It’s time for many NFL teams to start shopping for their next quarterback.
When looking for veterans, this offseason will be as interesting as any in recent memory, in large part because the 2026 draft has so little to offer at the position. There’s the consensus pick at No. 1 overall, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. But even more than Cam Ward last year (supposedly an underwhelming No. 1 pick), Mendoza isn’t necessarily a transcendent talent.
To make matters worse, there appears to be less QB depth in this draft class than last year, too. Mendoza might not be elite, but he’s the only quarterback with clear-cut starter traits.
So that places an increased emphasis on veteran NFL quarterbacks who should be available this offseason, one way or another. Let’s take a look at those QBs, in descending order.
How to get him: Trade with Falcons
I’m not saying he’s going to save an organization. But if you need a starting quarterback, that’s what Cousins is. He’s smart. He’s dedicated. He understands the game at a deep level. And he has all the traits to run any offense, especially now that he’s further removed from his Achilles injury. He looks more physically ready to play than he did when he joined the Falcons in 2024.
Cousins is still under contract with Atlanta and therefore might not become available. But if new head coach Kevin Stefanski intends to go with Michael Penix Jr. or wants to go in a completely different direction at QB, it could help the team to get Cousins’ contract off the salary cap.
The pairing of Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins has been an issue for the Falcons from the day they drafted Penix in 2024. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
How to get him: Potential free agent if cut by Dolphins or trade target in a salary dump
We saw just how many things have to go right for Tagovailoa to succeed, and that’s why it never made sense to pay him $55 million per year. The size of his contract made it very difficult to support him. Which is why a new contract — a less lucrative one – could help him find success again.
Tagovailoa must have a strong supporting cast. And so, when teams look to build around him, they’ll need to think about how to create a situation similar to what Miami had in 2023. And you’re probably thinking: Good luck! But don’t be so dismissive. Those Dolphins obviously had star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and the running back tandem of Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane. But the offensive line wasn’t all that good. Neither was the defense. And Mike McDaniel had his moment, but he’s clearly not the transcendent coach that we once crowned him to be.
At the risk of sounding overly negative about the Dolphins, I’m trying to point out that someone can put Tua in a position to succeed again. But first, he’ll probably have to beat out someone else, because no team is handing him a starting job at this point.
Tua Tagovailoa was benched by the Dolphins late in the season, and both sides will be looking for a fresh start. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
How to get him: Free agency
Jones had a nice start to the season when he was healthy, but then the Colts crumbled quickly, particularly as he racked up injuries. He was playing on a broken leg when his Achilles tendon tore — and ended his season in early December.
If all things were held equal and Jones’ total health was a guarantee, then he would rank much higher on this list. But he’s not a Madden player. His Achilles recovery will slow him down next year, and his mobility is a part of his game. So I’d have serious reservations about signing him for a QB1 role in 2026, because you’d also need a contingency plan.
The Colts are reportedly interested in re-signing Daniel Jones, but paying him high-end QB1 money would be a risk. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
Jones has upside. He has talent. We’ve seen what he can do. It’s just hard to know how quickly he can get back to his peak. It’s also hard to know if he can sustain it.
In short, it’s hard to know if “Danny Dimes” will return in 2026.
How to get him: Trade with 49ers
Brock Purdy showed why he has more upside as a creative playmaker. But filling in for Purdy last season, Jones proved why he was once a first-round draft choice who still has the tools to start in the NFL, particularly in a QB-friendly system (and one that features elite playmakers like Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle).
In 11 games this past season, including eight starts filling in for Brock Purdy, Mac Jones (10) completed a career-high 69.6% of his passes and threw for 13 touchdowns. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Jones’ stint in New England proved that he could play with help from a good offensive coordinator (Josh McDaniels). He also proved that he couldn’t do it all on his own when dragged down by a lack of quality personnel and coaching on offense.
There are no hidden surprises here. For F1 fans, I’d compare Jones to Valtteri Bottas, who was so consistent in a Mercedes, the fastest car on the track. But when he moved to Alfa Romeo, he couldn’t challenge the field. He missed his Mercedes.
In many ways, that F1 comparison is true for several guys on this list. It’s just that the 27-year-old Jones is younger and has a shorter injury history. The only downside is that it’ll require draft capital to get him as he’s signed through next season with San Francisco.
How to get him: Potential free agent if cut by Cardinals or trade target in a salary dump
Will Murray ever be consistent enough to be a quality NFL starter?
It seems like a boring question, particularly for a player like Murray, who can be as fun to watch as any QB in the league. But that’s only his highlights. The whole body of work makes for a murky evaluation.
It can’t be a coincidence that the team wrote into his contract that he needs to spend more time on film study — which means less time playing video games. That element of the contract was once nothing more than a joke. But now, with years of Murray getting stuck in the mud developmentally, it’s fair to wonder whether he is failing to grind in the ways that successful quarterbacks do.
Injuries and developmental issues have plagued Cardinals QB Kyler Murray since his promising start in the NFL. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
He has considerable upside and film that proves he can play well for sustained periods of time. But that just begs the question: After seven NFL seasons, why hasn’t Murray put it all together yet? Can he find a coach who will help him not just reach his peak potential but hold onto it for a full season (and postseason)?
I’m hopeful. But I’m not betting on it.
How to get him: Free agency
He can still sling the ball when he has a clean pocket. But given the league-wide trend where defenses are one step ahead of the offenses — especially in attacking pass protection — it’s hard to work with an aging QB like Rodgers, who no longer has the athleticism to make something happen when the play breaks down.
The good news is that the 21-year NFL veteran might be as sharp as Matthew Stafford when it comes to smarts about pre-snap and coverages. Rodgers just wasn’t in the Rams‘ offense last year. He has seen everything and probably has an answer for everything. It’s just a matter of whether his 42-year-old body can do what his mind thinks it can.
But if a team needs a winner to steer its organization for one season, Rodgers makes all the sense in the world. Obviously, Pittsburgh could work, especially considering it would mean a reunion with Mike McCarthy, who coached Rodgers in Green Bay. Don’t count out Minnesota, however.
If Aaron Rodgers returns for a 22nd NFL season, where will it be? (Photo by Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
How to get him: Free agency
It’s like that Paul Rudd meme: Who would’ve thought? Not me!
It’s so hard to rank Willis against proven entities, where signing one of them would be about managing the devil you know. Aaron Rodgers is aging quickly and has physical limitations. Kyler Murray may never be consistent enough to lead an organization. And where do you even start with Tua Tagovailoa’s issues?
We know what’s wrong with each of those quarterbacks. In the case of Willis, we don’t know what we don’t know — particularly when it comes to his weaknesses. His strengths were on display this season, with impressive arm strength and talent — along with an aptitude for the Kyle Shanahan system that Matt LaFleur runs in Green Bay.
Willis didn’t win his starts for the Packers, but he definitely won over league talent evaluators. There’s an enticing amount of talent to work with, even if the sample size is so small that it might scare off some teams.
In Week 17 against the Ravens, Malik Willis amassed 348 total yards, threw for one touchdown and ran for two more. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
But it only takes one. And some team is going to sign Willis to a three-year deal with the thought that he is the next Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield. To be “the next” draft bust turned successful journeyman starter, Willis will need a safe landing spot, perhaps like Atlanta.
As we saw with Darnold, if you hit on a quarterback at the right point in his career, you can legitimately win a Super Bowl. Willis isn’t the clear-cut best QB available. But he could be good for a long period of time. That’s why I like him the most. He could give a team 10 years of solid play.
