Agent's Take: Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins headline 10 quarterbacks who want to bounce again in 2024

Offensive players, excluding quarterbacks, and defensive players to control have already been coated in earlier articles. Now, the main target now turns to passers. 

Each season, a special set of gamers face a crossroads or have one thing to show for quite a lot of causes. The commonest causes are associated to age, contract or wage cap considerations, damage, efficiency or off-the-field points. Ten such quarterbacks to observe throughout the 2024 season are under. 

The Jets anticipated to make the playoffs final season after buying Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers proper earlier than the 2023 NFL Draft. Issues abruptly modified for the Jets as soon as Rodgers was misplaced 4 offensive performs into the season when he tore his left Achilles. Rodgers, who will probably be 41 in December, had a subpar season the final time he noticed vital NFL motion, which was in 2022. After successful back-to-back NFL MVP awards, Rodgers’ 12 interceptions had been his most since 2008 when he first grew to become a starter. He threw 13 interceptions mixed over the 2019 by means of 2021 seasons. Rodgers’ 91.1 passer ranking was the bottom in his profession. His 217.4 passing yards per sport had been additionally a profession low. Rodgers having the ability to maintain off Father Time, the place his 2022 season is an anomaly, will seemingly put the Jets within the playoffs for the primary time in 13 years, ending the longest postseason drought in North America skilled group sports activities. In any other case, his Corridor of Fame profession may come to a detailed.

It grew to become obvious fairly rapidly that Sean Payton and Russell Wilson had been like oil and water after Payton was employed to educate the Denver Broncos final yr. The wedding of comfort between the 2 got here to an finish in March when the Broncos launched Wilson. 

The Broncos are contending with $85 million in useless cash, a wage cap cost for a participant not on a group’s roster, due to Wilson’s departure. The $53 million for 2024, which incorporates Wilson’s absolutely assured $39 million 2024 base wage from the five-year, $245 million contract extension he signed in August 2022, is an NFL file of useless cash associated to a person participant in a single league yr. The opposite $32 million is a 2025 wage cap cost for the Broncos.

Wilson signed a one-year cope with the Steelers proper after his launch for the league-minimum $1.21 million due to the wage assure from his Broncos deal. He may have a brief lease if he falters early on with Justin Fields ready within the wings. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin did not hesitate in 2022 to bench an ineffective Mitch Trubisky for Kenny Pickett, 2022’s twentieth general choose, 4 video games into the season. Wilson, who turns 36 on the finish of November, struggling the identical destiny as Trubisky due to his play would successfully finish his days as an NFL beginning quarterback.

Daniel Jones appeared to have taken a giant step ahead in 2022 when he was one of many NFL’s finest dual-threat quarterbacks. The Giants made the playoffs and received a wild-card sport in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings. That led to Jones getting a four-year, $160 million deal (price as much as $195 million because of incentives and wage escalators) with $104 million in ensures, of which $81 million was absolutely assured at signing. 

Jones regressed final season earlier than he was sidelined for the period in Week 9 with a torn ACL in his proper knee. In six video games Jones performed, the Giants solely received as soon as. Jones accomplished 67.5% of his passes for 909 yards whereas throwing for 2 touchdowns with six interceptions to submit a 70.5 passer ranking. 

The Giants explored transferring up from the sixth general choose within the 2024 NFL Draft to take a quarterback. As a substitute, this choose was used on LSU broad receiver Malik Nabers to present Jones a dynamic weapon within the passing sport. A major focus in free company was upgrading the offensive line by signing offensive deal with Jermaine Eluemunor and offensive guard Jon Runyan Jr.

The Giants will seemingly transfer on from Jones if he cannot make the most of these key offensive upgrades. It would not be stunning for the Giants to bench a wholesome Jones sooner or later with him wanting extra like he did in 2023 than in 2022 as a result of $23 million of his $30 million 2025 base wage is assured for damage. On the fifth day of the 2025 league yr (March 15, 2025), $12 million of the $23 million turns into absolutely assured. The Giants would choose up $19.395 million of 2025 wage cap room from parting methods with Jones subsequent March as there would $22.21 million in useless cash somewhat than his $41.605 million 2025 cap quantity.

It appears odd for somebody to be on the new seat who signed a four-year, $180 million contract in March, averaging $45 million per yr, with $100 million of ensures ($90 million absolutely assured). That is as a result of the Falcons surprisingly used the eight general choose within the 2024 NFL Draft to take quarterback Michael Penix Jr. 

Kirk Cousins was arguably enjoying one of the best soccer of NFL profession when he tore his proper Achilles final season in a Week 8 contest in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers. The 13-year veteran, displaying ailing results from the Achilles, may make for a brief stint in Atlanta. Cousins would in all probability be keen to waive his no-trade clause with Penix being a straightforward possibility to interchange him within the beginning lineup. A 2025 commerce would imply the Falcons paid Cousins $62.5 million for one yr provided that his deal has a $50 million signing bonus. The Falcons would have $37.5 million of useless cash in 2025 from the signing bonus by dealing Cousins subsequent yr. This will probably be a moot level in 2025 if Cousins returns because the quarterback he has persistently been over the previous few seasons. 

The Browns gave up 2022, 2023 and 2024 first-round picks, a 2022 fourth-round choose, a 2023 third-round choose and a 2024 fourth-round choose for Deshaun Watson and a 2024 sixth-round choose in March 2022, anticipating to have an elite quarterback. Watson acquired an unprecedented absolutely assured five-year, $230 million contract in reference to the commerce. 

Being rusty in 2022 was anticipated with Watson lacking the primary 11 video games of the common season serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s Private Conduct Coverage and sitting out the 2021 season after demanding a commerce. Watson did not resemble the quarterback final season, who led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards and set a Texans franchise file for landing passes (33) in 2020. He was restricted to 6 video games due to a fracture to the glenoid bone in his throwing (proper) shoulder. Watson accomplished 61.4% of his passes for 1,115 yards with seven touchdowns and 4 interceptions. His passer ranking was 84.3.

Watson regaining some semblance of his 2020 type ought to make the Browns Super Bowl contenders. Even when Watson does not, his contract and the 2 restructures for wage cap functions be certain that he will probably be in Cleveland subsequent season. It is onerous to think about there could be a commerce market. Watson has 2025’s largest cap quantity at $72.935 million. Cleveland would have $118.935 million in 2025 useless cash with the usage of a post-June 1 designation to launch Watson the place the $53.835 million of bonus proration from his 2026 contract yr and the pretend/dummy 2027 and 2028 contract years could be a 2026 cap cost. That is as a result of Watson’s absolutely assured $46 million 2026 base wage could be attributed to 2025 beneath the NFL’s wage cap guidelines.

Derek Carr did not make a superb first impression in New Orleans because the Saints had been 5-7 after 12 video games. There was purchaser’s regret with Carr’s four-year, $150 million deal, averaging $37.5 million per yr and containing $100 million in ensures, the place $60 million was absolutely assured at signing. He made a robust closing assertion. Within the closing 5 video games, Carr accomplished 74% of his passes for 1,117 yards whereas throwing 14 touchdowns and two interceptions for a 118.9 passer ranking. The Saints received 4 of these video games to complete with a 9-8 file.

Carr has nothing to fret about if he can construct on that closing assertion. A 3rd season in New Orleans will probably be in jeopardy with inconsistent play the place the Saints miss the playoffs for a fourth straight yr. The Saints would clear $30 million in 2025 cap house by releasing Carr within the offseason with a post-June 1 designation wherein the useless cash could be taken over two years. There could be a $28.674 million cap cost in 2026 regarding Carr as well as the $21.458 million of useless cash for 2025, which would come with his $10 million fifth day of the 2025 league yr roster bonus (subsequent March 15) that is already absolutely assured.

Efforts for a brand new contract this preseason had been rebuffed by Seahawks basic supervisor John Schneider. Geno Smith was occupied with addressing his contract as a result of the quarterback market has dramatically modified since he signed a three-year, $75 million deal, averaging $25 million per yr price as much as $105 million by means of wage escalators, in March 2023.

Smith was stable in 2023 however did not fairly measure as much as his 2022 season when he threw for a franchise-record 4,282 yards with 30 touchdowns whereas connecting on 69.8% of his passes for a 100.9 passer ranking and was named the NFL’s Comeback Participant of the Yr. His completion proportion dropped 5.1%. He threw 10 fewer landing passes and his passer ranking slipped to 92.1.

Seattle lacking the playoffs with a 9-8 file after beginning 5-2 led to longtime coach Pete Carroll’s departure. New coach Mike Macdonald employed Ryan Grubb from the College of Washington as his offensive coordinator. An incapability to thrive in Grubb’s offensive system may make 2024 Smith’s final season in Seattle.

The Panthers did not do Bryce Young any favors by together with the offense’s most explosive weapon, broad receiver DJ Moore, within the commerce with the Chicago Bears to maneuver as much as take him first general within the 2023 NFL Draft. Younger accomplished 59.8% (thirty first within the NFL) of his passes for two,877 yards with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for a 73.7 passer ranking (thirty second within the NFL) whereas being sacked 62 instances. Solely Sam Howell was sacked greater than Younger final season. Younger’s struggles had been magnified with C.J. Stroud, the participant taken proper after him within the 2023 NFL Draft by the Texans, having a historic season as a rookie quarterback. 

Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales was employed as Panthers coach resulting from his work with Baker Mayfield final season and Geno Smith in 2022 because the Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach. The inside of the offensive line was revamped in free company. Robert Hunt was given a five-year, $100 million contract and Damien Lewis acquired a four-year, $53 million deal to play proper and left guard, respectively. Extensive receivers who can create higher separation had been introduced in. Diontae Johnson was obtained from the Steelers for cornerback Donte Jackson and a 2024 sixth-round choose. The Panthers traded as much as take Xavier Legette with the final choose of 2024’s first spherical (thirty second general). A second-round choose was used on Jonathon Brooks, the highest working again within the draft. 

Panthers proprietor David Tepper hasn’t proven a lot persistence, significantly with head coaches. That would prolong to Younger if he does not take a significant step ahead, contemplating the offseason was centered on surrounding him with higher expertise. With out dramatic enchancment this season, the Panthers could possibly be able to draft Younger’s substitute or herald a veteran quarterback to problem him for his beginning job.

The Chicago Bears securing the primary general choose within the 2024 NFL Draft, which was used to pick out USC quarterback Caleb Williams, because of the commerce with the Panthers final yr, made Justin Fields expendable. The commerce marketplace for Fields, who was 2021’s eleventh general choose, was softer than the Bears had been anticipating. Fields was dealt in the course of March to the Steelers for a conditional sixth-round choose that converts to a fourth-round choose if he takes 51% of Pittsburgh’s offensive snaps throughout the 2024 season. The absolutely assured $25.664 million fifth-year possibility in 2025 for Fields was rightfully declined. The Steelers bought extra of a have a look at Fields with the first-team offense throughout preseason than anticipated due to Russell Wilson’s calf damage. There’s a perception that it’s only a matter of time earlier than Fields will get a possibility to reveal whether or not he is usually a long-term answer for the Steelers at quarterback.

The Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year, $10 million deal to be a bridge quarterback. Sooner or later this season, a transition to 2024’s tenth general choose J.J. McCarthy was anticipated to happen. That is not going to occur. McCarthy is out for the yr after tearing the meniscus in his proper knee throughout the preseason opener in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders. Darnold goes to get your entire season to reveal to different groups that he is usually a beginning quarterback after failed makes an attempt with the New York Jets as 2018’s third general choose and the Carolina Panthers in 2021.