The 2022 NFL offseason promised some wild quarterback moves, and it has delivered. Tom Brady retired and then un-retired. Aaron Rodgers announced he was returning to Green Bay and signed a massive extension. Kirk Cousins ​​inked an extension in Minnesota. Russell Wilson was traded to the Broncos, Carson Wentz was shipped to the Commanders, and Deshaun Watson was moved to the Browns before agreeing to a huge deal. Mitchell Trubisky signed in Pittsburgh, and Teddy Bridgewater and Tyrod Taylor took on backup gigs with the Dolphins and Giants, respectively.

And we’re not even done yet. Jimmy Garoppolo is still likely to be traded. Baker Mayfield requested a trade and is going to be on the move. Matt Ryan could be in the trade mix. Jameis Winston remains unsigned. A handful of others might be on the move, like Carolina’s Sam Darnold. And then there is a crop of young quarterbacks in the draft class who could land with QB-needy teams.

But because the Rodgers, Wilson and Watson dominoes finally fell, it’s a good time to look closer at the QB movement as a whole. Which move left its team in the best spot? What about the worst? What remaining situation could be the most interesting to watch, and where will the rest of the quarterbacks looking for new homes land? Our NFL experts weigh in on the best and worst of the QB carousel.

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Best move | Worst move
Intriguing situations
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Which QB move of the past two weeks leaves its team in the best spot for 2022 and beyond?

Matt Bowen, NFL analyst: Russell Wilson traded to the Denver Broncos. With 33-year-old Wilson set to be in the mix for a while, I’ll go with Denver here. The Broncos filled a major need with a proven quarterback who can unlock the potential of a young and talented wide receiver group in new coach Nathaniel Hackett’s offence. And the Broncos landed Wilson off a pretty reasonable trade package.

Jeremy Fowler, NFL reporter: Deshaun Watson traded to the Cleveland Browns. If we’re sticking to an on-field impact, the Browns secured an elite passer at a position that has haunted them for two-plus decades. Watson was a top-five quarterback coming out of the 2020 season. A lot has happened since then, of course. The Browns inherited a QB who still faces 22 unresolved lawsuits alleging sexual assault and inappropriate conduct, and he could receive an NFL suspension. But when it comes to improving the Browns’ chances on the field, this is a seismic trade that drastically alters Cleveland’s trajectory. Cleveland has a ready-made roster and a good coach, and it didn’t have to give up key players in the trade with the Texans to acquire Watson. Sometimes you’re a player away. Just ask the Rams.

Dan Graziano, NFL reporter: Tom Brady coming out of retirement to rejoin the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I know, right? The 44-year-old is the one who sets his team up best for 2022… and beyond? But stick with me here. The cost of Brady for the Bucs is significantly less than what the Browns spent on Watson, what the Packers spent to keep Aaron Rodgers happy and what the Broncos will confront when Wilson wants a contract extension next year. I don’t know how many more years Brady will play, but even if it’s only one, his return already has had an impact on the roster that will benefit it in future years. The re-signings of center Ryan Jensen and cornerback Carlton Davis likely don’t happen if Brady doesn’t come back, and Russell Gage should be a very good player for them at the wide receiver. Plus, this buys the Buccaneers time to find their long-term answer in an offseason where quarterback is a seller’s market.

Jason Reid, senior writer at Andscape: Brady coming out of retirement to rejoin the Buccaneers. This is an easy call. The most successful passer in NFL history determined quickly that the fire still burns within him, which puts the Buccaneers on the short list of contenders for the NFC championship. Although Brady will turn 45 in August, he’s still at the top of his game. In fact, after a season in which Brady finished second in MVP voting and led the league in both passing yards and touchdown passes, one could argue he has never been better. Obviously, Watson will help the Browns. The Broncos are in a much better spot with Wilson atop their roster, and Rodgers is still second to none, so the Packers are in great shape at the game’s most important position. But after all the shuffling is finished, Tampa Bay will be on top because of Brady. In other words, just like old times.

Kevin Seifert, NFL reporter: Brady coming out of retirement to rejoin the Buccaneers. I initially thought Rodgers, but he will cost the Packers more against the cap, and a retirement or departure anytime in the next few years will result in a massive cap charge. Brady’s contract will void after the 2022 season, and at the moment he carries an extremely reasonable cap ($20.3 million) and cash chargers ($11 million). That will give the Buccaneers more flexibility to field a team that can best Rodgers and the Packers for NFC supremacy.

Which QB move of the past two weeks leaves its team in the most concerning situation for 2022 and beyond?

Bowen: The Carolina Panthers failing to land Watson. As of today, the team has to run it back with Sam Darnold, who had some flashes of production in 2021 but still plays inconsistent late in the down. His decision-making suffers when he leaves the pocket. And those are the same negative traits we saw on his tape with the Jets, too.

Fowler: The Seattle Seahawks trading Wilson. Coach Pete Carroll is leaning heavily into his team-building concept, believing Seattle can rally with a run-first attack and opportunistic defense. But this league is largely predicated on quarterback play and rushing the passer, and right now Seattle doesn’t have an identity at the most important position. Sure, Seattle might have grown frustrated that Wilson didn’t get rid of the ball sooner from the pocket, and he didn’t exactly play lights out over the past 15 months. But the club of elite quarterbacks is small, and Wilson is in it. He bailed out Seattle with late-game heroics on plenty of occasions. Now Carroll and the Seahawks must watch him do the same in Denver. Even with draft capital and key players coming back in the deal, it still feels like they lost the trade.

Graziano: The Seahawks trading Wilson. I just don’t know where they go from here. I think Seattle did well in the trade in terms of the return it got. And I trust GM John Schneider to spin draft picks into more draft picks. Maybe the Seahawks set themselves up to get whoever turns out to be the best quarterback in the 2023 draft. But there are so many unknowns in that process, and in the meantime they have Drew Lock to get them through this year. The Seahawks could have another move up their sleeve, but it’s hard right now to see any way they aren’t starting from scratch.

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Marcus Spears cannot contain his joy when discussing Russell Wilson and the possibilities ahead in Denver.

Reid: Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders. He is better than the quarterbacks Washington relied on last season. Of course, that’s not saying much. But the Colts dumped Wentz after only one season, and who could blame them? Entering his third season, Commanders head coach Ron Rivera — who has a record of 14-19 in Washington — will now rely on Wentz. Good luck with that.

Seifert: Wentz to the Commanders. Put simply, Wentz has been a pretty mediocre-to-bad quarterback for the past three seasons. He’s on his third team in three years. The Colts’ decision to bail on him after one year is a huge red flag. And we’re supposed to believe he is going to revive his career with a franchise that last won a playoff game in 2005?

Which remaining QB question is most intriguing?

Bowen: It has to be Baker Mayfield. Indianapolis and Seattle have a need here, and both clubs offer a heavy run-game influence in their respective offenses — which Mayfield needs.

Fowler: Where does Jameis Winston land? He has sort of been the forgotten QB throughout the chaotic past few weeks, but the Saints and Colts are both considering signing him. Winston has long been the Saints’ primary option, save the Watson chase. The free-agent quarterback market has slowed since Mitch Trubisky signed but should pick up with a Winston signing, giving the former No. 1 overall pick the chance to start again.

Graziano: Where does Mayfield go, and what becomes of the rest of his career? I’m not sure people understand how rare the Baker situation is, but for the No. 1 overall pick to not finish his rookie deal with his drafted team is incredibly rare. It’s effectively a Jamarcus Russell situation. Mayfield played hurt last season, and it’s fair to assume he can be better than he was in 2021 once he’s healthy again. But not every team would have taken him No. 1 in 2018, and he’s not going to be the apple of everyone’s eye. Can he land with a team that can resuscitate his career?

Reid: Yeah, Mayfield’s next landing spot. The Browns’ management determined that the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft can’t lead them to where they hope to go. And here’s the thing: The Browns are right. Mayfield had a long runway and didn’t get it done. But he’s talented enough to be an upgrade at QB for many teams — if he can get out of his own way.

Seifert: Matt Ryan’s short-term future. Ryan was fully aware that the Atlanta Falcons were trying to acquire Watson. He even agreed to move back a bonus to allow the Falcons to wait out Watson’s answer. Does all that disappear now? Will Ryan happily move forward as the Falcons’ starter, knowing the team tried to replace him? Or will he soon be on the move as well?

Make one prediction for how the rest of the carousel plays out.

Bowen: Ryan stays in Atlanta. There’s a lot of work to do here when looking at the Falcons’ wide receiver room. But the offensive system is a really good fit for Ryan at this stage of his career. He can throw the play-action in-breakers and target the schemed windows in Arthur Smith’s offense.

Fowler: Mayfield goes to the Colts. Clearly, Mayfield wants Indy, and it wouldn’t cost the Colts much to get him. (One NFL exec predicted a similar package as Wentz to Washington, in the range of two third-round picks). That would be a true sunk cost for a player who has two years of good football on his resume. I’ve got a feeling the Seahawks will hang around on this one, too. Mayfield’s us-against-the-world mentality would play in Seattle, and Seahawks exec Alonzo Highsmith was part of the John Dorsey crew that drafted Mayfield No. 1 overall.

Graziano: I think Carolina is Jimmy Garoppolo’s landing spot. No team came into the offseason more motivated to do something at quarterback than the Panthers, and so far they have been shut out. Darnold is still there and can start for them if Garoppolo’s shoulder surgery delays his availability for the start of the regular season. I think Carolina can and will offer the Niners a worthwhile package in a trade.

Reid: All signs point to Jameis Winston returning to the New Orleans Saints. Winston appeared to be headed in a good direction before his season was cut short because of a knee injury. In the long run, this could play out well for both Winston and the Saints.

Seifert: Mason Rudolph is going to be on the move. The Steelers sure seem like they want to find their long-term starter in the draft, and they wouldn’t have signed Trubisky if they thought Rudolph could be their bridge starter. They’ve seen plenty of him, both in practices and in games, over the years.