With so much uncertainty surrounding the 2014 quarterback class, and so many teams in need of a signal caller, coaches and general managers may have to think outside the box when it comes to their future gun-slinger.
Two players who have been mentioned as potential trade targets come draft day, are the Redskins Kirk Cousins and the Patriots Ryan Mallett.
Cousins was a fourth round pick for the Washington Redskins in the 2012 NFL Draft. The 6'3" 209 lb quarterback took over for an injured Robert Griffin III at the end of a 2012 game against the Ravens, and led Washington to a victory. A week later, he lit up the Cleveland Browns for 329 yards and two touchdowns, versus one interception, completing 70.3 percent of his passes in route to a 38-21 win. Cousins started the last three games of the 2013 season, and finished with four passing touchdowns, and five interceptions. He averaged nearly 250 yards per game through the air on a team who was playing for nothing more than pride.
Mallett is a 6'6" 245 lb quarterback with a cannon for an arm. The former Michigan and Arkansas signal caller was a third round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2011 draft. In his final season at Arkansas, Mallett started all 13 games, and amassed 3,869 passing yards, with 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He averaged nearly 300 yards per game, and completed 64.7% of his passes. He has learned behind the great Tom Brady for the last three seasons, and may now be ready to lead his own team.
The Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings are all teams who are looking for a quarterback. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding players like Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr. Most analysts feel that there is not a "can't miss" prospect amongst the group, and that any team who chooses one of these players will have to be very patient with their development.
For a quarterback-starved team who wants to win now, the safer bet may be to trade a second round pick for either Cousins or Mallett, and use that high first rounder on a player like Jadeveon Clowney, Greg Robinson, Khalil Mack, Sammy Watkins or Jake Matthews; all of whom project to be top 10 picks.
If nothing else, the thought of this scenario playing out on draft day adds a little excitement to what is already an exciting three days.