Chargers: Lamar Jackson vs. Mason Rudolph; who fits better?
By Jason Reed
Philip Rivers is in the final stages of his Hall of Fame career, giving the Los Angeles Chargers one big decision to make; who replaces him?
Philip Rivers has made his case for Canton, with our without that illustrious Super Bowl ring. Rivers is undoubtedly the best quarterback in Chargers history and has already carved an impressive legacy. In Rivers’ 14-year career, he has passed for 50348 yards and 342 touchdowns. He has not missed a single start since earning the starter job in 2006.
Rivers is not done yet, but the time to hang them up is fast approaching. Three more seasons seems to be the max for Rivers, but he could retire as early as next off-season. Heck, I would not be shocked if Rivers decides to hang them up if the Chargers somehow, someway, win the Super Bowl (yes, optimism!)
Regardless, it is time to start looking to the future and 2018 serves as the Chargers best opportunity. The Chargers are pretty solid heading into the draft. While the team definitely could use any upgrade possible, the team is talented enough to use a first or second-round pick on a quarterback.
A defensive tackle is likely going to be the Chargers first-round pick, setting the table for a second-round quarterback selection. Two guys that very well could still be on the board are Lamar Jackson and Mason Rudolph.
Lamar Jackson is arguably the more all-around talented. Jackson, the Heisman winner two years ago, has the unteachable ability to extend plays. Jackson is a threat in both the running and the passing game and is great is both avenues.
Jackson has been in the headlines recently as speculation was that he was going to run receiver drills at the NFL Combine. While Jackson is very athletic and could be another Terrelle Pryor, he made it clear that he is a quarterback and quarterback only.
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Mason Rudolph is an entirely different quarterback. While Rudolph can extend the play and scramble out of the pocket, he does not have the same dual-threat ability as Jackson.
However, Rudolph is a great pocket passer and would be the easiest transition from Rivers. Rudolph is six-foot-five, as Rivers, and would give the Chargers the same pocket presence that can lead an offense and sling the ball down field.
If the Chargers wanted to draft someone who Philip Rivers could mentor, Rudolph may be the guy. Rudolph provides a skill set the closest to Rivers’.
However, if the Chargers wanted to go the pure talent route, Jackson may be the better option. While there would be a huge change of culture from Rivers to Jackson, Jackson may have the bigger upside.
Jackson’s biggest strength is also his biggest weakness. Being a mobile quarterback, Jackson is much more susceptible to injury than Rudolph would be. That is a risk the Chargers would have to consider. These quarterback molds light up the league early, yet almost all of them are out of the league in just a few seasons or are battling serious injury.
Personally, I give the nod to Mason Rudolph. While Jackson’s talent is undeniable, drafting Rudolph is a safe choice. Under Rivers, Rudolph could even progress into something seriously special.