The NFL’s quarterback picture is almost settled, but four teams still have real decisions to make before Week 1. And in each case, the best answer isn’t just about who starts first - it’s about who gives the team the cleanest path forward.
In Arizona, Jacoby Brissett is the clear favorite, even if the Cardinals haven’t officially said so yet. He’s the veteran, he got a pay bump that better reflects starter money, and everything points to him taking the first snap in Week 1.
That leaves Carson Beck in the developmental lane, which is exactly where Arizona should want him. The Cardinals spent a third-round pick on Beck in the 2026 NFL Draft because they believe he could grow into the position, and his preseason debut in the Hall of Fame Game made a strong first impression.
But the idea here is patience. Beck has talent, but he’s not ready to be thrown into the fire on what might be the worst team in the NFL.
Let Brissett handle the early grind, maybe even with Gardner Minshew in the mix as a third-string veteran, while Beck learns behind the scenes.
Atlanta’s situation is messier, because Michael Penix Jr. has both the injury question and the coaching-staff question hanging over him. He’s coming off a season-ending ACL injury, and there’s no guarantee Kevin Stefanski and his staff are ready to hand him the job after inheriting him from the previous regime.
That uncertainty opened the door for Tua Tagovailoa, who arrived from the Miami Dolphins on a one-year, $1.3 million deal. It’s a low-risk move, but the upside is limited.
The ideal outcome for Atlanta is Penix proving he’s healthy and convincing the new staff he should keep the job. He flashed in his first two seasons and was excellent at protecting the football before the 2025 injury.
Tagovailoa, by contrast, is a known quantity - and not a particularly encouraging one, given the arm strength concerns, the injury history and the ball-security issues.
Cleveland doesn’t have a clean answer either, but the right direction is obvious. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are both expected to get starts in the preseason over the next two weeks, though it’s difficult to call either path a real win.
Watson is trying to limp through the final stretch of an awful contract after barely playing over the last five years. Sanders, a fifth-round pick a year ago, had more bad than good as a rookie.
The bigger truth is that the Browns don’t have their long-term starter on the roster. So the smart move is to stop treating Watson’s deal like anything other than a sunk cost and see what Sanders can do.
If he isn’t the answer, at least Cleveland can head into next year’s draft knowing it still needs one.
Then there’s Las Vegas, where the answer looks even more straightforward. Kirk Cousins is there to bridge the gap, while Fernando Mendoza - the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft - is the future.
The Raiders believe they already have their long-term quarterback, and it may not take long before Mendoza moves to the top of the depth chart. He could even get there before the regular season starts.
The ideal setup is the usual one for a team with the top pick: let the veteran open the year, then hand the job to the rookie after a week or two. The only real question is timing, and whether the Raiders have enough around Mendoza to keep his confidence and development on track.
In Other News...
Jacoby Brissett Is Setting The Tone For Arizonas New Era
With Mike LaFleur now installed as the Cardinals head coach for the 2026 season, Arizona is already starting to define what this next chapter will look like on offense. Jacoby Brissett, the teams confirmed starter, has been at the center of that conversation after signing a new contract and beginning to mesh with LaFleurs approach, giving the franchise a veteran voice as it works through the early stages of the transition.
Brissett has pointed to differences in LaFleurs offensive structure and sounds encouraged by the way their connection is developing. For a team that expects him to lead the way in Week 1 against the Chargers, that kind of early alignment matters, especially when a new coach and quarterback are trying to build a foundation before the season starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Sweat Leaves Cardinals Facing An Awkward Pass Rush Question
Josh Sweat has yet to take part in any offseason work for Arizona, and his absence has become one of the quieter but more awkward storylines around the Cardinals pass rush. The outside linebacker remains on the physically unable to perform list because of a knee injury, leaving the team to navigate camp without one of its most intriguing defensive additions on the field.
General manager Monti Ossenfort tried to calm the temperature around the situation, saying the Cardinals are not looking to move Sweat and that they remain excited about what he can bring going forward. He stopped short of swatting away the trade-request chatter, though, calling that kind of talk part of the NFL landscape, which leaves Arizona in the familiar spot of waiting for health and clarity before it can feel fully settled about a key piece up front. [Read more 🡒]
Mike LaFleur Has Cardinals Camp Believing This Start Could Be Different
By the end of his first training camp leading the Cardinals, Mike LaFleur had already left a clear imprint on how things are run in Arizona. The practices carried some of the structure and pace he picked up during his time with the Rams, and the early returns were encouraging enough to give the building a different feel. The team competed hard, and there was visible progress as the offense worked through the early stages of installation.
Monti Ossenfort was quick to praise LaFleurs overall plan and the way he has kept the focus on the roster as a whole, not just the flash points. There is still plenty to clean up, as there always is in camp, but the bigger takeaway is that the Cardinals believe this start can be different from the usual summer optimism. Whether that carries into the season will come later, but the foundation LaFleur laid in camp at least gave the organization a reason to think about what comes next with more confidence. [Read more 🡒]