Green Bay Packers

Off-Season

Bears Positioning Themselves to Jump Packers in NFC North

Former NFL Tight End

2 min Watch

The Chicago Bears provided a massive boost to their offense by acquiring wide receiver D.J. Moore on Friday in a deal that sent the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers. With Moore (and anyone the Bears may select at the No. 9 and 61 overall picks) in to help the Bears’ offense take the next step forward under quarterback Justin Fields, the Bears are ready to jump the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North, as Green Bay pushes through a divorce with Aaron Rodgers and installs Jordan Love as its next quarterback.

In this article

News

Packers President: Rodgers ‘Had Great Career Here’, Expects Resolution By Free Agency

3 min Watch

The Green Bay Packers appear ready to officially close the book on Aaron Rodgers‘ time with the franchise and make Jordan Love their next franchise quarterback.

Packers president Mark Murphy confirmed the team plans to honor Rodgers’ trade request if he desires one, and both sides expect things to be resolved before the start of free agency on March 15, WBAY reported.

“It’s a situation where I think we wanted to help Aaron achieve what he wanted, as well as the Packers. Hopefully, it’ll create a situation where it’s a win for both sides,” Murphy said. “I think ideally for everybody would be to have this resolved before the start of free agency on March 15.”

He also confirmed the team permitted the New York Jets to begin courting Rodgers. Steps have been made toward a deal, including a face-to-face meeting between Rodgers and the team, and the Jets are optimistic something will get done, though Rodgers himself has not announced his plans or ruled out retirement yet.

Until a deal is made, Rodgers could open 2023 as the Packers’ starter. Murphy was asked if he could foresee a scenario where Rodgers was Green Bay’s quarterback this season.

“Yeah, I mean unless, if things don’t work out the way we want them,” Murphy said. “Yeah, we would. He is obviously a great player.”

Joe Banner, former team executive for the Browns and Eagles and analyst for The 33rd Team, doesn’t believe it was a wise move for Murphy to discuss the matter with the media in the middle of negotiations.

“There are times to talk, and other times to not say anything,” Banner said. “He should not even be talking to the press right now. There’s nothing to gain. And there are questions that can really put the team in a position that doesn’t look good. And certainly, if Aaron’s going to leave there, they should make sure they do it in a way that respects the career that he’s had. I think Mark would have been better off just staying in his office and not doing that interview.”

Though not shutting the door on Rodgers entirely, it appears the Packers are content to let Rodgers move on — either to another team or on to retirement — and move forward with Love.

“We’ve seen this happen before, to the point where it seems like Rodgers is done with the Packers and the Packers are done with Rodgers,” Banner said. “The only way I could see a scenario in which he can go back to Green Bay, because it seems like they’re both committed that he’s not, is if the offer from the Jets is so bad that it doesn’t make any sense to trade him.”

There are parallels between Rodgers’ situation and one with his predecessor in Green Bay, Brett Favre. The Packers dealt Favre to the Jets in 2008 to make room for Rodgers, a first-round pick drafted three years earlier. In discussing the similarities, Murphy referred to Rodgers’ Packers career in the past tense, stating, “Aaron had a great career here.”

A Rodgers move would open the door for Love, also drafted in the late first round three years ago, to step in as the franchise quarterback, something Murphy is comfortable with.

“We have a lot of confidence in him [Love]. We drafted him and developed him. A lot of credit goes to our coaches and to Jordan. We do think he’s ready,” Murphy said.

WATCH: Packers Should ‘Bet Ranch’ on Jordan Love

In this article

Analysis

2023 NFL Draft: Full List of Picks For Every Team in All 7 Rounds

7 min Watch

The NFL on Thursday awarded compensatory draft picks to NFL teams. The San Francisco 49ers led the way with seven extra picks, including three in the third round (Nos. 99, 101 and 102) for developing minority candidates to fill the head coach or general manager positions with a new team.

In all, 16 teams received comp picks for losing “more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year.” The 49ers and Los Angeles Rams received four extra picks under this formula — the maximum allowed.

Below is a list of every team’s picks in all seven rounds of the draft:

Note: There are only 31 selections in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft because the Miami Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick.

First Round

1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago, 7-10) 

Team Needs: QB, RB, WR, TE, iOL, LB, SAF

2. Houston Texans (3-13-1)

Team Needs: QB, WR, Edge, OT

3. Arizona Cardinals (4-13) 

Team Needs: Edge, DL, CB, iOL

4. Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1) 

Team Needs: QB, TE, CB, SAF

5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver, 5-12) 

Team Needs: WR, Edge, SAF, QB

6. Detroit Lions (from LA Rams, 5-12) 

Team Needs: WR, TE, CB, Edge

7. Las Vegas Raiders (6-11) 

Team Needs: QB, iOL, DT, CB

8. Atlanta Falcons (7-10) 

Team Needs: QB, WR, OL, DL, EDGE, LB

9. Chicago Bears (from Carolina, 3-14)

Team Needs: OT, Edge, WR, DL

10. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans, 7-10)

Team Needs: Edge, SAF, CB

>>Read More: Eagles Built Their Roster In Way Other Teams Can Follow

11. Tennessee Titans (7-10)

Team Needs: WR, iOL, DL, LB

12. Houston Texans (from Cleveland, 7-10) 

Team Needs: QB, WR, Edge, OT

13. New York Jets (7-10) 

Team Needs: iOL, OT, QB

14. New England Patriots (8-9)

Team Needs: WR, IDL, LB, OT

15. Green Bay Packers (8-9) 

Team Needs: SAF, iOL, Edge, CB

>>Read More: Has Jordan Love’s Time Come? 

16. Washington Commanders (8-8-1) 

Team Needs: QB, OL, LB, CB

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8) 

Team Needs: OT, DL, LB, CB

18. Detroit Lions (9-8) 

Team Needs: DL, LB, TE, CB

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-10) 

Team Needs: QB, iOL, Edge

20. Seattle Seahawks (9-9) 

Team Needs: WR, Edge, SAF, QB

Miami forfeited its first-round selection, originally No. 21 overall, for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton

21. Los Angeles Chargers (10-8) 

Team Needs: OT, WR, iDL, CB

22. Baltimore Ravens (10-7) 

Team Needs: WR, OL, DL

23. Minnesota Vikings (13-4) 

Team Needs: WR, CB, DL, QB

24. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-8) 

Team Needs: iOL, DL, CB, SAF

25. New York Giants (9-7-1) 

Team Needs: iOL, LB, CB

>>Read More: Predicting QB Contract Extensions

26. Dallas Cowboys (13-5) 

Team Needs: LB, SAF, WR

27. Buffalo Bills (13-3) 

Team Needs: SAF, IOL, WR

28. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4) 

Team Needs: TE, OT, LB, CB

29. New Orleans Saints  (from San Francisco, 7-10)

Team Needs: QB, DT, LB

30. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) 

Team Needs: Edge, SAF, CB

31. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3) 

Team Needs: RB, LB, CB

Second Round

32. Pittsburgh (from Chicago)
33. Houston
34. Arizona
35. Indianapolis

36. Los Angeles Rams  (5-12)

Team Needs: OL, DL, LB, SAF

37. Seattle (from Denver)
38. Las Vegas
39. Carolina
40. New Orleans
41. Tennessee
42. NY Jets (from Cleveland)
43. NY Jets
44. Atlanta
45. Green Bay
46. New England
47. Washington
48. Detroit
49. Pittsburgh
50. Tampa Bay

51. Miami Dolphins (9-8)

Team Needs: LB, CB, TE, IOL, OT

52. Seattle
53. Chicago (from Baltimore)
54. LA Chargers
55. Detroit (from Minnesota)
56. Jacksonville
57. NY Giants
58. Dallas
59. Buffalo
60. Cincinnati
61. Chicago (from Carolina via San Francisco)
62. Philadelphia
63. Kansas City

Third Round

64. Chicago
65. Houston
66. Arizona

67. Denver Broncos (from Indianapolis, 5-12) 

Team Needs: OL, DL, LB, CB

68. Denver
69. LA Rams
70. Las Vegas
71. New Orleans
72. Tennessee
73. Houston (from Cleveland)

74. Cleveland Browns (from Jets, 7-10)

Team Needs: WR, DT, LB

75. Atlanta
76. New England (from Carolina)
77. LA Rams (from New England via Miami)
78. Green Bay
79. Indianapolis (from Washington)
80. Pittsburgh
81. Detroit
82. Tampa Bay
83. Seattle
84. Miami
85. LA Chargers
86. Baltimore
87. Minnesota
88. Jacksonville
89. NY Giants
90. Dallas
91. Buffalo
92. Cincinnati
93. Carolina (from San Francisco)
94. Philadelphia
95. Kansas City
96*. Arizona
97*. Washington
98*. Cleveland

99*. San Francisco 49ers  (13-4)

Team Needs: iOL, Edge, CB

100*. Las Vegas (from Kansas City via NY Giants)
101*. San Francisco
102*. San Francisco

Fourth Round

103. Chicago
104. Houston
105. Arizona
106. Indianapolis
107. New England (from LA Rams)
108. Denver
109. Las Vegas
110. Atlanta (from Tennessee)
111. Cleveland
112. NY Jets
113. Atlanta
114. Carolina
115. New Orleans
116. Green Bay
117. New England
118. Washington
119. Minnesota (from Detroit)
120. Pittsburgh
121. Jacksonville (from Tampa Bay)
122. Kansas City (from Miami)
123. Seattle
124. Baltimore
125. LA Chargers
126. Cleveland (from Minnesota)
127. Jacksonville
128. NY Giants
129. Dallas
130. Buffalo
131. Cincinnati
132. Carolina (from San Francisco)
133. Chicago (from Philadelphia)
134. Kansas City
135*. New England

Fifth Round

136. Chicago

Houston forfeited its fifth-round pick, originally No. 137, for a salary cap-reporting violation.

137. Buffalo (from Arizona)
138. Indianapolis
139. Denver
140. Cleveland (from LA Rams)
141. Las Vegas
142. Cleveland
143. NY Jets
144. Las Vegas (from Atlanta)
145. Carolina
146. New Orleans
147. Tennessee
148. Chicago (from New England via Baltimore)
149. Green Bay
150. Washington
151. Seattle (from Pittsburgh)
152. Detroit
153. Tampa Bay
154. Seattle
155. San Francisco (from Miami)
156. LA Chargers
157. Baltimore
158. Minnesota
159. Atlanta (from Jacksonville)
160. NY Giants
161. Houston (from Dallas)
162. Indianapolis (from Buffalo)
163. Cincinnati
164. San Francisco
165. New Orleans (from Philadelphia)
166. Kansas City
167*. Los Angeles Rams
168*. Arizona
169*. Dallas
170*. Green Bay
171*. LA Rams
172*. NY Giants
173*. San Francisco
174*. Las Vegas
175*. Tampa Bay
176*. Indianapolis (from Dallas)
177*. LA Rams

Sixth Round

178. Kansas City (from Chicago via Miami)
179. Tampa Bay (from Houston)
180. Arizona
181. Tampa Bay (from Indianapolis)
182. LA Rams
183. Detroit (from Denver)
184. New England (from Las Vegas)
185. Jacksonville (from NY Jets)
186. Tennessee (from Atlanta)
187. New England (from Carolina)
188. Houston (from New Orleans)
189. LA Rams (from Tennessee)
190. Cleveland
191. LA Rams (from Green Bay)
192. New England
193. Washington
194. Detroit
195. Denver (from Pittsburgh)
196. Tampa Bay
197. Miami
198. Seattle
199. Baltimore
200. LA Chargers
201. Houston (from Minnesota)
202. Jacksonville
203. Houston (from NY Giants)
204. Las Vegas (from Dallas)
205. Buffalo
206. Cincinnati
207. NY Jets (from San Francisco via Houston)
208. Jacksonville (from Philadelphia)
209. NY Giants (from Kansas City)
210*. New England
211*. Minnesota
212*. Dallas
213*. Arizona
214*. Las Vegas
215*. Washington
216*. San Francisco
217*. Kansas City

Seventh Round

218. Chicago
219. Philadelphia (from Houston via Minnesota)
220. Las Vegas (from Arizona)
221. Indianapolis
222. San Francisco (from Denver)
223. LA Rams
224. Atlanta (from Las Vegas)
225. Atlanta
226. Jacksonville (from Carolina)
227. New Orleans
228. Tennessee
229. Cleveland
230. Houston (from NY Jets via Tampa Bay)
231. Las Vegas (from New England)
232. Green Bay
233. Washington
234. Pittsburgh
235. Green Bay (from Detroit via LA Rams)
236. Indianapolis (from Tampa Bay)
237. Seattle
238. Miami
239. LA Chargers
240. NY Giants (from Baltimore)
241. Pittsburgh (from Minnesota via Denver)
242. Green Bay (from Jacksonville)
243. NY Giants
244. Dallas
245. New England (from Buffalo via Atlanta)
246. Cincinnati
247. San Francisco
248. Philadelphia
249. Kansas City
250*. Kansas City
251*. LA Rams
252*. Tampa Bay
253*. San Francisco
254*. NY Giants
255*. San Francisco
256*. Green Bay
257*. New Orleans
258*. Chicago
259*. Houston

*Compensatory pick

In this article

Report: Jets Are ‘Optimistic’ Aaron Rodgers Trade Will Get Done

2 min read

Report: Jets Are ‘Optimistic’ Aaron Rodgers Trade Will Get Done
The New York Jets are confident they’re close to landing their next quarterback.  Following meetings Monday and Tuesday with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Jets are “optimistic” they’ll acquire the veteran signal-caller, ESPN reported Thursday. Jets owner Woody Johnson left the meetings feeling “excited and satisfied” about Rodgers’ match with the Jets.  The […]

Read More

News

Source: Rodgers Meets with Jets, Open to Idea of Playing in New York

3 min Watch

Aaron Rodgers isn’t having extensive conversions with the Green Bay Packers, but he is speaking with other teams.

The Packers quarterback met with the New York Jets on Monday, according to The 33rd Team’s Trey Wingo. Although no trade is imminent, Rodgers appears open to the idea of playing in New York. In fact, talks continued on Tuesday and elevated to the point where a contingent of Jets officials — including owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas, coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett — flew to meet with Rodgers in California, per ESPN. 

The Jets’ interest in Rodgers and any veteran quarterback on the market is well-known. New York contacted Green Bay about trading for Rodgers in February.

Rodgers has yet to decide if he’s going to play in 2023 or retire. Before the Super Bowl, the embattled quarterback said he’d make his decision after completing what ended up being a three-day isolation retreat. Rodgers’ first comments since ending the retreat provided no further clarity on his situation.

“I don’t want to drag anybody around,” Rodgers said on The Aubrey Marcus Podcast. “I’m answering questions about it because I got asked about it. I’m talking about it because it’s important to me. If you don’t like it, and you think it’s drama, and you think I’m being a diva or whatever, then just tune it out. That’s fine, but this is my life. It’s important to me. I’ll make a decision soon enough, and we’ll go down that road. I’ll be really excited about it.”

Before Rodgers made his comments, general manager Brian Gutekunst spoke about the quarterback’s situation at the NFL Combine.

“He’s a great player, but until we have those conversations, I think all options are on the table,” Gutekunst said. “We need to have those conversations. We want what’s best for the Green Bay Packers, what’s best for him, so we’ll get to that coming up.”

Gutenkunst added he’s hoping for a resolution before free agency begins on March 15. If Rodgers does return to Green Bay next season, his contract will be restructured, Gutenkunst said. The quarterback is scheduled to make $59.465 million guaranteed in 2023.

“He’s my quarterback, so I hope he’s back. If he’s back, we are ready to ball with him,” Aaron Jones said Tuesday on NFL Network. “If not, then we have Jordan Love, who’s more than capable, and he’s ready to ball as well and ready for his shot.”

The Jets have made it clear, from ownership on down, that they view quarterback as the “missing piece” to their Super Bowl hopes. With free agent Derek Carr coming off the market on Monday, the Jets’ pursuit of Rodgers intensified.

Some Jets players have taken to Twitter trying to recruit Rodgers. Running back Breece Hall tweeted “Don’t mind me…Just Manifesting
@AaronRodgers12😅.”

Cornerback Sauce Gardner took a more direct approach, tweeting:

 

In this article

Analysis

Jordan Love’s Stunning Development Leaves Packers in Enviable Position

Super Bowl Champion Head Coach

2 min Watch

No one knows what will happen with Green Bay’s quarterback situation, but if the Packers part ways this offseason with Aaron Rodgers  — however it happens — they should be in great hands with Jordan Love. 

When the Packers drafted Love out of Utah State in 2020, many wondered about his ability to transition from a non-Power Five league to the NFL and if he had enough accuracy to make everyday NFL throws. 

I was dumbfounded when I first saw him. I’ve never been so shocked or taken by a guy at first glance as I was with Jordan Love. When he was coming out of college, I remember watching tape of him where he would throw the ball way down the field, and he had the presence of an NFL quarterback. 

I’d equate Love to Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers in that regard. They have that presence that when a defense moves them off their mark they’re not going to panic. You know they’re going to stand in there and make throws, take it and find a way to win. You can see it in both players’ body language. I’m big on body language, and it’s something you can’t underestimate. 

Jordan Love

Love Develops Dynamic Delivery

Love obviously has developed since he was drafted. When I watched tape of him playing last year, I was surprised at how quick his delivery had gotten. He’s got a very dynamic delivery, much like Rodgers has. And there are some good reasons for that. 

He has very strong legs, and when he sets himself to throw, he uses them very well. That’s important because consistency and accuracy come from that. That’s why the ball just snaps out of his hand. 

When you watch Love, his knees are bent and he’s got this great base. That’s so important because that’s everything you need for accuracy. You throw with your legs. That’s the first thing that goes for an older quarterback — his legs. That’s when things start to deteriorate. 

Love is 6-foot-4 and about 220 pounds, and he has these big legs. He’s obviously strong, and he sets himself extremely well. There are several young quarterbacks I’ve watched on tape, and they never really set themselves. That’s going to lead to accuracy problems. Love is different; he’s very accurate because his mechanics are perfect.

That’s why when you watch the ball come out of his hand, it will shock you. He really snaps it out of there.

Keep Calm, Make Plays

Another area he’s grown in is his pocket presence. He has a calmness in the pocket, a great presence. Watch his eyes. He doesn’t panic. He moves when he has to. 

When you combine these things, it’s no surprise he’s gotten extremely accurate. He can turn it back at the line of scrimmage, step around defenders and hit receivers on the fly. What Love does with the ball is a lot like what Rodgers does — he’s quick and accurate. 

When Love relieved Rodgers in the Packers’ road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last year, there were some good examples of his growth. One play that stood out to me was when he had to bail on a broken play late in the fourth quarter. If you focus on his eyes, he keeps them downfield, which is a really good trait. He stays in there and tries to fight through and make the throw, but it’s not there. Then he bails out, slides over and fires it to Reggie Cobb at the goal line. The defender makes a great play to knock the ball out and save a touchdown.

Earlier in the quarter, he hit Christian Watson right on the numbers about 10 yards over the middle on a quick slant. Watson took it 63 yards for a touchdown. It shows you how quick he is with the ball, which just snaps out of his hands.

Love showed he’s really good outside the pocket, too. He can escape, and he’s not going to run away from everybody, but he’s good enough. He moves better than Rodgers does at age 39. 

Physically, Love is outstanding. Not only is he very accurate, but his passes have a lot of zip and snap to them. 

Packers’ Patience Should Pay Dividends

The Packers’ plan to give Love time to develop could pay off for them. When I watch him now,  I can see why the Packers held him back and wanted to keep him. I would suspect he will be a really good player for them with a chance to be very good. 

Keeping him in the program for three years has been a huge help. You can see he understands Matt LaFleur’s offense intimately. It’s similar to Rodgers’ progression from 2005-07. They’ve both been able to sit for three years and absorb the offense. They haven’t had to be put in the fire. When they come in, they understand everything. 

So just as they did with Rodgers, the Packers have to do whatever they can to keep Love. They’ve invested those three years in him in the same system. So, I think it’s time.

 If Rodgers moves on, it would be a smooth transition for the Packers to Love. Having tackle David Bakhtiari and guard Elgton Jenkins healthy going into the season will make them much better on the offensive line. Receivers Romeo Doubs and Watson will have a year of experience and be ready to contribute more. 

If Love ends up being the No. 1 guy, it could be a good thing for the organization. When you make that change to a young guy, there’s a different sense of energy that sometimes is good. Guys get excited and they’re all coming in on the same wavelength. 

From what I’ve seen of this kid, I’d hang on to him. I’d bet the ranch on this guy. 

WATCH: Can Jordan Love Win Super Bowl?

In this article

Betting

Betting 2023 NFL Draft: What Team Will Take Anthony Richardson?

11 min Watch

You can now bet on which team will draft Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (scouting report) on DraftKings Sportsbook, just like you can with Bijan Robinson (scouting report). Richardson’s odds in the first overall pick market saw wild line movement a little more than a week ago, as he went from a 30-1 longshot to a 7.5-1 contender in a matter of hours. 

After dominating the combine over the weekend, Richardson is now 3-1 to be the first overall pick on DraftKings. As things stand today, Richardson is expected to go early in the first round.

When we analyzed Robinson’s market, we went through every team directly, as Robinson has a wide range of landing spots. In Richardson’s market, we will break down his potential landing spots in groups.

Which Team Will Draft Richardson?

Favorites

Pick 2 & 12 Texans (+1000)

Pick 4 Colts (+400)

Pick 5 & 20 Seahawks (+550)

Pick 6 & 18 Lions (+750)

Pick 7 Raiders (+700)

Pick 8 Falcons (+600)

Pick 9 Panthers (+300)

This market has seven teams with 10/1 odds or less. They all have a draft pick within the top nine selections. Five of them have an immediate need at quarterback. Two are in a position to start a quality veteran this year while potentially allowing a rookie to sit for a full season. 

A lot can happen between now and the draft, but this betting market indicates one of these seven teams will likely select Richardson. Let’s dive into the favorites.

The Houston Texans will almost certainly draft a new quarterback, and they have the easiest path to moving up to the first pick. Despite their position, the Texans have the longest odds of selecting Richardson from this group. Betting markets believe Houston is more likely to take Bryce Young (scouting report) than Richardson.

The Indianapolis Colts are the second favorite in this market. The Colts’ new coach, former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, had great success with dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts. I’ve often said Hurts is among the most unique quarterback prospects I’ve ever evaluated. When he was at Alabama, I didn’t think he had any chance of developing into an impactful passer in the NFL. Then, he transferred to Oklahoma and looked like an entirely different player. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

Richardson has similar potential but only started one year in college and never had that Hurts in Oklahoma-type season as a passer. Richardson could still be available if the Colts sit tight with the fourth pick. Indianapolis is also close enough to the top of the draft to trade up to the top spot if it wants to get ahead of Houston.

The Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions are in similar positions. They both won nine games last year, had top-10 offenses, have two first-round picks, are both sneaky intriguing contenders in a weak NFC, and have veteran quarterbacks that are good but could be better. Both teams are in a position to develop a player like Richardson behind a quality veteran quarterback.

The Las Vegas Raiders appear interested in acquiring a veteran quarterback through trade or free agency. That doesn’t preclude them from taking a quarterback in the first round, especially if they can’t trade for Aaron Rodgers. But ultimately, that’s why Vegas is the fifth favorite in this market, with longer odds than two favorites that pick after them.

>> READ: Rodgers’ Decision Will Come Soon Enough

If Richardson is still available at pick eight, I’d be surprised if he got past the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have a solid offensive line and an excellent young core of blue-chip pass-catchers. Arthur Smith’s run-centric, play-action-driven offense would be an intriguing fit for Richardson’s skill set. 

The Carolina Panthers are the top favorite in this market. Carolina hasn’t had a real solution at quarterback since Cam Newton missed most of the 2019 season. If any of the four quarterbacks expected to go in the first round are available, there is a good chance they don’t get past the Panthers.

The Falcons and Panthers selecting back-to-back could result in a trade-up by either team to secure a quarterback.

Fringe Contenders

Pick 11 Titans (+1300)

Pick 16 Commanders (+1600)

Both the Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders could use a new future at quarterback. If Richardson falls, the Titans can start Ryan Tannehill this season while being patient with Richardson’s development. The Titans are in an interesting position to trade up for a quarterback with the 11th pick, too.

Washington appears to be entering the season with Sam Howell as its quarterback. The Commanders should be in the new quarterback market. However, they will have to leapfrog many teams with a quarterback need to get one of the top four guys. 

 

Longshots With Potential

Pick 13 Jets (+3000)

Pick 19 Buccaneers (+2000)

Pick 22 Ravens (+2500)

Pick 23 Vikings (+2500)

The New York Jets have a win-now roster, so they are a likely destination for Rodgers and Derek Carr. If the Jets miss out on both, they can trade up for a quarterback they like. If New York misses out on Rodgers and Carr, I will check this market to see if they are still 30-1.

>> READ: Is Carr Answer for QB Needy Teams? 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a similar position to the Commanders in this year’s draft. The Buccaneers may enter the season with an unproven player still on their rookie deal in Kyle Trask. 

If the Baltimore Ravens or Minnesota Vikings were 75-1 in this market, I’d consider putting a bet on them. If the Ravens traded Lamar Jackson, it would make sense for them to get a dynamic quarterback prospect in this year’s draft. If one team were going to move on from speed-reliant quarterbacks after their rookie deals purposely, it would probably be Baltimore.

If the Vikings finally blow up their roster and start over, they, too, would become an interesting longshot to acquire Richardson. That said, there is no value on either of these teams at 25-1 odds.

Unlikely Longshots

Pick 1 Chicago Bears (+2500)

Pick 14 Patriots (+3500)

Pick 15 Packers (+7500)

Pick 17 Steelers (+10000)

Pick 25 Giants (+4500)

Pick 29 Saints (+4000)

Dolphins (+4500)

Rams (+10000)

49ers (+10000)

The Chicago Bears have the draft capital to start over at quarterback, but should they? The jury is still out on Justin Fields, even though he’s a dynamic athlete that just ran for 1,143 yards. He also turned the Bears into a dangerous offense by himself last season. It would be odd for the Bears to swap their current dynamic quarterback with accuracy concerns for an unproven rookie with the same problems.

>> READ: Bears Leaning Toward Trading No. 1 Overall

The New England Patriots made the playoffs in Mac Jones‘ first season. There is a high chance the Patriots give Jones one more full year after his up-and-down sophomore campaign. Whether it’s Rodgers or Jordan Love under center on opening day, the Green Bay Packers don’t appear to be in the quarterback market.

I expect the Pittsburgh Steelers to be patient with Kenny Pickett to the point he likely gets his entire rookie deal to prove himself. I’d be shocked if Pickett wasn’t the uncontested starter for the Steelers heading into opening day.

It appears the New York Giants will either extend Daniel Jones or use the franchise tag on him. They aren’t entirely out of the quarterback market, but they are close to being out. The New Orleans Saints need a new future at quarterback, but they would have to trade away a ton to move up from the 29th pick into new quarterback territory. 

The Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers all have injury uncertainty at quarterback. They would also need more draft capital to enter new quarterback territory.

 

Teams Completely Out of Quarterback Market

Pick 3 Cardinals (+10000)

Pick 10 & 31 Eagles (+10000)

Pick 21 Chargers (+20000)

Pick 24 Jaguars (+20000)

Pick 26 Cowboys (+10000)

Pick 27 Bills (+20000)

Pick 28 Bengals (+20000)

Pick 30 Chiefs (+20000)

Broncos (+10000)

Browns (+20000)

These teams are all long shots in this market because they are all set at quarterback. The Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs are each complete cross-offs in this market. The Eagles belong in that group as well with Hurts. 

The Arizona Cardinals have the draft capital to select a new quarterback, but they signed Kyler Murray to a long-term deal last offseason. Even if the Cleveland Browns or Denver Broncos wanted to change directions at the position, neither team has a first-round pick to use in a trade. 

Notable Line Movement

This market opened on Friday, March 3. Here are the most notable early line changes in this market:

  • The Colts opened at +750, tied for the fifth favorite with the Falcons. Indianapolis is currently +400
  • The Falcons opened at +750, tied for the fifth favorite with the Colts. Atlanta is currently +600
  • The Raiders opened at +600 and are presently at +700
  • The Lions opened at +600 and are currently at +750
  • The Titans opened at +1000 and are presently at +1300
  • The Commanders opened at +1200 and are currently +1600
  • The Buccaneers opened at +1200 and are now +2000
  • The Patriots opened at +2200 and are now +3500
  • The Giants opened at +3000 and are now +4500
  • The Bengals, Bills, Browns, Chargers, Chiefs and Jaguars all opened at +10000 and are now all +20000

If I were an oddsmaker, I would have set the Colts and Falcons as the top two favorites in this market. The Raiders are signaling they’d prefer a veteran quarterback. The Lions could benefit from selecting a top-tier defensive talent, and Jared Goff is only 28. 

As things stand now, Richardson will likely be gone by the time the Titans, Commanders and Buccaneers pick. The Giants and Patriots are unlikely to select a first-round quarterback. If the Bengals, Bills, Browns, Chargers, Chiefs or Jaguars were +50000 in this market, I still wouldn’t frame those as good bets.

There is a logic-based reason behind each of these line movements.

 

Final Thoughts

I won’t make any bets in this market right now because a seven-team cluster of favorites could all realistically acquire Richardson. We could add the Titans to that mix and make it an eight-team bunch. 

Considering that eight teams within the first 11 picks could realistically draft a quarterback with their first selection, I don’t have any real interest in forcing a bet on a favorite in this market. The underdogs I like don’t have long enough odds for me to pull the trigger.

But I am going to check this market when these events transpire:

  • Rodgers gets traded, retires, or stays in Green Bay
  • Jimmy Garoppolo signs
  • Lamar Jackson signs or gets traded

And if these events transpire:

  • Kirk Cousins gets traded
  • Jones gets traded
  • Someone trades with the Bears for the first-overall pick

I want the “who needs a quarterback” market to narrow before making any bets in this market. I’ll use an example to illustrate why that matters. If, say, Rodgers gets traded to the Raiders, Carr signs with Carolina and Jackson gets traded to the Falcons, that string of events would radically change this market.

Three of the favorites would essentially be eliminated from contention, while the Jets and Ravens would become far more likely to expend significant resources to trade up for a quarterback. That’s another reason I’m waiting to make any bets in this market. 

If I make any bets in this market, I will drop those in our discord in the future.

WATCH: Top 5 Best Ball Targets

In this article

Scroll to the Top