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Days after Championship Sunday, only the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers have a game left this season while the rest continue preparation for next season. The Super Bowl this year features former MVP Patrick Mahomes and 2023 MVP finalist Brock Purdy, highlighting the need to have talent at the league's premier position.
For a chunk of teams, next year's quarterback is obvious as they know they have their franchise guy. For other teams, they have big decisions to make that could make or break their ability to contend in the near future.
Who will be the starting quarterback for every NFC team in 2024? What teams will make a change and bring someone else in this offseason? Let's take a look.
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NFC East Starting Quarterbacks 2024
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott
Dak Prescott had a tremendous 2023 regular season, leading to his nomination as an NFL MVP finalist this year. The postseason, however, marked an embarrassing collapse in all three phases for Dallas. Prescott did not resemble the MVP candidate we witnessed throughout the rest of the season. If the trend of falling short in the playoffs continues, it could impact his future with the team. Nevertheless, Prescott is securely locked in to Dallas for the 2024 season.
Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts had a remarkable 2022 season that nearly ended with a Super Bowl victory, showcasing his skills on the biggest stage of the game. However, the 2023 season took a downturn when offensive coordinator Shane Steichen departed for the Colts to become the head coach. The offense, along with the entire team, experienced regression under new coordinators, struggling to counter pressure on offense. With Kellen Moore set to take over next year, there is optimism that Hurts can return to a form closer to his impressive 2022 performance.
New York Giants: Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones' 2023 season was cut short after he tore his ACL, but he wasn't living up to the big contract he earned prior to then. Jones won't hit free agency until 2027 unless they release him, meaning there's almost no chance they replace him before this season. He'll have to make strides to keep his job, but the dead cap from moving on this early will keep Jones as the starter for at least 2024.
Washington Commanders: Drake Maye
The Commanders select second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, and they are in a prime position to choose a franchise-changing quarterback. While Caleb Williams is likely to be selected first overall, Maye would be the top prospect in most classes and even has some arguments to go before Williams. They couldn't secure the big offensive hire of Ben Johnson, but the draft capital and cap space have Washington looking up. Sam Howell had his moments in 2023, but Maye is too strong of a prospect to pass up to take over.
NFC North Starting Quarterbacks 2024
Detroit Lions: Jared Goff
After being a throw-in for the Matthew Stafford trade, Jared Goff has clearly found a home in Detroit, leading them to the NFC title game where they were quarters away from advancing. Goff has operated Johnson's offense at a very high level, proving to be a great fit paired with their strong run game. He made significant strides this year by making plays when the run game wasn't going, and he appears to be secure with the Lions for the near future.
Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love
Jordan Love had his first year as a starter in 2023, and people around the league were unsure how to feel about him. After some up-and-down starts in the beginning of the year, Love really hit his stride toward the end of the season and into the playoffs, giving the Packers faithful a lot of reasons to be excited about him for the future. Without a doubt, he is the starter for the next few years as he looks to be the next great Packers quarterback.
Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins was playing very well before tearing his Achilles in 2023, and he is slated to test the market this offseason. Unless his asking price is ridiculously high, it's hard to see Cousins going elsewhere and Minnesota letting him go. Among teams that could be looking for a veteran quarterback this year, Minnesota likely has the best roster and offers him the best chance to win. On the other side, Cousins is the best option for the Vikings if they want to contend in 2024. While they could draft a young quarterback and try to develop him behind Cousins, he should return as the starter next season unless Minnesota opts for a complete rebuild.
Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams
The Bears face a challenging decision at the quarterback position this offseason, with Justin Fields nearing the end of his rookie contract and holding the first overall pick in the draft. Fields has played well in the last two years, but the financial advantage of having a quarterback on a rookie deal is arguably the best asset when building a contending roster. Caleb Williams has a higher ceiling than Fields, and resetting the quarterback clock appears more logical for the Bears than committing to paying Fields starting quarterback money.
NFC South Starting Quarterbacks 2024
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield experienced a career resurgence in 2023, leading the Buccaneers to a playoff win in a season many expected to be a down year. While they benefited from playing in a weak NFC South, the overall performance was impressive, and Mayfield is likely to stick around as the safe option at the quarterback position. There's a possibility that they may consider adding a rookie quarterback in the draft, but the probable outcome seems to be giving Mayfield at least one more year.
New Orleans Saints: Derek Carr
Derek Carr had an okay season in his first year with the Saints, and his contract won't allow him to hit free agency until 2027 unless they try to move on earlier. The Saints are currently in a challenging cap situation, and the potential dead cap incurred would set them back even further. Although retaining Carr may not position them as Super Bowl contenders, the cost of moving on and potentially ending up with a less effective quarterback doesn't appear to be the right move for the Saints in 2024.
Atlanta Falcons: Justin Fields
Justin Fields has had a very solid start to his career with the Bears. However, as mentioned earlier, the Bears have an opportunity to reset their quarterback clock by acquiring an elite talent on a rookie contract. The Falcons experienced struggles with weak quarterback play throughout the year, relying on Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke, which ultimately derailed their season. Bringing in a Georgia-native quarterback aligns well with the timeline of other young playmakers on the offense and makes sense for the team's future.
Carolina Panthers: Bryce Young
The 2023 first overall pick struggled along with the rest of the team, finishing with a league-worst two wins. In the trade for Young last year, the Panthers surrendered their 2024 first-round pick to the Bears, which is the first overall pick in this year's draft. New head coach Dave Canales had some success with Tampa Bay last year, and he'll aim to bring a fresh perspective to the offense. Young will get another season to prove he's the long-term plan for the Panthers.
NFC West Starting Quarterbacks 2024
San Francisco 49ers: Brock Purdy
2022 Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy is set to head to his first Super Bowl. In the talented 49ers offense, led by Kyle Shanahan, Purdy's ability to diagnose coverage post-snap and deliver the ball on time and on target is crucial for the team to make a significant impact. He is expected to be the starter in Week 1, where he might be getting his Super Bowl ring.
Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford dealt with injuries throughout 2023 but had a strong season, leading the Rams to a 10-win season and a playoff berth. While they couldn't secure a win in his return to Detroit, they have some promising players for the near future, and Stafford and Sean McVay will always find ways to win games. They are another candidate to draft a quarterback late in the first round or on day two and let him develop, but Stafford will be back for 2024.
Seattle Seahawks: Geno Smith
Geno Smith took a slight step back after a fantastic season in 2022, but he still looked very capable of winning games for most of the season. After securing an extension that keeps him under contract until 2026, Seattle envisions Smith as the starter for the next few years to allow them to compete while still searching for their long-term answer at the position. While they might also consider taking a quarterback in the draft, Smith is expected to be the starter in Week 1.
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray returned from a torn ACL midway through the 2023 season and managed to secure three wins with a roster that had only won one game in the first nine games without him. The addition of Marvin Harrison Jr. to the pass-catching group alongside Trey McBride is providing a promising outlook for Arizona. While being under a substantial deal, Murray demonstrated his ability to contribute to winning when he's on the field.
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