C.J. Stroud seems well on his way to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year this season. Davis Mills and Case Keenum fill out a fairly experienced quarterback room in Houston. They are set here for the time being. It is too early to confidently say they hit on Stroud, but it sure seems to be trending in that direction.
Anthony Richardson’s rookie campaign came to an abrupt end after just three games. However, he showed more than enough flashes to excite Colts fans about the future. He still has plenty to work on, but it was an enticing start. Gardner Minshew is one of the best backups in the game. He is a free agent after the season, but Indianapolis would be wise to bring him back on a multiyear deal.
Trevor Lawerence has yet to live up to the hype that surrounded him when he was drafted. That being said, Jacksonville would be hard-pressed to find a better option at the position. Let me be clear, Lawrence has been good, but not elite. He just turned 24 last month (Kenny Pickett is already 25), so he has plenty of time to continue to grow. C.J. Beathard is a solid backup as well. Jacksonville could find an upgrade behind Lawrence, but it does not seem like a pressing need.
Let’s not overreact to one game, but wow, that was a hell of an NFL debut from Will Levis. Tennessee has drafted him and Malik Willis in recent years and will likely give those two a shot to win the job the remainder of this season. Bringing in another veteran to lead the room is certainly not out of the question, but it is hard to see the Titans being in the market for a quarterback in this upcoming draft.
While many will want to blame Russell Wilson for the Broncos’ offensive struggles, it is unfair to pin it all on him. Russ is actually fourth in the league in passing touchdowns this season with 16. Denver is likely going to undergo an overhaul in the next few years with Sean Payton now at the helm. I think the Broncos would be wise to draft Wilson’s successor, but not force the former Seahawks star out the door as soon as he arrives. Keeping him on through 2024 before looking to cut or trade him would give Denver a buffer at the position. The money is going to be tough either way and it gets easier every year the team waits to move on from him. A two-game win streak also takes them out of the Caleb Williams sweepstakes for the time being.
They have Patrick Mahomes.
Jimmy Garoppolo is not the answer in Sin City. Josh McDaniels was not either. Las Vegas is headed towards a top 10 pick in a good quarterback class. It is hard to imagine the Raiders passing on the position. The rest of the quarterback room, Brian Hoyer and Aidan O’Connell, is not going to stand in the way of spending premium draft capital at the position. Vegas will take an extended look at O’Connell now that McDaniels and general manager Dave Zeigler are both out. The Raiders have not drafted a quarterback in the first round since 2007. It’s understandable that Jamarcus Russell would scare people off from ever doing that again, but it is time for a true reset.
Justin Herbert is a good, young quarterback who the Chargers just committed a lot of money to this offseason. Eason Stick is in a contract year, so perhaps Los Angeles will want to find a new backup, but it is hard to see the Chargers making any meaningful moves at the position.