Which Second-Year QB Will Make The Biggest Leap?
The NFL is an ever-evolving carousel of quarterbacks. Last year 4 were taken in the first round. After that, only Jalen Hurts was taken in the second round and no other until the fourth round. Each quarterback struggled so who will make the biggest jump in year two?
Joe Burrow – Bengals
The first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and Burrow came out firing. Up until his injury, he looked like he was the right choice. The Bengals doubled down this year when they went out and selected Ja’marr Chase to be his new favorite target. If Burrow can come back healthy he can make an immediate impact on the team. The only problem has to be if they did enough along the offensive front to protect him.
Tua Tagovailoa – Dolphins
Tua Time had been talked about in Miami ever since “tank for Tua was uttered in NFL circles. Tua struggled a bit in the regular season but had his highlights. Whether or not he makes the leap in year two will ultimately come down to their offensive line. The Dolphins invested heavily in their line the past two offseasons as well as in their receiver unit. With Jaylen Waddle and Will Fuller added this year, they’ll have plenty of speed and quickness downfield. It’ll be up to the line to hold up and let plays develop as well as Tua to make the quick reads and fire it off.
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Justin Herbert – Chargers
Herbert came out the clear-cut instant playmaker for the Chargers. His biggest fault was the lack of wins. No matter what the stat line says, nothing will make up for the lack of ticks in the win column. While he made most of the right throws, the offense lacked an explosive edge. If he can pick up the pace of play and tire defenses out, it might shift games in their favor.
Jordan Love – Packers
Jordan Love got robbed of a career in Green Bay. For whatever reason, Green Bay decided to trade up for Love despite him not being ready to take the reigns from Aaron Rodgers. Whether they knew he was going to be a project or thought Rodgers would bring him along quicker, they still selected him in the first round. Granted he might not have been there with their next pick, but that’s a mistake by the Packers.
They either did nothing to guarantee he’d have the proper time to develop should Rodgers get hurt, or so far refuse to return. They went in with no plan past Rodgers and they’re leaving Love on the backburner. While he’s struggling early on, the “bust” label that will follow him around falls solely on GB for not developing him quick enough and over-drafting a project player with no backup plan.
Jalen Hurts – Eagles
Hurts is another player who didn’t get a fair shake with his current team. The Eagles coaches and front office couldn’t pull the trigger soon enough to give him the time to develop with their starters. Doug Pederson stuck to his guns too long on Carson Wentz and sacrificed a season to do so. While the division was up in the air, the Eagles weren’t playing playoff-caliber football to slow the team’s progress. Either Hurts was drafted to eventually replace Wentz, or Philly wanted to go with whoever earned the top spot. A spot that Wentz played himself out of more than Hurts played himself into.
Now with the Eagles having a few new weapons and a staff that will invest in him, Hurts could be a quiet choice for most improved.
The NFL is a “show me” league. All the hype and college success means nothing until you prove you belong. Out of the previous QB class, it would be easy to pick Tua Tagovailoa as the one to make the biggest jump. However, with the right coaching along the way and control of the offense, Jalen Hurts will easily fly under the radar to start the season, but keep an eye on his second year as a full-time starter. There’s something brewing there that’s worth taking note of.
Rick ODonnell aka Caveman Rick has many years covering the Miami Dolphins, Sports, and all sorts of movies and television.
