DETROIT

QB JARED GOFF says he doesn’t care about respect.  Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press:

The question was simple. The answer was not.

Does Jared Goff get enough respect from people outside the Detroit Lions’ facility?

“I mean, I don’t know,” Dan Campbell said in response to my question Tuesday. “I don’t even know how to answer that, honestly.  I don’t know.”

The Lions coach was at a loss for words, and it’s hard to blame him because who can really say what everyone in the world thinks about anyone or anything. Go to your favorite Detroit sports bar, ask 10 people they think of Goff and you’ll get very different answers.

But the Lions coach is certain about what he thinks about his quarterback.

“I know this,” Campbell said. “I think we have a lot better handle and feel of who he is here than a lot of people do on the outside, because we get to see it every day. So if you’re asking me personally, no I don’t think he gets enough.

“But at the same token there’s lot going on right now about us and him and it’s pretty positive, but no.  I’m gonna say it again: I’m glad he’s ours, I think he’s doing a good job, I think he’s right on pace, and there we go.”

At Tuesday’s joint practice with the New York Giants in Allen Park, Goff looked like he usually looks: poised and accurate. Afterward, I asked him the same question. Do you get enough respect?

“I don’t care,” he said. “Don’t care. Don’t even know if I do or not. Try to win games for this team. That’s all.”

And yet when I asked Goff about his recent comments on a recent podcast, it was clear respect matters to him.

“I think there’s a lot of members of our media that have an easy time writing bad things, and they have for quite some time,” Goff said last week on “Pardon My Take.”

When the Lions turned things around, Goff said the haters had nothing to write. “Yeah,” he said with a smile, “it maybe took a little gas out of their tank and it’s been fun.”

I’m pretty sure Goff wasn’t talking about me. I’m happy to own any criticism I’ve leveled at a player, coach or team. But I wasn’t very critical of the Lions’ 1-6 start last season because I thought it was still a rebuilding year. Most of those first six losses were close and I predicted a 6-11 record anyway. I also have a decent relationship with Goff and I’ve been understanding of his difficult journey since the end of his time with the Rams.

If nothing else, Goff’s quip about sticking it to some members of “our media,” speaks to the chip on his shoulder. Believe me, it’s there. He’s pretty good at making subtle references to slights. I asked him if the chip helps him.

“I think it always helps,” he said. “You always want to find that edge someway somehow. That’s a smaller edge for me.

MINNESOTA

The Vikings will honor the great Bud Grant this year.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant died in March, at the age of 95. The Vikings will honor him all season long.

For Week One, the Vikings’ throwback jersey will include a patch for Coach Grant. All year long, the Vikings’ helmet will display a sticker.

Both will display his three-letter signature: Bud.

Grant took the Vikings to three Super Bowls. Before that, he was a championship-winning coach in the CFL. He also won an NBA championship with the Minneapolis Lakers. He also played in the NFL and the CFL.

Grant initially retired from coaching the Vikings at age 56, in 1983. He returned in 1985 for one more season, after the team had a disastrous one-year stint under Les Steckel.

– – –

Ownership is “focused on the season”, not the 2024 compensation for QB KIRK COUSINS:

Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf declined to say Tuesday whether he wants quarterback Kirk Cousins to re-sign with the franchise when his contract expires next spring, indicating the decision will be made by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell at a later date.

“We’ll leave that to Kwesi and Coach to work through those discussions,” Wilf said. “There’s always conversations on that. But our real focus is 100% on 2023 and getting where we need to be, and where I know we can be.”

Cousins has signed two contract extensions since originally joining the Vikings as a free agent in 2018. But the sides agreed to halt similar discussions in March, deciding instead to restructure Cousins’ current deal in a way that ensures he will be eligible for free agency next spring.

Cousins, who turns 35 later this month, has said he hopes to finish his career in Minnesota. Adofo-Mensah has said that “every option is open to us” and added: “Sometimes you come to a place where you decide, ‘Hey, let’s talk later. This is a solution for now.’ That’s all that’s happened.”

For now, at least, Wilf said that “we feel great about the quarterback situation.” But Wilf was careful not to project his thoughts into future years.

“Kirk is an outstanding leader,” Wilf said. “He’s led this team incredibly these past few years and we’re looking for great things from him in 2023.”

PHILADELPHIA

When your done reading this story by Zach Berman of The Athletic, you will be heading to the suburb of Elkins Park for a cheesesteak on your next visit to Philadelphia:

Three days before the Super Bowl, Jalen Hurts faced a question that could split a fan base: “Where’s the best place in Philly to grab a cheesesteak?”

Politicians are prepped for how to answer this one. Fearing conflict, other star athletes have tried to abstain. “Well …” Hurts started.

He paused, smirked, then continued — and changed the lives of twin sisters chasing a dream.

“So I have a cheesesteak that I made at FoodChasers,” Hurts said. “It’s in Philly. And it’s called ‘The Jalen Special.’ I put my little ingredients on it. I made it just right. So if you ever want to go try one, go to FoodChasers.”

FoodChasers’ Kitchen, a restaurant in the Philadelphia suburb of Elkins Park started during the coronavirus pandemic by Kala and Maya Johnstone, was not known as a cheesesteak destination. Before Hurts’ public endorsement, its most popular dishes were breakfast items, and the restaurant used about 10 pounds of meat a week for cheesesteaks. When Hurts’ comments at the news conference went viral, FoodChasers chopped through 100 pounds of beef over the next three days, grilling so much that they had to call their supplier for more.

Hurts first visited the restaurant in June 2022, when his signature cheesesteak was created. It was on the menu for six months before the Super Bowl news conference. In the five months after, sales of the sandwich increased by more than 300 percent.

“When Jalen comes into your life and says: ‘You’re valuable, you’re good enough to be on the stage with the big boys in Philly to sell cheesesteaks, and you girls’ voices should be heard … so come with me, get in my articles, get on TV,’ we just cry about it, because we grew up not seeing ourselves like this,” Kala said. “He changed our lives. You couldn’t put money on it. You can’t put it into words. He literally changed our lives and he added value to us. And not just Maya and I. He added value to Black women. Because so many women come in and say, ‘You guys’ story inspire us.’”

The Johnstones share two passions: food and the Philadelphia Eagles. Their father used to take them to training camp at West Chester University, where they would wait for autographs from Randall Cunningham and Reggie White. The allegiance was tested when their older brother, Lance, played 11 seasons in the NFL for the then-Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings, but the twins remained devoted Eagles fans.

They have long dreamt of owning a restaurant together; more than a decade ago they began crafting a potential menu. They also started a social media account documenting their favorite foods from around the world and the dishes they created — from pasta to catfish to chicken wings and, yes, cheesesteaks.

During the pandemic, they retired as principals determined to chase their restaurant dream. They leased space in a brick building with a front patio on a triangular block steps from the local train station. Walk inside, and you’ll see a black wall with a white outline of Philadelphia’s skyline and the restaurant’s logo that includes the message “Love, Eat, Travel.” They fed their first customers in the winter of 2021. The following June, a Pepsi rep visited seeking a Black-owned restaurant to feature in a commercial. She came on a particularly hectic day, and by the end of her visit, FoodChasers was selected. They were told Hurts would star in the commercial.

Lance advised his sisters to curb their enthusiasm. After a decade in the NFL, he crossed paths with some quarterbacks who were jerks.

Hurts arrived at the restaurant sans entourage and could have been any customer. At one point, the commercial’s producers requested a back room be cleared for Hurts to use. One problem: The Johnstones’ nephew was in there playing a video game. “No, the kid stays,” Hurts said. The commercial was supposed to only include a brief appearance. Hurts stayed five hours.

“You want to make a cheesesteak?” the Johnstones asked at one point.

Hurts donned an apron and went to work. The only faux pas came when Hurts asked for mozzarella cheese. He might be the quarterback of the Eagles, but the Johnstones don’t use mozzarella on their cheesesteaks. That’s when Hurts was introduced to their Cooper Sharp cheese.

That’s how he came up with his blend.

Hurts combined the seasoned steak, Cooper Sharp, fried onions and mayonnaise on a roll for a creation that went on the menu as “The Jalen Special.” The Johnstones showed him the proper way to grill the steak and flip it on a roll. “Now welcome to Philly!” they told him. He spent time with everyone in the restaurant, listening to their stories and even comparing his Griddy dance with some kids’ attempts.

“If you didn’t know he was the No. 1 quarterback and an Eagle, especially in this city, you wouldn’t know,” Brent Johnstone, the twins’ brother who also helps with the restaurant, said before employing some Philly slang. “He’s just that boul Jalen.”

On the way out, Hurts turned back to the sisters.

“I’m going to support y’all,” he told them.

They didn’t know what he meant. They looked at each other and thought, maybe he’ll come back with the offensive line.

“We’re going to get (Jason) Kelce!” they joked.

Kala and Maya attended training camp last summer and were caught in a crowd of crazed Eagles fans screaming toward the quarterback. Security around Hurts can be tight, but he spotted familiar faces and went right up to them.

“That’s my girls!” Hurts said.

In October of last season, Hurts appeared on ESPN’s “ManningCast” with Peyton and Eli Manning during a Los Angeles Rams–San Francisco 49ers “Monday Night Football” game. They showed the clip of Hurts on the grill making the cheesesteak. Eli Manning asked about the process. Before Hurts answered, he used this national stage to give a plug.

“Shoutout to my people at FoodChasers, the twins at FoodChasers,” Hurts said.

“I know they have a lot of top places in Philly for cheesesteaks, but mine was pretty legit,” Hurts added later on the broadcast.

The Eagles kept winning, and as Hurts’ profile swelled like the midsection of a cheesesteak taste tester, he took FoodChasers along for the ride. Before Philadelphia’s Thursday night game against Hurts’ hometown Houston Texans in November, Amazon wanted an interview with the Eagles quarterback. He agreed — so long as it was at FoodChasers. Hurts sat at the restaurant with reporter Taylor Rooks, eating, subtly offering free promotion for the sisters’ enterprise.

“We didn’t want to overstep our bounds, but we were like, ‘Oh, it’d be dope if he teaches her how to make a cheesesteak,’” Kala said.

They know their quarterback. Hurts made his way to the grill, showing Rooks how The Jalen Special was made.

“You can see in that little moment why he’s great as a quarterback, because he processes it,” Brent said.

“And he’s coachable!” the sisters added together.

In December, Hurts visited a school following the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old at a high school football game. The visit included a catered lunch for the students. When a national publication followed Hurts along for the appearance, the quarterback made sure the reporter mentioned FoodChasers in the article.

Leading up to the NFC Championship Game, a representative of Hurts reached out to the sisters with a message: Keep this quiet because no one wants to jinx anything, but should the Eagles win, Hurts wants to come by for his postgame meal with his family. The sisters prepared for his visit — crawfish, catfish, macaroni and cheese and lamb chops, in addition to their typical menu staples. They weren’t sure it would happen but figured the food could be sold the next day if needed.

The twins attended the game. They celebrated with everyone during the Eagles’ 31-7 blowout. What they didn’t tell anyone in their section was that the star quarterback everyone was cheering for might eat their food after the game. They raced to the subway to make it back to Elkins Park. (It’s about 30-40 minutes when driving, traffic depending, longer on the subway.)

Around 8:30 p.m. ET, Hurts came through the door still wearing his purple suit and championship hat. He celebrated with friends and family with a spread cooked specially for him.

“You didn’t have to do this,” he said.

“Yeah, we kind of did!” Maya said.

Brent told his sisters: “After winning the (NFC championship) at 24, I wouldn’t be at Elkins Park! As the quarterback of the Eagles? Jalen’s running this city and he’s sitting in Elkins Park with y’all?!”

The Johnstones went to Arizona for the Super Bowl. They didn’t have tickets — and didn’t attend the game — but wanted to experience the atmosphere surrounding the event. A few days before the game, Kala paced the street trying to find Wi-Fi when friends flooded her phone with texts asking if she saw the video. She logged onto Instagram and the direct messages piled into her inbox. She waited to open the video until they were together — it’s a twin thing — and witnessed Hurts’ answer at the news conference together.

“He could have dodged that question,” Maya said.

“That’s what made Maya and I cry,” Kala said. “In his biggest moment, he remembered us.”

Even Lance, who warned them about quarterbacks, was converted. He had seen all that Hurts did for his sisters. He knew how powerful (and lucrative) a Super Bowl quarterback’s words could be.

Back home at the shop, the orders flooded for The Jalen Special (or “the Jalen,” as they call it). Customers came from around the country to see what Hurts endorsed. There were orders in bulk — more than a dozen sandwiches at once for all to taste Hurts’ favorite cheesesteak.

“You’ve never seen it like this,” they were told on the phone. “There were lines around the corner like you’ve never seen!”

Not bad for a breakfast spot.

“Jalen made us a cheesesteak place,” Kala said. “It made us stop and pause.”

“If he didn’t put us in that spotlight, no one would hear our story,” Maya said.

When Hurts is asked about what’s next in his career, he says there is neither a ceiling nor an arrival. The sisters now feel the same. They are planning another location with a bar. They’re considering an airport location also, and imagining different markets they can enter. They compared themselves to Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, simply trying to catch the pass that Hurts threw at them.

“Before, the dream was always just to open up a successful restaurant,” Kala said. “None of this was in the playbook. So now we don’t put a cap. … That’s another thing Jalen gave us: He gave us bigger dreams.”

ATLANTA

A cart at Falcons camp hauls off rookie CB CLARK PHILLIPS III.  Darrelle Lincoln of TotalProSports.com:

It was less than two hours in the Atlanta Falcons joint practice with the Miami Dolphins when the team has suffered a potentially serious injury.

Falcons rookie cornerback Clark Phillips III had to be carted off following what looked like a routine tackle, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

According to team reporter Tori McElhaney, Phillips appeared to injure his left ankle/foot before being carted off

Phillips’ injury comes after the Falcons had a major scare when Jeff Okudah went down with what seemed to be a potentially serious injury. The former third overall pick was also carted off the field, however, head coach Arthur Smith reported “very positive news” after an MRI.

Smith added that he expects Okudah back at some point early in the regular season.

For Clark Phillips, this could be devastating if it’s a long-term injury as the promising rookie cornerback figured to vie for a larger role with Okudah down.

With no Okudah and possibly no Phillips, Darren Hall, Tre Flowers, Cornell Armstrong, and others will take on expanded roles in preseason action and possibly into the season.

NEW ORLEANS

The story about RB KAREEM HUNT signing with the Saints was premature.  Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com:

Free agent running back Kareem Hunt had what was called a “great visit” with the New Orleans Saints and will now meet with the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Hunt received a call from the Colts before he set foot on the field to work out for the Saints and was offered more money, a source told ESPN’s Dianna Russini.

The Colts have an immediate need at running back as star Jonathan Taylor and the team are in a standoff over a contract extension. Taylor left training camp to rehab an ankle injury off-site, a source told ESPN’s Stephen Holder on Tuesday.

Hunt and free agent linebacker Anthony Barr met with the Saints Tuesday.

The Saints are in the market for running back depth as starter Alvin Kamara is set to serve a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The Saints have Jamaal Williams and rookie Kendre Miller on the roster but recently placed reserve running back Eno Benjamin on injured reserve with a ruptured Achilles.

TAMPA BAY

As Pewter Report had it on Tuesday, Coach Todd Bowles confirmed that QB BAKER MAYFIELD gets the start this week.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Buccaneers haven’t named a starting quarterback for the regular season, but Baker Mayfield will get the first start of the preseason.

Bucs coach Todd Bowles confirmed today that Mayfield will start Friday’s preseason opener against the Steelers. Next week, Kyle Trask will start the Bucs’ second preseason game, against the Jets.

Bowles has indicated he won’t name a starting quarterback until Preseason Week Three, at the earliest. And he said there’s nothing to read into the fact that Mayfield will get his chance to start before Trask does.

SAN FRANCISCO

If QB BROCK PURDY can get the job done, Albert Breer of SI.com says the 49ers are otherwise “loaded.”

This is the last training camp of the marathon phase of my tour, wrapping up this morning in Santa Clara with stop No. 16 and a loaded Niners team …

 *  For the second consecutive year, Brandon Aiyuk has been a star in camp. By all accounts, he put in extra work in the offseason and has entered the summer on a mission. The Niners picked up Aiyuk’s fifth-year option in the spring, and he’s eligible for a contract extension. Traditionally, San Francisco has signed its homegrown stars after Year 4, so Aiyuk is positioned to set himself up for a pretty big payday.

*  Brock Purdy looked, well, not injured at the practice I attended—there was one throw I saw him make flat-footed to the sideline to Deebo Samuel, and with the pocket closed down around him, on which his elbow looked pretty healthy. The other thing Purdy doesn’t look like is a seventh-round pick. We’ll have more on that Monday, but it’s pretty clear the level of belief he’s engendered here, and he’s entrenched as the team’s starter. As for the deliberate ramp-up the Niners have conducted in bringing Purdy back, my sense is the Niners will be ready to let him let it rip next week.

*  Christian McCaffrey is further affirming why the Niners gave up so much to get him back in October, looking even better than he did physically down the stretch last year. And the Niners might have a diamond in the rough coming at the position in second-year man Tyrion Davis-Price. The 2022 third-round pick has plenty of ability, but there were questions about his maturity coming out of school. This offseason, it looks like the light has come on for him, and the Niners are hopeful he’s going to realize his potential and become a nice complement to McCaffrey.

 * One thing San Francisco has done exceptionally well is resurrect the careers of defensive linemen that washed out with other teams and help them find new life. The magic DL coach Kris Kocurek performed with Arden Key and Samson Ebukam is now happening again with Clelin Ferrell, the former Raiders first-rounder (No. 4 pick). His length, motor and scheme fit have been noticeable. The scouting department—with assistant GM Adam Peters and pro scouting director R.J. Gillen driving the bus on this one—seems to have another find here.

* This is a loaded team, and, provided Purdy plays the way they think he can, the expectation should be a deep playoff run, and that would be obvious to the casual observer, even without their best player out there (and I do think Nick Bosa’s contract gets done before the season starts, though this could be another one, like the Chiefs’ Chris Jones, complicated a bit by Aaron Donald’s outlier contract). And San Francisco may be getting even better, with a solid rookie class coming in. There aren’t many spots open for competition here anymore, but one place where the potential of the young guys is apparent is at linebacker, where sixth-rounder Dee Winters and seventh-rounder Jalen Graham have flashed.

BUFFALO

QB JOSH ALLEN did not finish Tuesday’s practice.  Jonathan Alfano of SI.com:

The injury bug has come for the Buffalo Bills, as quarterback Josh Allen and offensive lineman Dion Dawkins both left Monday’s practice with injuries.

For Allen at least, there doesn’t seem to be anything to worry about. According to those in attendance, Allen left with head athletic trainer Nate Breske but returned to the field less than 20 minutes later.

As for Dawkins, he reportedly left with a hand injury and did not return. Although he did not return to practice after the injury, he did come out to watch from the sidelines and was seen wearing a brace. His injury is also not believed to be serious, according to reports.

This wouldn’t be the first injury Allen has fought through during training camp. On Tuesday, the star quarterback reportedly came up limping after a play during 11-on-11 drills. Some reporters noted that he may have gotten kicked during the play, thus causing the limp.

THIS AND THAT

2024 QB LANDSCAPE

Dan Graziano of ESPN.com isn’t willing to let 2023 to start before he thinks about the QB situations with 19 teams:

Look … anyone can take you through this summer’s NFL quarterback competitions and predict how they’ll turn out. In fact, I’m pretty sure I did exactly that a couple of weeks ago. But if you’re looking for a real challenge, try predicting the 2024 quarterback landscape.

We have done this for the past couple of years, picking out a handful of teams whose long-range QB situations are in flux or in question and trying to forecast what they’ll look like in the following season. Quarterback situations on the list range from complete question marks next year to just moderate uncertainty. In other words, if a team’s quarterback is signed only through 2024 — even if we expect him to get extended — he’s probably on this list. So just keep in mind that the answer to the question can be “status quo.” It’s just worth raising those teams because, well, weird things happen all the time in this league.

Let’s get to it. We outlined 19 teams with at least some level of question mark at QB for next year and gave the most likely outcome and a long-shot possibility. Enjoy.

Arizona Cardinals

Current starter: Kyler Murray (injured)

Signed through: 2028

Murray signed a massive five-year, $230.5 million contract extension last summer. The Cardinals had a crummy year, Murray tore an ACL in December, and Arizona replaced its GM and coach this offseason. As of now, the projected Week 1 starter is either veteran Colt McCoy or rookie Clayton Tune, and no one has any real idea of how many games Murray will miss this season as he recovers.

The Cardinals are paying Murray $39 million this season, and $35.3 million of his 2024 salary is fully guaranteed. Additionally, if he’s on the roster at the start of the 2024 league year, another $29.9 million in 2025 salary and bonuses becomes guaranteed. So if he were to struggle — and/or if the Cardinals’ new management decided it wanted to move on from him after 2023 — it would have to make that decision before mid-March. Cutting him at that point would result in about $81.5 million in dead money on their 2024 cap. Trading him before the 2025 guarantees kick in would be difficult, but it would drop that dead-money cap hit to about $46.2 million.

Massive, massive numbers, but remember that the Cardinals not only have their own first-round pick next April but also Houston’s selection. They could be in position to draft the best quarterback prospect in the 2024 class — which right now is USC’s Caleb Williams — and have him for five years on a rookie deal. That would make a big dead-money hit a lot easier to swallow.

Most likely outcome: After Murray takes at least a little while (maybe even a long while) to come back, the Cardinals finish with one of the league’s worst records in 2023 and draft either Williams or UNC’s Drake Maye. They have to find a solution to the Murray contract problem next offseason, ideally convincing some other team to take him off their hands and help defray the dead-money cost as Arizona moves on to a future without him.

Long-shot outcome: Murray returns in September, plays like gangbusters and convinces the Cardinals to use all of those high picks to build around him rather than replace him.

Atlanta Falcons

Current starter: Desmond Ridder

Signed through: 2025

Ridder was a third-round pick in 2022 who became the starter late in his rookie season after free agent veteran signing Marcus Mariota flopped. He showed enough to convince the Falcons to take a chance on him as their starter this year, completing 63.5% of his passes and throwing two touchdown over four games (two wins). They brought in a veteran in Taylor Heinicke to support him and to fall back on if Ridder can’t handle it.

In short, Ridder is a total mystery surrounded by young, promising skill-position talent on a team that hasn’t done anything in a while and playing for a coach who probably has to win pretty soon if he wants to keep his job. (You’ll see some similarities between situations in Atlanta and Washington.)

Most likely outcome: Ridder gets a long leash in the wide-open NFC South but ultimately doesn’t prove to be the answer. Atlanta finds itself in the QB market next offseason, looking at guys like Ryan Tannehill and Jimmy Garoppolo, as well as the draft class.

Long-shot outcome: Ridder leads the Falcons to a division title, slinging it all over the yard to Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson, and the Falcons run it back with him as the starter again in 2024. But he won’t even be eligible to discuss an extension with the team until after the 2024 season.

Chicago Bears

Current starter: Justin Fields

Signed through: 2024 (team holds fifth-year option for 2025)

After some early-offseason chatter about the possibility of trading Fields and drafting his replacement with the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears decided instead to trade the pick and use it to help build around Fields. In the deal that sent the top selection to Carolina, the Bears got back, among other things, wide receiver DJ Moore, who should slot in as Fields’ top target and brings a much-needed veteran presence to the receiver room.

Fields was a revelation as a runner last season, picking up 1,143 yards on the ground, but the Bears are looking for him to take a step forward as a passer in 2023. Their hope is that the addition of Moore, improvements and development on the offensive line and a revamped running back corps will help with that.

Most likely outcome: The Bears and Fields both take a step forward in their progression this season, improving on last year’s record but not quite contending for the postseason (though in the NFC, you never know). They pick up Fields’ fifth-year option next May, and if he has shown enough, maybe even start talking extension.

Long-shot outcome: Fields regresses, keeps taking too many hits and doesn’t show the improvements the Bears want to see in their passing game. It leads to them picking high in the draft again and, armed with Carolina’s first-rounder in addition to their own, they’re in position to maneuver to find Fields’ replacement at or near the top of the draft.

Dallas Cowboys

Current starter: Dak Prescott

Signed through: 2024

The Cowboys chose to restructure Prescott’s contract this offseason for 2023 cap relief rather than extending it with two years remaining. The main reason was that they had more pressing extension work to do for Trevon Diggs (done) and CeeDee Lamb (not quite yet). But the result is that, barring a surprise deal we don’t currently see coming, the Cowboys will head into the 2024 offseason with Prescott at the top of that to-do extensions list.

Cowboys decision-makers have consistently said publicly that they’re committed to Prescott long term and that they believe in him, and the behind-the-scenes conversations I’ve had with people in that building all say the same thing. There’s absolutely not one concrete reason to believe the Cowboys won’t extend Prescott’s contract at some point.

Most likely outcome: The Cowboys and Prescott agree on a contract extension next offseason.

Long-shot outcome: The two sides have the same fight about contract length they had in the 2020 and 2021 offseasons, they’re unable to get a deal done next summer, and Prescott heads into the final year of his contract without an extension. I’m sorry, I know everybody loves Cowboy drama, but I have to be honest about what I’ve heard: I don’t see any way Dallas moves on from Prescott, and I don’t see him holding out even if there’s no deal done.

Denver Broncos

Current starter: Russell Wilson

Signed through: 2028

The contract extension that Wilson signed right before the 2022 season made it look like he would be the Broncos’ starting quarterback for a long time. And maybe he will be. But he was downright awful in his first season in Denver, and the Broncos hired Sean Payton as their new coach to try to fix his game. If it goes poorly again, moving on from him in 2024 would be painful. Cutting Wilson next offseason would cost the Broncos $85 million in dead money on their ’24 salary cap. Trading him would cost them $68 million in dead money (and would likely be impossible if he’s coming off two bad campaigns).

The problem is, if he’s still on the roster on the fifth day of the 2024 league year (next March), then his $37 million salary for 2025 becomes fully guaranteed. The Broncos really need Wilson to rebound, or they have a major problem on their hands.

Most likely outcome: We might never again see the Wilson we remember from his Seattle days, but he likely rebounds under Payton to some degree — enough, at least, that the Broncos keep him around for at least one more season. The 2025 guaranteed money is a lot, but the people who just bought the Broncos are more than rich enough to risk it.

Long-shot outcome: Wilson is no better than he was in 2022, he and Payton can’t stand each other by Halloween, he gets benched late in the season for Jarrett Stidham, and the Broncos are looking for his replacement in next year’s draft.

Detroit Lions

Current starter: Jared Goff

Signed through: 2024

Goff was the guy the Lions had to take if they wanted the draft picks the Rams sent them in the Matthew Stafford trade two offseasons ago. But by the second half of last season, he was playing about as well as any QB in the league and leading the Lions to an 8-2 record over their final 10 games. He ended up fifth in Total QBR at 61.1.

With offensive coordinator Ben Johnson back for another go, Goff and the Lions’ offense look primed to build on last year’s success. Goff is scheduled to make $26 million this season, and then $27 million in 2024 — but the 2024 money is not guaranteed. Remember, the Lions also drafted Hendon Hooker in the third round in April.

Most likely outcome: The Lions have a solid year with Goff as the starter, make the playoffs for the first time in seven years and confront a non-obvious decision next offseason about whether and under what terms to extend Goff’s contract. In this scenario, my bet is they’d find some sort of short-term extension solution with Goff, who seems to like it there.

Long-shot outcome: The Lions win their division for the first time since 1993, make a deep playoff run, Ben Johnson becomes head coach of the Commanders, and the Lions make Goff one of the highest-paid QBs in the game next offseason.

Green Bay Packers

Current starter: Jordan Love

Signed through: 2024

Drafted in the first round in 2020, Love has been a backup for the first three years of his career behind Aaron Rodgers, who was annoyed by the pick and has finally moved on to a different team. That makes Love the starter in his fourth year (just like Rodgers was), and whether he’s ready to keep the QB train running in Green Bay is one of this season’s greatest mysteries.

The Packers bought out Love’s 2025 fifth-year option this offseason with a staggeringly team-friendly “extension” that results in Love making about $9.8 million this season and another $6 million next year, plus about $9 million in incentives. If Love plays well, he’ll be one of the biggest bargains in the league. If he plays poorly, the Packers can easily find another option and pay Love a backup’s salary in 2024. It was a shocking and unnecessary move by Love, essentially betting against himself rather than forcing the team to decide on the fifth-year option. It nearly rids the Packers of any risk.

Most likely outcome: Love has an up-and-down campaign, showing some promise but not completely convincing the Packers that he’s the long-term option. They poke around next offseason, either bringing in a veteran to compete with him or drafting another quarterback high — or maybe even both. Love goes into the 2024 offseason with a chance to start again but no guarantee of earning the job.

Long-shot outcome: Love becomes the next Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers, continuing the Packers’ Hall of Fame quarterback lineage and returning them to Super Bowl glory at some point in the next few seasons. He leads them to a division title in his first year as a starter, makes the Pro Bowl and signs a real extension next offseason.

Las Vegas Raiders

Current starter: Jimmy Garoppolo

Signed through: 2025

The Raiders cut Derek Carr this offseason and signed Garoppolo, with whom coach Josh McDaniels has history from their time together in New England. Never the picture of health, Garoppolo had foot surgery in March, leading to a late and somewhat significant alteration to his free agent deal between the time he agreed to it and the time he actually signed it. Now Garoppolo is getting $22.5 million fully guaranteed this year and $11.25 million fully guaranteed in 2024. He also has an $11.25 million roster bonus the Raiders have to decide on by the start of the 2024 league year.

So basically, the Raiders could cut Garoppolo before then having effectively paid him $33.75 million for one season’s worth of work. Or they could keep him around for 2024 and pay him $45 million total over the next two seasons. His 2025 salary (also $22.5 million) is not guaranteed.

Most likely outcome: The Raiders struggle badly in 2023 with a roster that appears to be much worse than the one McDaniels took over just last offseason. Garoppolo misses a chunk of games because of injury. Davante Adams, who went to Vegas to play with his college buddy Carr, decides he wants to be traded. The Raiders, as the 49ers once did, decide they can’t count on Garoppolo to stay healthy and move on. In this scenario, they have a very high pick in the draft — maybe high enough to get Williams or Maye.

Long-shot outcome: Garoppolo stays healthy all year and clicks with Adams, as the Raiders make the playoffs. They happily pick up Garoppolo’s roster bonus next March and move forward to build off all the surprise success they had in 2023.

Los Angeles Rams

Current starter: Matthew Stafford

Signed through: 2026

Stafford’s $31 million salary for 2024 became fully guaranteed this past March, so unless he decides to retire or asks for a trade, the Rams are going to be stuck with him for at least two more years. That doesn’t sound so bad — he did win a Super Bowl title as their QB just 18 months ago — except that the Rams look very much like a rebuilding team. Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp are all still there, but outside of that decorated trio, Los Angeles could be the youngest team in the NFL this year.

The Rams traded away some big salaries and took on a lot of 2023 dead money this offseason, but they kept Stafford even though teams were calling. (The Jets, according to multiple sources, asked about Stafford early in the offseason before they knew they could get Aaron Rodgers but were told the Rams weren’t trading him.) The backup situation is not great, as undersized fourth-round rookie Stetson Bennett appears to be the guy as of now. So really, if the Rams have any shot at being competitive this season, Stafford is going to have to stay healthy and produce with a young and somewhat questionable supporting cast.

Most likely outcome: The Rams are not competitive this year, and they and Stafford have a decision to make after the season is over. If he stays healthy and plays well, maybe they can trade him next offseason, if he even wants to go anywhere else. He’ll be 36 years old next February and could decide to retire. But — and you might not believe this — the Rams actually do have a first-round pick next April. If they’re very bad in 2023, they could be in position to draft a very exciting rookie quarterback to take Stafford’s job.

Long-shot outcome: Stafford stays healthy all season, and the Rams surprise in a weak NFC to claim a playoff spot and even win a postseason game or two. Their young players show enough to convince them to run it back with Stafford in 2024.

Miami Dolphins

Current starter: Tua Tagovailoa

Signed through: 2024

Tagovailoa missed five games last season, including the Dolphins’ playoff game, because of concussions. When he was on the field, he and the Miami offense functioned at a high level. Only Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen had a higher QBR last season than Tagovailoa (68.8). The Dolphins have said they’re committed to him, and they showed it by exercising his fifth-year option weeks before the early-May deadline. He and the team have worked on several strategies this offseason to try to protect him from concussions moving forward.

Most likely outcome: Tagovailoa misses a handful games for some reason (remember, concussions aren’t the only injuries he has dealt with in his career), but he plays well enough in the other contests that the Dolphins decide to run it back with him for 2024. The question in this scenario would be whether they give him a contract extension next offseason or let him go into 2024 as a lame duck. If he plays great and gets through the season healthy, that’s an easy call. But if this year goes the way the past one did, it’s far from simple.

Long-shot outcome: Come on, you know this one. Tom Brady unretires and plays for the team that got draft picks taken away for pursuing him behind the scenes a few offseasons ago.

Minnesota Vikings

Current starter: Kirk Cousins

Signed through: 2023

Cousins signed his famous fully guaranteed free agent contract with the Vikings five years ago, and the Vikings have now extended it twice, but this is the first time they’re actually able to get out of it without significant dead-money pain. Don’t get me wrong, the $28.5 million in dead money they’ll incur in 2024 once Cousins’ deal voids in March is a lot. It’s just not as much as it used to be, given the way teams have moved on from guys in recent years.

Cousins has been a good player for the Vikings, though he hasn’t been able to lead them to postseason success. The team hired a new GM and coach last offseason, and it’s possible they could be looking to move on to other options in 2024. It’s also possible the Vikings could decide Cousins is the best option available. Again, his current contract structure allows them the freedom to decide. It doesn’t mean anything is decided yet.

Most likely outcome: The Vikings don’t win 13 games again, but they contend for and maybe even secure a wild-card spot. That puts them too far down the draft order to grab one of the top QB prospects, and when they look around, they decide that keeping Cousins is the best option, so they re-sign him in free agency.

Long-shot outcome: The bill for last season’s 11 one-score wins comes due, and the Vikings bottom out, finishing last in the NFC North. It triggers a full-on rebuild behind a high draft pick at QB — and Cousins signs with the 49ers next March.

New England Patriots

Current starter: Mac Jones

Signed through: 2024 (team holds fifth-year option for 2025)

After leading the Patriots to the playoffs as a rookie, Jones struggled in Year 2. It wasn’t all his fault. Coach Bill Belichick’s decision to replace Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator with former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia didn’t work out at all, and the offense never got off the ground. It was a tough spot for Patricia, who’s no longer with the team, and for Jones, who could have handled things a bit better as well from a temperament standpoint.

Anyway, this offseason, Belichick brought in former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. Thanks to O’Brien’s experience on that side of the ball, the expectation is that things should be smoother and better organized around Jones in 2023 than they were in 2022.

Most likely outcome: Jones and O’Brien click, and Jones looks a lot more like his 2021 self than his 2022 self. And next May, the Patriots pick up Jones’ fifth-year option and maybe even extend his contract, cementing him as the starter in 2024 and beyond.

Long-shot outcome: Jones struggles, Bailey Zappe replaces him and looks great, and the Pats enter the 2024 offseason with a full-blown quarterback controversy. And perhaps they join many teams on this list with a high draft pick to select a new one.

New Orleans Saints

Current starter: Derek Carr

Signed through: 2026

The Saints signed Carr this offseason after the Raiders released him, and he has reunited with former Raiders coach Dennis Allen, who now coaches the Saints. Almost certainly an upgrade over what the Saints had at the position in 2022, Carr is earning $30 million this season and is fully guaranteed a $30 million salary in 2024. His 2025 salary (also $30 million) doesn’t guarantee until March 2025, and he also has a non-guaranteed $10 million roster bonus that year.

The contract structure just about ensures that Carr will be there through 2024, though if the Saints have a bad season and make a coaching change, it’s not out of the question that a new administration could trade him next spring. A $30 million salary would not impede such a move very much if Carr shows anything this year.

Most likely outcome: Carr and the Saints take advantage of the league’s easiest schedule to win the NFC South, and he returns as the unquestioned starter in 2024.

Long-shot outcome: The Saints have a lousy year, miss the playoffs, fire Allen and move on from Carr for the same kinds of reasons the Raiders did. Maybe they’re the team that trades for Matthew Stafford. That feels like the kind of move the Saints would make, doesn’t it?

New York Jets

Current starter: Aaron Rodgers

Signed through: 2025

The Jets acquired Rodgers in a trade with the Packers on the premise that their roster was good enough to contend for a championship with the right QB. He has jumped all the way in, impressing coaches and teammates with his commitment and participation and even agreeing to a $35 million pay cut as part of a reworked contract that helps the Jets with their salary cap space. Rodgers has indicated he plans to be with the Jets for more than one season, but he does turn 40 in December, and it’s fair to say the past few offseasons have featured more than a little mystery about whether he’d come back.

Most likely outcome: Rodgers stays true to his word and returns for 2024.

Long-shot outcome: The Jets win the Super Bowl and Rodgers decides to retire on top, leading to an offseason full of questions about how ready Zach Wilson was able to get while spending 2023 as Rodgers’ backup. New York’s lack of draft capital likely would mean Wilson opens at least the offseason as the starter, though it’s possible the Jets could have a 2023 Buccaneers situation on their hands.

San Francisco 49ers

Current starter: Brock Purdy

Signed through: 2025

The very last pick in the 2022 draft, Purdy took over as the 49ers’ starter late last season following injuries to Trey Lance and Garoppolo — and he was a revelation. The 49ers went undefeated with him as the starter over their final five regular-season games, then won their first two playoff games before Purdy had to leave the NFC Championship Game because of an elbow injury. That injury required offseason surgery, but Purdy has progressed through his rehab to the point where the Niners believe he has a good chance to be ready to start Week 1. They’ve made it clear he’s the starter if he’s healthy, which means Lance and free agent signee Sam Darnold are fighting for the No. 2 job.

Purdy is signed for three more years at an average of $985,000 per season, and the rules prohibit the 49ers from extending his contract until after 2024. If he plays as well this year as he did last year, he projects as the league’s biggest bargain by a wide margin.

Most likely outcome: Don’t shoot the messenger, please. Only twice in Kyle Shanahan’s six years as coach have the 49ers seen a quarterback start more than 10 games in a season. (Garoppolo started all 16 in 2019, the season they went to the Super Bowl, and he started 15 of 17 in 2021.) I don’t know what it is, but the Niners have just had rotten health luck at the position. So while I’m certainly not rooting for this to be the case, we have to say the most likely outcome is that more than one quarterback starts games for the 49ers this year.

I’m going to say Purdy opens as the starter, but Lance gets some starts at some point and maybe even shows enough that they can get something for him in a trade. The Niners believe in Purdy, and I think the probable outcome is that Niners end the season still believing in him, as long as he’s healthy.

Long-shot outcome: Purdy struggles, while Lance gets his shot and runs with it, finally delivering on the promise of the No. 3 pick for which Shanahan traded up in 2021. The 49ers exercise Lance’s fifth-year option next May and move forward into 2024 with him as the starter. Or they sign Kirk Cousins. If you think you know what’s going to happen with the 49ers’ quarterback situation, you’re kidding yourself.

Seattle Seahawks

Current starter: Geno Smith

Signed through: 2025

After winning a training camp competition with Drew Lock last summer, Smith was one of the great surprise stories of the NFL season. He finished eighth in passing yards (4,282), fourth in passing touchdowns (30), first in completion percentage (69.8%) and tied for sixth in QBR (60.8). The Seahawks rewarded him with a contract extension in the offseason. He’s earning $27.5 million in 2023 and is scheduled to earn $22.5 million in 2024 and $25 million in 2025, though none of the money beyond this season is guaranteed.

It’s a reasonable deal for Smith, who turns 33 in October and has really had only the one great campaign. The Seahawks believe he can do it again, and that they’ve surrounded him with a good enough cast to get the most out of him. And he certainly believes he can do it again, too.

Most likely outcome: I think the Seahawks have a chance to be a top-two or top-three team in the NFC, so the most likely outcome here is another strong season by Smith and another playoff berth for Seattle — maybe even a division title if the 49ers stumble. That would mean Smith goes into 2024 as the unquestioned starter.

Long-shot outcome: Last season turns out to have been a mirage. Smith struggles, the Seahawks miss the playoffs, and they turn the page next spring to look for other options. If Smith is healthy, the Seahawks could release him without owing him another dime if they do it before his March 2024 roster bonus comes due. We’re probably looking at a draft pick as the solution for Seattle if this unlikely scenario were to come true. It’s doubtful they’d just turn things over to Lock.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Current starter: Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask

Mayfield signed through: 2023

Trask signed through: 2024

Yeah, “or.” That’s what it says on the Buccaneers’ first official depth chart of the preseason. Thanks a lot, guys. Are they going to arm wrestle for it? (And if so, who do we like in that competition?)

Anyway, the Bucs clearly had no plan whatsoever for Tom Brady’s successor and still don’t. Mayfield is the 2018 No. 1 overall pick for the Browns who finished last season with the Rams (yeah, remember that?) and looked all right playing for Sean McVay. Trask was the Bucs’ second-round pick in 2021, a couple of months after Brady had led them to a Super Bowl title in his first season with the team. Nobody in Tampa Bay seems to know — or at least is willing to say — which one has the leg up in this competition. Honestly, it’s pretty hard to see how it matters.

Most likely outcome: Mayfield starts Week 1 but doesn’t do anything to dazzle anyone. Trask gets some starts at some point because the team needs to know what, if anything, it has in him. The Bucs are one of the worst teams in the league, deal away veterans at the trade deadline (Mike Evans, anyone? Chris Godwin?) and contend for the No. 1 pick in the draft — where they can really find their Brady successor.

Long-shot outcome: Mayfield rejuvenates his career throwing to Evans and Godwin, leads the Bucs to a surprise playoff berth and signs a Geno Smith-style extension in Tampa Bay after the season ends. Or I guess Trask could do all of that stuff, too. Go back and put Trask’s name where I just wrote Mayfield’s if you want. I still don’t think it matters.

Tennessee Titans

Current starter: Ryan Tannehill

Signed through: 2023

The Titans hired a new GM this offseason, parted ways with several high-salary players and selected Kentucky QB Will Levis with the 33rd pick in the draft. Those actions all made them look like a rebuilding team, which you could have argued made some sense after they lost seven games in a row to finish the 2022 season.

But they didn’t move on from Tannehill, and late in the offseason they signed veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to help him out. Those moves actually indicate a plan to try to contend in 2023, which makes sense given that coach Mike Vrabel is used to challenging for AFC South titles.

Most likely outcome: Levis takes the job from Tannehill at some point, either during this season or after it’s finished, and Tannehill is on the free agent market next offseason. Heck, if the Titans really struggle in the first half of the season, Tannehill could even be an appealing trade target at the deadline.

Long-shot outcome: The Titans have a big year and make a deep playoff run behind Tannehill, leading them to give him an extension and keep him around as the starter while Levis develops.

Washington Commanders

Current starter: Sam Howell

Signed through: 2025

We are operating here under the assumption that Howell wins what has been billed as a competition with Jacoby Brissett for the starter’s job. Washington felt good enough about Howell to start him in the 2022 season finale, and good enough about what he showed to go into this offseason with him as the leader in the competition to start. Howell was once a highly ranked quarterback prospect, but his final season at North Carolina didn’t go great, and he tumbled all the way into the fifth round, where the Commanders selected him. It’s possible they got a steal, but there’s no way to know for sure at this point.

Most likely outcome: Howell and Brissett flip-flop back and forth throughout the season, with neither looking like the long-term answer, and Washington finds itself in the QB market next offseason. I could see the Commanders looking at Tannehill, Garoppolo and the top names in the draft class.

Long-shot outcome: Howell plays like a first-rounder instead of a fifth-rounder. Washington is the surprise champion of the NFC East, and Howell enters 2024 as the unquestioned starter. But the Commanders aren’t allowed to extend him until after the 2024 season.