Caleb Harris
With 2024 NFL Draft in the rear view, most NFL teams have a solid idea of what your lineup will look like in September. But with organized team activities and training camps still around the corner, there is plenty of time for rosters to be adjusted. This is especially the case if/when injuries arise, prompting last-minute adjustments, even in premium positions like defender.
Odds are there won’t be any more blockbuster trades at center, but let’s say a key veteran goes down, if only in the short term. The trade winds could very well pick up, especially with so many teams currently overseeing crowded depth charts. A year after journeyman Joshua Dobbs was traded not once but twice as an emergency starter, which backup signal-caller could be next on the trade block, provided a spot opens up in the coming months?
Here are five names to watch:
The former Washington Commanders starter has already taken a pay cut to remain Kirk Cousins’ backup. And that was before the Falcons spent the 8th overall pick in this year’s draft on Michael Penix Jr. With just $4.5 million in 2024, Heinicke could easily prefer to start from scratch if Penix got the second job, and his 29 starts career paths could be appealing to a team desperate for immediate help.
By acquiring him in the fourth round a year ago, the Cowboys signaled they could view Lance as a long-term alternative to starter Dak Prescott. But the former San Francisco 49ers prospect has yet to officially give Dallas a shot and will be a free agent after 2024, with Cooper Rush seemingly cemented as the No. 2. Trading him after June 1 would save $5 million.
All indications are that Jaguars coach Doug Pederson loves Beathard as Trevor Lawrence’s smart backup, but the team also just traded New England Patriots reject Mac Jones; at 26, the latter could be a post-2024 option at No. 2. If, say, the 49ers were to lose someone to injury, it’s hard to imagine Kyle Shanahan not exploring a reunion following Beathard’s 12-start stint in San Francisco.
As humble and mobile as he is, Willis has been effectively cheated by two consecutive Titans regimes, with current general manager Ran Carthon not only building around young starter Will Levis, but adding Mason Rudolph as the new No. 2. It’s possible that Willis prefers a fresh start, and an acquiring team would have the added advantage of signing him through 2025.
The 2023 fifth-rounder played in eight games for the Browns as a rookie, starting three in place of injured Deshaun Watson. But Cleveland made not one but two veteran investments at the position this offseason, adding Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley as Watson’s insurance. A practice squad role could be suitable, but what if another team likes his potential?
