Initial 53-man NFL rosters just dropped, and man, did they ever drop some bombs across the league. We’re talking unusually crowded quarterback rooms, serious question marks hanging over former first-round picks, and a pass-rush duo in Los Angeles that sounds flat-out terrifying. Teams are telling us a lot about where they stand, who surprisingly shined, and who just missed their shot.
Richardson’s Indy Roller Coaster
Anthony Richardson, remember him? The guy who supposedly wanted out of Indianapolis earlier this offseason? Yeah, that trade request went absolutely nowhere. Colts GM Chris Ballard drew a hard line, saying they wouldn’t deal him without a “significant return on investment.” Apparently, that “significant return” just never materialized. So, Richardson’s stuck in Indy, at least for now. Preseason numbers didn’t exactly scream “starter material,” either. He completed 21 of 33 passes for 249 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. He did run for a score and 68 yards on 10 carries, and looked a bit more comfortable in the pocket than before, but let’s be real. He’s reportedly the team’s third quarterback, riding the bench behind Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard. Unless some other team gets desperate with a pre-season injury, it looks like he’ll be playing out the final year of his rookie contract right there. Oof.
McCarthy’s Million-Dollar Bench Warmer Gig
Then there’s J.J. McCarthy up in Minnesota. He was supposed to be in a real quarterback “competition” with Kyler Murray, right? Well, that was shut down fast, with Murray getting the starting nod early. McCarthy reportedly had a rough camp, and the preseason games weren’t much better. He went just 9 for 17 for 115 scoreless yards and famously missed a wide-open receiver in the end zone. The Vikings apparently tried to trade him right up until cutdown day, but no one bit. No surprise there, honestly, given how he played as a starter and during camp. What *is* surprising is that Minnesota kept him around instead of just cutting their losses. But get this: cutting him would’ve slapped them with a whopping $9.7 million dead cap charge. That’s $3.8 million *more* than if they just kept him on the roster. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place, financially. That’s a brutal pill to swallow just to keep a struggling QB on the books.
When More QBs Isn’t Necessarily More
Most NFL teams usually roll with two, maybe three, quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. It just makes sense, right? You only have one guy playing at a time, so you fill out other positions where you need depth. But this year, five teams went completely against the grain, swinging *way* in the opposite direction by keeping four quarterbacks. The Falcons, Browns, and yes, the Vikings, are all part of this super-sized QB club. It begs the question: what do you know that we don’t, or are you just incredibly thin everywhere else? It’s a bold strategy, Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for ’em.
These roster decisions aren’t just about who made the cut, they’re huge indicators of where these teams are at right now, especially at the most critical position in the game. With the season about to kick off, these moves set the stage for how these squads will tackle the upcoming grind. It’s going to be wild to watch how these crowded QB rooms shake out once the real games begin.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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