What’s Subsequent: Which NFL Quarterbacks May Be on the Transfer in 2026?

[ad_1] Perhaps he simply wants a change of surroundings?

That is what a number of NFL groups might be saying this offseason as they ponder parting methods with their quarterback to welcome one other veteran castoff. The 2026 NFL Draft options an underwhelming quarterback class, with a few of the high QBs returning to high school for an additional 12 months of NIL. The veteran market could be one of the best guess to discover a starter.

Which quarterbacks would possibly grow to be obtainable?

Probably, 12 quarterbacks from 11 totally different groups might be on the transfer after disappointing seasons. And needless to say it is not simply the group that might be disenchanted within the quarterback. It may be the quarterback who's disenchanted within the group. ( you, Joe Burrow.)

Let's dive in.

A Breakup Is Imminent The Tua scenario in Miami isn’t precisely just like the Russell Wilson scenario was in Denver, however that does offer you a way of scale — and a way of hope — for a group that wish to transfer on from a fading pocket passer. Tagovailoa's contract has the Dolphins on the hook for $54 million in 2026. Transferring on from him will doubtless stall a rebuild. However it appears like that is what the Dolphins are going to do anyway, largely as a result of his poor play has given them no selection.

As for Tagovailoa, he was requested about on the lookout for a recent begin after being benched for the ultimate three video games of the season in favor of seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers.

"That might be dope," Tagovailoa stated of a transfer. "I might be good with it."

Tua Tagovailoa is on the lookout for a recent begin after being benched in Miami. The Dolphins appear desperate to oblige regardless of the contract problems. (Photograph by Megan Briggs/Getty Photos)

The Raiders have already damaged up with head coach Pete Carroll. Now the group seems headed for a breakup with its quarterback. This entire Carroll-Smith experiment went so poorly that it appears like Las Vegas will minimize its losses and transfer on.

And sure, meaning beginning over — once more. However how might proprietor Mark Davis have a look at the 2025 Raiders and suppose it’s a good suggestion to provide it one other go? Smith is headed into journeyman backup territory once more.

Undrafted rookie QB Brady Prepare dinner began the Jets' closing 4 video games, and it wasn't precisely fairly. However he’s not getting an actual shot at being the QB of the longer term. It’s extra that the group wished to make it clear that the Fields period is over after one season.

Final 12 months, Fields had a couple of good video games for the Steelers that, it seems, supplied false hope for his future prospects. I suppose we should always’ve recognized that when Pittsburgh determined to not retain him. Now the Jets will certainly do the identical and proceed their eternal hunt for a real QB1.

Accidents occur within the NFL. However then there are … "accidents." I’m not saying that’s what occurred in Arizona, however I heard from a number of front-office of us across the NFL late within the season that Murray was in all probability wholesome sufficient to play. The Cardinals could merely have benched him in favor of journeyman Jacoby Brissett.

Saying that Murray had a lingering foot sprain may need made it simpler to sit down him till subsequent 12 months — if there's a subsequent 12 months.

Murray would possibly profit from a change of surroundings and, given how significantly better the Cardinals performed with Brissett, they’re in all probability not pondering they want to return to Kyler. They're in all probability pondering they want to determine the best way to substitute Kyler — and Brissett.

A Breakup Is Possible The outdated adage is that if in case you have two quarterbacks, you could have none. I by no means believed that. Actually, I believed it was foolish. When you could have two quarterbacks, you could have two quarterbacks. Within the NFL, the place QBs are a very powerful asset, you possibly can’t have too many.

However the Falcons are the proper instance of why it’s — on the very least — harmful to have two QBs. In 2024, they tried beginning Kirk Cousins to let the rookie Penix develop, however Cousins performed poorly sufficient that the group made a late-season change. In 2025, Penix’s play progressively obtained worse because the Falcons requested him to do extra.

After which the oft-injured QB suffered a torn ACL, his fifth season-ending harm in eight years (between school and execs). Penix's harm historical past is so extreme that it’s truthful to surprise if he’ll ever have an opportunity to be a franchise QB, for the Falcons or anybody else.

To make issues much more difficult in Atlanta, Cousins performed effectively down the stretch this season. I might see a situation the place one in every of these quarterbacks begins for the Falcons in 2026. Extra doubtless, it’ll be neither of them.

Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins have supplied loads of drama in Atlanta, and now the Falcons are dealing with the distinct risk that neither will get them the place they wish to go. (Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photos)

I actually appreciated what Sanders stated about how "that is the worst it is going to be" in Cleveland. He needs to construct a successful group. He is assured and sincere in the way in which that QBs are normally not within the NFL. What’s unsuitable with acknowledging the issue and declaring your self part of the answer? Nothing. It’s really refreshing.

However the Browns' coaches clearly tried to guard Sanders from himself — maybe dealing with him with a lot care that some individuals suppose fired head coach Kevin Stefanski actively interfered with Sanders’ potential breakout (which … simply … no).

What's true is that the coaches did not belief Sanders utterly. So I think if he will get one other shot in Cleveland below a brand new workers, and it would not work out, Sanders must hope that somebody on the market thinks he has grown sufficient on and off the sector to alleviate the considerations that landed him within the fifth spherical of the draft.

This poor man. He was having the season of his life earlier than hurting his leg. And no, I’m not speaking in regards to the Achilles harm. I’m speaking about when he fractured his fibula in Week 11 and performed by way of the harm — previous to the Achilles. And now, there’s extra doubt than ever about whether or not Jones will recapture the magic from these early weeks of the season.

Not solely did his play decline (earlier than and after the fibula harm), but it surely’s additionally truthful to wonder if he’ll come again from the Achilles able to play in 2026. It’s way more doubtless that he received’t be himself till 2027.

The Colts cannot wait that lengthy. They’ve wanted a quarterback now ever since Andrew Luck retired in 2019. Even when they keep Jones, they're going to have to determine one other reputable beginning QB possibility.

Daniel Jones was within the MVP dialog early within the 2025 season, however accidents ended that dream together with the Colts' hopes of constructing the playoffs. Will head coach Shane Steichen look ahead to Jones to get better? (Photograph by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-Information by way of Getty Photos)

A Breakup Is Potential Coach Kevin O’Connell has talked extensively about how the league has gone awry with quarterback improvement. And for a time this season, it felt like the trail he’d charted for McCarthy was really an instance of failed improvement. However to conclude the season, McCarthy’s play improved to the purpose the place he went from unplayable — to the thirtieth greatest quarterback within the league.

That’s not the place you wish to land with a QB on the finish of 12 months two. However some quarterbacks want three years — and McCarthy’s rookie season actually didn’t rely, given he was recovering from an ACL tear. So, until there’s one thing about McCarthy’s mentality and studying model that O’Connell merely doesn’t like, it’s onerous to think about these two moving into separate instructions (outdoors of Joe Burrow coming obtainable).

One factor is for positive: McCarthy will not be the unquestioned starter subsequent 12 months. Minnesota goes to herald veteran competitors, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini. The standard of that competitors would possibly point out how a lot religion the group has in McCarthy. Bringing in Aaron Rodgers, for instance, would present that the Vikings don't have any religion in McCarthy, whereas signing Geno Smith would possibly point out they suppose McCarthy might really grow to be a QB1.

When you’re on the lookout for progress in Younger’s sport, you’ll see it this season. Progress is rarely completely linear. Younger has seen setbacks right here and there, however he is including to his instruments, and he’s establishing command of coach Dave Canales’ system.

It appears like without end in the past, however Russell Wilson was as soon as a harmful QB in Seattle. That’s in all probability what Younger is rising towards. Will he ever get there? How lengthy will it take? We don’t have these solutions but, and the Panthers are in all probability comfy with that. However when you have a look at what simply occurred to Tagovailoa in Miami, the Panthers may also be cautious of Younger, who will at all times be small (5-foot-10) and can by no means be a world-beater.

Can Carolina dwell with Younger's limitations?

Howie Roseman is an agile basic supervisor, metaphorically talking. He fired Tremendous Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson and the Eagles obtained again there — twice — in Nick Sirianni's first 4 seasons. May Roseman, primarily, fireplace Hurts after which engineer a return to the Tremendous Bowl with a brand new quarterback?

It’s daring. However that’s Roseman. For years, we’ve seen the Eagles function a lightning rod of dialog. The man on the heart of the drama — Hurts — virtually by no means says something. But when the top coach and the star gamers on the group don’t like coping with Hurts, then possibly there’s an out of doors probability the GM finds a brand new QB.

Would the Eagles really transfer on from Tremendous Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts? Nicely, they moved on from Tremendous Bowl-winning coach. (Photograph by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Photos)

Burrow is not pleased. He appears to have realized that the Bengals are losing his prime. The query is whether or not he'll do something about it. As a result of if he actually wished to, he might in all probability pressure his means out of Cincinnati. If he outright demanded a commerce this offseason, some group would set off the most important deal in NFL historical past — greater than even the Matthew Stafford and Deshaun Watson offers.

I would solely give it a ten % probability of taking place. However there's a probability.

Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years masking the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Observe him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.

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