The Good

To be successful in the modern NFL you need good to great quarterback play and the ability to get after the opposing teams quarterback. The Falcons have the second ingredient covered as they have recently beefed up their defensive line. Grady Jarrett, who was named one of the biggest draft steals in the last 10 years, is the clear leader on this stout D-line. At age 30, Jarrett is showing no signs of slowing down. He finished last season with 6 sacks and 17 quarterback hits. The Falcons brought in Calais Campbell this offseason to team with Jarrett. Campbell is coming off an impressive year where he had 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. These two defensive stalwarts will be a tough duo to stop.

In today’s NFL, it’s never a good idea to draft a running back in the top 10 unless that running back is Bijan Robinson. Robinson has all the tools to make him an elite NFL weapon. He will instantly upgrade the Falcons offense and his versatility will allow him to be on the field in any situation. You can expect Robinson to be heavily utilized for a team that is shaky at the quarterback position. Robinson is my early favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

The Bad

As we’ve mentioned before the Falcons quarterback situation is shaky at best. Desmond Ridder will most likely be the week 1 starter but how long will he last? Ridder was dead last in our NFL quarterback tiers for 2023 and will need to show he can be more than a game manager. The Falcons brought in career backup Taylor Heinicke as a security blanket in case Ridder falters. Heinicke has shown he can be more than serviceable if called upon. My hunch is that we will be seeing Heinicke at some point this season.

The Falcons have two excellent young receiving threats in Drake London and Kyle Pitts. They have shown they can be a problem for opposing defenses. With that said the Falcons probably have one of the weakest wide receiver groups in the NFL. Outside of London they are all unproven or have failed at previous stops (see JJ Arcega-Whiteside). The combo of an unproven quarterback and lack of talent at the receiver position doesn’t bode well for the Falcons offense. I would’ve liked to see the Falcons address this position more in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Prediction

Ultimately, the Falcons defense is good enough to keep them in most games but the offense will struggle this season. Outside of the weak NFC South, it’s hard to see many wins on their schedule. This will be another year where Atlanta misses the playoffs however the future is bright. I expect the Falcons to address the quarterback position next offseason while they keep building around their young core.

2023 Record: 6-11

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Antonio Gibson took a step back in the Commanders offense last season. With rookie Brian Robinson Jr. taking touches away from him, Gibson had to settle for a backup type of role. Gibson was involved more in the passing game but never had a breakout type of moment. He finished the season with 142.9 fantasy points (Half PPR) and never was able to crack the top 10 in weekly finishes. Despite the down year, there is a buzz coming out of Washington for next season. With that said let’s take a closer look at what do if you’re a Antonio Gibson dynasty manager or interested in him.

2022

When the 2022 season started Antonio Gibson had the backfield to himself. Brian Robinson Jr. was recovering from 2 gunshot wounds to his leg and wouldn’t be available until week 5. Despite the majority of the touches, Gibson wasn’t able to produce much of anything in the running game. He was however able to offer some value in the passing game. In the season opener against Jaguars, Gibson had 7 receptions for 72 yards on 8 targets. Unfortunately, this was his highest output of the season as his targets dropped as the year went on.

As we’ve stated before Gibson, didn’t really offer many highlight reel plays throughout the 2022 season. His best play came in the week 7 win against the Green Bay Packers. Gibson caught a dart from Taylor Heinicke and toe tapped for the touchdown. This was Gibson once again showing off his receiving skills.

2023

As we now look ahead to the 2023-2024 NFL season there is some hope for Gibson. Eric Bieniemy’s offensive system in Washington will look to get Gibson more involved. It has been a talking point this offseason and it has caused Gibson’s value to steadily rise. How much more involved will Gibson be? We can only predict as it stands now and will have to wait and see heading into the Fall. One key factor to keep an eye on is if the Commanders sign Kareem Hunt. If that happens Gibson’s value will obviously take a hit.

Antonio Gibson’s Dynasty Value

What should be done with Anotonio Gibson dynasty shares going forward? Right now Gibson is a RB32 at KeepTradeCut, this has him higher than the likes of Dalvin Cook and AJ Dillon. The hype is building thanks to his potential in this new Commanders offense. My advice at this time is to SELL Antonio Gibson at this current value. His value may take a hit if Washington does indeed pull the trigger on Hunt.

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Ahead of the 2022 season, Terry McLaurin was the #21 WR according to FantasyPros ECR. McLaurin totaled 190.5 FP (Half PPR) on the year and finished with 5 receiving touchdowns. Now let’s recap his 2022 season and determine what to do with Terry McLaurin in fantasy going forward.

2022

McLaurin and the Washington Commanders opened their 2022 season at home against the up-and-coming Jacksonville Jaguars. Along with a new name, it was also the debut of new quarterback Carson Wentz. McLaurin was having somewhat of a quiet game until the 4th quarter when he caught a long 49-yard touchdown. The Commanders went on to win the game and he ended up with 12.8 FP. McLaurin then went on a 5 game touchdown drought before the matchup with the Green Bay Packers. Carson Wentz had since gone down with a hand injury and it was Taylor Heinicke in at QB. McLaurin was able to break free against the pesky Jaire Alexander for a pretty 37-yard score.

In the next 6 games, McLaurin went over 100+ yards three times. It was clear that he had developed a better chemistry with Heinicke and his production was improving. To end the 2022 campaign, the Commanders had yet another QB starting. This time it was rookie Sam Howell stepping in under center. Howell showed right away that he belonged connecting with McLaurin on his first NFL touchdown. McLaurin also caught a 52-yard reception down the sidelines on a beautiful throw from the young QB. Howell looked the part against Dallas and will be QB1 in Washington moving forward.

2023

Coming into the 2023-2024 fantasy season there is a lot to like about Terry McLaurin’s value. Sam Howell, although raw has all the tools to succeed and has already shown on the field chemistry with McLaurin. Add to that the addition of new Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy and you can see why his stock is going up. If Howell can stay healthy and play all 17 games it would be the first time in his career McLaurin has had a steady QB.

Terry McLaurin’s Fantasy Outlook

There is a lot to like in terms of Terry McLaurin’s fantasy value going into the upcoming season. Currently, I have him ranked at #43 in my 2023 top 100 fantasy rankings and I could see him rising from there. The wild card will be Sam Howell and if he can excel in Bieniemy’s system. If so I am expecting double-digit touchdowns for the first time in McLaurin’s career.

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Drake London had all the hype coming out of USC. He was drafted 8th overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2022 NFL Draft and was the first wide receiver selected. Even though the Falcons already had Kyle Pitts they were lacking a true star receiver. They pounced on London hoping he would be the answer. In terms of fantasy, his pre-draft ranking was #27 WR according to FantasyPros ECR. London ended up with 142.6 FP (Half PPR) and played in all 17 games. Let’s take a more in-depth look at how to handle Drake London dynasty shares going forward.

2022

London had a strong debut game against the New Orleans Saints. He tallied 74 yards on 5 receptions. He also had 7 targets which shows the Falcons were game-planning to get him the ball. Although he didn’t score in his debut, London showed the NFL game was not too big for him. Next up the Falcons went on the road against Los Angeles Rams. London had another strong outing and this time hit paydirt for the first receiving touchdown of his career. He finished the game with 20.6 FP which was his highest output all season.

Drake London scored once again the following week against the Seattle Seahawks although he only had 3 receptions on the day. After the Seahawks game, London’s production plummeted. He went six games without a touchdown and this caused many fantasy owners to lose faith in him. Fortunately, London picked up momentum toward the end of the season. In his final game, he had 120 yards receiving which was the highest of the year.

2023

First off there are two things I love about Drake London going into next year. One is his durability as he played in all 17 games for the Falcons. The other is his target share. He was third in total targets (117) only behind Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. The problem is consistency at the quarterback position. Is Desmond Ridder the guy? Or could Taylor Heinicke take over the reins? Either way, the Falcons QB position has me worried about London going forward.

Drake London’s Dynasty Value

Where do I rank Drake London’s dynasty value for next season? I have him in the Hold category for now. There is a lot to like about his usage in the Falcons offense. Having said that, he only had 4 touchdowns on the year despite not missing any games. Let’s wait and see how the quarterback position shakes out this summer before we make any moves on London.

Want more dynasty football coverage? Check out our other dynasty outlook articles and more in our dynasty fantasy football section.

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Las Vegas Raiders

One of the biggest moves of the day was the Raiders signing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. This move made sense for a bunch of reasons. The obvious one is the connection with head coach Josh McDainels. On top of that the Raiders offense is full of weapons. Josh Jacobs is coming back on the franchise tag. You have one of the best receivers in the game in Davante Adams and if Darren Waller is healthy watch out. The Raiders also made another sneaky good move this morning acquiring former Patriots stand out Jakobi Meyers. Adams, Meyers and Hunter Renfrow on paper can be one of the best wide receiver groups in the league.

Chicago Bears

The Bears are having an excellent offseason. Not only did they get a haul of picks for the #1 pick in this year’s draft they also acquired stud WR D.J. Moore in the deal. On Monday the Bears worked to sure up one of their biggest weaknesses by acquiring two stud linebackers. Tremaine Edmunds was arguably the best linebacker available and he signed a 4 year deal with Chicago. They also signed LB T.J. Edwards who was a solid piece for the Eagles defense last year. I still expect the Bears to pick up some offensive lineman in the coming weeks.

Atlanta Falcons

Another team that impressed on day 1 of NFL free agency was the Falcons. Early in the day they acquired TE Jonnu Smith from the Patriots while only giving up a 7th round pick. I am really intrigued on how Smith will fit with Kyle Pitts and expect the duo to work well together. Later in the day the Falcons signed former Bengals S Jessie Bates. Bates is underrated in my opinion. He is an excellent safety whom is great against the run. The Falcons were not done as early this morning they picked up QB Taylor Heinicke on a 2 year deal. Heinicke showed in Washington he is an excellent back up that can be called upon if needed to win big games.

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You know what your going to get with Taylor Heinicke at the helm. That is, somebody that can escape the pocket make a crazy throw and keep the play alive. He also plays with moxie and the players love to play for him. What you don’t get from Taylor is the deep accurate ball, the arm strength, the experience. This is everything Carson has. There have been reports that Carson Wentz had time to reflect on his game and what he needed to work on. For Carson, he has to not take so many sacks, if there’s nothing available, check it down to Antonio Gibson or Brian Robinson Jr. I think if your Rivera you tell Carson, I just need you to run the offense and continue to do what Taylor has been doing. That means run the ball first, mix in some play action and play good defense. First and foremost though, protect the ball. If he does that, the Commanders should be successful.

A bonus with Carson is the ability to throw the deep ball and utilize their fast and talented receivers. If they get down 14-0, I feel more comfortable with Carson leading the team and the ability for him to get chunk plays back more quickly. There is a risk/reward with Carson but if this team makes the playoffs and want any thought of making a run, Carson needs to be the guy. If they stick to their identity the last 9 games or so, they should be fine. The real success of this team, will be the ability of the defense to continue playing like they have. This will make Carson’s job way easier. It remains to be seen how this will turn out but after some thought, Wentz gives the Commanders the best chance to win the next two games and then make a run in the playoffs.

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This offseason we have seen various quarterbacks moving around in the NFL landscape: Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns, Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts, and the move we will talk about about today, Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders. The 2016 #2 overall pick has had a very tempestuous career so far, going from a potential MVP candidate in 2017, to tying Drew Lock for most interceptions in 2020. Last season he brought the Colts to within 1 game for a playoff spot, and then lost to the Jaguars, throwing an interception and only 185 yards, scoring only 1 total touchdown on the game. With this, what should the Commanders’ plan be for 2023 onwards if Wentz does not produce in 2022, and what should they look into.

2023 NFL Draft Options

The first option for the Commanders would be looking at getting a 2023 quarterback. With two projected stars at the top of the draft in C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young, as well as some other potential options to look into, they could have a shot at one. Provided that Wentz does mediocre or poor in 2022, this would likely leave the Commanders in the top 20 or 15 again, similar to this past season. Trading up is a possibility, considering they have all their picks aside from either their 2023 2nd or 3rd (2nd will be the Colts’ if Wentz plays 70% or more snaps, 3rd will be Colts’ if he plays less than 70% of snaps.) If they are sold on Young or Stroud after their 2022 campaigns, I have no issue believing they would move up for one or the other. On top of that, you have some other notable QBs to watch for, such as:

• Spencer Rattler ”“ South Carolina (provided he has a huge resurgence)
• Anthony Richardson ”“ Florida
• Kedon Slovis ”“ Pitt
• Will Levis ”“ Kentucky
• Tyler Van Dyke ”“ Miami
• Caleb Williams ”“ USC

Any of these options could be potential first round or second round talents based upon their 2022 play. Provided Stroud and Young both have another great season, the Commanders could just sit at whatever pick they may have and take one of the remaining options if they want to go that direction. Regardless, the draft is definitely a viable option for 2023.

2023 NFL Free Agency

Next up, we have the option of free agency, and potentially signing a quarterback if they choose to go this direction. There is a pretty good list of QBs going through the 2023 FA class, headlined by Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson. The 2019 MVP has been one of the better players in the league for a few years now, and the Ravens have still not extended him as of yet, which could see him hit free agency if they end up not being able to agree on a contract. Other than Lamar, there is:

• Jimmy Garoppolo
• Baker Mayfield
• Teddy Bridgewater
• Drew Lock
• Gardner Minshew
• Daniel Jones
• Sam Darnold

Are any of these options better than Wentz would be the real question. Based on age, you have DJ, Darnold, Minshew, Lock, and Mayfield who are all on the younger side of things, who provide at least some sort of potential if an offense can get a good scheme fit. Bridgewater and Jimmy G are both reliable short term options, who you are not necessarily going to win because of, but you can clear win with, as Jimmy brought the 49ers to the Superbowl less than 3 years ago, and with Bridgewater being solid in New Orleans and Denver. These options would essentially come down to which one the front office would want to take a shot on, or even pair with a 2023 rookie.

On-Roster options

Finally, we come to the potential options currently on the Commanders roster, which is basically a 50/50 shot. The main two you would look to in the absence of Wentz would be Taylor Heinicke, who started last year and was mediocre at best, and 2022 draftee Sam Howell. Howell entering 2021 was seen as one of the better QB options in the class, however after a relatively unproductive 2021 campaign, he fell down the boards quite a bit. While this was not specifically his fault, as he lost a lot of playmakers to the 2021 NFL Draft class, it still scared off potential suiters enough to have him be another QB to fall into the 3rd, which all in this class did aside from Kenny Pickett. Howell did break 3000 passing yards in every season at UNC however, with 24+ touchdowns each year (38 in 2019 and 30 in 2020) while never having double digit interceptions. Howell could be the long term option, we just have to wait and see how he progresses as a QB for Washington.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Washington gold, also known as Terry McLaurin, has been a quality wideout over the past two seasons. Here is a closer look at how productive Scary Terry has been for Ron Rivera over the past couple of years:

2020 (15 games): 134 targets, 87 receptions, 1,118 yards

2021 (17 games): 130 targets, 77 receptions, 1,053 yards

Terry has been a B NFL player and an A Washington player in his career. I believe the best is yet to come for the 26-year-old WR. Most importantly, I honestly expect Carson Wentz to bring the Commanders back to the post-season. As we stand here today, I feel like the Commanders, Saints, and Cardinals will be the three wild-card squads in next year’s NFC playoff gauntlet.

The entire Colts fan base may still want to virtually sacrifice Wentz for his Week 18 meltdown, but he did throw 27 passing touchdowns in his first season as a Colt. It’s impressive that he was a potent red-zone machine, while his best WR was Michael Pittman Jr. (88 targets, 1,082 yards, and 6 touchdowns in 2021) and the Colts second-leading WR in 2021 was Zach Pascal. I believe Wentz can definitely throw 32-38 touchdowns in Washington’s offensive attack in 2022. I expect Rivera and the Commanders to bring the 29-year-old back after this season, as well. In retrospect, they may have made a wise decision to trade for Wentz (meanwhile, the Panthers are arguably in QB hell).

Wentz will certainly be an upgrade over Taylor Heinicke, as Heinicke threw 20 passing touchdowns, 15 ints, and 3,419 passing attempts last season. If Heinicke can go toe to toe for 3/4 quarters against Brady in the playoffs, Wentz should feel confident that he can work magic with the talented Washington team in his new chapter. It should be noted that the Commanders don’t need him to be Joe Theisman.

The Washington fan base should feel delighted to hear that Ian Rapport stated on Wednesday morning that the Commanders want to keep him for the foreseeable future. I expect Wentz to lean on McLaurin’s ability deep down the field and in short routes for many years to come. I expect McLaurin to have career numbers in targets, receptions, and yards in 2022.

Scary Terry is currently the 16th best WR in dynasty PPR via Fantasy Pros at this point in time. I believe it’s time to buy McLaurin, as he should be looked at as a Top 12 WR in my opinion. Samuel can be a nice/improved chess piece in the “Percey Harvin role”, but I don’t expect him (9 targets in 5 games last season) to be a heavily involved WR2. It’s honestly the Wentz and Terry show moving forward.

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The Washington Commanders created special memories in 2021 with enormous wins over the Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Unfortunately, they didn’t impressive in the 2021 season as a whole, as they claimed a 7-10 record.

Ron Rivera chose quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to lead the squad, but their bearded QB suffered an injury in Week 1 and never returned to start in 2021. The unsung QB Taylor Heinicke replaced Fitzmagic and tried his best to never lose the keys as the starting QB moving forward. The Commanders were competitive under the undrafted QB, but he clearly didn’t prove to be a talented signal-caller.

The Washington QB threw a horrific amount of interceptions (15) and he only registered 20 passing touchdowns. Ron Rivera will surely look to bring in a QB that holds more potential than Heinicke and will likely earn the starting gig over Heinicke in the near future. So, which QBs will join the Commanders in 2022? Well, here are a few fiery field generals that would fit well.

Matt Corral

The Washington Commanders have a nice position in the 2022 draft (11th overall) to pick the Ole Miss QB. Matt Corral is clearly a favorite among NFL analysts to land with Washington. Sports Illustrated experts Eric Crocker and Ryan Tracy predict Washington to land Corral. Chad Reuter, who is an analyst for NFL.com, projects Corral to be selected by Washington, as well.

Corral unleashed a career-high 3,349 passing yards in 2021 and he was also a 2021 Conerly Trophy Winner. The Ole Miss QB can also clock a 4.65 40 yard dash time, so he’s a special all-around athlete. Corral undeniably holds the most potential out of the QBs available in free agency and the draft this offseason.

Marcus Mariota

The former Heisman winner Marcus Mariota has been arguably the best backup QB in the NFL over the past two seasons. Mariota is finally ready to prove his worth as an NFL starter again. Mariota is still young (27 years old) in QB years and he has a quality resume. He led the Titans to a winning record in three of his first four seasons in the NFL.

Mariota could be intrigued by joining Terry McLaurin and Antonio Gibson. If Heinicke can unveil 7 wins, Mariota and an ascending Chase Young-led defense can certainly unleash a winning season in 2022.

Trade for Taysom Hill

Taysom Hill might appear as a parody to a lot of fans, but he has a 6-2 record over the past two seasons in the league. He also is a more athletic and productive version of Taylor Heinicke.

The Saints also don’t have the Taysom Hill whisperer in Sean Payton anymore. I foresee the Saints riding with Jameis Winston, a rookie QB, or Russell Wilson moving forward. The Saints could opt to send the dual-threat QB to Washington. If Washington doesn’t reel in Mariota, Mitchell Trubisky, or Jameis Winston, it may be wise to acquire Hill to duke it out with a potential rookie QB.

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The Las Vegas Raiders have been fortunate to have one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL over the past two seasons. Marcus Mariota, who was the backup quarterback breathing down Derek Carr’s neck in each training camp, will be a free agent in 2022 and will surely have an opportunity to chase another potential starting QB gig this offseason.

Mariota has rightfully been named the most underrated free-agent QB by Pro Football Focus. The former Oregon Duck is still 28 years old and he’s accumulated 13,437 passing yards, 1,574 rushing yards, 77 passing touchdowns, and 45 interceptions, in his career. He also led the Titans to a winning record in three of his four seasons as a starter. Mariota might have lost the starting gig to Ryan Tannehill, who recently led his team to the number one seed in the AFC, but he has plenty of athletic ability and experience to earn a starting opportunity in 2022.

There will be a lot of teams interested in Mariota due to his age, dual-threat ability, and positive character. The NFL witnessed Jameis Winston take a “Harvard education” with the Saints in 2020. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB clearly came back sharper and more motivated with the Saints, as he led them to a 5-2 record. Mariota, who was once selected second overall in the 2015 draft, could follow in a similar path as Winston, who was picked first overall in the 2015 draft.

It’s widely enunciated that the former Heisman winner will have a golden opportunity to lead a team in 2022. The question is: which team will the Hawaii native lead? Well, here are likely destinations for Mariota.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to look to add a QB this offseason to compete with Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins. Mike Tomlin has stated that he wants an elusive QB to join his squad. Mariota could be the dual-threat QB that Tomlin adheres to.

I also expect free agent Jameis Winston to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints and Tomlin to prefer Mariota over the likes of Mitchell Trubisky, Jacoby Brissett, and Andy Dalton. Mariota has to be fascinated by the combination of talent in Pittsburgh and the opportunity to yield the ability. It wouldn’t be long until Mariota seeks revenge on his old Titans squad in a pivotal matchup if he suited up in a black and yellow uniform.

Washington Commanders

Mariota has a good opportunity to earn the keys to the Washington offense and outduel Taylor Heinicke and a potential rookie for the starting gig. Heinicke recorded 20 passing touchdowns, but he also threw porous 15 interceptions. It’s clear that Washington is looking to add a QB who can push Heinicke for the starting gig this offseason.

Mariota could be thrilled about the idea of playing with Terry McLaurin, who notched 77 receptions, 1,053 yards, and five touchdowns with a mediocre QB situation last season. Washington also has Antonio Gibson (1,037 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns) and Curtis Samuel to help him. Washington isn’t the same caliber of team as the Steelers, but they could aim to outbid the Steelers for his services.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers will insert Trey Lance into the driver’s seat, but Lance is still an unproven commodity. It would be wise for Kyle Shanahan to add a quality backup QB, particularly a QB that has a similar skillet to Lance.

Shanny wouldn’t have to alter the scheme significantly if Mariota filled in for Lance (vice versa). Both QBs can run the read-option, QB draw, and make throw it well on the run. It’s well noted how both QBs can burn LBs in the open field, as both QBs can run the 40 yard dash in the 4.5s. Shanny was in love with Andy Dalton the last offseason and that’s a route that he could go, but he could be more interested in the younger, more explosive Mariota. The former Titans QB could be intrigued about the culture and opportunity in the Bay area, but he will have to accept that Lance will be harder to beat out than Mason Rudolph and Taylor Heinicke.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans reeled in Tyrod Taylor as a free agent QB in 2021 and they could tempt Mariota to join them in 2022. Their 2021 rookie David Fales was exceptional for the Texans, especially given his situation. The Texans shipped away their best RB in Mark Ingram early in the season and they struggled to have playmakers outside of Brandin Cooks.

Still, the Texans could bring in a playmaker to join Cooks and then show Mariota a convincing offer. I wouldn’t expect Mariota to be filled of joy with the thought of joining the Texans, but they could offer add more talent and show him the money! They have roughly $18 million, according to “Over the Cap”, so they could afford to risk a big offer to him. Texans fans will have to hope he’s not the next “Brock Osweiler”.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have the inspirational Teddy Bridgewater, but he is a free agent in 2022. It’s far from certain if he will return in 2022. Bridgewater went 7-7 and nicely utilized Jerry Jeudy. Yet, the future is murky with Teddy B. He has never played a full season in the NFL and his ceiling isn’t scary. Bridgewater can take care of the football and be efficient, but the one-time Pro Bowler has never thrown more than 20 touchdowns in a season. He’s not going to go blow for blow with QBs like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow.

The Broncos will really have to play sound football in a division with Patrick Mahomes if they expect to be a championship team with Bridgewater. They could be more enticed about the idea of Mariota and a rookie battling it out (I’m also assuming Drew Lock is traded). There is an option c for the Broncos, which is the Aaron Rodgers (and Davante Adams?) trade. The Broncos have an elite Von Miller-less defense, but they have one of the most mysterious QB outlooks in 2022.

Honorable mention:

New York Jets

The New York Jets may not seem like a fun short-term fit in Mariota’s mind, but they could be a logical fit for a few reasons. The Jets really need a QB, as they desperately acquired the washed-up, former Jets QB in 2021. Zach Wilson has high expectations, but he hasn’t proven to be consistent at the pro level and there’s reason to say he has minor injury concerns, too. The Jets pass protection needs to be upgraded, so they may have more trust in a veteran running the offense in the near future. Wilson was sacked a whopping 44 times in 13 games last season.

The Jets have the fourth most cap space in the league and they could display a lucrative deal that Mariota may not want to pass up. Similar to the Texans, the Jets could bring in a stud weapon early on, so Mariota is more fascinated about playing in the Big Apple. The former Titans QB would have his work cut out in the AFC East with Josh Allen, Mac “giddy” Jones, and Tua Tagovailoa, but I don’t expect Mariota to shy away from the big lights.

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