Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford were swapped for each other. Deshaun Watson has repeatedly stated that he will never play QB for the Houston Texans and wants out. The likes of Dak Prescott, Mitchell Trubisky, Cam Newton, and others are free agents, and this year’s incoming draft class will welcome in the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Trey Lance, Zach Wilson, and others.
The quarterback landscape is about to be flipped on its head this offseason in the NFL.
This means that guys currently holding down starting roles will be put on notice, especially if their play is not up to par. Not to mention, the 2022 NFL QB crop, which includes Sam Howell, Kedon Slovis, J.T. Daniels, and others, projects to be a solid group as well, meaning that this could be the final year of starting time that these four QBs earn.
Members of average or below NFL squads, these four signal-callers are big reasons why their teams are being held back, and they will be entering this season on short leases. With the potential of them being replaced if mired in a down stretch, here are four QBs that are entering the ‘21 season on the hot seat.
NFL hot-seat QBs in focus: Drew Lock
The current starter for the Denver Broncos was chosen in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft with the 42nd selection. The Missouri product was selected by then-general manager John Elway (who has since moved on and been replaced by former Minnesota front-office member George Patton), and that ringing endorsement by the former leader of the Broncos has fallen flat ever since he was given a chance at the starting job.
Across Lock’s two years in the NFL, he took over for Joe Flacco for the final five games of the ‘19 season and looked like a competent option.
A 4-1 NFL record with seven TDs and only three interceptions is a solid base, and he combined those numbers with a completion percentage of 64.1 and just over 1,000 passing yards. He also was smart in his pocket awareness, only taking five sacks, and he also ran for 72 yards on 18 carries as well.
But he was unable to carry that kind of momentum into this past NFL season, as his production dipped in the 13 games he was healthy for. Going 4-9 with a 16/15 TD:INT split is not going to do it, especially when his completion percentage took over a seven-point dip.
Regression is expected when entering into your first extended action, but Lock’s leash in Denver seems to be quite short, especially with Patton controlling all personnel decisions moving forward. He has no ties to Lock, and it would not be a surprise to see a proven NFL veteran (Ryan Fitzpatrick) or a Day 2 rookie QB (Kyle Trask) get brought in to push Lock for the starting role.
Kirk Cousins
Having been the starter for the Minnesota Vikings since the 2018 NFL season, Kirk Cousins has been a constant topic of conversation among reasons why this team has been struggling to meet goals. His contract situation has not been a favorable thing for Minnesota either, especially with the first three years and $84 million of it came fully guaranteed.
But the track record of Cousins from his days in Washington paved the way for his lucrative contract, something that he has continuously been judged upon. Even with his lone Pro Bowl nod in ‘19, which is the same year he led Minnesota to their most recent NFL postseason appearance, Cousins has produced numbers that have not been earning enough credit from people outside the organization.
91 TDs against 29 interceptions, over 12,000 passing yards, and four game-winning drives are what Cousins has produced, yet he enters this season on the hot seat due to the team’s lack of sustained NFL success with a roster chock full of talent. He has Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and rookie breakout Justin Jefferson at his disposal, and even with the release of Kyle Rudolph, Irv Smith Jr. is ready to take on the starting tight end role.
Facing struggles with the NFL salary cap, Cousins certainly won’t become a cap casualty, seeing as how his recent two-year, $66 million extension signed last March just kicked in. But, with a roster in serious need of sustained success, a defense that may end up losing franchise cornerstones this offseason, and a head coach one sub-par season away from losing his job, Cousins may become a potential scapegoat this year.
Plus, there have been rumors floating around of Minnesota’s willingness to include him in a move, which could potentially involve the starting QB for the 49ers, which would essentially just reshuffle the deck for both NFL teams devoid of a long-term QB solution.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Speaking of San Francisco, Jimmy Garoppolo has cemented himself as being the QB most in limbo this NFL offseason, especially with GM John Lynch seemingly going back and forth this offseason in his conversations with the media. Having been seen as the franchise cornerstone at QB at one point, the days of the front office having trust in Garoppolo are long gone.
With Kyle Shanahan known for his QB development, he and Garoppolo have never seemed to be on the same page in terms of his on-field performance, but Jimmy G’s health has been a major caveat in the QB’s NFL development as well.
31 games across his four seasons with the Niners have translated into a 46:26 TD:INT ratio, combined with 7,300+ passing yards and an aggregated average QB rating of 58.13. Those NFL numbers on the surface are more than serviceable, but they are a far cry from justifying the five-year, $137.5 million deal he signed back in 2018.
Coming off an injury-riddled NFL season, the Niners have positioned themselves in a great position in the draft to add a QB early, holding the 12th overall selection. While a move up in the draft to grab Field is in play, Garoppolo’s seat entering this season is, especially with all the circulating trade rumors as well.
Recent reports about Lynch calling about the availability of Teddy Bridgewater showcases how upper management feels about Garoppolo’s health and on-field NFL product, and while Bridgewater holds no clean bill of health, bringing in a high-priced option could spell the end for Garoppolo’s comfortable starting role on this team.
The landscape of QBs moving teams this NFL offseason is going to be a major storyline to follow, and with the start of free agency quickly upcoming, there are going to be quite a few eyes on all 32 starting spots around the league moving forward.
