Marc Bulger: Washington Redskins Among 5 Fitting East Coast Destinations

There was a time, however brief it was, when Marc Bulger was among the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. He was Kurt Warner's successor in St. Louis, and played well with what was left of The Greatest Show on Turf until being released after the 2009 season. While he is no longer considered a franchise passer, he has enough left in the tank to be a backup for a team in need of a veteran passer.

Recent talks of Bulger to the Cardinals died down, and ESPN's John Clayton reported that Bulger "is probably gonna stay on the East Coast."

While experts agree that Bulger is likely done as a starter, he has plenty of experience and could start in a pinch. Here are some of the possible East Coast destinations for Bulger.

Washington Redskins, NFC East

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 02: Quarterback John Beck #3 of the Washington Redskins drops back to pass during the preseason NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on September 2, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals

The Washington Redskins are one of the biggest messes in the NFL when it comes to quarterbacks. Currently, they have Donovan McNabb and John Beck under contract, but only Beck is projected to be with the team next season. McNabb is on his way out, leaving the Redskins short one veteran quarterback.

Washington may offer Bulger the best chance to start given the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position.

The Redskins are in the midst of a rebuild, and did not draft a quarterback of the future when they had the chance to pick Blaine Gabbert with the 10th overall pick. Bulger would likely be a two or three season signing, as the Redskins are likely to make a run at a quarterback in next year's draft.

The issue for Bulger in Washington would be the shoddy offensive line, which was his downfall in St. Louis. He may not want to subject himself to the punishment he would no doubt take as a Redskin.

Tennessee Titans, AFC South

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KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 26: Quarterback Kerry Collins #5 of the Tennessee Titans in action during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs on December 26, 2010 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Tennessee is about as far west as Bulger would go, and it might be a chance to start for a season. The Titans drafted Jake Locker with the eighth overall pick in the draft, but are not ready to hand the team over to him just yet.

Bulger can be the starter while the Titans let Locker learn from the sidelines.

With Kerry Collins set to be a free agent, and pushing 40 at that. He has been a solid if underwhelming veteran for Tennessee since coming to the team in 2006. I

n the wake of Vince Young's implied exit, the Titans may be looking to go a different direction with their veteran quarterback presence.

With Mike Munchak taking over as head coach, Collins may be the odd man out at quarterback. Locker is the future, Rusty Smith is the young guy looking for a chance, and Bulger would be the necessary positional veteran. 

Carolina Panthers, NFC South

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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Cam Newton, #1 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers holds up a jersey on stage after he was picked during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 28, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers have the future of their franchise in Cam Newton, as well as a wealth of young quarterbacks looking for their opportunities. What they don't have is a quarterback with an idea of what being an NFL starter requires. Bulger could be the veteran mentor who sits behind Newton and gives help where he can.

That means that of the trio of Matt Moore, Tony Pike, and Jimmy Clausen someone is gone.

Bulger isn't going to give Newton any tips on how to utilize his mobility, but he'll at least provide some level of professionalism for the rookie. If the Panthers aren't ready to throw Newton to the wolves in his first year, Bulger can be the guy to keep the spot warm for half of the season or maybe the first year.

New head coach Ron Rivera hasn't made a statement one way or another, even though he was enthusiastic about Newton before the draft. He may need a veteran like Bulger to make his first year as head coach a little less painful.

Clausen, Pike, and Moore certainly aren't going to lead the team anywhere, nor are they the ideal candidates for easing Newton into the starting role. Receiver Steve Smith may prefer a veteran quarterback to Newton after a season of career lows since becoming a full-time starter in 2002.

Miami Dolphins, AFC East

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 12: Chad Henne #7 of the Miami Dolphins against the New York Jets at New Meadowlands Stadium on December 12, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

The Miami Dolphins are in an interesting position. They thought they were set at quarterback with Chad Henne after he showed some flashes in relief of the injured Chad Pennington in 2009. He regressed in 2010, throwing 15 touchdowns and 19 interceptions, and his status as starter is in question.

Bulger would be a good veteran for Henne to learn from, even if he and Pennington are injury prone.

The Dolphins did not draft a quarterback, but lack a true starter that they are confident in. Perhaps they are prepared to wait for next season's stronger class of quarterbacks, in which case they will need help. Tyler Thigpen isn't wrest the starting job from either Pennington or Henne, and neither Henne nor Pennington appear capable of putting together back-to-back quality performances.

Miami has a solid offensive line, which would offer comfort to the shell-shocked Bulger. With Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, and Anthony Fasano as targets, Bulger would have no problem finding success with the Dolphins even for just one season.

Baltimore Ravens, AFC North

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BALTIMORE - AUGUST 28: Marc Bulger #9 of the Baltimore Ravens passes against the New York Giants in a preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 28, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Giants 24-10. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

Bulger was a member of the Baltimore Ravens last season, playing backup to Joe Flacco. He didn't see any action, but expressed desire to return next season. With Flacco being young and durable, it is unlikely that Bulger will get many chances to play.

While Bulger could easily see playing time for a number of other teams, perhaps stability is what he needs in the twilight of his career.

The Ravens aren't particularly desperate for veterans, but they lack depth and experience at the quarterback position without Bulger. His contract last season came with a lot of incentives, making him a relatively inexpensive option for a backup. The Ravens don't run a pass-heavy offense, so Bulger wouldn't have the game resting on his arm if he happened to be thrust into a game in a pinch.

Having been in the system for a year, there would be no major worries if he had to come in for a game or two in the event that Flacco went down with an injury.