NFL teams are more impatient than ever. Owners, GMs, and coaches feel pressure to deliver immediate success. It’s led to certain players falling out of favor quickly, and limiting the growth of certain prospects. We’ve seen teams discard top draft picks, only for those same players to find success on a new team.
Minnesota QB Sam Darnold is the latest example of this phenomenon. The former No. 3 overall pick in the draft looked lost as the starting QB for the Jets and Panthers. After gaining some experience, he broke out with the Vikings this past season, setting career highs across the board and leading his team to 14 regular season wins. Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield followed a similar path and has since found a home in Tampa Bay.
With competent quarterback play so scarce, teams will certainly be looking to identify the next Darnold or Mayfield. Which QB is going to resurrect their career next year? Here are five potential candidates:
Zach Wilson (Denver Broncos)
Getting drafted by the Jets but finding success in the NFL elsewhere almost seems like a requirement nowadays. Darnold, of course, bounced around from New York to Carolina to San Francisco before eventually making his run with the Vikings. Geno Smith was a second-round pick by the Jets in 2013 and didn’t establish himself as an NFL starter until three years ago.
That makes Wilson an obvious choice, and a name that will surely be discussed in NFL circles this offseason. He spent this past year backing up Bo Nix and learning from offensive guru Sean Payton. His career numbers aren’t all too dissimilar from what Darnold and Smith registered with the Jets. Wilson still has a great arm and seems to have matured over the past couple of seasons.
Daniel Jones (Minnesota Vikings)
Both New York teams seem to relish the opportunity to set their quarterback up to fail. The Giants did Daniel Jones no favors throughout his career. The receiving corps was dreadful throughout his tenure. The Kenny Golladay signing and Darren Waller trade both massively failed. They allowed RB Saquon Barkley to walk in free agency this past offseason.
That’s not all to say Jones doesn’t deserve some blame for his play. He’s thrown 8 TDs to 13 INTs over the last two seasons. However, Jones led a fairly mediocre Giants team to the playoffs during his last fully healthy season. Top draft picks who don’t figure it out with their initial team almost always get a second chance with a different franchise. Expect some QB-needy teams to inquire about Jones in the offseason.
Carson Wentz (Kansas City Chiefs)
Could Carson Wentz resurrect his career? Wentz is a bit different than some of the other names listed here. He’s enjoyed massive success previously in his career. In 2017, Wentz finished third in MVP voting but suffered a season-ending injury in Week 14. Nick Foles took over for the Eagles, and the rest is history.
Wentz started for the Colts and Commanders but had to accept a backup role after the quick stops. He’s spent the last two years as a reserve for the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs. You can’t ask for much better tutelage than learning from Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Andy Reid, and Patrick Mahomes. Wentz just turned 32, the same age that Geno Smith was when he was named the starter in Seattle. It might not be too late for the veteran to have one more run.
Joe Milton (New England Patriots)
The Patriots found their franchise quarterback, and his name is Drake Maye. Maye stepped in as New England’s starter in Week 6 and never looked back. The team hired Mike Vrabel to become their next head coach. He’s surely excited to work with Maye for the next decade.
That leaves arguably the most physically gifted QB in the league without a clear role. Joe Milton is a sensational athlete with elite physical tools. He put those tools on display in his only appearance during the season, a Week 18 matchup with the Buffalo Bills. Milton led New England to a win and made several jaw-dropping plays throughout the game. His touch and accuracy as a passer caused him to slip in the draft. However, there’s a chance a confident offensive mind tries to acquire Milton and mold him into a franchise quarterback.
Hendon Hooker (Detroit Lions)
Milton was the backup at Tennessee for two years after transferring from Michigan. That’s because the Volunteers already had a lead signal caller — the 2022 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Hendon Hooker. Hooker was marvelous at Tennessee, but his senior year was cut short after an ACL tear. The injury occurring so late in the season coupled with his age (Hooker was 25 when he was drafted) caused the QB to slip in the draft.
When the Lions scooped him in the third round, many believed he would eventually take over as the starter. Jared Goff was viewed as a bridge QB but has since emerged as a franchise signal caller for Detroit. Goff doesn’t look like he’s leaving anytime soon, and Hooker is now 27 years old and has just nine pass attempts in the NFL. There are some rumblings that if Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson agrees to a head coaching gig he’ll trade for Hooker.
