The NFL Offseason is about to get much more interesting, with NFL Free Agency beginning on March 15th. There are many big-name free agents on the market, and there are a number of great players that are in trade talks right now as well.
It is very tough to win without a quarterback. So, if you are a team that has a question mark at the position, you are certainly looking at the best QB free agents available. There are a few QBs in NFL Free Agency this year that are worthy of being starters, so look for them to find a nice payday.
Let’s take a look at the five best QB free agents available in NFL Free Agency this season.
When Does NFL Free Agency Start 2023?
Now that it is officially the offseason, many fans have the same question — when does NFL Free Agency start 2023? The 2023 NFL Free Agency period begins on Wednesday, March 15 at 4 p.m. ET. The “legal tampering period,” where teams can officially begin talking with players and negotiating terms, will begin two days prior.
Best QB Free Agents in NFL Free Agents 2023
Lamar Jackson
Technically, Lamar Jackson is the best QB free agent available this offseason. We include him on this list and not Daniel Jones, who is in a similar situation since Jackson has the possibility to switch teams.
The rumor is that the Baltimore Ravens will give Lamar Jackson a non-exclusive tag if the two sides cannot come to a long-term contract agreement. This means other teams will be allowed to negotiate with Jackson, then the Ravens will have the opportunity to match the offer. If they choose not to match the offer, then the other team would send two first-round picks to Baltimore in exchange for signing the former MVP quarterback.
If the New York Jets do not get Aaron Rodgers, it is a real possibility they check on Lamar Jackson.
Derek Carr
Well over a week until NFL Free Agency opens, it appears Derek Carr has already agreed to sign with a team. That team is the New Orleans Saints, who in turn would release Jameis Winston.
Derek Carr has a similar gospel-preaching, mediocre-passing thing that Drew Brees did for the Saints for a number of years, so it looks like they are sticking with what they know. However, ink is not to paper yet, so you never know if the Jets or another team swoops back in if they miss out on another quarterback.
Geno Smith
After resurrecting his career as the starter for the Seattle Seahawks last season, it would be a surprise to see Geno Smith sign anywhere else. However, after finally putting together a decent NFL season, Geno should absolutely take the biggest bag that is offered to him, as last year looks like the outlier right now.
From everything that has been seen and reported, Geno Smith became the leader Seattle needed at the quarterback position, and that alone had the team playing better. After injuries to the backfield, more pressure was put on Geno than Seattle hoped there would be, and he led them to the playoffs, so look for him to be back.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Jimmy Garoppolo is the first major question mark we have amongst the NFL free agent QBs on this list. He took a pay cut to stay in San Francisco last season, but that era of his career appears to be over.
We know a few things about Jimmy G.
- He is a winner
- He gets pretty cool dates
- He always gets hurt
- He isn’t a premier passer
- His “Nona” apparently can’t cook better than Subway can
The first few points there will be most important to teams. Jimmy Garoppolo is a leader that has found ways to win, even when his passes are inaccurate or he isn’t passing at all. However, he continues to get hurt, which makes it difficult to commit a lot of money to him.
RELATED | Best Backup QB Free Agents For The Packers
It appears the Green Bay Packers will be trading either Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love this offseason. This means they are in the market for a backup regardless. Check out Let’s Go Wisconsin to see the best backup QBs in NFL Free Agency for them to sign.
Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield really helped himself out by playing well with the Los Angeles Rams on prime-time television. It appears Mayfield has matured, at least some, and he has the ability to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. However, he has not earned the opportunity to be a starter without competition.
Look for him to sign another short-term contract, possibly down in Tampa, and prove he has what it takes to be in the NFL both on and off of the field.
Honorable Mention QB Free Agent: Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones was not included in the five best QB free agents in NFL Free Agency above, but he is an unrestricted free agent. The reason he was not included is that it is a given he will be back with the New York Giants. Either he will sign a long-term contract or he will receive the franchise tag and be back next season.
