VikingsTerritory Predicts How the NFL QB Carousel Will Unfold
The NFL’s annual quarterback carousel will twirl in a few weeks, with free agency around the bend in March and the NFL draft in late April. Each year, we post predictions for the movement, and 2026 is no different. Consider this publication our formal theories on who goes where.
Before too long, NFL quarterbacks will move all around, similar to the coaching carousel, and here are our picks for landing spots.
The forecast is listed by quarterback-needy team, with the quarterbacks who land with that squad in the spring or summer.
Predicting the 2026 Quarterback Market
Players like Kyler Murray, Malik Willis, and Anthony Richardson headline this addition. Players in red indicate new employers.
Arizona Cardinals
2026 QB Room:
Jacoby Brissett
Anthony Richardson
The Cardinals will eventually hire a nead head coach — Mike LaFleur is the betting market frontrunner — and Arizona will bide its time for a rookie quarterback in 2027. That class is significantly deeper than the 2026 version, and after ending the Kyler Murray era (more on that later), Arizona will be patient.
In the meantime, general manager Monti Ossenfort ships a 5th- or 6th-Round pick to the Colts for Anthony Richardson’s service. Low risk, high upside.
Cleveland Browns
2026 QB Room:
Shedeur Sanders
Deshaun Watson
Trinidad Chambliss
The Browns hired Todd Monken this week, much to the chagrin of, well, everybody. But initially, he sounds open to working with Sanders, who had a tumultuous acclimation to the NFL in Year No. 1 — starting with the draft.
It’s still too early for Cleveland to offload Watson’s loathsome contract responsibly, so the Browns will keep him around just in case he’s productive again for one more year.
To hedge the bet against Sanders and Watson, Cleveland drafts Chambliss of Ole Miss.
Indianapolis Colts
2026 QB Room:
Daniel Jones
Riley Leonard
Zach Wilson
Perhaps the most boring of all teams on the list for quarterback movement, the Colts re-sign Jones to a hefty contract while he recovers from a torn Achilles. Don’t forget: Jones players like an MVP candidate for about six weeks to start the 2025 season.
Meanwhile, Leonard, a rookie in 2025, played well in the season’s final game. He could hold down the fort until Jones returns. The Colts will also sign Wilson, a longshot gasp at getting on the fun of the Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield reclamation projects era.
Las Vegas Raiders
2026 QB Room:
Fernando Mendoza
Geno Smith
The Raiders traded a 3rd-Round pick to Seattle for Smith — a masterclass and fleece by the Seahawks — last offseason. He’ll remain on the roster while Las Vegas performs the biggest no-brainer of them all: drafting Mendoza with the first overall pick in April.
A new head coach — probably former Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak — will inherit Mendoza and Smith, starting from a position of strength with the best of both worlds: the hottest rookie passer in all the land and the league’s best QB2.
Miami Dolphins
2026 QB Room:
Malik Willis
Tua Tagovailoa
The Dolphins hired a general manager from the Green Bay Packers’ front office. The Dolphins hired a head coach from the Green Bay Packers’ staff.
They complete the trifecta by signing Willis, who balled out in 2025, in free agency, a contract worth about $18 million per season. Tagovailoa stays for one season as insurance, and Miami might even have a summer camp battle between the two.
Minnesota Vikings
2026 QB Room:
Kyler Murray
J.J. McCarthy
Max Brosmer
At the Vikings’ year-end press conference, the former general manager and current head coach were asked separately if McCarthy was the QB1 for 2026. Both replied by saying they want a deep quarterback room this offseason. The pair might have been better off lying and walking the statements back later if they landed a big fish from the open market.
Because Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell would not commit whatsoever to McCarthy, it feels like a QB splash is coming. Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson aren’t very realistic. Murray is.
And with Adofo-Mensah now removed from the franchise, O’Connell can probably navigate more nimbly to get his guy.
New York Jets
2026 QB Room:
Justin Fields
Ty Simpson
Will Levis
Ty Simpson is the only quarterback left to possibly go off the draftboard in Round 1 after Mendoza. LaNorris Sellers and Dante Moore went back to school.
Here, New York selects Simpson with the 16th overall pick and sends a late-round pick to Tennessee for Levis. Between Fields, Simpson, and Levis, perhaps the Jets will finally figure out the QB1 spot for once.
Pittsburgh Steelers
2026 QB Room:
Aaron Rodgers
Will Howard
Trey Lance
The Steelers hired the guy who worked with Aaron Rodgers for 13 seasons. They didn’t really love each other down the stretch of the McCarthy era in Green Bay, but have since made amends.
Pittsburgh will re-sign Rodgers, be patient with a rookie quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft, sign Lance through McCarthy’s connection from the Cowboys days, take a peek at Howard, finish 9-8, and that’ll be that.
The perk? Vikings fans won’t have to endure three months of Rodgers-to-Minnesota rumors.
Other Notables
— Kirk Cousins re-signs with the Falcons after an initial release.
— Mac Jones stays put in San Francisco as insurance for Brock Purdy.
— Penn State rookie Drew Allar to the Rams.
— LSU rookie Garrett Nussmeier to the Cowboys.
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