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Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Bruce Arians Raves About 2024 QB Class, Will Bucs Draft One?

Originally posted on PewterReport.com | By Scott Reynolds | Last updated 2/13/24

Bruce Arians, who has become known as “The Quarterback Whisperer” for his development of Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck, abruptly retired from coaching in late March 2022, turning the Bucs over to Todd Bowles. After admitting that he was looking over Bowles’ shoulder too much that year, Arians stepped away from One Buccaneer Place in 2023 to not interfere with Tampa Bay’s head coach and his staff.

Yet just because he’s essentially removed from the day-to-day operations and lives in Lake Oconee, Georgia, doesn’t mean Arians’ attachment to the Bucs has been completely severed. He still has weekly phone calls with general manager Jason Licht and watches film. Arians envisions his role with the Bucs in 2024 will be like it was a year ago as a long-distance advisor.

“Probably similar to this year,” Bruce Arians told Pewter Report. “I thought in 2022, I was around way too much. I was at practice every day. I got to wean off of it. I don’t think it was fair to Todd. I stepped back this year and basically just communicate with Jason on a weekly basis and do a little scouting on those quarterbacks and give him my opinion and those type of things on where we’re at and what we’re doing.”

“Those quarterbacks” that Arians is referring to is a rich quarterback draft class in 2024 that could feature as many as six passers drafted in the first round and possibly as many as eight QBs selected by the end of Day 2.

“I think it’s probably the best one I’ve seen in maybe 10 years,” Arians said of the 2024 QB draft class. “There’s just so many different types of quality guys. Tape tells you some things. I’d have to get them in the room and really put them on the board and get to know them a little bit better in a personal setting to put a stamp on them. But as far as talent, I don’t know if I’ve seen this many passing quarterbacks – guys that can really throw the football – come out in a while.”

Bruce Arians Says The 2024 QB Draft Class Should Be One Of the Best

USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye are expected to be the first two quarterbacks off the draft board in late April, followed by LSU’s Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels, in the Top 10 – possibly as high as third overall. Then there are three other QBs vying for first-round status, including Oregon’s Bo Nix, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., a Tampa native, and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, who is fresh off the Wolverines’ national championship victory.

The fabled quarterback crop from a decade ago that Bruce Arians was likely referring to was the 2012 draft class, which featured 11 QBs drafted overall. Andrew Luck, who was coached by Arians, was selected first overall by Indianapolis, followed by Washington selecting Robert Griffin III with the next pick. Miami drafted Ryan Tannehill eighth overall, and Cleveland erred by taking Brandon Weeden with the 22nd overall pick. Seattle took Russell Wilson and Philadelphia selected Nick Foles in the third round, and Washington selected Kirk Cousins in the fourth round.

The most QB-heavy draft in recent years came in 2016 when 15 were drafted that year. The most notable ones were Jared Goff (Los Angeles Rams), Carson Wentz (Philadelphia) and Dak Prescott (Dallas) along with several who flamed out quickly.

Five quarterbacks were selected in the first round in 2018 and were among 13 QBs selected overall that year. Baker Mayfield (Cleveland), Sam Darnold (New York Jets), Josh Allen (Buffalo), Josh Rosen (Arizona), and Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) were the signal callers selected in the first round.

The 2020 draft class is shaping up to be a good one at the quarterback position including Joe Burrow (Cincinnati), Tua Tagovailoa (Miami), Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers) and Jordan Love (Green Bay) in the first round and Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia) in the second round. A total of 13 QBs were selected that year.

Five out of the 10 quarterbacks drafted in 2021 were taken in the first round, including Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville), Zach Wilson (New York Jets) and Trey Lance (San Francisco) with the first three picks, followed by Justin Fields (Chicago) at No. 11 and Mac Jones (New England) at No. 15. The next quarterback selected was Kyle Trask by Tampa Bay with the 64th overall pick.

Bucs Still Have Kyle Trask, But Will They Draft Another QB In 2024?

Bruce Arians said that the Bucs haven’t given up on backup quarterback Kyle Trask, who is entering a contract year, yet hasn’t seen more than a handful of snaps in the regular season since he’s been in Tampa Bay.

“I don’t know if there’s a harder worker than Kyle,” Arians said. “He’s gotten better every day he’s been here. I’ve got all the trust in the world – I think so do all the coaches – that if he were forced to go in there right now, he would be more than ready to play. He’s very, very sharp mentally. He’s accurate. He’s got everything we thought he had. The opportunity is what he hasn’t gotten yet. I was very, very impressed with his improvement this year. I think Thad Lewis did a great job with him.”

Having the right quarterback in the NFL is everything. Look no further than the mini-dynasty that is emerging in Kansas City, which traded up to draft Patrick Mahomes with the 10th overall pick in 2017. Mahomes and the Chiefs just won their third Super Bowl in five years. In his brief NFL career, Mahomes has already been to four Super Bowls, losing 31-9 to Arians and the Bucs in Tampa in 2020.

Arians said that the more Mahomes wins, the better Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV victory over Kansas City looks.

“I think it’s gaining a little more traction that we were a pretty good football team that year. We take a lot of pride in it, and especially the way we did it,” Arians said. “Watching [Super Bowl LVIII], I thought it was going to be kind of a repeat, but ‘Frisco just couldn’t get it in the end zone.”

The Bucs have intentions on re-signing Mayfield to remain the team’s immediate starter, but will Tampa Bay stick with Trask as a possible successor in the future? Or will the Bucs become enamored by one of the 15 or so quarterbacks in the 2024 class who are poised by to drafted this year?

General manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles will ultimately make that call in just over two months, and they’re sure to get some advice from Bruce Arians, “The Quarterback Whisperer.”

This article first appeared on Pewter Report and was syndicated with permission.

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