By: Jake Rajala

The NFL is clearly highlighted by the supreme talent of many quarterbacks. Signal-callers like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Patrick Mahomes have been chosen by the football gods to wreak havoc on opposing defenses and unveil unearthly stats. It’s expected that an elite QB that’s typically displayed stardom over the past few years will win MVP honors next season. Nonetheless, it’s very normal in today’s league that a darkhorse player could win MVP. With that said, here are three underrated prospects that could potentially win MVP next season.

Derek Carr

The LV Raiders QB Derek Carr threw for the fifth-most passing yards last season and led his team to a playoff appearance. He will have a healthy Darren Waller (Waller missed six games last season) and newly acquired Davante Adams (most targeted WR (the second-most targeted WR in 2021). I fully expect the former Fresno QB to really increase his production and become a Top 5 QB in passing yards and passing touchdowns next season.

Jameis Winston

I wholeheartedly believe Jameis Winston was the most underappreciated QB last season. It appears that many fans forget that Winston was 5-2 as the Saints QB in 2021 (including an odd loss against the Carolina Panthers when the Saints were missing several coaches). Furthermore, Winston was playing well without Michael Thomas (Top 5 WR in the NFL) last season. Expect Winston to be prolific with a healthy MT and potentially Jameson Williams in 2022. He will also have an elite defense to help him dominate against Tom Brady and likely unleash 11+ wins in the 2022-2023 season.

Matt Ryan

The Indianapolis Colts QB Matt Ryan was left out to try with the Atlanta Falcons last season. He didn’t have Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley missed 12 games last season (to say the least). Matt Ryan was still efficient with poor weaponry last season and he should be confident in having a Top 8 QB performance with the stellar Colts roster next season. He will have the 2021 MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, and likely another quality WR in his arsenal.

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By Chris Moore (Twitter @fantasy_moore)

Heading into their week 16 matchup against the Dolphins, the Saints were down to their third-string quarterback Ian Book. Book was the next man up to start in week 16 due to Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill being placed on the COVID list. With the Saints down two quarterbacks, it was Ian Books’ time to shine on primetime. Book finished the game 12/20, passing for 135 yards and two interceptions. The Saints went on to lose 20-3 in a crucial game they needed to win. Let’s get into Book’s performance and see what went wrong for the young rookie quarterback.

Rough Performance 

Books performance against the Dolphins was rough, to put it nicely. Book faced heavy pressure all night from the Dolphins and struggled to read the defense. Book was sacked eight times and threw a pick-six on his first NFL drive. It was a terrible game for Book, as the Saints struggled to run the ball and were playing from behind all night. The Dolphins’ defense has been playing very well as of late, but Book still struggled heavily in a game the Saints needed to win. It was rather disappointing for Saints fans, as many throughout the year thought Book could potentially be the starter one day for the Saints, and many wanted Book to play when Siemian was starting earlier in the year. Now it was only one game, and Book will adjust and get more comfortable playing in the league as he gains experience. But after his performance against the Dolphins, it doesn’t look like Book should be viewed as the Saints’ next franchise quarterback. Book looked like a backup out there in week 16, and it’s clear he needs more time if he is ever going to play in the NFL.

Potential Future

There’s a chance the Saints don’t have their franchise quarterback on the roster yet. Winston looked very promising, but he is only getting older and will be returning from an ACL tear in 2022. The Taysom Hill experience was a fun one. But he’s not the Saints’ long-term answer at the quarterback position. Ian Book looked like he doesn’t have a future in the league in his only start, but he is still very young and is still a rookie. It wasn’t a good performance. But Book will learn from the mistakes he made and hopefully get better as he gains the experience.

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By: Jake Rajala

The big arm, humble, 27-year-old quarterback Jameis Winston took the New Orleans Saints to a 5-2 record in 2021 before tearing his ACL in Week 7. It’s disappointing that Winston had a brutal exit after several games, but there are positives to reflect on with the former Buccaneers and Saints starting QB. 

The Saints QB that signed to be Drew Brees’s apprentice in 2020 has seen impressive personal growth on and off the field. Winston took the reigns from Brees and showed strong leadership and control of the locker room. Most importantly, the once turnover machine revolted into a sharp signal-caller with big play-making potential. 

Here is an overview of Winston’s 2021 stats 

*according to Pro Football Reference

• Passer rating of 102.8  (career-best)

• 14 passing touchdowns in 7 games

• 1.9% Int percentage (career-best)

It’s well documented that Winston has been a stud in a Saints uniform. Sean Payton has cleaned up Winston’s mistakes and he’s inserted him an offense that has the elite Alvin Kamara and was once healthy upfront.

With that being said, Winston is set to become a free agent in the 2022 offseason. It’s not clear if Payton wants to keep Winston and if the two sides can agree on a deal that makes sense for the Saints, but can also please the improved QB. There have also been numerous reports linking Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, and Aaron Rodgers to the Saints. So, what will the Saints do at the QB spot this offseason, and will Winston be a part of their plans? 

Let’s go under the microscope and see if Winston will remain a Saint or if he will find the next chapter of his journey elsewhere.

• Denver Broncos 

The Von Miller less Denver Broncos would be a very ideal landing spot for Jameis Winston. For one, the Broncos surely don’t have a long-term answer at the QB position. Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock have been caught with the injury bug or bench warmer job. The Broncos currently hold the third-most cap space in the league and would easily have the resources to reel in the free-agent QB. 

The 7-8 AFC West squad has been surprisingly competitive with a putrid QB showing this season. If they insert the 27-year-old QB who can utilize Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, they might be an AFC contender for the next decade. Winston is also a much better QB option than any option in the draft for the AFC West team looking at a mid-first-round pick. 

• Detroit Lions 

The Detroit Lions might have the audacity to win a bidding war for Winston. Dan Campbell (former assistant Saints coach) has strong ties to his former colleague Sean Payton and he may believe that the Saints QB would be a great signing over a rookie QB in the current predicament. The Lions situation at WR and OL is nerve-wracking for a rookie QB, but a QB experienced with “making a lot out of a little” may be able to translate in a modest way early on for Detroit. It doesn’t appear that vengeful Jared Goff will be the franchise QB in the Motor City. Expect DET to try and take a big jump with their roster this offseason without breaking the bank for a rookie QB. 

• New Orleans Saints 

I don’t foresee the Saints signing Winston to a long-term deal, but it would make a lot of sense for the two sides to agree on a short-term contract. Winston showed that he has a lot of upside in the seven games for the Saints, plus he has a lot more years left than the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson (33 years old). Winston could have the keys for 1-2 years and show how much damage he can oust on defenses for the length of the season. If the Saints elect to sign Winston over sending the house for Wilson in a trade, they will be able to keep more upcoming key free agents. Players like Marcus Williams, Marcus Davenport, Ceedy Duce, and Terron Armstead will be big free-agent decisions for the wizard Mickey Loomis.

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By: Reese Nasser

New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill has had an interesting career up to this point. He has been an anomaly on the football field, not being stuck in the mold of any one particular position. He has spent time all over the field, from quarterback and tight end to special teams standout. 

Until the 2020 season, Hill had never been really utilized as a quarterback. Over two seasons he threw 13 passes for just over 100 yards. Over those same two seasons, he was utilized in more of a running role. He had 64 carries and 352 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. 

Hill hit his stride this past season. The 30-year old stepped into a true quarterback role for part of the season. In the four games that Hill started, the Saints went 3-1. Hill played well in his four starts, throwing four touchdowns and adding another four on the ground. He finished the season with 13 touchdowns and 1438 yards from scrimmage. 

After the end of the 2020 season and the retirement of longtime quarterback Drew Brees, the Saints restructured Hill’s contract. 

The deal could lock Hill in with the Saints for some time, or they could be out of it at the end of the season. The Saints could find themselves in an odd situation with Hill, especially when looking at how they can get themselves out of his contract. 

At nearly 31-years old, it is hard to envision Hill as the future quarterback of this team. The Saints also have a six-year veteran and former number one pick, Jameis Winston. It is assumed that Winston will be the QB1 heading into this upcoming season. A decision that puts Hill as the number one would shock the NFL. 

New Orleans also added Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Book could be the eventual long-term quarterback for the Saints but won’t be ready to go in his rookie season. 

With the quarterback situation in New Orleans, it begs to ask the question of what should the Saints do with Taysom Hill? After showing that he can play the quarterback position at an at least average level, should they trade him? Or, do they keep him as a backup to be there in case Winston struggles in his role? Both options are possible and the Saints could entertain the idea of a trade. Let’s take a look at both options. 

Why Hill could be traded

Hill could be the perfect option for a team that loses their QB1. Unexpected injuries happen every season and not every team has a backup that can step up and still win them games. That is where Hill could step in and play a role. 

Hill’s duality on the field could make teams want to add him to their roster as well. His impact on the field could help teams expand their offensive game plans, much like New Orleans has been able to do up to this point. He could expand a team’s run game and influence things all over the offensive side of the ball. He could an impressive TE2 and a dual-threat QB on a team that wants more explosion out of the backfield. Teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers would make intriguing landing spots.

Why the Saints could keep Hill

The Saints quarterback room outside of Winston and Hill is one of the weakest in the NFL. As previously noted, rookie quarterback Ian Book will more than likely be brought along slowly. The fourth quarterback on the roster is Trevor Siemian. Siemian has had difficulties in the NFL and the Saints may see him as the backup they would like to have. 

At 30 years old, New Orleans may not get a return in a trade that makes it worth it to move Hill, especially with the role that he plays for the team. He will be 31 by the time the regular season starts and it could make sense for both sides for Hill to just stay with the Saints. 

After weighing both options, the Saints would be better off having Hill on their roster. He is a proven security blanket, a player that can step in when called upon, which he proved that last season. Most teams would like to have a player with his talent on their roster, and the Saints could make a big mistake by moving him. There is also an inspirational factor in which many Saints fans adhere to his underdog story.

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By: Corey Hietpas

The Aaron Rodgers potential trade saga continues as he clarified how he feels while talking to Kenny Mayne on SportsCenter Monday night. Rodgers verified the earlier reports about him being upset with the front office and how they’ve handled roster decisions in recent years. I cannot say I blame him, there have been some poor roster-building decisions the past few years. With all these reports and now the Aaron Rodgers interview, there has been a lot of chatter about potential trades that may interest Green Bay enough to pull the trigger and deal Rodgers away. One of the teams I haven’t seen much Rodgers trade talk about is the New Orleans Saints. So, I thought it would be a fun exercise to build hypothetical and, hopefully, semi-realistic trade that ends with Rodgers on the Saints.

One thing to think about with these trades is making the cap work with it all. I’m no cap guru, so I don’t plan on getting too detailed with that side of things. This will be more about a package that would interest the Packers enough to engage in a trade talk with the Saints. First, any trade for Rodgers will start with first-round draft picks. Two seems like the absolute minimum that Green Bay would accept, and that’s only if they are getting at least two young players with potential. Realistically, it would start with three first-round draft picks. As I mentioned, the other interest of the Packers would be relatively young players that are either already high producers or have a lot of potential to aid with the rebuild that is surely happening if Rodgers is traded away. 

With the players part of the trade, the Saints actually have quite a few players that would likely intrigue the Packers. The Saints’ players I believe that the Packers would be most interested in for a Rodgers trade are Michael Thomas, Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, C.J. Gardner Johnson, and Zack Baun. Michael Thomas is one of the best receivers in the game, and the Packers would surely be interested in him. Marshon Lattimore is in a bit of legal trouble, but assuming that it doesn’t end with him in serious trouble, Lattimore is someone that the Packers would definitely be interested in. He has been a high-level starter at CB for the Saints since being drafted, and that fills a direct need for Green Bay. Yes, they drafted Eric Stokes in the first round just a few weeks ago, but he is not a sure thing.

Lattimore alongside Jaire Alexander would be the best CB room in the league. The only complication with Lattimore is that 2021 will be the last year of his rookie deal, and he would need to be extended. Having some interest in C.J. Gardner Johnson and Zack Baun is a similar story as to why the Packers would have interest in Lattimore. Both Gardner Johnson and Baun have shown to be effective starters at positions of need for the Packers. Gardner Johnson would allow Savage to roam around and be a playmaker, and Baun would instantly upgrade the pass rush while making it a lot more consistent. The last obvious player that the Packers would inquire about is Ryan Ramczyk. Ramczyk has been a great tackle for the Saints and you can never have enough talent at OT. 

Now, I just threw a lot of names out there, and I realize that not all would be available. The most realistic trades seem to be a combination of three first-round draft picks and one or two of the players listed previously. I would not be surprised if Michael Thomas and Ryan Ramczyk are not moving right now, so that leaves us with Lattimore, Gardner Johnson, and Baun. So, here is the trade that makes the most sense to me:

Green Bay receives 2022 1st, 2023 1st, 2024 1st, Marshon Lattimore, and Zack Baun

New Orleans receives Aaron Rodgers

I know some will think this is a steep price, but we are talking about a 37-year-old elite QB coming off of an MVP season who recently said he wants to play well into his 40s. Ultimately, you’re trading for a top 5 QB that gives you a chance at a Super Bowl any year he stays healthy. This is likely close to the asking price from Green Bay, and I believe that teams would be willing to pay that in order to compete for a Super Bowl for years to come.

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By: Bull Walker

A new era begins for the New Orleans Saints in 2021. For the first time in fifteen seasons, the Saints will begin the season without Drew Brees under center. Since Brees announced his retirement in March, the team has started planning for the future. Jameis Winston re-signed and Taysom Hill received a contract extension. The Saints also added Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book in the 4th round of the NFL Draft. Book had a late day three grade by most draft outlets but coach Sean Payton and General Manager Mickey Loomis have never been shy about going against the consensus. Let’s take a look at what the Saints are getting with Book.

Why The Saints Chose Ian Book

Book leaves Notre Dame as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in program history, finishing his career second on the school’s all-time passing list in both yards and touchdowns. A three-year starter with a career record of 30-5, Book led Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff twice in three seasons. The Fighting Irish were overmatched in both games but he never stopped competing. That competitive drive is what led to a three-star prospect becoming the all-time winningest quarterback at one of college football’s most prestigious schools.

While Book lacks the ideal size of an NFL quarterback, he possesses great intangibles. When discussing the selection of Book, Sean Payton mentioned both his competitiveness and his ability to find ways to win games. There were times when things got ugly but he remained poised. Whether it be with his arm or his legs, he found a way to make winning plays for his team. Book may be lacking physically but his mental toughness more than makes up for it.

Book doesn’t have a big arm and he will not hurt defenses vertically. He’s a timing passer who will keep plays alive with his legs. Similar to former Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The Saints offensive scheme is based on timing throws; getting the ball out quickly and accurately to your playmakers. The scheme focuses on targeting the short and intermediate levels of the field, areas of strength for Book. As a developmental prospect, he landed in the perfect spot. Now is the time to put in the necessary work to become a successful NFL quarterback.

Future Expectations

Book is not going to compete for the starting job this season but he’s locked in as the third-string quarterback. Payton has expressed a lot of confidence in both Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill so it would be surprising to see Book take the field as a rookie. Winston is only on a one-year deal and Hill’s contract is totally avoidable, so if Book looks the part then the Saints could make the transition as early as next season. That may not be likely but it is possible. The most realistic outcome is that he gets stashed and developed for a couple of seasons.

The lack of a big arm limits Book’s long-term potential. His accuracy isn’t good enough to make up for the inability to attack defenses vertically and he’s only an okay athlete. Book seems more like a high-end backup quarterback. A smart player with good intangibles that will not fold under pressure. The kind of quarterback that will keep you alive if your starter has to miss some time. Book’s intelligence and competitive drive will keep him around in NFL locker rooms as long as he improves on his accuracy.

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By: Josh Shippen

The Packers are going through a very tenuous situation with Aaron Rodgers at the moment. Rodgers has threatened to go so far as to retire if he is forced to play for Green Bay in the 2021 season. With this in mind, the downgrade from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love will be extremely severe, and possibly deadly for the Packers 2021 season. Jordan Love will definitely need an experienced veteran next to him, and the number 1 and 2 overall pick from 2015 are 2 very viable options. So without further ado, let’s go over each.

Marcus Mariota was the 2nd overall pick of 2015 and was selected by the Tennessee Titans. Mariota was the starter from 2015 to 2019 and posted some very promising 9-7 seasons, some of which resulted in semi-convincing playoff berths. Overall he is an effective quarterback, but in 2019 Ryan Tannehill took over for an ineffective Mariota and immediately started to set the world on fire with his amazing play. After this Mariota got seemingly downgraded to eternal backup, his first stop being behind Derek Carr in Las Vegas.

Mariota’s short career has, as aforementioned, been promising. Mariota has posted a 3,000-yard season with a 26-9 TD-INT ratio. While this is by no means anything that makes fans’ eyes pop out of their sockets, it’s a perfectly respectable stat line for a player who has been quarterbacking a mostly boring team for 4 seasons. Mariota also has talent with his legs; he is by no means a Lamar Jackson or a Deshaun Watson, but again his rough average of about 300 rushing yards per season and 2 touchdowns is perfectly respectable. Nothing about this necessitation of Mariota’s career highlights makes me particularly excited to see him in a Green Bay uniform, but he could be a perfectly effective staple until the Packers develop Jordan Love or get a new quarterback via the draft, a trade, or free agency.

The first overall pick is much more of an interesting story, Winston has been compared to Big Ben in some respects and seeing that he has a 5,000 yard passing season under his belt I think the comparison can be considered as somewhat valid. However Winston has definite flaws, his 5,000 yard campaign made him the first member of the 30’s club, that is to say Winston passed for 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. The touchdowns are perfectly fine but the interception issues are completely inexcusable. The question at hand is whether Winston can be improved over time. I believe of course that anything is possible, after all the NFL is extremely unpredictable, but if Bruce Arians can’t find a way to fix him I’m not sold that Matt LaFluer can.

Winston has spent his past six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he was drafted first overall, and the New Orleans Saints serving as a backup to Drew Brees, and now Taysom Hill. The fact that Winston cannot be named as the definitive starter over an undrafted, unproven quarterback is definitely a red flag for me, but I believe that Winston’s upside far eclipses Mariota’s upside. The stock would be low if this move were made, but I believe that this trade could theoretically happen if everything fell wrong with Rodgers.

The post Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston Could be Intriguing Trade Options for Green Bay appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The New Orleans Saints have been involved in quarterback drama since the 2021 offseason began. There have been ridiculous mock trades for Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson in every which aisle.

We would all love to see the Saints have a young MVP like QB with Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, but it very likely won’t happen. Not only do the Saints have the worst shopping budget in the NFL, but their draft picks are hardly enticing (especially if they picked up Wilson/Watson).

Sean Payton knows they need a quality QB and a long-term signal-caller on their roster. Mickey Loomis has also stated that they still want to maximize their loaded roster — with or without Drew Brees. They seem very interested in Jameis Winston, but I don’t know if the Saints would pay him as some other teams could.

If it becomes more clear that Winston is not going to be the long-term answer and Sean Payton prefers to trade for a reasonable QB over drafting Mac Jones/Kyle Trask, where could he look? I’m going to break down this interesting perspective and foresee which unheralded QB Payton could lure to the Big Easy.

Marcus Mariota

I would say that Marcus Mariota, not Taysom Hill, was the best backup dual-threat QB last season. Mariota was the victim of a career-low season combined with Tannehill revolting into a Pro Bowl QB in a picture-perfect Derrick Henry-led attack.

I have the sensation that Payton loves more to imagine a quality dual threat QB in his orceshtra more than seeing something very special with Taysom Hill. And Mariota could be the guy to deliver on this vision.

It’s often forgetting that Mariota is only 27 years old. To put it in comparison, Derek Carr is 29 years old, Ryan Tannehill is 32 years old (five years older!), and Taysom Hill is 30 years old! Mariota can be the actual long-term answer if he shows out for the Saints early on.

According to Washington Times, Washington has already tried to acquire Mariota. And there’s also been rumors of Mariota landing in Philadelphia. Saints should make their move if they see a fit… and they would get a year remaining from his two-year, 17.6 million dollar contract with LV to see if he can prove himself.

Jimmy Garoppolo

The San Francisco 49ers QB has been up and down the roller coaster trade hype train this offseason. But, now things are heating up between the 49ers being interested in Teddy Bridgewater, according to NBC Sports. Bridgewater and Garoppolo have similar traits, but Teddy B might be that guy that stays healthy in Shanahan’s view.

If Jimmy G is on the trade block or opens to a reasonable deal, I believe he’s the top of the modest QB trade chart — a step below Watson/Wilson. Sean Payton has a lot of confidence in himself, along with the elite weapons and offensive line to help Garoppolo.

The 49ers QB is on a massive contract of 5 years-137 million, but it could become restructured in a trade.

Multiple analysts have projected Jimmy G to land with the Patriots, while Mel Kiper projects the 49ers to trade up for a QB. There’s a lot of speculation around the 49ers having a new QB somehow and someway for the 2021 season.

Saints hold the 28th overall pick, so they could deal this pick and give the 49ers more ammunition to trade up for their QB. And from the Saints side of things, Jimmy G should be ahead of Kyle Trask right now (assuming Mac Jones is off the board).

Nick Foles

The answer to the Saints playoff woes has arrived. All jokes sides (kind of), Foles could step into the Saints offense virtually display a similar style of play as Winston, but have better poise shown in his career.

Foles has no nerves in the fourth quarter and he could also fully utilize the Saints weapons in the two-minute drive as the 2-minute legend himself Drew Brees does. Foles was excellent in Andy Reid’s offense with dink and dunking, then hitting an excellent playmaker on the right drawn up play vertically. Foles could be a better game manager than Bridgewater for Payton’s offense.

If Saints do opt to resign Winston or ride with Taysom Hill, Foles would be the perfect QB to compete. And I personally believe Foles would beat out Taysom Hill as time goes on.

A huge factor between the Saints and Bears is Ryan Pace. GM Ryan Pace was once a member of the Saints front office and there are strong ties between Mickey Loomis and Pace. If Sean Payton wants to trade for a modest QB that could compete right away, while carrying the most promising background, Foles makes the most sense.

The post New Orleans Saints: 3 Lower Profile QBs to Trade For appeared first on Pro Football Mania.