As the 2022 NFL offseason approaches, we could see a ton of major changes at the quarterback position yet again. We predict every team’s QB1 for 2022.
As the 2021-22 NFL season comes to a close, every team except the final eight is already looking toward the future. With the Divisional Round slate of games on deck, we are also looking with one eye on the future, specifically at the quarterback position.
There’s obviously been a ton of movement at the QB position in recent years and we could see some more fireworks in the 2022 offseason. While there may not be nearly as much QB movement as we saw across the NFL in 2021, it wouldn’t be shocking to see nearly half the league at least be in the market for an upgrade or change again.
Let’s take a look at a very early slate of predictions for this year’s quarterback movement, understanding that these predictions are being made before any team makes a new hire at head coach. We’ll update this list again in February.
Predicting NFC East QB situations for the 2022 NFL season
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott
The Dallas Cowboys won’t be moving on from Dak Prescott after signing him to a massive contract extension last offseason.
Even coming off of injury, Prescott helped lead the NFL’s number one overall scoring offense in 2021. The Cowboys were obviously a massive disappointment in the playoffs, but Prescott is this team’s quarterback and that’s not going to change in 2022.
Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Hurts
Where will the Philadelphia Eagles land after the 2021 season? Obviously, this was not a team many expected to make it to the playoffs in the first place, but then they did, and they were incredibly disappointing against the Buccaneers.
Howie Roseman is generally one of the most aggressive general managers in the NFL when it comes to trades, so it would be shocking if he wasn’t, at least on some level, looking to make a move for a quarterback.
Hurts is a great fallback but Roseman has three first-round picks and could go after an upgrade if one is available. Who might that be? Could the Eagles convince Russell Wilson he should go to Philadelphia? What about Aaron Rodgers?
I think the most likely trade option for Philly is Deshaun Watson, but time will tell whether the Eagles are on Watson’s list or if his situation will even be in a place to be considered an option this offseason for teams.
We know Howie Roseman is not going to sleep a lot this offseason knowing he took a roster that many thought was depleted and on the downswing to the playoffs with the excellent selections of Hurts and obviously Heisman winner DeVonta Smith, who was a star as a rookie.
New York Giants: Sign Teddy Bridgewater, Draft Sam Howell
The New York Giants would probably love to acquire a big-name quarterback like Russell Wilson, and the Giants are on Wilson’s list of teams he would apparently accept a trade to.
With that being said, the Giants may simply have to go for a bridge option and move on from Daniel Jones this offseason, and yes — I believe they will move on from Daniel Jones.
Jones just lost undoubtedly his biggest advocate when Dave Gettleman retired as general manager. Jones has been a turnover machine since coming into the NFL and there is very little question about the fact that he is not the answer for the Giants, at least not so far.
We’ll see who they hire at head coach, but free agent QB Teddy Bridgewater played decent for the Broncos this past season and he could pave the way for a guy like Sam Howell, who is one of the more underrated QBs in this class.
Howell was certainly better in 2019 and 2020 than he was in 2021, but anybody who loses as much talent to the NFL as he did in one offseason is probably going to take a bit of a step back production-wise. The talent and skill are both still there.
Again, the Giants currently don’t have a GM or head coach, so how will we know what kind of QB they’ll prioritize in mid-January?
The top priority for any QB-needy team is going to be Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers if they’re available, but unfortunately, a lot of teams will miss out on that and if the Giants miss out on Wilson (as I’m currently predicting they will), this is an option out there for them.
Washington Football Team: Trade for Carson Wentz – Keep Taylor Heinicke
There is very little risk with the Washington Football Team — soon to be rebranded — keeping Taylor Heinicke around.
The Ryan Fitzpatrick move didn’t work out for them at all, so it’s on to the next plan.
Washington should be considered a serious threat to draft someone again, but with a strong defense (at least in terms of the roster construction) and some solid weapons offensively, I could see this team in the market for a high-upside option via trade.
Guys like Derek Carr and Carson Wentz will almost undoubtedly be on Washington’s list this offseason but I chose Wentz for the time being. The Colts don’t seem overly interested in Wentz being their guy going forward and Wentz being back in the NFC East would be interesting to watch.
It’s hard to ignore the potential of the NFL Draft here but with the other players on this roster and the fact that this team is entering year three with Ron Rivera, is a rookie really the direction we’ll see them go?
I find that at least a little hard to believe given the class we’re looking at for 2022.
Predicting AFC East QB situations for the 2022 NFL season
Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen
There’s really not much to be discussed here.
Josh Allen went from an erratic passer at Wyoming to being one of the most deadly weapons in the entire NFL.
It didn’t happen overnight, but Allen is a superstar and it looks like he could lead the Buffalo Bills to the promised land.
He may be an outlier, but Allen’s development has likely given NFL teams hope if they draft players who are ultra-heavy on traits and talent. Putting Allen in a position where he and the team could succeed together early on despite his faults and despite his mistakes was something everyone on that coaching staff can hang their hat on.
The Bills may need to replace backup Mitchell Trubisky, but that’s a bridge they can cross really at any point in time. Maybe they scoop up someone like Marcus Mariota to be a backup for Allen. That could be a really fun pairing.
The real question here is whether or not the Bills will still have Brian Daboll in the fold for 2022. He’s getting looks as a head coach from some of the eight teams with vacancies.
New England Patriots: Mac Jones
The Patriots, for the first time in the Bill Belichick era, used a first-round pick on the quarterback position.
All of those mock drafts over the years, and they’ve only actually taken one quarterback in the first round.
Fitting that Mac Jones would come out and likely become the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year as well as help lead the Patriots to the Pro Bowl.
It was as though Jones was tailor-made for the Patriots offense under Josh McDaniels, and although they just got blown out by Buffalo in the playoffs, I think there’s still plenty of room for growth here.
There are some who feel like Bill Belichick is not going to be able to live with himself if he doesn’t upgrade at quarterback to compete with the likes of Josh Allen, but I don’t think they’re going to make any hasty decisions with Mac Jones.
You just never know, though.
New York Jets: Zach Wilson
After an outstanding season in 2020 at BYU, Zach Wilson became the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Wilson made so many jaw-dropping plays at BYU, it was a little too easy to overlook his mechanical flaws and the potential growing pains he might have at the NFL level.
The New York Jets were understandably smitten with him in the 2021 NFL Draft process and with the current pieces they have in place on the coaching staff, staying the course is the right call for this team.
The Jets need to use their draft capital and free agent dollars in 2022 to continue upgrading the roster on both sides of the ball, but also emphasizing getting Wilson the protection he’s going to need to be successful going forward as well as weapons he can get the ball to.
A young quarterback like this who excels at playing off-script needs receivers that can really go out there and come down with some of the balls he gets out that are ridiculous throws in the first place.
Wilson’s rookie season may not have been as great as everyone who roots for the Jets had hoped, but I think this situation stays the same in 2022.
Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa
Why did the Miami Dolphins fire Brian Flores after three seasons, the last two of which included a winning record?
We know that part of the reason Flores was fired was due to “relationships” in the building. It’s also clear that Flores never developed a real trust for Tua Tagovailoa. He routinely towed the company line by stating that Tua Tagovailoa was the team’s quarterback when Deshaun Watson trade rumors persisted, but it’s clear now that owner Stephen Ross and general manager Chris Grier did not see eye-to-eye with Flores at QB.
The Dolphins took Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert in the 2020 NFL Draft, and when you look at the records of the Chargers and Dolphins over the last two years, you might just wonder if the Dolphins made the right call after all.
Of course, the record of the team is a team stat and Tagovailoa has clearly not made as big of an impression on the NFL in two seasons as Herbert has with the Chargers.
Still, without Flores, I don’t see the Dolphins trading for Deshaun Watson and I think the decision to fire Flores further cements the fact that this team is rolling with Tagovailoa in 2022.
Predicting NFC North QB situations for the 2022 NFL season
Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers
Will the 2021-22 NFL season be the last for Aaron Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers?
It’s impossible, at this point, to really know for sure.
Rodgers and the Packers have had a tumultuous last 12 months, and frankly, it’s probably been more than that. Rodgers has been fed up with management in Green Bay and it seemed like he was completely dug in this past offseason with his decision to forsake the team and move on as soon as possible.
But, the Packers obviously convinced Rodgers to come back, and come back he has. Rodgers has once again played MVP football, but this time he got his potential “out” in Green Bay in writing.
Rodgers can basically decide after this season whether he wants to stay or go, and if he wants to go, the Packers will have virtually no choice but to trade him.
Don’t expect Rodgers’ decision to linger very long in the 2022 offseason. I think after this year, Rodgers will ultimately decide to stick things out in Green Bay. It’s just so hard to picture him leaving, even though in recent years we’ve seen other legends like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady switch teams.
Finishing his career with the Packers, at one point, was very important to Rodgers. How important will it be to him after this season? The Packers will have to make some significant sacrifices on the salary cap to keep Rodgers around, but at least until the 2021-22 playoffs are over, this is the prediction I’m sticking to.
Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins is another name that should have an asterisk by it. It’s tough to know with the Vikings what will be happening at the QB position because of the fact that this team is presently without a GM or head coach.
Any team that might want to trade for Cousins will be acquiring his $35 million base salary, which would obviously be a very nice amount for the Vikings and a new GM to clear off the books.
Still, the Vikings are not exactly a rebuilding team. So much of this situation depends on who the Vikings hire as head coach, and how well that coach can work with Cousins.
Cousins has essentially been in the same offense his entire NFL career, so what if someone comes in with a completely different philosophy?
I think even with his massive cap number for 2022, teams around the NFL would be jockeying over the chance to get Cousins. For now, he’s done enough in the last two seasons to lead me to believe even a new GM and new head coach would want him to stick around for 2022 at least.
The big question here is whether or not the Vikings could get substantial value for Cousins and whether the team would view that as more of an asset than having him on the team in 2022.
Detroit Lions: Jared Goff + Desmond Ridder (2022 NFL Draft)
Financially, the Detroit Lions are sort of stuck with Jared Goff for at least one more season.
Goff inherited a rough situation going from the borderline talent overload at the skill positions in Los Angeles to a totally talent-depleted situation in Detroit.
The Lions have some of the worst skill position talent in the league, particularly at the wide receiver position, but a couple of players — namely, rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown and journeyman Kalif Raymond — had nice seasons in 2021.
I think the Lions will stick with Goff as their QB1 in what will be another rebuilding year in 2022, but they should seriously consider a dart throw at the top of round two or the bottom of round one of the 2022 NFL Draft.
That is going to be the sweet spot to target a very worthwhile gamble in this particular class of players, and I can think of no better option for Detroit than Desmond Ridder.
Stylistically, Ridder is the polar opposite of Jared Goff. He has outstanding mobility and instincts as a runner, but he’s also got a big arm and really good overall athletic and physical traits. He’s also coming from a program with a ton of team success and the same “knee biting” mentality as underdogs at Cincinnati.
I like his fit in Detroit as someone who could come in there with very little pressure during rebuilding years and maybe get a shot if Goff gets hurt or regresses.
Chicago Bears: Justin Fields
It’s hard to look at the Chicago Bears’ situation in 2021 and not give Justin Fields the benefit of the doubt.
Yes, he was bad as a rookie in 2021. There’s no denying it.
Fields showed flashes but he made far too many mistakes and just generally really bad decisions with the football.
With that being said, the Bears’ top priority in their search for a GM and head coach has to be to give Fields the best possible chance of success. This is not a team that anyone anticipates pulling what the Cardinals did with Josh Rosen in 2019 when they scrapped his development and drafted Kyler Murray.
More teams might need to be willing to do that, but in the case of the Bears and Justin Fields, I think this one is worth at least a couple of years of solid development.
The Bears will be an attractive hire because the coach will know his QB situation coming in and a player like Fields should, in theory, give you a lot of options offensively.
The Bears will likely sneak in a veteran contingency at the position, but the perception from the outside looking in will be that Fields is Plan A for 2022, as he should be.
Predicting AFC North QB situations for the 2022 NFL season
Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson
Does anybody else find it the least bit interesting that Lamar Jackson is currently slated to play the 2022 season on his fifth-year rookie option, and nothing is solidified beyond that?
How many teams have young MVPs at the quarterback position that do not get locked into long-term contracts?
Jackson is coming off of his worst year as a pro, playing in just 12 games and throwing 16 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions. He still ran for a pair of touchdowns as well, but Jackson’s interception percentage more than doubled from his MVP season in 2019.
His touchdown percentage as a passer was less than half of what it was despite the fact that he played way more games and threw way more passes in 2019.
What are we to make of all this?
For the time being, probably nothing. Jackson will make over $25 million in 2022 on his contract option and the Ravens have franchise tags after that if need be.
Based on the trends in production lately, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Ravens hold out on a long-term deal with Jackson. Given how the 2021 season went injury-wise, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Jackson hold out, either.
Good news for the Ravens, Tyler Huntley played and looked good as Jackson’s backup in 2021. He will be a fail-safe option for them in 2022 again.
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow
The Bengals are back in business.
They just won their first playoff game since 1991, but with Joe Burrow at the helm, it just feels like the Bengals belong in the discussion among the NFL’s elite.
The number one overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft suffered a devastating knee injury last season, fought his way back, and has been playing MVP-caliber football of late.
The Bengals have a trio of receivers that will soon be the envy of the league if it isn’t already. Rookie Ja’Marr Chase is a superstar, Tyler Boyd is one of the best in the league out of the slot, and Tee Higgins is a matchup nightmare with his size on the outside.
The investments this team has made in offensive skill players have all been very fruitful in 2021 and now into the 2022 postseason.
How far can Burrow take this team? We’re fixing to find out.
The Bengals — for once — don’t have to worry about the quarterback position at all. Perhaps that will call for a cigar or two in the offseason.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Trade for Deshaun Watson
Unlike the Cincinnati Bengals — who have been desperately searching for a franchise QB for decades — the Pittsburgh Steelers have not had to really think about this for the last two decades, at least not for the most part.
Ben Roethlisberger has been the franchise QB for Pittsburgh since 2004, and the team has enjoyed a ton of success since he’s been around.
I think the Steelers are poised to make a big move at QB in 2022, and it wouldn’t shock me to see them get in on the Deshaun Watson trade sweepstakes, depending on how that whole situation goes.
The Steelers have the talent at the skill positions to attract a player like Watson, who has a no-trade clause. The bigger question here is obviously going to be how the league and other teams perceive Watson’s situation and whether it is resolved in the near future or not.
The trade of Watson seems imminent, so it’s just a matter of time before we’re talking about him being part of another NFL club.
The Steelers may not have the ideal draft capital to send back to the Houston Texans in a trade, but this would be a situation where Watson might actually approve a trade.
Given the fact that the Steelers are such a stable organization with an elite coach and leader in Mike Tomlin, this could be a situation that could work out for both parties.
Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield
Would the Cleveland Browns really move on from their former number one overall pick in 2022?
The Browns have understandably not given Baker Mayfield a contract extension up to this point.
Even after a great rookie season with the team and some great moments since then, Mayfield has not exactly been a model of consistency and he’s certainly had no lack of support since coming into the NFL.
The Browns hired Kevin Stefanski last year, and he was immediately named NFL coach of the year. They have an outstanding running game and offensive line. They have built an impressive young defense with studs at all three levels. They have gone out and made big-time pickups at receiver and tight end.
Despite all of this, Mayfield’s future has consistently come into question.
He simply isn’t consistent, but it seems like the Browns are going to give him another year.
What choice do they really have? Will they trade him to the highest bidder and just hope an alternative situation presents itself.
For lack of a better term, the Browns are sort of just stuck with Mayfield right now.
Predicting NFC South QB situations for the 2022 NFL season
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tom Brady
For the time being, the quarterback position is just not something the Buccaneers have to really worry about.
Tom Brady is a modern marvel and it’s absolutely ridiculous watching him do in his 40s what many players can’t do in their 20s or 30s.
Brady is defying Father Time, he’s defying logic and reason, he’s defying pretty much everything we know to be true about football and age altogether.
He is playing as well as we’ve ever seen and there is zero dropoff in his play at this point. Not bad for a “system” QB, right?
Even behind Brady, the Bucs have stashed Kyle Trask. I’m not sure what to really think of that but for the time being, again, there’s really nothing the Bucs have to think about here. They invested in Brady. They invested in Trask.
The quarterback position shouldn’t be on their radar in the 2022 offseason unless they see a reclamation project they really like or maybe get a great value in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Carolina Panthers: Sam Darnold + Kenny Pickett
Are we all ready to say we’re approaching the end of the line for Sam Darnold in terms of his chances to be an undisputed starter?
I think it’s safe to say the Panthers’ trade for Darnold is now a regrettable move in hindsight at best and a crippling move for Matt Rhule at worst over the long-term.
If Rhule and the Panthers do not get the QB position figured out in 2022, I have a feeling Rhule will be on the radar for a bunch of college football programs as their head coach in 2023.
One of the most popular mock draft pairings right now, and for good reason, is Kenny Pickett with the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers are currently slated to pick 6th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, and that is prime real estate to take the first QB off the board this year. The teams picking ahead of them: Jaguars, Lions, Texans, Jets, and Giants, in that order.
The Texans and Giants are the only two teams on that list that make a lot of sense to take a quarterback early on, so the Panthers stand a pretty good chance of sticking at their spot and landing a guy like Kenny Pickett, who once committed to play for Matt Rhule at Temple.
Now, Rhule will have the opportunity to make sure Pickett plays for him. Maybe the Panthers will even trade up to make sure Pickett stays a Panther, going from the Pitt program to the NFL.
I think the Panthers will still hold on to Darnold for another year, but he’s going to have to really fight for his job.
New Orleans Saints: Jameis Winston + Malik Willis
The New Orleans Saints are seemingly mystified by Taysom Hill, who has proven up to this point that he is not a good quarterback, but a pretty effective gadget player in Sean Payton’s offense.
Life after Drew Brees was anything but a breeze in New Orleans, and this team figures to be active on the quarterback market in 2022.
Will they go with a rookie or a veteran?
I think even coming off of an injury, it seems likely that this team will bring back Jameis Winston for another season. He’s young enough that they can take things year-to-year there, and I also think it would be wise of the Saints to invest in a rookie with some upside.
This year, there is no better spot for that than between picks 25-50, where you might be able to land a player like Malik Willis.
In the top 10 of the Draft, Willis might be a bit of a risk, but the longer he lasts on the board, the more attractive of a value he becomes.
Willis is an elite dual threat at the quarterback position, but his skills as a passer need to be harnessed and developed. That’s where Sean Payton comes in.
The Saints already run the ball quite well, so adding a player like Malik Willis into the fold could give this offense a physical identity on the ground and some explosive potential through the air.
Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan
To sum this one up as briefly as possible, I feel like short of a renegotiated contract, the Falcons are stuck with Matt Ryan for at least another year.
The Falcons’ lack of team success since they reached the Super Bowl is baffling given the fact they have a guy in Ryan who is considered one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL since he came into the league back in 2008.
Not to mention, up until 2021, Ryan has had one of the best receivers of the last decade in Julio Jones, and Calvin Ridley has developed into a star as well.
The Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts this year and, statistically speaking, he put up outstanding numbers. The Falcons’ 7-10 record represents an improvement from last season, but it’s just not where you expect a team with an upper-tier QB to be.
That makes one wonder — on what tier is Matt Ryan, exactly?
Is he on the same tier as guys like Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr? Maybe, but those guys have clearly had more success in recent years and arguably with less talent around them.
Again, I feel like the Falcons and head coach Arthur Smith are stuck with Matt Ryan in 2022, and maybe that’s exactly where they want to be.
Predicting AFC South QB situations for the 2022 NFL season
Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence
The Jacksonville Jaguars are right where they want to be in one very important area, and that’s at the quarterback position.
Trevor Lawrence has been a coveted NFL prospect since the hype began to grow around him early on in his high school days. NFL Draft fans around the world counted down the years until 2021 when Lawrence would first be draft-eligible, and the Jaguars won the prize.
Unfortunately, they hired Urban Meyer before they drafted Lawrence.
What a mistake that has turned out to be.
It’s hard to fathom, but things did not go well in Meyer’s lone season in the NFL. I know, I know — you still can’t believe it.
The train wreck that was the Urban Meyer era in Jacksonville is over. Now, it’s a matter of getting a head coach that is willing to work for Shad Khan and work with GM Trent Baalke.
Again, not the easiest thing to do, but Lawrence is an alluring piece.
On the field, the Jaguars could put something nice together as soon as 2022 with the right moves made in the offseason. Lawrence is that good, and with the right coach in place I think we’ll see him take the next step.
Not to mention, we won’t have to talk about him fighting for reps with (checks notes) Gardner Minshew all throughout the offseason and training camp.
Indianapolis Colts: Trade for Jimmy Garoppolo
The Indianapolis Colts move on from Carson Wentz to acquire…
…drum roll…
Jimmy Garoppolo?
Wow, this is some kind of scintillating prediction piece.
Let me explain. Jimmy Garoppolo is about to make it into the NFL’s elite eight for the second time in three years. He and the 49ers seem to have a ton of team success when he is able to stay healthy, and I think his reputation is growing in a positive way around the league.
Yes, he will make some bone-headed decisions throughout the course of almost any given game, but then there are stretches of play that make you wonder — is Garoppolo way better than I thought?
Some team is going to trade for Garoppolo in 2022. Some team is going to give the 49ers something pretty nice for him, too, I’d imagine.
I know the Colts don’t have a 1st-round pick to offer but they might be able to get Jimmy G. for less than that. The Colts and 49ers have come to terms on a blockbuster deal before. Chris Ballard is always in the mood to deal and these two teams came together for the big DeForest Buckner trade.
If the Colts are hellbent on moving on from Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo might be one of their most realistic 2022 QB scenarios, quite frankly.
Houston Texans: Davis Mills
If there was any performance by a young QB that was more eyebrow-raising than others, it was the performance of Houston Texans top pick Davis Mills.
As a matter of fact, it was Mills’ development over the course of the 2021 season that made it so unbelievable the Texans would make head coach David Culley a scapegoat after the season was over.
Regardless of who is the Texans’ head coach in 2022, this team is clearly rebuilding. What Mills showed in 2021 indicates to me that he should be given all of 2022 as a trial year.
The Texans can use the 2022 offseason to focus their rebuilding efforts elsewhere, targeting a player like Aidan Hutchinson, Evan Neal, or Kayvon Thibodeaux atop the 2022 NFL Draft while passing on the quarterback position.
Mills has effectively eliminated Houston’s need to make a desperation move at the position.
Considering he didn’t even start a full season’s worth of games at Stanford, his play in 2021 is even more stunning.
Now, Nick Caserio can rebuild the roster in peace. He essentially went to the NFL’s version of the “dollar store” in 2021 for free agent acquisitions, but with a new head coach in place and Mills as the projected starter, he can make some bigger splashes and bigger strides toward getting this team back into relevance.
Tennessee Titans: Ryan Tannehill
You can’t really argue with results, right?
Despite losing King Derrick Henry to an injury, the Tennessee Titans endured and finished the season as the top seed in the AFC.
If that doesn’t border on miraculous, I don’t know what does.
Since getting shut out by the Denver Broncos in the 2019 season, the Titans have legitimately been one of the best teams in the entire NFL. That was when they made the decision to bench Marcus Mariota and insert Ryan Tannehill into the lineup.
Since then, Tannehill has been given a new contract and is clearly the Plan A for this team for the foreseeable future.
Part of me wonders if the Titans will put one eye on the distant future and draft someone to develop this year. That wouldn’t be the worst idea, especially in the event that Tannehill gets injured as he has so frequently in the past.
He has played two full seasons in a row for Mike Vrabel and the Titans, and Tennessee has been legit contenders with no. 17 under center.
What more could you ask for than annual trips to the divisional playoff round?
Tannehill will be the starter for the Titans in 2022.
Predicting NFC West QB situations for the 2022 NFL season
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray
The Arizona Cardinals’ 2021 season ended in a disappointing fashion. Of course, it didn’t help that they were without DeAndre Hopkins, their WR1 and top playmaker offensively.
This is a team that has been as aggressive as any other in the NFL in recent years at upgrading its roster at any cost.
They drafted Kyler Murray in 2019 just one year after trading up for Josh Rosen. They traded for Hopkins. They traded for Zach Ertz. They brought in James Conner in free agency.
Heck, even the hiring of Kliff Kingsbury who was headed for a college OC role was an ultra-aggressive move.
So far, the results have been mostly positive.
In the NFL, though, it’s all about the war on attrition and who can stay healthy at this time of year.
There’s very little question about the Cardinals’ quarterback position moving forward, so long as Murray is healthy.
If he’s healthy, he’s the guy, and that’s that.
Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Stafford
The Los Angeles Rams made a bold trade just under a year ago, and it bought them a trip into the NFL’s elite eight.
Matthew Stafford finally won a playoff game, and he looked great doing it.
Stafford has been a godsend for the Rams and to be honest, the Rams have been a godsend for Stafford. They pulled him out of the quicksand in Detroit, and Brad Holmes really did that franchise a huge favor.
Is there any reason why the Lions only required Jared Goff and a couple of late first-round picks for Stafford?
I realize that’s over-simplifying it, but not by much.
The Lions got fleeced in this trade. The master beat the apprentice.
Stafford has played at an MVP level at times throughout this past season for the Rams, helping push Cooper Kupp forward to a legendary season and the Rams have resurrected the career of Odell Beckham Jr. as well.
Stafford will be the QB of the Rams in 2022 and he might be doing it as a reigning Super Bowl champion.
San Francisco 49ers: Trey Lance
As the 49ers prepare for a road trip to face off against the top-seeded Green Bay Packers, what does the future hold at the quarterback position?
This team put together such an impressive year offensively, it’s hard to imagine a young quarterback being in a better situation than Trey Lance is right now.
Lance has Kyle Shanahan as his head coach. He has Deebo Samuel to get the ball to. George Kittle. Brandon Aiyuk. JaJuan Jennings is also a breakout player for the 49ers. Eli Mitchell was outstanding as a rookie.
The 49ers are pretty well set for the future, aren’t they?
It’s easy to see the path to get Trey Lance as the 49ers’ 2022 starter. San Francisco should be able to get something decent for Jimmy Garoppolo in a trade and as much success as they have had with Garoppolo, this is the reason you drafted Trey Lance.
Unless Garoppolo wins Super Bowl MVP, I think this is the direction things are headed for the 49ers next season, and it’s got to be exciting for their fan base for an athlete like Lance to be stepping into the situation he’s about to inherit.
Seattle Seahawks: Trade for Drew Lock – Draft Matt Corral
Spoiler alert — the biggest move I’m projecting in the 2022 NFL offseason — at this particular point in time — is a Russell Wilson trade to the Denver Broncos.
If the Broncos hire Dan Quinn as their next head coach, and he’s the current odds-on favorite, it’s not difficult to connect some of the dots there.
Wilson apparently has the Broncos on his preferred trade list, as well.
If the Seahawks trade Wilson to the Broncos, I’m not going to sit here and say that Drew Lock would be a centerpiece, but he would give the Seahawks a player who can play right away while they groom someone else.
In this case, that player is Matt Corral.
If you squint hard enough, you can see a little bit of Russell Wilson in Matt Corral.
Prior to injury, Corral was one of the most exciting quarterbacks in college football and the Seahawks could now get him at a time very reasonable price.
I think when he’s healthy, Corral could absolutely come in and be a solid playmaker for the Seahawks at the QB position. Trading Russell Wilson would replenish this team’s depleted draft capital from the awful Jamal Adams trade, and acquiring a player like Corral could quickly reset things in Seattle.
A player like Drew Lock could have some intriguing value as well. Lock may turn the ball over at a high rate but he is also capable of getting the ball to an offense’s playmakers and he’s shown growth with the Broncos over the last year.
Predicting AFC West QB situations for the 2022 NFL season
Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes
What more really needs to be said here?
Mahomes is a game-changer who is going to be exactly that for a very long time. The Chiefs will likely have a standing appointment in the AFC Championship game as long as Mahomes is healthy.
The big question here is — how good can Mahomes yet become?
That is going to be scary to find out.
The best teams can really do against Mahomes and the Chiefs is hope to limit them at this particular point in time. We’ll see as time goes along how Mahomes will adapt as his skill players age out of the offense, but that’s not a present concern for Kansas City.
Travis Kelce is still playing at an elite level, and the secondary options behind Tyreek Hill have stepped up for the Chiefs quite a bit of late.
Kansas City’s quarterback position won’t be up for much of a debate for the next decade.
Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert
For a couple of years there, Chargers fans had to be worried sick about what life beyond Philip Rivers might look like.
After the 2020 NFL Draft, they had to be absolutely thrilled.
Even though nobody knew just how good Justin Herbert would be immediately upon his arrival onto the scene in Los Angeles, there was undoubtedly plenty of optimism just simply based on the fact that the Chargers were able to draft a guy some thought was QB1 of his class (yes, even over Joe Burrow) as the QB3 when all was said and done.
Through two seasons, Herbert has been nothing short of spectacular. Has he been perfect?
Absolutely not, but the results have been stellar no matter what way you look at them for the Chargers, specifically as it pertains to Herbert’s development.
The team’s success is another story.
The Chargers need an influx of new talent on defense, so that’s where most of the conversation will be centered in 2022.
Los Angeles needs to retain Mike Williams, who has become one of Herbert’s favorite guys to get the ball to in clutch situations.
Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr
This is one I’m really wrestling with at the moment.
For full transparency, I put this list together before the Raiders lost in the playoffs and decided they were going to move on from GM Mike Mayock and interim head coach Rich Bisaccia.
At least as of right now, it feels like the Raiders are planning on hiring a different head coach, perhaps even John Harbaugh from Michigan.
There were some rumblings before the Raiders’ playoff game that depending on what happened in that game, the future of Carr in Vegas could be impacted. Now that they’ve lost, it begs the question of whether or not Carr will stick around.
The Raiders are clearly not in line for a rebuild, but a new GM might come in and want to reload. This team has been quite bad at drafting and signing free agents in recent years. They have not missed on all picks and signings, but it’s been tough sledding, to say the least.
Given the number of needs this Raiders team has, a couple of first-round picks for Derek Carr coupled with a rookie dart throw in the NFL Draft might sound nice to a new GM.
At the end of the day, though, Carr is a really good QB. He may not be elite, but he’s really good. He lost his biggest advocate in the building when Jon Gruden resigned and he lost another when Mike Mayock stepped down.
Even though they made the playoffs, owner Mark Davis may want some wholesale changes. Still, for now, I’m saying the Raiders stick with Carr.
Denver Broncos: Trade for Russell Wilson
Could the Denver Broncos set the NFL world ablaze yet again with a massive quarterback addition?
They just might.
For those who may not know, the Denver Broncos are no longer being run by John Elway. Elway stepped aside from his general manager role and gave way to George Paton, a longtime top lieutenant for Rick Spielman with the Minnesota Vikings. Paton had an outstanding 2021 NFL Draft class in Denver but obviously punted the QB position to 2022 and beyond with the acquisition of Teddy Bridgewater last year.
In 2022, however, many in Broncos Country expect Paton to go big. Really big.
Russell Wilson just might wind up being the top quarterback available in the 2022 NFL offseason, and you can bet that Paton would be putting together a nice package of picks and maybe players to send to Seattle in order to get him.
Especially if there is a connection with Dan Quinn, the odds-on favorite to be the Broncos’ next head coach, this move could make a lot of sense.
Wilson would be joining a team with an above-average offensive line, something he is undoubtedly not used to, and a plethora of talented skill players like Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, Noah Fant, Javonte Williams, and KJ Hamler coming back from injury.
It seems like a great fit for Wilson if he does, in fact, demand a trade away from the Seahawks.