Poll: Who Is The Best Unrestricted Free Agent QB This Offseason?
As teams gear up for an offseason of roster maneuvering, teams are beginning to the arduous process of lining up their salary caps to retain key players on expiring contracts, sign free agents, and their draft picks. Teams are forced to make especially difficult salary-cap decisions when they have a chance at an elite player through free agency.
While many of the top players currently set for free agency will surely sign an extension with their current team or receive either the franchise or transition tag, it is always a fun exercise to examine who is currently the best player set to be available through unrestricted free agency.
It’s no secret that this year’s offseason will be dominated by quarterback storylines. Philip Rivers, Jameis Winston, and Teddy Bridgewater are all set to be unrestricted free agents and had success as starters last season. Yet, none of them have the pedigree of future Hall of Famers Drew Brees and Tom Brady, the 
combination of youth and sustained success like Dak Prescott, or match the recent performance of Ryan Tannehill.
Brady has obviously asserted himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time over his Patriots career, but he will be 43 before the start of next season and looked abnormally average at the close of this season. New England finished the season with back-to-back losses to finish out the regular season (against the 5-11 Dolphins) and in the first round of the playoffs (at home against the Titans).
Brady played a role in both losses, completing just 36 of his 66 attempts (good for a 54.5% completion percentage) for 430 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. At the same time, Brady amassed over 4,000 passing yards for the third consecutive season and produced his best touchdown-to-interception ratio (24 to 8) since 2017.
Brees is in a similar boat. He’ll be 41 next season, but just led the league in completion percentage for the third consecutive season and posted the best touchdown-to-interception ratio of his career. With that said, the Saints did not look much different in the 5 games Brees missed early in the season with backup Teddy Bridgewater in his place.
Prescott has been surrounded by the hoopla of quarterbacking America’s Team, but the Cowboys signal-caller has taken consistent strides under the bright lights. At just 26 last season, Prescott fell just 98 yards shy of reaching the 5000-yard mark. He set a career-high with 30 touchdown throws and even while throwing a career-high 596 attempts, was sacked a career-low 23 times.
Of course, unlike Brees and Brady, Prescott has yet to reach the historic status they both already have. In fact, Prescott has yet to play in a conference championship game. Furthermore, his career year this season came while Dallas struggled to an 8-8 record in a wide-open NFC East. Does he deserve credit for performing despite a difficult surrounding, or was he responsible for the team’s struggles?
Finally, one of the most interesting stories of the season surrounded the quarterback position in Tennessee. Many around the league scoffed when the Titans benched Marcus Mariota for Ryan Tannehill. It seemed like they were just replacing one disappointing quarterback with another. However, the once highly regarded prospect led the Titans to a 7-3 surge to close the regular season, upset the Patriots in the first round of the playoffs, and almost upset the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Tannehill threw for 2742 yards in just 10 regular season starts, throwing 22 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. He led the league in yards per attempt (9.6) and quarterback rating (117.5) while helping young wideout A.J. Brown emerge as one of the best receivers in football. However, it’s fair to wonder how much of Tannehill’s success was a side-effect of a fantastic run game (led by Derrick Henry) and his receivers (like Brown). With the shortest resume of the group, Tannehill surely represents the largest risk but may have one of the highest rewards.
With all that said, what do you think? Who is the best unrestricted free agent quarterback this offseason? Submit your answer in the poll below and voice in your opinion in the comments.
Ryan Tannehill Changes Agents
On the verge of potential free agent fortune, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has changed agents. On Tuesday, the QB dropped Pat Dye Jr. to join up with Brian Ayrault and Todd France of CAA, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
Dye, who has about 30 years of experience, is far from small time, but CAA boasts an entire stable of NFL stars and has a history of scoring major paydays in free agency. Among their many clients – Titans free agent running back Derrick Henry.
Tannehill had a rocky tenure in Miami, but he impressed after taking over for Marcus Mariota in 2019. Thanks to incentives, the QB netted $10.25MM for his showing. On his next deal, he’ll see a major pay bump.
Tannehill took over as the Titans starting quarterback in Week 7, and he went on to lead them to a 7-3 record and a playoff berth. In his 12 games (ten starts), Tannehill completed 70.3% of his throws for 2,742 yards and 22 touchdowns against just six interceptions. Then, in the postseason, he was under center for the Titans’ upset victory over the Patriots.
This time last year, Tannehill was something of an afterthought in NFL circles. Now, he’s primed to be one of the brightest stars in free agency. The Titans want to keep him – and Henry – but they can only use the franchise tag on one of them.
Poll: Who Will Tom Brady Play For In 2020?
As expected, Tom Brady‘s name has become a mainstay in NFL headlines as we creep closer to the opening of free agency in March. Even as the 2019 season was in progress, his future in the league was often discussed, and several teams were rumored as potential landing spots if he should continue his playing career and elect to leave the Patriots.
And while Brady put an end to any retirement drama immediately after New England’s ouster from the playoffs by saying he would return to the field in 2020, the question of where he will play is still very much unsettled.
The Chargers, long rumored as a possible fit, were definitively linked to Brady just last week, when Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirmed that the Bolts would make a push for the six-time Super Bowl champ. Given the talent that LA boasts at the skill positions and the fact that the club could incorporate Brady’s TB12 workout facility into its brand new stadium — not to mention Brady’s connections to SoCal — a Chargers-Brady partnership is a logical one.
But LA’s division rival, the Raiders, are also planning to pursue the future Hall of Famer. Adding Brady at this point in his career would not necessarily represent a slam-dunk upgrade over Derek Carr, but it would make a ton of sense from a marketing perspective for the Las Vegas-bound outfit and for Brady, and if the Raiders improve their receiving corps — which they are fully expected to do — they could compete for a wildcard berth in 2020.
The Colts and Titans have been more speculative fits than anything else, but the Colts hung around the playoff picture for much of the 2019 season, the AFC South looks like it will be up for grabs again in 2020, and Brady could be the boost that gets Indianapolis back to the postseason. The Colts are also flush with cap space, so they could afford to sign Brady while also providing him with a couple of additional weapons, though they already have a few talented pieces at the skill positions.
Of course, the Titans were the team that ended the Patriots’ 2019 playoff run, and they advanced to the AFC Championship game behind a dominant running game and good defense. Ryan Tannehill was more of a game manager in the playoffs than he was in his regular season renaissance, and recent reports have suggested that Tennessee may not be as committed to him as was once believed. If Brady is interested, the Titans may be, too.
And then there’s the Patriots, who became one of the all-time great dynasties in sports with Brady under center. Owner Robert Kraft has made it clear that he wants Brady back, but some around the league believe the 42-year-old will leave Foxborough, leaving the Pats without a definitive answer at QB for the first time in 20 years.
So what do you think? Will Brady remain with the only team he has ever known, or will he play out the remainder of his career trying to bring glory to another franchise? Vote in the poll below and show your work in the comments.
Titans Promote Multiple Assistants
- The Titans are promoting multiple assistants. Formerly operating as defensive assistants, Scott Booker and Ryan Crow will respectively rise on Mike Vrabel‘s staff. Booker is the Titans’ new assistant special teams coach, and Crow will now coach Tennessee’s safeties under new secondary coach Anthony Midget.
Titans Won’t Hire Defensive Coordinator
On Thursday, the Titans formally hired Jim Haslett to serve as their inside linebackers coach. Meanwhile, their defensive coordinator vacancy will remain vacant, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.
The Titans’ DC position opened up a few weeks back, when veteran coach Deen Pees announced his retirement. There were ample candidates available to replace the 70-year-old, but head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t see a need to fill his shoes. Presumably, Vrabel will be the one calling the plays in Tennessee, though Haslett comes with 12 years of headset experience.
After shocking the Patriots in the playoffs, the Titans will have the No. 29 overall pick in April. They could use that pick to fortify their secondary while dedicating more of their cap room to pressing needs on the other side of the ball. For starters, they’ll have to sit down with running back Derrick Henry, who is reportedly looking to top Ezekiel Elliott‘s contract. They’ll also have to hammer out a new deal with Ryan Tannehill, who is also salted for free agency in March.
Derrick Henry Aiming Higher Than Ezekiel Elliott Deal
One of three key members of the Titans’ offense set for free agency, Derrick Henry is coming off an all-time postseason performance. And he’s looking to cash in from either the Titans or another team.
Henry made it clear he would prefer to stay in Tennessee but wants a top-market contract. During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Henry said Ezekiel Elliott‘s number will be his floor (video link). Elliott signed a six-year, $90MM extension with the Cowboys last year. It remains the top running back contract.
The bruising back did not say he is committed to testing the market, however. Henry would be fine with signing a major extension with the Titans before free agency opens March 18.
“I hope they prevent it from happening,” Henry said of testing the market. “I love the state of Tennessee. We’ll see what happens, though.”
The Titans want to keep their 26-year-old impact back and are willing to use their franchise tag to make that happen. But fellow UFA-to-be Ryan Tannehill is also a tag candidate. Right tackle Jack Conklin is set for free agency as well. Teams can use their franchise and transition tags this year, unless a new CBA is finalized by the time the tag window opens Feb. 25. The running back franchise and transition tags are expected to come in around $10.4MM and $8.6MM, respectively. The ability to use both in the final year of a CBA may be crucial to the Titans retaining their quarterback and running back. As of December, Tennessee had not begun Henry extension talks.
This is a big target for Henry, even after the season he compiled. While the former Heisman winner won the rushing title and spearheaded the Titans to a surprising AFC championship game run with monster performances in wins over the Patriots and Ravens, his contract-year showing dwarfs his previous three years of work. Although DeMarco Murray took much of the workload from Henry in 2016-17, the former second-round pick was ineffective for much of the 2018 season before finishing strong. He is now coming off a 1,540-yard season that included 446 playoff rushing yards — the most by a player whose team did not qualify for a Super Bowl.
However, Henry’s old-school style does not include much in the passing game. That’s been essentially a prerequisite for the backs who have signed lucrative deals over the past two years. And the early returns from the new running back pay rate have not been promising. Excepting Elliott, the eight-figure-per-year deals for Todd Gurley, David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell have not rewarded teams. It will be difficult for Henry to top Elliott’s $15MM-per-year pact, but Henry does bring immense value to the Titans’ offense.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/3/20
Here are today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: C Lo Falemaka
Denver Broncos
- Released from reserve/retired list: WR Romell Guerrier
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Cole Herdman
2020 Draft Order
Super Bowl LIV is in the books, which means the order for the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft is set. By virtue of their 31-20 win Sunday night, the Chiefs will have the final pick in the first round. The 49ers dropping to 5-2 in Super Bowls will result in the NFC champions approaching the podium at No. 31.
Here is the full first-round order:
1. Bengals (2-14)
2. Redskins (3-13)
3. Lions (3-12-1)
4. Giants (4-12)
5 Dolphins (5-11)
6. Chargers (5-11)
7. Panthers (5-11)
8. Cardinals (5-10-1)
9. Jaguars (6-10)
10. Browns (6-10)
11. Jets (7-9)
12. Raiders (7-9)
13. Colts (7-9)
14. Buccaneers (7-9)
15. Broncos (7-9)
16. Falcons (7-9)
17. Cowboys (8-8)
18. Dolphins (via Steelers 8-8)
19. Raiders (via Bears 8-8)
20. Jaguars (via Rams 9-7)
21. Eagles (9-7)
22. Bills (10-6)
23. Patriots (12-4)
24. Saints (13-3)
25. Vikings (10-6)
26. Dolphins (via Texans 10-6)
27. Seahawks (11-5)
28. Ravens (14-2)
29. Titans (9-7)
30. Packers (13-3)
31. 49ers (13-3)
32. Chiefs (12-4)
Patriots Prepared To Pay Tom Brady $30MM/Year
Tom Brady and the Patriots could very well extend their remarkably fruitful relationship into 2020 and beyond, and New England is prepared to do whatever it can to make that happen. Per Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, the Pats are willing to pay Brady $30MM or more per season to get him to stay in Foxborough (video link).
That would bring Brady more in line with the pay of elite QBs around the league, but in addition to the size of his own contract, Brady wants the club to pony up some cash and/or draft capital to bring in more talent to surround him. The Pats were carried by their defense this year, and their general dearth of weapons at wide receiver and tight end proved to be costly down the stretch of the 2019 season and played a major role in their wildcard round defeat.
We have long heard that the Chargers could be among the non-Patriots suitors for Brady, and Rapoport confirms that the Bolts are expected to make a strong push for the legendary signal-caller. RapSheet notes in a written piece that the Chargers, who are prepared to move into an extravagant new stadium in LA, could incorporate Brady’s TB12 workout facility, which is important to Brady. Rapoport also mentions the Titans as a potential landing spot (depending, of course, on what they choose to do with Ryan Tannehill).
Meanwhile, the Patriots are working on contingency plans just in case they cannot convince Brady to rejoin them. One such option includes a trade for a veteran QB, and there could be several viable players on the trade market, including Cam Newton and Andy Dalton.
South Notes: Tannehill, Texans, Falcons
The refrain during the final several weeks of the Titans‘ season pointed to either a Ryan Tannehill extension or franchise tag. But the resurgent team may not be entirely committed to the ex-Dolphin yet. The Titans have not decided Tannehill is worth a $27MM franchise tag or a franchise QB-level salary, Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com note. Tannehill is open to a long-term Titans deal, and the sides began discussing an extension late in the season. After the quarterback’s surprising stretch to help the team to the AFC title game, it would be surprising if he were allowed to hit the market. But the Titans do have Derrick Henry as a franchise tag candidate and four-year right tackle starter Jack Conklin set for free agency as well. The Titans have some major decisions to make in the next few weeks. Teams can use their franchise and transition tags this year, if there is no new CBA in place by the time the tag window opens February 25. Teams have from Feb. 25-March 10 to apply tags.
Here is the latest from the South divisions:
- Among their free agents, Austin Hooper appears to be the Falcons‘ top priority. De’Vondre Campbell is on the team’s re-up radar as well. Vic Beasley‘s future in Atlanta is less certain. The former first-round pick earned All-Pro acclaim in 2016 but fell off the radar for years after that dominant season. “Well, Vic played at a different level in the back half of the year than the first half of the year,” Arthur Blank said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “What changed for him, I’m not exactly sure. And whether or not we can have that kind of consistency with him when it matters, only time will tell.” A trade candidate at the deadline, Beasley finished with four sacks in his final four games to record eight this season.
- Falcons safety Ricardo Allen underwent shoulder surgery recently, Jason Butt of The Athletic tweets. The veteran defender played through a shoulder malady late in the season. He will require a multiple-month rehab process, which could delay his participation in the Falcons’ offseason program.
- The Texans added multiple staffers to lower-level positions, bringing in Deon Broomfield as a defensive assistant and DeNarius McGhee as a quality control coach, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Broomfield coached cornerbacks at Indiana State for the past three years, while McGee coached quarterbacks and running backs at Montana State in that span.