Now that the Minnesota Vikings have settled their quarterback situation by naming Kyler Murray their starter, there are nonetheless 4 beginning quarterback spots which can be up for grabs.
Let’s check out them and what could be the best end result for every staff this season.
The competitors: Jacoby Brissett vs. Carson Beck (vs. Gardner Minshew?)
The Cardinals haven’t formally named Brissett their starter but, so that is nonetheless technically up for grabs although he’s clearly No. 1 on the depth chart.
He’s the skilled veteran, they just gave him a bump in pay to extra precisely replicate his function as a possible starter, and he has had some success within the NFL.
All indicators level to him beginning in Week 1.
However the Cardinals chosen Beck within the third spherical of the 2026 NFL Draft within the hopes that he would possibly develop right into a long-term reply on the place. His preseason debut within the Corridor of Fame Sport was stellar and made a strong first impression.
The best end result: Beck has expertise and the potential to be a starter, however he’s removed from a completed product and it might be asking method an excessive amount of to throw him right into a beginning scenario on what may be the worst staff within the NFL.
They need to let Brissett begin the season and permit Beck to get a really feel for the NFL as a backup. Maybe even a third-stringer behind one other veteran Gardner Minshew.
Beck does not have to play immediately, and nothing he does towards backups within the preseason goes to alter that. Let him study, and let Brissett get you thru most of this season that’s nearly actually going to be an extended 17 video games.
The competitors: Tua Tagovailoa vs. Michael Penix Jr.
Michael Penix Jr. isn’t solely coming off a season-ending ACL harm, however he’s additionally a holdover from the earlier teaching workers. There isn’t a assure that Kevin Stefanski and his workers are going to place confidence in him to be the staff’s starter.
There may be additionally no assure that he’s going to be prepared for Week 1 from a well being perspective.
All of that resulted in Tagovailoa coming in from the Miami Dolphins on a one-year, $1.3 million contract. It is a low-risk transfer, however the reward in all probability is not excessive as you would possibly assume.
The best end result: Penix not solely exhibits he’s wholesome, however performs nicely sufficient to wow the brand new teaching workers to win the job. He confirmed some flashes over his first two years within the league and was excellent when it got here to defending the soccer previous to his harm in 2025.
Whereas he’s removed from a completed product, and his upside may be in query, all people already is aware of what Tagovailoa is at this level, and it is in all probability not ok. He does not have elite (and even significantly good) arm power, has a regarding harm observe file and has points defending the soccer.
Penix Jr. would possibly at the very least nonetheless have some untapped potential with an opportunity to carry the job for some time.
The competitors: Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders
Each quarterbacks are set to get a start over the next two weeks in the preseason, nevertheless it’s exhausting to see anyone right here really being a winner.
Watson is closing out an terrible contract and has barely performed soccer over the previous 5 years.
Sanders was a fifth-round choose a 12 months in the past and skilled extra unhealthy than good as a rookie.
The long-term starter is not on this roster.
The best end result: Acknowledge the funding in Watson is a sunk value, don’t waste anymore time with it and see what Sanders can do. Once you see he isn’t the reply, you might be at the very least ready to draft the potential reply subsequent 12 months.
The competitors: Kirk Cousins vs. Fernando Mendoza
The Raiders have each cause to imagine they’ve their long-term reply in Mendoza, the No. 1 total choose within the 2026 NFL Draft, and it’s only a matter of time earlier than he’s No. 1 on the depth chart.
It would even occur earlier than the common season begins.
The best end result: Cousins is, at most, a short-term stop-gap till Mendoza will get the texture of the NFL. That is in all probability going to play out like most No. 1 choose conditions do: The veteran begins for per week or two after which the rookie takes over.
The one query is how lengthy that takes, and whether or not or not the Raiders have sufficient expertise round Mendoza to not smash his confidence or improvement.
