The carousel spins another year. After a crazy 2021 off-season for QB's, 2022 seems to be only a slightly slower carousel ride. Some of the teams and QBs are holdovers from 2021. Lurking in the background are the facts that 2022 seems to be a weak year for QBs in the draft but that 2023 would seem to have two potential superstars in CJ Stroud and Bryce Young.
Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay - Aaron Rodgers toyed with leaving the Packers in the summer before finally reporting. He leads the Packers to the #1 seed and a probable MVP award, and then fails again in the playoffs. Once again, it seems like Rodgers might be going elsewhere. He said he will make his decision quickly this time. And that he doesn't want to be part of a rebuild. And the Packers are in cap hell. Next to last in cap space, needing to clear 38 million just to be legal. And Rodgers is the biggest chunk of that, with a 46 million dollar cap hit for 2022.
Trading Rodgers clears almost 20 million for 2022. (but leaves a 26 million dead cap hit). If a team can afford Rodgers, it would seem likely to hand Green Bay a couple of #1's at least. Denver, the team most often mentioned has lots of cap space (and a QB problem).
Packers used a #1 pick in 2020 for Jordan Love. Love didn't play a snap in 2020, got some time this year and was mediocre at best. He's still just barely 23. Seemingly he'd get a shot if Packers trade Rodgers.
Houston and Deshaun Watson - Watson started out 2021 trying to get out of Houston, and ended 2021 trying to stay out of jail. In a bizarre dance between Houston, Watson and the NFL, Watson was never suspended, he never played, and yet Houston never forced his hand and paid him $10 million to watch games from the sideline.
Watson still wants out. He still has 22 civil suits against him, and possible criminal proceedings. One of his accusers released the settlement info and it was for $100k. If he could swing that, it would only be 2.2 million. He signed a guaranteed $110 million 4 year deal. There would be no way I settled for less than $500K.
Watson is due $35 million this year. No way Houston can do the same dance. Miami was rumored to be the main suitor, but that was before Brian Flores (supposedly his main advocate) was canned.
Houston drafted Davis Mills in the 3rd round and was playing pretty well by the end of the year. Certainly well enough that it would seem he would be their main guy for 2022. Backup Tyrod Taylor is a Free Agent, as is 3rd stringer Jeff Driskell.
Houston has the 3rd pick. If they get a haul for Watson in addition, things could be looking up for Texans.
Pittsburgh and Ben Roethlisberger - Stop the Merry-Go-Round, it appears Big Ben wants off. All signs point to Ben retiring. Behind Ben there's the ever so mediocre Mason Rudolph, and Dwayne Haskins who flamed out in Washington and didn't play a down in 2021. Pittsburgh is in pretty decent shape cap wise. Ben leaves only a $10 million cap hit. Do Steelers let Rudolph guide their team, or take a chance with Haskins, or go out and get someone? I think the latter.
Seattle and Russell Wilson - Wilson and his agent made noise about wanting to play elsewhere and released a list of 4 teams he would accept a trade to. (Cowboys, Saints, Raiders, Bears.) Cowboys are 100% set with Dak, and Bears just drafted Fields. Raiders and Saints are under new management.
But the Wilson rumors are starting to fly again. This time he is on a sub-500 team in a division that is stacked.
Tom Brady and The Bucs - Tom had said previously that he wanted to play until at least 45 (he's 44) but after his playoff loss, he's taking time to decide about his future and indicates that his wife/family's desires may override his own. I think it's about 50/50 that he calls it quits.
Run thru divisions -
AFC East
Buffalo - 100% set with Allen - Does back up Trubisky interest anyone?
Patriots - Would appear to be set with Mac Jones.
Dolphins - Word is they'll stick with Tua for at least another year. Would that change if Watson is available? Brisset is backup.
Jets - Drafted Zach Wilson #2. Was significantly better after returning from injury (TD/Int ration was 4/9 before, 5/2 after). They'll roll with him for a couple years. Terrible backups in Flacco/White.
AFC South
Titans - Some question about whether Tannehill is too much of a game manager to take them to the promised land. I'd be surprised if they made a move. Logan Woodside backup.
Colts - Traded for Wentz (1st round pick). Statistically he had a good season, but faltered at the end and Colts missed playoffs. Owner Irsay hinted at changes. Wentz can be dumped with a 15 million cap hit and traded (if you can find a taker) with no cap hit. Colts have lots of cap space, and could be a landing spot for someone like Wilson/Rodgers
Jags - Drafted Trevor Lawrence #1 overall. Had a shaky season on dismal team with Urban Meyer debacle. Had best game of season in final game. No chance of a change. Good backup in CJ Beathard.
Texans - Has the whole Deshaun Watson deal. Will probably stick with Mills, but a new coach may factor into things.
AFC North
Bengals - 100% set with Burrow
Ravens - 100% set, but Jackson not quite as elite as before.
Steelers - 100% not set - Roethlisberger situation.
Browns - Supposedly running with Mayfield at least one more year, but Browns might move on in 2023.
AFC West
Chiefs - 100% set
Chargers - 100% set
Raiders - Probably not making any moves. Gruden who was always a little ambivalent towards Carr is gone, as is the GM. Who knows what new management might do?
Broncos - Just a mess at QB. Bridgewater is a Free Agent who will probably have to settle for being a bridge QB somewhere. Lock is a lock to be NOT the guy. Lot of rumors that maybe Rodgers would be in play here.
NFC East -
Dallas - 100% set
Philly - Philly claims that they are rolling with Hurts for 2022. Minshew who had better stats in 2 games is the backup.
Washington - Another team in search of a QB. Taylor Heinecke is the "starter", Ryan Fitzgerald is a Free Agent. They would seem to be a team after a QB.
Giants - Daniel Jones who ended the year with a serious neck injury is the presumed starter for 2022, but would seem to be on very shaky ground even if healthy. Giants are rumored as potential landing spots for guys like Wilson. New GM and HC.
NFC South
Tampa - If Brady retires, the Bucs are left with Blaine Gabbert and Kyle Trask. That's not a good situation. If he retires, could Rodgers slide right into his place? The economics (cap) might be tricky.
New Orleans - Payton retired and there are bunch of mediocre QB's. Jameis was on a prove it deal and was just ok. Ian Book sucked in his one game, they are paying a ton to Taysom Hill, and they have the worst cap situation in the league. Payton is getting out just in time. If I'm the GM in New Orleans, I think long and hard about burning it to the ground, clearing up the cap and make a run at the #1 draft choice to get Stroud or Young.
Carolina - Traded for Sam Darnold, who did little to assure he's the QB going forward. He has one more year left on his contract. It wouldn't surprise me to see Panthers make a move a Qb in off-season either in trade/FA or draft.
Atlanta - Matt Ryan will be 37 next season. He's playing decent but not great. A lot of people thought Falcons might make a move at spot #5 in last years draft but they went for TE Pitts. They have pick #8 this year. Ryan has renegotiated his salary three straight years, which has led to to a bad contract situation for him and Atlanta. They are 27th in cap space.
NFC North
Packers - Covered previously
Vikings - New coach and GM, Kirk Cousins will be a FA after 2022. He has 45 million dollar cap hit in 2022. They either have to trade him, sign him to extended deal or move on.
Bears - Traded up to get Fields, he's #1 going forward. They still have Foles for one more year. Dalton is a free agent.
Lions - Traded for Goff and 2 first rounders. Goff still has three more years to go. I assume they are still undecided if he is the guy. But the same GM and HC are in place. I say they stick with him.
NFC West
Rams - 100% set
49's - 49's traded up to #3 and took Trey Lance. The working assumption was that Jimmy Garafalo would move on after this season. But he keeps winning. Garafalo has one year one his deal at 27 million and 1 one million cap hit. So trading him to someone like Washington makes a ton of sense.
Seattle - Covered previously. Has 2 years left on his deal. Geno Smith is his backup and played pretty well this season.
Cards - Probably 100% set.
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Originally Posted by Raisor
