With Joe Flacco traded to Denver, a couple of pieces in the annual quarterback puzzle have been placed. He was a veteran starter in need of a team, the Broncos were a team in need of a quarterback. So that's one. Who's next?
By my count, there are at least four and possibly five veteran quarterbacks who are currently on one team that could be starting for another team seven months from now. Here's my guess as to where all of them will end up.
Nick Foles to Jaguars. Not exactly a hot take here. The Jaguars are cutting ties with Blake Bortles, and they recently hired John DeFilippo as their offensive coordinator. DeFilippo worked with Foles with the Eagles a couple of years ago. Jacksonville has the defensive talent, offensive line and ground game to be competitive in the AFC; they just need a quarterback who won't undercut all that by turning it over and taking sacks. Foles, at his best, is that guy. I think he might be a little overrated, but he should give Jacksonville what they're looking for out of the position. A story out today says there's mutual interest (and why wouldn't there be).
Teddy Bridgewater to Dolphins. A year later, I still don't understand what the Saints were thinking by giving up a third-round pick for Bridgewater last summer. Did Drew Brees indicate he was going to make 2018 his last season? Bridgewater was on a one-year deal, so the Saints are going to lose him for nothing, all so they could have a quality insurance policy last season behind a quarterback who's missed four games (usually for rest purposes) in the last 15 years. New Orleans just doesn't value draft picks as much as other teams (shown by also trading away this year's first already for Marcus Davenport). I've seen no rumors to this effect, but I think Bridgewater joins Foles as the most desirable veterans on the market, and both will wind up with Florida teams who need some quality and stability at the position.
Blake Bortles to Washington. No one believes Alex Smith will be ready to play in 2019, if he plays again at all. So Washington should quietly be on the lookout for a quarterback, and I think a fit with Blake Bortles makes some sense. Bortles isn't short on talent (he was a former top-5 pick) and was pretty good while leading the team to the AFC Championship a couple of years ago. He needs a good and patient coach to work with him, and I think Washington has that in Jay Gruden.
Ryan Tannehill to Cardinals. I believe Kliff Kingsbury when he says Josh Rosen is their guy. The Cardinals aren't going to draft Kyler Murray at No. 1 overall. But they're not going into the season without a Plan B if Rosen falls on his face, and Tannehill looks like a viable one. He played well at times in Miami, and a case can be made that with better, more consistent coaching and team-building around him, things could have worked out better. Would be nice if Tannehill and Kingsbury had both been at Texas A&M at the same time (they missed each other by one season), but both are Texas natives, for what it's worth (maybe not much).
The question of course becomes who IS going to draft the top rookie quarterbacks -- Murray, Lock, Haskins. Somebody will take the plunge for those guys in the first round or two. This feels like a year where teams with quality veteran starters in place (Saints, Patriots) might be looking to the future, though of course the Saints have no picks (but big deal, they'll just trade away future ones). The Chargers and Packers could at least be thinking about a solid developmental prospect, although probably not in the first two rounds. The Giants, specifically, should be thinking about it.
But time for that later. The next month should be dedicated to placing the above veterans, plus one or two others -- perhaps -- I haven't listed. Maybe yet another team will think they can win with Case Keenum, or Robert Griffin III. You never know.