Eli retirement one of many big moves in NFL
First Eli Manning retired. Now the Chargers have “moved on” from Philip Rivers, as FOX reported on Monday. And suddenly the word “turnover” as applied to 2020 NFL quarterbacks has nothing to do with interceptions or fumbles.
A significant shift is underway at the sport's most important position, with clear change or uncertainty encircling at least a dozen NFL teams' passers.
It's hitting even harder because the likes of Manning and Rivers were synonymous with their franchises for 16 years, and now their runs are over. Other iconic names like Tom Brady and Drew Brees also promise to take center stage soon with decisions of their own.
And while Manning's retirement gave way to a clear hopeful successor in secondyear starter Daniel Jones, the intrigue is building to see not only which big names change area codes but who fills their spots in most of these cities, as well.
For starters, four quarterbacks who played at least 97% of their team's 2019 snaps are unrestricted free agents this spring: the Patriots' Brady, the Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Jameis Winston and the Chargers' Rivers.
Prescott should get a new long-term contract or at minimum an expensive one-year franchise tag. But Brady has some convinced he's truly considering signing elsewhere, perhaps with the Chargers to help them open Los Angeles' new SoFi Stadium with a bang.
Rivers already moved his family to Florida, sparking speculation he could become a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, which would send Winston elsewhere for work. The Chargers hold the sixth overall pick in April's draft and could select a new starter there or even trade up to three with the Detroit Lions.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
In New Orleans, Brees is an unrestricted free agent and is expected to either re-sign with the Saints or retire. If he does hang them up, the Saints are professing belief in restricted free agent backup Taysom Hill, 30, and they'd also like to keep Teddy Bridgewater, 28.
But the fact is, the Saints have been studying quarterbacks in the draft for years now, and though they only hold the 24th overall pick, this may be the year to go get their guy.
The draft's quarterback class is led by likely top overall pick Joe Burrow, LSU's Heisman Trophy winner. Then there is Alabama's recuperating but talented Tua Tagovailoa, Senior Bowl MVP Justin Herbert out of Oregon, Utah State's Jordan Love, Georgia's Jake Fromm, Washington's Jacob Eason and Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts, among others.
The issue for any team seeking to draft a quarterback is that they could have plenty of competition. Who is jockeying for position also will depend on which big QB names end up on the trade block and which teams opt to wait a year for Clemson phenom Trevor Lawrence.
The Panthers' Cam Newton could end up on the trade block with one year left on his deal and a new regime in Charlotte. The Bengals' Andy Dalton, 32, will be available with one year left on his contract and Cincinnati poised to select Burrow first overall.
Don't put it past Jon Gruden, holding two first-round picks (12 and 19), to move on from Derek Carr, 28, and his three remaining years to put a new QB at the helm of the Raiders for their grand Las Vegas opening.
Jacoby Brissett doesn't appear to be the long-term answer for the Indianapolis Colts, who were blindsided last August by Andrew Luck's retirement.
Ben Roethlisberger has two years remaining on his deal, and the Steelers don't own a first-round pick this spring. But he is coming off a major injury, the end is near, and Pittsburgh needs a long-term solution, as well.
Free agent Titans backup Marcus Mariota should land somewhere else as Tennessee commits to Ryan Tannehill. The Rams and Bears both have young QBs in Jared Goff and Mitchell Trubisky, but there is skepticism either is the true answer for those clubs, too.
And of course, the only story possibly as intriguing as Brady leaving the Patriots and signing elsewhere would be: what would Bill Belichick do then? Would he take a QB with the 23rd pick, explore a trade? How would the mastermind coach pivot?
All of this is to say that while Sunday's Super Bowl opponents, the Chiefs and 49ers, have their obvious quarterbacks for the long-term, a large part of the NFL will be scrambling this spring for an answer at the most important position on the field.