The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
10 teams with quarterback questions
As NFL training camps get underway, here are the 10 most interesting quarterback situations:
1. Texans (with Tom Savage and Deshaun Watson) ... Tony Romo chose retirement and the CBS broadcast booth over Houston’s quarterback job. So the Texans remain a team that is, in some ways, Super Bowl-ready but lacking a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback. Savage is likely to begin the season as the starter, but Watson is a prized rookie who was at his best in the biggest situations in college at Clemson.
2.Jets (with Josh McCown, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg) ... A rebuilding project begins amid accusations by some observers that the Jets are tanking the season to position themselves to draft a coveted quarterback prospect next spring. In the meantime, they must decide whether to go with a reasonably competent veteran, McCown, or find out whether Petty or Hackenberg can play even a little bit.
3. Bears (with Mike Glennon and Mitchell Trubisky) ... What was the plan here? The Bears began the post-Jay Cutler era by handing out a big contract to Glennon in free agency and then trading up in the NFL draft to get Trubisky. Glennon presumably is the starter until Trubisky is deemed ready to play. Either way, one of their big offseason moves at quarterback will turn out to have been unnecessary.
4. Broncos (with Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch) ... Siemian had some promising stretches last season, but Lynch is a former first-round draft choice entering his second NFL season. It seems reasonable to believe Lynch will get his chance at some point this season, even if it is not at the outset.
5. 49ers (with Brian Hoyer, Matt Barkley and C.J. Beathard) ... The long-term answer for the 49ers probably won’t arrive until next offseason, whether that means bringing in Kirk Cousins or drafting a prized rookie. For now, Coach Kyle Shanahan must try to make his offense work with a temporary placeholder of a quarterback.
6. Chiefs (with Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes) ... Smith has been a solid quarterback for the Chiefs. That has not been good enough for them to become a legitimate contender for AFC supremacy. He gets another chance, but Kansas City did not maneuver into position to draft Mahomes to keep him on the bench for too long.
7. Browns (with Cody Kessler, Brock Osweiler and DeShone Kizer) ... Is there an NFL starter in this group? The Browns clearly have upgraded the team that they can put around their quarterback. But at some point, they actually have to take their shot at getting a franchise quarterback in place.
8. Redskins (with Cousins) ... The Redskins failed to sign Cousins for the long term, then released details publicly of their failed negotiations with him. Has it ever been more clear that a productive passer is entering his final season with a team?
9. Rams (with Jared Goff ) ... Goff enters his second NFL season attempting to demonstrate that he was worthy of being the top overall selection in the 2016 draft. The arrival of Sean McVay, the team’s first-year head coach, could aid Goff’s development. But it also gives the Rams a potential alternative if Goff struggles, given McVay’s connection to Cousins as a former Redskins offensive coordinator.
10. Jaguars (with Blake Bortles) ... Bortles regressed to 23 touchdown passes, 16 interceptions and a 78.8 passer rating last season after a 35-touchdown, 18-interception 2015 campaign in which he posted an 88.2 passer rating. Some thought that the new regime of Tom Coughlin in the front office and Coach Doug Marrone would move on immediately from Bortles. That didn’t happen. But Bortles cannot have too many more chances.