What is an elite QB worth?

[AU-panther]

With all of this Watson talk and talk about trading up there seems to be discussion about how much you would give up for a QB.

I'm curious to what everyone thinks, and also it helps to be able to quantify the answer so lets use this scenario:

You have a team of 22 average starters and you are allowed to add one elite player, what position would you add?

QB is the easy answer, I think we all agree with that.  The questions though is how many non-QBs would it take for your answer to not be a QB.

Would you choose:

1 elite QB or 2 elite non-QBs

1 elite QB or 3 elite non-QBs

1 elite QB or 4 elite non-QBs

1 elite QB or 5 elite non-QBs

Personally I would easily take the QB over the 3 non-QBs, and probably over the 4.  At 5 I'm starting to consider the non-QBs.

When you think about QBs in these terms you start to realize why teams are willing to give up so much for a QB?

This is also a good way to understand the concept of WAR and positional value?  What above average player at what position adds more wins?  A LT or guard? A CB or LB?  WR or RB?

[Jay Roosevelt]

QB is the ballgame in the modern NFL. The only substitute for elite QB play in terms of winning a championship is a historically good defense, and those are next to impossible to build with the salary cap and even harder to field with the current rules favoring the offense.

If we're talking about what would be worth giving up in order to land DeShaun Watson I think what the Bears gave up for Khalil Mack (two 1's + a 3rd & a 6th) is certainly on the table. Granted, the Bears also got back a 2nd + a 7th as part of the deal. I'd have no problem giving up two 1st rounders, a 3rd, a couple late round picks, and Teddy Bridgewater without getting back any additional picks.

You add DeShaun Watson to this team and we're immediately a strong playoff contender. Replace Teddy this past season with Watson and we'd very likely be in the playoffs right now. Add a couple of other pieces in free agency and hopefully at least 1 solid starter in the draft (plenty of good OL available in the 2nd round) and with some of the young talent on defense we have and the weapons Watson would have on offense and we'd absolutely be contenders in the NFC in '21, and likely Super Bowl contenders for years to come.

To have that for a couple 1st round picks, a 3rd, a few late rounders, and Teddy Bridgewater? Yeah, count me the f**k in.

[Moonstone]

[Jon Snow]

About 30-35 million a season.