We’re five games away from the end of the 2021 regular season, but a lot of attention is already focusing on what the New Orleans Saints may do in 2022. And there isn’t a more pressing problem to solve than at quarterback.
Jameis Winston didn’t do enough in his starts to silence speculation about where New Orleans may turn next — and his season-ending knee injury, following by a four-game losing streak under Trevor Siemian and a four-interception start from Taysom Hill (and continued hesitance to play Ian Book), only cranked up the volume on that discussion. Unless the Saints are about to go on a run and get back into the thick of the playoff picture, we need to at least cast a glance to the future.
So while it’s extremely early in the process to seriously evaluate moves the Saints could make, this is a good time to consider which veteran quarterbacks could be available either through free agency or trades with other teams. Consider this a preview before we get really deep in the weeds come the offseason (and before we can seriously consider the draft-eligible quarterbacks, given how few prospects have actually declared yet).
And the biggest moves have been coming earlier and earlier; Matthew Stafford was dealt to the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 31, 2022, while Alex Smith was sent to the Washington Football Team on Jan. 30, 2018. Fewer teams are waiting until the spring to make a change. So here are a dozen names to know, starting with the big fish: