Top 5 unsigned NFL quarterbacks teams should be looking at
Quarterback is almost always the most difficult position to fill in the NFL. Usually, only a handful of starting quarterbacks become available each season. Those get snatched up within a month and the market subsequently grinds to a halt.
However, there are a few quarterbacks that could provide a bit of value to certain teams, even this late in the offseason. Here are the top five NFL quarterbacks still on the market.
Top 5 free-agent NFL quarterbacks
#1 - Robert Griffin III
In 2012, Robert Griffin III was the talk of the NFL. He played for the Washington Redskins and led them to a playoff appearance. However, after his rookie season, his career fell off a cliff. After going 9-6 in 2012, Griffin went 3-10 as the starter. He slipped into a backup quarterback role and the fireworks of the NFL have since drowned him out.
Robert Griffin III was on the periphery of the league by the end of the 2014 season before a brief stint with the Cleveland Browns in 2016. He missed all of 2017 as well.
In 2018, the Baltimore Ravens saw him as a good fit for their Lamar Jackson-centric offense and Griffin landed as his backup. Now, after three seasons with the team, Griffin finds himself on the outside, looking for a home.
If nothing else, the QB has considerable NFL experience which could help a team with a young quarterback.
#2 - Brett Hundley
Brett Hundley's time in the spotlight came when he was a backup in Green Bay. When rodgers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Aaron Rodgers went down with an injury, it was up to Brett Hundley to see the Packers through until Rodgers' return late in the season.
The team went 3-6 with Hundley as the starter, barely keeping the team alive long enough to see a still-injured Rodgers return with a small chance of making the playoffs. That season, he threw for nine touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Technically, Hundley also has playoff experience, in that he had one rush for 14 yards in an NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons in 2016. Put simply, Hundley is a veteran backup quarterback who could simply fill a spot in 2021.
#3 - Kyle Sloter
Kyle Sloter was a practice squad star who excelled in the preseason for several years. He was first a quarterback with the Denver Broncos in 2017. In the preseason, he threw for three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He earned 413 yards. In 2018, Sloter earned 366 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions.
In 2019, Sloter landed with the Minnesota Vikings. He had 443 passing yards and threw for four touchdowns and one interception. He hasn't recorded a stat since. Both the Denver Broncos and the Minnesota Vikings were slow to praise Sloter because he was playing third-string opponents. Since then, he has bounced around on a few practice squads.
However, if there is a team out there willing to roll the dice on a backup quarterback, Sloter could be a unique talent.
#4 - Matt Moore
At 37 years old and out of the league, Matt Moore may be contemplating retirement. However, his most recent stats are solid. He had a stint as a starter for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 when he threw for four touchdowns and no interceptions.
He also has playoff experience. In 2016, he started a playoff game in relief of Ryan Tannehill. In the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Moore completed 29 of 36 pass attempts and threw for one touchdown and one interception.
If a team gets to a point where it needs someone else at backup quarterback, Matt Moore could have one more season in him.
#5 - Jamie Newman
Jamie Newman is a rookie undrafted free agent who spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. While he has a lot of learning to do at 23 years of age, he could be a deep backup quarterback project for a team and one who could eventually grow into a backup role.