No matter how good the team or quarterback, every NFL franchise has questions surrounding the most important position on the field. Some might be as simple as "Who is the starter?" Some might have to do with contract situations or injury recoveries. Some might have more to do with the supporting group than with the QB himself. But especially when we're this far out from the season, every team has at least one quarterback question it still hopes to get answered at some point before or during the season.
With that in mind, we wanted to take a look at one that each team is facing and try to get a sense of whether (and when) they might be able to answer it.
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
Will Josh Allen still be an elite quarterback without Stefon Diggs?
Diggs' arrival in Buffalo in 2020 coincided with Allen's ascension into the top tier of NFL quarterbacks. Allen posted QBR numbers of 49.8 and 49.4 in his first two seasons in the league, but in the four since then, he hasn't dipped below 66.3. And he has had at least 4,283 passing yards and 29 passing touchdowns in each of those campaigns.
In an offseason of roster transition, the Bills traded Diggs to the Texans. They brought in wide receivers Curtis Samuel, Chase Claypool and Mack Hollins and used their first draft pick (No. 33) on another receiver, Keon Coleman, but a lot of pressure will be on Allen to lift the post-Diggs offense. Expect Buffalo to lean on what it used in the final weeks of 2023, with running back James Cook and tight end Dalton Kincaid featured prominently. But what the Bills need is Allen to elevate his WR corps the way Patrick Mahomes did after Kansas City traded Tyreek Hill two years ago.
Miami Dolphins
Could Tua Tagovailoa reset the QB market with his extension?
Miami picked up the fifth-year option on Tagovailoa's rookie contract last spring, so he currently has one year and $23.171 million left on his deal. After making it through a full 2023 season healthy and answering questions about his durability, Tagovailoa is in line for a contract extension. The question is where that extension will land relative to the rest of the market.
His 2020 draft classmates Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts got their big deals last offseason, each coming in north of $50 million per year. Burrow's per-year average of $55 million represents the top of the market. Given his injury history and the fact that he hasn't played in a Super Bowl (and Burrow has), it's hard to see Tagovailoa surpassing Burrow's number. Can he can join the $50 million-per-year club, and if so, how far north of $50 million could he go? Jared Goff's new deal coming in at a reported $53 million per year looks like it'll help Tua's case, as Dak Prescott, Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love look on with great interest.
New England Patriots
Have the Patriots surrounded Drake Maye with enough talent to develop him?
Having used the third overall pick in the draft on Maye, the Patriots know their long-term fate is tied to whether he's a success. Maye doesn't turn 22 until Aug. 30, and there are people who believe he could benefit from sitting and developing rather than being thrown in as a Week 1 starter. One of the questions the Patriots have to answer before making that decision is whether the team around Maye is strong enough to support him.
A wide receiver corps headlined by Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas and JuJu Smith-Schuster doesn't inspire a ton of confidence, and a lot might come down to how soon second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk is ready to contribute in a meaningful way. The Pats also have plenty of youth and question marks along the offensive line. As they monitor Maye's development this summer, the Patriots need to assess this situation. Supporting cast may not be the only reason Mac Jones didn't make it as a franchise quarterback, but it certainly didn't help.
New York Jets
Will Aaron Rodgers have a bounce-back year, or an up-and-down season like 2022?
Given what the Jets gave up to get him and what they had to endure after he suffered a season-ending injury on the fourth play of their opener, you could argue that no player in the entire NFL is under more pressure to deliver in 2024 than Rodgers. Everything for the Jets is tied to him coming back from his Achilles injury and playing like his old MVP self at age 40.
The Jets had a strong free agency and draft, and they seem to have made their roster better. But everything still revolves around Rodgers, whose performance has a chance to elevate them from fringe playoff contender to legitimate Super Bowl threat. It's a lot to hang on a guy who'll turn 41 before the season ends, and there isn't a ton of precedent to support the idea of Rodgers staying healthy and performing at an MVP level. But the Jets have rolled the dice on him, and they need the bounce-back year.
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
What does the addition of Derrick Henry mean for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens' offense?
Since Jackson was drafted in 2018, the Ravens have more rushing attempts (3,282) and rushing yards (16,668) than any other team in the league -- by a lot. The team that ranks second in both of those categories over the past six years is the Titans, whose lead running back during that time has been the powerful Henry. The Ravens signed Henry in free agency this offseason after years of trouble keeping running backs healthy. Forced into a committee year after year due to injuries, the Ravens hope Henry can be at least some facsimile of the historically dominant back he was in Tennessee.
It's hard to imagine the Ravens running the ball more than they already were just because Henry is there. But perhaps, if he stays healthy, he can relieve Jackson of some of the run game burden. That's especially true near the goal line, where Henry should give opponents a lot more to think about.
Cincinnati Bengals
Can Joe Burrow return to form off his wrist injury with a new coordinator and different offensive personnel?
Burrow is out on the field throwing, which is exciting and encouraging. But we still don't know how he'll actually recover from last season's right wrist injury.
We also don't know how he'll do without Brian Callahan, who was the Bengals' offensive coordinator every year of Burrow's NFL career but is now the head coach of the Titans. Burrow has also never played on a Bengals team that didn't have Tyler Boyd, a reliable performer and leader in the wide receiver room who left in free agency and followed Callahan to Tennessee.
One of Burrow's two star receivers -- Tee Higgins -- is unhappy with his contract situation and has requested a trade, but the Bengals don't appear set to honor that request. There have certainly been a lot of changes in Cincinnati, and that has created more questions than usual around Burrow, even beyond the injury.
Dan Orlovsky explains why he's so excited for Jared Goff's new contract with the Lions after being traded by the Rams.
Cleveland Browns
Can Deshaun Watson get back to elite status, or are the Browns stuck with middle-of-the-road QB play for the next few years?
In two seasons with the Browns, Watson has played a total of 12 games and posted a QBR of 41.6, which ranks 36th in the league (and second on the Browns) among quarterbacks who've attempted as many or more passes (341) as he has in that time. The technical football term for that is "not good."
The Browns have a loaded roster and a top-notch coaching staff, and they managed to make the playoffs last season despite using five different starting quarterbacks. Their offense looked better with Joe Flacco running it over the final few weeks of 2023 than it ever has with Watson. Of course, they are stuck with Watson for three more years, as he has fully guaranteed salaries of $46 million and salary cap numbers of $63.977 million in each of those years. As of right now, the Browns' acquisition of Watson -- given the trade cost and the contract cost -- might be the absolute worst in NFL history.
At 28 years old, Watson still has a chance to change that, but he has to play a lot better -- and a lot more -- than he has so far for the Browns.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Who will be the starting QB in Pittsburgh?
It looks like a camp competition between newly acquired veteran Russell Wilson and newly acquired youngster Justin Fields. The Steelers are not financially committed to Wilson to any extent that establishes him as the clear favorite -- they are paying him just $1.21 million this season, as the bulk of the $36 million salary is being paid by the Broncos. In fact, they're actually paying Fields more at $3.233 million guaranteed.
Coach Mike Tomlin has said Wilson opens the offseason as the "starter," but Fields will get a chance to compete and show what he can do. Whichever one of them shows the greatest aptitude for Arthur Smith's offense throughout the offseason and in training camp should get the Week 1 nod -- and the first opportunity to audition to be the team's quarterback beyond 2024.
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
Have the Texans given C.J. Stroud enough around him to be a legit MVP candidate -- and carry the team deep in the playoffs -- in 2024?
Stroud is coming off a historically great rookie QB season (23 TD passes to just five interceptions), and the Texans' offseason additions have included the high-profile likes of WR Stefon Diggs, RB Joe Mixon and DE Danielle Hunter. They appear poised to defend their AFC South title. The question is what Stroud will do for an encore: Can he build on his rookie success or is a sophomore slump a legitimate possibility?
The Texans won't sneak up on anyone this season, and their reward for finishing in first place last season includes 2024 games against the Bills, Ravens and Chiefs. They also have to play the entire NFC North as well as 2023 playoff participants Miami and Dallas. Stroud & Co. have plenty of headwinds working against them, but they've loaded up to make sure 2023 wasn't a one-off.
Indianapolis Colts
Will what was essentially a "redshirt" season help Anthony Richardson's development?
The popular opinion on Richardson when he showed up last season as a rookie was that he needed to play in order to develop. The Colts shared this opinion and installed him as the starter Week 1. He showed plenty of promise (seven total TDs) but also took plenty of hits (45.0 QBR) in his first four games before a shoulder injury ended his rookie season far too soon. If he needed to play in order to develop, did the injury actually set him back? Do we treat this as his rookie season? Or did he learn enough last offseason and while injured last season that he can hit the ground running in Week 1 this year?
We won't be able to solve this until the games actually start. The Colts nearly made the playoffs without him, so they have the type of team that can help a young, developing QB have early success. But the questions about how ready Richardson was to play in the NFL haven't gone away. He's one of the most underdiscussed stories of the offseason, and he could have a massive impact on the AFC if he's ready to go.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Will Trevor Lawrence agree to a big-money extension before training camp opens?
This time last year, you would have named Lawrence as the most likely quarterback to land a big-money contract extension in the summer of 2024. He and the Jaguars were coming off a season in which they won the AFC South and a first-round playoff game. Having survived the Urban Meyer debacle of his rookie season, Lawrence was growing into the potential that made him the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft.
But the Jaguars' 2023 season fell apart, Jacksonville missed the playoffs entirely and the good vibes that were lifting the organization at this time last year seem to have faded. Lawrence has played three seasons, which means he's extension-eligible for the first time, and history tells us he'll likely get that extension at some point this summer. The reported size of the Goff deal indicates that this might be a good time to strike. But doesn't part of you wonder whether Lawrence might be better off waiting, having a more 2022-like season in 2024 and trying to blow the top off the QB market next offseason? Part of me does.
Tennessee Titans
Is Will Levis really the long-term starter in Tennessee?
This is a question that can't be answered until we get deep into this season -- and maybe even until the season is over. The Titans have a new coaching staff, and it appears to be taking the point of view that Levis might be the long-term franchise quarterback but has to prove it. Tennessee has built up the roster around him, adding wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, running back Tony Pollard and center Lloyd Cushenberry in free agency and using its first-round pick on tackle JC Latham, because the Titans want to put Levis in the best possible position to show he can succeed.
But as coach Brian Callahan indicated last week, Levis also has to do his part and show he can be a guy who elevates those around him, not just vice versa. There are plenty of people in and around the league who believe Levis has high-end potential. Consider this season an audition for the long-term starting job.
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
Could someone other than Bo Nix be Denver's starter in Week 1?
The Broncos used the No. 12 overall pick on Nix, who comes out of college as experienced as any quarterback. Having played 34 games for Auburn and another 27 over the past two seasons for Oregon, Nix should be NFL-ready at this point, and he should absolutely be considered the favorite to start Week 1 for the Broncos.
The depth chart also includes Jarrett Stidham, who's scheduled to earn $6 million this season in the second year of the two-year deal he signed in 2023, and Zach Wilson, the 2021 No. 2 overall pick who flamed out with the Jets but is still only six months older than Nix. Theoretically, Nix could look overwhelmed in camp, Stidham could look steady and Wilson could look like he's ready to cash in on all that arm talent, leaving coach Sean Payton to start one of the other two while still working with Nix. But you have to believe that'd be a disappointing outcome for a coach who hand-picked Nix and used a top-12 selection on him.
Kansas City Chiefs
Does Patrick Mahomes finally have the receivers he needs to restore the Chiefs' offense to its glory days?
Yes, the Chiefs have won both of the Super Bowls that have been played since they traded Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins, even as they have struggled mightily to replace him. You could argue that this question may not even be relevant. So what if the Chiefs don't get reliable production from their wideouts, as long as they keep finding ways to win titles?
If we're being honest, that K.C. offense never looked consistently great or explosive in 2023, and the Chiefs' title run had more to do with their defense than it has at any other point during Mahomes' spectacular career. Kansas City wideouts averaged 11.8 yards per catch (23rd) and had 25 drops (most) last season. Adding Marquise Brown in free agency and drafting Xavier Worthy in the first round have many people thinking Kansas City might finally have the kind of downfield speed they had when Hill was there -- and that the offense could return to its old, explosive ways as a result.
Of course, Brown hasn't really been a true No. 1 in his career, and Worthy is a rookie in an offense that doesn't have much history of rookie receivers producing right out of the gate. Plus, last season's star rookie, Rashee Rice, has found himself in a ton of off-field trouble that could result in a multi-game suspension from the NFL. So there are still questions in Mahomes' wide receiver group, but that hasn't stopped this team the past two years.
Dan Graziano breaks down why he doesn't agree with the Falcons taking Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick.
Las Vegas Raiders
Is the Raiders' QB of the future still playing college football?
Of all the teams that absolutely needed to draft a quarterback in the first round, the Raiders are the only one that didn't get it done. So right now, it looks like a camp competition between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell to be Las Vegas' starter. That's not exactly the most exciting race. Antonio Pierce's Raiders are going to want to win by running the heck out of the ball and playing great defense, and they may not have much choice until next year, when they get another chance to answer their long-term quarterback question in free agency and/or the draft.
Los Angeles Chargers
Does Jim Harbaugh's background mean Justin Herbert and the pass game will be less of a focal point in 2024?
Harbaugh just won a national title at Michigan with a run-heavy offense behind a fantastic offensive line and a smothering defense. When he coached the 49ers, San Francisco ran a lot and played great defense. Of course, the Niners also had a running quarterback in Colin Kaepernick and some Hall of Fame-caliber stars on the defensive side of the ball.
But Harbaugh has also never had a quarterback with the passing talent of Herbert. Few coaches have. The Chargers may have to run because of all their losses at wide receiver this offseason, but I wouldn't think that Harbaugh would overlook Herbert's immense ability just because he has historically emphasized the run game and turn him into a guy who just hands it off all game. I'm betting Harbaugh finds a way to get the most out of Herbert, who's one of the main reasons he wanted the Chargers job in the first place.
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
Will the Cowboys give Dak Prescott an extension this summer, or is he going to be a free agent next March?
These aren't the only two choices, because it's entirely possible the Cowboys could wait until after the season to extend Prescott and do it before he gets to free agency. They'd still have an exclusive negotiating window from the end of their season until the start of the legal negotiation period in mid-March. That feels like a risky way to go, since the Cowboys are contractually prohibited from using the franchise or transition tag on Prescott next spring, and they'd carry a dead-money salary cap charge of $40.1 million in 2025 if they don't sign him by the start of free agency.
But the Cowboys have also been very conscious this offseason of not wanting to inflate that 2025 cap charge further. Given all of Prescott's leverage, he has no reason to cut them any kind of deal. What's the harm in waiting? If Prescott plays great and gets them to a Super Bowl, they'd have no problem making him the highest-paid QB in the NFL, nor would they regret anything they could have saved by paying him early. And if Dallas falls flat in (or before) the postseason again, then maybe the Cowboys decide it's time to move on anyway.
New York Giants
If Daniel Jones struggles in the first half of the season, could he get benched to protect the money that is guaranteed for injury in 2025?
This is one of 2024's most fascinating contractual subplots. Jones has a fully guaranteed $36 million coming his way this year, so he was always going to be on the 2024 roster. But the contract gets interesting in 2025, when he's scheduled to earn $30 million. Of that $30 million, $23 million is guaranteed against injury. That means if Jones, who has missed games due to injury in all but one of his five NFL seasons and is currently rehabbing an ACL injury that ended his 2023 season early, were to get injured in 2024, the Giants could be on the hook for $23 million in 2025.
This has led to speculation that if Jones isn't playing well and the Giants decide they're going to look elsewhere at quarterback in 2025, they could bench Jones during the season to avoid a situation in which they get stuck with that $23 million tab. Former Broncos and Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock is the current backup and has played enough NFL games that he's a plausible option if they decide to go that way. Jones is almost certainly playing for his long-term future this season, and there's real reason to wonder how much leeway the team will give him.
Philadelphia Eagles
How will Kellen Moore change things for Jalen Hurts?
The extent to which Shane Steichen's departure following the 2022 season affected Hurts in 2023 is a fair subject for debate. Given the success Steichen had in his first year with the Colts with backup quarterbacks and the way the Eagles' offense suffered without Steichen last season, it's fair to speculate it did matter. And now for the second year in a row, Hurts will have a new offensive coordinator in Moore.
The offensive scheme is likely to change more this season, too. Part of Moore's reputation is that he makes life easier for his quarterback -- taking extraneous things off the QB's plate so he can focus more on what that passer does well. If that reputation holds, things should calm down for Hurts in 2024, and we could see a return to his 2022 Super Bowl form. It also would help if Hurts can stay healthier that he was last season, and the team hopes the addition of running back Saquon Barkley can help. (Of course, it's also worth mentioning that the biggest change for the Eagles' offense could be the loss of longtime center Jason Kelce to retirement.)
Washington Commanders
Do the Commanders have enough around Jayden Daniels to keep him healthy?
This is the biggest question for the Commanders after a busy offseason in which they added running back Austin Ekeler, tight end Zach Ertz, center Tyler Biadasz and guard Nick Allegretti to their offense. The offensive line additions should help -- Washington gave up 65 sacks in 2023, tied for the second most in the NFL -- but the team still doesn't have an obvious answer at left tackle. Rookie third-rounder Brandon Coleman will get a chance to win the job this offseason, competing with veteran Cornelius Lucas and others. It looks like a potential weak spot until someone claims the job outright, and it'll be a massive question mark that follows Daniels into his rookie season.
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Can the Bears be a playoff team in Caleb Williams' rookie season?
When you're the first overall pick for the only NFL franchise that has never had a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a single season, hopes are high. Williams doesn't have to hit those benchmarks in his first NFL season to justify his draft status, but it sure wouldn't hurt. And given the look of the roster that GM Ryan Poles has built up around Williams, it doesn't seem impossible.
Veteran receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, rookie receiver Rome Odunze, running back signing D'Andre Swift, tight end Cole Kmet and all of the offensive linemen the Bears have drafted and developed in the past few years form a strong supporting cast that should ease Williams' transition to the league. Add in a defense that was one of the best in the league in limiting opponent scoring over the second half of last season, and the Bears have legitimate reason to think Williams can lead his team to the playoffs as a rookie -- the way C.J. Stroud did in Houston in 2023. It won't be easy in a tough-looking NFC North, but Williams isn't short on ability or confidence.
Detroit Lions
Can the Lions win a Super Bowl with Jared Goff?
The size of the contract the Lions just gave Goff surely indicates they feel that way. This is a team that had a 17-point halftime lead on the road against the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game four months ago, so it's not like the Super Bowl is a pie-in-the-sky dream. They were right there. Goff has already been to one Super Bowl (with the Rams), so he's no stranger to the types of games he needs to play in order to deliver on this concept.
Detroit is going to have to fight off the Packers, at least, to repeat as division champs, and the NFC isn't as short on elite teams as it appeared to be in 2023. So you can't just advance them to the Super Bowl on your way-too-early NFC playoff bracket. But given what coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes have built there, and the extent to which Goff and Detroit have meshed together since he was basically a throw-in to help get the Matthew Stafford deal done, this is not far-fetched.
Tim Hasselbeck explains how difficult it will be for the Bears to make the playoffs in a strong NFC North.
Green Bay Packers
Has Jordan Love earned a "real" extension?
There's little doubt the answer to this question is yes. Love and the Packers did a placeholder contract extension last May that basically bailed the team out of having to decide on Love's fifth-year option when it didn't have enough data on which to base that decision. But Love's first season as a starter was a rousing success, as he led the young Packers to the second round of the NFC playoffs and went toe-to-toe with Brock Purdy and the eventual conference champion 49ers. He threw 32 touchdown passes and finished in the top 10 in QBR (62.1).
Currently scheduled to earn $11 million in 2024, Love should be able to join Jared Goff, Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence and maybe Dak Prescott among this offseason's big quarterback extensions. The deal he did a year ago didn't give him a whole lot of leverage, but he's with the right organization if he expects his team to do the right thing and reward his 2023 performance with a deal commensurate with the QB market.
Minnesota Vikings
Is J.J. McCarthy ready to start?
The Vikings will spend their entire offseason trying to answer this question after selecting McCarthy with the 10th pick of the draft. The questions about McCarthy coming out of Michigan centered largely on the fact that he wasn't asked to do as much in college as his quarterback draft classmates were -- that he hasn't demonstrated the ability to deliver as a high-volume passer (22.1 pass attempts per game last season, 92nd in the FBS). The Vikings (and other teams) believe he has the skills to do that at the NFL level with the right situation and the right coaching, and Minnesota is a place that offers him both.
The Vikings have a specific step-by-step plan for McCarthy's development, and if he hits each step, odds are he opens the 2024 season as the starter. If not, and they have to keep working with him while starting Sam Darnold, they're fine with that, too.
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
How will the Falcons manage the league's most awkward quarterback room?
The main reason it was a massive mistake for the Falcons to use the eighth overall pick on Michael Penix Jr. a month after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract is resource allocation. There's no way they can maximize the value of Cousins' contract and Penix's rookie contract. It's one or the other at best. But we've been over that a million times already, and the Falcons continue to insist they're doing the right thing for their franchise in the long term.
Fine. We'll see.
In the short term, however, they've created a potentially very difficult situation for coach Raheem Morris and their new coaching staff. If Cousins struggles to perform or to recover from his Achilles injury, the fans and locker room may well want to see Penix. If Penix looks fantastic in practice, it'll increase pressure on the organization to move on from Cousins sooner than it originally planned. And if the Falcons struggle on defense and it costs them a chance to win the division, there'll be grumbling about whether they'd have been better off using the eighth pick on someone who could have better helped the 2024 roster. It feels like a no-win scenario for Morris in his first year as the Falcons' coach, and that's a shame.
Louis Riddick loves J.J. McCarthy's situation in Minnesota and is optimistic as to how soon McCarthy will be starting there.
Carolina Panthers
Can Bryce Young make a second-year jump?
Everything about the future of the Panthers rests on the answer to this question. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Young was a disappointment as a rookie -- especially relative to C.J. Stroud, who went one pick after he did. He finished 29th of 30 qualifiers for QBR at 33.4, and he threw eight TD passes to seven interceptions over 11 starts. His coach, Frank Reich, got fired midseason. The GM who selected him, Scott Fitterer, got fired in the offseason.
Those men were replaced by Dave Canales, who got a lot out of Baker Mayfield last season as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator, and Fitterer's assistant GM, Dan Morgan, respectively. David Tepper's history as an NFL owner does not indicate he'll have a lot of patience if the new braintrust doesn't find a way to get the most out of Young. The pressure is on Canales.
New Orleans Saints
Is the clock ticking on Derek Carr's time in New Orleans?
Carr and his agent, Tim Younger, did a nice deal last offseason when he signed with the Saints. The deal includes $10 million in guaranteed salary for 2025, and that number balloons to $40 million if he's still on the roster at the start of the 2025 league year. So the Saints will have to make a decision, and if they move on from Carr after this season, they'll carry roughly $50 million in dead money cap charges for 2025. What this all means is that yes, there are financial incentives for the Saints to stick with Carr in 2025 no matter how 2024 goes.
It's also important to note that this is a big season for Dennis Allen and the New Orleans coaching staff. If the team misses the playoffs, there could be new people in charge in 2025. It's not out of the question that the Saints could be in transition and in the QB market next offseason. And as we saw in Denver with Russell Wilson this offseason, big dead-money charges aren't as prohibitive as they used to be when a team decides to move on.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Which version of Baker Mayfield should we expect in 2024?
Mayfield thrived in 2023 under offensive coordinator Dave Canales. But Canales has left and is now the coach of the division rival Panthers. The Bucs rewarded Mayfield for his big 2023 season with a much bigger new contract, indicating that they don't think it was a fluke. OC changes can spell trouble in situations like these, but what's encouraging about this particular one is that new Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen was on the Rams' offensive coaching staff in 2022, when Mayfield spent the final few games of the season there and had surprising success. (Remember Mayfield as a Ram?)
Mayfield's career has had plenty of ups and downs, but perhaps he has found a home where he's happy and wanted. He threw 28 touchdown passes last season and was one of 10 QBs to crack 4,000 passing yards (4,044).
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
Are the Cardinals committed to Kyler Murray for the duration of his contract?
Murray has five years left on the $230.5 million contract extension he signed two offseasons ago. He's scheduled to earn $38 million this year and already has $29.9 million in salary and bonuses guaranteed for 2025. If he's still on the roster next March, $36.8 million worth of 2026 salary and bonuses become guaranteed. If he's still on the roster in March 2026, $19.5 million in 2027 salary becomes guaranteed.
You get the picture. At some point, if Murray doesn't play up to his contract, the Cardinals will have to make a decision and bite some sort of big dead-money bullet.
There has been absolutely no indication from GM Monti Ossenfort or coach Jonathan Gannon since the two of them got to Arizona last offseason that they aren't committed to Murray. The Cardinals were very happy with the way Murray came back from a torn ACL and played last season. They went into this offseason believing they had their guy at quarterback and didn't hesitate to select the draft's top wide receiver (Marvin Harrison Jr.) to help him.
Murray is still just 26 years old, and the ill feelings between him and the previous Cardinals administration don't seem to have carried over to the new one. I honestly think Murray has a clean slate and an opportunity to stick in Arizona for a long time. And given what has happened to the quarterback market since Murray signed his extension, his salary numbers aren't even particularly onerous for the Cards.
Los Angeles Rams
Could Matthew Stafford land a new contract?
The 36-year-old Stafford has three years left on his contract, but the only guarantees remaining in the deal are the $31 million in 2024 salary. It's no secret that Stafford wants more guarantees and has let the Rams know it. Coach Sean McVay admitted in April that they've talked about it, too. The Rams' history tells us they'll do what they need to do to keep their Super Bowl-winning star players happy. But again, Stafford is 36, and Aaron Donald's retirement is a clear sign that that Super Bowl-winning core is in transition and won't be around forever.
Surely, there's a deal for Stafford, and the Rams to do what makes sense for both sides. But can L.A. justify another top-of-market extension for him without knowing for sure how much longer he'll be able to play at a high level? It's probably not as simple as guaranteeing his $32 million in salary and bonus for 2025, especially considering the size of the deal former Rams QB Jared Goff just signed in Detroit. So yeah, it's possible the Rams give Stafford a whole new deal to make him happy, but the outcome isn't as obvious as it was in past years.
San Francisco 49ers
How much would losing Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel impact Brock Purdy?
Purdy could play 20 years, win four Super Bowls and go to the Hall of Fame, and because he was the last pick in the draft, people will say he was the product of the system and the group around him. There's no avoiding this, and that concept is at the root of this question. Does Purdy need the 49ers' wide receiver corps to stick around in order to keep playing as well as he did last season? The Niners certainly struggled in the three games without Samuel, and Aiyuk's emergence as a No. 1 wideout was a big reason for the team's success. But they won't both be around this offense forever.
Aiyuk is looking for an extension, and Samuel is reaching the point of his own contract where it might make sense for the Niners to move on next spring. Coach Kyle Shanahan might have to adjust some things if he's without one or both of these guys, but he and the 49ers believe Purdy is the main reason for the QB's success. And the current San Francisco brain trust has proved its ability to build and maintain a strong roster. A transition time is coming soon, but Purdy so far appears to be the kind of quarterback -- especially paired with Shanahan -- who can adjust.
Seattle Seahawks
Is Geno Smith the long-term starter in Seattle?
Smith turns 34 in October, so we aren't talking about 10 more years here. He's signed through 2025, nothing in his contract is guaranteed past 2024, the Seahawks just changed coaches and they've at least poked around on quarterback in the past two drafts. Seattle also traded for Sam Howell this offseason, believing Howell is a young passer with ability and upside who has had some success in a high-volume NFL passing offense. The signs are there if you want to make an argument that this could be Smith's final season in Seattle.
The counterpoint is the way he has played. Smith has posted the 11th-best QBR in the league over his two seasons as the Seahawks' starter (61.3), and if he has a big year in 2024, it's not at all out of the question that he could sign a big extension next offseason. Just because Seattle is covering its bases doesn't mean it doubts Smith's ability to be its quarterback. So if "long-term" means the next five to six years, I don't think it's out of the question.