The 2023 NFL Draft directly taught us how teams view certain positions and indirectly taught us why one team could be in trouble. Here are some of the lessons learned over the course of three days in Kansas City:
Teams view backup quarterback as a potential investmentPhiladelphia has always placed value on the backup quarterback role whether it has been filled by Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew or Jalen Hurts. What many perceived as a luxury at the time Hurts was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft has turned into a long-term answer at the position.
Others view the idea of taking a young quarterback as an opportunity to shed some salary cap space. Top end backup quarterbacks are going for $7-8+ million on the open market so having a viable backup on a rookie contract is incredibly important when the annual cost of retaining a franchise quarterback has risen astronomically.
No matter the strategy, teams see value in selecting a young player at the position and that was evident on the final day of the 2023 NFL Draft. Nine of the 14 quarterbacks -- a new modern draft record -- were selected on Day 3. Once the run began, teams felt the urgency to act. If that continues, and there is no reason to think it won't, then, how will that affect the backup quarterback market?
Tight end position is evolvingOffensive coaches have adapted their schemes to stress defenses both horizontally and vertically. Buffalo wanted their version of Travis Kelce, so they drafted Utah's Dalton Kincaid to be a dynamic threat in the pass game. Detroit has worked hard to foster a tough, accountable culture and that continued with the selection of Iowa's Sam LaPorta. Teams that run wide zone blocking schemes will value the tight ends able to engage and sustain blocks in space. Georgia's Darnell Washington is a good fit for what Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada wants to do in that scheme. It is often a position singularly labeled, but complexly applied. As teams get smaller on defense to combat the horizontal nature of opposing offenses, offenses are looking to get their bigger athletes against those defenders in open space.
Most teams will be looking to add a variety of skill sets allowing flexibility for situational usage. The utility of the tight end position has led to more college athletes growing into that role. Nine tight ends were taken on the first two days of the draft, which set a modern draft era record. Fans should expect the supply of tight ends to continue as Georgia's Brock Bowers and Ohio State's Cade Stover are among those expected to be available next year.
Running backs are still highly-valued despite the narrativeTwo running backs were taken in the top-12 for the first time since Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey accomplished the feat in 2017. The narrative has been that teams do not value the position enough to justify top-10 consideration. While there is likely a bit of truth to it, the narrative does seem to be exaggerated. The NFL has seen multiple talented running back prospects over the years like Michigan State's Kenneth Walker, North Carolina's Javonte Williams and Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor, but each had their own flaw(s) and the draft positions reflected as much.
Texas' Bijan Robinson and Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs are higher level prospects. Robinson is well-rounded in every way. He is a good pass catcher and settles in pass protection while also being a dynamic runner. Gibbs is smaller but will not back down from an assignment. His pass-catching skills are more reminiscent of a wide receiver than a running back. If an offenses maximizes his abilities to make plays in space, then he is going to have a major impact on that team.
Cardinals re-structure off to a rocky startOn NFL Draft day eve, Arizona and Philadelphia settled a tampering investigation involving new Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon. Then, buzz began to circulate that quarterback Kyler Murray wanted the team to select Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. After trading back to No. 12 overall, the NFC West franchise moved back up to No. 6 overall to nab Johnson. If they were bowing to the quarterback's wishes, then it sends a bad message. Aaron Rodgers was pleading for that level of input into his final years with the organization. It is possible that the organization held the lineman in a similarly high regard but Gannon was not
