QB roulette could impact race to #1 … With three weeks (we hope) still to play in the NFL’s regular schedule, at least four teams still have some probability of ending up with the #1 pick overall at the 2022 draft. Issues at the QB position, though, could end up have a major impact on which teams actually end up with those early picks. Detroit, which would have had the 2nd pick overall were the draft held this week, is reporting for example, that starting QB Jared Goff is unlikely to be available on Sunday when the Lions play in Atlanta. If, as expected, Goff can’t play, he’ll be replaced by either Tim Boyle or David Blough, neither of whom has ever played much. At the same time, both the NY Giants and Chicago, who currently control the 5th and 6th picks, will be deep into their depth chart at the position this weekend. The Giants, in particular, may start rookie Jake Fromm, who had never played a regular season down until last week, on Sunday when New York plays the Eagles in Philadelphia. Veteran Mike Glennon has been replacing injured Giants incumbent starter Daniel Jones the past three weeks, but he’s been borderline dreadful with a completion rate barely above the Mendoza line. In fact, in a loss to Dallas last Sunday, Fromm threw for 82 yards in the one series he played at the end of the game, while Glennon had 99 in 57 minutes of play. Meanwhile, Chicago, which traded the 6th pick to the Giants in a draft day deal last April, will be starting Nick Foles in Seattle with both Justin Fields and Andy Dalton out with injuries. At least Foles has plenty of experience. On the other hand, both Jacksonville and the Jets will have their original QBs when the two square off in an epic battle between the teams currently holding the 1st and 4th picks respectively in New York on Sunday. However, neither the Jags nor the Jets will have their original coaches on the sidelines as the Jets Robert Saleh is in covid protocol, while the Jags Urban Meyer was fired for conduct unbecoming last month. The Jags, though, will be without OLB Josh Allen, the team’s leading pass rusher. Of course, the original QBs in the Jags-Jets match-up are Trevor Lawrence and Zack Wilson, the first two players selected at the 2021 draft which should be interesting.
