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.
4. Marcus Mariota
It’s crazy to think how Marcus Mariota’s career has unfolded. Once deemed as the next great dual-threat quarterback coming out of Oregon, Mariota never quite lived up to the billing of a No. 2 overall pick.
After a promising first two seasons as Tennessee’s starter, Mariota’s efficiency fell off a cliff, prompting the Titans to trade for Ryan Tannehill, who enjoyed immediate success in Arthur Smith’s offense.
Mariota left the Titans as a free agent during the 2020 offseason and ended up with the Raiders on a two-year, $17 million deal. That seemed to light a fire under Derek Carr, who played superbly over the last two seasons to quiet fans who were calling for Mariota to get some run under center.
Despite his lack of opportunities in Las Vegas, Mariota has delivered when called upon. Over the last two seasons, the 28-year-old has logged 175 rushing yards on just 18 carries. That’s good for 9.7 yards per clip, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise his 18 carries resulted in 14 first downs.
Make no mistake, that dual-threat ability will make Mariota a hot commodity on the open market. He won’t wow you with his arm talent, but his career stats — 62.8% completion rate, 181.6 yards per game, 77 touchdowns, 45 interceptions and a 89.5 passer rating — are nothing to sniff at.
The former college superstar didn’t make any fuss about being a backup with the Raiders, so he’d likely be open to the idea of being a veteran mentor or play a temporary starting role while Washington develops a potential draftee.
3. Jimmy Garoppolo
Wait, you just spent an entire week bashing Jimmy Garoppolo, and now you want Washington to trade for him? Yes and no, and it isn’t that black and white. We’re merely saying that he shouldn’t be the club’s top priority.
And based on ESPN’s “NFL executive predictions” article, it sounds like Garoppolo landing in Landover is a real possibility. A lot of fans won’t like hearing this, but Washington acquiring Jimmy G (as a placeholder quarterback, not a multiyear solution) wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Garoppolo will always have his critics. He’s a game manager, afraid to push the ball downfield, struggles with accuracy beyond the numbers and leaves a lot to be desired when games are on the lines and he’s forced to throw. He’s also played a full regular season just once in five years as a starter.
Those are all red flags, but find us a bridge QB that doesn’t have any. At the end of the day, Garoppolo is a winner. He owns a 33-14 career record and is fresh off helping lead the 49ers to the playoffs in the best division in the NFL.
We’re not saying Garoppolo would set the world on fire. But Washington seemingly has the requisite things in place for him to succeed. Between a dominant pass-blocking offensive line, a run-oriented offense and skilled playmakers, he could help the team win 9 or 10 games and make the playoffs.
Obviously, 9 or 10 wins isn’t the ultimate goal, but beggars can’t be choosers and that’d be a pretty solid return for a one-year rental.
The only reason Garoppolo doesn’t fall higher on this list is because he’d likely have to be acquired via trade. He has one year left on his contract and San Francisco likely wouldn’t release him and absorb his dead money.
2. Mitchell Trubisky
Another former No. 2 overall pick!
We’re honestly not sure how we feel on Mitchell Trubisky. He was a Pro Bowl alternate as a sophomore in 2018 — the same year Matt Nagy won Coach of the Year — and the Bears finished first in the NFC North with a 12-4 record.
Since then, though, Chicago has been a laughingstock. They’re currently looking for a new head coach and were previously searching for a GM, and Trubisky, probably to his benefit, signed with Buffalo as a free agent last offseason.
Assuming Trubisky will look to become a starter again this offseason, there’s reason to believe Washington will be interested.
Just connect the dots. Last offseason, insider Benjamin Allbright noted that Washington wanted a legit QB competition in training camp and floated Trubisky as a potential running mate for Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen.
Of course, they went on to sign Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Fast forward to November and Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports dropped a bomb saying Washington nearly traded for Trubisky at the trade deadline. At the time, Fitz was out with a hip injury and Heinicke’s limitations were on full display.
From an intangibles standpoint, Trubisky has everything you could want in a franchise quarterback. His arm strength is up there with the league’s best and his ability to extend plays with his legs is elite.
The only question Washington has to ask is if Matt Nagy was holding him back and there’s an everyday starter in there waiting to be unleashed, or if he’s a QB who will always be hampered by poor accuracy and decision-making.
The upside is there, though. That’s for sure.
1. Jameis Winston
In terms of long-term potential, Winston has the greatest of any quarterback on this list. However, the former No. 1 overall pick still makes sense as a one-year rental option for Washington if they choose to draft a QB.
Yes, Winston has an extensive turnover history. In 2019, his last year with the Buccaneers, he became the first quarterback in league history to throw for at least 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a single season. He also set the record for most pick-sixes in a single season with seven.
However, Winston showed real maturity as a free agent in 2020 by signing with the Saints to study under then-starter Drew Brees. After Brees retired the following offseason, Winston was promoted to the starting job and to say he looked like a different player would be a gross understatement.
Despite not having all-world wideout Michael Thomas, Winston threw for 1,170 yards and 14 touchdowns to just three interceptions in seven starts as a newly-minted game manager before a torn ACL ended his season.
Regardless of the injury, he showed enough (his 102.8 passer rating was easily a career high) to generate interest as a free agent. We obviously wouldn’t overpay for Winston, who famously threw for four touchdowns in Washington back in Week 5, but we love the idea of signing him if all else fails.
With effortless arm strength and a newfound soundness in the pocket, Winston could make Washington a darkhorse playoff team in 2022…and help Terry McLaurin get the respect he deserves, but that’s just an added bonus.