With quarterbacks being benched for backups, who might be traded during the 2021 NFL Draft process after being replaced by rookies?
We’re only a few weeks into the 2020 NFL season, but we’ve already had two head coaches fired and multiple quarterbacks benched for backups, whether that be from injury or poor performance. Some have been rookies overtaking veterans, others veterans taking over for struggling starters. The result has come with more than a few former high draft picks being sat, and then possibly traded .
In most cases, the players that are benched eventually are given a chance somewhere else. The Tennessee Titans had success using this method by acquiring Ryan Tannehill who found a second life after falling flat with the Miami Dolphins, now being the Titans starter on a long-term deal.
However, more times than not it doesn’t work out. While Tannehill had success, it was only a few years ago that Robert Griffin III tried to revive his career with the Cleveland Browns that had almost the same result as his time in Washington, now serving as the backup in Baltimore after being out of football completely in 2017.
There are still a few more players that are waiting to see if they pan out in their new locations, or even get the chance to showcase their skills. Marcus Mariota was ran out of Tennessee by Tannehill and fled to the Las Vegas Raiders, trend that could see increasing traffic moving forward.
In other instances, the talent of this quarterback class could push current starters out. We saw the Bengals do this with Andy Dalton and more moves along those lines could come in, or following, the 2021 NFL Draft as well.
So, who could be the quarterbacks on the move this offseason during the 2021 NFL Draft because of new incoming rookies? With Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields topping a really impressive rookie class, there are sure to be some moving parts around the league.
Dwayne Haskins – Washington Football Team
We begin with a player that was simply benched in Washington. Dwayne Haskins lost his starting job this past week to Kyle Allen and could be at the top of the list of quarterbacks on the move during the 2021 NFL Draft.
It seems like Ron Rivera entered the season with the idea that Haskins wouldn’t be the team’s quarterback by the end of the season. After starting just four games, going 1-3, Haskins found himself on the bench.
The 15th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Haskins has started just 11 games and appeared in 13. Over that span he has thrown 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. That ratio is lower than what a team would want, but not unheard of for an essential rookie since he still has less than a full NFL season of experience.
On top of that, Haskins played just 22 games in college at Ohio State, so the bumps were to be expected. At 6-foot-4, Haskins is the ideal size for a quarterback and there should be plenty of teams interested in adding him this offseason if Washington is looking to move on, which seems like a given.
Ohio State doesn’t have a good history of producing NFL quarterbacks. Haskins was believed to end that run, but as it turns it out, he might just be another name on the list. He seems like the perfect candidate to make the move should another team be willing to take a chance on him.
Sam Darnold – New York Jets
Now, Sam Darnold hasn’t been benched. He missed this past week because of an injury, but regardless he might be a candidate on the move during the 2021 NFL Draft.
Darnold has actually played rather well given the circumstances of not having anything to help him, but the play of the Jets could result in his departure.
Whoever ends up with the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has to take Trevor Lawrence, it’s really that simple. The Jets are one of the teams that could end up with that pick, meaning that Darnold’s tenure could come to a close.
Luckily, the potential is there for Darnold that he could easily become the starter somewhere else, and the Jets could get a decent return in a trade.
One suitor if Darnold is on the market could be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Eventually they will need a new starter and JuJu Smith-Schuster has expressed his love for Darnold.
A reunion could be in the works should the Jets take Lawrence and move on from Darnold. Regardless of where he ends up, Darnold would have another job in the NFL should the Jets decide to move on from him during the 2021 NFL Draft.
Daniel Jones – New York Giants
Oddly enough, both New York teams are in similar situations at this point in the season. With Saquon Barkley, the Giants offense has been depleted of almost all weapons, leaving Daniel Jones to fend for himself on a team that might end up at the top of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Like Darnold, Jones has had a solid start to his career given the circumstances. Since arriving in the Big Apple, Jones has been without at least one offensive weapon pretty much the entire time, including multiple Barkley injuries.
Despite all that, Jones has still made strides since being the sixth pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. His 3-13 record so far might say otherwise, but he does have 26 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. The catch is that just two of those touchdowns have been this year while five of the interceptions have happened. He has also fumbled 21 times.
While Jones has been solid enough to earn more time as the starter, he won’t be able to ward off the possibility of Trevor Lawrence. However, Jones could very well catch on somewhere else if the Giants end up with the top pick. There are teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who have a veteran quarterback now and could invest in a young proven backup and future starter, like Jones.
Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons
Although Matt Ryan has been arguably the best quarterback in the franchise’s history, his road could be coming to an end with the Atlanta Falcons. They have struggled to find their footing and indications are pointing towards Dan Quinn being fired, which could result in a multitude of changes for the team.
It really seems like the Falcons are still recovering from their Super Bowl LI collapse. The team continuously blows late leads and a culture change might be all that fixes that. As it currently stands, Atlanta is still well in the mix for the top pick in the draft, so don’t count out the possibility of Trevor Lawrence, or maybe even Justin Fields, replacing Ryan.
Currently 35-years-old and with a massive contract, Ryan isn’t as enticing as the younger players on this list, but could play a different role. Take a look at Philip Rivers in Indianapolis, that’s what Ryan could end up doing.
There will be teams looking for a veteran that don’t end up with Lawrence or Fields. While there are other quarterbacks in the class, a bridge might be needed for teams like Washington who are in the quarterback market no matter where they pick. This is the type of situation that Ryan could end up in next year.
Matthew Stafford – Detroit Lions
Similar to Ryan, Matthew Stafford could be on his way out of Detroit during the 2021 NFL Draft if the franchise is looking for a change in direction and culture moving forward. The Lions have had a rough start to the season and holding the first pick seems like a possibility.
While Ryan is regarded as the best Falcons’ quarterback, Stafford can’t be far off for the Lions. He’s provided stability to the position for a long time, but should Detroit have a chance at Lawrence or Fields, the Stafford-era could end.
This past year there was speculation that maybe the Lions would take Tua Tagovailoa and those rumors could resurface this year if they are picking high, especially if there is a new coach.
Stafford is a bit younger at 32, but his contract is hefty as well, making a trade a bit more difficult. However, Stafford has played with enough coordinators that a reunion could be a possibility with any of his previous coaches, depending on the situation.
This is also a situation where Stafford might stick around for a season before leaving Detroit to give the rookie time to sit and learn. Regardless, he could be out the door in the near future if the Lions are picking high again.