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Here are the top 12 quarterbacks who are about to hit the open market
The Carolina Panthers certainly won’t be on the lookout for a quarterback this offseason—at least as far as their main roster is concerned. But let’s rank the ones who are about to hit the open market anyway.
Here are the top 12 free-agent quarterbacks of the 2024 offseason:
Kendall Fuller will be in demand when free agency begins.
The Washington Commanders will look much different in 2024. Washington began its offseason of change at the NFL trade deadline by moving defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young.
The Commanders have nine draft picks in the 2024 NFL draft, including five in the top 100. But before the draft, there is free agency. No NFL team has more salary cap space than Washington. New general manager Adam Peters stressed the Commanders will always prioritize the draft, but use free agency to supplement the roster.
Washington will have numerous free agents in 2024. Among the more notable names are cornerback Kendall Fuller, safety Kam Curl, wide receiver Curtis Samuel, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
ESPN analyst — and former Washington safety — Matt Bowen recently ranked his top 50 free agents for 2024. Two Commanders made the list, beginning with Kendall Fuller at No. 19.
A veteran with savvy coverage technique and transition speed out of his pedal, Fuller grabbed two interceptions this season, giving him a total of 16 in his career. He’d be a smart fit for a quarters-based system. And Fuller can set an edge against the run, too, with 79 tackles in 2023. I see a player who can boost the profile of a contender’s secondary.
Fuller has spent six of his eight NFL seasons in Washington. Will a regime change mean he’s elsewhere in 2024? Every coach loves Fuller because he remains a terrific player who is versatile and great in the locker room.
Curl came in at No. 36:
I’d like to see Curl create more on-the-ball production — he hasn’t had an interception since grabbing three in his 2020 rookie year — but he’s a highly instinctive safety with the ability to align at multiple levels of the field. He fits best in a split-safety scheme where he can run the alley and drive top-down on the football. Curl had 115 tackles and forced a fumble in 2023.
Curl is another player Washington always wanted to keep. But with Peters now in town and a new defensive boss coming, will they value the former seventh-round pick the same way?
The Browns need to upgrade their plan at backup quarterback in 2024.
Could Joe Flacco or Jacoby Brissett return to the Cleveland Browns to backup Deshaun Watson in 2024?
This past year, the Browns started five different quarterbacks. Due to the shoulder injury of Watson, the Browns thrust rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson into action just four weeks into his NFL career against an AFC North foe. They then turned to P.J. Walker, who played in three significant games for them.
We all know what happened when they turned the ball over to Flacco as well, as the offense finally found a great deal of success through the air. As they enter another offseason, the Browns may be skeptical of turning the backup quarterback role back over to the youngster in Thompson-Robinson.
There are, however, plenty of quarterbacks who are set to hit free agency with an abundance of starting experience in the NFL. And a handful of them have worn a Browns uniform before.
Here are 12 potential backup quarterbacks the Browns could target in free agency if they are not ready to hand the reigns back over to Thompson-Robinson.
Would the Commanders consider trading Sam Howell this offseason?
The Washington Commanders will look a lot different in 2024. They already have a new general manager in Adam Peters. Next comes a new head coach, who many believe will be Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Many believe the Commanders will also have a new quarterback. Washington holds the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and three quarterbacks are projected as top-five picks: Caleb Williams (USC), Drake Maye (North Carolina) and Jayden Daniels (LSU).
Williams is widely expected to go No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears, leaving Washington to choose between Maye and Daniels.
Where does that leave incumbent quarterback Sam Howell?
Howell showed tremendous promise through the first 10 weeks of the 2023 season. Despite taking far too many sacks, Howell was putting up big numbers while making multiple big-time throws every week.
However, things began to go wrong for Howell in Week 11. While he reduced his sacks, he began to turn the ball over every week. The Commanders also lost their final eight games, making the quarterback position the likely top priority for the new regime.
We’ve gone over why Howell has struggled. Some things were his fault, but he wasn’t helped by the coaching staff or the team around him. It was indeed a collective failure on offense for Washington in 2023.
If anything else, Howell did prove he belongs in the NFL, even if it is as a high-end backup. Those jobs pay a lot and can keep you in the league for 10-15 years.
Perhaps a new coaching staff sees Howell’s talent and believes they can get the most out of him. Could Washington draft Maye or Daniels at No. 2 and have Howell around as a backup? Sure, Howell is on a rookie contract that has two years remaining. He’s also a beloved teammate who already has a close relationship with Maye.
What if Peters and the new coaching staff want to move on from Howell and sign a veteran, perhaps Jacoby Brissett, to serve as a backup/mentor to a rookie?
Nick Shook of NFL.com recently named five quarterbacks who could be on the move in 2024. He placed Howell on that list:
Howell’s selection as Washington’s top quarterback entering the season seemed peculiar, but the 2022 fifth-rounder proved many of us (myself included) wrong for quite a while, finding success out of structure and showing some improvisational skills that made Washington an entertaining football team. His end to 2023, though, makes me worry about his future. I can see him landing with a team that needs an option — any option — and is willing to buy low with lower expectations. Or, maybe the new regime in Washington decides to give him another shot. Only time will tell.
I don’t see Peters moving on from Howell. Why would he? It’s not like he will get back a high draft pick for Howell. So why not keep him on the roster? He’s cheap, he’s proven he can play, and he has the trust of his teammates.
It’s a good bet that Washington will use the No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback. It’s also a good bet that Howell will be around to compete with and push the rookie passer in 2024.
The Commanders have two of the top 25 free agents for 2024.
The Washington Commanders are due for an offseason of massive change. Those changes began two weeks ago when owner Josh Harris fired head coach Ron Rivera. One week later, Harris hired former 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters as the franchise’s new general manager.
Next up for Peters and Harris is hiring a head coach. That process may continue until after the Super Bowl, depending on who the Commanders want to hire.
Peters also has his hands full, remaking Washington’s roster. The Commanders have over 20 free agents this offseason but have the most cap space in the NFL and nine picks in the 2024 NFL draft.
Pro Football Focus recently released its list of the top 150 free agents, and four Commanders were among those players ranked.
If the Broncos cut QB Jarrett Stidham, they would save $5 million in cap space. Here are five QB paths Denver could take in such a scenario.
Last week, we published a list of potential quarterback paths the Denver Broncos could take in 2024 and all of them included Jarrett Stidham.
Today, we’re going to take a quick look at QB paths for the Broncos without Stidham on the team. Denver seems likely to move on from Russell Wilson this offseason, but Stidham’s status with the club is harder to gauge.
It’s possible that the Broncos could go into 2024 with Stidham on the roster either as a starter or competing for the starting job. It’s also possible that Denver could part ways with both Wilson and Stidham this spring.
Stidham is set to have a salary cap hit of $7 million in 2024. If the Broncos release the quarterback, the team would create a $2 million “dead money” cap hit with a net savings of $5 million in salary cap space.
With Denver in desperate need of more cap space, the possibility of Stidham being cut can’t be ruled out. Here are five hypothetical QB scenarios the Broncos could consider this spring without Stidham on the team.
If the Broncos move on from Russell Wilson, what happens at QB in 2024? Here are five options that include keeping Jarrett Stidham.
Assuming the Denver Broncos are going to move on from Russell Wilson this offseason, the team will need a new starting quarterback in 2024.
Right now, Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are both under contract. It’s possible that Denver could also cut Stidham this spring, but today we’re going to explore several options that include keeping Stidham.
The first option would be to roll with Stidham in 2024, something Peter King thinks is a real possibility. A second option would be to sign a veteran free agent to compete with Stidham this summer.
A third option would be to draft a quarterback (perhaps 12th overall) to compete with Stidham. A fourth option would be to trade for a veteran (which doesn’t seem likely) and a fifth option would be to sign a veteran and draft a rookie.
So, what’s the best option for the Broncos in 2024? Let’s take a look at the five scenarios.
27 Commanders slated to hit free agency in 2024.
Times are changing in Washington. The Commanders fired head coach Ron Rivera on Monday after going 4-13 in 2023. In four seasons with Washington, Rivera’s record was 26-40-1.
Now, owner Josh Harris is looking for a new head of football operations/general manager and a new head coach. Harris has reportedly narrowed his choice for a new head of football operations between Adam Peters (49ers assistant GM) and Ian Cunningham (Bears assistant GM).
The change isn’t limited to the front office and coaching staff. The Commanders are scheduled to have 27 free agents this offseason. The number would’ve been 30, but Washington traded defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the NFL trade deadline in October.
Several of Washington’s free agents are either full-time starters or have started several games for the Commanders in recent years.
Here’s a look at the Commanders players set to hit the open market in free agency:
Here are 10 free agent quarterbacks the Broncos could consider this spring.
After benching quarterback Russell Wilson, the Denver Broncos turned their offense over to Jarrett Stidham for the final two games of the 2023 season.
Stidham didn’t look any better than Wilson, but he is cheaper. The Broncos are expected to release Wilson in March. Stidham’s future is less certain.
Stidham is scheduled to have a $7 million salary cap hit in 2024. It’s possible that Denver might opt to go into next season with Stidham and a rookie (the Broncos hold the 12th overall pick in the draft).
Alternatively, Denver could release Stidham and save $5 million in cap space. With that saved cap space, the Broncos might be able to afford a bargain free agent QB this spring such as Jameis Winston or Gardner Minshew.
It will come down to how much faith coach Sean Payton has in Stidham. After signing him last spring, Payton saw Stidham in training camp and practice all season leading up to the QB’s two starts in 2023. If the coach isn’t confident in Stidham going forward, the Broncos might be able to find an upgrade in free agency this spring.
Keeping in mind that Denver could pair a veteran with a rookie this offseason, here’s a quick look at the ten most notable QBs set to become free agents in March.
Bieniemy discusses Patrick Mahomes learning from Alex Smith and how he believes Sam Howell has benefitted from Jacoby Brissett.
He was asked a general question about whether young quarterbacks should start or get pushed aside. Bieniemy wisely did not force Sam Howell or any other quarterback into a stereotypical mold. Rather, he appealed to the reality that every situation will be different.
“I think every situation is different. So, I think you can only base it upon the circumstances that you’re dealing with. This situation happens to be a different one than other organizations.”
Bieniemy has been in the business of working on NFL staffs for 16 seasons. So he didn’t answer simplistically, as if all his situations with quarterbacks have been the same.
“I can tell you from my previous experience (Kansas City) when we had Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes. Pat had an opportunity to learn, and more than anything, I think one of the biggest values that a young guy can do is to see a veteran player come in every single day and watch how he works. I think more than anything, that’s probably the biggest life lesson of all of this.”
Indeed Mahomes, in his rookie 2017 season, sat behind Smith each week, learning, observing. On the season’s last week, Mahomes was given the ball. The former Texas Tech quarterback completed 22 of his 35 passes for 284 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in a 27-24 win over the Denver Broncos.
Bieniemy felt that one year was important for Mahomes in how he would start his NFL career. Rather than being thrown out there, he was able to learn from a real professional like Smith, interact with Smith, and be ready to jump in his second season with a very profitable rookie learning season.
So too, Bieniemy believes Sam Howell has benefited from this year of being with a veteran like Jacoby Brissett. Though Howell has been thrown out there into a season that was sort of a baptism by fire, Howell has spoken of Brissett always having Howell’s back.
“On top of that, watching him work and then making sure that he’s doing all the groundwork necessary to help him to develop that skill set, that work ethic, and that behavior so he can have the temperament moving forward to become the franchise quarterback that you would like to become.”
Indeed each situation is different, and for Howell, it has been a roller coaster experience in 2023. He hopes he can conclude the season on an upswing Sunday against the Cowboys at FedEx Field.
