NFL training camps are open — Seattle’s rookies reported first on July 17 and all 32 teams were in by July 28 — which makes this the moment the quarterback picture finally stops being speculation.
Below is every team’s starter and backup, division by division, followed by the five jobs that are still genuinely up for grabs and the two that look open but are not.
AFC Starting Quarterbacks 2026
| Team | Starter | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| AFC East | ||
| Buffalo Bills | Josh Allen | Kyle Allen |
| Miami Dolphins | Malik Willis | Quinn Ewers |
| New starter — Miami released Tua Tagovailoa in March and signed Willis from Green Bay on a three-year deal. | ||
| New England Patriots | Drake Maye | Tommy DeVito |
| New York Jets | Geno Smith | Cade Klubnik |
| AFC North | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson | Tyler Huntley |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Burrow | Joe Flacco |
| Cleveland Browns | Shedeur Sanders | Deshaun Watson |
| OPEN COMPETITION. Watson began the offseason as favourite; Sanders closed the gap enough to make it a real camp battle. | ||
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Aaron Rodgers | Mason Rudolph |
| No competition. Rodgers signed a one-year, $22.5m deal and has said 2026 is his final season. | ||
| AFC South | ||
| Houston Texans | C.J. Stroud | Davis Mills |
| Indianapolis Colts | Daniel Jones | Anthony Richardson Sr. |
| WATCH THIS. Jones is coming back from a torn Achilles and had not taken 11-on-11 reps this offseason. | ||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Trevor Lawrence | Nick Mullens |
| Tennessee Titans | Cam Ward | Mitchell Trubisky |
| AFC West | ||
| Denver Broncos | Bo Nix | Jarrett Stidham |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Patrick Mahomes | Justin Fields |
| Las Vegas Raiders | Kirk Cousins | Fernando Mendoza |
| VETERAN vs ROOKIE. Cousins holds the job for now; Mendoza is the drafted quarterback of the future. | ||
| Los Angeles Chargers | Justin Herbert | Trey Lance |
NFC Starting Quarterbacks 2026
| Team | Starter | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| NFC East | ||
| Dallas Cowboys | Dak Prescott | Joe Milton III |
| New York Giants | Jaxson Dart | Jameis Winston |
| Settled. Dart threw 15 touchdowns in 14 appearances as a rookie and now plays under new head coach John Harbaugh. | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | Jalen Hurts | Tanner McKee |
| Washington Commanders | Jayden Daniels | Marcus Mariota |
| NFC North | ||
| Chicago Bears | Caleb Williams | Tyson Bagent |
| Detroit Lions | Jared Goff | Teddy Bridgewater |
| Green Bay Packers | Jordan Love | Tyrod Taylor |
| Minnesota Vikings | Kyler Murray | J.J. McCarthy |
| UNSETTLED. Murray arrived this offseason with McCarthy still on the roster — one of the league’s more awkward depth charts. | ||
| NFC South | ||
| Atlanta Falcons | Michael Penix Jr. | Tua Tagovailoa |
| REAL BATTLE. Tagovailoa signed a one-year deal after his Miami release and is pushing Penix. | ||
| Carolina Panthers | Bryce Young | Kenny Pickett |
| New Orleans Saints | Tyler Shough | Spencer Rattler |
| Shough closed last season 3-1 as a starter, completing 70.6% with five touchdowns to one interception. | ||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Baker Mayfield | Jake Browning |
| NFC West | ||
| Arizona Cardinals | Jacoby Brissett | Gardner Minshew II |
| Los Angeles Rams | Matthew Stafford | Ty Simpson |
| Reigning MVP, and ranked the No. 3 quarterback in the league in Sports Illustrated’s preseason rankings. | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | Brock Purdy | Mac Jones |
| Seattle Seahawks | Sam Darnold | Drew Lock |
The Five Jobs Actually Still Open
1. Cleveland Browns — Shedeur Sanders vs Deshaun Watson
The most uncertain quarterback room in the league. Watson opened the offseason as the presumed starter, but Sanders closed the gap through the spring to the point that Cleveland goes into camp with a genuine competition rather than a formality.
2. Atlanta Falcons — Michael Penix Jr. vs Tua Tagovailoa
This one only exists because of what happened in Miami. Tagovailoa was released in March and signed a modest one-year deal with Atlanta, which turned a settled Penix job into a real battle.
3. Las Vegas Raiders — Kirk Cousins vs Fernando Mendoza
The classic veteran-versus-rookie setup. Cousins is the experienced hand holding the job entering camp; Mendoza is the drafted quarterback the franchise has invested its future in. How long the handover takes is the story.
4. Minnesota Vikings — Kyler Murray, with J.J. McCarthy waiting
Murray arrived this offseason while McCarthy was still on the roster, leaving Minnesota with one of the more awkward depth charts in football and a competition nobody has formally declared over.
5. Indianapolis Colts — Daniel Jones’ Achilles
Not a competition so much as a health question. Jones is recovering from a torn Achilles and had worked back to 7-on-7 without taking 11-on-11 reps this offseason. He has insisted he is on track for Week 1; camp is where that gets tested, with Anthony Richardson Sr. behind him.
Two That Look Like Battles But Are Not
Pittsburgh Steelers. Aaron Rodgers returns as the starter with Mason Rudolph behind him, and there is no camp competition. Rodgers signed a one-year deal worth $22.5 million and has said this is his final NFL season, after guiding Pittsburgh to a 10–7 record and the AFC North title in 2025 in Mike McCarthy’s first year.
New York Giants. Jaxson Dart settled this last season, throwing 15 touchdowns in 14 appearances (12 starts) despite losing Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo to injury. He enters 2026 as the clear starter under new head coach John Harbaugh.
The Offseason Move That Changed Two Teams
The single biggest quarterback story of the 2026 offseason was Miami moving on from Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins released him in March, absorbing a reported $99 million dead cap hit — one of the largest in NFL history — and signed Malik Willis away from Green Bay on a three-year, $67 million deal that installs him as the starter.
Tagovailoa then signed with Atlanta on a one-year deal worth roughly $1.2 million, an extraordinary drop for a former franchise quarterback, and immediately became the reason the Falcons have a competition at all.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is the Browns starting quarterback in 2026?
Undecided. Cleveland entered camp with an open competition between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson after Sanders closed the gap through the offseason.
Which NFL quarterback jobs are still open?
Five: Cleveland, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Minnesota, and Indianapolis — where the question is Daniel Jones’ recovery from a torn Achilles rather than a head-to-head battle.
Is Aaron Rodgers still starting for the Steelers?
Yes, with no competition. He signed a one-year, $22.5 million deal and has said 2026 is his final season. Mason Rudolph backs him up.
Who replaced Tua Tagovailoa in Miami?
Malik Willis, signed from Green Bay on a three-year, $67 million contract. Miami released Tagovailoa in March, taking a reported $99 million dead cap hit. Tagovailoa signed with Atlanta.
Who is the Giants quarterback in 2026?
Jaxson Dart, entering his second season and his first under new head coach John Harbaugh.
Depth charts change fast once camp practices and preseason games begin — this page reflects the situation as camps opened in late July 2026, cross-checked against Ourlads and Pro Football Network depth charts plus ESPN, CBS Sports and Newsweek camp reporting. Photo: NFL training camp practice, public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
