Next Era of Quarterbacks

Week two was brutal for NFL quarterbacks and it appears we are approaching a several-year changing of the guard. Ben Roethlisberger is out for the year and will be 38 before the start of the 2020 season. Drew Brees is 40 years old and is out several weeks, his first extended games missed since 2003. Tom Brady is playing as well as ever but just turned 42. Philip Rivers will be 38 in December and appears to be fading if his first two games are any indication.

Beyond age, several teams could be looking forward to the 2020 and 2021 drafts for their franchise quarterback. Kirk Cousins has been ineffective this season and not living up to the money he is making. Cam Newton looks bad but I can’t see the Panthers moving on easily from their franchise star. Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, forever linked due to their one/two draft status in 2015, have been ineffective for huge stretches and teams could be eager to move on. The Dolphins will likely have the overall first pick in 2020. Even with Josh Rosen on board and now starting, Miami could also decide to move on. Several other teams could jump in the ring including the Bengals, Broncos, and Colts.

A potential of twelve teams could be looking for their next signal-caller, some have talented backups who could get the shot and a few teams may not be willing to move on quite yet. Luckily, there are a few college quarterbacks tearing up the landscape right now, poised to hit the NFL running and usher in a new era of superstar quarterbacks.