Continuing the week of speculation, QB's

[Yamahopper]

This might be another BS story, or maybe it's not. You're GM of a team needing a QB. Would you jump on one of these guys early losing out on a better position player or roll the dice. It's only your job on the line.
While the Rams have Bradford the number of QB's taken early in the first could impact the players available when the Rams pick. It could also make the trade down of #13 more profitable.


Sources: Manziel, Bridgewater Expected to Fall
Updated March 28, 2014
By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell

There is a growing sentiment among some of our NFL sources that one or two of the high-profile quarterback prospects could be in store for a draft-day free fall. The two quarterbacks are Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater and Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel.

Late in the 2013 season, we wrote that teams weren't grading Bridgewater like the top quarterback prospects of past years. Before the Combine, we wrote that two teams picking in the top five had Blake Bortles as their top-ranked quarterback. Teams are lukewarm on Bridgewater, as they have concerns about his physical skill set and build. A few sources said they wouldn't be surprised if Bridgewater fell to the second round.

We've also learned that one team picking in the top 10 has Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron rated ahead of Bridgewater.

A slide for Bridgewater seems more likely than Manziel. Manziel helped himself with his Pro Day performance, but there are still concerns about him off the field and how much of his game is going to translate in the NFL. Teams wonder if he will be able to develop his pocket passing. One source who attended his Pro Day said that he looked good, though he threw side-armed at times, and they wish he would have done more work out of the pocket. Teams feel that they would have to change their scheme to a shotgun-based offense for Manziel.

While some believe that Manziel could be in store for a draft-day slide, they think it is less likely for him, as it only takes one quarterback needy team to fall in love with his playmaking ability and "it factor."

Meanwhile, we know a few teams that are rating Derek Carr as the second quarterback behind Blake Bortles. Sources said that Carr is the most natural passer in the draft, while Bortles has the most upside.

Sources feel that that quarterback-needy teams like Houston and Jacksonville could get better value to pass on a signal caller in the first round and see who falls them at the top of the second. Cleveland could take one of the elite talents with the fourth pick and target a quarterback late in the first round.

In the 2011 quarterback class, second-round picks Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick have been far and away better than first-rounders Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder and Jake Locker. Considering that nobody views Bortles to be on a par with Andrew Luck, Cam Newton or Matthew Stafford, a number of teams feel that Houston would be crazy to pass on Jadeveon Clowney for a quarterback. Houston could take Clowney and see if Bridgewater or Manziel falls to them at 33 or trade back into the first round to get their quarterback.

Last year Geno Smith, Matt Barkley and Ryan Nassib fell far lower than expected. That trend has happened in other years like 2005 with Aaron Rodgers and 2007 with Brady Quinn. Multiple sources feel that history could repeat itself in 2014 with Manziel and/or Bridgewater.

 

[F. Mulder]

I personally think they can fall as well. Not fall to the point where they go from top -5 QBs to the end of Rd 1 QBs but I do think 1-2 can fall into the 5-15 range.

IF the first 5 picks are some combination of QB (Bortles), Clowney, Robinson, Watkins, Mathews/Mack
that can create a possible dilemma IF we were to trade down to 6 and all of the above are still taken leaving Mack left (who I love personally but don't think the Rams want to use a high 1 on with so many other needs). For the Rams to keep greater leverage with a trade down (no lower than 6) they need another QB to join the top-5 discussion and I am a little nervous about that at this stage of the draft. I know as the draft gets closer QB buzz increases again and the pressure mounts on QB challenged teams to pass on one of the consensus top-3 QBs.

I guess I'm at the stage where IF only 1 QB goes top-5 I'd rather stay at 2 and take Robinson or Clowney. I'm more of a Mathews guy than Robinson AT THIS POINT but see Clowney and Robinson as potential Stars if their development meets their talent. If that happens you can use the #13 to trade down and pick a position from a pretty decent-sized equal pool of players. IF they go Clowney there is a drop-off but a decent pool of second-tier OL who should be there in the mid/late first round. IF they go Robinson, and are able to trade down at 13, they can find much better value at CB/S. I'm feeling more and more like they stay at 2 unless there is an attractive trade value. Don't just move down to move down and end up with the type of player who you could have picked later in the draft vs a potential Great player.

Sorry for the rambling. Better slow down on the coffee.

 

[fearsomefour]

If Im a GM I would look to trade down and draft a QB mid first round. I don't love any of these QBs. In other words Id rather have Carr at say 16 than Bortles or Bridgewater in the top 5.
I also would have signed a cheap ish vet QB because I think all of these QBs benefit from sitting a year or two.
Or I would stay put and draft a QB later. I prefer Carr at 16 over the other guys top 5 and I much prefer McCarren in the 3rd round or Fales in the 4th round over Carr at 16....if you get the way I have drifted

 

[Yamahopper]

The element of teams like the Browns, Jags, Vikes going BPA with their 1st pick and trading back into the first to me is over rated. But if Carr or one of the falling 3 is there @13 the Rams might have a great chance to make a team to overpay.

 

[Thordaddy]

I think IF they fall our second first round pick may get some trade action.
Can't remember which guy on XM was talking about this ,but teams WANT to draft guys in the first round they COULD wait and get in the second because of the length of the contract allowed .