Bill O'Brien to be fired per Glazer

[Sperm Edwards]

5 hours ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

Doesn't seem that realistic.  Take the best QB we can get in the draft?  From what I've read, supposedly this isn't a good draft for QBs.  If we don't sign a veteran guy to be our starter, I don't see what we're left with.  If we draft a QB at #6 then we've got the draft pick, Hack and possibly Petty (if he's not cut).  Hard to imagine the Jets are going into next year w/ that group.  Glennon might hold out for an Osweiler type contract (or bigger) which could potentially set the team back several more years.  Unless we can get Tyrod Taylor or make a blockbuster trade, I don't see how we don't sign a band aid starter again.

I've read the same about this draft class, but is every QB at the top of this class a worse prospect than (at this time in their respective draft years) Prescott, Wilson, Carr, Dalton, Flacco, Cousins, and others who were obvious top-100 prospects but not top-10 pick prospects? 

I agree with you that Maccagnan isn't likely to go into 2017 with just a draft pick (whether at #6 or whatever) plus Petty/Hackenberg. Now that they've stated Bowles is returning, Maccagnan no longer gets a free 2 years, meaning this upcoming year won't be another mulligan for him to have only unprovens at the position. Therefore I fully expect them to bring in one of the available "sure starter" veterans. He'll be (understandably) more concerned with buying himself an extra year that a rookie won't likely buy him (barring a Prescott rookie season, or even a Wentz one for that matter).

I tend to think he'll go with one of the names that has come up, where there's no question who the week 1 starter is based on the contract (assuming everyone's healthy). So that list would include (in no particular order):

1. Taylor
2. Glennon
3. Romo
4. Cutler
5. Palmer, if Arizona's done with him. Don't know what (if anything) he'd garner in trade, since he's due $17.5m in 2017 and just turned 37. 
6. Cousins, if Washington doesn't tag/extend of course
7. Garoppolo (doubt NE allows us to be the team he goes to, unless we outbid the 2nd-highest by a significant amount).
8. Bridgewater/Bradford (I think Minnesota brings back both due to Bridgewater's uncertainty, but technically possible)
9. Brees (there's always preseason speculation about this one, and after a trifecta of 7-9 seasons, NO may just think they're better off using his trade value to further a full rebuild that won't be far off anyhow with Brees getting up there. Brees apparently is not seeking another extension with the Saints this offseason, but it's not clear if he doesn't want an extension, or specifically doesn't want an extension specifically with the Saints.)

It's possible - but I think less likely - MM sets his ambitions a little lower, like the Chase Daniel tier (assuming Philadelphia wouldn't mind flipping a $7m backup QB for something in return). The problem with him is his dollars spike if he actually starts, so they wouldn't save much going with him, he'd cost a pick to get, and he could still be expensive while sucking. Anyway, names from this next tier, whether or not any deserve to be ranked lower than the great Mike Glennon, would include (again, in no particular order):

1. Daniel (as I just mentioned)
2. Bortles, if Jacksonville wants to use the coaching change as an excuse to cut bait now
3. Kaepernick
4. McCarron
5. RGIII (don't think there will be much more interest in him than there was in 2016)
6. Cook - if he gets the nod in the playoffs and looks really sharp Oakland may not be too upset flipping him for a quick profit.  
7. McCarron - I think Cincy trades him while they still can, instead of having him hold a clipboard for 1 more year and ending up with nothing. A weak draft only increases his value.
8. Osweiller - technically would be available if someone would remove the burden for what is now only a 1-year guarantee remaining.
9. Fitz (because the Jets hate their fans I think this is possible; it was Maccagnan's original desire to have him return as a maybe-starter/maybe-mentor in 2017).
10. Landry Jones
11. Foles (no way KC pays him $11m next year to back up Alex Smith)
12. Siemian, if Elway wants to flip him for trade profit, after picking up a short-term veteran to allow Lynch to again hold a clipboard for part or all of 2017. If their chosen veteran is Romo I have to think they'd keep Siemian due to the obvious high injury risk. But if they picked up say a Carson Palmer, then I think they flip Siemian.

There may be others as well I'm just not thinking of. So there's a long list. While some will end up returning to their 2016 teams, there'll still be a lot available. Enough that a GM potentially on a hot seat won't go with 2 seemingly bad options from the 2016 roster plus a rookie from a poorly-regarded draft class.