Nine NFL quarterbacks switch teams in 2024 free agency

National Football League Free Agency officially started on Wednesday. Here are nine NFL quarterbacks who switched teams.

Kirk Cousins

A year ago the New Orleans Saints gave big money to a free agent quarterback (Derek Carr signed a deal for four years, $150 million). This year, another NFC South team did the same. On Tuesday it was first reported that Kirk Cousins of Barrington, Illinois signed a four-year deal worth $180 million with the Atlanta Falcons. Cousins is a four-time Pro Bowler (once with Washington and thrice with Minnesota). Known for his consistency (completion percentage of 66.9% in 150 games), he will try to bounce back after injuring his Achilles at the midway point last season against the Green Bay Packers. In eight games last season, Cousins completed 216 passes in 311 attempts for 2331 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also had 14 rushes for 25 rushing yards.

Gardner Minshew II

The native of Flowood, Mississippi signed a two year deal worth $25 million with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders have clearly moved on from Jimmy Garoppolo, who did not work well into the Raiders system last season. Minshew II previously played two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019 and 2020, and two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 and 2022, before joining the Indianapolis Colts in 2023. A year ago, Minshew II saw regular playing time in Indianapolis when fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson injured his shoulder in October and was gone for the season. In 2023,  Minshew II completed 305 passes in 490 attempts for 3305 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and was selected to the Pro Bowl. He also 34 rushes for 100 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Sam Darnold

The Vikings were in need of a quarterback when they lost Cousins to Atlanta, and settled on Sam Darnold of Capistrano Beach, California. Darnold is joining his fourth NFL team. He was previously with the New York Jets from 2018 to 2020, the Carolina Panthers in 2021 and 2022, and the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, where he was a backup to Brock Purdy. Darnold, who signed a one-year deal worth $10 million with the Vikings, completed 28 of 46 passes for 297 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception last season. He also had 21 rushes for 15 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

Jacoby Brissett

The New England Patriots are saying goodbye to Mac Jones and hello to Jacoby Brissett of West Palm Beach, Florida. There is no doubt that the quarterback position in New England has been unstable since Tom Brady went to Tampa Bay. and Brissett will try to bring his experience to Foxboro after signing a one-year deal worth $8 million. Brissett actually began with the Patriots as a backup to Brady in 2016, before four seasons in Indianapolis (2017 to 2020), and one season each in Miami (2021), Cleveland (2022), and Washington (2023). With the Commanders last season, Brissett backed up Sam Howell, and completed 18 of 23 passes for 224 passing yards and three touchdowns, long with three rushes for 19 yards.

Marcus Mariota

Speaking of Howell, his future quarterbacking Washington in 2024 is in question, after the Commanders signed Marcus Mariota of Honolulu, Hawaii, to a one-year deal worth $6 million. Mariota has previously been with the Tennessee Titans (2015 to 2019), the Las Vegas Raiders (2020 to 2021), the Atlanta Falcons (2022), and the Philadelphia Eagles (2023). Last season with the Eagles, Mariota backed up Jalen Hurts. He completed 15 of 23 passes for 164 yards, one touchdown pass and one interception. Mariota also had eight rushes for 52 rushing yards.

Mitchell Trubuisky

The native of Mentor, Ohio is returning to the Buffalo Bills after playing the 2021 NFL season there and backing up Josh Allen. Expectations were high for Trubisky at the beginning of his NFL career. He was considered a future star after representing the Chicago Bears in the 2018 Pro Bowl. Trubisky went on to play two more seasons with the Bears in 2019 and 2020, one season with the Bills, and the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2023, Trubisky completed 67 passes in 107 attempts for 632 passing yards, with four touchdowns and five interceptions while backing up Kenny Pickett in Pittsburgh. He also had 16 rushes for 54 rushing yards and two touchdown runs. Now Trubisky returns to backing up Allen after signing a two-year deal worth $5.25 million.

Drew Lock

The native of Columbia, Missouri signed a one-year deal worth $5 million with the New York Giants. Last season in Seattle, Lock backed up Geno Smith. He completed 48 of 76 passes for 543 passing yards,  along with three passing touchdowns, and three interceptions, and five rushes for 14 rushing yards. Lock also spent his first three NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos from 2019 to 2021, but struggled with his control. He led the NFL with 15 interceptions during the 2020 season.

Jameis Winston

The native of Bessemer, Alabama signed a one-year deal worth $4 million with the Cleveland Browns to backup DeShawn Watson. He has previously played five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2015 to 2019 (selected to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2015), and the last four seasons with the Saints from 2020 to 2023. Winston had a topsy turvy season with the Buccaneers in 2019. He led the NFL in passing yards with 5109, but also interceptions with 30. This past season with the Saints, while backing up Carr, Winston completed 25 of 47 passes for 264 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Russell Wilson

Despite only signing a one-year deal worth $1.21 million, this signing by the Pittsburgh Steelers has a lot of intrigue. The native of Cincinnati, Ohio is joining his third NFL franchise after a decade with the Seattle Seahawks and two seasons with the Denver Broncos. With the Seahawks, Wilson was selected to the Pro Bowl nine times, won the Super Bowl in 2014, and led the NFL in touchdown passes with 34 in 2017. This past season in the Mile High City, Wilson completed 297 passes in 447 attempts for 3070 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also had 80 rushes for 341 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Any way you look at it, a quarterback controversy between Wilson and Pickett is starting in Pittsburgh.

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