5 quarterbacks Washington can fall back on if masterplan goes awry

The NFL offseason is nearly impossible to predict — look no further than when Tom Brady spurned New England for Tampa Bay two years ago — but it’s probably fair to say that the Washington Football Team will add at least one new quarterback to the roster in the coming months.

Who knows? If Washington opts to draft a prospect who isn’t ready to start right away, they could add a veteran stopgap in free agency.

Regardless of what happens, though, we think the entire fan base would like the franchise to aim higher than that. If a Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers becomes available, by all means make a godfather offer for them.

We’d lump Deshaun Watson in that category, but it wouldn’t be wise to unload a collection of assets before his legal situation is sorted out.

While the front office plans to shoot for a star — Ron Rivera’s comments have certainly made it seem like that’s the case — fans should temper expectations. It’d be delusional to assume that one of Rodgers (especially) or Wilson will end up with Washington. Is there a chance? Definitely, but it’s highly unlikely.

With that in mind, don’t be surprised if Washington is forced to settle for a contingency plan if their masterplan goes awry. There will be no shortage of options on those fronts, but these five stick out amongst the rest.

5 bridge QBs for the Washington Football Team

5. Tyrod Taylor

With the Houston Texans looking likely to stick with Davis Mills, who impressed as a third-round pick out of Stanford, all signs are pointing to Tyrod Taylor hitting the open market and joining the sixth team of his career.

Taylor is one of the more respected veterans in the league, so he’ll have no trouble winning over Washington’s locker room. He’d be a perfect fit in Ron Rivera’s culture and he’s served as a mentor for young QBs throughout his career.

If Washington was to draft a quarterback in April, that prospect would be in good hands with Rivera, Scott Turner and Taylor. However, Taylor would bring much more to Washington than mentorship and leadership.

In his last full season as a starter (2017 in Buffalo), he led the Bills to the playoffs with an 8-6 record in 14 starts. That year, Taylor completed 62.6% of his passes for 2,799 yards and 14 touchdowns to one interception, the fewest of any quarterback, all while getting sacked 46 times.

Taylor isn’t the type of quarterback that will overcome a poor situation, but he can flourish if surrounded by viable talent. Throw in the fact he was born in Hampton, Virginia and starred at Virginia Tech and you might just warm up to the idea of having him as a potential contingency plan this offseason.