How Many Quarterbacks Will Change Teams This Offseason?

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – 2020 NFL free agency will be dominated by the quarterbacks this year as so many high-profile names could be on new teams and it starts with Tom Brady. Some movement has happened already as Philip Rivers was let go by the Los Angeles Chargers last month and was the first domino to fall before free agency is set to begin on March 18 at 4 p.m. ET.

Even before teams can officially sign players, there is the oddly named legal tampering period that starts on March 16 where teams and players can make contact and start negotiating terms leading up until Wednesday. As of now, NFL free agency is to go as planned.

The big-name is obviously Brady and despite him turning 43 once the 202o season starts and there are teams that really want him on the roster. In all, there could be close to double-digit quarterbacks that find themselves on a new team.

Just another day at the office for @TomBrady:
🐐 341 yards
🐐 3 TD
🐐 24 completions
🐐 Prime time WIN#GoPats pic.twitter.com/YaijrQz2Hw

— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2019

Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints is staying put, as is likely his teammate Taysom Hill who was given a first-round tender, then there are free agents like Jamies Winston of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Teddy Bridgewater of the Saints, and then there are players who could be traded like Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals plus Carolina Panthers Cam Newton, and a whole lot more could happen.

This free agency period could go either two ways: a massive game of musical chairs or if one player, like Brady, stays put then the movement would be minimal.

There Is More Than Tom Brady

While Brady is the big name there are other quarterbacks who probably should be getting more attention on where they will go. The interest in Brady has been fluid this offseason from double-digit win teams wanting him, then there are the Patriots who reportedly offered a low-ball deal, and the Bucs who want to go all-in on the six-time Super Bowl champion.

.@DaleEArnold on conflicting reports regarding last week's phone call between Brady ans Belichick:

"This is what I was told happened: there was a phone call…the Patriots told Tom Brady that all they can do is a 1-year deal at less money than [Brady] made last year…" pic.twitter.com/sutdqQtD6K

— Dale & Keefe (@DaleKeefeWEEI) March 12, 2020

sports.ksl.com’s Scott Mitchell played for a dozen years in the NFL and has been through a few free agencies and understands what these players are going through. As for Brady, his opinion is that, at this time, it seems that the two parties might be on their way to parting ways.

“I think recently, it appears that he might leave and a lot of it is because Bill Belichick has to move on,” Mitchell said. “They have to move on at some point, now exactly when that happens is, I don’t know.”

While Brady gets the name recognition as he is considered the best quarterback of all time and still shows he has some more football in him, but Mitchell leans toward the Saints’ Bridgewater who could be in the best position of anyone amongst his loaded quarterback class.

“I think of all of them, the guy that may end up in the best position is Teddy Bridgewater, simply because he can pick the right team,” Mitchell said. “You get a guy like Bridgewater on a pretty decent football team and you have something.”

Who Is The Real Prize?

While Bridgewater could be in line for a huge payday after his 5-0 start filling in for the injured Brees this past year and is a highly-sought-after free agent; there are others who could be a more immediate impact and be a better fit.

One of those is Newton but he is currently under contract for one season and last year didn’t go well with him playing in only two games as he shut down the season with a foot injury. Then there is to consider that the Panthers have a new coach in Matt Ruhle who may want his own guy under center.

Alex Kirry is the co-host of KSL’s UnRivaled wants to just shuffle the deck with these quarterbacks and get them a new home.

“Why don’t they just do a shuffle? A lot of these communities can’t stand these guys anymore,” Kirry said. “Teddy Bridgewater is a trending name up and had such a good go filling in for Dree Brews and he is going to get some big money elsewhere.”

Mitchell agrees with Kirry but goes one step further and says it could be a massive game of musical chairs with one or more quarterbacks left as a backup.

“This could be a musical chairs thing where all of these guys stand up and the music starts and then down goes Tom Brady, and goes Phillip Rivers, and Teddy Bridgewater, and then what about Andy Dalton, Cam Newton, and Jameis Winston,” Mitchell said. “These guys might end up in a position where they may not be a starter in the NFL and that is pretty surprising in today’s NFL.”

Mitchell goes onto say how Winston and Newton may not be starters in 2020.

“Cam Newton is kind of like Aaron Rodgers. There is always something always wrong and things just can’t be right. I hate to say it, but there is a negative aura that kills all the fun out of everything that is going on. Newton could end up in a position where he sits and takes a back seat… or maybe he needs a change of scenery and it ignites him. He is a kind of guy that could be the potential thing [to get him back a high level of play].”

This NFL quarterback free agency has the potential to be a once in a generation type of player movement. On the surface, it seems that at least a half dozen NFL starting quarterbacks could be helming new teams this year.