It’s official. Jameis Winston is entering the NFL draft, and the comparisons between the enigmatic Florida State QB and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota are already underway.
There’s going to be loads of debate as to which quarterback should be taken with the top pick by Tampa Bay. I haven’t really formed an opinion yet. Winston appears to have the better physical tools according to most of the experts, but Mariota has wide edges in the intangibles categories, for pretty obvious reasons I don’t need to explain.
But the current bottom line is that many QB analysts that have a better take on the topic than I do are of the opinion that neither Winston nor Mariota is even close to a sure thing at the next level.
I have no idea what the Bucs think about either QB. But if there’s that much skepticism regarding the abilities of both Winston and Mariota to be a star in the NFL, perhaps Tampa Bay should consider a third option.
Turn back the clock just a few years and the Rams were sitting with the second pick of the draft. Andrew Luck was going to be taken first by the Colts, and the Rams already had Sam Bradford. The fact things haven’t gone well for Bradford is immaterial, as at the time the Rams were certainly not going to draft another QB. Instead, they shipped the second pick to the Redskins, who ended up overpaying dramatically for Robert Griffin III. That deal has turned into a disaster for Washington, but the Rams made out like bandits, getting a big haul in return.
I think the Buccaneers would be wise to consider trading the top pick. Unless they’re absolutely convinced either Winston or Mariota is going to be a true franchise QB, a deal makes loads of sense. With the shortage of star signal callers in the NFL, it’s a virtual guarantee Tampa Bay could sell ultra-high. Considering the overall state of the Bucs roster, the view here is they’d be better off loading up on picks in hopes of constructing a quality roster.
The second pick is owned by the Titans, and they’re in phenomenal shape as far as moving the selection is concerned. Tennessee is unlikely to be going the QB route and that being the case, it’s reasonable to believe they can do themselves more good by dealing down. Once again, the QB shortage almost guarantees they’ll have a great chance to get overpaid by a desperate franchise.
If you’ve got either of the first two selections, what’s your best strategy? Chime in with your thoughts ... This is sure to be a hot topic as the draft approaches, so here’s your chance to play GM ...