NFL 2020 Will Have QB Faces in Different Places

In the NFL, quarterbacks come and go. 2020 could be a banner year for coming and going.

For the first time in a long time, NFL teams are pretty much set on the starting quarterback position–not only for next season but for years to come. Consider what has been happening.

–Eli Manning was benched in Week 3 to make way for the Giants’ #6 overall pick, Daniel Jones.

Winston hasn’t had many gleeful games (photo, The Source)

–At the Titans, Marcus Mariota seems destined to be a backup to Ryan Tannehill, who has taken over the starting role.

–Jameis Winston continues to throw the ball … to the other team and, because of that, seems likely to be replaced.

–At Miami, Josh Rosen was a high draft pick at the Cardinals, but they quickly traded him to Miami. Rosen may not have had the fairest of shots at the starting job, but his play on the field suggests he won’t last.

QB retirements are in the picture, too, and the list isn’t short. It includes the Saints, Patriots, Steelers, Chargers, and Falcons. But on the flip side, there’s a ton of talented, young quarterbacks who are considered to be franchise players. I’m talking about players like Lamar Jackson, Sam Darnold, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Kyler Murray.

The performance of those breakout players tells that a longtime NFL myth isn’t true: when teams lose an all-time great, like Peyton, Favre, Montana, etc., the league is worse for it. That’s not true, never has been, and it’s often surprisingly not true. Consider that grocery store worker from the University of Northern Iowa named Kurt Warner.

Uncle Rico is proud of his boy Gardner, but will Minshew II stick with the Jags? (photo, LA Times)

So be prepared for at least 4-5 quarterback changes this offseason. In some cases, it’s too soon to declare who’ll be next year’s starter. Take the head-scratching case in Jacksonville. Nick Foles was paid well to take the Jaguars to the next level. But as his injury woes continued, Gardner Minshew II has played well at times. At issue is whether the front office is ready to dub ‘Mr. Mustache’ as ‘the guy.’ I think not.

But, for now, these are the teams that I predict will start the 2020 season with a new man under center:

Bengals – Joe Burrow (Draft)

Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa (Draft)

Colts – Justin Herbert

Bucs – Cam Newton (Trade)

Panthers – Teddy Bridgewater (Contract)

And these are the teams that could make a change.

Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger has too many recent injuries with diminishing play and an aging, banged-up body. He can still play, but for how long? We’ve seen what his backups did and couldn’t do in his absence. If Big Ben isn’t fully healthy, then it may be time to make the change. At the very least, I think Pittsburgh should draft a QB and let him learn from Ben in 2020. If the Colts pass on Herbert, the Steelers should grab him.

Chargers: Phillip Rivers is just not the same player that he was, primarily due to age and injuries. Rivers has plenty of playmakers on offense, and that will benefit the new guy under center. Yes, it’s difficult to step away from a player who has given you everything he has every Sunday since 2004, but it’s time to make a change. I’d like to see LAC trade up in this year’s draft and pick Rivers’ successor.

‘Healthy’ is the key word for Cam (photo, For the Win, USAToday)

Panthers: Cam Newton has plenty left in his tank if his body can get healthy. But running is a big part of Cam’s game and, if you take that away from him, you take away an attribute that makes him special. Therein lies a big injury risk. Still, though, I think Newton is a keeper. He and OC Norv Turner are a good pair, and Cam seems to play his best ball with Turner calling the plays. While I think Cam is likely to remain in Carolina, if the franchisee wants to move in a different direction, I can easily see Cam in a Bears or Bucs jersey.

Bears: Talking about the Bears…. Mitch Trubisky isn’t accurate. He doesn’t throw well from the pocket. He can’t read defenses properly. He holds the ball too long. I know, I know: I’m beating a dead bear. But fans dream about what their team could be with a Mahomes or Watson under center. Unless Trubisky takes a giant leap next season, I don’t think he’ll last the year. He’d better get off to a fast start and then keep his foot on the gas. Otherwise, he’ll be done and gone.