Is Mike Glennon the answer for QB-needy teams?

For teams in search of a starting quarterback this offseason, the options are varied, but all are expensive.

This year's quarterback class contains several intriguing prospects, but all have questions that make using a high first-round pick on them a substantial risk.

If teams want a veteran pivot, then Tony Romo, Tyrod Taylor, or Jay Cutler might be available, though all would require a significant contract and have questions about their play or injury history.

For teams wanting to make a franchise-altering move, Jimmy Garoppolo is likely available in exchange for a first-round pick, while the soon-to-be franchise-tagged Kirk Cousins could be acquired by a team willing to give up two first-rounders and an elite-level contract extension.

In short, if a team wants to make a move for a starting-caliber quarterback, it's going to cost big.

However, there's one option who's being overlooked and could cost significantly less: Mike Glennon.

The quarterback who's spent the last two seasons backing up Jameis Winston in Tampa Bay is set to hit the open market in several weeks and could be an ideal stop-gap starter, but with the added benefit of an untapped ceiling.

Glennon has thrown just 11 regular-season passes over the past two campaigns, but he got significant work over the first two years of his career.

The 27-year-old's career stats - 4,100 passing yards on 630 attempts, 59.4 percent completion percentage, and 30 touchdowns to 15 interceptions - equates to one solid season of production, which is significantly more than Jimmy Garoppolo has produced and is also more than Brock Osweiler had when he signed a big-money deal last offseason.

Somehow, Garoppolo has been deemed worthy of a first-round pick and contract extension in the region of Osweiler's $18 million per year, while Glennon is getting little to no buzz as a potential starter.

Yes, Garoppolo is younger and could be the better player, but is his potential so high that it's worth the significant investment and draft capital it will take to get him?

Glennon will cost less than the likes of Cutler, is better than the likes of Brian Hoyer, and signing him doesn't crown him your franchise quarterback like with Garoppolo or Cousins. He will likely command $10 to $13 million a year - a relative bargain for a starter in today's NFL - and wouldn't require significant guaranteed money.

For teams like the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, or Chicago Bears, the most cost-effective path could be signing Glennon and also drafting a quarterback in the first few rounds.

This would not only allow the young passer to sit for a year, but it gives Glennon time in the limelight to boost his reputation. If he establishes himself as a solid starter, he could then be traded for a significant amount when the young quarterback is ready to take the reins.

A Glennon signing isn't without its risks, but in a quarterback market that continues to demand teams mortgage their futures to acquire a starter, it's a relatively small gamble that could pay off in a huge way for whatever team rolls the dice.