NFL Preseason Week 3 Quarterback Index

It’s the last week of the NFL preseason, so things are becoming more solidified regarding depth charts. Many of these games these weekends will serve as dress rehearsals before we officially kick off the 2023 NFL regular season. But that also means players will be fighting for their lives to make 53-man rosters.

Right after the NFL Draft, we introduced the 2023 NFL QB starter index. There are plenty of interesting quarterback competitions and so I’m bringing it back in some shape and form for the upcoming year. Here are a couple of observations I’ve seen going into the final week of the preseason.

Sleeping Easy

Baker Mayfield – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Somebody had to win the Bucs starting job, and on Tuesday, head coach Todd Bowles chose Baker Mayfield to take the mantle. With his one-year deal, Mayfield has something to prove – however, following in the footsteps of Tom Brady is no small task. He looked relatively sharp in the Bucs’ first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing for a touchdown on 8-of-9 passing. Having the likes of wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Goodwin makes the transition easier, and hopefully, Mayfield can put something together.

Sam Howell – Washington Commanders

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Did you catch Monday’s preseason game with the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens? The second-year pro looked sharp going for 188 yards and two touchdowns with a 76% completion rating. Howell has looked confident so far, and having Eric Bieniemy as his offensive coordinator certainly helps with that. There’s a reason that head coach Ron Rivera was willing to give Howell a chance to compete at the end of last season.

The Commanders have an uphill battle in a competitive NFC East division with three really good quarterbacks at the helm of their squads.

Red Alert

Anthony Richardson – Indianapolis Colts

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I want to clarify that the only reason I’m putting the Colts rookie here is not because of his own doing — it’s primarily because of the circumstances around their other star in the backfield. It appears Richardson will beat out Gardner Minshew for the starting gig, as teams are willing to throw their young quarterbacks into the fire from day one. With that being said, what is the best asset you can have on your offense to help a novice signal caller get acclimated to the NFL? A great run game!

The Colts’ top brass do not want to pay Jonathan Taylor and have permitted him to seek a trade. I’m not sure if they think this is 1997, but I do not believe they will get the significant haul they feel is adequate trading away their star. (I don’t think Jim Irsay or Chris Ballard believe that either). Jonathan Taylor is 24 years old and one of the best running backs in the league. If you pair him with Richardson, it will serve both of them immensely. Otherwise, you make things harder for your rookie that you’re supposedly high on.

Trey Lance – San Francisco 49ers

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I think the coverage around Trey Lance has been a bit harsh. With Brock Purdy making a miraculous recovery from UCL surgery and Sam Darnold as the de-facto number two QB in San Francisco, Lance obviously needs more reps than the team can give him. In his preseason play, Lance has shown good flashes but also made some baffling decisions, and I don’t know if you can correct those playing with a third-string offense.

The 49ers have a decision to make. They are going with Purdy as their starter, but do you keep Darnold and Lance knowing he’ll be a project down the line? Or do you cut Darnold and keep Lance as the number two? Given the capital it took to trade up to get Lance, I feel as though you have to keep him. You can never have too many good quarterbacks, as the 49ers found out in the NFC Championship against the Philadelphia Eagles last year. The main question remains if Lance can develop into that where he is.