The quarterback carousel has already started to spin, with Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff giving a big push at the end of last week.
Before the start of the Super Bowl LV tonight, the week in Tampa was filled with conversations about where Carson Wentz would end up.
It seems like everyone wants a quarterback or is willing to upgrade. The Bears, Colts, 49ers, Panthers, Washington, Patriots, Jets and Broncos are among those who have at least made a call about a QB.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how things are with QBs, based on conversations with sources around the NFL:
Where is Carson Wentz going? From the moment the new Eagles coach, Nick Sirianni, refused in his introductory press conference to guarantee that Wentz would be in the roster in 2021, the fight for Wentz’s new home began. Although Philly is more than open to keeping it, it seems that negotiating the old QB franchise is the most likely option. The Eagles received significant interest, and underserved quarterback teams like the Colts and Bears are among the many who called on general manager Howie Roseman. Eagles may not have the same reward that Lions had for negotiating with Stafford, but it must be significant.
Who will be the Saints who start at QB? Drew Brees has yet to announce this, but this week’s contract maneuver has further solidified that he is moving into the next phase of his life. He’s retiring. So, who’s next? When it became clear that Stafford and Goff were available, it was notable that Sean Payton’s saints did not visit either. Excluding a possible draft option, it appears that Payton is set to enter the season with Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill as his two QB options. Winston is a free agent, but there is a mutual interest in his return. Assuming he signs again, Winston seems to have the first chance to win the starting position, as the team will really see the improvement he has seen in practice every day.
Will the Raiders trade Derek Carr? In recent years, the answer has been a firm no. It may not be the case now. The teams have called on the Raiders to assess their interest in trading for Carr and, at least now, the team seems open to considering him in some way or style – as long as he can replace him with someone at the same level. In reality, the teams believe that Las Vegas is open to dealing with one of two QBs – Carr or Marcus Mariota. Securing Nathan Peterman $ 1 million in 2021 was a sign that they could part with another QB. Will someone make a good enough offer?
Who will be Washington’s QB? When Alex Smith decided he needed a few weeks to discover his future, the Washington football team knew it couldn’t wait. Although the team is open to a return from Smith, she also made calls to Stafford and Goff before being traded. Expect them to weigh all QB options, including if Sam Darnold is available. Although many teams have called up the Jets in Darnold, there is no indication that they would switch. Still.
What’s going on in San Francisco? The 49ers are expected to bring Josh Rosen back. Rosen, who spent most of the season on the Bucs’ training team, was a free agent with exclusive rights, so it was up to the team to make him an offer. They will do this officially soon.