The past month of the offseason has been a whirlwind for NFL quarterbacks. Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz, and Drew Lock were all traded, Tom Brady returned from his short vacation, er, retirement, Aaron Rodgers lost Davante Adams, Derek Carr gained Davante Adams, and Mitchell Trubisky signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And we aren't done yet.
As of Monday morning, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are still looking for homes while Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo (and maybe Matt Ryan) are waiting to find out where they'll be traded. The Seahawks, Saints, Panthers, and Colts are all still looking for a starting quarterback. In other words, the quarterback landscape is still evolving. But before we get to what's to come, let's talk about the biggest riser of the offseason so far.
No quarterback rose more in the past month than Trubisky, and he may not be done yet. If the Steelers don't draft a quarterback, expect him to rise at least three more spots just on the likelihood that he'll start 17 games as long as he stays healthy. His rushing ability and the presence of Diontae Johnson give Trubisky top-15 upside in Fantasy this season and there's at least some hope he could earn himself another starting job in the future with a good 2022 season.
This was supposed to be the blueprint for Winston as well, we're just waiting to see if he pulled it off. Winston acquitted himself well in seven starts for the Saints last year, going 5-2 with a 102.8 passer rating while tossing 14 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. Had he not suffered a torn ACL, he may have already locked up a long-term contract.
Now, with Wilson and Watson off the board, Winston figures to be the next domino to fall. If he signs another one-year deal in New Orleans, it will be tough to rank him much higher than he is now. Like Trubisky, he'll need a good season to have any hope of being a starter in 2023 and beyond. While Winston's history gives us a little more hope for a good season, it would be far from a guarantee.
However, if Winston lands a multi-year deal he could challenge Trubisky as the biggest riser of the offseason. He'd have more upside and more security than Trubisky, which could vault him into the top-20. And unlike Trubisky, I could see a scenario where Winston works his back into the top-15 in these rankings with a hot start to 2022.
Here are my updated Dynasty quarterback rankings:
