Every year NFL General Managers cross their fingers with whatever quarterbacks they have in their stables, or prepare to bring in through trades, free agency or the draft.
Even with a top tier quarterback, health is never a certainty. So GMs have to hope their backup is up to the task when/if their stud goes down.
Major movement happened this off-season with quarterbacks.
The MVP of the past two years, Aaron Rodgers, expected to move due to his vocal criticism of the situation in Green Bay surprised most by staying. He is certainly a peg that has found a long time fit with that franchise, at least on the field.
Russell Wilson landed in Denver, which had 6 previous years of lousy luck matching pegs with holes. Lots of interesting Bronco parts and a consistent, mostly injury-free career for Wilson still don’t guarantee a perfect fit.
Carson Wentz, a once MVP candidate flamed out in Philly before making a one year stop in Indy, and now will try to right the ship in D.C. When the odds for winning the Super Bowl (already abysmally low for the Commanders) don’t budge after a move like that, you know there isn’t much faith in the system for a quarterback to fit the puzzle.
DeShaun Watson is the most intriguing of puzzle pegs. Commanding an enormous contract, front-loaded with guarantee money, Watson is a terrific talent who has piled up outstanding stats on a lousy team primarily due to mismanagement by coach/GM Bill O’Brien. The Cleveland Browns took a big swing with this one, especially considering any lingering blow-back around his lingering legal and private troubles.
On the other hand, two years ago, Tom Brady (well into his 40s) switched franchises and proved a remarkable fit and Super Bowl winner.
The draft is notoriously difficult for those trying to find the perfect fit. Trevor Lawrence, a “can’t-miss” talent was mostly miserable in his first year, with a mostly dysfunctional team and coaching system around him. Josh Allen, drafted 7th by the Buffalo Bills struggled his first couple years in the league before finding a very strong fit as a top QB last year. Sometimes patience can be the answer. But that’s not always easy in this win-now environment that keep coaches and general managers hesitant to buy a permanent home.
It’s early days for this year’s NFL cycle. Quarterbacks come and go, bringing hope and nervousness to franchises and their fanbases. Only the actual test of the season will determine how well these critical pegs fit in their new homes.
