Every year, we see starting quarterbacks miss some time during the NFL regular season. While some miss just a few weeks, others miss an extended amount of time. The teams that have playoff aspirations must look at the free agent wire if they do not have any faith in their backup quarterback to keep them above water and lead them to the postseason.
Let’s look at which free agent quarterbacks are out there in free agency and what they might bring to the table.
Ryan Tannehill
When you look at free agent options, the pickings are fairly slim. In terms of experience leading a team, Ryan Tannehill is by far the best option available.
Tannehill has started 151 games in his career and has an 81-70 record. Compared to the other options available, Tannehill has by far the most enticing résumé.
Tannehill most recently spent five years in Tennessee, where he went 39-24 with a 5.0% touchdown percentage compared to a 2.2% interception percentage. However, his performance fell off toward the end of his time with the team.
In his first two years in Tennessee, Tannehill threw 55 touchdowns at a 7.2% rate while throwing 13 interceptions at a 1.7% rate. In his final three years as a Titan, he combined for just 38 touchdowns at a 3.2% rate and 27 interceptions at a 2.5% rate.
Those numbers show a fairly stark contrast, and his play last year was particularly bad.
The most intriguing Tannehill contrast can be seen in the statistics of his 2020 and 2021 seasons. Across those two years, the Titans won 23 of his 33 starts, but Tannehill’s play varied drastically. In 2020, he had a 6.9% touchdown rate, a 1.5% interception rate, and a 106.5 QB rating. In 2021, his touchdown rate was 4.0%, his interception rate was 2.6%, and his QB rating was 89.6.
In both years, the Titans were competitive, winning their division, but could not convert them into an AFC Championship Game appearance.
Yes, he is a few years older than he was in those two seasons, but many of the underlying numbers, including air yards per attempt, his yards-per-attempt index, and his completion percentage index, have remained on the positive side of what you look for in a starting QB.
With a strong roster around him, Tannehill has the potential to keep a team in a playoff race.
Can he guide a roster to a Super Bowl? History would suggest not, but it is easy to make the case that Tannehill has a chance.
He may not have a high ceiling, but he has one of the highest floors of other free agents out there.
Which Other Free Agent Quarterbacks Are Available?
- Nate Sudfeld
- C.J. Beathard
- Trevor Siemian
- Blaine Gabbert
- P.J. Walker
- John Wolford
- Brian Hoyer
I will not break down all these options because the stories will be very similar. These are all fine as backup options, but it is hard to make a case for wanting them to lead a team for more than a game or two.
Overlying stats do not tell the whole story at all, but they make a pretty strong case for why you would rather not rely on any of these guys for a long period of time.
- Sudfeld has not started a game in his career
- Beathard has started 13 games, with a 3-10 record and a 19-14 TD-to-INT ratio
- Siemian has started 33 games, with a 15-18 record and a 44-32 TD-to-INT ratio
- Gabbert has started 49 games, with a 14-35 record and a 51-50 TD-to-INT ratio
- Walker has started nine games, with a 5-4 record and a 6-16 TD-to-INT ratio
- Wolford has started four games, with a 2-2 record and a 1-5 TD-to-INT ratio
- Hoyer has started 41 games, with a 16-25 record and a 53-37 TD-to-INT ratio
When a head coach needs to rely on a quarterback off the street, they will usually look for some scheme familiarity. All of these players have relative familiarity with teams around the league, which could make them a stopgap fit for a week or so as needed.
Could Tom Brady Be Coaxed out of Retirement?
I know — I am sorry to do this, but it will inevitably be asked if any starting quarterback misses time.
Tom Brady is one year removed from his NFL career and set to embark on a career in the booth, but could a team tempt him out for one more run?
The last time we saw Brady, he was leading the league in completion, attempts, and sack rate, but he certainly did not look the same as he had even the year before. Brady’s yards per attempt dropped from a career average of 7.4 to 6.4, and his touchdown percentage of 3.4% was two full points below his career average.
In that final season, Brady marshaled a very good Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster to an 8-9 record after going 13-4 the year before.
At 47 years of age, there is no guarantee that Brady would be any better than signing Tannehill. I never thought I would be writing those words.
There are also obvious complications around Brady’s Fox broadcast career and his current process of purchasing a share of the Las Vegas Raiders.
All told, it seems very likely to be unlikely, but as I said above, it will get mentioned any time a starting quarterback goes down with an injury.
Would a Team Trade for Jimmy Garoppolo?
If a starting quarterback misses extended time, a team may consider a trade, but the question is who they should target.
An obvious name is Jimmy Garoppolo. He spent six years with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco and has spent this offseason with the Rams. Garoppolo is well versed in the type of systems that McVay cut his teeth in and would be a logical option to fill a hole for teams that run those systems.
Last year in Las Vegas was a struggle, but that situation was a mess and seems a sad way for Garoppolo’s career as a starter to end. Over his career, Garoppolo has a 43-20 record with a 94-51 TD-to-INT ratio. As of 2022, his advanced numbers were still largely good, and he was efficient in what he was asked to do.
There are some other intriguing options out there should a team need to make a trade.
Would the New York Jets be willing to part with Tyrod Taylor? Probably not, with Aaron Rodgers returning from an Achilles injury and the Jets wanting to ensure they have a competent backup themselves.
The Indianapolis Colts are unlikely to part with Joe Flacco, given Anthony Richardson is essentially still a rookie after missing most of last year.
Maybe Carson Wentz in Kansas City is a target.
Andy Dalton in Carolina could be another option. The Panthers are not contenders, but they would be stripping away a veteran option from a young team. Dalton was discussed last year as being another coach for Bryce Young out on the practice field, and that might be more valuable for the Panthers than a Day 3 NFL Draft pick in 2025.
An outside-the-box option could be Geno Smith from Seattle. Smith has just two years left on his deal and has proven he can be a solid game manager for a well-put-together roster, but that is arguably his ceiling as a quarterback.
The Seahawks have Sam Howell on their roster, so if they have seen enough from him or would be willing to roll the dice on Tannehill this year, they may consider trading Smith. It is unlikely in Week 1 of the 2024 season, with a new head coach and offensive system, but it is the one current starting quarterback that a team could be willing to move.
