11. Las Vegas Raiders: Carr, Mariota
It’s unclear whether or not John Gruden would have wanted his quarterback to still be Derek Carr when the team was unveiled in their shiny, new Las Vegas home, but that’s the situation he finds himself in. Besides, Carr has improved massively under Gruden over the last few years.
Gruden bought Carr a shiny new toy in the draft when they picked up Henry Ruggs, so a regression from Carr is unlikely. If he does stark to stink, Marcus Mariota is waiting in the wings, just waiting for the chance to revive his career.
Projected Record: 7-9
10. Atlanta Falcons: Ryan, Schaub
Matty Ice was back to being Matty Ice last season as he threw for over 4,00 yards yet again. That was despite being sacked a league-leading 48 times. It’s unlikely that Ryan will be leading the Falcons back to the Super Bowl this season, but at least they’ll be competitive.
Ryan’s most underrated skill is his ability to remain healthy. He’s missed more than two games in a season since 2009, which is good considering his backup is 39-year-old Matt Schaub. Yes, Matt Schaub is still in the league. Bet you didn’t know that.
Projected Record: 9-7
9. Detroit Lions: Stafford, Daniel
Mathew Stafford may be the most underrated quarterback of his generation. Stafford quietly puts up massive numbers for the Lions every year and almost always goes unnoticed. That is of course because the Lions are usually pretty bad, which Stafford is only partially responsible for.
Stafford will be counted on yet again to keep the Lions or the margins of relevance as Chase Daniel is surely not going to if called upon. He’s attempted just 218 passes in the last decade.
Projected Record: 8-8