7 bargain QBs who could be stop-gap starters in 2017

Every team needs a quarterback, and while they would all prefer to find a 15-year franchise starter, sometimes it's best to just find someone who can do the job for the short term.

Jimmy Garoppolo and Tony Romo appear to be the premier names that will be available, but both will cost a pretty penny in either trade returns or salary. Many teams will look to the draft to find a signal-caller, but with NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock saying he would be "scared to death" about drafting any of the top three quarterback prospects highly, a veteran could be useful to help the developmental process.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch says his team isn't in a rush to find its next quarterback and if it does draft one, the 49ers will also add an experienced pass thrower to possibly take the starting role until the rookie is ready. The Browns have also been rumored to be looking to avoid drafting a quarterback while they sort out their own multitude of roster holes.

With much uncertainty around the rookie class and so many quarterback roles to fill around the league, here are seven signal-callers who could fill starting positions next season.

Mike Glennon

Glennon has been rumored to be potential trade bait for teams looking to acquire a borderline starter for a years, but now, he's becoming an unrestricted free agent after four seasons with the Buccaneers. He started 13 games as a rookie in 2013, going 4-9 with 2,608 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. He's still 27 years old and would cost around $7 million per season, well below the average starting salary.

Colin Kaepernick

After being beat out by Blaine Gabbert for the 49ers' starting job last offseason, Kaepernick eventually re-took the reigns and had himself an alright season, keeping his interceptions to a minimum and posting his highest QB rating since 2013. Kaepernick still has to option out of his current contract, which is fully expected, but will be eager to prove himself once he's on the open market. Since his performance is rather underwhelming and he's already signed one big-money deal, the 29-year-old should be a cheap signing.

Jay Cutler

The Bears may choose to keep Cutler around for 2017, but financially, that doesn't make a lot of sense. His consistency and accuracy have been issues throughout his career, but the 11-year veteran has more arm talent and starting experience than his competition. For a team looking to draft a quarterback after the first round and letting them sit for a while, milking a year or two out of Cutler for a reduced price could be an enticing option.

Josh McCown

McCown was brought to Cleveland to fill a similar role for the Browns, but was handed his walking papers Tuesday. The 37-year-old has played for seven teams in his 14-year stint, but says he's not done playing yet. McCown has been heralded as a top-notch teammate who doesn't ignore the development of younger quarterbacks on his team. He may be the ideal starter for a team who isn't ready to play their rookie from Week 1, but plans to get them experience a month or so into the season.

Nick Foles

Foles was rumored to be a candidate to (at least temporarily) start for the Cowboys ahead of Dak Prescott last summer, but stuck with the Chiefs and avoided embarrassment instead. He could become a free agent if Kansas City doesn't pick up his team option and if a team signed Chip Kelly to help out on offense, bringing in Foles to help install his system could be a good fit as he remains Kelly's most successful NFL quarterback.

Brian Hoyer

Hoyer's name gets dragged through the mud as a sub-standard quarterback, but the journeyman pass thrower has generally been able to do something with nothing throughout his career. His four straight 300-yard games with the Bears last season showed the 31-year-old still has plenty of gas in the tank. He commands the respect of his teammates with his work ethic and could be a solid role model for a young quarterback.

Matt Moore

After four years of riding the bench, Moore got back into the starting lineup this season and held his own, keeping the Dolphins on track for their first playoff appearance since 2008. At 32, Moore isn't on his last legs yet and shouldn't mind competing for a starting role as he hasn't been given that opportunity in Miami since 2011. He still has one more year left, but shouldn't cost more than a fifth- or sixth-round pick in a trade scenario.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)