It was a down year for NFL offenses in 2017. Not a single team averaged 300 passing yards per game. Russell Wilson led the league with just 34 touchdown passes and didn’t even make the playoffs. Then the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots finished the season with a barn burner, ever fortifying the importance of the quarterback position. After a Super Bowl where the combatants combined for the most offensive yards in league history, expect next year to be much more driven by strong quarterback play.
Offenses Will Rebound in 2018 Behind Strong Quarterback Play
Although there were several breakout performances, 2017 was a down year for the quarterback position as a whole. It could have been much better had several key superstars not gotten injured. Many NFL offenses were bogged down in the passing game this year and look to improve in 2018. Here is a look at how next season will show a revival at the quarterback position.
What Happened in 2017?
Injury Issues
The Indianapolis Colts thought star quarterback Andrew Luck would return from off-season shoulder surgery in time to start the regular season, but never took the field. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone in week seven and only returned for a brief appearance in one game at the end of the year. Rookie Deshaun Watson took the league by storm…for six whole games before tearing his ACL in practice. Veteran Carson Palmer‘s broken arm ended up forcing him to call it a career.
Even the Super Bowl Champion Eagles were hit with a huge late-season injury. MVP candidate Carson Wentz tore his ACL in a week 14 win over Los Angeles Rams that secured the team’s first playoff berth since 2013. Backup Nick Foles did an exceptional job carrying this team to the finish line, but a dual between Wentz and Tom Brady was very enticing at mid-season.
Defenses Surge
Six of the top 10 defenses in terms of yards per game made the postseason. The top two defenses were led by quarterbacks Case Keenum and Blake Bortles. The Eagles just won the Super Bowl after riding a dominant front seven and an over-performing secondary throughout the season. The Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans have star athletes at the helm but relied on physical defenses and a strong run game to make the playoffs. Several of these defenses could take a step back next year with the revival at quarterback.
The Next Year of the Quarterback
New Environments
The first domino has fallen before the league year has even begun. The Kansas City Chiefs sent starting quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins. The Redskins locked Smith up to a hefty four-year $94 million extension, signifying his status as the team’s quarterback of the future. Redskins incumbent Kirk Cousins will now be a free agent and have plenty of suitors on the open market. 2017 first round pick Patrick Mahomes will take over as the Chiefs’ starter and he will surely be fun to watch.
The Minnesota Vikings have a very interesting situation at the quarterback position as well. All three signal-callers on the roster will be free agents in March. It remains to be seen which quarterbacks will return. Keenum just led the team to the NFC Championship, Sam Bradford looked like he could before another knee injury, and Teddy Bridgewater was viewed as the franchise quarterback before a knee injury of his own almost two years ago. Bradford is expected to leave and has an uphill battle to find his way back onto the field. Bridgewater would be wise to sign a short-term offer with the Vikings. Keenum is the true wild card and could possibly ink a lucrative contract with a contender after his breakout season.
Several names to keep an eye on are Foles and Tyrod Taylor of the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are clearly noncommittal on Taylor even after the franchise’s first playoff berth since 1999. With a pair of first-round picks in the upcoming draft, they have plenty of capital to move up and nab a quarterback. Foles is a more interesting storyline that could take some time to play out. There is early speculation that the six-year veteran could find himself starting for another organization in 2018. Foles has one year remaining on his deal with the Eagles but may seek a larger opportunity (and paycheck) elsewhere. The Eagles could deal their Super Bowl MVP for a high pick that could help retool the team around Wentz.
Rookies to Watch
There could be as many as six rookie quarterbacks drafted in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Sam Darnold (USC), Josh Rosen (UCLA), Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) and Josh Allen (Wyoming) could all hear their names called in the top ten picks. After the early free agency period has settled, it will be interesting to see where these top signal callers end up. Darnold can do a bit of everything, Rosen is the most pro-ready, Mayfield just won the Heisman, and Allen may have the most potential of them all. After a disappointing quarterback class in 2017, there could be several teams rolling out new exciting rookies next season.
Open Race for NFL’s Best Offense
There will be several teams with established quarterbacks in place that will look to bounce back in 2018. The Packers and Seattle Seahawks come to mind. Both fell back towards the mean last season but have MVP-caliber quarterbacks and years of sustained success. The Titans and Oakland Raiders brought in new youthful coaches to pair with their budding star quarterbacks. The Colts hope Luck returns to health to compete in the AFC South. The Dallas Cowboys will also have Ezekiel Elliott back for the entire season. These are just a couple of the teams that could have significantly better play at the quarterback position next year.
Many of the playoff teams from this year will be in contention again next season. There are more young productive quarterbacks in the NFL today than maybe ever before. Wentz, Jared Goff, and the electrifying Jimmy Garoppolo are the new kids on the block in the NFC while Drew Brees, Rodgers, and Matt Ryan become the established veterans. The AFC showed less promise in 2017 but will have many new faces next year looking to challenge the dominant Pittsburgh Steelers and Patriots atop the conference.
