12 other teams that could be starting a new QB in 2023
This week, a few QB situations have been resolved, but there are still many more question marks around the league.
Technically, free agency doesn’t begin until March 15, but a few teams have already locked down their quarterback for 2023 (and beyond).
Derek Carr, one of the most straitlaced people in the entire NFL, is going from one debauched party city (Las Vegas) to another (New Orleans). He signed a four-year deal with the Saints that includes up to $100 million in guaranteed money. I don’t know how that works for their salary cap, but I wonder the same thing about the Saints every offseason.
While the Saints will have a new starter, two other teams are bringing back last year’s quarterback on a new contract. The Giants gave Daniel Jones $160 million, which raised several eyebrows among NFL players. Jones has been a better pro than I ever thought he’d be, and I’m still not sure how much I believe in him, but I do believe in Brian Daboll’s magic touch.
Geno Smith, fresh off his NFL Comeback Player of the Year season, also earned a big payday. He re-upped with the Seahawks on a three-year incentive-laden deal that Seattle could easily get out of a year from now if Smith regresses or if the team decides to move on to a younger quarterback.
If the Seahawks end up drafting that QB this year, then Smith will welcome him with open arms (unlike a lot of other veterans in this league):
So that settles three up-in-the-air QB situations, but there are still a dozen remaining around the league. That includes the Ravens, who franchise-tagged Lamar Jackson but also left open the possibility that another team could try to sign him away with an offer that Baltimore refuses to match. Apparently, no team is interested in doing so, which is strange considering how many of them are desperate for a game-changer under center. At best, it’s a negotiating tactic and at worst, and oh, just collusion.
Let’s check in on the other teams that could be starting a new quarterback in 2023 (the Dolphins are not listed because Tom Brady is retired for real, OK? Please?). Free agency will bring clarity for some of these squads, though we’ll have a better picture of where things stand for everyone once the draft is over.
Atlanta Falcons
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Marcus Mariota
Current status: Mariota, a free agent signee last offseason, was benched for rookie Desmond Ridder and then placed on injured reserve. He’s since been released. Ridder finished out the year as the starter, and he was a little shaky but overall, not bad. He’ll get every chance to start on a full-time basis in 2023, but the Falcons will still need to add another quarterback, either through the draft or free agency.
FWIW, Lamar Jackson would be a perfect fit in Atlanta, if the team decides to reverse its entirely too quick dismissal of him.
Baltimore Ravens
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Lamar Jackson
Current status: I guess playing a dangerous, Rebel Without a Cause game of “chickie run” with Jackson? By placing the nonexclusive franchise tag on their quarterback, the Ravens can either match another team’s offer sheet or trade Jackson to that team for a couple of first-round picks.
Or, if no one else (?!) wants a 26-year-old former MVP at the most premium position in the NFL, then Jackson could 1) sign his tender and play out the 2023 on the franchise tag OR 2) sign his tender, then work out a new extension before the July 17 deadline for franchise-tagged players or 3) hold out.
In other words, no one knows what is happening or will happen. Except that the Ravens continue to be kinda messy this offseason.
Carolina Panthers
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold (6 starts each)
Current status: Mayfield was waived last season, then landed with the Rams. Darnold is set to be a free agent, as is P.J. Walker, who made five starts in 2022. That leaves Matt Corral (who missed his rookie year with an injury) and Jacob Eason as the only two Carolina quarterbacks under contract at the moment.
The Panthers are expected to draft a quarterback, who will be under the tutelage of new coach Frank Reich. They can trade up from No. 9 and select one of the prospects who could start right away, or sign a veteran — Jimmy Garoppolo’s name has been popping up — who could run things while the rookie QB develops.
Green Bay Packers
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Aaron Rodgers
Current status: As per usual, the Packers are waiting on Rodgers to make up his damn mind. However, this time, they might not want him to stay in Wisconsin:
Maybe that’s true. Rodgers is 39, not cheap, and is coming off his worst season as a full-time starter. His schtick is also very exhausting.
Maybe it’s not. After all, Rodgers is a four-time MVP and earned two of those awards within the last three years. And Jordan Love is much more of an unproven commodity, despite the public confidence of Packers GM Brian Gutekunst.
Either way, the Jets have been courting Rodgers, and if he continues to follow the Brett Favre career path1, then the Love era will officially begin in Green Bay.
Houston Texans
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Davis Mills
Current status: The Texans will draft a quarterback this year and, at worst, will end up with the second one off the board. We just don’t know if they will try to trade up to No. 1 to make sure they get their top choice, or if they’ll stay at No. 2 and be fine with whoever is available.
Whichever quarterback the Texans take, he’ll have a chance to start immediately for a team that has a lot of holes to fill this offseason. But Houston is also rumored to be interested in Jimmy Garoppolo, who would be in the familiar spot of acting as a bridge quarterback for a rookie.
Indianapolis Colts
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Matt Ryan
Current status: The Colts are basically in the same situation as their rivals in Texas: a new coach, a high draft pick, and a major need at quarterback. They are guaranteed to select a quarterback in April and are a strong candidate to trade up to the top spot, potentially jumping their AFC South foe for the future face of the franchise.
Indy is expected to part ways with Nick Foles and Matt Ryan, the latter of whom could choose to retire after an awful season or sign with a team that could use his experience. That means the Colts will likely add a veteran to their QB room during free agency.
Las Vegas Raiders
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Derek Carr
Current status: Last month, the Raiders released Carr, their longtime starter. That left them with exactly one quarterback under contract: Chase Garbers, a former practice squader who looks exactly like you think someone named Chase Garbers does (i.e. the former star of a Disney show).
GM Dave Ziegler has more or less confirmed Vegas, which owns the No. 7 pick, will draft a quarterback. Other than that, the position is TBD. The Raiders are talking about bringing back Jarrett Stidham, and have also been tied to Aaron Rodgers (unlikely), Jimmy G (maybe!), Mac Jones (doubtful), and Lamar Jackson (probably not).
New York Jets
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Zach Wilson
Current status: Derek Carr opted not to wait around for Aaron Rodgers to make a decision. Though he was courted by the Jets, he signed with the Saints before free agency began.
The Jets seem close to landing Rodgers, but then again, who can predict what a guy who is scheduled to speak at the "Psychedelic Science 2023" conference is going to do?
Even if they can’t lure Rodgers to New York, the Jets will have to bring a veteran on board while Wilson sits on the bench for a while (or forever). Like almost every other team on this list, NY is a possible landing spot for Jimmy Garoppolo, who would be reunited with Robert Saleh. After that, the pickings are slim for a starting-caliber free agent quarterback … unless the Jets decide that Lamar Jackson is their Plan B.
San Francisco 49ers
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Jimmy Garoppolo
Current status: Trey Lance, who began the season as the starter, and Brock Purdy, who ended the season as the starter, could compete for the job in 2023 — if both are healthy. A valid concern for any 49ers quarterback, if we’re being honest.
However, Purdy’s status in particular is hazy at the moment; his elbow surgery has been rescheduled for Friday after it was pushed back due to swelling. His post-op prognosis will then influence what kind of quarterback San Francisco targets in free agency. If there’s a chance Purdy will miss most or all of the 2023 season, the Niners could go after the kind of veteran — Baker Mayfield, Matt Ryan, Jacoby Brissett, and Andy Dalton have all been mentioned — who could step in right away and start if necessary. And with the 49ers, it usually is necessary at some point.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Tom Brady
Current status: Tampa Bay’s offense is getting a makeover this offseason. Following Brady’s second attempt at retirement, the Buccaneers have since fired OC Byron Leftwich and released running back Leonard Fournette, tight end Cameron Brate, and left tackle Donovan Smith. Once those moves are official next week, the Buccaneers will have freed up some much-needed cap space.
Still, Tampa won’t have a ton of money to throw out there in free agency, which will limit their QB options. Kyle Trask, a 2021 second-round pick, will get his first real shot at starting, but the Bucs will need to sign someone else to battle him for the job.
Baker Mayfield or Jameis Winston might make sense, especially after new OC Dave Canales helped guide Geno Smith to a resurgent season. But he also said his No. 1 goal for Tampa’s offense will be protecting the ball, which hasn’t been either QB’s forte.
Tennessee Titans
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Ryan Tannehill
Current status: So on the one hand, new Titans GM Ran Carthon was adamant that Tannehill would remain with the team, despite trade rumors. On the other hand, Tennessee is reportedly trying to shop Derrick Henry, which might suggest it’s rebuilding the offense.
That’s why the Titans are such a mystery at the moment. Maybe they’ll start over: deal Henry, dump Tannehill, and trade up in the draft to snag a quarterback, perhaps leapfrogging one or two division rivals in the process. Or maybe they’ll keep both Henry and Tannehill around for another season, surround them with more talent, and try to win with hopefully healthier versions of the QB-RB tandem.
Whatever they decide to do with Henry should give us a hint about what they’ll do about the QB position, though.
Washington Commanders
Starter for majority of games in 2022: Taylor Heinicke (he started 9 games; Carson Wentz started 7)
Current status: The Commanders became the latest team to, understandably, give up on the Carson Wentz experiment. The former No. 2 overall pick was released at the end of February, and then, to add insult to injury, Peter King gave him this scathing review:
Heinicke will also be a free agent, which leaves new OC Eric Bieniemy with only rising second-year QB Sam Howell on the depth chart. Howell will get his shot at earning the starting job, but Washington will have to bring in some competition, likely of the “reliable backup” kind.
That means the Commanders probably won’t test the Lamar Jackson waters, even if they should. Bieniemy + Jackson would be a *fire emoji* combination. Alas, it doesn’t appear to be happening.
Hopefully the similarities end there because Favre was and is disgusting.