Feel like most teams with similar QB situations -- PIT, NO, SD, etc. -- are kind of dragging their feet, meaning they're relying on getting lucky with another high-rounder when the time comes. Might work out, but I don't think it's as reliable a plan, nor as fiscally prudent.
Well, to be fair, New England has not been riddled with other needs over the years, meaning they could afford the luxury of drafting QBs who wouldn't play. I don't follow PIT or NO but I do follow SD, and they have continually had major needs at several other positions.
Take this offseason, for example. Despite being 9-7 each of the two seasons, entering this offseason, they had major needs at OL (needed to resign Dunlap plus 2 starters plus depth), DL (desperately need NT plus depth), LB (Freeney and Jarrett Johnson both gone, Gachkar maybe gone, weak ILB play), CB (resign Flowers plus depth), SS, WR (Floyd 34, Royal gone), RB (only Oliver, Donald Brown, and Woodhead on roster). And apparently the team felt they needed to upgrade at kick returner as well.
That is a lot of needs to go out and spend a draft pick on a QB who the team doesn't expect to see the field for 2+ seasons. Especially when the teams' best players (Rivers, Weddle, Gates) have a fairly small window in which the team can make a push to win.
Consider the Packers' situation. They made the right call with Rodgers, but at the time it obviously wasn't a given he would be the QB he has become. Meanwhile, they used a first rounder on him, a guy who didn't play until Favre was gone. What if they had drafted a different player instead of Rodgers? Could that player, who would have potentially been a third year starter, have made the difference in the 2007 conference championship game? it is possible the Packers gave up a chance at the 2007 Super Bowl by drafting Rodgers. Given they won one later with him and he is set to be a successful QB for many more years, it was worth it. But that is hindsight. If other teams look at that and try to follow suit, it is likely that most of their picks won't work out so well.
Looking forward, I certainly wouldn't want the Chargers to use a first rounder on Winston or Mariotta and forego help with one of their other needs. And if you go deep into the draft, it becomes much less likely you will find a starting caliber QB.
