While everyone is so worried about the rookies, it’s time to examine the veterans impacted by the NFL draft. We will discuss some winners and losers in the quarterback position.
Winners
Kyler Murray, ARZ
One winner was easily Kyler Murray once the Cardinals made their first-round pick. The Cardinals selected Marvin Harrison Jr. to give Murray a true young WR1 for the offense. Harrison is one of the most complete prospects in the draft, and Murray will receive a boost. Before the draft, Murray had a receiver group of Michael Wilson, Chris Moore, and Greg Dortch. We saw when Murray had a legitimate weapon in the offense that Murray thrived in fantasy football. Murray had a 98.8% QB rating and averaged over 240 passing yards per game with DeAndre Hopkins. Of Murray’s 94 passing touchdowns, 54 came in games that Hopkins was on the field.
The Cardinals also drafted a great blocking tight end in Tip Reiman, who can block and be a big target in the red zone. The team drafted a young, exciting running back in Trey Benson, who should help open the offense for Murray. Benson could also be worked in the receiving game, giving Murray another weapon on offense. The Cardinals also added some underrated tackles in the third and fifth rounds of the draft to boost the offensive line. Murray should still be a trade target for a contending dynasty team during the rest of the offseason.
Byrce Young, CAR
A veteran winner must be Bryce Young, as the Panthers gave him some weapons. We were waiting for Tee Higgins or Brandin Aiyuk to get traded to the Panthers, but that did not happen. They gave Young a weapon in Xavier Legette in the first round. While Legette may not have been the receiver I would have traded up to get, he is still good. He is a dangerous weapon, with the ball in his hands. Legette knows how to get deep separation, which Young didn’t have last season. I’d expect Legette to be able to help Young on the field with his ability to do well in contested catch situations. He is a former quarterback who can work well with Young at the NFL level.
The team also brought in an electric running back, Jonathon Brooks, who can dominate the run game. If the Panthers can get a more dangerous run game, it should help open up the passing game well. Brooks also showed a receiving threat in his game. Finally, they added a difference-maker at the tight end position in Ja’Tavion Sanders. Last year, the Panthers had nobody at the tight end position, and now they do. Sanders can be a full-time tight end who can block and catch. His catching is what makes him unique as a player. While Young didn’t get an elite player, he did get some outstanding players to boost one of the worst offenses from 2023.
Raiders QBs
The last one is whoever will start at the quarterback position for the Raiders in 2024. Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew will fight for the starting job. The Raiders didn’t make the big reach to take one of the tier-two quarterbacks in the first fifteen picks of the NFL draft. They are big winners for your dynasty roster in the 2024 season. Instead of getting a player to compete with them, they gave them an elite weapon in the passing game in Brock Bowers. While they already had a young tight end in Michael Mayers, Bowers is an absolute weapon in an offense. He will find ways to get open and help produce yards after the catch. The team also drafted two players who could be week-one starters on the offensive line in Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze. They also picked up an offensive weapon in Dylan Laube, who can contribute all over the offense.
Losers
Kirk Cousins, ATL
Our first loser in the draft must be Kirk Cousins. While the Falcons already had the tools in place for Cousins to succeed in his first year, they felt they didn’t need to get him more. The team selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the NFL draft. The team wanted to be as safe as possible with their quarterback position, but it was the wrong move. It’s not like it was a late first-round pick, as it was the eighth overall pick. They could have gone with a more impactful player or even Rome Odunze if they wanted to.
There is a world where Cousins doesn’t return to form due to his Achilles tear. If the team had to choose between Cousins, who they paid $100 million plus to have on the team, or a cheap backup, they would continue to use Cousins. If Cousins struggles with the team now with Penix there, they may elect to make the move since they also invested in him. It shows me that the Falcons aren’t fully in on Cousins long-term.
Josh Allen, BUF
Allen is still a loser after the NFL draft. They added a receiver to the team in Keon Coleman. At the same time, Coleman is a big-framed receiver who can get up and go for the ball. He is still a player that has work to do. He struggles to find separation and doesn’t have that elite speed. I do have some questions about him being a WR1 for this team. I wanted to see the Bills make the splash to get Allen that elite WR1 in the draft. The team had a prime opportunity to get a player like Xavier Worthy or Adonias Mitchell, who could be a WR1 for Allen. They also get a running back in Ray Davis, who could end up being a red zone threat on the ground to take rushing touchdowns away from Allen.
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