Which Teams Are Most in Need of New Franchise QBs?

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The Kansas City Chiefs need to find Matt Cassel's replacement in the 2013 NFL draft or this team is going to be stuck in neutral for the foreseeable future.  

There's a good reason quarterbacks are often taken at the top of the first round, even if they aren't the best player available (Ryan Tannehill in 2012, Christian Ponder and Jake Locker in 2011, etc.). 

NFL teams can't win games without a legitimate franchise quarterback, and Cassel doesn't cut the mustard. He's not the only starting quarterback in need of being replaced, either. 

These teams all need to find upgrades for their current quarterbacks. 

New York Jets

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Mark Sanchez may not be completely finished as a pro quarterback, but his days as a starter for the New York Jets are numbered. 

It's clear to me that Sanchez has lost any shred of confidence he once had. Sure, his offensive line is terrible and his receivers have continually found ways to let him down, but other quarterbacks like Andrew Luck and Carson Palmer have been able to move the ball on offense under similar circumstances. 

Tim Tebow proved last year that he's capable of winning with the Denver Broncos—a team that was 1-4 when he took over and had just as many problems as the Jets do now—but it's clear the Jets don't believe in him as a franchise quarterback. 

The Jets are headed for a bad record this season, and the team will likely be picking in the top 10 next April in the 2013 NFL draft.

They need to make drafting a quarterback a priority. 

Oakland Raiders

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

The Oakland Raiders need help across the board, and Reggie McKenzie may look at a different position in the first round, but Carson Palmer isn't the long-term answer for this team.

Palmer is 32 years old, has a propensity for tossing picks like they were dog treats (118 interceptions in 110 career starts) and isn't a mobile quarterback. Greg Knapp would love to work with a young, athletic quarterback that could roll out and make plays with his legs if needed.

If the Raiders continue playing like they did in Week 4 against the Denver Broncos, McKenzie might be staring Geno Smith in the face with the first pick of the 2013 NFL draft, though, and he'd be foolish to go any other way. 

Kansas City Chiefs

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Matt Cassel broke out with a huge season for the New England Patriots in 2008 after Tom Brady blew out his knee, was promptly picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs the next season in free agency, had a mediocre season in 2009 before breaking out again with a good season in 2010 and then hasn't been good since. 

He's on pace to commit 40 turnovers this year, and according to Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole, he's losing the support of his locker room. 

It's time for the Chiefs to realize he's never going to be the player they thought he was when they shelled out the six-year, $63 million contract to him in 2009. 

Move on, already. 

Arizona Cardinals

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Arizona Cardinals are one of three NFL teams with a 4-0 record to start the 2012 season, and Kevin Kolb has actually played pretty well since being thrust back into the starting lineup when John Skelton went down in Week 1 with an ankle injury. 

That said, I don't expect him or the Cardinals to continue their winning ways as we progress through the rest of the season. By the end, the team will be right back where they were during the preseason—needing a legitimate franchise quarterback. 

Remember how good this team was with Kurt Warner at the helm? 

With their improved defense, this team could be even better with a true franchise quarterback behind center. 

Dallas Cowboys

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

I've been saying Tony Romo is overrated since the end of last season here at B/R, though I was criticized heavily for having said so. 

So far this season, Romo has had one good game, two games you could only describe as mediocre and one that deserves a place in the all-time hall of shame. He's thrown eight interceptions already this season, and the Dallas Cowboys are lucky to have a 2-2 record.

It's about time that Jerry Jones comes to grips with the fact that his team will never win a Super Bowl with Romo, and the Cowboys would be well served to draft his replacement before the talent on their current roster goes to waste. 

 

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78