Most Notable Rookie QBs Traded or Cut Before Their First Season

While uncommon, some rookie quarterbacks, even high draft picks, are traded or released before playing a snap for their drafting team, often due to roster changes, underperformance, or scheme fit issues.

The top 3

  1. Top Rookie QBs Traded Before Playing a Snap: Lynn Bowden Jr., drafted by the Raiders in the 3rd round in 2020, was traded to the Dolphins before his rookie season began, and Matthew Wells, a 2015 Patriots draft pick, was traded to the Bears during training camp.
  2. Highest Draft Pick QBs Cut Before Rookie Season: While rare for first-rounders, some high-profile quarterbacks like Christian Hackenberg (2nd round, 2016) were traded or cut before making an impact with their drafting team, and Johnny Unitas was famously cut by the Steelers before his Hall of Fame career.
  3. Rookie QBs Who Found Success After Pre-Season Trades: While direct pre-season trades of rookie QBs leading to immediate stardom are rare, some notable quarterbacks like Eli Manning and Philip Rivers were traded on draft day and went on to have highly successful careers with their new teams.

Sources

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