QB SITUATIONS, FROM 1 TO 32
With so many veteran quarterbacks looking for jobs, there will be a lot of changes on NFL rosters within the next few weeks.
Jay Cutler is the top free agent available, but so far, the New York Jets appear to be the only team that has shown serious interest.
Former starters like Colin Kaepernick, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Robert Griffin III, Mark Sanchez and Blaine Gabbert are available. So are longtime backups like Chase Daniel, Shaun Hill, Josh McCown and Matt McGloin. Besides Fitzpatrick, two more former Texans quarterbacks — Case Keenum and T.J. Yates — also are seeking employment.
As free agency continues and the draft approaches, we rank the NFL teams’ quarterback situations:
1. NEW ENGLAND
Starter: Tom Brady Backup: Jimmy Garoppolo
Comment: With Brady turning 40 for the defending Super Bowl champions, there are reports they’ll keep Garoppolo. Everybody, including Bill Belichick, has a price, though. The Pats also have Jacoby Brissett entering his second season.
2. GREEN BAY
Starter: Aaron Rodgers Backup: Brett Hundley Comment: Rodgers is coming off one of the best stretches of his career and is solidly entrenched as the starter.
3. ATLANTA
Starter: Matt Ryan Backup: Matt Schaub Comment: The Super Bowl losers are set at quarterback.
4. NEW ORLEANS
Starter: Drew Brees Backup: Luke McCown
Comment: Brees again has a huge cap figure but hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down because of his age. They need to find him another receiver to replace Brandin Cooks.
5. PITTSBURGH
Starter: Ben Roethlisberger Backup: Landry Jones
Comment: After being eliminated in the playoffs, Roethlisberger made some noise about possibly retiring, but nobody has bought it. They’re set at this position.
6. SEATTLE
Starter: Russell Wilson Backup: Trevor Boykin Comment: Wilson is in the prime of his impressive career. They seem to love Boykin going into his second season.
7. DETROIT
Starter: Matthew Stafford Backup: Jake Rudock
Comment: Stafford has been remarkably durable, and he better be. They need to upgrade the backup job despite his durability.
8. INDIANAPOLIS
Starter: Andrew Luck Backup: Scott Tolsien Comment: Luck is coming off shoulder surgery but is expected to be 100 percent by training camp. They’re happy with their quarterback situation.
9. L.A. CHARGERS
Starter: Philip Rivers Backup: Kellen Clemens Comment: One of Rivers’ strengths through his first 13 seasons has been his impressive durability. At some point, they’ll have to develop a replacement.
10. N.Y. GIANTS
Starter: Eli Manning Backup: Geno Smith
Comment: They need a proven backup. Sometime, they’ll have to draft a prospect to develop to replace Manning, who’s going into his 14th season. Maybe it’ll be this year.
11. OAKLAND
Starter: Derek Carr Backup: Connor Cook Comment: No need to mess with this position. Carr is set for years. They like Cook as his backup going into his second season.
12. TENNESSEE
Starter: Marcus Mariota Backup: Matt Cassel Comment: Mariota has been terrific when healthy, but he has been injured in each of his first two seasons. If he stays healthy, they can win the AFC South title.
13. DALLAS
Starter: Dak Prescott Backup: Tony Romo
Comment: Prescott is coming off an outstanding rookie season, making Romo expendable. So far, Jerry Jones has been unable to trade Romo. When they release him, they’ll have to find a veteran backup.
14. CAROLINA
Starter: Cam Newton Backup: Derek Anderson
Comment: One year after they lost to Denver in the Super Bowl, they cratered. Even though Newton didn’t play nearly as well as in 2015, they have no issues at this position.
15. BALTIMORE
Starter: Joe Flacco Backup: Ryan Mallett
Comment: Flacco has a Super Bowl victory on his résumé. They need to provide him with more weapons and stop losing offensive linemen in free agency.
16. WASHINGTON
Starter: Kirk Cousins Backup: Colt McCoy
Comment: There are reports Cousins will be traded after he was franchised for a second consecutive year, but it’s more likely he’ll return and try to help them win the NFC East for the second time in three years.
17. CINCINNATI
Starter: Andy Dalton Backup: A.J. McCarron Comment: Dalton is solid. McCarron enters the last year of his contract, and there have been reports that he’s trade bait.
18. KANSAS CITY
Starter: Alex Smith Backup: Tyler Bray
Comment: Despite reports the Chiefs might be interested in Tony Romo, don’t believe it. Romo has never advanced farther in the playoffs than Smith, who’s an Andy Reid favorite.
19. TAMPA BAY
Starter: Jameis Winston Backup: Ryan Griffin
Comment: Winston led the Bucs to a winning record and seems poised to help them compete for the NFC South title. After letting Mike Glennon leave in free agency, they need a veteran backup.
20. MIAMI
Starter: Ryan Tannehill Backup: Matt Moore Comment: In his first season with Tannehill, coach Adam Gase led the Dolphins to the playoffs. He appears to be satisfied with his quarterbacks.
21. PHILADELPHIA
Starter: Carson Wentz Backup: Nick Foles Comment: Going into his second season, Wentz is loaded with ability, and they signed two veteran receivers, Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, to help him. They brought back Foles to be Wentz’s backup.
22. ARIZONA
Starter: Carson Palmer Backup: Drew Stanton
Comment: This is Palmer’s 15th season. He turns 38 in December. He has a lot of weapons on offense. He needs to stay healthy for the Cardinals to bounce back from last season, when they were supposed to be a Super Bowl contender but didn’t make the playoffs.
23. BUFFALO
Starter: Tyrod Taylor Backup: Cardale Jones
Comment: Taylor redid his contract to allow him to stay with the Bills. Smart move by him and the team. New offensive coordinator Rick Dennison coached Taylor in Baltimore and likes him a lot.
24. JACKSONVILLE
Starter: Blake Bortles Backup: Chad Henne
Comment: New coach Doug Marrone says Bortles is his starter. They need to find him some more help in free agency and the draft. With a new regime, this could be his make-or-break season.
25. MINNESOTA
Starter: Sam Bradford Backup: Teddy Bridgewater
Comment: It’s unclear if Bridgewater will be able to play next season. Bradford cost them dearly in the trade with Philadelphia. If Bridgewater can’t return, they’ll need a veteran backup.
26. DENVER
Starter: Trevor Siemian Backup: Paxton Lynch
Comment: They’re supposed to be interested in Tony Romo when he’s released. Siemian, a seventh-round pick in 2015, was the starter in his second season. They traded up in the first round to get Lynch last year.
27. SAN FRANCISCO
Starter: Brian Hoyer Backup: Matt Barkley Comment: New coach Kyle Shanahan signed two free-agent quarterbacks. In his last two seasons with the Texans and Chicago, Hoyer has 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions. They could use a high pick on a quarterback.
28. HOUSTON
Starter: Tom Savage Backup: Brandon Weeden
Comment: They’ll pursue Tony Romo after he’s released. Whether they get him or not, they’re expected to use a high draft pick on a quarterback. If they don’t get Romo, Savage is the starter in the last year of his contract.
29. CHICAGO
Starter: Mike Glennon Backup: David Fales
Comment: They took a huge chance on signing Glennon to a contract worth $14.5 million a year even though he was never the regular starter in Tampa Bay. If he doesn’t pan out, he’ll set back the franchise another few years.
30. L.A. RAMS
Starter: Jared Goff Backup: Sean Mannion
Comment: Last year, Goff was the first pick in the draft. One reason Sean McVay was hired as their new coach was to develop Goff into the player they believe he can be.
31. CLEVELAND
Starter: Cody Kessler Backup: Kevin Hogan
Comment: They have Brock Osweiler on their roster. They’re trying to trade him and probably will end up cutting him. Expect them to draft a quarterback in the first round, probably with the 12th overall pick.
32. N.Y. JETS
Starter: Bryce Petty Backup: Christian Hackenberg
Comment: They want free agent Jay Cutler to be their starter. Even though they drafted Petty in the fourth round and Hackenberg in the second in the last two drafts, don’t rule out their using another high pick on a QB.