NFL Free Agency: 10 Teams Yet to Settle on a Starting QB Post-Draft
Even after four quarterbacks were taken in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft and two more in the second, there are still numerous questions at this position throughout the league.
In fact, some teams that added a signal-caller in the draft only fanned the flames of their quarterback controversy, since rookies generally provide more questions than answers.
For some teams, they have a supposed starter who is tenuously holding onto his starting job.
And for other teams, competition is more wide open than the summit of Squaw Valley ski area.
So kick back and enjoy the list of teams still hunting for a signal caller (unless you're a Seahawks fan, in which case you're probably sipping your eighth cup of Starbucks and still staring perplexed at the team's draft picks).
Arizona Cardinals
1 of 10
Who knew that the Cardinals would end up with the biggest underachiever in the the top 10 of the 2006 draft when they chose USC star Matt Leinart 10th overall.
And even John Paulson couldn't have foreseen Kurt Warner's bizarre-but-awesome revival in the desert, culminating in a Super Bowl run. The Cardinals came very close with Warner, and were less than a minute from a championship in Super Bowl XLIII when Big Ben wrested it from their grip.
Now, however, reality is setting in. Warner's retirement last year has caused massive problems. Beyond the random guys who they had last year (Derek Anderson and John Skelton), who can they get to throw the ball to Larry Fitzgerald?
The list includes Kyle Orton, Marc Bulger, Donovan McNabb, and Kevin Kolb.
Carolina Panthers
2 of 10
Remember how I said that sometimes a team that takes a "franchise" quarterback in the draft can create more quarterback questions than answers?
The Panthers are a good example of this. Not that second-year man Jimmy Clausen really had the job locked up (he was awful last season), but by adding Cam Newton, it changes the complexion of the situation entirely.
Will they let Newton start early? Will they let Clausen keep the job for the time being?
Normally, coaches would be speculating on this and players would be in OTAs. But because of the lockout, no one's doing anything of the sort.
One thing we do know is that whoever the Panthers QB is next year, he could be short one very good weapon who Carolina may trade...
Cincinnati Bengals
3 of 10
The Bengals are the quintessential team for this article. Nobody (not even Marvin Lewis) knows exactly how things will shake out.
Carson Palmer wants a trade. Jordan Palmer wants to compete for the job. They drafted Andy Dalton.
The standard logic is that they trade Carson, sign a veteran and then eventually turn over the car keys to Dalton.
But no one knows if they will even trade Carson, since powerful people in the organization have expressed doubts about such a move.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Denver Broncos
4 of 10
While most football fans generally just want to see what Tim Tebow has in his NFL arsenal, John Elway and the Broncos brain trust isn't going to be rushed.
Technically, right now Kyle Orton still has the job. That hasn't done a lot to quell the speculation, though.
There's talk about Orton being traded and, of course, Brady Quinn is still in the mix, whether Brady Quinn knows it or not.
The smart money is on Tebow to eventually wrestle away the starting job, if for no other reason than the fact that he's interesting. Still, Orton may hold onto it for a while, so we'll see. Personally, I'd say look for Tebow to win it by Week 4.
Miami Dolphins
5 of 10
Despite having a returning starter in Michigan-man Chad Henne, the Dolphins are still looking very overtly for another option.
Carson Palmer has been in on the discussion, though the deal breaker could be over the amount Miami gives up in the trade.
Alternatively, GM Jeff Ireland has some other options, including Vince Young, Matt Hasselbeck and even apparently Brady Quinn (though I don't rate the last one as having any seriousness).
Minnesota Vikings
6 of 10
Joe Webb is the only viable option on the roster right now. Suffice it to say they're unsettled.
The Vikings turned heads by drafting Florida State-quarterback Christian Ponder in the first round, but no matter how highly they may think of him, it's unlikely that he'll have the job in training camp.
Webb will compete, and there's also a rumor about Donovan McNabb...
San Francisco 49ers
7 of 10
The 49ers are apparently bound and determined to give Alex Smith one more try.
This is the best example, possibly ever, of why being the first-overall pick in a draft makes you special. One way or another, you get about 10 more chances than anyone else.
Yet the 49ers also drafted Colin Kaepernick in the second round. No doubt he'll be allowed to compete for the job and, as one writer put it: "Bringing back Alex Smith feels like John McCain for 2012."
And then there's the wild possibility of what happens should Smith want a fresh start and actually turn down the 49ers offer. Then they'd just have to join in the chase for the slew of available quarterbacks.
Seattle Seahawks
8 of 10
It's kind of like a bad soap opera right now between the Seahawks management and Matt Hasselbeck. Will he or won't he re-sign? The big news in the last few days is that the two sides have spoken, so we'll see where that goes.
Seahawks fans are probably still banging their heads from a distressing draft, where the Hawks made reach after reach.
And don't forget that Charlie Whitehurst is still on the roster! That both Whitehurst and Hasselbeck combined to win the division last year is remarkable (though they were the worst division champion in history).
Tennessee Titans
9 of 10
The Vince Young era still appears to be over, no matter how much certain Titans stars might not want it to be. It's unbelievable to an extent, but nothing can change the fact now that they did draft Jake Locker.
And it wasn't a second-round selection. They went for him in Round 1.
Now VY appears to be going out the door, the only question is where?
And what will Tennessee do next year? Is Donovan McNabb a stopgap answer until Locker is ready?
This one is one of the most fascinating quarterback situations in the league, not just because of who Tennessee will end up with, but who Young ends up with.
Washington Redskins
10 of 10
The 'Skins have one quarterback on their roster currently: John Beck.
So yeah, they have some 'splaining to do. No one knows exactly how it will shake out. Will they trade for Vince Young? Will they add Matt Hasselbeck? Is Shane Falco available?
Interestingly enough, Peter King (SI writer) has weighed in on the subject and has an answer that may still cause Chicago Bears fans to become sick to their stomachs...
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")