Mid-Round QB Is Sensible We begin today with a quick pop quiz. And by quick we mean we want you to answer quickly, taking no more than a few seconds to come up with an answer. Ready? Here we go. Who is the Bucs' quarterback of the future? You couldn't do it, could you? You couldn't answer that question with conviction and confidence without contemplating it for at least a minute or so. Don't feel bad. You're not alone. The Bucs aren't so sure themselves who their quarterback of the future is. That's the problem. They have a glut of quarterbacks, but of the three who are in their 20s only one is said to have bona fide starting-caliber skills. And, Chris Simms hasn't played in nearly two years and appears to be on the trading block. So, we ask again, who is the Bucs' quarterback of the future? The answer is so elusive right now that no one could be criticized for suggesting it may even be Jeff Garcia or Brian Griese. Sure, that seems ridiculous, but if we've learned anything here in the last six years it's that Coach Jon Gruden's ultra-complex offense is best engineered by an experienced veteran. So the answer very well may be Garcia or Griese. Or it could be some other veteran short-term fix such as Chad Pennington, Byron Leftwich or Kyle Boller. We know, though, that the Bucs and especially Gruden really would like to find a young, legitimate "quarterback of the future" and that they'd like to pick him during this year's draft. The problem is the Bucs have only five draft picks and with their needs seemingly greater at wide receiver, cornerback, offensive tackle and running back, adding a quarterback seems a bit extravagant. But like buying that 50-inch flat-screen plasma TV you've been hankering for when you suddenly find it on sale, it may be an extravagance the Bucs just can't ignore. This draft is loaded with quarterback talent. Does the talent rival that of the famous 1983 draft, which produced three Hall of Famers? In terms of top-level talent, probably not. In terms of depth, maybe. According to the collection of pro scouts that make up The Sporting News' War Room, six of this year's quarterback prospects grade out as eventual NFL starting caliber players. Three of those - Louisville's Brian Brohm, Boston College's Matt Ryan and Delaware's Joe Flacco - are considered potential Pro Bowl players. The others will need time to develop into competent starters. Time is something the Bucs have on their side. Garcia is set as the starter for 2008 and if the Bucs get their heads on straight and give him the extension he's earned, he also could be back for 2009. Griese would seem to give the Bucs the bridge they need to develop a quarterback should that be the avenue they decide to take. Looking at it that way, spending a mid-round pick on a quarterback makes plenty of sense, especially if you can get someone such as USC's John David Booty, Michigan's Chad Henne or Kentucky's Andre Woodson with that pick. A second-round pick might be a little too much to spend on those quarterbacks, but spending a third- or fourth-round pick on any of them or someone such as Tennessee's Erik Ainge or Hawaii's Colt Brennan would represent great value. An even greater value would be getting someone such as San Diego's Josh Johnson or Tulsa's Paul Smith in the fifth, sixth or seventh rounds. The only problem is the Bucs don't have a sixth- or seventh-round pick this year. By the time the Bucs pick in the first round, though, they may have that sixth- or seventh-round selection. They'd probably have to trade down in the first or second round to get it but that could benefit them in two ways. In addition to getting them the extra pick, it also could make their selection of a receiver more valuable. Most of the top receivers in this year's draft are now being tagged with second-round values - at best. If the Bucs see them the same way, trading down makes even more sense, especially if it allows them to snag a quarterback. When you're picking 20th overall, though, you usually have to let the draft come to you. The Bucs may benefit from that, especially if a cornerback such as USF's Mike Jenkins falls to their spot. That seems a little unlikely but it could happen. And if the Bucs can fill their corner need in the first round and their receiver need in the second and third, they suddenly would be in position to draft a quarterback in the fourth. Given that scenario, it's hard to imagine the Bucs passing on the chance to add their quarterback of the future. And as your answer to the quiz no doubt indicates, a legitimate quarterback of the future is something the Bucs seem to need. Roy Cummings, The Tampa Tribune 20 April 2008