Whether it be via trade or free agency, NFL quarterbacks have been on the move a whole lot during the young offseason.
Russell Wilson opened things up by signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers following his release from Denver. Kirk Cousins left the Minnesota Vikings for the conference rival Atlanta Falcons.
As for trades, we have seen youngsters such as Sam Howell, Mac Jones and Desmond Ridder traded. Here, we rank the 10-best quarterback moves thus far in the NFL offseason.
Related: Updated NFL quarterback rankings
10. New England Patriots sign Jacoby Brissett
It’s clear now that the New England Patriots are going quarterback with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after signing Brissett and trading Mac Jones. There is not a better veteran quarterback to teach a rookie the ropes. Brissett has taken to that mentor role since he learned the nuances of the NFL from Tom Brady after New England made him a third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He also has the capability to start in 2024 if a rookie is not able to go under new head coach Jerod Mayo.
9. New York Jets sign Tyrod Taylor
Jets owner Woody Johnson took a swipe at Zach Wilson earlier this offseason, noting that they need a “real” quarterback behind the aging Aaron Rodgers. Johnson was not necessarily wrong given Rodgers is 40, coming off a torn Achilles and considering a vice presidential run (that’s a thing). New York followed Johnson’s advice by signing Taylor away from the Giants. The former Pro Bowler and 13-year veteran has started 58 games in his career. He’s thrown 65 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. That’s a darn good backup quarterback.
8. Los Angeles Rams sign Jimmy Garoppolo
The Rams have had their backup quarterback issues behind Matthew Stafford. He’s also been injury-plagued over the past couple seasons. It made perfect sense for general manager Les Snead and Co. to go after a veteran. He did just that by signing Jimmy Garoppolo. Despite struggles last season with the Las Vegas Raiders, Garoppolo boasts a 43-20 career record as a starter in the NFL. Given the injuries we’ve seen at the quarterback position around the league, that’s no small thing.
7. Arizona Cardinals trade for Desmond Ridder
Is Ridder going to be mistaken for a starting NFL quarterback? By no means. The former Atlanta Falcons third-round pick has thrown 12 touchdowns against 12 interceptions in two seasons. This doesn’t mean that he lacks upside behind Kyler Murray in Arizona. Acquiring the 24-year-old signal caller for reserve wide receiver Rondale Moore was the right move. Even if he’s just a solid backup in the desert, that was a value trade.
6. Seattle Seahawks trade for Sam Howell
At least according to the Seahawks, Geno Smith will be the starting quarterback next season. But general manager John Schneider and Co. needed to find someone capable of stepping in. The hope was to add a young signal caller to the mix. Howell checks both boxes. Despite leading the NFL in interceptions with 21 a season ago with the Washington Commanders, he’s still only 23 years old. That’s younger than some quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft class. Howell also showed some good in his two seasons with the Commanders. Acquiring him for a mere swap of mid-to-late round draft picks was a win.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars trade for Mac Jones
Trevor Lawrence is the Jaguars’ franchise quarterback. He will likely be handed a lucrative long-term extension this offseason. But why not plan for a potential injury in today’s NFL climate? Teams didn’t last season, and it cost them dearly. Acquiring this former first-round selection for a mere late-round pick was a coup for general manager Trent Baalke. Sure, Jones struggled in his final two seasons with New England. But he did lead the team to a playoff spot as a rookie in 2021. People seem to forget that.
Related: 10 worst moves in NFL free agency
4. Philadelphia Eagles trade for Kenny Pickett
Whatever happened behind the scenes between Kenny Pickett and his former Pittsburgh Steelers team is not yet known. The 2022 first-round pick was reportedly not happy that new quarterback Russell Wilson was going to be QB1. It led to the Steelers trading Pickett to Philadelphia for pennies on the dollar. The Eagles now have a new backup to Jalen Hurts in a 25-year-old signal caller who was not put in a good position during his two-year run in Pittsburgh.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers re-sign Baker Mayfield
This always seemed to be a match made in heaven. In his first season with the Buccaneers, Mayfield led them to a surprise appearance in the playoffs. He also put up a career-best performance with 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. The Bucs were able to retain him just ahead of free agency opening on a three-year, $100 million contract with only $40 million guaranteed at signing. There is an out after two seasons, too. Great work from general manager Jason Licht here.
Related: Top NFL free agents of 2024
2. Pittsburgh Steelers sign Russell Wilson
Pittsburgh took advantage of the Broncos’ idiocy by landing Wilson on a one-year, $1.21 million contract ahead of NFL free agency opening. That’s because Denver is paying out $85 million against the cap over the next two years by releasing Wilson. While this Super Bowl-winning quarterback is not the same player he was in Seattle, the dude still threw for 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions for a bad Broncos team a season ago. Let that sink in.
1. Atlanta Falcons sign Kirk Cousins
A total of $180 million over four seasons for a 35-year-old quarterback coming off a ton Achilles? A total of $90 million guaranteed at signing. Typically, we’d be talking about the Falcons heading toward crazy town. That’s until we realize Atlanta has been in quarterback purgartory since Matt Ryan’s last decent performance back in 2018. As for Cousins, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback has thrown 270 touchdowns compared to 110 interceptions since entering the NFL back in 2012. That’s the definition of a good quarterback.