Sometimes quarterback competitions aren’t really competitions at all.
Let’s rewind to 2021 and the Urban Meyer era for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars drafted Trevor Lawrence, one of the best quarterback prospects ever, first overall in the NFL Draft. Everyone knew he’d start Week 1. But in his infinite wisdom, Meyer pretended there was a competition. He had Lawrence split time until Aug. 25, when he was finally named the team’s starter. All that did was cost Lawrence valuable reps, when everyone knew the outcome. Meyer was fired after 13 games.
This season there does seem to be a few true competitions, though not many. Let’s take a look at where the competitions stand with the preseason fully getting started this week:
This one is way more like the Urban Meyer/Trevor Lawrence situation then a true competition. The Commanders refuse to name Jayden Daniels their starter, although everyone assumes the second overall pick of the draft will be. Marcus Mariota is his backup. This is the time-honored “making the rookie earn it” approach it seems, because if Daniels isn’t the opening day starter that’s a pretty big problem in Washington.
“As we’re going through this whole process, let’s make sure if we are going to be about the competition and how things are going to go, we’re not going to miss one step of their development and that’s what this time of year is for,” Commanders coach Dan Quinn said, via the team’s site.
Don’t fall off your chair when Daniels is named the starter this month.
Pittsburgh Steelers
This one doesn’t seem to be a competition, because Mike Tomlin hasn’t given much indication that Russell Wilson is truly competing with Justin Fields. But Wilson dealt with a calf injury as training camp opened, giving Fields some valuable time with the starters. Tomlin values Wilson’s experience and his accomplishments, and that means it will be very hard for Fields to win the job by Week 1.
“We’re all about trying to win now,” Steelers general manager Omar Khan told Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein. “We understand that there’s a future and we’re always thinking about what impact every decision we make has on the future.
“But we’re about winning this year.”
Wilson doesn’t offer Pittsburgh much long-term upside, and Fields had some good moments with the Chicago Bears. The Steelers will be watching both in the preseason, even if it seems like Wilson has a clear and perhaps insurmountable lead.
The outcome seems predetermined too. The Vikings seem committed to starting Sam Darnold in Week 1 and not rushing first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reported that “it’s clear there is a seriousness about handling [McCarthy’s] development carefully” and that has played out in camp. Darnold has been working as the starter in training camp, taking nearly all of the first-team reps (even through coach Kevin O’Connell said “it’s pretty darn even between Sam and J.J.,” via the team’s site).
There have been reports from Vikings camp about how good McCarthy has looked. Darnold has never been an effective NFL starting quarterback, though he also started his career in some poor situations. The allocation of starter reps in training camp is a good indication that the Vikings will follow through with their plan to have Darnold begin the season as the starter, though maybe McCarthy could force the issue with a big preseason.
The only thing that seems settled from Broncos camp is that it’s a two-man race at quarterback. Zach Wilson is the clear QB3 as Denver starts its preseason.
But the competition between first-round pick Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham is unsettled. There are indications Nix is ahead, and Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson wrote after a visit to camp that Nix is “doing what he needs to be the opening day starter, steadily improving as he goes.” Nix has plenty of experience after an NCAA record 61 career starts and a first-round pedigree; if he has a good preseason then there’s no good reason he shouldn’t start Week 1.
There were six quarterbacks taken in the first 12 picks of the NFL Draft, and it seems like three of them have very little chance to start in Week 1.
Michael Penix Jr. won’t start for the Atlanta Falcons, that’s obvious. The Vikings seem set on their plan to make J.J. McCarthy wait. And there hasn’t been much indication that Drake Maye, the third overall pick, has any real shot to start the opener.
Jacoby Brissett was brought in to be an option to start while Maye learns. There should be some trepidation about starting Maye with such a poor supporting cast. Many camp reports from the media in New England have used the term “up and down” to describe Maye’s camp. The Boston Herald said that Brissett entered Saturday’s practice with “a sizable lead” over Maye and then the gap got wider during practice when Brissett had some good plays and Maye struggled. It seems like Maye would need a monster preseason to even make it a true decision before Week 1.
Plenty of reports out of the Raiders’ camp have praised the defense, specifically the secondary, and that’s probably code for the quarterbacks not impressing anyone. It’s veteran Gardner Minshew II vs. second-year Aidan O’Connell, and it seems the competition is very close. Multiple reporters said Minshew outplayed O’Connell in extended 11-on-11 reps in camp on Saturday. That might give him the edge for the moment, but Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said it’s still a competition.
“I don’t think we can sit there and say somebody’s won yet,” Pierce told the media on Monday, via KSNV in Las Vegas.
Pierce said Minshew has had some good moments but also some turnover issues. He also praised O’Connell for his accuracy in camp. Minshew might have a small edge but preseason results might determine who gets the start in Week 1.
