Nearly half of the teams in the NFL could be on some type of QB search in 2024, and for that reason alone, the Denver Broncos may have a massive advantage at the position. Russell Wilson is in his second year with the Denver Broncos and is on pace to have a strong season. He ranks inside the top 10 in many QB categories and is far from the primary issue with the team.
Even though it appears as if Wilson is back, as some might say, others claim that his massive contract and age still make him not worth holding onto in the future. They could be right, but I'm here to say that the Denver Broncos might be making a huge mistake in parting with Wilson after 2023 and could, conversely, have a huge advantage in keeping him on the roster for at least 2024.
You see, the QB play across the league is both excellent and horrid. It feels like the NFL has become top-heavy with QBs. The true franchise QBs tend to be excellent at their jobs under center, but there also seems to be a huge chunk of the other QBs who have massive questions about their franchise viability in the NFL. Let's face it, playing QB is the single hardest thing to do in sports (sorry, it's not hitting a baseball.)
And with the league continuing to push further into the QB-centric mindset, teams can't just have average at the position anymore. Gone are the days when a strong defense can carry a bad QB deep into the playoffs. That just won't happen anymore. The Denver Broncos seem to be the very last team that actually did that back in 2015. If teams don't have a great QB, they won't win; simple as that.
Well, the Denver Broncos may have a great QB on their hands in Russell Wilson, and when you really consider just how many teams across the NFL could be looking for a QB in 2024, it makes even more sense for the Broncos to hold onto theirs.
Let's quickly breakdown each team that could be searching for a franchise QB next offseason.
Almost half the league could be looking for QBs next offseason
1. Green Bay Packers - Jordan Love is still a bit raw and might get 2024 to prove his worth, but his completion percentage is under 60% for his career, which is certainly a huge red flag.
2. Minnesota Vikings - Kirk Cousins is an efficient passer, but he's also 35 years old and the Vikings really haven't done much with him. It's time they take a swing on a younger QB with a higher ceiling. Cousins is also a FA at the end of the year.
3. Chicago Bears - Justin Fields. Need I say more?
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Why should we expect Baker Mayfield to all of a sudden put it together in year six? Tampa is surely going to look at QBs next offseason.
5. Atlanta Falcons - Desmond Ridder has shown a ton of nothing as a passer and the Falcons aren't going to keep winning by running the ball 40 times a game. They feel like a team that could even make a QB move at the trade deadline.
6. Washington Commanders - Sam Howell was a fifth-round pick in 2022. He's got an accurate arm, but that's about it. If the Commanders lose enough, they could be in line to nab a QB for 2024.
7. **Dallas Cowboys** - If the Dallas Cowboys falter in the playoffs once again, I could truly see them scapegoating Dak Prescott. I don't think it happens, but this could be a situation to monitor.
8. Arizona Cardinals - Right now, the Cardinals don't quite look bad enough to land the #1 pick, and perhaps they do want to stick with Kyler Murray, but it's hard to get a vibe from this team right now. I could see them being in the market and perhaps might end up landing the #1 pick in 2024.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers - I am not on the Kenny Pickett train. I don't think he does anything that well, and if the Steelers don't make the playoffs and Pickett only marginally approves, they could chase a new passer.
10. Tennessee Titans - Ryan Tannehill isn't good anymore, but the Titans do have Will Levis on the roster, who they took in 2023. Levis will play some football for them this year. But you never know, maybe he looks like a disaster and the Titans lose enough to take a QB high in 2024.
11. New England Patriots - Mac Jones feels like a poor man's Derek Carr or Kirk Cousins. I don't think he can survive as a franchise passer in the loaded AFC. The Patriots could also make some significant changes this offseason as well.
12. New York Jets - Man, I don't know what to think here. Aaron Rodgers is such a Wild Card. Will he truly come back from a torn Achilles at 40 years old? I think the Jets could draft a QB with one of their top picks in 2024 and perhaps try the "sit and develop" method. Zach Wilson is obviously not it.
13. Las Vegas Raiders - Jimmy Garoppolo is not a franchise QB. He's not good. He's over 30 years old, can't stay healthy, and has a pretty low ceiling. The Raiders need to do something more at the position, and they could as soon as this offseason, especially if Mark Davis cleans go
Not including the Denver Broncos, I think as many as 13 teams could be looking for new passers next offseason. Why would the Broncos part ways with Russell Wilson if this many teams need new QBs? A report from Diana Russini revealed that the relationship between Wilson and Sean Payton is in a really good spot, and Payton has had a ton of success with a QB who aged into his 40s in Drew Brees.
This isn't new territory for Payton. I think unless Wilson collapses, he's here in 2024.
Just think; Russell Wilson turns 35 this season, and when Payton was still in New Orleans, he was able to get this production out of Drew Brees from 2015-2020, Brees' age 36-41 seasons:
2,205/3,093, 24,325 yards, 175 TDs, 49 INTs, 106.5 rating. The Saints went 55-30 in the regular season during this time as well. Yeah, I just don't see how Payton would rush to get Wilson's contract off the Denver Broncos, especially given his work with an aging QB in Drew Brees from his time with the Saints.
And it makes even more sense to keep DangeRuss around considering how many teams could be in the QB market next offseason.