NFLs QB landscape changed during free agency

The first phase of the NFL’s offseason quarterback reshuffling is done, with a flurry of moves last week in free agency and on the trade market.

Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and others changed teams. Baker Mayfield stayed put. Among the most prominent veterans, Ryan Tannehill remains available. The New York Jets have not traded Zach Wilson. But things mostly have played out.

Some teams have new starters. Some will address that during an NFL draft top-heavy with prominent quarterbacks.

It has been eventful indeed. Here’s a look at where things stand.

Atlanta Falcons

2023 starters: Desmond Ridder (traded to Cardinals) and Taylor Heinicke

2024 starter: Kirk Cousins (signed as free agent)

The Falcons landed the top prize in free agency with their four-year, $180 million deal with Cousins, who must work his way back from the torn Achilles’ tendon in his right leg that cut short his 2023 season. Atlanta faces potential penalties if the NFL’s review finds it violated tampering rules in its dealings with Cousins. But the Falcons have emerged as prospective contenders in the NFC South after replacing Arthur Smith with Raheem Morris and overhauling their quarterback room. They have plenty of young talent on offense around Cousins with tailback Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts, and they added wideouts Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2023 starter: Baker Mayfield

2024 starter: Mayfield (re-signed as free agent)

Mayfield, the former No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, has rejuvenated his career. His three-year, $100 million deal with the Buccaneers is a handsome reward for that. He helped Tampa Bay reach the divisional round of the NFC playoffs last season. He and the Buccaneers seem poised to vie with Cousins and the Falcons for supremacy in the NFC South next season.

Pittsburgh Steelers

2023 starters: Kenny Pickett (traded to Eagles), Mason Rudolph (signed with Titans as free agent) and Mitchell Trubisky (released, signed with Bills)

2024 starter: Russell Wilson (signed as free agent) or Justin Fields (acquired in trade)

The Steelers revamped their quarterback situation after reaching the playoffs last season with Pickett, Trubisky and Rudolph taking turns as the starter. And they did it without much cost. They signed Wilson to a one-year contract and must pay him only $1.21 million while the Denver Broncos, who released him, pay the remaining $37.79 million of the $39 million they owed to him. The Steelers sent only a conditional sixth-round draft choice in 2025 to the Chicago Bears for Fields; it could become a fourth-rounder based on Fields’s playing time.

Wilson apparently is first in line to be the starter. Pickett’s reported displeasure with the situation after Wilson was signed led to him being traded. The Steelers did well and should improve next season at the sport’s most important position.

Chicago Bears

2023 starter: Fields (traded to Steelers)

2024 starter: TBD in NFL draft

The Bears’ decision of Caleb Williams vs. Fields apparently was not much of a decision at all in their minds. They settled for getting practically nothing in return for Fields to clear the way for them to use the No. 1 choice in the NFL draft next month on a quarterback — presumably Williams, the former Heisman Trophy winner at Southern California who has drawn comparisons to Patrick Mahomes. If Williams becomes an NFL star, no one will care too much about the modest return in the Fields trade.

The Bears upgraded the offense around their prized rookie quarterback-to-be by signing tailback D’Andre Swift in free agency and trading for wide receiver Keenan Allen to go with wideout DJ Moore and tight end Cole Kmet.

Minnesota Vikings

2023 starter: Cousins (signed with Falcons as free agent)

2024 starter: TBD in draft or Sam Darnold (signed as free agent)

The Vikings tried but failed to re-sign Cousins. Now they must move on and make sure they have a capable quarterback to get the ball to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson. They signed Darnold, which gives them either an experienced backup or a temporary starter. More importantly, they secured a second first-round draft pick via a trade with the Houston Texans. They now possess the draft’s 11th and 23rd choices. They could stay put at No. 11 and perhaps be in position to land a quarterback from the draft’s second tier: Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix. Or they could make a bid to trade up into the first three spots to land a quarterback from the upper tier of Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels.

Denver Broncos

2023 starter: Russell Wilson (released, signed with Steelers)

2024 starter: TBD in draft or Jarrett Stidham

The Broncos have been spectators thus far — other than releasing Wilson, as expected, after benching him in favor of Stidham for the final two games of last season. They have the No. 12 selection in the draft and could be in position to get Nix, Penix or perhaps even McCarthy. The Broncos reportedly were interested in Darnold before he signed with the Vikings. There was speculation that they might try to trade for Sam Howell before the Washington Commanders sent him to the Seattle Seahawks instead. The Broncos still could sign Tannehill, if they choose. They have Stidham on the roster. But with an $85 million salary cap hit over two seasons resulting from the release of Wilson, the situation is far from ideal.

Las Vegas Raiders

2023 starters: Jimmy Garoppolo (released, signed with Rams) and Aidan O’Connell

2024 starter: O’Connell, Gardner Minshew II (signed as free agent) or TBD in draft

O’Connell played reasonably well last season in his 10 starts as a rookie. Minshew arrives in free agency after helping keep the Indianapolis Colts in playoff contention last season while filling in for the injured Anthony Richardson. That makes for a quarterback situation that is tolerable, albeit not exactly spectacular. The Raiders have the 13th choice in the draft and could make a quarterback move there.

New England Patriots

2023 starters: Mac Jones (traded to Jaguars) and Bailey Zappe

2024 starter: TBD in draft or Jacoby Brissett (signed as free agent)

The Patriots wasted no time ensuring the post-Bill Belichick era would not include Jones. They made the first noteworthy trade of this year’s quarterback reshuffling by agreeing on the weekend before free agency to send him to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round pick. The Patriots still have Zappe and added Brissett. But the big move for Coach Jerod Mayo and front-office chief Eliot Wolf will come on draft day. They have the No. 3 pick and are in position, barring a trade, to get either Daniels or Maye.

Washington Commanders

2023 starter: Sam Howell (traded to Seahawks)

2024 starter: TBD in draft or Marcus Mariota (signed as free agent)

The Commanders’ new regime is starting over at quarterback, sending Howell to the Seahawks. There has been speculation about the possibility of a trade with the Bears to get the No. 1 pick to land Williams, the former Gonzaga College High standout. If the Bears believe Williams has a chance to come anywhere close to being as accomplished as Mahomes, that trade won’t happen. Even if it doesn’t, the Commanders can have their choice of Daniels or Maye. They added Mariota as a backup.

New York Giants

2023 starters: Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor (signed with Jets as free agent) and Tommy DeVito

2024 starter: Jones, Drew Lock (acquired in trade with Seahawks) or TBD in draft

Jones returns from the torn ACL in his right knee that ended his 2023 season. Coach Brian Daboll could give Lock a chance to emerge as the starter, even if it’s not to begin the season. They have the No. 6 pick in the draft and thus are in position to end up with McCarthy, Penix or Nix.

Seattle Seahawks

2023 starter: Geno Smith

2024 starter: Smith or Howell (acquired in trade with Commanders)

The Seahawks reworked Smith’s contract and have said they consider him the starter. But with a new coaching staff in place after the organization parted ways with Pete Carroll and hired Mike Macdonald, there is room to wonder if Howell might push Smith for that starting job.

Other notable moves

Joe Flacco sat out more than half of last season before signing with the Cleveland Browns and was named the NFL’s comeback player of the year after helping lead them to the playoffs. Even so, the Browns opted to sign Jameis Winston rather than re-signing Flacco to back up Deshaun Watson, who returns from a shoulder injury for the third season of his five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract. Flacco landed in Indianapolis, replacing Minshew as Richardson’s backup.

Garoppolo, after being released by the Raiders, signed with the Rams and will back up Matthew Stafford after serving a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on banned performance-enhancing substances.

Taylor, who made five starts last season with the Giants, gives the Jets an upgrade over Zach Wilson as the backup to Aaron Rodgers.

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