7 Quarterbacks Who Couild Benefit From a Thin QB Draft Class

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7 Quarterbacks Who Couild Benefit From a Thin QB Draft Class

Andrew Perloff · Athlon Sports

Fri, Jan 30, 2026 ·

7 min read

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MOBILE, Ala. – The talk of Senior Bowl week was quarterbacks. As in, "Where are teams going to find quarterbacks this season?" While this year's group in Mobile performed better than expected, each one has major question marks and falls into the "project" category.

Last season, four Senior Bowl QBs came off the board in the first three rounds ( Jaxson Dart , Tyler Shough , Dillon Gabriel and Jalen Milroe ). This year's group is led by LSU 's Garrett Nussmeier , but teams likely won't look at him as a potential starter because of his injury history and lack of production in 2025. The biggest name, Vanderbilt 's Diego Pavia, was one of the smallest players on the field, measuring in at 5-9 7/8 on Monday. Then there are players like Arkansas' Taylen Green and North Dakota State's Cole Payton, who made multiple big-time throws in Mobile — but will need multiple years of development.

Barring an unexpected riser, two non-Senior Bowl QBs, Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Alabama's Ty Simpson , are the only potential first-rounders. While Nussmeier might be the leader right now, there's no consensus who the third quarterback will be.

Next year's quarterback class is shaping up to be more impactful — although it always seems that way. Dante Moore 's decision to go back to Oregon boosts a class that could include Texas' Arch Manning , Ohio State 's Julian Sayin and Miami 's Darian Mensah.

Unfortunately for some NFL teams, the timing of the quarterback classes doesn't line up well with where those teams are right now. There's high demand at the position this offseason. At least eight teams could be in the market – Arizona Cardinals , Cleveland Browns , Indianapolis Colts , Las Vegas Raiders , Miami Dolphins , Minnesota Vikings , New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers . The Raiders will take Mendoza at No. 1, possibly leaving seven teams looking for either a starter or a high-end backup who can play.

So where are teams going to find the other seven QBs? Based on watching Senior Bowl practice, they won't get immediate help in the draft. That leaves a flawed free-agent market and the potential for trades. Even if they won't admit it, some teams would prefer a one-year solution, so they can jump into the 2026 NFL Draft without any commitments weighing them down.

Here's how I rank potentially available veteran quarterback options:

1. Malik Willis , free agent

The only potential long-term answer in this group, Willis will be a free agent with multiple suitors after his impressive showing as a backup in Green Bay . In 11 appearances over the last two seasons, Willis threw six touchdowns and no picks and completed 78% of his passes. The obvious match is Miami, who hired a coach, Jeff Hafley, and GM, Jon-Eric Sullivan, from the Packers .

Don't be surprised if other teams jump in on the Willis sweepstakes. He had a lot of first-round buzz coming out of Liberty, but ultimately teams decided he needed more polish. He got that in Green Bay and has the potential to be a playoff-level quarterback. The price tag is a big variable, because if a few teams jump in it could go as high as $15-20 million per season.

2. Mac Jones , 49ers

Jones excelled under Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco this season, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 TDs and six INTs in 11 games (eight starts). The question is how much of that was because of Shanahan's offense and how much was Jones. The positive spin is that Jones was stuck in bad situations in Jacksonville and New England , and we finally got to see what he could do. One of the most impressive aspects of Jones' 2025 campaign was his toughness. He took big hits and played injured in multiple games.

Jones, 27, will be a free agent after next season. He has a cap hit of only $3 million, which makes him attractive, but also means the Niners could drive up the trade compensation. After watching Sam Darnold lead the Seahawks to the Super Bowl , some team will be eager to give up a mid-round pick to acquire Jones.

3. Daniel Jones , free agent

Jones tore his Achilles in Week 14 and may not be ready to go for Week 1. Teams, however, might be willing to be patient after Jones hit his stride with the Colts in '25. Before the injury, Jones completed a career-high 68% of his passes and had a 100.2 passer rating.

While Indianapolis is likely the front-runner to bring back Jones, he'll draw interest in the free-agent market despite the injury. He could go back to Minnesota, where he played under coach Kevin O'Connnell in '24. Jones would be a strong high-end insurance policy to pair with J.J. McCarthy . The Dolphins might also look at Jones as competition for second-year QB Quinn Ewers .

4. Kyler Murray , Cardinals

The Cardinals appear to be done with their former No. 1 overall pick after shutting him down with a foot injury this season. While talented, Murray's height limits his ability to thrive in certain schemes. Hard to imagine Murray succeeding on a team with a flawed roster, like the Jets or the Browns.

ESPN's John Weinfuss reported that Arizona was seeking a Day 2 pick for Murray. Presumably a team that would give up a pick for Murray would want him to play. Although Murray could also benefit from a bit of QB rehab under Sean McVay in L.A. or Shanahan in San Francisco.

5. Kirk Cousins , Falcons

Cousins, 37, had a strong television debut for CBS during the playoffs and could walk into a job if he retired. But he'll be in demand because of the weak QB draft class. Cousins played under new Atlanta coach Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota. The Falcons, however, restructured Cousins' contract, reportedly to make it easier to part ways. Teams seeking a bridge quarterback might think that Cousins' struggles in Atlanta were more on the coaching staff from last season.

Cousins might be the best fit to compete with McCarthy in Minnesota, considering his familiarity with the Vikings offense. Teams with no clear-cut starter, like the Browns or Jets could view Cousins as the perfect placeholder. Not sure Cousins would feel the same way.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) warms up before an AFC wild card game against the Houston Texans.Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

6. Aaron Rodgers , free agent

New Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said he'd like a reunion with Rodgers. That marriage between coach and QB is the only reason this a viable solution. For Rodgers, going from Arthur Smith's offense to playing for McCarthy would be an upgrade. A long time ago, McCarthy came in and salvaged one more good season for Brett Favre in Green Bay.

Rodgers is getting older and it showed at the end of last season. But he will be okay as long as he doesn't face the Houston Texans , who destroyed him in the playoffs. Rodgers has also flirted with the Vikings and would benefit from playing indoors and with O'Connell and Minnesota's talented receiving corps.

7. Geno Smith , Raiders

Smith's struggles in Las Vegas had to do with coaching and the roster. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was the wrong hire and Smith had only one big-time weapon, Brock Bowers , who was often hurt. The Raiders will draft Mendoza and likely either trade or release Smith. At 35 he still has the arm and could have one more big season if he can cut down on turnovers.

From a narrative standpoint, Smith returning to the Jets could be an incredible redemption story. And there's not much to lose because New York feels like a team that will be all in on next year's QB draft class. Smith gets the edge over Tua Tagovailoa , whose contract and baggage from Miami make him an unattractive option for QB-needy teams.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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