The intrigue around Georgia’s quarterback position continues to swirl. After neither Brice Ramsey nor Faton Bauta came out of spring practice with a clear lead for the starting job, rumors indicated that Georgia was interested in Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson, who ended up at Florida State.

Late last week, news came out that the Bulldogs are now exploring the possibility of bringing in Virginia quarterback Greyson Lambert, who is listed as the No. 2 quarterback for the Cavaliers and will graduate from UVA in June. He reportedly visited Georgia over the weekend and would have two years of eligibility left at Georgia if he came in this fall.

The reluctance to name a starter combined with shopping the graduate quarterback market indicated that Georgia is simply trying to build a bridge to the nation’s top quarterback for 2016, Jacob Eason.

Eason has been committed to the Dawgs since last summer. He visited campus last month, which he told reporters only strengthened his commitment to the school. He’s even said that he’s working on recruiting players to join him in Athens next fall.

If the Lake Stevens, Wash. native lives up to expectations, Georgia might not have him for long. Eason recently told Scout about how new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s NFL experience is a plus for him, indicating what the quarterback’s bigger goals are. And, if Eason lives up to expectations, there would be no reason to waste any of the time he spends on campus.

Ramsey was competent as a freshman backup last year, stepping up in the Belk Bowl when Hutson Mason went down with an injury. That wasn’t enough to earn him a leg up in the race for UGA’s quarterback job, nor was his spring practice performance. Bauta, who is known more as a runner than passer, has improved as a thrower to compete with Ramsey, while Jacob Park has faded from the conversation.

As Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggested, Georgia’s exploration of the graduation transfer quarterbacks out there could indicate that Mark Richt and Schottenheimer either aren’t thrilled with their current options at quarterback or could be preparing for one of them to transfer out. Georgia has been thin on depth at quarterback in years past, but the coaching would obviously like to have as many competent arms as possible.

This year, having someone capable of stewarding the offense is all Georgia truly needs. While it would be hugely beneficial if one of the quarterbacks on the roster (or a transfer) emerged as a star, Georgia’s passing game is going to be second to the run game, what with Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and others in the backfield and Schottenheimer calling the shots. Georgia needs a competent arm, but can certainly survive without an Aaron Murray-caliber passer.

Eason has all the makings of being a star passer. For Richt’s sake (and the sake of Georgia fans’ sanity), Georgia is in must-win mode this year in a down SEC East. That’s why bringing in a proven passer — even though a player like Lambert wasn’t great this year, he has starting experience at the college level — would work for this team.

Chubb and Michel will be back in 2016, but the quarterback for that team might still be ringing up big numbers in Washington state this fall.