One could argue that the NFL starting quarterback is the toughest and most important position in all of sports. That is why players are getting paid ridiculous amounts of money, even if they may not be that great (hello, Daniel Jones). If you’re a team that doesn’t have “a guy,” then the 2024 NFL Free Agency period or 2024 NFL Draft will be the time to get one. Below, we will take a look at the five best NFL quarterback free agents available.
There are many great players available during the 2024 NFL Free Agency period. To find out who all is available, explore our other articles here at FlurrySports!
When Does NFL Free Agency Start 2024?
The 2024 NFL Free Agency period officially begins on Wednesday, March 13th at 4 p.m. EST. In this day and age, all this truly means is that this is when free agents will be able to officially put pen to paper and sign their new contract.
The legal tampering period in the NFL begins at noon EST on Monday, March 11th. This is when teams can legally start negotiating with players and agents. However, we know this is already happening which is why many NFL insiders will start announcing deals and free-agent destinations on this day.
5 Best NFL Quarterback Free Agents
Kirk Cousins (35)
Kirk Cousins is coming off of an Achilles tear after playing the best football of his career for Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings. Because of this, and the offense he is familiar with (which is popular across the league), Cousins will garner interest. He is listed as the best NFL quarterback free agent by essentially everyone across the board. However, given the money involved, my vote for the top passer in NFL Free Agency will go to the next guy. Kirk Cousins isn’t bad, but he’s not winning a Super Bowl.
Possible Teams:
- Minnesota Vikings
- Atlanta Falcons
- Washington Commanders
Russell Wilson (35)
There is no doubt that the Russell Wilson trade was a massive disaster for the Denver Broncos. However, Wilson didn’t play that terribly last season, and now Denver is paying him a large sum of money to play for someone else. In other words, Wilson will cost some team a veteran minimum contract ($1.21M) which makes him highly desirable. It gives a contending team a Super Bowl-winning quarterback while also having the financial freedom to spend elsewhere.
Possible Teams:
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield (28)
Since his short stay in Carolina, it feels like Baker Mayfield has matured and regained that chip on his shoulder. He played well for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past season, and it would be surprising if they let him walk.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- New England Patriots
Joe Flacco (39)
Joe Flacco had a bit of a career resurgence last season, going from his couch to being the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. He led Cleveland to the playoffs and looked good doing it. Now, Flacco is likely a target for a team that has a shaky or inexperienced starter. However, he also could be viewed as an early or single-season starter while a rookie soaks up knowledge.
- New England Patriots
- New York Giants
- Any team with a shaky starter
Gardner Minshew (27)
Gardner Minshew joined the Indianapolis Colts last season after being told he would be the starter. The Colts then drafted Anthony Richardson, pushing Minshew to the sideline. However, he would quickly be back on the field leading the team, and it came with mixed results overall. At this point, I don’t think anyone believes Minshew will lead a true contender, but he is a strong backup who can play the role of a bridge quarterback for someone.
- Indianapolis Colts
- Carolina Panthers
- Seattle Seahawks
2024 NFL Salary Cap Tracker
In order to be active during NFL Free Agency for NFL quarterback free agents, a team must have some money to spend. As of Sunday, these 10 teams have the most money available, per the 2024 NFL salary cap tracker.
- Washington Commanders ($91.5M)
- New England Patriots ($82.8M)
- Tennessee Titans ($75.5M)
- Houston Texans ($62.8M)
- Chicago Bears ($62.7M)
- Arizona Cardinals ($56.6M)
- Indianapolis Colts ($49.2M)
- Cincinnati Bengals ($48.5M)
- Detroit Lions ($45.3M)
- Philadelphia Eagles ($43M)
