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Sean Payton Makes Ruthless Statement On 2018 QB Class

By Erik Lambert

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 14: Head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints looks on from the sideline against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half of the NFC Divisional Playoff game at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 14, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 14: Head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints looks on from the sideline against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half of the NFC Divisional Playoff game at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 14, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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If people wanted to talk about the quarterback position and what makes good ones, Sean Payton would be a great brain to pick.

After all, this is a guy who helped the Dallas Cowboys sign Tony Romo as an undrafted free agent. Then he transformed Drew Brees from solid veteran to eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer. The run those two have been on is extraordinary. It includes 10 Pro Bowls, two Offensive Player of the Year honors, five seasons of 5,000 or more passing yards and a Super Bowl championship. In terms of pure production, only Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are in the same conversation for a QB-coach duo.

Unfortunately, all great things come to an end. Brees is 39-years old. His physical skill, while still formidable, has begun to wane the past couple seasons. The 2017 season marked his lowest passing yardage ever and touchdown totals ever as a Saint. The urge grows daily for the franchise to start thinking about the future. Could they look to find their answer in the 2018 draft class? Not if Payton had his say in the matter.

He told the MMQB that teams should be more wary of what they’re getting into this year.

Payton basically says most of top names are elevated by needs of teams

That’s pretty damning. Payton’s judge of quarterback talent is hard to question. For him to say only Sam Darnold is likely to pan out does not bode well for what’s about to happen in the top 10. Expectations are four quarterbacks will be taken. Perhaps even five if another team trades up. This means four teams will inevitably be doomed and have given up a ridiculous amount of draft capital in the process. The Jets traded up to #3. The Buffalo Bills are expected to trade up at some point.

To be fair it’s not hard to see Payton’s point. Several of the top quarterbacks come with serious question marks. Josh Allen has that coveted big arm but serious accuracy issues. Baker Mayfield is an unpredictable personality and also undersized. Josh Rosen has a limited ceiling and questions about his love of football. Lamar Jackson is viewed more as an athlete than a quarterback. Darnold has the fewest question marks of them all, so it makes sense.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: The Browns Do What They Do Best

Hence why most mock drafts have him going in the top two picks. The question moving forward is whether one, if any, of the others, can prove Payton wrong.

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