NFL 2024: Ranking the 5 best offseason moves at quarterback
The quarterback position continues to be a huge focal point in the National Football League. There were a few veteran signal-callers that changed teams this offseason, while there were six quarterbacks selected in the first round in April. That tied the NFL record set in 1983 when future Pro Football Hall of Famers John Elway, Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino were among the half-dozen hurlers picked in the first round that year.
Not only did quarterbacks go with the first three selections two months ago, all six signal-callers were gone with the first 12 picks. Those aforementioned top three choices are on the following list. Meanwhile, there are also a pair of veterans who were both drafted in 2012. Now each of those players is with its third different organization, and looking to bounce back after forgettable seasons (each for different reasons).
Here are the 5 top offseason moves at quarterback this offseason
5. Russell Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Russell Wilson was a third-round draft choice by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012. He was a Super Bowl champion (XLVIII) in his second season, then threw that infamous goal-line interception to Patriots’ cornerback Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl XLIX. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler in 10 years in Seattle.
Wilson was dealt to Denver in 2022, and his two-year stint in the Mile High City was less than memorable. He was released by the club this offseason and latched on with the quarterback-starved Steelers (who also dealt for Justin Fields). It’s a chance for retribution with a team that wants to play power football.
4. Drake Maye (New England Patriots)
For the second time in four years, the Patriots invested a first-round pick on a quarterback. The team is coming off a 4-13 season and was tied for last in the league in scoring in 2023. Bill Belichick is gone, and former Patriots’ Pro Bowl linebacker Jerod Mayo is the head coach. Shades of Houston’s DeMeco Ryans?
New England used the third overall pick on North Carolina’s Drake Maye. However, will he be the Week 1 starter? “The combination of traits and tape makes him a boom/bust prospect who might need patient management and coaching to help shepherd him toward his potential,” says NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.