The exceptions to the rule do not make the majority of the rule not the reality. Name teams who started the season with a QB that was not a 1st round draft pick, there are a handful at best. If those are the odds you would employ as an agent to coax Cam Ward to go pro now instead of taking guaranteed NIL money then you would be doing him a tremendous disservice.
AFC, Lamar was like the 1st pick in the 2nd round or late 1st. Russell Wilson, Garoppolo for the Raiders, Levis already mentioned
NFC, Dak Prescott, Cousins, Purdy, Howell
These are mostly QB's getting a shot that will flame out. Wilson, Cousins and Prescott, and now Purdy, and that is the basis for thinking if given 7-figure NIL money you should instead hurry to the NFL instead. You think if Purdy had a 7-figure NIL deal he should have jumped to be Mr. Irrelevant instead? Makes no sense, he left because he ran out of eligibility not because he was "betting on himself". The uniqueness of Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson (both in their 12th seasons) lends you to think Cam Ward would be better served going to the NFL now after a 5-7 season that showed he could run for his life and amassed 2 conference victories in that season is somehow going to have teams killing themselves to get at him to be a backup QB?
I like a good argument, just waiting to hear one, other than a guy 12 years ago did it... OK, 2 guys 12 years ago did it... How many guys don't do it? How many guys could get 7 figures and 1 more year to try and get into the 1st round with an offensive line to block for them? Brock Purdy making $870K this year in base salary. You don't get to pick what team you play for or what kind of situation you find yourself in when you get drafted so you may end up on a team where you never get to play and as a later round pick you might just be let go and can't find another lillypad to land on, if you make the most of your original entry into the league as a QB the path is much different.
Mac Jones shouldn't ever be starting in the NFL, yet he still gets opportunities to try and play the position, if he was a 3rd round pick he would have been gone already, he is making money $15.5MM over 4 years because and only because he was in the 1st round and that is why he still gets a shot against Bailey Zappe who makes $870K this year. Zappe was cut before the season started and has arguably outplayed Jones. Cam Ward would be Bailey Zappe in that equation if he left for the NFL now and he would only get a chance if his team had been dumb enough to select Mac Jones in the 1st round. The Patriots meanwhile will be shopping for a QB in April 2024 and Zappe will be gone and so will Jones perhaps, so much for getting to that second contract quicker.
- Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson
- Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen
- Cincinnati Bengals
Jake Browning
(Joe Burrow Out For Season)
- Cleveland Browns
Joe Flacco
(Deshaun Watson on IR)
- Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson
- Houston Texans
Case Keenum
(C.J. Stroud Injured)
- Indianapolis Colts
Gardner Minshew
(Anthony Richardson Injured)
- Jacksonville Jaguars
C.J. Beathard
(Trevor Lawrence Injured)
- Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes
- Las Vegas Raiders
Aidan O’Connell
- Los Angeles Chargers
Easton Stick
(Justin Herbert Injured)
- Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa
- New England Patriots
Bailey Zappe
(Mac Jones Benched)
- New York Jets
Trevor Siemian
(Aaron Rodgers Injured)
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Mason Rudolph
(Kenny Pickett Injured)
- Tennessee Titans
Ryan Tannehill
(Will Levis Injured)
NFL Starting Quarterbacks in 2023 | NFC
- Atlanta Falcons
Taylor Heinicke
(Desmond Ridder Benched)
- Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray
- Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young
- Chicago Bears
Justin Fields
- Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott
- Detroit Lions
Jared Goff
- Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love
- Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford
- Minnesota Vikings
Nick Mullens
(Kirk Cousins Injured)
- New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr
- New York Giants
Tommy DeVito
(Daniel Jones Injured)
- Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts
- San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy
- Seattle Seahawks
Drew Lock
(Geno Smith Injured)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield
- Washington Commanders
Sam Howell
