In 2023, the team faced a setback in their bid to be serious contenders due to inconsistent quarterback play. The 26-year-old quarterback had a poor start to the season and then suffered an injury in early November, sidelining him for the rest of the year. This was a different story from what we saw in 2022 when he and wide receiver earned himself a Pro Bowl nod.
Uncertainty has surrounded the quarterback due to inconsistency in his first few years in the league, and now with the NFL Draft just a few days away, reports indicate the team is exploring the idea of trading up to land top quarterback prospect Drake Maye. There is a strong chance that the first three players selected will be quarterbacks, but experts believe that the team will select Maye at number four.
The team currently holds the sixth slot in the draft, and reports suggest they are impressed with what they’ve seen from the standout. Drake Maye is a top 3 quarterback in the 2024 Draft. In 2023, he played in 13 games, passing for 4,115 yards and 38 touchdowns with 7 interceptions. The previous year he was even better, with two extra games; he passed for 4,321 yards, 35 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions.
The team claims they are looking to boost their offense, but the fact that they are even willing to explore the idea of drafting a quarterback with their first pick should tell you what they think about their current quarterback situation. The team has a fully guaranteed contract in 2024, and the rest of the quarterback room is expensive. The quarterback has a base salary of $25 million and an additional $5 million in incentives if he plays a certain amount of snaps, something that many front office members keep in mind considering the quarterback has missed playing time due to injuries.
To many, it might be a gamble, but Maye is one of the few rookies with the potential to be a starter right away.
