NFL Player News

The Bills drafted Pitt quarterback Nathan Peterman in the fifth round of this weekend's draft, setting the stage for some competition with Jones and Josh Woodrum for the No. 3 job.

Veteran T.J. Yates is expected to get the No. 2 role behind Tyrod Taylor, though we suppose if both Jones and Peterman make great strides this summer that could alter the landscape. As it stands now, the second-year Jones and the rookie Peterman appear to have a full-out competition ahead of them to make the team. The practice squad is an option, although, given the upside of each QB, it's likely another team would snap them up.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that Beathard will not compete for a starting job as a rookie, Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Despite spending a third-round draft pick on the quarterback out of Iowa, the 49ers are committed to developing the young arm behind the seasoned veteran, Brian Hoyer. Beathard could potentially wind up on the practice squad if both Hoyer and Matt Barkley enter camp healthy. While the rookie doesn't have the characteristics of a high-end fantasy quarterback, working with Shanahan -- who has gotten the most out of his quarterbacks -- could result in some fantasy-friendly performances down the road.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that Hoyer is still the team's starting quarterback despite taking C.J. Beathard in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Beathard was considered a developmental draft selection, so Hoyer's starting job is in no danger and Shanahan confirmed that sentiment Friday. The journeyman quarterback has shown flashes of fantasy usefulness over the past few seasons, but injuries have always cut the 32-year-old's seasons short. Health and inconsistent results will keep veteran's value depressed heading into drafts next season, but there is some potential for a career year under Shanahan, for whom Hoyer threw for a career-high 3,326 yards in 2014 when both were with the Browns.

The Bills selected Peterman in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 171st overall.

Peterman (6-foot-2, 226 pounds) was expected to go at least a round earlier than this, so this looks like a good value for the Bills. Peterman presumably fell this far due to a perceived lack of upside, but the former Tennessee transfer deserves some credit for quietly playing very well the last two years. Despite only having one decent receiver on his roster, Peterman threw for 2,855 yards (9.3 YPA), 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2016. He'll try to stick as Buffalo's third quarterback.

The Steelers selected Dobbs in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 135th overall.

Dobbs (6-foot-3, 216 pounds) is a great athlete and verified genius with lots of starting experience, and he has the tools to make for an interesting developmental project behind Ben Roethlisberger. While his downfield accuracy was quite strong by the end of his Tennessee career, Dobbs never showed the natural ability to read defenses that you'd like to see in a quarterback. If his experiment at quarterback doesn't go well, Dobbs has the athleticism to transition to receiver.

The 49ers selected Beathard in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 104th overall.

There's a good chance that this winds up one of the strangest picks of this draft. Beathard (6-foot-2, 219 pounds) has some arm and some athleticism to him, and he's certainly tough for playing hurt much of the last two years, but the production all but rules him out as a viable starting quarterback prospect. He completed just 56.5 percent of his passes and averaged just 6.4 yards per attempt in 2016. It's hard to imagine a good argument for drafting Beathard over the likes of Jerod Evans, Nathan Peterman or Joshua Dobbs.

Savage is Houston's starting quarterback according to head coach Bill O'Brien, who made that clear following the team's first-round selection of Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports. "Tom is our starter," O'Brien said.

O'Brien said Watson will have to sit and learn behind Savage and Brandon Weeden, though it's clear the long-range plan is for Watson to be Houston's franchise quarterback. Savage, by dint of his experience in the offense, is the likely starter Week 1.

The Texans selected Watson in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 12th overall.

They traded up from the 25th pick to make the selection, giving up their 2018 first-round pick in the process. Bill O'Brien is generally known as a coach who prefers, tall, heavy quarterbacks with strong arms, but Watson decisively cuts against that mold. He also cuts against the mold of the likes of Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage in the sense that he can actually throw a football at the NFL level. Watson might initially struggle as he adjusts to the speed of NFL defenses, but his unparalleled success at Clemson (97 total touchdowns in his last 30 games) and consecutive National Championship appearances imply that he's capable of adapting. It doesn't hurt that he'll have a very good group of pass catchers waiting for him in Houston. If Tom Savage is the only competition the Texans can muster, it's hard to imagine Watson anywhere but the starting lineup in Week 1. As a talented runner with plenty of surrounding help, Watson could make a surprisingly big fantasy impact as a rookie with a little luck.

The Chiefs selected Mahomes in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, 10th overall.

They traded up all the way from 27th pick, trading an extra first- and third-round pick to make the deal. Alex Smith might begin the year as starter, but if the playoffs should look out of reach at any point or if he should miss any time with injury, that might be the end of him as a Chiefs starter. Mahomes (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) has the best throwing velocity in the class, and is extremely accomplished after playing at Texas Tech. He threw for 11,252 yards (8.3 YPA), 93 touchdowns and 29 interceptions in 32 career games, and also has excellent athleticism for a quarterback (22 career rushing touchdowns). His dual-threat skills and a plausible starting role in an Andy Reid offense no later than 2018 make Mahomes an enticing dynasty asset, and one to keep an eye on if he should see the field in 2017.

The Bears selected Trubisky in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, second overall.

The Bears traded up from the third pick, paying to switch picks with the 49ers. It's arguably a strange move generally, but particularly difficult to rationalize after signing Mike Glennon for $15 million per year over three years, all but naming Glennon the starter in the process. Trubisky (6-foot-2, 222 pounds) was a one-year starter in a system that didn't ask him to make NFL-type reads, but he is a superb athlete with a good arm who has the raw tools to develop into a standout starter in the NFL. After throwing for 3,748 yards (8.4 YPA), 30 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2016, Trubisky will evidently sit for a while before the Bears hand him the keys to their starting role. When he does see the field, Trubisky's standout rushing skills could give him a decent floor even as he develops as a passer.