With the 2023 NFL season over we look forward to the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft and offseason. Everyone is thinking about the 2024 season already… Can’t wait!
Brace yourselves…another crazy NFL offseason quarterback carousel is about to unfold.
Be it the 2024 NFL Draft — absolutely loaded with can’t-miss QB prospects by the way — blockbuster trades or the free agent market, nearly one-third of NFL teams could feature a new starting signal-caller come Week 1 of next year.
So with that, let’s dive into 10 NFL teams who desperately need a new quarterback for 2024 — and who their top target should be.
New England Patriots: Drake Maye
The Patriots are most certainly moving on from Mac Jones — and we wouldn’t be surprised if Bailey Zappe wasn’t retained, either.
Anywho, the Patriots are in a good spot to take one of the top QB prospects in this year’s draft. With Caleb Williams unlikely to be available when it’s their time to pick, the Pats should zero in on North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
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Some scouts and analysts even think of Maye as a better prospect than Williams. He’s got a rocket of an arm and comes with a dynamic two-way game that Tom Brady and Mac Jones could only dream of.
With plenty of cap space, the Pats would have to upgrade their woeful receiving and running back corps. If they do that and manage to snag Maye and build around him, the future will suddenly be bright in Foxborough again.
Washington Commanders: Caleb Williams
There are some franchises that are just so badly mired in dysfunction that it takes a big-time QB prospect to turn them around. Think of the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow, the Buffalo Bills with Josh Allen and the Jacksonville Jaguars with Trevor Lawrence.
Washington is in that spot now. They just won’t go anywhere without a five-star young phenom quarterback to build around. And if the chips fall into place, year two of the post Dan-Snyder era will hit a new high with Washington landing the big fish of the 2024 QB class.
Enter USC’s Caleb Williams — who checks off every box that you need in a franchise QB to build around.
With no playoff wins since 2005 and no winning seasons since 2016, the Commanders have to go big or go home. Give up three first-round picks to Chicago if they have to move up for Williams, so be it. He’s not the boom-or-bust pick that 2012 second overall pick Robert Griffin III was.
You get some weapons in free agency. You trade for the top pick, you take Williams and reap from the rewards from there. Got it, Commanders front office? Good.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Kirk Cousins
Allow us to propose something awfully bold here.
It’s not the Steelers’ MO to spend crazy on marquee free agents, but 2024 should be an exception…especially if Cousins does end up leaving the Minnesota Vikings.
The Steelers haven’t had a losing season since 2003. They also haven’t had above-average quarterback play since Ben Roethlisberger’s last healthy season in 2018. In other words, the Steelers are truly one solid QB away from being a Super Bowl contender.
I mean, if you’re churning out winning seasons with Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky as your starting QBs, you’re doing something right. You’re also missing that one last piece.
Just imagine if the Steelers landed Cousins. He would join an offense led by young stars Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Naee Harris and Pat Freiermuth. For once, Cousins would also be supported by a championship-level defense anchored by JJ Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Cousins put up remarkable stats on a mediocre Minnesota Vikings team — even before Justin Jefferson arrived. He’d join a well-coached Steelers team with no other clear-cut weaknesses. Among the QB-needy teams with championship aspirations, the Steelers are the best fit for Cousins. He’s also the best option for the Black and Gold. Go get him, Steelers.
Denver Broncos: J.J. McCarthy
We don’t fully endorse the Broncos’ idea of moving on from Denver Broncos, who looked like his old self again in 2023.
But Sean Payton clearly isn’t sold on him, and the Broncos seem ready to move on after benching Wilson for the final two games because of his refusal to adjust the injury guarantees in his contract.
So…the Broncos need someone new at QB with Wilson on his way out. And this time, they have to go through the draft to find the next signal-caller, rather than the trade or free agency routes.
Michigan Wolverines QB JJ McCarthy feels like the perfect target for a Payton-coached offense, and he should be there when Denver picks in the middle of round one.
McCarthy is perfect for Payton because he has pinpoint accuracy, excellent decision-making and rarely turns it over. Unlike so many other young QBs, McCarthy avoids forcing things and is always content to take the easy stuff the defense gives him.
Denver will have to upgrade its offensive weaponry, regardless of who their QB is in 2024, because Courtland Sutton can’t do it alone. And it’s time for Jerry Jeudy to get a fresh start.
Finding one more stud pass-catcher and throwing McCarthy in that offense will lead to a promising future in Mile High City.
Seattle Seahawks: Zach Wilson
We know many of you are going to laugh at us, but do hear us out.
The Seahawks are essentially in win-now mode with DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Nigba, Kenneth Walker, Quandre Diggs, Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen and Boye Mafe in their primes.
Geno Smith was a nice story in 2022, but he came back to earth this year and isn’t a long-term option. The Seahawks can save about $14 million by cutting the one-hit wonder who’ll be 34 years of age next year.
The Seahawks could take a QB in round one, but we’d endorse the idea of taking a flier on Zach Wilson. We know, we know. It sounds ludicrous at first.
But Wilson has had little help with the Jets. No offensive line, no qualified offensive-minded coaches to groom him. Only Garrett Wilson as a game-changing pass-catcher.
Now imagine if Wilson and that big arm of his got to throw to Metcalf, Lockett and Smith-Njigba…with Walker and Zach Charbonnet in the backfield.
If Pete Carroll can turn a 32-year-old journeyman in Geno Smith into a Pro Bowler, who says he can’t make the former No. 2 overall pick a star as well? Wilson’s upside is high. He just needs the find the system that can best utilize his talents.
Steve Young, Jim Plunkett, Ryan Tannehill and 2023 Joe Flacco are just some examples of guys who can hit their ceiling when they get a fresh start. If you’re Seattle, why not take a chance on Wilson and see if you can unlock him? It’ll take pennies to acquire him via trade, and they can use the first-round pick on another position of need.
If they don’t want to cut Smith, it doesn’t hurt to at least bring in Wilson for competition. It’d be a low-risk, high-reward move for a Seattle team that needs to upgrade at QB if they’re to compete in the NFC.
Minnesota Vikings: Bo Nix
The Vikings could look at re-signing Kirk Cousins, or they could try to pick up another veteran like Russell Wilson, Baker Mayfield or even Justin Fields.
But the Vikings only won a single playoff game with Cousins. He’s coming off surgery on a torn Achilles and will be 36 next year, so we propose the idea of letting him walk and building around a new young QB.
The Vikings won’t be in range to draft Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, but they should be able to have several options in the next tier of QB prospects. How about Oregon’s Bo Nix, an explosive dual-threat QB who could produce immediately in Kevin O’Connell’s potent offense?
He’d be throwing to football’s best wide receiver in Justin Jefferson, not to mention 2023 breakout star Jordan Addison and Pro Bowl tight end TJ Hockenson. Nix’s ceiling isn’t as high as other QBs in this draft, but he’s battle-tested, oozing with confidence and practically NFL-ready.
Minnesota could also draft Nix — or another QB — but add a veteran to start next year. The bottom line is they should get their QB
Las Vegas Raiders: Justin Fields
If we were the Chicago Bears, we’d lean towards keeping Fields and either trading the No. 1 pick or using it on prized wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
IN THE EVENT the Bears decide to take Williams? Then Fields is gonna get traded, and the Raiders need to have the Bears’ number on speed dial.
Fields is the type of QB that the Raiders can rebuild their offense around. If they make a win-now move for a guy like Fields, you figure they’ll keep Davante Adams and probably try to keep Josh Jacobs while they’re at it.
The Raiders kept Derek Carr for too long and made a mistake by signing Jimmy Garoppolo.
They need to find a young QB this year — ideally one with dual-threat abilities like Fields — and build a more balanced offense. You can’t just have a pocket passer with no mobility throwing it up to Adams, Jakobi Meyers et al all day long.
We just can’t help but envision the potential of a Raiders offense with a dual-threat guy like Fields working with Jacobs, Adams and Meyers. Throw in Vegas’ surprising turnaround on D this year, and you’d have a team more than ready to compete in the loaded AFC.
Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr.
The Falcons had a top-10 defense this season, an elite offensive line and the talents of Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Tyler Allgeier. What went wrong again?
Oh yeah…the quarterback room. Asking Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke to move the needle at the game’s most important position was a…decision. The result? A sixth straight losing season. Ho hum.
The Falcons need a young and dynamic QB to run the offense. If they can find their guy in the draft, just imagine an offensive foundation with quarterback X, Robinson, Pitts, London and Allgeier.
Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. should be the target for Atlanta. He’s got an absolute laser of an arm, for starters. Penix is also sound with the football, rarely making mistakes with his pocket awareness and mobility and his high football IQ.
Penix is a guy who needs to be put in the right system to succeed. The Huskies surrounded him with speedsters and deep threat specialists and watched the fireworks go. Atlanta certainly has such weapons, and nobody said they can’t add more…
London has put up quality numbers without a good QB. Pitts hasn’t been so productive since Matt Ryan’s departure. The latter needs a guy who can sling it in the pocket to regain his superstar-like form, and Penix just feels like the perfect fit there.
Just gonna add that Michael Vick and Matt Ryan were the last two QBs Atlanta used a first-round pick on. They reaped the rewards both times…so it might be a good idea to take a swing in the draft again, because the free agent market hasn’t worked.
New York Giants: Jayden Daniels
The structure of Daniel Jones’ contract means they can’t realistically cut ties with him until next year. That’s fine. Keep him on the sidelines as insurance then cut your losses next year. Simple.
Meanwhile, how about trying again at quarterback in this year’s loaded class? If there’s one guy that should be atop their radar, it’s Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.
Remember, Giants head coach Brian Daboll was the OC in Buffalo who unlocked Josh Allen’s potential. Danny Dimes had a career year under him in 2022. Both Tommy DeVito and Tyrod Taylor had some nice moments in 2023 as well.
Now imagine what Daboll might do with a guy of Daniels’ upside. You know, the guy who just threw for 40 touchdowns to go along with 1,134 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns?
And you know all those back-breaking turnovers Danny Dimes would commit? What if we told you Daniels had just seven total interceptions over his two seasons — 715 total pass attempts — at LSU?
The G-Men absolutely have to rebuild their receiving corps. But if they keep Saquon Barkley and pair him with Daniels? That’s a great start in reconstructing you’re offense that’s been mired in mediocrity for far too long now.
New Orleans Saints: Russell Wilson
The Saints don’t seem keen on rebuilding and will probably try to win AGAIN in 2024. We don’t necessarily agree with that idea, but we suppose it makes some sense given that they play in football’s worst division.
Derek Carr underperformed in the first year of a $150 million deal. The Saints can’t realistically get out of the contract until 2025, but they can pay him to sit on the bench for one year. No big deal.
Which brings us to Russell Wilson.
Wilson bounced back well in Denver…just not well enough for Sean Payton. Wilson will have to accept a starting job from a mushy middle team, but the Saints make sense for a variety of reasons.
Assuming they keep their roster intact, the Saints would supply Wilson with Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Juwan Johnson. He’d have a top-10 defense by his side and, again, football’s worst division.
That beautiful deep ball of his could be absolute fire in the Superdome, too.
Wilson will get a nice payout from Denver anyway, so money shouldn’t be the factor here. The Saints can give him a one-year prove-it deal and see how he fares. At the very least, he’s an upgrade over anything the Saints have used in the post-Drew Brees era.
Which other NFL teams badly need a new QB for 2024, and who do you think they should get?
