By Rhonda
The QB is – the star, the nucleus of the team, the leader, the good looking guy that all the boys want to be like and the girls want to date. The quarterback is arguably the most important position in all of sports. The performance of your team’s QB is the biggest factor in whether you win or lose. Bottom line. This is why the current QB situation in the NFL is a legit mess. Quality QBs are in demand, and at one point, it seemed like half the league was in need of a QB and there were just not enough solid ones to go around.
To make matters worse, the 2022 NFL draft pool is severely lacking in the QB position, which is really scary for needy teams. Going even deeper, this was one of the worst QB classes we have seen since 2014, which left many NFL teams, already on unstable ground, into panic mode, grabbing any veteran they could find. Teams are so desperate, they’re paying QBs millions for mediocrity, a la Kirk Cousins.
Vikings extend Kirk Cousins contract. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/mY2Fov6tpa
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 13, 2022
The 2021 NFL QB carousel was already a wild one. Here are a few of the wild trades that happened. Matthew Stafford went from Detroit to sunny LA and won a Super Bowl. That trade sent Jared Goff to Motor City where he struggled all season. Teddy Bridgewater went from the Panthers to the Broncos and just landed in Miami, who signed Jacoby Brissett in 2021. Sam Darnold to the Panthers and Gardner Minshew to the Eagles. Carson Wentz was sent to the Colts, but now belongs to the Washington Commanders, who also re-signed Taylor Heinicke. The Bills signed Mitchell Tubisky, but, Ben Roethislburger retired and so the Steelers snatched Trubisky to fill the void. Whewwww.
Hold up. I didn’t even mention three of the biggest QBs in the league. Tom Brady. Aaron Rodgers. Russell Wilson. Tom Brady retired and then unretired, leaving those with Brady fatigue super pissed. Aaron Rodgers played his usual game of I’m-not-sure-I’m-coming-back with the Packers, who eventually signed him for a cool $50M a year – what the what! Lastly, there’s longtime Seatlle QB Russell Wilson, a very solid QB and well-liked guy, taking his talents to Denver shocking legions of fans.
#Packers and QB Aaron Rodgers agree to terms on a new contract extension.
3Yrs, $150.8M:
$42 million – 2022
$59.515M – 2023
$49.3M – 2024He’s officially back #NFL #NFLFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/B4zTpazES8
— 49ers & NFL News 24/7 (@49ersSportsTalk) March 15, 2022
And then there is Deshaun Watson who just got traded to the Cleveland Browns and signed a massive contract. The 3x pro-bowler is hands down one of the best QBs in the league and will immediately up their Super Bowl odds. However, with his legal troubles involving multiple sexual assault and harassment allegations it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Despite no criminal charges, Watson still faces civil suits and could still be suspended by the NFL so it’s a fine line for any team.
When I was a kid, you followed teams. I have been a long suffering Dallas Cowboys fan my entire life. That’s it. That was and is my team. Today, my boys seem to be following players. Why? Because they have to. They get attached to a player and a team, and then, boom, their favorite player heads to a brand new team. New jersey. New colors. New vibe. It’s not even safe to buy my son jerseys at this point. Loyalty? Throw that out the window. Just follow the money.
It’s tough to watch a hometown hero leave for another team. Back in the day, watching Emmitt Smith leave for the Arizona Cardinals crushed me. Heck, I’m not even a packer fan and I hated seeing Brett Favre suit up for the Jets. But, they all have their reasons, and in the end, the NFL is business- strictly business. Win first, loyalty second. So buckle up kids, it’s not over.
