The 2023 NFL training camp will feature several interesting NFL quarterback rooms. This year’s NFL draft featured 14 quarterbacks taken. Teams took 10 of these players in rounds four and later. The NFL has taken notice of the need to acquire competent NFL quality quarterback backups and develop them. Likely none of those quarterbacks will make an immediate impact, although a handful might see playing time due to injuries or late-season benching. Regardless, several quarterbacks need to be in top form during training camp to impress their team and give confidence to struggling squads before the season. Not all these quarterbacks are “on the bubble” entering training camp, but several desperately need to put doubts aside.
Five NFL Quarterbacks Who Need to be in Top Form in Training Camp
Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenny Pickett
Pittsburgh Steelers Kenny Pickett is likely to be the future of the Steelers franchise. He finished the season 7-5 with a 65 percent completion percentage. Remarkably, the Steelers finished with a winning record and almost made the playoffs. Pickett’s one bleak mark, however, was an ugly 7-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He must be better about turnovers.
Unless Pickett is just dreadful, there is no competition from Mitchell Trubisky. Regardless, he still must be in top form to start this season on the right foot and help the Steelers get right back to where their legacy and Mike Tomlin want them to be.
New England Patriots: Mac Jones
The demise of Mac Jones is much exaggerated; maybe. Any news coming out of New England will shroud itself in mystery while Bill Belichick remains the head coach. Too many rumours about his potential trade market keep surfacing, and re-surfacing. Someone wants to keep those alive, but for what purpose?
Speculation might agree a certain coach named ‘source’ has floated those rumours into the rumour mill ether to light a fire under Jones in training camp. New England is not likely to head into the pre-season with simply Baily Zappe crowned starter. At the same time, Zappe might be the starter in week one if Jones remains incredibly mediocre. Last season he finished with a drab 14-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His longest completion was 48 yards.
Jones was flatly uninspiring, and has, somehow in a league protecting quarterbacks, tuned into the ‘dirty-player’ competition with Draymond Green. Unlike Green to the Warriors, Jones brings negative value when he has a ‘too competitive’ moment on the gridiron. Without a better training camp, Mac Jones’ demise will be embarrassing and a bit sad.
Tennessee Titans: Malik Willis
The Tennessee Titans drafted Will Levis with selection 33 in the 2023 NFL Draft. In 2022, the Tennessee Titans drafted Malik Willis with selection 86. Ryan Tannehill is the Titans current, and likely, future starter. Willis is thus not competing for the starting job, but for his NFL career. Willis played dreadfully in 2022, finishing with a 50 percent completion percentage and not throwing a touchdown.
Without a better training camp, Willis might not only be done with Tennessee, but according to reports, has left most NFL teams unimpressed. As he was a quarterback who had a lot of promise, he is likely to get a second chance. How quick that chance comes, however, will depend entirely on how his form in training camp.
Washington Commanders: Sam Howell
Last season, the Washington Commanders used round five, 144th overall to select quarterback Sam Howell. There was once another mid-round quarterback Washington drafted in 2012 who turned a fledgling career into a four-time Pro-Bowl, multi-million-dollar career: Kirk Cousins, round 4, 102nd overall.
If Sam Howell has the Cousins’ trajectory, the Commanders might have a brighter future. But if Howell merely wants to keep his job the entire season (he started one game in 2022), then he needs to be in top form at training camp. Howell must assert himself as the leader, build a repertoire with wide receivers, and create a unique identity as a starter.
New York Jets: Aaron Rodgers
There is no competition for the New York Jets starting quarterback slot. The Jets have moved heaven and earth to make Aaron Rodgers wear the green jerseys which have embarrassed fans for a decade now. He is the future of New York Jet football.
To start on even remotely the right trajectory, however, Rodgers needs to have a strong training camp. Not only must he drop any ‘aloofness’ that has haunted his career, he needs to be a leader to younger teammates. The Rodgers that meandered through the past few seasons in Green Bay needs to leave, and the Rodgers who makes young receivers have the confidence of Jerry Rice needs to show up early, and often, this off-season. And yes, that means he must show up to OTAs and all of the other more meandering, boring workouts.
Main Image: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
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