Since 2004 there have been 11 QBs drafted in the second round. One of them approaches top-of-the-line caliber (Derek Carr), one is Tannehill-level (Andy Dalton), one is an unknown at present (Deshone Kizer), and the rest are busts.
In other words, you stand an 82 to 91% chance of failing to do better than Tannehill by drafting a QB in the second round.
During the same period, 38 QBs have been drafted in the first round. 4 of them are beyond Tannehill's level (Rodgers, Ryan, Rivers, Roethlisberger), while 6 more are unknowns at present (Winston, Goff, Watson, Luck, Mariota, Wentz). The rest are at Tannehill's level or are busts.
So in the first round you stand a 74 to 90% chance of failing to do any better than Tannehill.
Whether a QB is drafted in the first or second round, the odds are against that QB's being any better than Tannehill.
This is why the effort in my opinion should be in signing Kirk Cousins, trading Tannehill for picks, and using the greater than normal number of early round picks to address other needs.
Cousins is already significantly better than Tannehill. There is no uncertainty there. And obviously the use of early-round picks to address other needs is more desirable than using one or more of them to draft a QB, given that one of the league's best QBs would already be in tow.
I dont like the Cousins idea for several reasons:
1. We dont exactly have a ton of cap space and Cousins, assuming we could even pry him away from Washington (or any other team for that matter, will not come cheap.
2. I'm not convinced Cousins is clearly better than RT, particularly in Gase's offense and getting up to speed there.
3. Assuming Cousins is actually better, who is going to trade us picks for RT? If we got a pick it certainly wouldnt be a first, maybe a late second or third. But In a QB rich draft class, I think teams would rather keep their picks and draft a low cost QB of their own. Cause, ya know, RT isnt gonna come cheap either.
4. Trading away RT and signing Cousins does nothing at all to improve our depth at QB, and if Cousins goes down we are back to shitsville.
5. And finally, RT is Gase's adopted QB, Cousins would be his foster child. What Gase really wants is to plant his seed. He wants to mold a young sproutling into his own form. He aint getting that with Cousins.