2023 NFL Best QB Room Part VII: AFC EAST

If you have not started with 2023 NFL Best Quarterback Room Part One: NFC North, please do so for a brief explanation of how this series originally came into existence and why it reads as it does. After that, check out Part Two: NFC West, Part Three: NFC East, Part Four: NFC South, Part V: AFC South , and Part VI: AFC West. As always, I hope you enjoy…

New York Jets/Zach Wilson:

Zack Wilson is under contract for the next two years making $9.6M and $11.2M respectively. The Jets are going to go with Wilson next year. Why? Because they must. Carr isn’t an option anymore.

Rodgers isn’t going to New York. You can’t get Geno back. You didn’t want to use Flacco. Nobody is going to give you anything for Wilson, so you’re only option is to keep him and hope to develop him or make him look a little bit better for a trade in 2024. What’s the difference between Zack Wilson and Mike White (who is a Free Agent), you might ask? Nothing. So, there’s no reason to bring White back, unless you really want to. Chris Streveler can be the backup for the next two years that he is under contract, unless you find one of these journeymen QB options…maybe Andy Dalton? Good luck!

UPDATE (March 24^th): As of right now, it’s Wilson and Streveler. The Jets are still trying to get Rodgers, but that isn’t done yet. It’s looking like a 50/50 right now on whether that will go through. Mike White signed with another team (coming up), and so did Andy Dalton (Panthers). So, it’s either Rodgers or Wilson. Or if the Rodgers deal falls through the Jets might make a run at Lamar.

UPDATE II (April 7^th): Rodgers is still holding the Packers and Jets hostage. The Jets have signed QB, Tim Boyle. Apparently, he has played for the Packers, Lions and Bears in the last four years, so I’m shocked that he didn’t sign with the Vikings.

UPDATE III (April 26^th): The New York Jets have officially closed the deal for Aaron Rogers. One of the biggest NFL stories of the offseason has ended. They essentially swapped 1^st round picks, the Packers got the Jets’ 2^nd and 6^th round picks for the Packers 5^th round pick…and the Packers will also get a conditional 2^nd round pick next year.

Let’s move on to the draft, where the Jets won’t even bother looking at QBs since they have Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle, and Chris Streveler backing up Rodgers.

UPDATE IV (May 1^st): No QBs taken in the draft. Nothing to see here…

New England Patriots/Mac Jones:

I don’t hate Mac Jones. He’s a decent QB with a decent salary ($4.3M this year and $5M next year). The Pats aren’t going to give him an extension any time soon, but I think you can roll with him for another year to see if he progresses. I think Hoyer is finally going to the old folks’ home, so you have Zappe as your backup. Not horrible. The Patriots have ELEVEN draft picks this year though. So, they will build a very good, young team, and maybe get another QB later in the draft. Otherwise, they weren’t terrible last year, just like Big Mac Jones.

UPDATE (April 6^th): Hoyer went to Las Vegas…which is just where old people go.

UPDATE II (April 14^th): The Patriots have signed Trace McSorley as QB3? Or QB2? Either way, this will be his third team in four years. The RUMOR is that the Pats are trying to trade Mac Jones, so they might like someone between McSorley, Zappe, or a potentially early round draft quarterback.

UPDATE III (May 1^st): The Patriots had twelve draft picks but did not draft a QB. However, immediately after the draft they went out and signed undrafted QB, Malik Cunningham from Louisville. They must have liked Malik a lot, but just not enough to draft him. Cunningham is a Lamar Jackson 2.0, but not as good. McSorley might be feeling a little de ja vu from being bounced in Baltimore by a similar player. However, Cunningham doesn’t really fit into the Quarterback Style that Belichick favors (Brady, Zappe, McSorley, etc.), so I’m guessing it’s just going to be for the preseason.

Miami Dolphins/Tua Traumatotheheadloa:

I’m calling it now; Tua is damaged goods. He’s on contract this year for $9.6M with a 5^th year option (that I seriously doubt the Dolphins will pick up) for $23.2M. Skylar Thompson is the backup now, with Teddy Bridgewater out of contract and probably going elsewhere. The Dolphins only have five draft picks this year, and nothing in the first round. So, what do you do? You get 3M! Miami Marcus Mariota as a contingency plan. They would love this kid in Miami, and he could be a gap fill for a few years until they draft another Tua…or Three-ah…

UPDATE (April 6^th): The Dolphins went out and got a different back-up (they ARE going to let Bridgewater walk), but it wasn’t Mariota as mentioned before, because he went to the Eagles. Miami signed Mike White away from their division rival, Jets. Smart move, Miami. Smart move. At the time, Mike White was arguably the best QB on the Jets roster.

UPDATE II (May 1^st): As mentioned earlier, the Dolphins didn’t have the draft equity to go after a QB so it should come as no surprise that they immediately signed an undrafted college QB, James Blackman from Arkansas State. Blackman is a tall kid 6’5” and has some athleticism, but he probably won’t make it past preseason.

Buffalo Bills/Josh Allen:

Josh Allen is locked in for the next FIVE years so there’s no reason to talk about their QB non-issues. Much like the Chiefs, they have a backup (ANOTHER Allen; Kyle, who was a backup for the Texans last year), and they’ll get another…and it won’t matter who.

UPDATE (May 1^st): The Bills did nothing out of the ordinary by not drafting a QB this year. Here is one shocker though; I honestly did not even know that Quarterback, Matt Barkley was still in the league. Apparently, this guy was hanging out on the Bills Practice Squad last year while Case Keenum was backing up Josh Allen. Well, now Barkley is the QB3 for the Bills. Kudos to him. His NFL career has lasted longer than fellow former USC alums, Matt Leinert (seven seasons), and he’s been in the league now just as long as Mark Sanchez (ten seasons).

Best Quarterback Room?

Before Aaron Rodgers was traded to the Jets, this was a relatively young “Starting Quarterback Division”. Josh Allen will be starting in his sixth season, Tagovailoa is starting his fourth, and Mac Jones is on his third. If Zach Wilson was starting for the Jets, he would be entering his third season as well. The fact that Rodgers is starting his 19th season can’t be overlooked. He has more years of experience than the other three starting QBs combined. If and when Tua goes down again, he has Mike White (third year), so Miaim probably has the worst QB Room out of the three. It comes down to Kyle Allen in Buffalo or Zach Wilson in New York. Which QB2 would you rather have? I’ll take Rodgers and Wilson over Allen squared. Which is just one reason why the Jets will also win the AFC West. Thanks for the “read”!