Several teams could select a quarterback in the top 10 picks of the 2023 NFL Draft, but not all situations will be created equal. Some clubs are better prepared to insert a rookie signal-caller into their offense than others.
Let’s run through the six teams that could potentially draft a quarterback in the top 10 and rank them based on their supporting casts. These rankings will lean heavily on skill-position and offensive-line talent, while coaching will also be a factor.
We’ve left out four teams who have top-10 picks. The Arizona Cardinals (No. 3), Chicago Bears (No. 9), and Philadelphia Eagles (No. 10) all have relatively established quarterbacks, while the Atlanta Falcons (No. 8) have been adamant that Desmond Ridder will be their 2023 starter.
Ranking Supporting Casts of QB-Needy Teams in the Top 10 of the 2023 NFL Draft
6) Houston Texans
The Texans have been in something of a purgatory for the past two seasons, running through two one-year head coaches while seemingly failing to put any plan into place. But now that they hold two first-round picks, including the second overall selection, Houston is finally on track to move into the next phase of their rebuild — which will likely include a rookie quarterback.
General manager Nick Caserio added a few veteran offensive players this offseason, signing wide receiver Robert Woods, tight end Dalton Schultz, and running back Devin Singletary to modest deals. And Dameon Pierce looks like a multi-season starter after 939 yards in his rookie campaign before suffering a season-ending injury.
But the Texans still need more skill-position talent. Whether Houston selects Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud at the top of the draft, that passer will require pass catchers to help him grow. We’ve seen quarterbacks like Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts develop relationships with young receivers like Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith, but there’s no one of that caliber on the Texans’ roster.
Luckily, Houston has the draft capital to add playmakers at every level of its offense. With five selections inside the top 73, the Texans should be able to bring in weapons at receiver and tight end, perhaps as early as No. 12 overall. In PFN’s most recent seven-round mock draft, Ian Cummings has Houston double-dipping on third-round receivers by taking Wake Forest’s A.T. Perry and Michigan State’s Jayden Reed.
Up front, the Texans have quietly built a strong offensive line that includes veterans like Laremy Tunsil and Shaq Mason, plus last year’s first-round pick Kenyon Green. Their only real weakness is at center, where Scott Quessenberry could potentially be pushed out of the starting lineup by a rookie pivot.
New Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans brought former 49ers staffer Bobby Slowik to Houston as the club’s new offensive coordinator. Slowik will implement a Kyle Shahanan offense for the Texans, but given that he’s never called plays at the NFL level, it’s difficult to know what to expect from the virtually unknown 35-year-old.
5) Indianapolis Colts
Let’s stick in the AFC South, where the Colts are revamping their offensive scheme under first-year head coach Shane Steichen. Indy is essentially bringing back its offensive cast of characters from last season, as quarterback Gardner Minshew and wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie are the club’s only significant additions.
There are things to like about the Colts’ offense. Micahel Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce would give a rookie Indianapolis quarterback a pair of ascending receivers. Jonathan Taylor dealt with injuries last season, but he was the NFL’s best running back as recently as 2021.
Steichen is a first-time head coach, but he was incredibly impressive as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator from 2021-22. Instead of developing an offensive system and forcing his players to adapt, Steichen crafted a scheme that got the most out of Hurts, Brown, Smith, and others. He can do the same thing in Indianapolis, but he’ll need a better foundation of talent.
Indy’s offensive line was once a strength, but the unit cratered last season. Left guard Quenton Nelson and center Ryan Kelly posted the worst campaigns of their career. Bernhard Raimann looks to be the Colts’ left tackle in 2023, but the former third-round pick is still a question mark. And right guard will be a problem if Indianapolis doesn’t upgrade over Will Fries and Danny Pinter.
If the Colts can land a mobile quarterback like Florida’s Anthony Richardson, he may be able to mitigate some of the club’s offensive line woes. But because Indianapolis holds the No. 4 pick, they may have to take whichever passer is still on the board.
4) Carolina Panthers
Some of the teams on our list might take a quarterback in 2023. But after the Panthers sent DJ Moore and a haul of draft picks to Chicago for the rights to the No. 1 pick, we know Carolina is targeting a quarterback.
The Panthers seem to be deciding between Young and Stroud, and whomever they land on will be walking into a solid situation. Carolina traded its best receiver to secure the first overall selection, leaving them without much talent at wide receiver. But they’ve been proactive about bringing in veterans to surround their next signal-caller.
Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, and tight end Hayden Hurst — all 2023 free agent additions — figure to be the Panthers’ leading receivers next season. Chark is on a one-year deal, but Thielen and Hurst both signed multi-year pacts, meaning Carolina’s next quarterback should get to work with them through at least his second NFL campaign.
There aren’t any superstars here, but it’s nearly impossible to find true WR1s on the open market. Instead, the Panthers have formed a base level of talent that will allow them to support their next quarterback.
Carolina no longer boasts Christian McCaffrey after trading him to the 49ers last year, and D’Onta Foreman — who looked impressive after taking over down the stretch — signed with the Bears. But the Panthers added former Eagles starter Miles Sanders on a four-year deal and will make him a bell cow.
Sanders is a limited player who benefitted from excellent circumstances in Philadelphia, but, like Carolina’s other signings, he offers baseline competence.
Meanwhile, the Panthers have two strong tackles in Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu, last year’s first-round pick who significantly improved as the season progressed.
On the coaching side, Frank Reich remains one of the best play-callers in the league, and he’s added a bevy of offensive minds around him, including coordinator Thomas Brown, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, running backs coach Duce Staley, and receivers coach Shawn Jefferson.
3) Detroit Lions
The Lions don’t necessarily need to draft a quarterback with the fifth overall pick. Jared Goff finished fifth in QBR last season and is only 28 years old. But given that Detroit might not be picking this high again for some time, they could potentially try to find a higher-upside option now that the opportunity has presented itself.
If the Lions do add a rookie passer to the mix, that QB will step into an excellent situation. Detroit can afford to take a chance on a developmental prospect like Richardson, knowing that he wouldn’t have to start immediately.
General manager Brad Holmes has built a superb roster, but coaching might be the Lions’ biggest selling point. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was dynamic in his first season as a full-time play-caller, so much so that he probably would have landed a head coaching position this offseason had he not withdrawn from consideration. Getting to work with Johnson would be a coup for Detroit’s next quarterback, even if it’s only for one season.
The Lions also have an offensive line capable of keeping its QBs upright. Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker comprise one of the NFL’s most talented tackle duos, while center Frank Ragnow is also a high-end talent. Right guard is the only potential weak area, but Detroit brought back Graham Glasgow to compete with holdover Halapoulivaati Vaitai.
At receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown is already a star after posting 2,073 yards over his first two NFL seasons, while the Lions invested the 12th overall pick on Jameson Williams in last year’s draft. If Williams can take a step forward in 2023, Detroit could field a dangerous set of pass catchers, especially if they use a Day 1 or 2 pick on a tight end prospect.
New Lions running back David Montgomery might find it hard to match Jamaal Williams’ 17 touchdowns from 2022, but he’s a more well-rounded back than Williams. If Detroit can figure out to get the most out of D’Andre Swift (perhaps on limited touches), they could field a backfield that will find success behind the Lions’ offensive line.
2) Seattle Seahawks
Like the Lions, the Seahawks won’t need to play a rookie quarterback immediately, even if they decide to select one. Seattle re-signed Geno Smith to a three-year contract after his Comeback Player of the Year campaign, ensuring he’ll be the team’s starter for at least 2023.
However, Smith’s deal is really more like a one-year pact that the Seahawks can escape after the upcoming season. If Smith falls back down to Earth, Seattle might want to have a replacement waiting in the wings. And thanks to the Russell Wilson trade, they have the fifth overall pick at their disposal, meaning they can either trade up for a QB or hope one falls to their range.
Both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett went over the 1,000-yard threshold last season, giving Seattle’s next quarterback an outstanding duo at wide receiver. Metcalf and Lockett have the ability to erase quarterback mistakes, which should help a young passer overcome growing pains.
Noah Fant and Will Dissly leave something to be desired at tight end, but the Seahawks have the draft ammunition to add another WR or TE later this month.
Seattle could use long-term help on the interior of its offensive line, but the club had to be pleased with the performance of rookie tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas. It’s difficult enough to find one rookie tackle, let alone two, and the Seahawks could be set on the edges for the next decade.
Running behind that line will be Kenneth Walker III, who posted 1,050 yards after Seattle drafted him in the second round of the 2022 draft. Walker posted the league’s best breakaway percentage last season, per PFF. While that means he’s a home-run threat who managed several 15+ yard carries, it also suggests he could become more consistent on a play-by-play basis. If Walker can also develop as a receiver, he could become an All-Pro.
1) Las Vegas Raiders
Let’s close out with one more team that already has a stopgap option in place under center. The Raiders signed Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year contract this offseason, but like Smith with the Seahawks, Las Vegas can exit the deal after 2023 with a limited financial burden.
Owners of the No. 7 overall pick, the Raiders have the latest first-round pick among the teams in our rankings. With the draft’s top four quarterbacks expected to come off the board quickly, Las Vegas may have to consider trading up — potentially as high as No. 3 — to land a passer.
If the Raiders do bring in a young quarterback, he’ll be entering a desirable situation. Davante Adams remains one of the league’s receivers and would become a security blanket for a rookie Las Vegas signal-caller.
Tight end Darren Waller was traded to the Giants, but the Raiders signed former Patriots receiver Jakobi Meyers, one of the more underrated pass catchers in the NFL. And Hunter Renfrow, who topped 1,000 yards in 2021, is still around to handle slot duties.
Meanwhile, Josh Jacobs put up an outstanding season in 2022 before being assigned the franchise tag this offseason. Jacobs led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards, generated more first downs (93) than any other back, and posted a 58% success rate, fourth-best in the league. It remains to be seen whether Jacobs will be in Las Vegas past 2023, but he’d be around if a Raiders rookie quarterback is forced to play next season.
The Raiders also boast an offensive line that’s stronger than you might think. Left tackle Kolton Miller is a star, but right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor was also formidable last year. Las Vegas may need to add a piece along the interior, but third-round pick Dylan Parham was an above-average left guard during his rookie campaign in 2022.
Finally, as much as Josh McDaniels may need to work on the interpersonal aspects of being an NFL head coach, he remains a first-rate play-caller. Look at how far the Patriots’ offense fell after McDaniels departed New England.
McDaniels boasts a long record of offensive success, and while much of his Pats run came with Tom Brady under center, McDaniels should be trusted to develop a rookie quarterback.