Deshaun Watson wants to be traded. Matthew Stafford will be. They're just 2 of the league's more productive quarterbacks, and they're not the only ones who might be changing teams this offseason. Several others may be, either because they want to, or their teams are looking to go younger or cheaper at the position.
Over the last decade, there have been 64 total seasons where a quarterback put up at least 4,500 total yards (passing and rushing combined). Seven were by quarterbacks either available to be traded (Stafford) or hoping to be traded (Watson). Seventeen are by guys who might be available (Roethlisberger, Ryan, Rodgers, Goff). Four more are by free agents (Newton, Winston, Prescott). That's nearly half the list of productive passers, and plenty of the other ones are retired now. Potential movers are in bold.
PROLIFIC QUARTERBACKS, 2011-2020 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Pass | PaTD | Run | RuTD | Tot |
2011 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 5476 | 46 | 86 | 1 | 5562 |
2013 | Peyton Manning, Den. | 5477 | 55 | -31 | 1 | 5446 |
2018 | Patrick Mahomes, K.C. | 5097 | 50 | 272 | 2 | 5369 |
2019 | Jameis Winston, T.B. | 5109 | 33 | 250 | 1 | 5359 |
2011 | Tom Brady, N.E. | 5235 | 39 | 109 | 3 | 5344 |
2020 | Deshaun Watson, Hou. | 4823 | 33 | 444 | 3 | 5267 |
2016 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 5208 | 37 | 20 | 2 | 5228 |
2018 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 5129 | 34 | 98 | 3 | 5227 |
2013 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 5162 | 39 | 52 | 3 | 5214 |
2012 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 5177 | 43 | 5 | 1 | 5182 |
2019 | Dak Prescott, Dall. | 4902 | 30 | 277 | 3 | 5179 |
2011 | Matthew Stafford, Det. | 5038 | 41 | 78 | 0 | 5116 |
2012 | Matthew Stafford, Det. | 4967 | 20 | 126 | 4 | 5093 |
2016 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 4944 | 38 | 117 | 0 | 5061 |
2018 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 4924 | 35 | 125 | 3 | 5049 |
2020 | Patrick Mahomes, K.C. | 4740 | 38 | 308 | 2 | 5048 |
2014 | Andrew Luck, Ind. | 4761 | 40 | 273 | 3 | 5034 |
2014 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 4952 | 33 | 68 | 1 | 5020 |
2016 | Kirk Cousins, Was. | 4917 | 25 | 96 | 4 | 5013 |
2014 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 4952 | 32 | 27 | 0 | 4979 |
2020 | Josh Allen, Buff. | 4544 | 37 | 421 | 8 | 4965 |
2012 | Tony Romo, Dall. | 4903 | 28 | 49 | 1 | 4952 |
2011 | Eli Manning, NYG | 4933 | 29 | 15 | 1 | 4948 |
2011 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 4643 | 45 | 257 | 3 | 4900 |
2015 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 4870 | 32 | 14 | 1 | 4884 |
2012 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 4719 | 32 | 141 | 1 | 4860 |
2012 | Tom Brady, N.E. | 4827 | 34 | 32 | 4 | 4859 |
2014 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 4694 | 28 | 145 | 0 | 4839 |
2015 | Tom Brady, N.E. | 4770 | 36 | 53 | 3 | 4823 |
2015 | Philip Rivers, S.D. | 4792 | 29 | 28 | 0 | 4820 |
2016 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 4428 | 40 | 369 | 4 | 4797 |
2018 | Jared Goff, LAR | 4688 | 32 | 108 | 2 | 4796 |
2020 | Kyler Murray, Ariz. | 3971 | 26 | 819 | 11 | 4790 |
2011 | Cam Newton, Car. | 4051 | 21 | 706 | 14 | 4757 |
2018 | Andrew Luck, Ind. | 4593 | 39 | 148 | 0 | 4741 |
2015 | Blake Bortles, Jac. | 4428 | 35 | 310 | 2 | 4738 |
2020 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 4212 | 40 | 513 | 2 | 4725 |
2013 | Matthew Stafford, Det. | 4650 | 29 | 69 | 2 | 4719 |
2018 | Deshaun Watson, Hou. | 4165 | 26 | 551 | 5 | 4716 |
2018 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 4442 | 25 | 269 | 2 | 4711 |
2014 | Peyton Manning, Den. | 4727 | 39 | -24 | 0 | 4703 |
2015 | Carson Palmer, Ariz. | 4671 | 35 | 24 | 1 | 4695 |
2019 | Jared Goff, LAR | 4638 | 22 | 40 | 2 | 4678 |
2020 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 4581 | 26 | 92 | 2 | 4673 |
2012 | Peyton Manning, Den. | 4659 | 37 | 6 | 0 | 4665 |
2011 | Philip Rivers, S.D. | 4624 | 27 | 36 | 1 | 4660 |
2015 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 4591 | 21 | 63 | 0 | 4654 |
2014 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 4381 | 38 | 269 | 2 | 4650 |
2019 | Philip Rivers, LAC | 4615 | 23 | 29 | 0 | 4644 |
2020 | Tom Brady, T.B. | 4633 | 40 | 6 | 3 | 4639 |
2012 | Andrew Luck, Ind. | 4374 | 23 | 255 | 5 | 4629 |
2019 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 4466 | 26 | 147 | 1 | 4613 |
2012 | Cam Newton, Car. | 3869 | 19 | 741 | 8 | 4610 |
2017 | Tom Brady, N.E. | 4577 | 32 | 28 | 0 | 4605 |
2016 | Andrew Luck, Ind. | 4240 | 31 | 341 | 2 | 4581 |
2015 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 4024 | 34 | 553 | 1 | 4577 |
2020 | Justin Herbert, LAC | 4336 | 31 | 234 | 5 | 4570 |
2013 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 4515 | 26 | 55 | 0 | 4570 |
2017 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 3983 | 34 | 586 | 3 | 4569 |
2012 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 4295 | 39 | 259 | 2 | 4554 |
2013 | Philip Rivers, S.D. | 4478 | 32 | 72 | 0 | 4550 |
2017 | Matthew Stafford, Det. | 4446 | 29 | 98 | 0 | 4544 |
2016 | Matthew Stafford, Det. | 4327 | 24 | 207 | 2 | 4534 |
2017 | Philip Rivers, LAC | 4515 | 28 | -2 | 0 | 4513 |
Not all of these players will change teams, but at least three of probably will, and maybe as many as five or six.
There were 14 playoff teams this year, and only 3 of them were quarterbacked by guys acquired in the past two seasons (Tennessee, Indianapolis and Tampa Bay). But there's enough success that teams will be interesting in adding a veteran they think might get them over the hump, and a lot of talented passers out there. Going to be a great offseason to watch quarterback movement.
--Andy Richardson