The 2023 Quarterback Roulette Wheel

Bored of the Super Bowl XLVII storylines already? I know I am. Between Brittany and Jackson Mahomes and the Kelce Brothers, the football can’t be kicked off fast enough in Glendale if you ask me. So why not take this time to ponder what the 2023 QB carousel will look like this off-season?

Lamar Jackson: 2023 Team - Baltimore Ravens

When in the modern NFL was the last time that a 26 year old MVP winning QB hit the market and failed to return to their current organization? The answer? Never. While the two sides remain far apart on the amount of guaranteed money Lamar would be set to earn on a new contract, the franchise tag remains an option for the upcoming season. Negotiations could drag out for the foreseeable future, but with the tag in their back pocket, it is difficult to fathom the Ravens simply letting Lamar walk as a UFA this off-season.

Aaron Rodgers: 2023 Team - New York Jets

You may recall that the Packers once traded future hall of fame QB, Brett Favre, to the J-E-T-S. 15 years later, history repeats itself with Favre’s successor making the move to the Big Apple in the twilight of his career. Rodgers’ massive contract could prove to be an obstacle, but if there is a team that should be willing to find a way to make this work it’s the Jets. New York’s league leading 12-year playoff drought has been a miserable experience for gang green fans, but the team is finally trending in the right direction. Head Coach Robert Saleh has righted the team’s defensive woes and constructed a unit that finished 2^nd in the league in points per game allowed a season ago. The front office has built a solid offensive line to go along with dynamic young skill position players in Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore and Breece Hall. The Jets are truly a QB away from being a playoff contender and bringing in the 4 time MVP is a move the team should be all over.

Daniel Jones: 2023 Team - New York Giants

The Jets aren’t the only team in the big city in need a quarterback heading into 2023. After declining his 5^th year option last summer, Daniel Jones is in line to become a free agent this off-season. That prospect may have been a welcomed sight to Giants fans a year ago, but following the team’s furthest playoff run in a decade, Big Blue is forced to make a long term commitment to the 6^th overall pick in the 2019 Draft. Jones’ development under first year head coach Brian Daboll was remarkable, and this appears to be a case of both sides being content to come to an extension sooner rather than later.

Derek Carr: 2023 Team - New Orleans Saints

Following the departures of Drew Brees and Sean Payton in back to back seasons, the Saints struggled in 2022. To put it bluntly, the QB carousel of Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton and the continued Taysom Hill experiment failed to get the job done.  In this type of situation, a rebuild may be the proper course of action, but have you looked around the NFC South lately? An 8-9 finish was good enough for the Buccaneers to take home the division title in 2022 and, if you haven’t heard, the GOAT is finally riding off into the sunset. With the Panthers and Falcons also toiling in the abyss, bringing the 9-year veteran to New Orleans would make the Saints the favorite in the league’s weakest division and buy the organization time to plot a long-term solution at QB. Add in that current Saints’ Head Coach, Dennis Allen, coached Carr during his rookie year with the Raiders, and the stage could be set for a reunion on Bourbon Street.

Jimmy Garoppolo: 2023 Team - Carolina Panthers

Speaking of an NFC South team with neither a short nor a long-term answer at the QB position, the Panthers have an opportunity to address both needs this off-season. Holding the 9^th overall selection in this year’s draft, the team is likely looking at one of the top 5 QBs on the board. While Bryce Young and CJ Stroud appear to be excellent prospects, the next tier of rookie signal callers doesn’t appear to be quite as NFL ready. That’s where Jimmy G comes in. Entering his 10^th NFL season, Garoppolo boasts a whopping 71.6% winning percentage in his career. That mark bests many all-time greats like Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, Roger Staubach and Aaron Rodgers. Okay, back to planet earth. We know that a number of those wins were a product of the excellent teams that Jimmy was fortunate enough to be surrounded by in San Francisco. The Panthers are a far cry from those 49ers teams, but Garoppolo would have a chance to start from day 1. If the team gets off to even a mediocre start they could remain in the hunt for the playoffs, which could keep whichever young QB the team brings in stapled to the bench for the duration of his rookie campaign.

Geno Smith: 2023 Team - Seattle Seahawks

The “classic” age 32 breakout season was on full display in the Emerald City in 2022. Following an early career flameout with the Jets, Smith was viewed as being nothing more than a lifelong backup. A Russell Wilson trade to Denver later and Smith took over the reins in Seattle and lead the Seahawks to the post season. Given the lack of quality QBs on the roster, there is no reason for the team not to bring Geno back heading into the 2023 season. The Seahawks do possess the number 5 overall selection in the upcoming draft, and could look to add a quarterback of the future to the mix. But, given how Smith exceeded expectations in 2022, the starting job will likely remain in his hands to start the upcoming season.

Mike White: 2023 Team – Miami Dolphins

With current starting QB Tua Tagovailoa dealing with numerous concussions during the 2022 season, the Miami Dolphins were forced to start their 2^nd or 3^rd string QBs on 5 occasions. The team’s results in those 5 games were a disastrous 1-4 record and nearly caused the team to miss the playoffs despite an 8-3 start. As we know, head injuries are not to be taken lightly, and every time Tua absorbs a hit to the head or neck area the entire Dolphins’ fanbase holds its collective breath. Perhaps more so than any other team, Miami needs a reliable backup QB. Having provided a spark in limited action over the past two seasons, White has shown that he belongs in the league. Additionally, his offensive coordinator in New York (Mike LeFleur) comes from the same coaching tree that Dolphins’ head coach Mike McDaniel also stems from. With White unlikely to garner much interest as a starter heading into 2023, a high profile backup role in an offense whose basic concepts he is familiar with would be an ideal fit for both sides.

Jacoby Brissett: 2023 Team – Arizona Cardinals

Without a regime in place (as of this writing) it’s tough to project who the Cardinals will peg to be their insurance policy at QB while Kyler Murray rehabs from a late season ACL injury. If all goes well, Murray will be ready to roll to start the year, but that is absolute best case scenario. The Bidwell family made a large long-term commitment to Murray prior to the 2022 season, and rushing the Pro Bowl QB back on to the field before he is ready would not be the best course of action. With the team likely in need of a placeholder at QB, who better than the man who took on that role admirably in Cleveland this past season, Jacoby Brissett? While Brissett’s game doesn’t pop off the page in any area, he has proven to be a dedicated professional in several difficult situations throughout his career. Between starting 11 games for the Browns and being the man to succeed Andrew Luck in Indianapolis (after only a handful of days to learn the playbook) Brissette is no stranger to chaotic environments.