Free agency has altered QB needs ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft

The NFL free agency threw a curveball in the 2022 NFL Draft outlook this year. Here are the teams who will no longer be eying a QB early.

This is a big time of the year for NFL fans. Whether your team was one of the best from the 2021 season or a bottom-dweller looking to improve, there are always a few unpredictable moves as the free agency period opens up.

We have seen many of those take form already, as household names have been signed or traded for over the past week. However, the quarterback position has seen a bigger shakeup than most would have expected.

It began with the Russell Wilson trade. After the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback was shipped to Denver for a king’s ransom, the Broncos no longer were in the mix for a quarterback. This need was swapped with the Seahawks, who could now be looking at a signal-caller as soon as the 9th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Shortly after, a few other QB moves were made. The Washington Commanders traded with the Indianapolis Colts for quarterback Carson Wentz, and the Pittsburgh Steelers signed free agent QB Mitchell Trubisky.

Teams aren’t finished making moves either, and there are whispers that Baker Mayfield and Matt Ryan could both be traded before the NFL Draft. This is in addition to players like Jimmy Garropolo and Jordan Love on the market.

The biggest QB move we have yet to see is Deshaun Watson, and there are several teams rumored to be in a bidding war for his services. The Houston Texans are expected to receive at least three first-round picks in exchange for the franchise quarterback.

How QB changes alter NFL Draft plans

Some of the teams we thought would have been locks to take a quarterback early in the NFL Draft suddenly have the luxury of waiting. The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of them. Just a few weeks ago, Mason Rudolph was the only quarterback under contract on their team. Now they have Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, and Dwayne Haskins. Though this unit is unspectacular, Pittsburgh now has the flexibility to wait and address the QB position in 2023 if they so choose.

Likewise, the Commanders — who own the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft — are out on a quarterback in round one with Wentz at the helm. While there are certainly some mixed opinions on Wentz, Washington didn’t give up multiple day-two draft choices only to draft a quarterback this year.

As it stands, the teams with the biggest needs at QB (who are also most likely to select a signal-caller in round one) are the Seahawks, Saints, and possibly the Steelers.

This can obviously change in a hurry (and likely will prior to the NFL Draft), but the QB changes around the league have really thrown a curveball in the needs at the position this April.