Tour of Ten: QBs in New Places Edition
The NFL’s offseason quarterback carousel was in full force over the past week, with the opening of free agency featuring the shuffling of multiple QBs amongst league rosters. Here’s a look at some of the quarterbacks that have landed in new places for the 2024 season in our latest Tour of Ten . . .
Kirk Cousins – Atlanta Falcons
Cousins was limited to just eight games for the Vikings last season due to a serious Achilles injury, but that didn’t prevent the veteran quarterback from getting yet another massive contract this offseason from the Falcons as a free agent. Cousins has thrown for over 4,000 yards in seven of his past nine seasons with Minnesota and Washington as he prepares to take over the Atlanta offense.
Russell Wilson – Pittsburgh Steelers
Wilson inked a one-year deal with the Steelers after being cut loose by the Broncos despite somewhat of a bounceback campaign in 2023 in which he threw for 26 touchdowns against only eight interceptions. Wilson, though, should get at least a bit of a push in Pittsburgh by Justin Fields, who also came to the Steelers this offseason via a trade with the Bears for a sixth-round pick.
Gardner Minshew – Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders will be Minshew’s fourth team in six seasons, and after signing a two-year, $25 million contract with Las Vegas he’ll compete with Aidan O’Connell for the team’s starting QB job. Despite not being able to stick around in one place for long Minshew has thrown for 59 touchdowns against just 24 interceptions so far in his career. O’Connell had 12 TD passes and seven INTs last season.
Sam Darnold – Minnesota Vikings
With Cousins departing for Atlanta the Vikings brought in Darnold on a one-year, $10 million contract after he spent last season backing up Brock Purdy in San Francisco. Like Minshew, Darnold will be on his fourth NFL team (in seven seasons) when he takes the field for the Vikings; he threw just 46 passes for 297 yards in limited playing time last season, with two TDs and one INT.
Marcus Mariota – Washington Commanders
Mariota played sparingly as the backup to Jalen Hurts last season in Philadelphia, his third stop in three years after suiting up for the Falcons in 2022 and the Raiders in 2021. With Washington also trading Sam Howell (to the Seahawks), Mariota should either be in line for the starter’s gig with the Commanders in 2024 or be a backup option if the team uses its top draft pick on a franchise QB.
Jacoby Brissett – New England Patriots
The Patriots jettisoned Mac Jones and signed Brissett to a one-year, $8 million contract, bringing back a quarterback that began his career in New England back in 2016. Brissett subsequently played for the Colts, Dolphins, Browns, and Commanders, and like Mariota could either draw some starts for his latest team in 2024 or be in line to mentor someone the Patriots select in the draft.
Jimmy Garoppolo – Los Angeles Rams
Garoppolo fell out of favor in San Francisco two seasons ago and didn’t make much of an impact with the Raiders last season, throwing for seven touchdowns and nine interceptions in his seven games with the team. He’ll now be the backup quarterback to Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles, although he’ll have to sit out the first two games of the season due to a league-issued PED suspension.
Sam Howell – Seattle Seahawks
Howell was dealt by the Commanders to the Seahawks along with fourth-round and six-round picks for third-round and fifth-round picks, and he is now an option for Seattle if starting quarterback Geno Smith falters in 2024. Howell got into 17 games for the Commanders last season and threw for 3,946 yards, but he had 21 interceptions to go along with his 21 touchdown passes.
Drew Lock – New York Giants
We’ll cheat here a bit, because Lock, signed to back up Daniel Jones in New York, is one of a number of other depth quarterback acquisitions along with Brett Rypien (Bears), Mason Rudolph (Titans), Joe Flacco (Colts), Nathan Peterman (Saints), Desmond Ridder (Cardinals), Jameis Winston (Browns), Tyrod Taylor (Jets), Mac Jones (Jaguars), Kenny Pickett (Eagles), and Mitch Trubisky (Bills).
Ryan Tannehill / Zach Wilson – TBD
The two most notable quarterback names still out there heading into the spring, Tannehill is a free agent who was allowed to walk by the Titans and Wilson is a member of the Jets who has been given permission to seek a trade and a fresh start elsewhere. Wilson is a decade younger than the veteran Tannehill, but his three seasons in New York did not go well as he looks to avoid the draft bust label.
With zero championships between his MLB, NHL, and NFL teams over the last 30 years, Dave keeps one foot in the past while shaking his fist at the present. Having provided content to all manner of sports websites over a 20-year career in the industry, Dave brings to Attiq an eye for all things editorial and a disdain for all things New York Yankees. Click here for Dave's posts.
