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NFL quarterback tiers, 2018: Ranking each team’s starter by category

By Peter Panacy

FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 03: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers greets Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots following the game at Gillette Stadium on November 3, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 03: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers greets Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots following the game at Gillette Stadium on November 3, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 10: DeShone Kizer #7 of the Cleveland Browns looks to hand off the ball in the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 10: DeShone Kizer #7 of the Cleveland Browns looks to hand off the ball in the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Stopgap Options

Josh McCown (Jets), Blaine Gabbert (Cardinals), Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Jay Cutler (Dolphins), Eli Manning (Giants), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Trevor Siemian (Broncos), DeShone Kizer (Browns)

Ah, yes. That category where NFL teams are looking to make upgrades at quarterback.

Some QBs deserve to be here, while others don’t. The latter applies to Josh McCown of the New York Jets and Tyrod Taylor of the Buffalo Bills. In McCown’s case, he and the Jets overachieved in 2017. But considering McCown is 38 years old and a pending free agent, it’s not likely the Jets bring him back. If they do, it’ll be as a holdover option until someone younger and more promising is found.

And based off what we know about Taylor and Bills head coach Sean McDermott, the former is all but out of Buffalo after last season.

Poor quarterbacking sunk a number of teams this year, particularly the Denver Broncos. Trevor Siemian wasn’t exactly a worthwhile option, but neither was Brock Osweiler or Paxton Lynch. Perhaps Lynch has the best chance of the group to revitalize what little of a career he has. But like the rest of Denver’s QBs, the window is closing fast.

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The same could be said of DeShone Kizer of the Cleveland Browns, although they’re terrible all around. Head coach Hue Jackson may very well have ruined his team’s second-round NFL Draft investment by starting him prematurely. And Kizer finished at the bottom of almost every notable statistical category.

As far as the rest? Well, the New York Giants are going to be moving on from Eli Manning at some point in the near future. And Jay Cutler was little more than a we-don’t-have-any-other-choice option for the Miami Dolphins.

Next: 5 moves the 49ers can make to help Jimmy Garoppolo in 2018

So you can peg this final group as teams in need of a quarterback this offseason. Depending on other moves around the league, there may be a few more as well.