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The free agency segment of the quarterback carousel is starting to wind down: Tyrod Taylor restructured his contract with the Bills, and Brian Hoyer seems set to go to the 49ers. There are whispers that Mike Glennon is going to get a starter's contract, but there's little evidence that Glennon has that much leverage in free agency. In the meantime, here's what the draft looks like now:

 

1. Cleveland Browns: Although the Browns wouldn't take a quarterback with this pick, they need a long-term option at quarterback; Robert Griffin III is on final year of contract

2. San Francisco 49ers: Needs long-term option at quarterback; Brian Hoyer is a placeholder

3. Chicago Bears: Needs long-term option at quarterback; needs short-term option at quarterback is Jay Cutler released as expected

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Needs to make decision concerning Blake Bortles; David Garrard was the last Jaguars quarterback eased into the signal-calling role as opposed to being thrown into the fire

5. Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota is entrenched as the starter

6. New York Jets: Needs short-term option at quarterback if New York Jets don't elect for total rebuild

7. Los Angeles Chargers: Needs long-term option at quarterback with shelf-life for 2004 draft class selections winding down (Philip Rivers is 35 years old)

8. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton isn't going anywhere this year

9. Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals could spin the wheel at the quarterback position, but could become a player for a quarterback in the draft if they elect to trade A.J. McCarron with a year remaining on his rookie contract

10. Buffalo Bills: It is all but certain that Tyrod Taylor will remain in Buffalo this season, and with Cardale Jones on the roster, it's not expected that the Bills will take a quarterback early.

11. New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees is 38 years old, and the Saints have struggled to employ a complete roster. The Saints could decide that 2015 third-round selection Garrett Grayson is their quarterback of the future, or they could look to the 2017 class for life after Brees.

12. Cleveland Browns: This is likely where the Browns could take a quarterback if the one they wanted was on the board

13. Arizona Cardinals: Carson Palmer is 37 years old, but the mileage both physically and mentally may be greater than the odometer shows; he's got one year left, and the Cardinals must look to the future now.

14. Philadelphia Eagles: Carson Wentz is their guy for now

15. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck is the future for this team

16. Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco isn't great, but he's good enough and young enough to make the idea of a first-round quarterback to the Ravens rather odd

17. Washington Redskins: It's almost certain that the Redskins will draft a quarterback, and only an agreement to a long-term contract with Kirk Cousins would change that

18. Tennessee Titans: Another strong piece to support Marcus Mariota

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Buccaneers have to stick with Jameis Winston for now

20. Denver Broncos: It's unlikely that the Broncos would choose any quarterback from the 2017 class to start instead of Paxton Lynch

 

If it is assumed that Jay Cutler, Tony Romo, and Kirk Cousins make up the starters' tier of the quarterback carousel, there are seven teams drafting ahead of the Chiefs that are likely either to draft a quarterback or sign one of those three established starters. The main question is whether those teams will reach for a quarterback when they're on the clock during that first round of the draft.

 

With so many teams lacking an answer at quarterback, I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of movement during this draft so that savvy general managers can strike the delicate balance between team need, draft slot, and prospect grade. There are still chips to fall, and for that matter, following the Combine, some quarterback prospects are falling to later rounds -- where their selection would be more appropriate given their demonstrated ability.

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