This NFL offseason has seen several teams part ways with their first-round quarterback draft picks. This has raised questions as to whether franchises are too impatient with their developing QB talent.
NFL analyst Rich Eisen believes that these decisions are becoming exceedingly premature in today’s league.
“We’re seeing guys get opportunities, and if you don’t have immense success at the very beginning of your career now in the National Football League, you’re just not gonna play for that team very long.”
Notably, the Chicago Bears traded starter Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The New England Patriots also sent Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Both teams have top-three selections in the 2024 NFL Draft and are likely to take their replacements.
“I don’t get how somebody like Sam Howell has a year’s worth of experience in him, and he gets traded to Seattle. And everybody things ‘well, he can’t be the starting quarterback anymore for the Seattle Seahawks. Suddenly you’re dead, you’re dead to people in our world.”
Howell nearly reached the 4,000-yard mark as a rookie. He went for 3,946 passing yards and 21 passing touchdowns for the Washington Commanders in 2023.
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His 21 interceptions came with the territory of his age and experience. Unfortunately, he had the door shut on his career in Washington before getting the opportunity to improve in 2024.
Meanwhile, Fields and Jones have a couple seasons under their belt and talent that proves they can produce in the right situation. The same applies for Zach Wilson, who will soon be dealt from the New York Jets.
Even in Trey Lance’s case, when his completion percentage dipped to 48.4 percent that year, he fell to third-string after two ankle surgeries. Lance has since been traded to the Dallas Cowboys as a long shot to see the field next season.
The NFL world wasn’t too kind to Fields or several of his QB counterparts on social media this offseason. That doesn’t mean they can’t contribute if developed properly.
The league has given rookie quarterbacks more opportunities in recent seasons but that has created shorter turnaround times as a result. Eisen and others believe new approach may be needed for both teams and players to maximize their success.