Rodgers connected to Seahawks; Darnold receiving interest from Steelers as QB carousel starts up
Published
Multiple veteran quarterbacks are starting to have their suitors line up on the eve of the tampering period, including Sam Darnold and Aaron Rodgers, according to The Athletic's Diana Russini.
The free agent tampering period opens on Monday, March 10 at noon ET, before free agency officially begins at 4:00p.m. ET on Wednesday.
According to Russini, some of the most intriguing names on the quarterback market are generating interest from multiple teams.
Sam Darnold could move back to the AFC
Darnold, 27, just had a career year in his first season with the Minnesota Vikings. He was named to his first Pro Bowl after throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns with a 66.2 per cent completion rate - all his best marks by a wide margin.
This success comes after a period in the relative doldrums for the former second-overall draft pick.
He made just 18 starts over three seasons from 2021-23 with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers after being traded by the team that drafted him, the New York Jets.
Russini reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to make an offer to Darnold after experiencing quarterback troubles of their own last season.
The Steelers finished 27th in passing yardage and 20th in passing touchdowns with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson splitting starts for the team last season.
Another team Russini said was interested in Darnold was the Seattle Seahawks, who traded away their starting quarterback of the last two seasons, Geno Smith, to the Las Vegas Raiders earlier in March.
Seahawks also keeping tabs on Aaron Rodgers
The Seahawks are keeping their options open to fill the void at quarterback left by the Smith trade.
They're also reportedly expected to talk to Rodgers when the tampering period opens on Monday.
Rodgers, 41, threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns for the Jets last season, but led the team to a 5-12 record. His lack of mobility was a pressing issue for the veteran of 20 seasons at times, and he picked up various minor injuries as a result of hits taken through the season.
Rodgers has also been linked to the New York Giants through the off-season, and the Raiders - before they decided to add Smith through a trade.
Could Daniel Jones bounce back in a different system?
Daniel Jones was benched midway through last season before ultimately being cut by the Giants after the sixth-year quarterback struggled in his first 10 starts.
The former sixth-overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft threw for 2,070 yards with eight touchdowns against seven interceptions, leading the Giants to a 2-8 record.
Jones was rewarded with a big contract extension after leading the Giants to the playoffs in the 2022-23 campaign where he set a career high in passing yardage (3,205) - is there a chance he could recapture that form in another coach's system?
Russini identified the Vikings and Indianapolis Colts as the leading contenders to sign Jones on Wednesday.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell was responsible for turning Darnold into a premium quarterback last season, while Colts head coach Shane Steichen laid the foundation for Jalen Hurts to become a star while with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jones holds a career record of 24-44-1 through six seasons, with 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.