Future QB Rankings: Rating all 32 NFL teams’ situations from worst to best

Touchdown Wire ranks the 32 NFL teams in terms of stability and potential at the game’s most important position over the next 3-4 seasons.

24. New Orleans Saints

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

If this ranking pertained only to this season, the Saints might be No. 1. They have a future Hall of Famer in Drew Brees and, when he missed five games with a thumb injury, backup Teddy Bridgewater went 5-0. The Saints should have a deep playoff run this year. But, after that, things get cloudy in a hurry. Brees will turn 41 in January. He’s still going strong. It’s difficult to imagine the Saints choosing to keep Bridgewater as the starter over Brees because coach Sean Payton and Brees have such a close working relationship. It’s also difficult to imagine Bridgewater choosing to stay in New Orleans as a backup when he could likely get a starting job in free agency. Third-stringer Taysom Hill never will rise to the starting role. He’s a multipurpose threat and is used mostly on gimmick plays. Unless the Saints find a magical way to keep Bridgewater, it will be time to start looking for an eventual replacement for Brees. “Don’t be surprised if the Saints find a way to keep Bridgewater,” a panelist said. “(General manager Mickey) Loomis and Payton can be very charming. The smart move is to keep Teddy, even if he’s your backup for another year or two until Brees retires. They’ll be willing to throw good cash at him.”

23. New York Jets

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a tough second season for the third overall pick in 2018. Sam Darnold missed three games with mononucleosis and is surrounded by a bad team. He has thrown for 1,600 yards with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Still, Darnold is the quarterback for the foreseeable future. He’s playing on a rookie contract, which is a bargain compared to the market for veterans. Darnold is under contract through 2021, and the team holds an option for 2022. Darnold has to improve, but he’s in no danger of losing his job anytime soon. All four panelists think Darnold has enough upside to become a franchise quarterback if the Jets surround him with more talent.

22. Los Angeles Chargers

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

This is perhaps the league’s most difficult quarterback situation to assess at this moment. Philip Rivers, 37, is in the last year of his contract. Backup Tyrod Taylor is signed through 2020, but he’s not a long-term answer as the starter. The Chargers likely will try to re-sign Rivers. But it’s time to find his heir apparent. Easton Stick, a fifth-round choice this year out of North Dakota State, is viewed as nothing more than a backup. The Chargers may use an early-round pick on a quarterback with the potential to be a starter. “Keep Rivers if he wants to keep playing. But it’s time to draft a quarterback for the future,” a panelist said. “They’re not going to have a top pick, but they still should be high enough to get a good quarterback.”

21. Minnesota Vikings

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Kirk Cousins has been a good quarterback since Week 5, after getting off to a mediocre start. Credit Adam Thielen. The wide receiver publicly criticized Cousins, and the quarterback responded with apologies, literally and figuratively. Cousins, 31, still has one more year on a three-year, $84 million deal that is fully guaranteed. Has Cousins done enough to be rewarded with a big contract by the Vikings? Probably not yet. The rest of this year and next season will determine if Cousins will be back as the starter in 2021. “He’s not a long-term answer, but they have no choice right now,” a panelist said. “Stick with him for one more season and then see where they’re at.”

32-29 / 28-25 / 20-17 / 16-13 / 12-9 / 8-5 / 4-1