USA TODAY International Edition
Starting- caliber QBs hottest free agency commodities
It took less than 48 hours for NFL teams to essentially deplete the quarterback talent pool that free agency had to offer.
Well before the clock struck 4 p. m. ET on Wednesday to commence the opening of the league year and official signing period, the leading starting- caliber options all had reached agreement with teams.
They did so with little fanfare. That's because the 2021 market offered no potential for blockbuster quarterback signings. Instead, the bulk of this year's free agent quarterbacks fall in the bridge category.
The trade market featured all the drama, as the Lions swapped Matthew Stafford for the Rams' Jared Goff, and the Eagles shipped Carson Wentz to the Colts for draft picks.
The potential for trades lingers still as uncertainty looms over Deshaun Watson and the Texans, and Sam Darnold and the Jets.
The Russell Wilson/ Seahawks scrutiny hasn't totally died, but Seattle appears determined to keep its franchise quarterback.
Next month's draft will feature great intrigue at the position. But free agent signings seemingly have brought clarity to routes many teams have and plan to take to solidify their most important position both for the short and long term.
Here's a look at this week's quarterback signings and what they could mean for the squads and players involved.
Andy Dalton to the Bears
Chicago declined to pick up the $ 24.8 million fifth- year option on Mitchell Trubisky’s contract and sought an upgrade. The Bears badly wanted to pry Russell Wilson away from Seattle, but their efforts proved fruitless. So they moved on to Dalton, who did some good things filling in for Dak Prescott last season, going 4- 5 and completing 64.9% of his passes for 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Dalton, 34, can still play; he’s steadier and a better decision- maker than Trubisky. But given Dalton’s recent injury history, it’s hard to call him the long- term answer. He does enable Chicago to look for a prospect to develop.
Ryan Fitzpatrick to Washington
Like Dalton, the 39- year- old Fitzpatrick signed a one- year deal worth roughly $ 10 million. Fitzpatrick gives Washington a plug- in starter to fill the void created by Ron Rivera’s decision to release Alex Smith. Washington made a trade inquiry about Darnold, but talks didn’t go very far.
Now Washington gets a veteran for an affordable price and hangs on to all of its draft picks. Washington brass has to know Fitzpatrick will carry them only so far – Fitzmagic traditionally runs out around the midpoint of the season. However, he buys time. Washington has Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen, but many around the league predict the team will draft a quarterback in one of the earlier rounds.
Jameis Winston back to New Orleans
Neither Drew Brees’ retirement, nor Winston’s re- signing ( one- year, $ 5.5 million) comes as a surprise. Sean Payton & Co. got to kick the tires last year on the former No. 1 overall pick; Winston got a chance to learn behind Brees, and now New Orleans plans a competition between Winston and Taysom Hill for the starting job. Saints fans got worked up over the idea of Wilson
coming to town, but Seattle never had any intention of trading him, people familiar with the situation insist.
Cam Newton back to New England
Bill Belichick and Killa Cam are running it back one mo’ ’ gain, hoping the foundation laid last year, and an aggressively upgraded supporting cast, can give the Patriots redemption. But like all five of the other quarterbacks who signed deals this week, Newton will play 2021 on a one- year contract. The Patriots very well could take a quarterback in the first round, or shortly after, to solidify the position beyond this season.
Jacoby Brissett to Miami
An intriguing pickup for the Dolphins. Head coach Brian Flores has publicly expressed support for second- year pro Tua Tagovailoa, who replaced Fitzpatrick in the starting lineup, but he didn’t always finish games last season. Brissett gives the Dolphins a backup with starting experience if Tagovailoa falters in Year 2.
The Dolphins were part of Deshaun
Watson trade speculation because of their abundant resources and Tua’s mixed- bag rookie season. For now, it seems they’ll stand pat. But that’s for now. Nothing says they won’t consider drafting another quarterback, or engage if Houston decides to start lining up suitors for Watson.
Tyrod Taylor to Houston
Taylor has had the worst luck. Helped the Bills to the playoffs in 2017, traded to Cleveland to be the bridge to Baker Mayfield in 2018, gets concussed and never gets his job back. Signed with the Chargers and was tabbed to start in 2020, then had a lung punctured by a painkiller injection from the team doctor and never got his job back as Justin Herbert shined.
He signed a one- year deal with Houston and very well could wind up starting. The Texans keep saying they don’t plan to trade Watson, but according to reports he is adamant he doesn’t want to play there. The fact that Houston agreed to terms with Taylor promptly suggests they know Watson will be elsewhere this fall.
Unresolved at QB
Many quarterback- needy teams opted against mortgaging their futures for proven commodities. Instead, they seem content to roll with bridge quarterbacks. This year’s draft class, regarded as one of great depth at quarterback, could provide long- term clarity for many franchises.
It’s still widely believed the Texans will trade Watson. The question is where.
The Jets can offer draft picks and Darnold. The Panthers have Teddy Bridgewater, picks and other pieces. If the Panthers prove unsuccessful in their pursuit of Watson, they could draft a quarterback with the eighth overall pick.
For the Jets, it’s not Watson or bust. They have plenty of options. They could either use their No. 2 pick to draft a quarterback and trade Darnold to a squad that missed out in free agency, or they could keep Darnold and use their many early picks to fortify the roster around him.
Darnold remains an intriguing figure. Most scouts agree he is talented and floundered because of poor coaching and an inadequate supporting cast. Whether he remains with the Jets or gets shipped elsewhere, even temporarily as a backup, the book on Darnold should not be closed, scouts insist.
For teams still looking to make signings, only a handful of options remain.
Trubisky is regarded as the most talented passer remaining. He needs a career reboot. Many talent evaluators believe he is better suited as a backup. Or, in the ideal situation, he could be a game- manager at best, others believe. Multiple talent evaluators compared Trubisky to Nick Foles, who thrived with everything set around him in Philadelphia but has proved inadequate as a long- term option at many stops.
Alex Smith remains unsigned, and his experience would serve a team well should it need a veteran to help groom a young quarterback. He’d likely prefer a destination where he could start, but those options appear rather thin.
Beyond that, teams looking to address depth are left to pick among journeymen Chase Daniel, Colt McCoy, Robert Griffin III and Joe Flacco, to name a few.