NFL Draft 2012: Why Brandon Weeden Should be 3rd Quarterback Taken in Draft

The way I see it, four quarterbacks will be on the wish list for NFL teams in need of a signal-caller: Incoming rookies Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn.

Luck is almost assuredly going to the Indianapolis Colts with the top overall pick. The most likely destinations for Griffin seem to be either the Cleveland Browns or Washington Redskins, though another team could step in.

Manning's future with the Colts remains uncertain, though the Miami Dolphins seem the most logical fit if he leaves. And Flynn will likely wind up with the team convinced it won't be able to land one of the two top rookies.

That's where Brandon Weeden comes in. Yes, the Oklahoma State senior is 28 years old, and yes, that will drop his stock significantly. But for a team that believes it is on the cusp of the playoffs and is a solid quarterback away from that goal, Weeden is the best option.

Consider the following from Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post (and Tony Pauline of Sports Illustrated):

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Weeden, who threw for 4,700 yards and 37 touchdowns this season, is 28 years old. He switched to football after a stint playing minor-league baseball. His NFL career won't last as long as the other quarterbacks in the draft, and scouts aren't sure if he was simply beating up on younger competition in college.

"He's probably a top-15 pick were it not for his age," said Pauline, who added that Weeden is probably the best of the group to run a quick-passing "West Coast" offense if [Miami head coach Joe] Philbin brings it with him from Green Bay.

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Weeden has two major advantages over Matt Flynn—he has more natural ability and he'll come cheaper—with two major disadvantages, in that Flynn is younger and has spent the past four years studying an NFL offense.

And the teams that would realistically consider Weeden could use first-round picks to improve their team or the money they'll save to address other needs in free agency.

Let's use the Redskins as an example. We'll pretend like they don't trade with the St. Louis Rams to get the No. 2 pick to draft Robert Griffin III, and they don't make a play on Matt Flynn in free agency or via a trade.

Now, they'll be in a position to take the best player on the board at No. 6—maybe they can land a franchise running back in Trent Richardson, for instance—can snag Weeden in the second round and will have money to throw at one of their team needs in free agency such as a playmaker at wide receiver.

And wouldn't you know it, this year just so happens to potentially be a great year to find a wide receiver in free agency, with players such as Vincent Jackson, DeSean Jackson, Marques Colston, Reggie Wayne and Dwayne Bowe all possibly hitting the market.

Suddenly, the Redskins look like a team a whole lot closer to the playoffs than it was a year ago.

Perhaps the Seattle Seahawks will go after Weeden in the second round, unsatisfied with the play of Tarvaris Jackson. They believe they can be competitive in Seattle—after starting the year 2-6, they figured things out and went 5-3 down the stretch.

Using the money they saved not pursuing Flynn, they could re-sign Marshawn Lynch, who was an absolute beast at running back down the stretch for them.

Maybe Miami won't want to overpay in a trade to snag Griffin, or won't want to overpay for Manning or Flynn in free agency.

Weeden can step in capable of running Philbin's offense, and the team can draft a much-needed right tackle such as Riley Reiff out of Iowa.

For a team that feels it is close to the playoffs, the talented Weeden must be a consideration. He may end up being the sort of cheap and reliable consolation prize in the quarterback raffle that allows a team to make the other moves necessary to reach the playoffs.

And in a year with such a drastic drop-off in talent after the first two quarterback prospects, he also seems a far less immediate risk than any other quarterback on the board.

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