With Jerry Jones, you never know what to expect. Case in point, the Cowboys traded for Trey Lance just prior to the start of the season. Dak Prescott has been solid, if unspectacular so far this season, cutting down on the turnovers and playing smart football. He does not need to do a ton with Dallas’ defense dominating the majority of their opponents. Between him, Cooper Rush and Lance, this quarterback room is set through at least the 2024 season.
Injuries aside, it appears the Giants made a mistake in paying Daniel Jones. He has thrown just two touchdowns in five games this season to go along with six interceptions. He also has a terrible supporting cast. Despite only playing five games, Jones is the second-most sacked quarterback in the league this season. Darius Slayton is the team’s leading wide receiver in terms of yardage to this point as well with just 257 nearing the midway point of the season. It is hard to evaluate Jones in this scenario, but the Giants would definitely be smart to explore options to replace him this offseason.
The Eagles just paid Jalen Hurts and brought in Marcus Mariota this offseason to be his backup. Perhaps the Eagles could take a flier on a Day 3 quarterback to develop behind Hurts, but Philadelphia is clearly set at the position for the time being.
Is Sam Howell the long-term answer in Washington? I don’t know that he has done enough to definitively answer that question, but he has certainly given the Commanders some wiggle room at the position. Heading into the year, it seemed like Washington would be in the running to select Caleb Williams or Drake Maye in the 2024 draft. Now, it feels like they have options. If a quarterback they love on the table, Howell likely will not prevent them from making the move. However, he has done enough for Washington to prioritize other positions, namely offensive line, this upcoming offseason. After hanging onto Jacoby Brissett as well, it is hard to see the Commanders needing to make a big move unless they can pull off a blockbuster deal to land an elite quarterback.
Much like Washington, Chicago’s future at the position is unclear, but far from dire. Justin Fields has shown flashes this season, including a dismantling of those Commanders, but he has not been consistent. The Bears need to put more playmakers around him still and the offensive line is a work in progress. That being said, it seems like the Bears are going to end up with a pair of top five draft picks. If they have a chance to take Caleb Williams, I imagine they will find a new home for Fields. Anything else and the decision becomes a whole lot less clear. It is hard not to feel excited about the prospect of Fields playing behind Olu Fashanu while looking for Marvin Harrison Jr. downfield. That could be a recipe for success.
Jared Goff is proving to be one of the great success stories in the league. After being cast off by the Rams, he has rediscovered himself in Detroit. Playing for offensive coordinator Ben Johnson certainly helps, but Goff is playing at a Pro Bowl level. Teddy Bridgewater is also a very reliable backup. Plus, the team drafted Hendon Hooker in the 2023 draft. Much like Dallas, it feels like Detroit has a complete quarterback room.
At this point, we still don’t know if Jordan Love is “the guy” in Green Bay. He has been up and down this season. His completion percentage is abysmal at 57.7 on the year. It is slightly impacted by his 9.3 air yards per attempt, which leads the league. However, Love also has a league-worst -5.1 completion percentage over expectation. He will need to improve his accuracy if he is to have any chance of making it in the league. With a young receiving corps, the Packers could very well opt to give Love another year to grow with them and hope things improve in 2024. They also hold the No. 6 pick in the draft and could be in the running to land one of the top signal callers in the upcoming draft. It truly could cut either way at this stage.
The Vikings were already facing a big decision this offseason with Kirk Cousins set to enter free agency. It just got a lot more complicated with the 35-year-old suffering a season-ending Achilles injury against the Packers on Sunday. Minnesota pivoted at the deadline to add Josh Dobbs from the Cardinals, but that feels like a contingency plan more than a solution. The injury might actually make it easier to bring Cousins back, as it could scare off some potential suitors. If Cousins is not back, the Vikings will need to make a big move to find his successor. Their 4-4 record has them at the 20th pick currently, which could make it difficult to draft a Day 1 starter. Bringing back Dobbs if he plays well could be an option. So too could be giving rookie Jaren Hall an extended look. In short, this situation is a mess right now and the Vikings have a lot of major decisions coming up.