The 2024 NFL Season could be heavily swayed by how some QBs play, and you are probably way too high on these passers for the coming season. Any NFL team isn't going to win a lot without an efficient, high-end QB.
In fact, we're now at a period of time in the league where an elite QB is legitimately required for a team to even win a playoff game. It's never been more QB-driven than it is now. Unfortunately for these three teams, their QBs are not going to live up to all of the hype and offseason attention.
You're probably too high on these quarterbacks for the 2024 NFL Season
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts is not that good, folks, and it's time to have a conversation about this player. He's played four seasons in the NFL and has had one above-average season. With all of the talent that GM Howie Roseman constantly puts on offense, you'd think that Hurts would have some better production.
Across his career in the regular season, he's completed just 63.4% of his passes for 67 touchdowns, and 34 interceptions for a "bleh" passer rating of 91.1 He's averaged just 189.7 passing yards per game and has never thrown for 4,000 yards in a season.
There just isn't a ton to like with Hurts under center. Sure, he can use his legs, but that is never the first job of an NFL quarterback. Can the Eagles new Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore unlock Hurts and get him closer to his 2022 form?
Russell Wilson AND Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers
There is a clear reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson for the minimum and why they were able to get Justin Fields for next to nothing. Furthermore, the Denver Broncos told the entire NFL world that they would rather pay Wilson nearly $40 million to not play on their team anymore. And oh yeah, there's the NFL-record $85 million in dead cap from his release as well.
Teams don't just acquire franchise QBs the way that the Steelers did this offseason. Neither Wilson nor Fields are franchise quarterbacks and they aren't in a particularly great situation with the Steelers. As we have seen from the Steelers preseson action, the QBs are just flat-out inefficient, and with the shaky offensive line and no clear WR2, it is shaping up to be another bad year on offense for the 'Burgh.
If you're high on Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, don't be.
Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson has started just 17 games in his NFL and college career. So if you think of it this way; it seems even worse:
Richardson has started in just 17 total games since graduating high school.
It's not an ideal situation for the QB, who missed most of the 2023 NFL Season with a shoulder injury. Richardson was not particularly efficient in college and was not particularly efficient in his first year in the NFL either. People seem to be hyping up Richardson a lot this offseason, and I guess if you are thinking in terms of fantasy football, that could be valid.
But this is the real-thing, folks. I am not sure Richardson is going to be very good in what could still be looked at as his rookie season. Colts head coach Shane Steichen may have his work cut out for him, but seeing as he got the most out of Jalen Hurts and Gardner Minshew, getting the most out of Richardson may be not much of a challenge.
For the 2024 NFL Season at least, I would take it easy with Richardson.