NFL Trade Rumors
This past season offered the latest example of what an upgrade at quarterback can do for a franchise, as Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, was the catalyst for Washington’s first title game appearance since 1991. If you don’t have a quarterback, you don’t have a shot in the NFL, which is why teams spend an inordinate amount of time and resources searching for answers at the position.
It’s also why we spend a little bit of time every summer looking ahead a year at the quarterback position to try and forecast which teams will be in the market for an upgrade and which players could be available. The demand is always higher than the supply, even though we did have a run of several years this decade where there was at least one high-profile quarterback to switch teams.
This year, the Seahawks traded QB Geno Smith to the Raiders and then signed QB Sam Darnold to a fairly substantial contract as a replacement following Darnold’s reclamation year with the Vikings in 2024. Rodgers and Wilson also changed teams, while the Jets inked Fields to a pretty decent deal.
But if it feels like the quarterback moves are becoming a little less blockbustery, you wouldn’t be off the mark. Rodgers and Wilson’s actual on-field production lags far behind their name-brand value at this late stage of their careers. Smith is a quality starter and, for my money, an underrated player, but doesn’t carry the same star power as most of the other names on this list. Darnold is a former top draft pick but it remains to be seen if he can sustain his positive career momentum outside of Minnesota. The Rams flirted with trading Stafford, or perhaps it’s more accurate to say Stafford flirted with other teams. Either way, that would have qualified as a blockbuster deal, the type that meaningfully moves Super Bowl odds, but both sides got back on the same page for 2025.
Looking ahead to next year, it feels like the lull could continue. 2026 should be a better year for teams that need a quarterback than 2025, as the draft has a little more potential. Unlike other years, however, the potential free agent...
