As expected, it’s been another busy offseason with veteran quarterback movement across the NFL. While this year hasn’t been quite as wild as last, 15 notable quarterbacks are switching teams this fall.
The most notable is Aaron Rodgers, going from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets. Well, the deal isn’t done yet, but it should be complete before the 2023 NFL draft — we think.
The Washington Commanders, as always, were involved in the quarterback movement. Washington signed Jacoby Brissett after seeing Taylor Heinicke depart for the Atlanta Falcons. Whichever quarterback Washington signed this offseason was expected to compete with Sam Howell. Head coach Ron Rivera confirmed Brissett would compete with Howell for the starting job.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports ranked the top 15 quarterback moves of the offseason and, surprisingly, had Brissett to the Commanders down the list at No. 12.
Here’s Benjamin’s reasoning:
Brissett is a likable presence capable of starting in a pinch, but his place in Washington is peculiar: If he beats out Sam Howell, he’ll be a bargain QB1, but an indictment on the long-term state of the Commanders’ QB job. If he sits, he’ll be the NFL’s highest-paid backup, save for the Jets’ Zach Wilson. If Washington were a contender in need of premium insurance, he’d make sense. Instead, he projects as just another in a long line of notable but middling starting options.
I’m not so sure about this one. Brissett to the Commanders has received universal praise this offseason. While part of his reasoning makes sense, the Commanders appear set on Howell competing for the job. Is it a fair competition? We shall see. But this shouldn’t be viewed through the same lens as the Ryan Fitzpatrick signing or the Carson Wentz trade. It’s different with Howell around.
Heinicke to the Falcons was ranked right below Brissett for essentially the same reasoning.
