Teddy Bridgewater gets a starting job. Neither Philip Rivers nor Tom Brady is riding off into the sunset – they’re playing. And suddenly it’s becoming a buyer’s market for quarterbacks. There are now more available options than teams needing to fill the position.
By my count, there are five or six teams that “need” to add a significant quarterback – somebody expected to either start or compete for a starting job. I’m not including teams looking for a pure backup or teams drafting developmental prospects in the later rounds.
For this exercise, I will assume Cincinnati will draft Joe Burrow. I’m leaving the Bengals (and Burrow) out of the discussion. That’s a done deal.
I see five teams that are definitely adding a significant player to their quarterback room – Chargers, Dolphins, Patriots, Bears and Washington. The Jaguars have Nick Foles and Gardner Minshew; they’re my sixth team – possibly or probably considering a quarterback.
| REMAINING QB MARKET | |
|---|---|
| Team | Current No. 1 |
| LA Chargers | Tyrod Taylor |
| Miami | Ryan Fitzpatrick |
| Chicago | Mitchell Trubisky |
| New England | Jarrett Stidham |
| Washington | Dwayne Haskins |
| Jacksonville | Foles / Minshew |
Only two of those teams (I think) are locked into obtaining a big-time quarterback – somebody really expensive (or requiring a high draft pick). Chargers and Dolphins. Some might put the Patriots in this class, but Michael Lombardi and Tom Curran are both plugged into that team, and they both say New England likes Jarrett Stidham. They both sound pretty sure that Bill Belichick is more likely to bring in another quarterback with some ability, but that Stidham will be the opening day starter in Foxboro.
The Bears say they like Mitchell Trubisky. They’ve been standing by him for years. But he’s pretty terrible. Whoever they bring in, I think, will wind up starting there. A report today suggests Chicago has called Carolina about Cam Newton; he definitely would move ahead of Trubisky on the depth chart before the middle of August – maybe on the day he showed up.
In my eyes, I see seven significant quarterbacks who need to find homes. I’ve got them in the order I think most teams would place them. Tua Tagovailoa would be No. 1 (remember, I’m assuming Burrow is already spoken for). Justin Herbert next in line. Then I would move to Newton, slightly ahead of another rookie, Jordan Love.
I expect Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston will find new homes, probably as Ryan Tannehill type backups – with teams hoping they might re-emerge later. Apparently teams have called about Nick Foles; he also could be one of those guys (especially if the Jaguars decide to get into the QB market).
The last two guys on my list, I’m not high on. Jacob Eason has a rocket-launcher arm, but I don’t see him as a rookie capable of coming in and starting. As poorly as he played at Washington last year, I was surprised he came out. To me, he looks like another Zach Mettenberger, Brock Osweiler or Paxton Lynch. I’m including him on the list only because I believe he’ll be selected in the first round. It’s my belief he more appropriately would be selected in the third round as a developmental guy.
And I will toss Joe Flacco on the end of the list. The Broncos will trade or release him, but I’m not sure he’ll have a market.
| AVAILABLE ARMS | |
|---|---|
| Rk | Player |
| 1. | Tua Tagovailoa |
| 2. | Justin Herbert |
| 3. | Cam Newton (via trade) |
| 4. | Jordan Love |
| 5. | Andy Dalton (via trade) |
| 6. | Jameis Winston |
| 7. | Nick Foles? (trade) |
| 8. | Jacob Eason |
| 9. | Joe Flacco (trade/cut) |
—Ian Allan