnold was viewed for a while as the best player available, to the point where it seemed to be a lock he’d get a contract worth north of $40 million annually, but his poor play over the Minnesota Vikings’ final two losses has scared teams. It’s unclear how his offseason will transpire at this point.

The Atlanta Falcons could cut or trade Kirk Cousins, who should theoretically be better in 2025 due to his recovery from a torn Achilles.

Those options might not excite a fan base like a draft pick, but they could ultimately be preferable to a front office that is afforded patience by ownership to wait for the 2026 class.

To be fair, it’s entirely possible to draft Ward, Sanders or anyone else in April and develop them into long-term starters. A good situation matters, just as it does when perceived generational talents are failed by bad organizations.

But if teams are playing the odds with the current class, there seems to be more skepticism around the league than usual.

(Photo: Julian Leshay Guadalupe / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)