NFL free agency 2021: Best quarterbacks available

3. Ryan Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick lost his starting spot in Miami to Tua Tagovailoa during the 2020 season, but that decision was largely based on what the Dolphins had invested in their rookie quarterback. There’s a cogent argument to be made that keeping Fitzpatrick under center might have caused the Dolphins’ season to end differently.

Now the 38-year-old is set to hit free agency in search of another opportunity to start. He’s going to struggle to find a team willing to hand him that role without any sort of quarterback competition. At best, Fitzpatrick looks like a quarterback who can keep a job warm for another young player for a rebuilding team.

The other alternative is for him to accept a contract to be a backup option for a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Slotting in behind someone like Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh could be a smart career move for Fitzpatrick.

After all, he’s still a wildly entertaining quarterback that makes big plays happen with both his arms and legs. He isn’t the steady hand that a lot of teams are looking for at the quarterback position, but his ability to create plays on his own can add life to an offense short on playmakers.