Five quarterbacks were selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and at least four of those players will have an opportunity to start this season. Each rookie quarterback has played during the preseason, and there might be a couple of rookie quarterbacks starting in Week 1.
Chris and Glenn Gronkowski have been keeping an eye on the rookie quarterbacks throughout the preseason, and they were both impressed with Baker Mayfield’s performance during his NFL debut with the Cleveland Browns.
“Not only was (Mayfield’s) completion percentage, QBR and lack of turnovers impressive, but he was able to keep drives alive that most quarterbacks would not be able to,” said Glenn Gronkowski. “He showed he was comfortable in the pocket for a rookie and was able to make exceptional plays that most veteran quarterbacks wouldn’t even be able to make.”
Related: Listen to Episode 2 of the Gronkcast
Chris agreed with his brother’s take on Mayfield, and he noted that Mayfield looked like a pro-style quarterback despite coming from a spread offense.
“He was stepping up in the pocket and delivering strikes down the field, not just dumping it off to the check down man,” Chris said. “What really stood out is how comfortable he was in the pocket even with a lot of pressure. Some of his best passes were under pressure.”
Mayfield is currently behind Tyrod Taylor on the depth chart, so it’s unlikely he starts Week 1 against the Steelers. Chris Gronkowski thinks Jets quarterback Sam Darnold has the most potential to start Week 1 as his team plays the Detroit Lions, though he mentioned that he wouldn’t be surprised if Mayfield stole the starting role from Taylor.
“I think Sam Darnold will be the first rookie quarterback to lock up the starting job,” Chris said. “The Jets are looking for him to be their franchise quarterback, and after a good Week 1 in preseason, it looks like they have found their man.”
Related: NFL Betting Guide
On the other hand, Glenn believes Bills rookie Josh Allen will be the first rookie to start. Allen is starting Week 3 of the preseason, which means Buffalo is leaning toward starting him in the regular season. Presumed starter A.J. McCarron injured his collarbone, so he might be out for several weeks.
“Buffalo has been needing a quarterback for a long time, and I think the Buffalo fan base will push to see Allen because they want to see what they believe is their franchise quarterback,” Glenn said. “I think their best bet would be to go with who they believe is their future franchise quarterback with Josh Allen.”
Darnold, Mayfield and Allen will likely all play at some point this season. Cardinals’ rookie Josh Rosen will also likely start, but it might be much later than the other rookies. Ravens rookie Lamar Jackson is behind Joe Flacco, so he might sit and learn for a year before taking over the starting job next fall.
The rookies have another opportunity to shine in Week 3 of the preseason, and it will be their last major chance to prove to coaches they are capable of starting. However, it might be a good thing for each quarterback to sit for half the season before playing, especially if they are facing a difficult schedule.
Aaron Rodgers is the best example of a quarterback who benefited from having to wait his turn. Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre in Green Bay for three seasons before becoming the starter. Tom Brady sat for a year before he came in due to injury. Philip Rivers played behind Drew Brees in San Diego for two seasons before starting.
The only rookie playing on a decent team is Lamar Jackson. The rest of the first-round rookies are on teams that aren’t expected to win in 2018, so it might be beneficial for them to sit a few games. Of course, fans want to see the rookies, so some head coaches might feel pressured to put the rookies on the field before they’re ready. In that case, we might see Darnold, Mayfield or Allen in the first few weeks of the season.
The Gronkcast Episodes:
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 9: Inside The NFL: Featuring Rob Gronkowski’s bodyguard Bobby Goons
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 8: Inside The NFL: Inside A Players Life in the NFL
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 7: Inside The NFL: An Interview with WWE superstar Mojo Rawley
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 6: Inside The NFL: NFL Week 2, BulletProof Picks, NFL Head Coaches
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 5: Inside The NFL: A Day In The Life of An NFL Player, NFL Week 1
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 4: Inside The NFL: NFL Betting Strategies, The Best NFL Prop Bets
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 3: Inside The NFL: What It’s Like To Be A Rookie In The NFL
