Every NFL team has questions, especially this time of year, as we look ahead to what remains of the long, dry offseason to a season still more than 100 days away. Often, the most important questions are about the most important position — quarterback. Your team has a quarterback question, whichever team it is. Some are major, such as, "Who the heck is our quarterback, anyway?" Some are more along the champagne-problem lines, such as, "What can our quarterback do to be even more awesome?"
No matter which team you root for or what its QB situation is, we came up with a question that this offseason, this coming season or both will try to answer. Here they are, in all their mid-May glory. Enjoy.
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
Does Dak Prescott get a contract extension?
Prescott's contract expires after 2024. His cap number this year is a manageable $26.8 million, but next year it balloons to $59.5 million. If the Cowboys don't extend Prescott beyond 2024, they are effectively committing to carrying that cap number and making Prescott prove he deserves a new deal. Given their lack of postseason success with Dak as their QB, this path likely makes the most sense.
Thing is, Cowboys leadership has been very clear, publicly and privately, that they're all-in with Dak. They want him to be a Cowboy for his entire career, and I think it would be very surprising if they didn't do an extension this offseason that knocked down that 2024 cap number and made it clear to the world that Prescott's future in Dallas is not in question.
New York Giants
Can Daniel Jones live up to his contract, and what are the implications if he doesn't?
Paying Jones $40 million a year after a season in which he threw just 15 touchdown passes is the Giants' way of saying (A) they believe in Brian Daboll and their coaching staff and (B) they don't think they gave him nearly enough help last season at receiver and believe they will have better pass-catching options this year.
Jones gave the Giants what they needed last year, but if he's going to be making this kind of money, he has to give them more going forward. He showed toughness and grit in leading them to the playoffs as one of 2022's surprise teams. He'll still be able to use his legs to make plays and keep defenses on their heels. He just has to show more as a passer, and there will come a time when the excuses about the quality of the group around him won't be enough anymore to explain why he hasn't.
Philadelphia Eagles
Is Jalen Hurts set up to get back to the Super Bowl … and win it this time?
Well, sure. The Eagles lost some vets on defense, but they didn't lose them all. And their past couple of drafts have been dedicated to finding replacements for guys who are aging out (or being priced out) on that side of the ball.
In terms of Hurts' side of the ball, the offensive line still looks excellent, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert are all still there, and the running back room is deep with explosive playmakers. No, Rashaad Penny and D'Andre Swift haven't always been the healthiest guys, but the Eagles have enough backs that they should be able to get the most out of them when they are on the field. The biggest thing standing in the Eagles' way is the troubling fact that no team has won the NFC East two years in a row in 19 years. But hey, they wouldn't be the first team to make it to the Super Bowl from a wild-card spot!
Washington Commanders
Is Sam Howell really an NFL starter, and what are the implications if he isn't?
*Shrug emoji?* How can anyone know this for sure? Even the people in the Commanders' building? I will say that I had a few scouts and personnel people telling me, prior to the 2022 draft, they thought Howell might turn out to be the best QB in that draft. Washington has seen enough from Howell in one year that it didn't pursue Lamar Jackson, Jimmy Garoppolo, Aaron Rodgers or any other clear upgrade at quarterback this offseason, and they didn't draft one either.
They have Jacoby Brissett in case something happens to Howell, but they're making good on their statements that Howell will open the season as the guy. He has a nice receiving corps to work with, and if the defense plays well, this is a team that can sneak up on people this year. Heck, the good vibes around the ownership change should make this a more fun and relaxed year in Washington either way. But a lot hinges on whether Howell is really ready to be an NFL starter, and again, I don't see any way anyone can know for sure whether he is.