As the offseason begins to take shape, the discussion
on roster improvement and player movement is front and center. Teams will be
looking to shed salary on top of the players already listed as free agents. As
of today these are the top listed free agents looking for new contracts. Adding
to that, the potential for players to be outright released is also paramount
and should be reviewed. The Fantasy
Football impact is definitely real as players entertain staying with their
clubs or moving on to a new system. Exciting times are upon us, as teams begin
to re-tool and build for next season. It’s time to speculate!
Top Free Agent Quarterbacks:
Nick
Foles (PHI)
Age: 30 | 2018 Salary: $13,600,000 | FA Rank #1
While this suggestion may be somewhat premature, the
potential for Nick Foles to hit the open market is a distinct possibility.
Under his current contract stipulations, the Eagles possess the rights to Nick
by installing an ‘option year’ for the 2019 season, but hold all power to if
they chose to exercise the option.
Philadelphia finds themselves in a precarious
situation given the playoff success Foles has had under the Doug Pederson
regime. In our eyes there is no question that the Eagles will continue to forge
ahead with first round selection Carson Wentz, leaving Nick expendable. In that
case the potential for a trade would be the preferred outcome for the Eagles,
meaning they would be forced to exercise the option otherwise Nick hits the
open market. The conundrum would mount given the fact the Foles would be owed a
whopping 20.6 million dollars upon signing the option deal, potentially making
it difficult to find a trading partner.
For argument sake, if Foles does find his way to free
agency, there should be a number of teams interested in his services. Nick has
never shown anything spectacular as a starting quarterback (outside of the 2017
Super Bowl run) to suggest in our eyes that success will be on the menu in
another city. Foles could clearly become highly overpaid this offseason by a
squad desperate for improvement.
2019
Potential Fantasy Impact: Moderate/Low
Tyrod
Taylor (CLE)
Age: 30 | 2018 Salary: $15,250,000 | FA Rank #2
Outside of the Nick Foles situation and the potential
for other clubs to cut-bait with their starting quarterbacks, Tyrod Taylor
currently holds the top spot for true free agent quarterbacks entering the 2019
offseason as of today.
It’s unfortunate for Taylor that circumstances have
dictated his entire NFL career aside from his three years in Buffalo. The Bills
were the only team ready and willing to provide a shot to win the starting
quarterback job which he held for those three seasons. When the Bills traded
Tyrod to Cleveland, the writing was on the wall of where the team’s direction
was heading once they drafted super rookie Baker Mayfield. Losing his starting
role after suffering an injury back in week 4, Tyrod never found his way back
on the field and surly won’t be back with the Dawg-pound in 2019.
Understanding Taylor’s skillset and limitations as a
passer, it’s abundantly clear that there are things he does well and others he
really struggles with. Any team looking to employ Tyrod as their potential
starter will be aware that the success will be placed on him running the ball
and throwing deep shots down the field. Tyrod is very conservative in every
other aspect of passing the ball which limits the offense as a whole. Either
way, we could see Tyrod snagging another contract elsewhere to compete for a
starting gig in 2019.
2019
Potential Fantasy Impact: Low/Unknown
Teddy
Bridgewater (NO)
Age: 27 | 2018 Salary: $6,000,000 | FA Rank #3
Currently holding his place on the Saints roster while
earning a mere 6 million for his backup services, Teddy should be in for a
handsome raise this offseason. The stigma around Bridgewater continues to be
placed around his surgically repaired knee which hasn’t seen the test of on
field action consistently since the injury occurred. Seeing time in a hand full
of games this season with New Orleans, his statistics aren’t anything to
promote and warrant big money from any team.
With that said, Teddy holds appeal due in part to his
youthful age and talented athletic ability which teams will surly covet. If he
finds a situation where he could be given a fair shake at winning the starting role,
Teddy may be able to turn some heads once again. Until that day comes,
Bridgewater continues to be a talented player whose career was derailed by a
gruesome injury.
2019
Potential Fantasy Impact: Low
Joe
Flacco (BAL)
Age: 34 | 2018 Salary: $24,750,000 | Potential Roster
Cut
Entering his 12th season in the NFL in
2019, the long-time Ravens starter Joe Flacco lost his starting role to a hip
injury and never regained the position thanks to up and coming electric rookie
Lamar Jackson.
It’s quite clear that the Ravens will be moving on
from Flacco this offseason, but it’s unclear to how that will go down. Hearing
rumors that Baltimore is actively shopping the Super Bowl winning quarterback
and could entice someone to grab his services. While a trade could happen, we
find it hard to believe that any club will want to inherit the hefty dollar
figures that would come along with giving up player and or draft capital.
Flacco currently holds a contract term of 3-years left, worth a whopping 79
million untimely running through the 2021 season, definitely not chump change.
In our eyes, most teams will shy away from making any significant deal with the
Ravens given the term and money attached.
The likely scenario for Flacco and his NFL future
would see the Ravens trying to find a trade partner, but being forced to
outright release the strong armed quarterback while absorbing the massive cap
hit. Even though Flacco is regarded as an average/above average player around
the league, he would have many suitors calling for his services. Joe would jump
above Nick Foles for top spot should he find his way off the Ravens
roster.
2019
Potential Fantasy Impact: Moderate/Low
Andy
Dalton (CIN)
Age: 31 | 2018 Salary: $16,300,000 | Potential Roster
Cut
While some may question why the Bengals may entertain
the notion to release their starting quarterback ahead of the 2019 season,
allow us to inform you of the possibility.
The Cincinnati Bengals are finally going through a
change at the head coaching position which could bring a multitude of change
over to this roster. Typically, any new comer would like to place their hand in
the cookie jar with their players which were specifically handpicked under
their regime. Teamed with that perspective, Andy Dalton will turn 31 years old
in 2019 and would carry 2 more years under his current contract worth a healthy
33.9 million dollars. The appeal to release Dalton this offseason comes in the
form of housing zero in dead-cap, essentially saving that 33 million on the
books and potentially rolling with backup Jeff Driskel.
This move is purely speculative on our part, but makes
a world of sense for the Bengals. If Andy does find his way to hit the open
market, we’re sure many quarterback needy teams would be calling like the New
York Giants and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dalton would challenge for the top
spot of free agent quarterbacks if the Bengals chose to move in this
direction.
2019
Potential Fantasy Impact: Moderate/High
Ryan
Tannehill (MIA)
Age: 31 | 2018 Salary: $26,611,666 | Potential Roster
Cut
Rounding
out the speculation that is almost been highlighted as a certainty, the
Dolphins have been rumored to be moving on from Ryan Tannehill this offseason
in hopes to form a true rebuild to make a run at the 2020 college quarterback
draft class.
Seeing
Tannehill take a sharp decline in both statistics and health under Coach Adam
Gase, Ryan witnessed the worst numbers of his career while missing the entire
2017 season to a knee injury. With health diminishing, and holding nearly 40
million toward the books over the next 2 seasons, the new coaching staff would
likely move in a different direction.
The
outlook could look far better if Tannehill found his way to a roster that could
assist his abilities with some form of structure. Playing in Miami has been
clearly dysfunctional for his career and perhaps a change of scene would do him
a world of good. While Ryan doesn’t possess top flight ability to bring him in
the elite level conversation, he could resurrect his career on another club.
Could we see Ryan replace Dalton in Cincinnati, or could he find his way to Jacksonville?
2019
Potential Fantasy Impact: Moderate/Low
Lesser Value Quarterbacks:
Ryan Griffin (TB)
Robert Griffin III (BAL)
Josh Johnson (WAS)
Davis Webb (NYJ)
Ryan Fitzpatrick (TB)
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