As the curious unemployment of quarterback Colin Kaepernick continues despite a season that compared favorably to Tyrod Taylor’s performance in Buffalo, plenty of other veteran quarterbacks are still looking for work.
Following the out-of-the-blue decision of the Vikings to add Case Keenum (reportedly on a one-year, $2 million deal) to back up Sam Bradford, let’s take a look at the list of the guys with NFL experience and who currently can be signed by anyone.
Beyond Kaepernick, 2016 starters like Jay Cutler and Ryan Fitzpatrick remain available. Blaine Gabbert, the early-season starter in San Francisco, also is on the market. So is Shaun Hill, who started (and won) for the Vikings at Tennessee in Week One, before Sam Bradford was ready to go.
Then there’s Robert Griffin III, who took the league by storm five years ago — and who never has been the same since tearing his ACL as a rookie. Widely criticized for not knowing how to protect himself, Griffin’s first (and only) year in Cleveland was derailed by a misguided decision to drop his shoulder into an Eagles defender in the opening game of the season. He’d return to start the last four games of the season, leading the Browns to their only win, on Christmas Eve against the Chargers.
Other unemployed quarterbacks include former Raiders backup Matt McGloin, long-time Lions understudy Dan Orlovsky, former Giants backup Ryan Nassib, and Bruce Gradkowski.
As offseason programs get rolling and teams max out with four quarterbacks, some of these veterans surely will get opportunities to compete for a roster spot. Some teams may wait until after the draft to make moves.
Regardless, in a league that doesn’t have enough quarterbacks to go around, plenty of quarterbacks are hanging around.