The 2023 NFL off-season promised an entertaining quarterback carousel long before it began, and there are even more fireworks than we anticipated in the early going.
We of course are still waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make his decision. He is the biggest available name during this cycle, though it is unclear whether he will return to the Packers, head to the Jets, or outright retire. If current reports are to be believed, then he’ll be playing in New York to start the 2023 season.
Garoppolo, Darnold Find New Homes As NFL Free Agency Begins
Former 49ers’ QB Jimmy Garoppolo is signing with the Las Vegas Raiders, per @diannaESPN and me. Garoppolo played for Raiders’ HC Josh McDaniels in New England and they now reunite in Las Vegas.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2023
But other dominoes are starting to fall as far as QBs are concerned. Last week, it was Derek Carr who made the first move, agreeing to a deal to fill the vacancy that the Saints had at the position. And today, at the start of the legal tampering period, plenty of other quarterbacks found new homes, as well.
The biggest QB signing of the day was Jimmy Garoppolo, who agreed to terms with the Las Vegas Raiders to become their starting quarterback. The deal shores up the position for the team, but it is also yet another strong indication of Rodgers potentially heading to the Jets. Las Vegas was thought to be the only other team that had a shot at the former NFL MVP, but they’ve apparently begun to move on from that idea.
The three other quarterbacks that were signed on Monday will likely be playing backup roles, or at least battling in training camp for depth chart positioning.
Miami is giving former Jets’ QB Mike White a two-year deal worth up to $16 million, per source. pic.twitter.com/NTSnFxAvgc
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2023
The Miami Dolphins have needed a solid backup quarterback for the last few years due to the health of Tua Tagovailoa, and the Jacoby Brissett and Teddy Bridgewater experiments were not exactly successful. They opted to sign former Jets backup Mike White, who has shows the ability to provide a spark when he comes in in relief.
Stidham & Darnold Will Be Backups. What About Keenum?
Just before the Garoppolo signing, it was announced that Jarrett Stidham would sign with the Broncos. Stidham played in relief of Carr last season when a quarterback change was made for the Raiders, but he’ll play for the division rival Broncos in 2023 instead. He’ll be the backup to Russell Wilson.
Former number 3 overall pick Sam Darnold agreed to terms with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, essentially replacing Garoppolo on the roster. It makes for an even more interesting quarterback situation for the 49ers, as they now have Trey Lance, Brock Purdy, and Darnold all in the mix.
The guy who has the best chance of starting could be Case Keenum, depending on what Houston does in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Texans are undoubtedly looking for a young signal calling prospect, and they could find one with the second overall pick. Keenum could either be a one-year stop gap while they develop a youngster, or a veteran presence to provide a QB battle in training camp. Or both.
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