NFL Week 1 starting QB odds: Is Trubisky done in Chicago?

The dust has settled on the NFL quarterback carousel, with Tom Brady the anticipated starter in Tampa Bay, Teddy Bridgewater the new man in Carolina, and Philip Rivers the leader of the Indianapolis Colts’ offense. While most teams know which signal caller will start Week 1, there are still a few franchises evaluating the depth chart.

At BetAmerica, you can bet on the Week 1 starting quarterback for four of those teams. Here’s a closer look at those odds and the QB battles taking place in the offseason.

The Chargers picked up Tyrod Taylor in free agency, after the organization decided to move on from Rivers. Taylor began his career in Baltimore in 2011, then landed in Buffalo in 2015, where he finally earned his chance as a starter. From 2015-17, Taylor went 22-20 at the Bills, before the team traded him to Cleveland ahead of the 2018 season.   

His main competition in Los Angeles is Justin Herbert, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 draft. The four-year starter at Oregon finished his collegiate career with a 64.0 completion rate, 10,541 yards passing, 95 touchdown passes, and 23 interceptions.

Last on the Chargers depth chart is Easton Stick, a 2019 fifth-round draft pick, who holds the record for most wins by a starting quarterback in NCAA Division I FCS history. He went 49-3 at North Dakota State.

For the first time since 2001, New England will play a full season without Brady as its starting quarterback. Second-year player Jarrett Stidham is most likely to succeed the six-time Super Bowl champion as the Patriots’ offensive leader.

The former Auburn QB joined the Pats as a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft and saw the most game action in a Week 3 blowout of the Jets, when he relieved Brady in the fourth quarter. Stidham completed his first two passes, then had his third intercepted for a touchdown and was quickly replaced by Brady.

Brian Hoyer is back for his third stint with New England. He started his career with the Patriots (2009-11), then bounced around Arizona, Cleveland, Houston, Chicago, and San Francisco, before landing back in Foxborough in 2017. He signed with the Colts in 2018 and filled in for an injured Jacoby Brissett in early November. He started Week 10 against Miami and tossed one touchdown and three interceptions in a 16-12 loss.

Cam Newton is an interesting longshot play (+850). He’s a free agent at the moment, but should the Pats reel him in, he could shoot straight to the top of the depth chart. Former Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke would make for the biggest surprise (+6600) as the Week 1 starter. He went undrafted in 2020 but signed with the Pats on May 5.

The Chicago Bears seemed determined to stick with fourth-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky through his many ups and downs, after they used the No. 2 overall pick on him in the 2017 draft. However, the team may finally move on to Super Bowl LII champion Nick Foles, now that the former Eagle has landed in Chicago.

Foles struggled last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, after he broke his clavicle in Week 1, but he’s set up for redemption in Chicago. He previously worked with head coach Matt Nagy while the two were part of the Chiefs organization. Bears offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo also know Foles from their time in Philadelphia.

All eyes are on Tua Tagovailoa, who may have been the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, had he not suffered a dislocated hip at the end of the 2019 college football season.

While his recovery status is unclear, the Dolphins took a chance on the "generational talent" with the No. 5 pick in the draft. The team might ease Tua into a starting role and let Ryan Fitzpatrick work his "Fitzmagic" to start the season.

Last year, Fitzpatrick led the Dolphins (who were projected to go 0-16) to a 5-4 record in the second half of the season. He split snaps with 2018 first-round pick Josh Rosen during the first half of the season. Rosen featured in five games and completed 53.2% of his passes for 567 yards and one touchdown. He was picked off five times, including twice against Washington.

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