The NFL Free Agency 2026 starts next week. As always, the focus is on the quarterback position because there are enough teams that need a new quarterback. But who is available and who are the best options?
It’s been a longstanding tradition in the NFL that if you don’t have a franchise quarterback, you desperately need one. Such a player is unlikely to be available on the free agent market this year, which is why the focus is on finding a short-term solution for at least the coming season. This is particularly true because there is probably no clear solution in the draft this year, apart from Fernando Mendoza, who will probably end up in first place with the Las Vegas Raiders.
All other teams that are looking have to make do with a plan B. But which teams are actually actively looking?
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NFL: These teams need a quarterback
Of course, not all teams have the same level of need, but the following clubs will certainly be looking for a new signal caller this spring:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Cleveland Browns
- Miami Dolphins
- Minnesota Vikings
- New York Jets
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- (Las Vegas Raiders)
- (Indianapolis Colts)
The Raiders are in brackets because they are planning very safely with Mendoza, which is why they are actually covered for 2026. And the Colts have given Daniel Jones the transition tag, which certainly wasn’t the best movebut at least they have some degree of planning security.
The Cardinals will release Kyler Murraythe Browns are in total chaos with Watson, Sanders and Gabriel Miami will certainly part ways with Tua Tagovailoa. The Vikings are looking for at least experienced competition for JJ McCarthy, the Jets are the Jets and of course nobody in Pittsburgh knows at the beginning of March whether Aaron Rodgers will stick around for another year or not will devote himself entirely to chewing bark in the dark.
However, all of these teams – and perhaps a few others – only have a very limited pool of alternatives that they could rely on in this free agency. I have now put together a top 10 that I consider to be the best possible solution for at least the coming season – with a long-term perspective as a bonus.
First of all, I should say that I’m counting Tua and Kirk “Kurt” Cousins directly, as both will most likely be on the market from Wednesday or Thursday.
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NFL free agency: the best quarterbacks on the market
Honorable mentions
The following players are also still there but didn’t make the cut:
- Mac Jones (San Francisco 49ers, on trade)
- Geno Smith (Raiders, upon release)
- Kenny Pickett (Las Vegas Raiders)
- Tyson Bagent (Chicago Bears, on trade)
- Andy Dalton (Carolina Panthers, in trade)
- Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts, in trade/release)
- Justin Fields (New York Jets, upon release)
- Jacoby Brissett (Arizona Cardinals, upon release)
Now let’s move on to the best QBs available:
10. Russell Wilson – New York Giants (former team)
Wilson only started three games last season and was used as a backup in three more. He had another good outing during this time, throwing for 450 yards and three touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys. However, his interception ultimately sealed the Giants’ defeat and such numbers were quite common against the Cowboys back then.
Overall, he disappointed with Big Blue and was replaced by rookie Jaxson Dart after a loss to Kansas City in Week 3, when he had a disastrous performance with -0.5 EPA/dropback. However, he has more experience than those mentioned above and therefore just barely makes it into this list. He could still have his value as a placeholder and spot starter until another youngster possibly takes over.
9. Joe Flacco – Cincinnati Bengals
At 41 years old, Flacco knows how things work in the NFL. He may not have much left in the tank as a starter over a full season, but he can still be impressive as a backup on a good day. Nothing worked for him with the Browns, but when he came to the Bengals he still shined occasionally. His best performance was certainly the performance against the Bears in Week 9, when he threw for four touchdowns (2 INT) and a whopping 470 yards.
If you need a solid backup that you can occasionally rely on as a starter, you should at least give this a try.
8. Marcus Mariota – Washington Commanders
After being somewhat forgotten, Jayden Daniels’ injury last year brought him back into the spotlight. And Mariota then reminded us what he actually stands for. He has always been a top athlete and showed this in several games. He continued to impress with his scrambles alone and made it difficult for defenses to contain him.
In his ten games (8 starts) he ran for 297 yards and one touchdown. He was at least passable through the air and delivered his shots more accurately than statistical expectations (+3.9 CPOE). The fact that he only won two of eight games as a starter was mainly due to the team’s catastrophic defense. However, he himself showed that he can definitely help in the right situation.
7. Jimmy Garoppolo – Los Angeles Rams
Jimmy G was last active as a regular starter for the Raiders in 2023 and only at the beginning of the season. He then served as the Rams’ rarely needed backup behind Matthew Stafford. But that, as well as his Niners past, definitely speak for him in today’s NFL, because he has mastered the Shanahan/McVay scheme, which makes him interesting for corresponding teams.
He’s certainly nothing more than a game manager, but this could be exactly the type of QB a team needs to turn things around. And there’s a rumor that his last offensive coordinator would like to bring Mike LaFleur to Arizona. Kyler Murray will be released there at the start of the new league year and Jacoby Brissett is unlikely to have much job security in the desert either. The way forward could be to bring in Jimmy G and perhaps a rookie and thus bridge the season reasonably competently.
6. Tua Tagovailoa-Miami Dolphins
Tua had his weakest season ever in the NFL and you have to ask yourself whether he still has a lot left in the tank despite his young age (28). The numerous concussions and other injuries have certainly taken their toll on him over the years and the Dolphins have apparently given up hope of a return to top form.
However, it is possible that he might just need a change of scenery, perhaps a different scheme or different coaches to get back on track. Before 2025, Tua was always a fairly efficient quarterback who got rid of the ball quickly. Last year he held the ball longer on average than ever before (2.65 seconds) and was punished with the most sacks of his career (30). His -0.06 EPA/Dropback was also his worst since his rookie season in 2020 and the first time he has finished in negative territory since then.
Still, a bargain-priced Tua (around $1.2 million) would certainly come with some upside, which is exciting for some teams.
5. Kyler Murray – Arizona Cardinals
Opinions will differ on him, but we will have to take a closer look at his performance in 2025. He was still pretty efficient (+0.04 EPA/dropback) and got rid of the ball faster than ever (2.68 seconds). But that also came at a price: his deep ball rate was never as low as last season (7.5 percent), even though such shots have always been one of his strengths.
He missed much of the season with a foot injury, but when he returns to fitness he should have something left in the tank in the right scheme. So if he focuses on sports and less on “Call of Duty”…
4. Kirk Cousins - Atlanta Falcons
At the start of the new league year, Kirk Cousins will once again be a free agent. And then he should find an interesting market. He certainly wasn’t good at the start of his Falcons time, but that could certainly be seen as an aftereffect of his Achilles tendon injury. Because when he took over as starter again after Michael Penix tore his cruciate ligament last year, he again showed performances that were reminiscent of his previous top level.
He led the Falcons to four wins in a row at the end of the season and also ruined the playoffs for the Buccaneers. But above all, he emphasized that he can still lead an offense competently in this league, even at almost 38 years old. His ideal destination would probably be the Vikings, where he has previously performed well under Kevin O’Connell. But other teams are also likely to have a spot for Cousins on a short-term contract. Ultimately, he will probably go where he sees a fair chance of starting again. But he probably shouldn’t have to fear a competition with McCarthy.
3. Aaron Rodgers – Pittsburgh Steelers
Chew the bark or hang on for another year? That is the question here. Rodgers is by no means the same, but with his style change to a heavy dose of quick passing game and only occasional deep balls, he has at least reached a level of efficiency that he last displayed in Green Bay in 2022. That was already weak (-0.04 EPA/dropback), but it also minimized his mistakes from his last Jets season.
Realistically, the Steelers seem to be his only stop now, but does he really want to work with Mike McCarthy again? Or would O’Connell in Minnesota give him a real prospect of competing with JJ McCarthy this time? He would probably have a better chance of success with the Vikings than in Pittsburgh. But a continuation of his career doesn’t seem all that likely.
2. Daniel Jones-Indianapolis Colts
Without the Achilles tendon rupture he would probably be number 1 in this ranking. He led the league in many stats through the first two months of the preseason and was even a legitimate MVP candidate. The defeat against the Steelers threw him back to the old days, and then injuries ultimately pulled the plug on him. But until then, and aside from the Steelers game, he was doing well and perhaps playing better than ever before in the NFL. Until the loss, 2025 was his best season in the NFL.
The transition day should hardly be an obstacle for other teams, but his injury, which cast doubt on the start of next season, is. But if someone believes that Jones has actually found his way and can be the future of a modern NFL offense, then money shouldn’t be a big obstacle. But the question is actually whether someone does this based on their previous CV.
1. Malik Willis – Green Bay Packers
Yes, small sample size… But what Willis showed in his few appearances replacing Jordan Love with the Packers was remarkable. There’s no comparison to the overmatched prospect from Liberty who couldn’t get his foot on the ground in Tennessee. Willis was extremely efficient in 2025 (+ß.69 EPA/dropback), hardly made any mistakes through the air and wasn’t afraid to throw deep balls. Rather, he was very precise from all positions (+13.9 CPOE). Added to this, of course, is his enormous athleticism.
In an offense where he is given the freedom to run himself and also make plays with a good arm, he could thrive as a starter. Ideally, however, you should put him in a Shanahan/McVay offense, because that’s what he learned and mastered in Green Bay. It remains to be seen whether he will really get the big money, as some people estimate. But with his talent, he definitely has a lot of potential to potentially be more than just a solution for just one season.
