My argument is that we should be trying to make a run at the playoffs THIS YEAR. It's a huge year in our free agent department. We're gunna end up losing key compotents to our team and have to draft new guys to replace them. I definetely see your side of the spectrum. But I would be more inclined to draft a QB if we had already made the playoffs or even had a good record. I mean really, who says that we're that close? We could of went 3-13 easily last season. Does a good QB change that scenario that drastically when as a team, we only had 3 quality wins all season? I just don't think it does. Nick Foles is good enough to get us the playoffs. Let's keep building the ins and outs of the team and then decide if drafting a QB will take us further.
1. There's no guarantee that the player we drafted in the first round is ready to start or ready to be a quality starter. We hope they will be but it's not something you should bank on if you look at the recent history of the draft.
2. We could have went 3-13 last season...we could have also went 10-6. Fact is that this team competed well despite the inadequacies it was dealing with from the QB position.
3. We have no idea if Foles is or isn't good enough. Hopefully, he is. But even if he is, getting to the playoffs is great but all of us want more. If Foles is simply an Andy Dalton type QB and Mariota is a true franchise QB, you'd be nuts to pass on him.
4. Drafting Mariota would not stop us from building this team.
5. The claim that 100% of our draft picks have to contribute this year is both incorrect and unrealistic. Be happy if 50% of them contribute this year.
6. Yes, a good QB changes this team drastically. That's not something that you should even debate. Is Foles a good QB? I hope so. But if I were them, I'd hedge my bets.
7. Why would you be more inclined to draft a QB if we were a contender? If we were a contender, we'd most likely have a QB. Because that's how important QBs are today. It's VERY difficult for a team to contend without a quality or (at least) average starting QB.
8. There's no guarantee we lose key components to this team. Our cap situation next year looks fine right now.
9. It also seems highly unlikely that Mariota is there at #10 so there's no real point in sweating this now.