The rookie quarterbacks were always going to dominate the conversation during the preseason so it shouldn’t be a surprise that Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders are garnering a lot of attention. Both landed on teams that have massive needs at quarterback. Both have shown they deserve a shot at starting at some point. Neither should probably start Week 1, but there’s an argument to be made.
But what about the other rookies? There’s an argument to be made for where the other rookies stand with their respective teams. Cam Ward, who was the No. 1 overall pick, has already locked in the No. 1 spot for the Tennessee Titans, even if they haven't confirmed it yet. So let’s take a look at a few of the rookies and where they stand in the depth chart battles.
Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Dart should be the second quarterback in the depth chart. Jameis Winston was always an emergency option and this is Russell Wilson’s team. That’s not to say he won’t play or doesn’t deserve to play this year, I just think he’d benefit from not starting with the New York Giants right now. We’ve seen with Anthony Richardson how damaging it can be to force a rookie into a situation.
The Giants are in a win-now position and the last thing they need is Dart messing that up. Not only could it cost Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen their jobs, but it will also set Dart up for failure if he doesn’t win and play well right away. No. 2 is good for him and anything less means they wasted a first-round pick.
Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
Like Dart, there’s nothing else Sanders needs to do to prove he’s the second-best quarterback in that room. If I’m being honest, he’s probably the best one, just inexperienced. And you can’t fault the Cleveland Browns at all for turning to Joe Flacco. The Browns have had their share of bad quarterback decisions. The last thing they need to do is put Sanders in a situation that could hinder him.
The Browns aren’t tipping their hand to what they plan to do. But Sanders has been at the back of the depth chart and it’s kind of puzzling why. Neither Kenny Pickett nor Dillon Gabriel should be considered ahead of Sanders. The Browns need to do right by Sanders. He’s earned the backup spot and is certainly ahead of Gabriel and Pickett.
Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough should probably be Spencer Rattler’s backup, but they drafted him in the second round for a reason. He was the third quarterback taken in the NFL Draft and with the New Orleans Saints no longer having a clear-cut starter, the Saints gain nothing from playing Rattler over Shough.
Kellen Moore will be tied to whomever he starts this season and it’s better to believe in the guy you drafted than the guy you inherited. Neither are great options, but not starting Shough just feels like a waste. He’s one of the oldest quarterbacks drafted in April so experience isn’t really a factor.
Shough is probably the starter by proxy more than anything. That’s not to say he isn’t good enough, but they drafted him for a reason; it’s time to show what that reason is.
Jalen Milroe, Seattle Seahawks
Jalen Milroe was taken in the third round by the Seattle Seahawks in April and instantly became Sam Darnold’s backup. That shouldn’t change, and in fact the Seahawks have reason to believe in him as a backup and potential starter down the road. Milroe should add pressure to Darnold this season. The Seahawks chose Darnold over Geno Smith so he has to not only prove they made the right decision, but that he was in fact worth it.
Taking nothing away from Drew Lock, Milroe deserves the backup job. Lock has had multiple chances to be a backup and starter in the NFL. If the Seahawks take three quarterbacks, I guess Milroe could be the third-string. But if I'm the Seahawks, I'm turning the backup role over to Milroe.
Milroe is probably in the best situation of any rookie quarterback. He doesn’t have to prove anything, but will get a chance to learn the system before he’s needed. If they never need him, he gets to be a talented backup that may get a chance later in his career. If they do, he won’t have to worry about any pressure.
Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland Browns
The Browns continue to be high on Dillon Gabriel but his tape from the Philadelphia Eagles game is proof he was a reach. The Browns selected him in the third round and have no reason to keep him around. He’s at the bottom of the depth chart and should be a preseason casualty, if we’re being honest.
If Pickett is trade bait, Gabriel is trimming the fat off the roster and in two swift moves the Browns can go from quarterback room confusion to quarterback room clarity.
Cam Miller, Las Vegas Raiders
Cam Miller has an uphill battle to contend for the No. 2 spot in the depth chart with Aidan O’Connell ahead of him. That’s nothing against Miller and has everything to do with O’Connell and what he’s done for the Las Vegas Raiders. He was potentially in line to start before the Raiders landed on Smith.
Miller could be a third string quarterback if the Raiders took three, but if not, he’ll probably end up on the practice squad.
Quinn Ewers, Miami Dolphins
At this point, Quinn Ewers is closer to playing himself out of a job than he is making the Miami Dolphins 53-man roster. In his two preseason appearances so far, you see why he fell all the way to the seventh-round, despite taking Texas to back-to-back College Football Playoff semifinal appearances.
He made up for his miserable first preseason game against the Detroit Lions, but it probably won’t be enough to beat out Zach Wilson. This was a chance for Ewers to get in a system that is similar to Texas’ and prove he should beat out Wilson for the job. Instead, he showed he’s not quite ready and is probably headed to the practice squad when the season starts.